Container carrier
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsChristopher J. SAMARAS, Rachell L. SLOVIK
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container carrier (100) with a uniform pitch applicating feature for applying container carriers onto containers to form a multipackage. A uniform series of apertures (112) is formed on the container carrier in the machine direction of a multipack carrier. Application machines may use the apertures for synchronizing the container carrier material to the containers, thereby making it container pitch independent. The resulting internal features of the carrier that would receive the containers can then be varied to best match the containers with little to no impact to the application machine.
Claims20
A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers comprising:
- a plurality of flexible bands that form an array of container receiving apertures, the array arranged in longitudinal rows and transverse ranks;
- and
- a plurality of registration apertures aligned on each longitudinal row of the container carrier adjacent to, and outside of, the array of container receiving apertures.
A method for packaging a plurality of containers using a uniform container carrier strip and containers to form individual multipackages, the method comprising:
- providing a container carrier strip from a feed to an applicating machine;
- inserting a plurality of pins from the applicating machine into a plurality of registration apertures on the carrier strip;
- transferring a plurality of containers in a fixed position to a centerline;
- applying the carrier strip to the containers at the centerline;
- and
- removing the plurality of pins from the registration apertures, forming a container carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.