Bottle carrier

A carrier for carrying a plurality of bottles, wherein each bottle has an engaging edge with a diameter, comprising:

• a bottle carrying portion including a top panel connected to a bottom panel;
• a plurality of apertures and a plurality of flaps formed in the top panel, wherein each aperture has only one flap associated therewith;
• a plurality of apertures and a plurality of access tabs formed in the bottom panel, wherein each aperture of the bottom panel has only one access tab associated therewith, and the apertures and flaps of the top panel cooperate with the apertures and access tabs of the bottom panel to form a plurality of bottle receiving collars, such that each bottle receiving collar has the only one access tab disposed opposite the only one flap;
• and
• a handle attached to and extending from the bottle carrying portion.

A method for forming a carrier for carrying a plurality of bottles, wherein each bottle has an engaging edge with a diameter, comprising:

• creating a blank comprising a center panel having a plurality of apertures and a plurality of access tabs formed therein, wherein each center panel aperture has only one access tab therewith, a pair of opposing edges on the center panel, a pair of securing panels connected to the opposing edges of the center panel, a plurality of apertures and a plurality of flaps formed in the securing panels, wherein each aperture of the securing panel has only one flap associated therewith;
• gathering the plurality of bottles having an engaging edge with a diameter;
• placing the bottles into the apertures of the center panel;
• pushing the center panel until the access tabs are temporarily displaced from an original position, allowing the center panel to proceed below the engaging edge of the bottle, at which point the temporarily displaced access tabs return back to the original position, now beneath the engaging edge;
• placing the bottles into the apertures of the securing panels;
• pushing the securing panels to displace the flaps, and continuing until the securing panels and the flaps are disposed beneath the engaging edges of the bottles, such that the only one access tab of each center panel aperture is disposed opposite the only one flap of each securing panel aperture, forming a bottle receiving collar;
• and
• adhering the securing panels to the center panel.

A blank for forming a carrier for carrying a plurality of bottles, wherein each bottle has an engaging edge with a diameter, comprising:

• a center panel having formed therein a plurality of apertures and a plurality of access tabs, wherein each aperture of the center panel has only one access tab associated therewith, and each access tab includes an arcuate portion on an end of the tab that extends into the associated aperture;
• a pair of opposing edges on the center panel;
• a pair of securing panels connected to the opposing edges of the center panel;
• and
• a plurality of apertures and a plurality of flaps formed in the securing panels, wherein each aperture of the securing panel has only one flap associated therewith, such that the flaps and the access tabs are oriented in the same direction on the blank and in a bottle carrying position, the association of the aperture with the only one flap defines a diameter less than the diameter of the engaging edge of the bottle and the flaps are disposed such that when the securing panels are folded over the center panel, a plurality of bottle receiving collars are formed, with each collar having the only one access tab and the only one flap on opposite sides of the bottle receiving collar.

A plurality of bottles and a carrier for carrying the plurality of bottles, comprising:

• an engaging edge on each of the plurality of bottles;
• a top panel having an upper surface, and further defining a plurality of apertures and a plurality of flaps, wherein each top panel aperture has a flap associated therewith;
• and
• a bottom panel connected to the top panel, and defining a plurality of apertures, each aperture having a bottle support lip, the bottom panel further defining a plurality of access tabs, wherein each bottom panel aperture has an access tab associated therewith;
• wherein the apertures of the top and bottom panel cooperate with each other to form a plurality of bottle receiving collars;
• and
• wherein when the carrier is lifted each flap contacts the engaging edge of a corresponding bottle, the upper surface of the top panel contacts an opposite side of the engaging edge, and the bottle support lip assists the flap and the upper surface of the top panel in supporting the bottle engaging edge.