CA1164834A

CA1164834A - Article carrier and blank therefor

Info

Publication number: CA1164834A
Application number: CA000368061A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Prentice J. Wood
Original assignee: Mead Corp
Current assignee: Mead Corp
Priority date: 1980-01-07
Filing date: 1981-01-07
Publication date: 1984-04-03
Also published as: EP0077082A2; ES264739U; DE3162999D1; ES264739Y; EP0032127A2; EP0032127B1

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An article carrier formed from a unitary blank and comprising a bottom wall, side wall means secured to the side edges of the bottom wall, a pair of end walls secured respectively to the ends of the bottom wall, a top panel secured to the upper edges of the side wall means and the end walls, a secondary bottom panel secured to an end edge of the bottom wall and disposed in overlying relationship therewith, handle means secured to the secondary bottom panel and upstanding therefrom, and the top panel being removable with at least one V-shaped bend line formed therein.

Description

~ 1~483~

This invention relates to article carriers which are especially strong, economical to manufacture and at the same time are well adapted for use in connection with return-able primary packages.
Historically the basket style article carrier has been utilized in connection with returnable articles such as bottles.
Various methods have been utilized in the past in order to render conventional non-returnable article carriers suitable for use in connectionwith returnable articles such as are currently widely acceptable by the consuming public. An example of this type of carrier in one form is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
3,356,25~. A recurring problem with these carriers is that whenever the carrier is opened to gain access to the articles, it is severly weakened which hampers or renders impossible its use in connection with returnables.
More recently the fully enclosed type carrier has been adopted for use with returnable articles. The present invention relates to this type of carrier.
U.S. Patent Re 29,063 discloses an enclosed returnable carrier which, unlike the present invention, is of the wrap-around type and U.S. Patent No. 3,090,520 discloses a side loading carrier which is not well adapted for use as a returnable carrier. According to this invention in one form, an article carrier is provided and comprises a bottom wall with side wall means and end walls upstanding therefrom, a top panel secured to the upper edges of the side wall means and the end walls, at least a portion of the top panel being removable, a secondary bottom panel sec~red in overlying relationship with the bottom wall and handle means secured to the secondary bottom panel and upstanding therefrom.
According to this invention in a modified form, an article carrier is provided and comprises a bottom wall with ~ ~6483~
slde wall means and end walls upstanding therefrom, and inner connected with each other at adjacent ends, a top panel secured to the upper edges of the side wall means and the end walls, at least a portion of the top panel being removable, a supplementary bottom panel secured to an end edge of the bottom wall, and handle means joined to the supplementary bottom panel and interconnected with one of the end walls, then handle means also forming a medial partition for the carrier.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is an isometric view of an article carrier formed according to this invention;
Figure 2 is an isometric view of the carrier with a portion of the top panel partially removed;
Figure 3 is an isometric view of the carrier with a portion of the top panel completely removed;
Figure 4 (sheet 3) is a plan view of the blank from which the carrier is formed;
. Figures 5 and 6 depict intermediate stages through which the blank shown in Figure 4 is manipulated and glued in order to form a c,omplete and collapsed carrier as shown in Figure 7;
Figure 8 (sheet 2) is an isometric view of the carrier disposed in a condition appropriate for loading the articles therein;
Figure 9 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of an article carrier formed according to this invention;
Figure 10 is an isometric view of the carrier of Figure 9 with a portion of the top panel partially removed;
Figure 11 is a plan view of the blank from which the carrier of Figures 9 and 10 is formed;
Figures 12 and 13 depict intermediate stages through which the blank shown in Figure 11 is manipulated and glued in order to form a complete and collapsed carrier as shown in Figure 14;
Figure 15 is an isometric view of the carrier of Figures 9 .~
`''~

1 1~4~3~

and 10 disposed in a condition appropriate for loading the articles through the open sides thereof;
Figure 16 is a side view taken along the line 8'-8' in Figure 9;
Figure 17 is a side view taken along the line 9'-9' in Figure 9;
Figure 18 is a plan view of a portion of the blank from which a further modified version of this invention is formed;
and Figure 19 is an isometric view of the further modified form of the carrier in condition for loading articles therein.
With reference to the drawings and with particular refer-ence to Fig. 4, the numberal 1 designates the bottom wall of the carrier to the side edges of which a portion of the side wall means in the form of lower side wall panels 2 and 3 is foldably joined along fold lines 4 and 5. To one end edge of bottom wall 1, secondary bottom panel 6 is foldably joined along fold line 7. In order to faciliate machine manipulation of the blank by eliminating some of the inherent stiffness in the paperboard material, bend lines 6a, 6b, and 6c are provided and are formed in secondary bottom panel 6.
Handle means for the carrier is provided in the form of handle panel 8 which is foldably joined to one side of secondary bottom panel 6 along fold lines 9 and 10 and handle panel 11 which is foldably joined to the other side of secondary bottom panel 6 along fold lines 12 and 13. Although two handle panels are shown in the drawings the handle means can also comprise only one handle panel. Formed along the lower portions of handle panels 8 and 11 is cushioning means for the purpose of separating the articles disposed in the transverse direction of the carrier. Specifically cushioning panels 14, 15 and 16 are formed along the lower portion of handle panel 8 and cushioning ..

4&~

panels 17, 18 and 19 are formed along the lower portion of handle panel 11. As is apparent from Fi~s. 4 and 5, the lower edges of the cushioning panels 14-19 are curved. This feature of the invention faciliates the smooth entry of the articles onto secondary bottom panel 6 during the article loading operation.
To the other end edge of bottom wall 1, end wall 20 is foldably joined along fold line 21. In addition flaps 22 and 23 are foldably joined respectively to end wall 20 along fold lines 24 and 25. Similarly flaps 26 and 27 are foldably joined respectively to end wall 20 along fold lines 28 and 29.
According to this invention in one form, top panel or top wall 30 is foldably joined to the upper edge of end wall 20 along interrupted fold line 31. Carrier side wall means includes upper side wall panel 32 which is joined to top panel 30 along fold lines 33 and 34 as well as along severance lines 35 and 36 and upper side wall panel 37 which is joined to top panel 30 along fold lines 38 and 39 as well as along severance lines 40 and 41. Also severance lines 42 and 43 are formed in top panel 30 at one end thereof and severance lines 44 and 45 are formed in top panel 30 at the other end thereof. In order to faciliate opening of the carrier, thumb tab 46 is formed in top panel 30 and, adjacent to thumb tab 46, cut lines 47 and 48 are formed in the upper portion of end wall 20. For use in connection with the gluing of the carrier, fold lines 49 and 50 are formed respectively in upper side wall panels 32 and 37.
According to another feature of this invention, V-shaped bend lines 51 and 52 are formed in top panel 30. Each of the V-shaped bend lines 51 and 52 comprises side elements A and B.
As is apparent from Fig. 4, the side elements A and B of each V-shaped bend line 51 and 52 diverge in a direction toward thumb tab 46 which is the point at which removal of carrier top panel l 16~3~
is initiated. Additionally corner sections 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d are disposed at the respective corners of top panel 30.
To complete the basic elements of the blank, end wall 53 is foldably joined to an end edge of top panel 30 along fold line 54. Flaps 55 and 56 are foldably joined respectively to end wall 53 along fold lines 57 and 58. Likewise flaps 59 and 60 are foldably joined respectively to end wall 53 along fold lines 61 and 62. In addition glue flap 63 is joint to end wall 53 along fold line 64.
For the purpose of facilitating transport of the carrier, finger gripping apertures 65 and 66 are formed in top panel 30 and are defined by cushioning tabs 67 and 68 which are foldably joined respectively to top panel 30 along fold lines 69 and 70.
To receive the necks of the packaged articles, neck receiving apertures 71-76 are provided. For the purpose of insuring proper tearing of top panel 30, slits 42a and 43a are formed respectively on the periphery of neck receiving apertures 71 and 74. In order to reduce the amount of light which enters the carrier, a pair of tabs X and Y are associated with each neck receiving aperture.
To properly cushion and separate the heels of adjacent articles disposed in the longitudinal direction of the carrier, cushioning tabs 77-84 are provided and are foldably joined ; respectively to bottom wall 1 along fold lines 85-92. In addition each cushioning tab is provided with cutaway portion C, the purpose of which is described and claimed in U.S. patent Serial No. 4,186,867, issued February 5, 1980 and which is owned by the assignee of this invention.
Finger gripping apertures 93 and 94 are formed in handle panel 8 and, similarly, finger gripping apertures 95 and 96 are formed in handle panel 11. Also cushioning flaps 97 and 98 are foldably joined respectively to handle panel 8 along fold lines ~5 ~
",, ~

1 16483~
99 and 100. In like fashion, cushioning flaps 101 and 102 are foldably joined respectively to handle panel 11 along fold lines 103 and 104. Cuts 97a, 98a, lOla, and 102a are formed respectively in cushioning flaps 97, 98, 101 and 102. According to a feature of this invention, finger gripping aperture 94 is slightly larger in size than corresponding finger gripping aperture 96 and, likewise, finger gripping aperture 95 is slightly larger in size than corresponding finger gripping aperture 93.
To maintain the various elements of the blank in the proper relative positions during formation of the carrier, nicks N are provided at the lowermost points of cushioning panels 14-19 as well as along the outer edges of cushioning flaps 97, 98, 101 and 102. Nicks N simply constitute small paperboard connections between adjacent elements of the blank and are easily broken whenever the carrier is loaded or transported.
In order to form the carrier from the blank shown in Fig. 4, initially it is necessary to make an application of glue to secondary bottom panel 6 as shown by stippling in Fig. 4. Then secondary bottom panel 6 together with handle panels 8 and 11 are elevated and folded over along fold line 7 to occupy the positions shown in Fig. 5. By this operation secondary bottom panel 6 is adhered to the upper surface of bottom wall 1.
Following this operation, bottom wall 1 together with secondary bottom panel 6 and handle panels 8 and 11 are all elevated and folded over along fold line 21 to occupy the positions shown in Fig. 6. Then an application of glue is made to glue flap 63 as shown by stippling in Fig. 6. Thereafter end wall 53 and the associated structure are elevated and folded over along fold line 54 to occupy the positions shown in Fig. 7. By this operation, glue flap 63 is adhered to bottom wall 1.
In order to set up the carrier from the collapsed condition 1 16483~

shown in Fig. 7, it is simply necessary to manipulate the blank into a position whereby the end walls are parallel to each other and, likewise, whereby the top panel and bottom wall are also parallel to each other. Following this handle panels 8 and 11 are swung upwardly into vertical positions whereby they are disposed substantially perpendicular to bottom wall 1 and secondary bottom panel 6. Also cushioning tabs 77-84 are elevated into vertical positions. Then upper side wall panels 32 and 37 are swung upwardly into substantially vertical posit-ions and lower side wall panels 2 and 3 are manipulated intohorizontal positions. The carrier then appears as shown in Fig. 8.
In order to load the carrier, articles are guided into the article cells by means of appropriate article loading machinery. Subsequent to this flaps 22, 23, 26, 27, 55, 56, 59 and 60 are swung inwardly of the carrier and glue is applied to flaps 23, 27, 55 and 59. Thereafter lower side wall panels

2 and 3 are elevated and secured to the associated flaps. Then upper side wall panels 32 and 37 are lowered and, generally simultaneously with this operation, the ends thereof are rotated outwardly approximately 180 along fold lines 49 and 50 respect-ively. Glue is then applied to the exposed end portions of upper side wall panels 32 and 37 which are then rotated into a glued relationship with the respective lower side wall panels 2 and 3. The carrier then appears as shown in Fig.l.
In order to open the carrier for removal of the packaged articles, it is simply necessary to grasp thumb tab 46 and to pull top panel 30 upwardly. By this operation the inner portion of top panel 30 is severed along severance lines 44, 45, 36, 41, 35, 40, 42 and 43 and slits 42a and 43a. The carrier then appears as shown in Fig. 3.

When the inner portion of top panel 30 is removed, tearing 1 16~83~
thereof in a manner other than along the desired severance lines is prevented by means of V-shaped bend lines 51 and 52.
As the removal of top panel 30 is initiated by the lifting of thumb tab 46 and tearing along severance lines 44 and 45, the V-shaped orientation of V-shaped bend line 51 causes the port-ions of top panel 30 oneither side of side elements A and B
to form upwardly diverging relationships therefrom. This in turn causes a tension force at points D and E along the side edges of top panel 30 at which points tearing is caused to occur and then continue along severance lines 36 and 41. Therefore by this invention any undesired tearing of top panel 30 is prevented especially as commonly occurs about the inner edges of the associated neck receiving apertures such as elements 73 and 76. The same structural relationships exist in connection with V-shaped bend line 52.
Therefore after the removable portion of top panel 30 has been discarded, the articles are removed and the contents thereof consumed as desired. The empty articles can then simply be placed into the carrier which is conveniently returned to the point of purchase by proper utilization of the handle means in the form of handle panels 8 and 11. Since at least a portion of the bottom of each article is disposed on secondary bottom panel 6, added reinforcement is achieved when the carrier is lifted by means of handle panels 8 and 11. Further strength is achieved by means of corner sections 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d which operate to connect upper side wall panels 32 and 37 to end walls 20 and 53.
According to another feature of this invention, finger gripping aperture 94 is somewhat larger in size than correspond-ing finger gripping aperture 96, it tends to bind against the sidesof finger gripping aperture 96 since it is slightly wider.
Therefore handle panels 8 and 11 are locked in upright positions ~ ~6~3~

and do not separate and interfere with removal and replacement of the articles. Of course if the user's fingers are inserted through the other side of the handle means, the same relation-ship exists inthe opposite direction between finger gripping apert:ure 95 and finger gripping aperture 93.
In the drawings, Fig. 9 is an isometric view of an article carrier formed according to this invention; FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the carrier with a portion of the top panel partially removed; FIG. 11 is a plan view of the blank from which the carrier is formed; FIGS. 12 and 13 depict intermediate stages through which the blank shown in FIG. 11 is manipulated and glued in order to form a complete and collapsed carrier as shown in FIG. 14; FIG. 15 is an isometric view of the carrier of FIGS. 9 and 10 disposed in a condition appropriate for loading the articles through the open sides thereof; FIG. 16 is a side view taken along the line 8'-8' in FIG. 9; FIG. 17 is a side view taken along the line 9'-9' in FIG. 9; FIG. 18 is a plan view of a portion of the blank from which a further modified version of this invention is formed; and FIG. 19 is an isometric view of the further modified form of the carrier in condition for loading articles therein.
With reference to the drawings and with particular reference to FIG. 11, the numeral 1' designates the bottom wall of the carrier. Lower side wall panels 2' and 3', forming a portion of the carrier side wall means, are foldably joined along fold lines 4' and 5' respectively to the side edges of bottom wall 1'. To one end edge of bottom wall 1', supplementary bottom panel 6' is foldably joined along fold line 7'.
Handle means for the carrier is provided in the form of handle panels 8' and 9' which are foldably joined together along fold line 10'. In addition handle panel 9' is joined to supple-mentary bottom panel 6' along spaced parallel fold lines 11' and 12'. Fastening tab 13' is struck from handle panel 9' and is 1 16~83~
joined to handle panel 8' along spaced parallel fold lines 14' and 15'. Connecting panels 16' and 17' are struck from the handle means and are foldably joined respectively to handle panels 8' and 9' along diagonal fold lines 18' and 19'.
Anchoring tab 20' is also struck from handle means and is formed intermediate connecting panels 16' and 17' and is foldably joined thereto respectively along interrupted fold lines 21' and 22'. Although two handle panels are shown in the drawings, the handle means formed according to this invention can also comprise only one handle panel in which case either connecting panel 16' or 17' would be omitted as is obvious.
To the other end edge of bottom wall 1', end wall 23' is foldably joined along fold line 24'. In addition flaps 25' and 26' are foldably joined respectively to end wall 23' along fold lines 27' and 28'. Similarly flaps 29' and 30' are foldably joined respectively to end wall 23' along fold lines 31' and 32'.
Top panel or top wall 33' is foldably joined to the upper edge of end wall 23' along interrupted fold line 34'. Carrier sid~ wall means includes upper side wall panel 35' which is joined to top panel 33' along fold lines 36' and 37' as well as along weakened severance lines 38' and 39' and upper side wall panel ~0' which is joined to top panel 33' along fold lines 41' and 42' as well as along weakened severance lines 43' and 44'. Also weakened severance lines 45'and 46' are formed in top panel 33' at one end thereof and similar severance lines 47' and 48' are formed in top panel 33' at the other end thereof.
In order to facilitate opening of the carrier, thumb tab 49' is formed in top panel 33' and, adjacent to thumb tab 49', cut lines 50' and 51' are formed in the upper portion of end wall 23'.
In order to facilitate gluing of the carrier, fold lines 52' and 53' are formed respectively in upper side wall panels 35' and 40'.
In addition V-shaped bend lines 54' and 55' as well as corner sections 56', 57', 58' and 59' are formed in top panel 33'.

1 16A~83~

To complete the basic elements of the blank, end wall 60' is foldably joined to an end edge of top panel 33' along fold line 61'. Flaps 62' and 63' are foldably joined respectively to end wall 60' along fold lines 64' and 65'. Likewise flaps 66' and 67' are foldably joined respectively to end wall 60' along fold lines 68' and 69'. In addition glue flap 70' is joined to end wall 60' along fold line 71'.
For the purpose of facilitating transport of the carrier, finger gripping apertures 72' and 73' are formed in top panel 33' and are foldably joined respectively thereto along fold lines 74' and 75'. To receive the necks of the package articles, neck receiving apertures 76'-81' are provided. For the purpose of insuring proper tearing of top panel 33', slits 82' and 83' are formed respectively on the periphery of neck receiving apertures 76' and 79'.
To properly cushion and separate the heels of adjacent articles, cushioning tabs 84'-95' are struck from bottom wall 1'.
Cushioning tabs 84'-93' are foldably joined respectively to bottom wall 1' along fold lines 96'-105'. In addition cushioning tab 94' is joined to bottom wall 1' along parallel spaced fold lines 106' and 107' and, likewise, cushioning tab 95' is joined to bottom wall 1' along parallel spaced fold lines 108' and 109'.
Finger gripping apertures 110' and 111' are formed in handle panel 8 and similarly, finger gripping apertures 112' and 113' are formed in handle panel 9'. Also cushioning flaps 114' and 115' are foldably joined respectively to handle panel 8' along fold lines 116' and 117'. In like fashion, cushioning flaps 118' and 119' are foldably joined respectively to handle panel 9' along fold lines 120' and 121'.
In order to form the carrier from the blank shown in FIG. 11, initially it is necessary to make an application of glue to supplementary bottom panel 6', cushioning tabs 94' and 95' and fastening tab 13' as shown by stippling in FIG. 11. Then 1 ~64~3~

supplementary bottom panel 6' together with handle panels 8' and 9' and the associated structure are elevated and folded over along fold line 7' to occupy the positions shown in FIG. 12.
By this operation, supplementary bottom panel 6' and fastening tab 13' are adhered to the upper surface of bottom wall 1'. Also cushioning tabs 94' and 95' are adhered respectively to handle panels 9' and 8'.
Following this operation, an application of glue is made to the exposed surface of anchoring tab 20' as shown by stippling in FIG. 12. Then bottom wall 1' together with supplementary bottom panel 6' and handle panels 8' and 9' are all elevated and folded over along fold line 24' to occupy the positions shown in FIG.13. Anchoring tab 20' is then adhered to the inner surface of end wall 23'.
Then an application of glue is made to glue flap 70' as shown by stippling in FIG. 13. Thereafter end wall 60' and the associated stru~ture are elevated and folded over along fold line 61' to occupy the positions shown in FIG. 14. By this operation, glue flap 70' is adhered to bottom wall 1'.
In order to set up the carrier from the collapsed condition shown in FIG. 14, it is simply necessary to manipulate the blank into a position whereby the end walls are parallel to each other and whereby the top panel and bottom wall are also parallel to each other. Simultaneously with this, handle panels 8' and 9' and cushioning tabs 94' and 95' are pulled upwardly automatically into vertical positions by connecting panels 16' and 17' and anchoring tab 20' whereby they are disposed sub-stantially perpendicular to bottom wall 1' and in overlapping relationship respectively with connecting panels 16' and 17'.
Also cushioning tabs 84'-93' are elevated into vertical positions.
Cushioning tabs 88' and 89' in effect fill the void formed by connecting panels 16' and 17' when set up. Then upper side wall panels 35' and 40' are swung upwardly into substantially vertical positions and lower side wall panels 2' and 3' are manipulated 1 16~83~
ia~to llorizollt:al positiol~s. The c~rr.ier thell ~p~ars ~s .shown in ~IG. 15 an~ is in colldition Eor loa~in~ throu~h ltS sides.
In order to load the carrier, articles are guided into the article cclls from both sides ~y means of appropriate ar~icle loading machinery. Subsequent to this flaps 25', ~', 2~ I r 30 ~ ~
62', 63', 66' and 67' are swung inwardly of t]le carrier and c~3ue is applied to flaps 26', ~0', 63' and 67'~ Thereafter lower sidc wall panels 2' and 3' are elevated and secured to the asscciated flaps. Then upper side wall panels 35; and 40` are lowered and, generally simultaneously with this operat.i.on, the ends t}~ereof are rotated outwardly approximately 180 along fold lines 52' and 53' respectively. Glue is then applied to the exposed cnd portions of upper side wall panels 35' and ~0' which are then rotated into a glued relationship with the respective lower side wall panels 2' and 3'. The carrier then appears as shown in FIG. 9.
In ordex to open the carrier for removal OL the packaged articles, it is simply necessary to grasp thumb tab 49' and to pull top panel 33' upwardly as shown in FIG. 10. By this operati~
the inner portion of top panel 33' is severed along weakened severance lines 47', 48', 39', 44', 38', 43', 45' ~nd 46' and slits 82' and 83'.
. A modification of this invention is depcited in FIGS. 18 and 19. Correspondin~ elements of the version of this inventlon shown in FIGS. 9-17 are identified in FIGS~l& and 19 with the subscript "a". From FIG. 18 it is apparent that cushionirs tabs 88', 89', 94' and 95' as shown in the blank of FIG. 11 are omi~tecl~
Also fastening tab 13' is omitted and supplementary bottom panel 6' is extended in order to provide a greater amount of material to be adhered to botto~ ~Jall 1'. Additionall~ cu.hionins tabs 122' and 123' are integrally ~ormed respectively aloncJ t.h~
lower portions of connection panels 16' and 17 t, As sho~n in FlG. 19 cuc;hioning tabs 122' and 123' in eflect re~lace cushioni.~ abs 8n' and 89' of thc v~rsi.on of this invention

3 d shown in FIGS. 9-17.
Therefore by this invention a strong carrier is provided since handle panels 8' and 9' are directly secured to the carrier bott:om and are secured to one of the carrier end walls by means of connecting panels 16' and 17' and anchoring tab 20'. As a result any tendency for the handle structure to separate from the bottom wall is greatly reduced.
Also according to a feature of one form of this invention, in the completed carrier, spaced parallel fold lines 11' and 12' are disposed in coincidence respectively with spaced fold lines 106' and 107'. Likewise spaced fold lines 14' and 15' are disposed respectively in coincidence with spaced fold lines 109' and 108'. A double thickness of paperboard is provided at the various points of article contact and these spaced parallel fold lines facilitate manipulation and folding of cushioning tabs 94' and 95' at the points where the carrier paperboard is of double thickness and particularly difficult to bend.
By this invention an article carrier is provided which is extremely strong, durable and economical and at the same time can be conveniently opened and reused in connection with returnable articles.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An article carrier comprising a bottom wall, side wall means secured to the side edges of said bottom wall, a pair of ends walls secured respectively to the ends of said bottom wall, a top panel secured to the upper edges of said side wall means and said end walls and disposed substantially parallel to said bottom wall, a supplementary bottom panel joined to said bottom wall, and disposed in flat face contacting relation at the upper surface of said bottom wall, and handle means interconnected with said supplementary bottom panel and upstanding from said bottom wall, said handle means being interconnected with one of said end walls.

2. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein said handle means comprises a pair of handle panels.

3. An article carrier according to claim 2 wherein said pair of handle panels are foldably joined respectively to a pair of connecting panels and wherein said connecting panels are secured to said one end wall and disposed in overlapping relationship respectively with said pair of handle panels.

4. An article carrier according to claim 3 wherein an anchor-ing tab is secured to said one end wall and wherein said pair of connecting panels are joined to said anchoring tab along the edges thereof remote from said pair of handle panels.

5. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein said sup-plementary bottom panel is joined to an end edge of said bottom wall and secured in overlapping relationship with said bottom wall.

6. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein said handle means is joined to said supplementary bottom panel by means of parallel spaced fold lines.

7. An article carrier according to claim 6 wherein a fastening tab is joined to said handle means by a pair of parallel spaced fold lines.

8. An article carrier according to claim 7 wherein a pair of cushioning tabs are each joined to said bottom wall by means of a pair of parallel spaced fold lines.

9. An article carrier according to claim 8 wherein said pairs of parallel fold lines associated with said bottom wall are dis-posed in coincidence with the corresponding pairs of parallel spaced fold lines associated with said handle means.

10. An article carrier comprising top, bottom, side and end walls interconnected to form an enclosure of generally cubical form wherein the improvement includes a supplementary bottom panel secured to the inside surface of said bottom wall in face contacting relation therewith, a medial partition forming handle panel foldably joined to said supplementary bottom panel and in substantially normal relation therewith, a connecting panel struck from and foldably joined to said handle panel, and an anchoring tab foldably joined to said connecting panel and secured in flat face contacting relation to the inside surface of one of said end walls at least a portion of said top wall being removable to afford access to said handle panel.

11. A carrier according to claim 10 wherein said connecting panel is disposed in flat face contacting relation to said handle panel.

12. A carrier according to claim 10 wherein said connecting panel is joined to said handle panel along a diagonal fold line and to said anchoring tab along a substantially vertical fold line.

12. An article carrier blank comprising a top panel, a pair of end walls foldably joined respectively to the end edges of said top panel, a bottom wall foldably joined to one of said end walls remote from said top panel, a supplementary bottom panel foldably joined to said bottom wall remote from said one end wall, handle means foldably joined to said secondary bottom panel, and a pair of connecting panels struck from said handle means and foldably joined thereto.

14. An article carrier blank according to claim 13 wherein a pair of upper side wall panels are foldably joined respectively to the side edges of said top panel and a pair of lower side wall panels are foldably joined respectively to the side edges of said bottom wall.

15. An article carrier blank according to claim 13 wherein at least one V-shaped bend line is formed in said top panel.

16. An article carrier blank according to claim 13 wherein an anchoring tab is struck from said handle means and interposed between and foldably joined to said connecting panels.

17. An article carrier blank according to claim 13 wherein a fastening tab is struck from said handle means and joined thereto by means of a pair of parallel spaced fold lines.

18. An article carrier blank according to claim 13 wherein said handle means comprises a pair of handle panels and wherein said connecting panels are struck respectively from said pair of handle panels.

19. An article carrier blank according to claim 18 wherein said connecting panels are joined respectively to said pair of handle panels by a pair of diagonal fold lines.

20. An article carrier blank according to claim 19 wherein an anchoring tab is interposed between said connecting panels and foldably joined thereto.

21 An article carrier according to claim 3 wherein a pair of cushioning tabs are integrally formed respectively along the lower portions of said pair of connecting panels.

22. An article carrier according to claim 10 wherein a cushion-ing tab is formed along the lower portion of said connecting panel.

23. An article carrier blank according to claim 13 wherein a pair of cushioning tabs are integrally joined respectively to said pair of connecting panels.