Carrier for stacked articles

An article carrier containing a plurality of layers of stacked articles, comprising:

• two side panels having upper and lower edges;
• a bottom panel connected to the lower edges of the side panels;
• a top panel connected to the top edges of the side panels;
• the top panel being comprised of an inner flap connected to the upper edge of one of the side panels along a fold line and an outer flap connected to the upper edge of the other side panel along a fold line, the top panel including handle means;
• end panels connected to the top, bottom and side panels;
• the plurality of layers of articles having top and bottom ends, the articles of each layer being arranged in stacked end-to-end relationship with the articles in the next adjacent layer, the bottom ends of the articles in the lowermost layer contacting the bottom panel of the carrier and the top ends of the articles in the uppermost layer being adjacent the top panel of the carrier when the carrier is resting on the bottom panel;
• each inner and outer top panel flap having an edge remote from the side panels and each said flap containing a handle opening spaced from the remote edge of said flap, the outer top panel flap overlapping the inner top panel flap to form an area of double thickness, said area extending between the handle openings;
• and
• reinforcing means in the area of double thickness for reinforcing said area against tearing, the reinforcing means comprising a sheet adhered to the underside of the inner top panel flap, the sheet including a folded edge substantially aligned with and underlying the edge of the handle opening in the outer top panel flap nearest the remote edge of the outer top panel flap, the sheet being of less thickness than the thickness of the top panel flaps.