EP1097879B1

EP1097879B1 - Top gripping carrier for bottles

Info

Publication number: EP1097879B1
Application number: EP00204267A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Michel Auclair; Philippe Lebras; Jean-Michel Garnier
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Current assignee: WestRock Packaging Systems LLC
Priority date: 1996-08-12
Filing date: 1997-08-11
Publication date: 2007-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-11
Also published as: AR009053A1; ATE382021T1; DE69709755D1; DK0921990T3; WO1998006639A2; NO323818B1; ATE209146T1; DE69738422D1; DE69709755T2; EP1097879A3; ES2168662T3; PT921990E; EP0921990A2; ZA976969B; GB9616889D0; AU4060197A; EP0921990B1; EP1097879A2; WO1998006639A3; NO990670L

Description

The invention relates to an article carrier which is used for securing a plurality of articles such as bottles in a group. More particularly, the invention relates to an article carrier of the top gripping type which attaches to the tops of articles thereby to secure the articles in an array.
Top gripping carriers are known. On example is shown in GB 2 038 764 which illustrates an article carrier including side wall panel panels extending upwardly from opposite edges of a bottom wall including one or more article receiving apertures. There further comprise opposed edges in the side wall panels for receiving and retaining neck flanges of the bottle. A double ply handle upstanding from the juncture of the side wall panels may be provided. Another example can be found in DE 8601261 which shows a similar top-gripping carrier where the article receiving edges are defined by apertures including flaps.
The present invention seeks to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.
One aspect of the invention provides an article carrier for securing a plurality of articles, such as bottles, which carrier comprises a base panel having a plurality of apertures to receive the articles, a pair of handle panels, the handle panels being in a face to face relationship with each other and connected to article top gripping means, the article top gripping means being formed from a pair of inwardly sloping side walls being adapted to form an inverted "V" structure, each side wall being connected to the base panel along their lower edge and wherein each handle panel extends from the upper edge of each side wall, wherein the article top gripping means includes a pair of complementary article top receiving apertures struck from respective ones of the side walls and adapted operatively to engage and retain part of an article and the locking means is provided to maintain the handle panels in a face to face relationship characterized in that the locking means comprises a locking tab extending from one of the handle panels which tab is located in an opposed article top receiving aperture, wherein the locking tab may be provided with a neck portion, a shoulder portion, and a locking edge of the locking tab is provided by the shoulder portion to interengage with a portion of the opposed side panel located adjacent the one article top receiving aperture.
According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention the locking tab may be adapted to press against the top of the article in the article receiving aperture to maintain the tab in an engaged position.
A second aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming said article carrier for securing a plurality of articles, such as bottles, which blank comprises a series of panels including a first handle panel (18), a first side wall panel (20), a base panel (22), a second side wall panel (24) and a second handle panel (26) hinged together respectively, said base panel having a plurality of apertures to receive the articles, said side wall panels being adapted to form an inverted "V" structure in a set up condition, wherein a pair of complementary article top receiving apertures are struck from respective ones of the side wall panels and adapted operatively to engage and retain part of an article, characterized in that there further comprises a locking tab extending from one of the handle panels and an opposed articles top receiving aperture is adapted operatively for receiving said locking tab to maintain the handle panels in a face to face relationship when the carton is in a set up condition. Preferably, the locking tab may includc a neck portion, a shoulder portion and a locking edge of the locking tab is provided by the shoulder portion.
Optionally, there may comprise a central partition interconnecting side wall panels to limit separating movement of the apertures and to provide a separating element between adjacent articles wherein the side wall panels are interconnected about the outer portions of two of the articles by a prolongation of the side wall panels located below the article top receiving apertures. Preferably, the prolongation may comprise skirt panels which adjoin a skirt panel of one other prolongation to provide a strap encircling said outer portions.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a carton blank according to one aspect of the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a carton formed from a blank as shown in Figure 1 part way through erection;
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an erected carton formed from a blank as shown in Figure 1;
FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a carton blank according to another aspect of the invention;
FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a carton formed from the blank as illustrated in Figure 4;
FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an erected carton formed from the blank as shown in Figure 4;
FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a carton blank according to another aspect of the invention;
FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of an erected carton formed from the blank as illustrated in Figure 7;
FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the carton blank according to another aspect of the invention;
FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of an erected carton formed from the blank as shown in Figure 9;
FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the other side of the erected carton illustrated in Figure 10;
FIGURE 12 is a side view of an erected carton formed from the blank as shown in Figure 9; and
FIGURE 13 is an exploded view of a portion of the carton formed from the blank as illustrated in Figure 9.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a carton blank 10 for forming a top gripping carton made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material. The blank comprises a series of panels hinged one to the next. Thus side panel 12, top gripping panel 14, handle panel 16, handle panel 18, top gripping panel 20, base panel 22, top gripping panel 24, handle panel 26, handle panel 28, top gripping panel 30 and side panel 32 are hingably connected one to the next along fold lines 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 respectively. At one end of side panel 12, there are skirt panels 34, 36 extending laterally from opposing side edges of side of side panel 12. Each skirt panel 34, 36 includes a series of fold lines to assist wrapping the panel around an outer portion of the articles. Likewise, there are a pair of skirt panels 38, 40 extending from opposing side edges of side panel 32 and also comprising a series of fold lines to assist each skirt panel to be folded around an outer portion of the articles. Top gripping panel 14 includes an aperture 90 positioned in a central portion of a top gripping panel 14 and extending into handle panel 16. A pair of apertures 92, 94 are struck from fold line 62, each aperture being positioned either side of aperture 90. In addition, tabs 96, 98 are struck from fold line 62 and extend substantially into apertures 92, 94 respectively.
Turning to the handle panel 16, there is a tab 100 struck from fold line 80 and positioned in a central portion of the handle panel 16. Aperture 90 extends to fold line 80.
Handle panel 18 and top gripping panel 20 is symmetrical to handle panel 16 and top gripping panel 14 about fold line 64 whereby these panels are of similar construction and not therefore more specifically described.
Base panel 22 comprises three apertures 102, 104, 106 positioned to receive an upper portion of the articles.
Top gripping panel 24 comprises three apertures 108, 110, 112 positioned in complementary positions to apertures 92, 90, 94 respectively, with the central aperture 110 being struck from a central portion of the top gripping panel 24 and extending into handle panel 26. Apertures 108, 112 are struck from fold line 72 and extend into panel 24.
Handle panel 28 and top gripping panel 30 is symmetrical with handle panel 26 and top gripping panel 24 about its lateral fold line 74 whereby each respective panel is of similar construction and not therefore specifically described, other than handle panel 28 further comprises tab 114 struck from centrally located fold line 82 and being shaped to correspond in part to aperture 110.
The carton is constructed with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3. Firstly, handle panels 16, 18 are folded about fold line 64 and brought into a face to face relationship, such that tab 100 can be folded about fold line 80 and inserted through corresponding portion of the aperture in handle panel 18. Likewise, handle panels 26, 28 are brought into a face to face relationship by folding along fold line 74 and tab 114 being inserted through aperture 110.
An article is inserted through each one of apertures 102, 104, 106 until a portion of each article is in contact with the edge of their respective aperture. Side panels 12, 32 are brought into a juxtaposed relationship with a portion of each article by folding side panel 12 about fold line 60 and side panel 32 about fold line 78. Skirt panel 34, 38 are folded about an outer portion of one of said articles and connected together by means known in the art. Likewise, skirt panels 36, 38 are folded about the outer portion of another article and connected together by means known in the art. Thus, the carton is in a part formed condition as illustrated in Figure 2. Handle panels 16, 18 are then folded about their common fold line 62, 66 to expose tabs 96, 98. Likewise, handle panels 26. 28 are folded about their common fold line 72, 76.
As shown in Figure 2, top gripping panels 20, 24 are brought together with tabs 96, 98 passing over the top of their respective articles and pressure is exerted on panels 20, 24 to push tabs 96, 98 through apertures 108, 112 respectively. At the same time, the neck flange 130, 132, 134 from each respective article is brought into contact with the retaining edge 136, 138, 140 and 142, 144, 146 respectively.
As illustrated in Figure 3, handle means is held together by tabs 96, 98 which act as ties thereby connecting together handle means H.
Referring to Figure 4, there is shown another embodiment of the invention and in particular a carton blank 210 for forming a top gripping carton made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material. The blank comprises a series of panels hinged one to the next. Thus top gripping panel 212, handle panel 214, handle panel 216, and top gripping panel 218 are hingably connected one to the next along fold lines 250, 252, 254, respectively. At one end of top gripping panel 212, there comprises skirt panels 221, 223 extending laterally from opposing side edges of side panel 212. Each skirt panel 221, 223 includes a series of fold lines to assist in wrapping around a circular portion of an outer article. Likewise, there are a pair of skirt panels 225, 227 extending from opposing side edges of top gripping panel 218 and also comprise a series of fold lines to assist each skirt panel 225, 227 to be folded around an outer portion of the articles.
Handle panel 214 includes an aperture 260 positioned in a central portion of handle panel 214 and extending into top gripping panel 212. There is a tab 266 struck from fold line 256 positioned along one side of aperture 260. A pair of apertures 262, 264 are struck from portions of handle panel 214 and top gripping panel 212, each aperture bisecting fold line 250.
Top gripping panel 212 and handle panel 214 is symmetrical with top gripping panel 218 and handle panel 216 about its lateral fold line 252 whereby each respective panel is of similar construction and not, therefore, specifically described.
Support panels 220, 224, 226, 228 are hingably connected one to the next along fold lines 250, 252 and 254 respectively and hingably connected to panels 212, 214, 216 and 218 respectively along fold line 258.
Likewise, there are support panels 230, 232, 234, 236 being hingably connected along the opposing side edge of a part of top gripping panel 212, handle panel 214, handle panel 216 and top gripping panel 218 by fold line 259, the aforementioned support panels 230, 232, 234, 236 being hinged one to the next along fold lines 250, 252, 254 respectively.
Partition panel 238 is hingably connected to support panel 230 along fold line 286 and further comprises connecting tab 240. The partition panel 238 further comprises a circular aperture 280 positioned in a central portion and a pair of indentations 282, 284 positioned along opposing free edges of partition panel 238.
As illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the carton is constructed in a similar way to the embodiment described earlier. However, in this particular embodiment the carton is formed by first forming handle structure H. To this end, support panels 220, 224, 226, 228 shown in Figure 4, are folded about fold line 258 to bring them into a face to face relationship with top gripping panel 212, handle panels 214, 216 and top gripping panel 218 respectively. Likewise, support panels 230, 232, 234, 236 are folded about fold line 259 to bring them into a face to face relationship with top gripping panel 212, handle panels 214, 216 and top gripping panel 218 respectively. The above-mentioned support panels provide increased strength for the handle panels and top gripping portions.
Handle panels 214, 216 are then folded into face to face relationship about fold line 252. The central partition panel is then erected and connecting tab 240 connected to top gripping panel 212 by glue or other means known in the art, as illustrated in Figure 5.
Top gripping panels 212, 218 are folded out of alignment with respective ones of said handle panels 214, 216 by folding about fold lines 250, 254 respectively thus enabling upper portions of articles to be introduced to the carton.
As illustrated in Figure 6, neck flanges 290, 292, 294 of each article pass through apertures 260, 262, 264, 266, 268, 270, illustrated in Figure 1 and come into contact with and are retained by the lower edges of the aforementioned apertures.
The articles are held in position by means described earlier and the lower portions of top gripping panels 212, 218 are brought into juxtaposed relationship with a portion of the articles. Skirt portions 221, 225 are folded about upper portion of the outer article and connected together by glue or other means known in the art. Likewise, skirt panels 223. 227 are folded about a portion of the outer article and connected together by glue or other means known in the art. As illustrated in Figure 6, top gripping panel 218 further comprises tab 330 which is frangibly connected to panel 218. This tab allows the top gripping panel to be separated from skirt panels 224, 226 in order to allow easy removal of the article.
One of the purposes of the partition panel 238 is to prevent or at least mitigate the effects of twisting of the articles in transit. The partition panel 238 also acts in a similar way to base panel (described earlier) to restrict the distance between opposed top gripping panels 212, 218 thereby seeking to ensure that neck flanges remain seated on their respective aperture edges.
Turning now to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, there is shown an article carrier substantially as hereinbefore described. However, the primary difference concerns the tabs 300, 302, 304, 306, 308, 310 illustrated in Figure 7. Tabs 300, 302, 304 are struck from top gripping panel 312 along fold lines 316, 318, 320 respectively. Likewise, tabs 306, 308, 310 are struck from top gripping panel 314 along fold lines 322, 324, 326 respectively. The support panels used to strengthen the handle panels are also provided with corresponding tabs that are brought into alignment with tabs 300, 302, 304, 306, 308, 310.
As shown in Figure 8, the carton is formed in accordance with embodiments described earlier with the neck flanges 330, 332, 334 from each article being retained on the edges of the respective apertures. Tabs 300, 302, 304 and 306, 308, 310 are positioned over flanges 330, 332, 334 respectively. If removal of the article is desired, for example, article A, illustrated in Figure 8, then tabs 302 and 308 are pulled apart thereby providing a localised widening of the support apertures and thus releasing article A. This operation is reversible to allow the insertion of an article, eg. for returning an empty article.
Turning now to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 9 to 13, there shows an article carrier substantially hereinbefore described. In this embodiment, the neck flanges 410, 412, 414 of each aperture, illustrated in Figure 10, are retained on one side by edges 400, 402, 404 positioned along top gripping panel 406. The opposing top gripping panel 408 comprises three pairs of retention tabs, 410, 412, 414 illustrated in Figure 9, which are moved out of alignment when the neck flange of the article is inserted into the top gripping structure and are retained by friction. Figures 11 and 12 illustrate that the retention tabs can be used to restrict twisting of the articles and allow greater flexibility of each article without destroying the carton wall. There is also the provision of a base panel 420 which assists in keeping top gripping panels 406 and 408 spaced apart and increases the rigidity of the top gripping structure.
As illustrated in Figure 13, an alternative configuration of the partition panel is disclosed in this embodiment wherein the panel 422 and panel 424 extend from skirt panels about fold lines 426, 428 respectively. Partition panels 422, 424 are folded about fold lines 426, 428 and into a face to face relationship with the aforementioned skirt panels, each end being connected together to form a central partition panel as illustrated in Figure 13.
The present invention and its preferred embodiments relate to a bottle carrier which is shaped to provide satisfactory strength to hold the bottles securely but with a degree of flexibility so that load transferred to the handle is absorbed by the carrier. The shape of the blank minimises the amount of paperboard required. The carrier can be applied to an array of bottles by hand or automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carrier that falls within the scope of appended claims.

Claims

An article carrier (10) for securing a plurality of articles, such as bottles, which carrier comprises a base panel (22) having a plurality of apertures (102, 104, 106) to receive said articles, a pair of handle panels (18, 26), said handle panels being in a face to face relationship with each other and connected to article top gripping means, said article top gripping means being formed from a pair of inwardly sloping side walls (14/20, 24/30) being adapted to form an inverted "V" structure, each said side wall being connected to said base panel along their lower edge and wherein each said handle panel extends from the upper edge of each said side wall, wherein said article top gripping means includes a pair of complementary article top receiving apertures (92 & 108, 90 & 110, 94 & 112) struck from respective ones of said side walls and adapted operatively to engage and retain part of an article and locking means (96) is provided to maintain said handle panels in a face to face relationship characterized in that the locking means comprises a locking tab (96) extending from one of said handle panels (18) which tab is located in an opposed article top receiving aperture (108) wherein said locking tab (96) is provided with a neck portion, a shoulder portion, and a locking edge of the locking tab is provided by the shoulder portion to interengage with a portion of the opposed side panel (24) located adjacent the one article top receiving aperture (108).
An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein the locking tab (96) is adapted to press against the top of the article in the article receiving aperture (108) to maintain the tab in an engaged position.
A blank for forming an article carrier (10) for securing a plurality of articles, according to claim 1 such as bottles, which blank comprises a series of panels including a first handle panel (18), a first side wall panel (20), a base panel (22), a second side wall panel (24) and a second handle panel (26) hinged together respectively, said base panel (22) having a plurality of apertures (102, 104, 106) to receive said articles, said side wall panels being adapted to form an inverted "V" structure in a set up condition, wherein a pair of complementary article top receiving apertures (92 & 108, 90 & 110, 94 & 112) are struck from respective ones of said side wall panels and adapted operatively to engage and retain part of an article, characterized
in that there further comprises a locking tab (96) extending from one of said handle panels (18) and an opposed article top receiving aperture (108) is adapted operatively for receiving said locking tab (96) to maintain the handle panels (H) in a face to face relationship when the carton is in a set up condition.
A blank according to claim 3 wherein the locking tab (96) includes a neck portion, a shoulder portion and a locking edge of the locking tab is provided by the shoulder portion.
An article carrier as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 wherein there comprises a central partition (22, 238) interconnecting side wall panels to limit separating movement of said apertures and to provide a separating element between adjacent articles wherein the side wall panels are interconnected about the outer portions of two of the articles by a prolongation (12, 37) of said side wall panels located below the article top receiving apertures.
An article carrier as claimed in claim 5 wherein each prolongation comprises skirt panels (36, 34, 38, 40) which adjoin a skirt panel of one other prolongation to provide a strap encircling said outer portions.