WO2022002827A1

WO2022002827A1 - Multipack of several containers held together by adhesive

Info

Publication number: WO2022002827A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/067640
Authority: WO
Inventors: Damien Jean-Philippe KANNENGIESSER
Original assignee: Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.
Priority date: 2020-06-30
Filing date: 2021-06-28
Publication date: 2022-01-06

Abstract

A multipack (1) comprises several containers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) held together by adhesive means extending along a common longitudinal axis of the outer surfaces of adjacent containers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) of the multipack (1). Two adjacent containers (13, 14) are provided with protruding adhesive dots (21, 22) located respectfully on outer surface portions facing to each other. Using for handling the multipack (1) without an additional handle.

Description

MULTIPACK OF SEVERAL CONTAINERS HELD TOGETHER BY ADHESIVE

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a multipack of containers comprising several containers held together by adhesive means.

Background of the invention

It is known to provide an arrangement of multiple identical containers assembled together for sale. Generally, such a multipack comprises an even number of containers, between 4 and 10 containers for example.

Usually, the containers are held together thanks to a plastic shrink film covering together the multiple containers of the multipack. A handle is also usually fastened to the multipack in order to facilitate the holding of the multipack.

However, in a context of increase pressure on sustainability, secondary packaging such as a plastic shrink film has to be avoided. Moreover, the removing of a handle made out of plastic would provide a sustainability advantage.

There exists a need to provide a multipack of containers without any secondary packaging, and in a general way, without any additional plastic means for maintaining together the containers of a multipack and/or for manipulating the multipack.

EP 2 729 377 discloses a device to assemble individual containers by mean of glue dots, which does not require a secondary packaging. A multipack of containers is thus formed, comprising several containers held together by adhesive means extending between the outer surfaces of adjacent containers of the multipack. EP 2 729 377 describes a pack formed out of a container group having for example six containers, with at least one axially aligned contact region extending between adjacent containers. A plurality of contact-or-touching surfaces lie in the contact region and each contact-or-touching surface may be provided with a bonding agent and adhesive. The distribution of adhesive on the contact-or- touching region may be executed as a strip parallel to container vertical axis, or may be punctiform or discontinuous.

For example, each container has four contact-or-touching surfaces, two of which are disposed near the top end of the container and two of which are disposed near the bottom end of the container. The two top end contact- or-touching surfaces are offset by 90° relative to one another when viewed in the circumferential direction of the container. The same applies for the two bottom end contact-or-touching surfaces.

Thus, for a pack of six containers, the pack exhibits three containers in each of two rows, with two outer containers touching each other and central containers by their contact-or-touching surfaces.

The containers are thus held together into a multipack thanks to the adhesive dots between the containers.

However, this solution requires the use of a carrying handle for manipulating the multipack. The handle is fastened to the pack and may be also printed or labelled with needed information. The carrying handle is for example glued on an outer periphery of the central containers of the pack.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pack of containers which overcomes at least some disadvantages of the priorart solutions.

More specifically, the present invention aims to provide a multipack of containers which does not require the use of a handle for carrying the multipack.

This object is solved by the independent claims. The dependent claims define further preferred embodiments of the invention. Summary of the invention

The invention concerns a multipack of containers a multipack of containers comprising several containers held together by adhesive means extending along a common longitudinal axis of the outer surfaces of adjacent containers of the multipack.

According to the invention, two adjacent containers are provided with protruding adhesive dots located respectfully on outer surface portions facing to each other.

Thanks to the protruding adhesive dots disposed in vis-a-vis on the adjacent containers, a finger of the user may be stopped by the protruding adhesive dots when manipulating the multipack by directly gripping the adjacent containers of the multipack.

Thus the multipack may be manipulated without handle.

In an advantageous embodiment, each of said two adjacent containers is provided with protruding adhesive dots on eithersides of said common longitudinal axis.

The disposition of the protruding adhesive dots, on either sides of the common longitudinal axis along which the adjacent containers are stuck to each other, facilitates the manipulation of the multipack without handle.

The user may carry the multipack by gripping the adjacent containers with his thumb on one side, and his fore finger and/or his medium finger on the other side. The fingers of the user rest on the protruding adhesive dots and are stopped by the protruding adhesive dots thanks to the pull of gravity.

In one embodiment, the outer surface portions of the adjacent containers extend from the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers between 10° and 45°, and more preferably between 30° and 45°, about a central longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers.

In a preferred embodiment, each container has a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom face, a top face and a cylindrical lateral face, protruding adhesive dots being located on the cylindrical lateral face.

Advantageously, the protruding adhesive dots are located proximal to the top face.

The user may handle the multipack by gripping the adjacent containers from their top faces. This arrangement is well adapted for manipulating the multipacks when they are stacked up for sales.

In practice, the multipack comprises at least two rows of several containers, each row comprising between two and seven containers, more preferably between three and five containers, and most preferably between three and four containers.

Advantageously, when each row comprises two outside containers and at least one central container between said two outside containers, the protruding adhesive dots are located on the outer surface portions of said at least one central container of each row.

Thus, the user may carry the multipack by inserting his fingers in the space between the containers, on either side of the two central containers of the multipack.

According to one embodiment, adhesive means comprise a number of adhesive dots sticking the outer surfaces of adjacent containers of said multipack, along the common longitudinal axis.

Using adhesive dots permits to hold the containers together in the multipack while making easy to separate the containers from the multipack for consumption. According to one embodiment, when each row comprises two outside containers and at least one central container between said two outside containers, each container of a first row is stuck with one adjacent container of a second row by one adhesive dot located substantially at a first end of a common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers, and the central containers are stuck by anotheradhesive dot located substantially in the middle of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent central containers.

The holding of the containers in the multipack is thus enhanced, notably for the central containers.

Thus, the user may carry the multipack by gripping the central containers, without the risk of unsticking one of the containers.

According to one embodiment, each container of a first row is stuck with one adjacent container of a second row by only one adhesive dot located substantially at a first end of a common longitudinal axis of said adjacent containers.

This first end can be located near the top of the container or near the bottom of the container; the location can vary alternatively from one container to another.

If the adhesive dot sticking the adjacent containers of the different rows is located near the top face of the containers, the structure of the multipack is enhanced and the containers are maintained against each other by the pull of gravity.

Moreover, the rows of the multipack may be separated easily, by applying a spacing force at the level of the second, opposed, end of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers of the different rows.

In another embodiment, each container of a first row is stuck with one adjacent container of a second row by two adhesive dots, a first adhesive dot being located in a first half of the common longitudinal axis of said containers and a second adhesive dot being located in the second half of said common longitudinal axis of said containers. In practice, the containers of each row are stuck to each other by two adhesive dots aligned along a common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers, a first adhesive dot being located substantially at a first end of the common longitudinal axis and a second adhesive dot being located substantially at a second, opposed, end of the common longitudinal axis.

The containers of each row are thus firmly stuck each other and may be maintained together in the multipack without any additional means around the row of containers.

Alternatively, the containers of each row are stuck to each other by two adhesive dots aligned along a common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers, a first adhesive dot being located substantially at a first end of the common longitudinal axis and a second adhesive dot being located substantially in the middle of the common longitudinal axis.

The containers of each row are also firmly stuck each other and may be maintained together in the multipack without any additional means around the row of containers. Moreover, the containers of each row may be detached by applying a shear force on the adhesive dots, for example by pivoting containers relative to each other.

According to one embodiment, the protruding adhesive dots are made of glue dots.

Preferably, the protruding adhesive dots and the adhesive means for holding together said containers are made of the same gluing material.

The protruding adhesive dots may be formed and applied on the containers when making the multipack, the containers being stuck to each other.

The invention is notably advantageous when the several containers are cans having a substantially cylindrical shape. Brief description of the drawings

Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the description of the presently preferred embodiments which are set out below with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 depicts a container for a multipack according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 depicts a multipack of six containers according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 depicts a row of containers in the multipack of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top view of the multipack of Figure 2; and

Figures 5A to 5D depict different ways to stick together two adjacent containers of a multipack according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

First, a container 10 is described here below, as depicted in Figure

1.

The container 10 is well adapted to pack various beverages such as sparkling water, fruit juice, soda, beer, ...

In the following, the container 10 is depicted as a can, with a substantially cylindrical shape. As known, the container 10 has a top 10a with opening means (not illustrated) for drinking or pouring the beverage, and a bottom 10b, opposite to the top 10a. Between the top 10a and the bottom 10b extends a cylindrical outer surface 10c of the container 10.

The size and the shape of such cans are well known and no further description is needed here. The cans may be formed in aluminium. Of course, the shape of the containers according to the invention may be various, and for example be shaped as a rectangular cuboid package made in cardboard or a bottle in any kind of plastic.

The container 10 is intended to be sold in a group or alone.

In the following, we focus on a multipack of containers intended to be sold in a group.

Figure 2 depicts for example a multipack 1 of six containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 assembled together.

The multipack 1 of containers comprises several, preferably identical, containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Of course, the number of containers in the multipack 1 is not limitative. For example, the number of containers may be comprised between four to 14. More preferably, the number of containers in the multipack 1 may be equal to six, eight or ten.

In practice, the multipack 1 is formed of two rows of several containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Thus, in Figure 2, a first row comprises three containers 11, 13, 15 and a second row comprises three containers 12, 14, 16.

Of course, the number of containers in each row may be lower, and equal to two, or higher and for example equal to four, five, six or even seven containers.

Alternatively, the multipack may comprise more than two rows, and for example three or four rows of containers.

As visible on the figures 2 to 4, the containers 11, 13, 15 and 12, 14, 16 of each row are aligned and adjacent two at a time. Moreover, each container 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of one row is adjacent to another container 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of the other row.

In orderto avoid additional securing means, the containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of the multipack are held together by adhesive means extending between the outer surfaces of adjacent containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of the multipack 1.

Preferably, adhesive means comprise a number of adhesive dots sticking the outer surfaces of adjacent containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 of the multipack 1.

Using adhesive dots permits to hold the containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 together in the multipack 1 while making easy to separate the containers 11,

12, 13, 14, 15, 16 from the multipack for consumption.

The adhesive is a hot-melt adhesive for example.

In a practical way, the adhesive dots are applied on some portions of the outer surface of the container 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and the containers 11, 12,

13, 14, 15, 16 are pressed against together in order to stick the containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 together and form the multipack.

The containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 are thus held together by adhesive means extending along a common longitudinal axis of the outer surfaces of the adjacent containers in the multipack 1.

Figures 5A to 5D illustrates different ways to stick together two adjacent containers 10', 10" of a multipack. As well understood, the containers 10', 10" are separated on the Figures 5A to 5D in order to show the locations of the adhesive dots (double arrow) between the containers. Of course, the containers 10', 10" are adjacent when stuck, with a common longitudinal axis extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis X of the containers 10', 10".

In a first way WA, illustrated in Figure 5A, a container 10' is stuck with one adjacent container 10" by only one adhesive dot located substantially at a first end of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers 10', 10". The first end of the common longitudinal axis is here near the bottom 10'b, 10"b of the adjacent containers 10', 10".

In a second way WB, illustrated in Figure 5B, a container 10' is stuck with one adjacent container 10" by two adhesive dots. A first adhesive dot is located substantially at a first end of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers 10', 10" and a second adhesive dot is located substantially in the middle of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers 10', 10".

The first end of the common longitudinal axis is here near the bottom 10'b, 10"b of the adjacent containers 10', 10". The second adhesive dot is preferably in the middle of the adjacent containers 10', 10". It may also be disposed somewhere between the bottom 10'b, 10"b and the middle of the adjacent containers 10', 10". As an alternative, it has to be noticed that said first end of the common longitudinal axis can also be located nearthe top 10'a, 10"a of the adjacent containers 10', 10".

In a third way WC, illustrated in Figure 5C, a container 10' is stuck with one adjacent container 10" by two adhesive dots. A first adhesive dot is located at in a first half of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers 10', 10" and a second adhesive dot is located in the second half of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers 10', 10".

The first half of the common longitudinal axis is here near the bottom 10'b, 10"b of the adjacent containers 10', 10". It may also be disposed somewhere between the bottom 10'b, 10"b and the middle of the adjacent containers 10', 10". The second half of the common longitudinal axis is here near the top 10'a, 10"a of the adjacent containers 10', 10". It may also be disposed somewhere between the top 10'a, 10"a and the middle of the adjacent containers 10', 10".

In a fourth way WD, illustrated in Figure 5D, a container 10' is stuck with one adjacent container 10" by only one adhesive dot located substantially at a first end of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers 10', 10".

The first end of the common longitudinal axis is here near the top 10'a, 10"a of the adjacent containers 10', 10". These different ways WA, WB, WC, WD may be used to stick together the containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and form the multipack 1. These different ways WA, WB, WC, WD may be mixed in the same multipack for sticking by pair two adjacent containers in the multipack, depending on the location of the containers in the multipack.

For instance, the containers 11, 13, 15 of a first row and the containers 12, 14, 16 of the second row may be stuck in each row by using the third way WC.

The containers 11, 13, 15 and 12, 14, 16 of each row are firmly stuck each other, near the bottom and the top of each container. They may be maintained together in the multipack without any additional means around.

However, if one wants to make easier the separation of the containers 11, 13, 15 and 12, 14, 16 in each row by the consumer, the containers 11, 13, 15 of a first row and the containers 12, 14, 16 of the second row may be stuck in each row by using the second way WB.

The containers 11, 13, 15 and 12, 14, 16 of each row may be detached by applying a shear force on the adhesive dots for example by pivoting containers relative to each other.

Moreover, each container 11, 13, 15 of a first row is stuck with one adjacent container 12, 14, 16 of a second row by using for example the first way WA.

Alternatively, each container 11, 13, 15 of a first row may be stuck with one adjacent container 12, 14, 16 of a second row by using the fourth way WD.

During carrying by the consumer, the sticking of the containers 10', 10" near their tops 10'a, 10" a is sufficient to maintain the containers in contact with each other in the multipack 1 thanks to the pull of gravity.

Thus, the multipack may be formed with a limited numbers of adhesive dots. Moreover, the rows of the multipack may be separated only by applying a spacing force at the level of a second end of the common longitudinal axis of the adjacent containers of the different rows, opposed to the first end where are located the adhesive dots.

Thus, when the containers 11, 13, 15 and 12, 14, 16 of each row are stuck by using the first way WA, the consumer may separate the two rows of containers by moving apart the containers of each row at the level of the top of the containers 11, 13, 15 and 12, 14, 16.

Alternatively, the holding of the containers in the multipack may be strengthened by adding additional adhesive dots.

For example, as illustrated in Figure 4, when each row comprises two outside containers 11, 15 and 12, 16, and at least one central container 13 and 14 between the outside containers 11, 15 and 12, 16, the central containers 13 of a first row are stuck to the central containers 14 of the second row by using the second way WB. The outside containers 11, 15 of a first row are stuck to the outside containers 12, 16 of the second row by using the first way WA or the fourth way WD.

The manipulation ofthe multipack may be facilitated: forexample, the user may carry the multipack by holding one of the central containers.

In another embodiment, all the containers 11, 13, 15 of a first row are stuck to the adjacent containers 12, 14, 16 ofthe second row by using the second way WB or the third way WC.

The holding of the containers in the multipack is thus strengthened again. The user may carry the multipack 1 by holding one of containers

Of course, the ways to stick the adjacent containers are various and the above examples are not limitative. In particular, in the same multipack 1, some adjacent containers of two rows may be stuck using the first way WA whereas another adjacent containers of two row may be stuck using the fourth way WD.

A multipack 1 may be thus formed, without the need of a plastic shrink film for maintaining together the containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. In order to make easier the handling of the multipack, and to avoid the need for an additional plastic handle, and as depicted in Figures 3 and 4, two adjacent containers 13, 14 of the multipack 1 are provided with protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 located respectfully on outer surface portions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b facing to each other.

The protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 form relief adhesive dots on the outer surface portions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b of the containers 13, 14. As depicted in Figure 3, the fingers of a user may be stopped by the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 when manipulating the multipack 1. The user may directly grip the adjacent containers 13, 14 of the multipack 1 and the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 form a stop or an abutment for the fingers, such as the thumb and the index finger.

Thus the multipack 1 may be manipulated without handle.

In this embodiment, each adjacent container 13, 14 is provided with protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 on either sides of the common longitudinal axis Y along which the adjacent containers 13, 14 are stuck to each other.

Here, a first container 13 has two protruding adhesive dots 21, 23 respectfully disposed on the outer surface portions 13a, 13b extending on either sides of the common longitudinal axis Y. A second container 14 has two protruding adhesive dots 22, 24 respectfully disposed on the outer surface portions 14a, 14b extending on either sides of the common longitudinal axis Y.

In this embodiment, the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 are disposed symmetrically on either sides of the common longitudinal axis Y. Of course, this disposition of the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22,

23, 24 is not limitative. For example, only two protruding adhesive dots (such as those referred 21, 22 in Figure 4) may be provided on the outer surfaces of the containers 13, 14. A relief or abutment would be provided for the fingers of the user only on one side of the common longitudinal axis Y. As shown on Figure 3, the user may carry the multipack 1 by gripping the adjacent containers 13, 14 with his thumb on one side of the common longitudinal axis Y, and his fore or index finger on the other side of the common longitudinal axis Y. Of course, the user may also grip the adjacent containers 13, 14 with his thumb on one side and his medium finger on the other side.

The fingers of the user rest on the protruding adhesive dots and are stopped by the reliefs thus provided, thanks to the pull of gravity.

The protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 on either sides of the common longitudinal axis Y along which the adjacent containers 13, 14 stuck to each other, facilitates the manipulation of the multipack 1 without handle.

As depicted in Figure 4, the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 are located on the cylindrical lateral face of each adjacent container 13, 14, on outer surface portions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b of the adjacent containers 13, 14.

The outer surface portions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b of the adjacent containers 13, 14, provided with the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24, extend at an angle a from the common longitudinal axis Y of the adjacent containers 13, 14 about a central longitudinal axis X of the adjacent containers 13, 14.

The angle a is here equal to 45° about.

When the disposition of the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 is symmetrical on either side of the common longitudinal axis Y, the outer surface portions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b of the adjacent containers 13, 14 extend at an identical angle a from the common longitudinal axis Y of the adjacent containers 13, 14 about a central longitudinal axis X of the adjacent containers 13, 14.

Of course, the angle a may be variable, and is generally comprised between 10° and 45°, and more preferably between 30° and 45°.

Moreover, as depicted in Figure 3, the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 are located proximal to the top face of the adjacent containers 13, 14. The user may handle the multipack 1 by gripping the adjacent containers 13, 14 from their top faces, by fingers under the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24.

When the multipacks are stacked up for sales, the user may grip the multipack on the top of the stack.

In this embodiment, wherein each row in the multipack comprises two outside containers 11, 15 and 12, 16 and one central container 13, 14 between the outside containersll, 15 and 12, 16, the protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 are located on the outer surface portions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b of each central container 13, 14 of each row.

The embodiments of the invention are not limited to such a multipack. Thus, the multipack may comprise only four containers, such as the containers 11, 12, 13, 14 on the Figure 4. Thus, two protruding adhesive dots 23, 24 extend on an outside face of the multipack.

Moreover, if the number of containers is equal to eight or ten for example, more protruding adhesive dots may be provided, on each pair of central adjacent containers of each row in the multipack.

Thus, the user may carry the multipack by inserting his fingers in any spaces between the containers of the multipack, on either side of two central containers of the multipack.

The protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 are made preferably of glue dots.

The protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23,24 have an individual weight comprises between 40mg and 400mg, more preferably between 40mg and 200 mg .

The protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 and the adhesive means for holding together the containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 are made of a same or a different gluing material. The protruding adhesive dots 21, 22, 23, 24 may be formed and applied on the adjacent containers 13, 14 when making the multipack 1, when the containers 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 are stuck to each other.

For example, the gluing material may be a hot melt adhesive composition used for bonding metal containers such as metal cans into packs sticking together the containers, such as the metallic cans.

An example of suitable gluing material is given in US 10 351 298 B2.

Such hot melt adhesive compositions are well known in the art. They are typically solid at room temperature and are applied on a surface when heated and molten.

Then, the surfaces to be stuck together are placed in contact with each other.

When using the same gluing material for making the protruding adhesive dots, the latter are made by applying a thickened portion of gluing material on the outer surfaces of the container. When cooling, the thickened portion of gluing material solidifies and form a protruding or relief adhesive dots. After cooling the dots are not sticky, then when the user is gripping the pack his finger are not soiled.

When the user grips the multipack cans, the fingers are in contact with the projections of the outer surfaces of the container.

The invention provides thus an arrangement of the containers which is advantageous since a multipack may be formed, without the need of a handle or a plastic shrink film, which provides high sustainability benefits.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. However, the illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description and drawings are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized and other changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the claimed subject-matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures may be arranged, substituted, combined and designated in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure.

In the drawings, similar symbols and references typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise.

As used in this specification, the words "comprises", "comprising" and similar words are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean including but not limited to.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multipack of containers comprising several containers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) held together by adhesive means extending along a common longitudinal axis (Y) of the outer surfaces of adjacent containers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) of said multipack (1), characterized in that two adjacent containers (13, 14) are provided with protruding adhesive dots (21, 22, 23, 24) located respectfully on outer surface portions (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) facing to each other.

2. A multipack of containers according to Claim 1, wherein each of said two adjacent containers (13,14) is provided with protruding adhesive dots (21, 22, 23, 24) on either sides of said common longitudinal axis (Y).

3. A multipack of containers according to any one of Claims 1 or 2, wherein said outer surface portions (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) of said adjacent containers (13, 14) extend from said common longitudinal axis (Y) of the adjacent containers (13,14) between 10° and 45°, and more preferably between 30° and 45°, about a central longitudinal axis (X) of the adjacent containers (13, 14).

4. A multipack of containers according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each container (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) has a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom face, a top face and a cylindrical lateral face, protruding adhesive dots (21, 22, 23, 24) being located on said cylindrical lateral face.

5. A multipack of containers according to Claim 4, wherein the protruding adhesive dots (21, 22, 23, 24) are located proximal to said top face.

6. A multipack of containers according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said multipack (1) comprises at least two rows of several containers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16), each row comprising between two and seven containers, more preferably between three and five containers, and most preferably between three and four containers.

7. A multipack of containers according to claim 6, wherein each row comprises two outside containers (11, 15; 12, 16) and at least one central container (13, 14) between said two outside containers (11, 15; 12, 16), said protruding adhesive dots (21, 22, 23, 24) being located on the outer surface portions (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) of said at least one central container (13, 14) of each row.

8. A multipack according to Claim 7 , wherein each container (11, 13, 15) of a first row is stuck with one adjacent container (12, 14, 16) of a second row by one adhesive dot located substantially at a first end of a common longitudinal axis (Y) of said adjacent containers, and wherein said central containers (13,14) are stuck by another adhesive dot located substantially in the middle of the common longitudinal axis (Y) of the adjacent central containers (13, 15; 14, 16).

9. A multipack according to any one of Claims 6 or 7, wherein each container (11, 13, 15) of a first row is stuck with one adjacent container (12, 14, 16) of a second row by only one adhesive dot located substantially at a first end of a common longitudinal axis (Y) of said adjacent containers.

10. A multipack according to any one of Claims 6 or 7, wherein each container (11, 13, 15) of a first row is stuck with one adjacent container (12, 14, 16) of a second row by two adhesive dots, a first adhesive dot being located in a first half of the common longitudinal axis (Y) of said containers and a second adhesive dot being located in the second half of said common longitudinal axis(Y) of said containers.

11. A multipack according to any one of Claims 6 to 10, wherein the containers (11, 13, 15; 12, 14, 16) of each row are stuck to each other by two adhesive dots aligned along a common longitudinal axis (Y) of said adjacent containers, a first adhesive dot being located substantially at a first end of said common longitudinal axis (Y) and a second adhesive dot being located substantially at a second, opposed, end of said common longitudinal axis (Y).

12. A multipack according to any one of Claims 6 to 10, wherein the containers (11, 13, 15; 12, 14, 16) of each row are stuck to each other by two adhesive dots aligned along a common longitudinal axis (Y) of said adjacent containers, a first adhesive dot being located substantially at a first end of said common longitudinal axis (Y) and a second adhesive dot being located substantially in the middle of said common longitudinal axis (Y).

13. A multipack of containers according to any one of the Claims 1 to 12, wherein said protruding adhesive dots (21, 22, 23, 24) are made of glue dots, most preferably hot melt adhesive.

14. A multipack of containers according to any one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein said protruding adhesive dots (21, 22, 23, 24) and said adhesive means for holding together said containers (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) are made of the same gluing material.

15. A multipack of containers according to any one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein said protruding adhesive dots (21, 22, 23, 24)have an individual weight comprises between 40mg and 400mg, more preferably between 40mg and 200 mg .