Carrier for containers
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorsJon Thompson, Anna Maria Gonzalez Manzano, Raymond R. Spivey, SR., Jean-Manuel Gomes, John Murdick Holley, JR., Matthew R. Kearns
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier includes a front portion, the front portion including a portion of at least one attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, a back portion, the back portion including a portion of the at least one attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, and a reinforcement portion extending from the front portion to the back portion for reinforcing the carrier.
Claims32
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier comprising:
- a central panel including a front region defining a plurality of front openings arranged to at least partially receive a front group of the plurality of containers, a back region defining a plurality of back openings arranged to at least partially receive a back group of the plurality of containers and a middle region disposed between the front region and the back region;
- a front portion including:
- the front region of the central panel;
- an outer panel foldably connected to the front region of the central panel;
- a top panel foldably connected to the outer panel and defining a plurality of front apertures wherein the plurality of front apertures are aligned with the plurality of front openings;
- and
- an inner panel foldably connected to the top panel;
- a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the inner panel and in face-to-face alignment with the middle region of the central panel;
- an attachment flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel;
- and
- a back portion positioned opposite of the front portion and including the back region of the central panel.
A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
- a central panel including a front region defining a plurality of front openings arranged to at least partially receive a front group of the plurality of containers, a back region defining a plurality of back openings arranged to at least partially receive a back group of the plurality of containers and a middle region disposed between the front region and the back region;
- a front portion including:
- the front region of the central panel;
- an outer panel foldably connected to the front region of the central panel;
- a top panel foldably connected to the outer panel and defining a plurality of front apertures;
- and
- an inner panel foldably connected to the top panel;
- a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the inner panel;
- an attachment flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel;
- and
- a back portion positioned opposite of the front portion and including the back region of the central panel.
A method of forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the method comprising:
- obtaining a blank comprising:
- a central panel including a front region defining a plurality of front openings arranged to at least partially receive a front group of the plurality of containers, a back region defining a plurality of back openings arranged to at least partially receive a back group of the plurality of containers and a middle region disposed between the front region and the back region;
- a front portion including:
- the front region of the central panel;
- an outer panel foldably connected to the front region of the central panel;
- a top panel foldably connected to the outer panel and defining a plurality of front apertures;
- and
- an inner panel foldably connected to the top panel;
- a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the inner panel;
- an attachment flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel;
- and
- a back portion positioned opposite of the front portion and including the back region of the central panel;
- and
- folding the outer panel, the top panel and the inner panel such that they cooperate to at least partially enclose an upper portion of the front group of the plurality of containers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.