Carrier For Containers
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorBrian Smalley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers. The carrier comprises panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carrier. The panels comprise at least one bottom panel, at least one top panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least two side panels. The at least one top panel is foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel. The at least one top panel has a handle portion for forming a handle of the carrier and a retaining portion having container receiving openings for receiving the containers in the carrier. The carrier includes a reinforcement flap adjacent at least one of the container receiving openings for contacting at least one of the plurality of containers.
Claims22
A blank comprising:
- a plurality of panels that are respectively foldably connected to one another;
- an opening defined in at least one panel of the plurality of panels;
- a flap positioned in the opening;
- the flap being pivotably connected to at least one edge of the opening by first and second connections, so that the flap is pivotable about a pivot axis, wherein
- the pivot axis is cooperatively defined by the first and second connections,
- the pivot axis extends in an axial direction across the opening,
- the first and second connections are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction, and
- the flap includes opposite inner and outer edges that are spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction that extends crosswise to the axial direction, so that the pivot axis is positioned between the inner and outer edges of the flap.
A carton for at least partially receiving a container having a neck, the carton comprising:
- a plurality of panels for extending at least partially around an interior of the carton;
- an opening that is defined in at least one panel of the plurality of panels for receiving the neck;
- a flap positioned in the opening;
- and
- the flap being pivotably connected to at least one edge of the opening by first and second connections so that the flap is pivotable about a pivot axis, wherein
- the pivot axis is cooperatively defined by the first and second connections,
- the pivot axis extends in an axial direction across the opening,
- the first and second connections are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction, and
- the flap includes opposite first and second edges that are spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction that extends crosswise to the axial direction, so that the pivot axis is positioned between the first and second edges of the flap.
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers with necks, the carrier comprising:
- panels for extending at least partially around an interior of the carrier, wherein the panels comprise at least one top panel, the at least one top panel comprises a handle portion and a retaining portion, the handle portion is foldably connected to the retaining portion, the handle portion at least partially forms a handle of the carrier, and the retaining portion has openings for respectively receiving the necks of the containers when the containers are in the carrier, and
- wherein at least one of the openings is at least partially defined by a reinforcement flap foldably connected to the retaining portion, and the reinforcement flap is positioned for being adjacent at least one of the necks for engaging the at least one of the necks when the containers are in the carrier.
A blank for forming a carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
- a front panel, a back panel, a first side panel foldably connected to at least one of the front panel and the back panel, a second side panel foldably connected to at least one of the front panel and the back panel, at least one top panel, and at least one bottom panel;
- the at least one top panel being foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel,
- the at least one top panel comprising handle features for forming a handle of the carrier formed from the blank and a retention portion having container receiving openings, and the at least one top panel comprising at least one reinforcement flap foldably connected to the retention portion and adjacent to at least one of the container receiving openings, wherein the reinforcement flap is foldably connected to the retaining portion by two nicks that are substantially spaced apart from one another around a periphery of the at least one of the container receiving openings.
A method of forming a carrier for containing a plurality of containers with necks, the method comprising:
- obtaining a blank having a front panel, a back panel, a first side panel foldably connected to at least one of the front panel and the back panel, a second side panel foldably connected to at least one of the front panel and the back panel, at least one top panel, and at least one bottom panel, wherein the at least one top panel is foldably connected to one of the front panel and the back panel, and wherein the at least one top panel comprises handle features for forming a handle of the carrier formed from the blank, and a retention portion having container receiving openings and at least one reinforcement flap foldably connected to the retention portion and adjacent to at least one of the container receiving openings;
- forming the blank into an open-ended sleeve;
- causing relative movement between the open-ended sleeve and the containers such that the containers are inserted through the container receiving openings of the retaining portion, and a neck engages the reinforcement flap and simultaneously pivots opposite edges of the reinforcement flap in opposite directions;
- and
- closing the open ended sleeve to at least partially close the carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.