Article carrier and blank therefor

A blank for forming an article carrier for packaging at least one article each having a recess, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging a recess of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the article retention device comprising a flap struck from a first one of the plurality of panels and hingedly connected to the first one of the plurality of panels along a first fold line, the flap defining an opening in the first one of the plurality of panels when folded out of the plane of the first one of the plurality of panels, wherein the opening includes a notch which is located along a free edge of the flap when the flap is at its initial unfolded position, wherein the free edge includes a segment for forming a non-protrusion, the segment being disposed adjacent to the notch.

A blank for forming an article carrier for packaging at least one article each having a recess, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging a recess of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the tubular structure defining a tubular axis, the article retention device comprising a flap hingedly connected to a first one of the plurality of panels along a first fold line, wherein the first fold line extends at an acute angle with respect to the tubular axis, the acute angle being no more than 50 degrees.

A blank for forming an article carrier for packaging at least one article each having a recess, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging a recess of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the article retention device comprising a flap struck from only a first one of the plurality of panels and hingedly connected to the first one of the plurality of panels along a first fold line, wherein the flap, when folded about the first fold line, defines at least part of a machine pull opening for a machine element to engage to tighten the blank around the at least one article, the flap being a single member formed from the material removed out from the machine pull opening.

A blank for forming an article carrier for packaging at least one article each having a recess, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging a recess of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the blank comprising a longitudinal axis, the article retention device comprising a flap hingedly connected to a first one of the plurality of panels along a first fold line, wherein the first fold line extends at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, the acute angle being greater than 40 degrees and less than 90 degrees.

An article carrier for packaging at least one article each having a recess, the article carrier comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging a recess of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the tubular structure defining a tubular axis, the article retention device comprising a flap hingedly connected to a first one of the plurality of panels along a first fold line, wherein the first fold line extends at an acute angle with respect to the tubular axis, the acute angle being no more than 50 degrees.

An article carrier for packaging at least one article each having a recess, the article carrier comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging a recess of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the article retention device comprising a flap struck from only a first one of the plurality of panels and hingedly connected to the first one of the plurality of panels along a first fold line, wherein the flap, when folded about the first fold line, defines at least part of a machine pull opening for a machine element to engage to tighten the blank around the at least one article, the flap being a single member formed from the material removed out from the machine pull opening.

An article carrier for packaging at least one article each having a recess, the article carrier comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging a recess of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the article carrier comprising a transverse axis, the transverse axis being perpendicular to a tubular axis of the tubular structure, the article retention device comprising a flap hingedly connected to a first one of the plurality of panels along a first fold line, wherein the first fold line extends at an acute angle with respect to the transverse axis, the acute angle being greater than 40 degrees and less than 90 degrees.

A blank for forming an article carrier for packaging at least one article having a recessed portion, the blank comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding the at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging the recessed portion of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the article retention device comprising a flap hingedly connected to a first one of the plurality of panels, wherein the flap extends to a first outer edge of the blank.

An article carrier for packaging at least one article having a recessed portion, the article carrier comprising:

• a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure surrounding the at least one article;
• and an article retention device for engaging the recessed portion of one of said at least one article to inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure, the article retention device comprising a flap hingedly connected to a first one of the plurality of panels, wherein the flap is sized to extend to a first outer edge of the first one of the plurality of panels when the flap is not folded so as to not be engaged with the recessed portion of the one of said at least one article.