Carrier for containers
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorsKirsten Laura Brand, Colin P. Ford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers. The carrier has panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carrier. The panels comprise at least one bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least two side panels. A divider flap is foldably attached to the back panel and the front panel. The side panels, the back panel, the divider flap, and the front panel are arranged to at least partially define at least two container-receiving spaces of the interior.
Claims32
A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier comprising:
- panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carrier, the panels comprise at least one bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, a handle panel, and at least two side panels;
- a divider flap foldably attached to the back panel and the front panel for positioning of the front panel and side panels relative to the back panel when the divider flap is folded out of a planar relationship with the back panel,
- the side panels, the back panel, the divider flap, and the front panel being arranged to at least partially define at least two container-receiving spaces of the interior;
- a retention panel pivotable relative to the back panel for retaining at least one container of the plurality of containers, the retention panel being foldably attached to the handle panel,
- the divider flap being positioned for contacting the retention panel so as to initiate upward folding of the retention panel as the divider panel is moved out of plane with the back panel;
- and
- a reinforcement panel foldably attached to the handle panel and providing a supplemental layer of material attached to the divider flap so that the divider flap includes the supplemental layer of material.
A blank for forming a carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
- panels that comprise at least one bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, at least two side panels, a handle panel, and a retention panel foldably attached to the handle panel;
- a divider flap foldably attached to the back panel and the front panel, the divider flap being foldably attached to the back panel at a longitudinal fold line, and being positionable relative to the fold line to position the front panel and side panels relative to the back panel when the divider flap is folded out of a planar relationship with the back panel,
- the retention panel having at least two apertures,
- the divider flap being positioned for contacting the retention panel so as to initiate upward folding of the retention panel when the blank is formed into the carrier;
- and
- a reinforcement panel foldably attached to the handle panel, the reinforcement panel having a divider flap portion for providing a supplemental layer of material attached to the divider flap when the blank is formed into the carrier.
A method of forming a carrier for containing a plurality of containers, the method comprising:
- providing a blank having panels that comprise a front panel, a back panel, at least two side panels, a handle panel, and a retention panel foldably connected to the handle panel, and a divider flap foldably attached to the back panel and the front panel, the retention panel has at least one aperture for respectively receiving a portion of a container of the plurality of the containers;
- and
- pivoting the divider flap out of a planar relationship with the back panel to at least partially define at least two container-receiving openings by positioning the front panel and side panels relative to the back panel, the pivoting the divider flap comprises contacting the divider flap with the retention panel so as to initiate pivoting the retention panel upward relative to the handle panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.