Sleeve-type carrier with improved handle

A sleeve-type carrier, comprising:

• a top panel;
• a bottom panel;
• side panels integral with and foldably connected to the top and bottom panels;
• and
• end panels between the top, bottom and side panels;
• the top panel containing spaced edges extending transversely of the foldable connections between the side panels and the top panel, each of the elongated spaced edges having an end located relatively near one of the foldable connections and another end located relatively near the other foldable connection, the handle opening further comprising two short edges connecting the ends of the elongated spaced edges which are located relatively near each of the foldable connections;
• the handle opening being covered by a tab of similar shape to that of the handle opening;
• the tab being attached to the top panel along both of the elongated edges of the handle opening by connecting portions which can function as hinges when the fingers of a user press against the tab relatively gently or which can be broken when the fingers of a user press against the tab relatively hard;
• the top panel containing slits extending from the short edges of the handle opening transversely of and through the foldable connections between the side panels and the top panel, the slits ending in the side panels;
• the side panels containing score lines extending from the ends of the transversely extending slits to the foldable connections between the side panels and the top panel, the score lines comprising a first pair of score lines extending from the ends of the transversely extending slits and meeting in the top panel between one of the elongated edges of the handle opening and the nearest end panel, and a second pair of score lines extending from the ends of the transversely extending slits and meeting in the top panel between the other elongated edge of the handle opening and the end panel nearest thereto.

A production blank adapted to be formed into a sleeve-type article carrier, comprising:

• sheet material in the general shape of a rectangle;
• the sheet having a central section intended to become the top panel of the carrier, end sections adapted to be connected together to form the bottom panel of the carrier, intermediate sections connected to the central and end sections by score lines and intended to become the side panels of the carrier, and flap sections connected to the intermediate sections by score lines and intended to become the end panels of the carrier;
• the central section having a handle opening comprising two elongated spaced edges extending transversely of the score lines connecting the central section to the intermediate sections and two short edges connecting the elongated edges;
• the handle opening being covered by a tab of similar shape to that of the handle opening, the tab being connected to the central section by a fold line along one of the elongated edges of the handle opening;
• the tab containing a fold line intermediate of and generally parallel to the elongated edges thereof, whereby the tab can be pivoted down about its fold line by the fingers of a person lifting a carrier formed from the blank to expose the handle opening in the top panel of the carrier, the tab being adapted to fold upon itself about the intermediate fold line when the tab contacts an article and is thereby prevented from continued pivoting movement about the fold line;
• the central section containing slits extending from the short edges of the handle opening transversely of and through the score lines connecting the central section to the intermediate sections, the slits ending in the intermediate sections;
• the intermediate sections having score lines extending from the ends of the transversely extending slits, across the score lines connecting the central section to the intermediate sections, and into the central section, the score lines extending from the ends of the transversely extending slits comprising a pair of score lines meeting in the central section between the tab fold line and the nearest score line connecting the central section and a flap section.

(Amended) A sleeve-type article carrier, comprising:

• a top panel;
• a bottom panel;
• side panels integral with and foldably connected to the top and bottom panels;
• and
• end panels between the top, bottom and side panels;
• the top panel containing a handle opening comprising two elongated spaced edges extending transversely of the foldable connections between the side panels and the top panel and two short edges connecting the elongated edges;
• the top panel containing slits extending from the short edges of the handle opening transversely of and through the foldable connections between the side panels and the top panel, the slits ending in the side panels;
• the side panels containing score lines extending from the ends of the transversely extending slits, across the foldable connections between the side panels and the top panel and into the top panel, the score lines comprising a pair of score lines extending from the ends of the transversely extending slits and meeting in the top panel between one of the elongated edges of the handle opening and the nearest end panel.