CN110775436B

CN110775436B - Container carrier

Info

Publication number: CN110775436B
Application number: CN201910949232.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 乔治·E.·沃尔多二世; 克里斯托弗·J.·路德维格; 莱斯利·S.·马可
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2012-05-04
Filing date: 2013-05-06
Publication date: 2023-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2033-05-06
Also published as: JP2018135155A; WO2013166495A1; KR102145076B1; JP6374376B2; CN104395200B; BR112014027451B1; CA2871509C; CN110775436A; CN104395200A; CA2871509A1; US20130292272A1; EP2844581B1; EP2844581A1; MX2014013358A; KR20150018520A; MX365015B; MX2019001694A; BR112014027451A2; ES2581541T3; PL2844581T3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a unitized package having a plurality of containers (20) integrated with a flexible carrier (10). The carrier is constructed from a plastic planar sheet (15) having a plurality of container receiving apertures (25) and a panel (50) or handle (60) positioned relative to the planar sheet. The panels or handles are die cut to form at least one of a product name, product attributes, promotional shape, trademark, trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and fanciful design.

Description

Container carrier

The application is a divisional application of an invention patent application with the application date of 2013, 05 and 06, the international application number of PCT/US2013/039710, the national application number of 201380034430.9 and the invention name of 'container carrier'.

Background of the invention

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a container carrier for integrating a required number of containers.

Description of the Prior Art

The container carrier connects two or more containers to make them a strong, integrated unitized or composite package of containers. The carriers are generally planar arrays of rings, sometimes referred to as "six pack carriers," which are typically formed from thermoplastic sheet material. Carriers are used for containers of various sizes and shapes.

Common container carriers are often used to integrate a plurality of similarly sized containers, such as cans, bottles, jars, and boxes, but may also be used to integrate other unitized bags or containers. Two such common container carriers are plastic ring carriers and box-type carriers.

The plastic ring carrier produces an integrated unitized package for containers using little material. However, when used alone, the plastic ring carrier has little or no advertising or promotional printing space. Conversely, box-type carriers typically have a relatively large area for promotional graphics. Disadvantageously, the box-type carrier requires relatively much material, allows the bottles to fall out if the box-type carrier is not held in an upright position, and often hides many portions of the actual container. Thus, there is a need for a combination bag that incorporates the stability and economy of a ring carrier and the promotional nature of a box-type carrier.

The present invention relates to a carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers having a plurality of container receiving apertures configured with integral panels and/or handles that are molded to convey additional information about the unitized package.

Disclosure of Invention

The container carrier according to the invention carries a plurality of containers, such as cans or bottles. The carrier includes a planar sheet of preferably plastic material formed with a plurality of container receiving apertures. Container receiving apertures are formed in longitudinal rows and transverse columns.

The panel is preferably integrally formed with the sheet such that the panel extends outwardly from a panel edge of the sheet. The panel is preferably shaped to convey at least one of a product name, a product attribute, a promotional shape, a trademark, a trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and/or an fanciful design intended to draw attention to the product.

Alternatively, or in addition, the breakaway handle may likewise be configured to convey at least one of a product name, a product attribute, a promotional shape, a trademark, a trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and/or a fanciful design intended to draw attention to the product.

Still further, the handle may be integrally formed with the panel and likewise configured to convey at least one of a product name, a product attribute, a promotional shape, a trademark, a trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and/or a fanciful design intended to draw attention to the product.

The containers are placed in each container receiving aperture to form a unitized package having panels and/or handles that are conspicuous relative to the unitized package and visible to a customer such that their stylized shape highlights the intended image of the product. This configuration of panels and/or handles creates a container pack with a prominent display area or "billboard" for advertising, information, images and other marketing materials.

Brief description of the drawings

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a flexible carrier according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a flexible carrier according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a combined bag according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a front view of a combined bag according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a front view of a combined bag according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of a multi-pack according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a top view of the flexible carrier for the assembled bag shown in fig. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a modular bag according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a flexible carrier suitable for use in the package shown in FIG. 8.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1-9 show a carrier 10 and a modular pack 80 according to various preferred embodiments of the present invention. The container 20 shown in fig. 3-5, 6 and 8 is preferably a bottle. Although bottles are shown in fig. 3-5, 6 and 8, cans or any other common unified container 20 may be used with the carrier 10 according to the present invention. The containers 20 in the individual carriers 10 are preferably similarly sized to form a unitized package 80.

Carrier 10 integrates a plurality of containers 20 to form a unitized package 80, such as unitized package 80 shown in fig. 3-5. The carrier 10 includes a planar sheet 15 preferably constructed of a flexible, resilient material such as plastic. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sheet 15 is made of low density polyethylene.

Sheet 15 is preferably cut to form a plurality of container receiving apertures 25 in sheet 15 using methods known to those skilled in the art, such as a stamping die. Preferably, 6 or more container receiving apertures 25 are formed in longitudinal rows and transverse columns of sheet 15. Preferably, container receiving apertures 25 are arranged in 2 rows and 3 columns or 2 rows and 4 columns. Sheet 15 may include other configurations of container receiving apertures 25 as desired for the size of unitized package 80.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the panel 50 is integrally formed with the sheet 15. The panel 50 preferably has a total longitudinal panel length that is less than the total length of the sheet 15. Panel 50 preferably houses UPCs, proof of purchase labels, graphics and promotional information, and/or other information about the contents and/or components of the combined package 80 on one or both sides.

The panels 50 preferably extend outwardly from the longitudinal edges of the sheet 15. As shown in fig. 1-5, panel 50 is formed at least partially along a portion of each container receiving aperture 25.

The panel 50 is preferably integrally formed with the sheet 15 such that the panel 50 extends outwardly from a longitudinal edge of the sheet 15. The panel 50 is preferably shaped to convey at least one of a product name, product attributes, promotional shape, trademark, trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and/or fanciful designs intended to draw attention to the product.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in fig. 3 and 4, carrier 10 further includes an integral handle 60 disposed between rows of container receiving apertures 25 or along one of the opposite longitudinal edges of sheet 15. Handle 60 is particularly important in configurations that include a plurality of container receiving apertures 25 to facilitate easy gripping of carrier 10 of a unitized pack 80.

Alternatively, or in addition, the handle 60 may likewise be configured to convey at least one of a product name, a product attribute, a promotional shape, a trademark, a trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and/or fanciful designs intended to draw attention to the product. Both handle 60 and panel 50 may include corresponding die cuts, either identical or complementary, including product name, product attributes, promotional shape, trademark, trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and/or fanciful design.

Still further, the handle 60 may be integrally formed with the panel 50 and likewise configured to communicate at least one of a product name, a product attribute, a promotional shape, a trademark, a trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and/or fanciful designs intended to draw attention to the product.

As shown in fig. 3-5, containers 20 are preferably placed in each container receiving aperture 25 to form a unitized package 80. Panel 50 is preferably generally flat and parallel with respect to container 20 and is conspicuous with respect to package 80. If the panel 50 is bent or folded in a perpendicular position relative to the unitized bag 80, the advertising or other material placed on the panel will not be apparent to the customer. In addition, the panel 50 protruding with respect to the pack 80 may inconvenience packing, handling, and stacking the pack 80 due to interference between the panels 50 of the adjacent packs 80 and between the panel 50 and the packing apparatus.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in fig. 6 and 7, the panel 50 is similarly formed as a decorative arrangement, but no cut-out or similar area for gripping the panel is provided. But rather forms one or a series of weakened regions 85, such as slits and/or perforations, relative to the panel 50 that allow the user to insert her hand through the panel 50 and form a handle at the point of sale. In this manner, the billboard space on the panel 50 is maximized prior to purchase. The one or more slits and/or perforations may pass directly through the graphic and/or decorative arrangement in the panel 50 and are thus optimally positioned to open only after the customer decides to purchase.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in fig. 8 and 9, the panel 50 is formed relative to the carrier 10 and a group of containers 20 of the unitized package 80 such that the decorative component forms a portion of a removable element 90 (e.g., a perforation or tear strip) to enable a user to remove a container 20 from the unitized package 80 generally along the interface between the panel 50 and at least one row of containers 20. For example, as shown in fig. 8 and 9, the tail of a lizard may be pulled along the removable element 90 to release the individual containers 20 from the combined bag 80. In this manner, the removable element 90 preferably forms an integral part of the product name, product attributes, promotional shape, trademark, trade mark, alpha-numeric characters, symbols, and fanciful design of the panel 50.

While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

Claims

1. A carrier for carrying a plurality of containers, the carrier comprising:

a planar sheet of plastic material having a plurality of container receiving apertures arranged in longitudinal rows and transverse columns; and

(1) A panel integrally formed with the sheet, the panel extending outwardly from an edge of the sheet, the panel including a non-linear outer edge, the panel being molded in the form of at least one of a product name, a product shape, a trademark, a trade mark and an alpha-numeric character, wherein the panel is molded at least in part by the non-linear outer edge, and the non-linear outer edge is and forms a peripheral side of the at least one of the product name, the product shape, the trademark, the trade mark and the alpha-numeric character, (i) wherein the non-linear outer edge is a first side of the at least one of the product name, the product shape, the trademark, the trade mark and the alpha-numeric character, and the panel includes a non-linear cut-out region forming an opposing second side of the at least one of the product name, the product shape, the trademark, the trade mark and the alpha-numeric character, and wherein the carrier further includes an integral handle, wherein the non-linear cut-out region of the panel is a portion of the integral handle; or (ii) wherein a cut-out or similar area for gripping the panel is not provided, but rather forms one or a series of weakened areas relative to the panel that allow a user to insert the user's hand through the panel and form a handle at the point of sale; or (iii) wherein the panel is formed relative to the carrier and a group of containers arranged in the plurality of container receiving apertures such that a decorative component forms part of a removable element to enable a user to remove the containers from respective container receiving apertures along an interface between the panel and at least one row of containers, in such a way that the removable element forms an integral part of the product name, the product shape, the trademark, the trade mark and the alpha-numeric character of the panel, or

(2) An integral handle extending from a central portion of the planar sheet between and perpendicular to the longitudinal rows of container receiving apertures, wherein the integral handle is molded in the form of at least one of a product name, a product shape, a trademark, a trade mark, and an alpha-numeric character.

2. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the planar sheet comprises a longitudinal sheet length, the panel comprises a longitudinal panel length, and the longitudinal panel length is less than the longitudinal sheet length.

3. The carrier of claim 1, further comprising an integral handle disposed between the longitudinal rows of the container receiving apertures.

4. The carrier of claim 3, wherein the integral handle is configured to communicate at least one of the product name, the trademark, and the trade name as the panel.

5. The carrier of claim 1, further comprising a handle integral with the panel.

6. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises an asymmetric shape.

7. The carrier of claim 1, comprising at least two panels, each panel adjacent a respective container receiving aperture of the plurality of container receiving apertures.

8. The carrier of claim 1, comprising at least two panels, wherein each panel of the at least two panels is adjacent to a respective column of the two or more transverse columns of container receiving apertures.

9. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the panel is molded in the form of the product shape, wherein the product shape comprises a contour of one of the containers, and the non-linear outer edge is molded as part of the contour of the one of the containers.

10. The carrier of claim 1, further comprising a handle interposed between the longitudinal row of the container receiving aperture and the at least one of the product name, the trademark, and the trade mark.

11. A multi-container modular pack, the pack comprising:

a planar sheet of plastic material having a plurality of container receiving apertures arranged in longitudinal rows and transverse columns;

a plurality of containers, including bottles or jars, each of the plurality of containers disposed in a corresponding one of the plurality of container receiving apertures; and

(1) A panel integrally formed with the sheet, the panel extending outwardly from an edge of the sheet and extending across one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the panel comprising a non-linear outer edge, and the panel being shaped to have at least one asymmetric side formed by the non-linear outer edge to form a perimeter side of at least one of a product name, a bottle shape, a jar shape, a trademark, a trade name, and a symbol, (i) wherein the non-linear outer edge is a first side of the at least one of the product name, the bottle shape, the jar shape, the trademark, the trade name, and the symbol, and the panel comprises a non-linear cut-out area forming an opposing second side of the at least one of the product name, the bottle shape, the jar shape, the trademark, the trade name, and the symbol, and wherein the combination pack further comprises an integral handle, wherein the non-linear cut-out area of the panel is part of the integral handle; or (ii) wherein a cut-out or similar area for gripping the panel is not provided, but rather forms one or a series of weakened areas relative to the panel that allow a user to insert the user's hand through the panel and form a handle at the point of sale; or (iii) wherein the panel is formed relative to the unitized package and a group of containers disposed in the plurality of container receiving apertures such that a decorative component forms part of a removable element to enable a user to remove the containers from respective container receiving apertures along an interface between the panel and at least one row of containers, in such a manner that the removable element forms an integral part of the product name, the bottle shape, the can shape, the trademark, the trade name and the symbol of the panel, or

(2) An integral handle extending from a central portion of the planar sheet between and perpendicular to the longitudinal row of container receiving apertures, wherein the integral handle is molded in the form of at least one of a product name, a bottle shape, a jar shape, a trademark, a trade mark, and a symbol.

12. The combination pack of claim 11, wherein the panel includes one or more weakened areas to provide a hand grip when grasped therein, but the one or more weakened areas form part of a billboard space on the panel prior to purchase.

13. The unitized package of claim 11 wherein two or more panels are positioned across the unitized package, each panel corresponding to a column of the transverse array of container receiving apertures.

14. The combination pack of claim 11, further comprising a handle.

15. The combination pack of claim 14, wherein the handle has a die cut opening shaped to form a portion of the at least one of a product name, a bottle shape, a can shape, a trademark, a trade mark, and a symbol.

16. The combination pack of claim 14, wherein the handle is die cut in the material of the planar sheet between the plurality of container receiving apertures and the panel.

17. The multi-pack of claim 11, wherein the plurality of containers includes a plurality of bottles and the non-linear outer edge forms a first outer peripheral side of a bottle shape.

18. The combination pack of claim 17, further comprising a handle, wherein the handle has a die cut opening shaped to form a second peripheral side of the bottle shape, the second peripheral side being opposite the first peripheral side.

19. A multi-container kit, the kit comprising:

a plurality of containers disposed in a corresponding one of the plurality of container receiving apertures; and

(1) A panel integrally formed with the sheet, the panel extending outwardly from an edge of the sheet and extending across one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the panel comprising a non-linear outer edge, and the panel being contoured to have at least one asymmetric side formed by the non-linear outer edge to form at least one of a product name, a product shape, a trademark, a trade mark, an alpha-numeric character, and a symbol, (i) wherein the non-linear outer edge is a first side of the at least one of the product name, the product shape, the trademark, the trade mark, the alpha-numeric character, and the symbol, and the panel comprises a non-linear cut-out region forming an opposing second side of the at least one of the product name, the product shape, the trademark, the trade mark, the alpha-numeric character, and the symbol, and wherein the combination package further comprises an integral handle, wherein the non-linear cut-out region of the panel is part of the integral handle; or (ii) wherein a cut-out or similar area for gripping the panel is not provided, but rather forms one or a series of weakened areas relative to the panel that allow a user to insert the user's hand through the panel and form a handle at the point of sale; or (iii) wherein the panel is formed relative to the unitized package and a group of containers disposed in the plurality of container receiving apertures such that a decorative component forms part of a removable element to enable a user to remove the containers from respective container receiving apertures along an interface between the panel and at least one row of containers, in such a manner that the removable element forms an integral part of the product name, the product shape, the trademark, the trade mark, the alpha-numeric character and the symbol of the panel, or

(2) An integral handle extending from a central portion of the planar sheet between and perpendicular to the longitudinal rows of container receiving apertures, wherein the integral handle is molded in the form of at least one of a product name, a product shape, a trademark, a trade mark, an alpha-numeric character, and a symbol.

20. The modular bag of claim 19, wherein the panel includes one or more weakened areas to provide a handle grip when grasped therein, but the one or more weakened areas form a portion of the placard space on the panel prior to purchase.

21. The unitized package of claim 19 wherein two or more panels are positioned across the unitized package, each panel corresponding to a column of the transverse array of container receiving apertures.

22. The modular kit of claim 19, further comprising a handle.

23. The combination pack of claim 22, wherein the handle has a die cut opening shaped to form a portion of the at least one of a product name, a product shape, a trademark, a trade mark, an alpha-numeric character, and a symbol.

24. The combination pack of claim 22, wherein the handle is die cut in the material of the planar sheet between the plurality of container receiving apertures and the panel.

25. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the integral handle extends from between and perpendicular to the longitudinal rows of container receiving apertures.