Carrier with bottom panel lock

A blank for forming a wrap-around carrier for packaging a plurality of adjacent rows of articles the bottom portions of which are spaced apart, comprising:

• a generally rectangular sheet having a central top panel section;
• side panel sections connected to opposite sides of the top panel section by fold lines;
• a first bottom panel flap connected to one of the side panel sections along a first fold line and a second bottom panel flap connected to the other side panel section along a second fold line, each bottom panel flap having opposite end edges;
• the first bottom panel flap including an article retainer flap hinged thereto adjacent each end edge of the first bottom panel flap;
• the second bottom panel flap including a locking tab for engaging an associated locking tab in the first bottom panel flap in a carrier formed from the blank to fold the retainer flap into the interior of the carrier and to maintain the retainer flap in folded condition;
• a shoulder on each tab underlying an edge of an associated retainer flap in a carrier formed from the blank for preventing withdrawal of the locking tabs from engagement with the retainer flaps;
• and
• each retainer flap including side extensions connected on opposite sides thereof along fold lines, the side extensions contacting the bottom portions of adjacent spaced articles in a carrier formed from the blank.

A wrap-around article carrier containing a plurality of adjacent rows of articles the bottom portions of which are spaced apart, comprising:

• a top panel;
• opposite side panels connected to the top panel;
• a bottom panel comprised of a first bottom panel flap connected at a side edge thereof to one of the side panels and a second bottom panel flap connected at a side edge thereof to the other side panel, each bottom panel flap having opposite end edges;
• the first bottom panel flap including an integral article retainer flap hinged thereto adjacent each end edge of the first bottom panel flap, the article retainer flaps being folded up from the first bottom panel flap into the interior of the carrier so as to engage the bottom portions of adjacent spaced articles;
• the second bottom panel flap including a locking tab associated with each retainer flap, each retainer flap engaging an associated locking tab to maintain the retainer flap in folded condition;
• means for preventing withdrawal of the locking tabs from engagement with the retainer flaps;
• the retainer flaps being hingedly connected to the first bottom panel flap along fold lines which are substantially parallel to the end edges of the first bottom panel flap;
• and
• each article retainer flap including a cutout forming spaced legs, the spaced legs being hingedly connected to the first bottom panel flap along said fold lines.