Carrier stock having finger-gripping straps curved inwardly toward each other

Abstract

Carrier stock for beverage cans or other cans of a type having a chime at an upper end and having a frusto-conical wall below the chime is formed from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, with band segments defining can-receiving apertures, with webs extending generally transversely and separating the can-receiving apertures in each longitudinal row, and with finger-gripping straps arranged in pairs and configured such that each strap of each pair extends generally transversely between two of the inner band segments and is curved inwardly toward the other strap of the same pair. Each finger-gripping strap has two legs, each being connected not only with an inner band segment but also with a connecting web, which extends therefrom, which extends generally along an inner band segment, and which connects such leg with a separating web. At each leg, connecting web, and inner band segment, the carrier stock may have a dividing slit or a dividing aperture. In a package comprising the carrier and associated cans, some of the lifting forces imparted to the finger-gripping straps are distributed to the separating webs through the connecting webs, so as to reduce tendencies of the carrier to peel off the cans where the finger-gripping straps are connected.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.