CA1169034A

CA1169034A - Article carrier

Info

Publication number: CA1169034A
Application number: CA000318896A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Prentice J. Wood
Original assignee: Mead Corp
Current assignee: Mead Corp
Priority date: 1978-04-03
Filing date: 1978-12-29
Publication date: 1984-06-12
Also published as: GB2017645A; ATA142979A; ES245951Y; AT365145B; FR2421806A1; FR2421806B1; NL7812592A; JPS54131477A; AU4358479A; AU521853B2; IT1114542B; DE2900080A1; ES245951U; IT7947999A0; BE873215A

Abstract

ARTICLE CARRIER

Abstract of the Disclosure An article carrier comprising a frame structure, a plurality of struts depending downwardly from the frame structure to form a plurality of article receiving cells, a bottom element secured to the lower portions of the struts forming each cell, a partition element disposed between and secured to two adjacent struts of at least some of said cells, the midportion of the partition element being yieldable, and a sleeve enveloping the carrier about the vertical axis thereof. A plurality of outwardly projecting base straps may interconnect the lower portions of two adjacent struts on each side of the carrier, with in place of the sleeve a promotional insert panel being disposed on each side of said carrier and secured in position by cooperation with the corresponding base straps and the frame structure.

Description

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ARTICLE CARRIER

The current popularity of large primary packages has emphasized the need for very strong and reliable article carriers. Several methods of achieving these results have been utilized such as strengthening the material of the conventional paperboard carrier or providing a carrier constructed completely of plastic material. AS an alternative to either of these methods, a carrier constructed of a combination of plastic and paperboard material is extremely strong, durable, and economi-cal. One example of such a combination plastic and paperboardcarrier is disclosed in U.S. patent no. 3,399,804 issued on September 3, 1968 to Prentice J. Wood.

According to this invention, an article carrier formed in a rectilinear arrangement comprises a frame structure, a plurality of struts depending downwardly from the frame structure and arranged in at least two groups to form at least two adjacent article receiving cells, a bottom element secured to the lower portions of each group of struts to form a pair of article receiving cells, a partition element disposed between and secured to two adjacent struts of one group of struts and forming a partition between said cells, and the ~-midportion of the partition element being transversely yield-able and offset vertically from the ends of said partition element, a sleeve formed in an enveloping relationship around said carrier with the axis thereof in coincidence with the vertical axis of said carrier, a projection formed on the outer surface of one of said struts, and an aperture formed in said sleeve and adapted to form an interlocked relationship with said projection.
~' For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in ` conjunctîon with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an article carrier constructed according to one form of ~his invention; FIG. 2 is an isometric view of ` a carrier sleeve; FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank from which the sleeve of FIG. 2 is formed; FIG. 4 shows an intermediate .

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collapsed sleeve as shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a carrier without a sleeve; and in which FIG. 7 is a side view of two carriers without sleeves and disposed in a stacked nested fashion.
In the drawings the letter F generally designates the upper frame structure of the plastic portion of the carrier from which cell forming stru~s depend downwardly.
More specifically the numerals 1 and 2 designate side strips of the carrier to the respective adjacent ends of which the ends of end strips 3 and 4 are integrally secured. Frame structure F also includes longitudinal partition structure in the form of spaced parallel long-itudinal strips 5 and 6 which are medially disposed in the central portion of the carrier and integrally secured at corresponding ends thereof at junctions 7 and 8. Also at one end of longitudinal strips 5 and 6, the longitudinal partition structure includes longitudinal strip 9 which is in~egrally secured at one end thereof to junction 7 and at the other end thereof to the inner surface of end strip 4. In like manner longitudinal strip 10 is integrally formed at one end thereof to junction 8 and at the other end thereof to the inner surface of end strip 3.
To complete the frame structure F, transverse partition structure is provided in the form of transverse strips 11, 12, 13 and 14. More specifically transverse strips 11 and 12 are each integrally secured at one end thereof to longitudinal strip 5 and at the other end thereof to the inner surface of side strip 1. In like manner, transverse strips 13 and 1~ are each integrally secured at one end thereof to longitudinal strip 6 and at the other end thereof to the inner surface of side strip 2.
Carrying means for the article cdrrier IS
pro~ided in the form of handle 15 which is integrally secured to the upstanding portions 5a and 6a of longitud-inal strips 5 and 6 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.
In order to form individual article receivingcells, a plurality o~ struts are provided on one side ' ~ i9~3~

of the carrier as indicated by the numerals 16-27. For purposes of simplification, only one side of the carrier will be discussed in detail, it being understood that the other side of the carrier is similarly constructed. Each of the struts 16-27 comprises a left strip A and a right strip B which are integrally secured along adjacent edges at C. Also all of the struts 16-27 are integrally formed with frame structure F and extend downwardly therefrom.
In order to complete the individual article receiving cells on one side of the carrier, bottom elements 28, 29, and 30 are provided. ~s best viewed in FIG. 6, each of the bottom elements 28, ~9, and 30 is integrally formed with the lower portions of the associated struts of the respective article receiving cells.
~ccording to a feature of this invention, part-ition elements 31 and 32 are provided between adjacent cells disposed in the longitudinal direction of the carrier..
More specifically partition element 31 is integrally secured along one edge to strip A of strut 18 and along 20 the opposite edge to strip B of strut 19. Similarly partition element 32 is integrally secured along one edge to strip B of strut 25 and along the other edge to strip A of strut 24.
In addition partition elements 33, 34, and 35 25 are provided between adjacent article receiving cells~
disposed in the transverse direction o~ the carrier.
Although not shown in detail, each of the partition elements 33, 34, and 35 is integrally secured to the associated struts in the same manner described above in 30 connection with partition elements 31 and 32. Since the midportion of each partition element is offset vertically from the associated end portions, the midportions are transversely yieldable. This feature allows easy entry of the articles into ~he article receiving cells by 35 guiding the articles in a downward direction while avoid-ing any collision between an article and a partition.

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~.~ 6~ ~ 3 "~o complete the plastic portion of the carrier, 36 and 37 are formed on struts 16 and 27 p~,vS~
respectively, it being understood that similar ~5 are formed on corresponding struts disposed on the opposite side of the carrier.
Therefore according to one aspeet of this invention, a carrier is provided which is strong, reliable, and durable and, at the same time, is constructed of a relatively small amount o plastic material and is pro-duced from known die construction methods. In addi~ion,as best shown in FIG. 6, each set of four struts associated with an article receiving cell is tapered downwardly and inwardly. Therefore each of the article receiving cells is spaced apart from an associated cell. This feature allows entry of the handle of an adjacent article carrier into the medial area of a stacked upper carrier as best shown in FIG. 7. Of course this feature reduces trans-portation and storage costs associated with the carrier.
In order to provide carrier strength and visual appeal as well as added protection for the packaged articles, sleeve S, shown in blank form in FIG. 3, is provided. Specifically sleeve S comprises a side panel 38 to an end edge of which end panel 39 is oldably joined along old line 40. Along the opposite edge of end panel 39, side panel 41 is foldably joined along fold lLne 42.
In addition end panel 43 is foldably joined to an end edge of side panel ~1 along fold line 44. To complete sleeve S, glue flap 45 is foldably joined to an end edge of end panel 43 along fold line 46. Also apertures 47, 48, 49, and 50 are formed in sleeve S as best shown in FIG. 3.
In order to facilitate nesting of adjacent sleeve blanks, cutaway portion 51 is formed on the lower edge of side panel 38 and, likewise, cutaway portion 52 is formed on the lower edge o end panel 43. ~djacent blanks can ~hen be nes~ed as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 3. Of course this feature provides economy of D-1923 _ 5 material in the production phase of the sleeve.
In order to form the sleeve from the blank shown in FIG. 3, initially it is necessary to fold end panel 43 and the associated glue flap 45 upwardly and over to the left along fold line ~4. Then an application of glue is made to glue flap 45 as shown by stippling in FIG. 4.
Following this operation, side panel 38 is elevated and folded over to the right along fold line 40. This causes the end of side panel 38 to become adhered to glue flap lQ 45. The sleeve then appears as shown in FIG. 5 which represents the completed sleeve in collapsed condition.
In order to erect the sleeve, side panels 38 and 41 are simply moved apart to positions perpendicular to end panels 39 and 43. The sleeve then appears as shown in FIG. 2. In order to form the completed carrier as shown in FIG. 1, it is simply necessary to insert the plastic portion of the carrier as shown in FIG. 6 into an erected sleeve as shown in FIG. 2. By this operati.on apertures 47, 48, 49, and 50 of sleeve S slide.
2Q into an interlocked relationship with corresponding ~ f~s bn the plastic portion of the carrier, such as ~e~s 36 and 37 on the one side of the carrier. Since the outer struts of the carrier are tapered downwardly and inwardly and since the sleeve S i8 tapered in a corresponding 25 fashion, the positioning of the plastic portion of the carrier into sleeve S is greatly facilitated.
Because sleeve S must conform to the tapered struts on the plastic portion of the carrier, each panel of ~he sleeve S must be angularly related with respect to 30 the adjoining panel. Specifically angles X as shown in FIG. 3 are equal and each angle X corresponds ~o the angular disposition o the associated strut of the plastic portion of the carrier.
Ideally angle Y as shown in FIG. 3 should be 35 equal to angles X. If this were the case, side panel 38 would occupy the position shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 4, following folding ~hereof along fold line 40. Of course ~his would cause an i~precise glued joint in the ,~

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completed sleeve and the panels of the sleeve could not be in face contacting relation to each other when the sleeve is in collapsed condition, as shown in FIG. 5.
According to one aspect of this invention, angle Y is 5 lessened a small amount relative to angles X which in effect causes side panel 38 to adjust from a folded position such as shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 4 to the folded position shown in FIG. 5. To achieve proper symmetry in the completed sleeve, angle Z is also altered to a slight degree. Specifically the angular relationship between fold line 44 and the upper edge of end panel 43 is increased to cause end panel 43 to adjust proportionately upwardly to meet the end of bottom panel 38 following the folding of both panels. Since the 15 side panels and the end panels are of different lengths, the ratio of the lessening of angle Y to the increase in angle Z is equal to the ratio of the length of side panel 38 to the length of end panel 43.
Although slightly different in degree, the angular dispositions between side panel 38 and end panel 39 as well as between side panel 41 and end panel 43 still conform generally to the angular disposition of the associated strut. Therefore by this aspect of the invent-ion, a proper glue joint is provided, the dimensional integrity of the sleeve is not compromised, and the completed sleeve can lie flat as shown in FIG . 5.
Therefore by this invention an article carrier ; is provided which uses a relatively small amount of plastic material in conjunction with a carrier sleeve to maximize carrier strength, article protection, and overall carrier appearance.

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Claims

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

1. An article carrier formed in a rectilinear arrangement and comprising a frame structure, a plurality of struts depending downwardly from said frame structure and arranged in at least two groups to form at least two adjacent article receiving cells, a bottom element secured to the lower portions of each group of struts to form a pair of article receiving cells, a partition element disposed between and secured to two adjacent struts of one group of struts and forming a partition between said cells, the midportion of said partition element being transversely yieldable and offset vertically from the ends of said partition element, a sleeve formed in an enveloping relationship around said carrier with the axis thereof in coincidence with the vertical axis of said carrier, a projection formed on the outer surface of one of said struts, and an aperture formed in said sleeve and adapted to form an inter-locked relationship with said projection.

2. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein said partition element is of V-shaped configuration.

3. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein said partition element forms an upright V.

4. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein a handle is secured to said frame and extends upwardly therefrom.

5. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein each of said struts comprises a pair of strips secured along ajdacent edges.

6. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein the struts of each group of struts are tapered inwardly and downwardly.