EP0037683B1 - Bottle carrier and blank therefor - Google Patents

Bottle carrier and blank therefor Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0037683B1
EP0037683B1 EP81301303A EP81301303A EP0037683B1 EP 0037683 B1 EP0037683 B1 EP 0037683B1 EP 81301303 A EP81301303 A EP 81301303A EP 81301303 A EP81301303 A EP 81301303A EP 0037683 B1 EP0037683 B1 EP 0037683B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
side wall
panel
bottom wall
bottle carrier
extension panel
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP81301303A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0037683A1 (en
Inventor
Russell W. Leib Jr.
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mead Corp
Original Assignee
Mead Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mead Corp filed Critical Mead Corp
Publication of EP0037683A1 publication Critical patent/EP0037683A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0037683B1 publication Critical patent/EP0037683B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D71/40—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed by folding a blank or several blanks
    • B65D71/46—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed by folding a blank or several blanks formed by folding a single blank into a tubular element

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a bottle carrier of the so-called top gripping variety which includes cushioning means provided between the packaged bottles and to a blank for forming the carrier.
  • U.S. Patent No. 3,528,697 discloses a top gripping carrier which has a side wall extension panel which engages shoulder portions of the bottles.
  • Swiss Patent No. 450,268 discloses a top gripping bottle carrier which includes separator panels depending from the bottom wall of the carrier which provide glass to glass separation between adjacent bottles. While such separator panels do give adequate protection to the bottles, a large amount of material is used. Also, the separator panels initially are independent of the main body of the carrier so that it is necessary to secure these parts together during fabrication of the carrier. Furthermore the positioning of the separator panels is such that they can impede application of the carrier to the bottles unless the carrier and bottles accurately are aligned.
  • the present invention seeks to overcome such disadvantages in a carrier which incorporates an integral separator panel using a relatively small amount of material and which allows a more reliable packing operation.
  • a bottle carrier comprising a bottom wall having a plurality of beck receiving apertures, a pair of side walls joined respectively along their bottom edges to the side edges of said bottom wall, a plurality of top receiving apertures formed in the upper portions of said side walls and disposed respectively in aligned relationship with said neck receiving apertures, a side wall extension panel foldably joined to one of said side walls and extending generally downwardly therefrom, characterized by a cushioning panel foldably joined to said side wall extension panel, but free of said bottom wall, such that the cushioning panel can be folded from a first position in which it lies in the plane of the side wall extension plane to a second position in which it lies normal to the plane of both side wall extension panel and said bottom wall.
  • the numeral 1 designates the bottom wall of the carrier in which medial fold line 2 and a pair of neck receiving apertures 3 and 4 are formed.
  • Inner side wall means in the form of inner side wall panels 5 and 6 is joined to a side edge of bottom wall 1 along fold line 7.
  • outer side wall means in the form of outer side wall panels 8 and 9 is joined along fold line 10.
  • top receiving apertures 11 and 12 are formed in the inner side wall means and, in similar fashion, top receiving apertures 13 and 14 are formed in the outer side wall means.
  • inner side wall panel 6 is foldably joined to inner side wall panel 5 along interrupted fold line 15. Also bend lines 15, 17 and 18 are formed in inner side wall panel 5 and, likewise, bend lines 19, 20 and 21 are formed in inner side wall panel 6. Similar structure is disposed on the opposite side of bottom wall 1 in that outer side wall panel 8 is joined to outer side wall panel 9 along interrupted fold line 22. Additionally, bend lines 23, 24 and 25 are formed in outer side wall panel 8 and bend lines 26, 27 and 28 are formed in outer side wall panel 9.
  • hand gripping apertures 29 and 30 are formed respectively in inner side wall panels 5 and 6.
  • Hand cushioning flaps 31 and 32 are joined respectively to inner side wall panels 5 and 6 along fold lines 33 and 34.
  • hand gripping apertures 35 and 36 are formed respectively in outer side wall panels 8 and 9 and hand cushioning flaps 37 and 38 are joined respectively thereto along fold lines 39 and 40.
  • a side wall extension panel 41 is joined to the lower edge of outer side wall panel 8 along fold line 42.
  • a cushioning panel 43 is joined to side wall extension panel 41 along fold line 44.
  • fold line 44 is disposed perpendicular to fold line 42 and the length of cushioning panel 43 is approximately one half the length of side wall extension panel 41.
  • a top gripping carrier for more than two bottles would include a plurality of cushioning panels so as to afford cushioning between each pair of adjacent bottles in a row of bottles.
  • an economical top gripping carrier for the packaging of bottles which includes effective and convenient separation and cushioning means between the shoulder portions of the bottles.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packaging Frangible Articles (AREA)
  • Cartons (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)
  • Buffer Packaging (AREA)

Description

  • This invention relates to a bottle carrier of the so-called top gripping variety which includes cushioning means provided between the packaged bottles and to a blank for forming the carrier.
  • Article carriers of the top gripping elongate type especially adapted for use in conjunction with bottles are known in the art as disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,387,879; 3,528,697; 3,640,563; 3,860,281 and 4,180,191 all of which are owned by the applicant for this invention. This general category of carrier is extremely economical to produce and is highly reliable as a carrying means for multiple bottles although historically one drawback to carriers of this type has been the lack of adequate and convenient cushioning means between the shoulder portions of the bottles.
  • In particular U.S. Patent No. 3,528,697 discloses a top gripping carrier which has a side wall extension panel which engages shoulder portions of the bottles.
  • Swiss Patent No. 450,268 discloses a top gripping bottle carrier which includes separator panels depending from the bottom wall of the carrier which provide glass to glass separation between adjacent bottles. While such separator panels do give adequate protection to the bottles, a large amount of material is used. Also, the separator panels initially are independent of the main body of the carrier so that it is necessary to secure these parts together during fabrication of the carrier. Furthermore the positioning of the separator panels is such that they can impede application of the carrier to the bottles unless the carrier and bottles accurately are aligned.
  • The present invention seeks to overcome such disadvantages in a carrier which incorporates an integral separator panel using a relatively small amount of material and which allows a more reliable packing operation.
  • According to this invention, there is provided a bottle carrier comprising a bottom wall having a plurality of beck receiving apertures, a pair of side walls joined respectively along their bottom edges to the side edges of said bottom wall, a plurality of top receiving apertures formed in the upper portions of said side walls and disposed respectively in aligned relationship with said neck receiving apertures, a side wall extension panel foldably joined to one of said side walls and extending generally downwardly therefrom, characterized by a cushioning panel foldably joined to said side wall extension panel, but free of said bottom wall, such that the cushioning panel can be folded from a first position in which it lies in the plane of the side wall extension plane to a second position in which it lies normal to the plane of both side wall extension panel and said bottom wall.
  • One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
    • Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the bottle carrier is formed according to this invention, Figure 2 and 3 depict intermediate stages through which the blank of Figure 1 is manipulated and glued in order to form the complete and collapsed carrier as shown in Figure 4, and Figure 5 is an isometric view of the carrier disposed in erected condition.
  • In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the bottom wall of the carrier in which medial fold line 2 and a pair of neck receiving apertures 3 and 4 are formed.
  • Inner side wall means in the form of inner side wall panels 5 and 6 is joined to a side edge of bottom wall 1 along fold line 7. To the opposite side edge of bottom wall 1, outer side wall means in the form of outer side wall panels 8 and 9 is joined along fold line 10.
  • In order to receive portions of the packaged bottles, top receiving apertures 11 and 12 are formed in the inner side wall means and, in similar fashion, top receiving apertures 13 and 14 are formed in the outer side wall means.
  • At one end of the blank, inner side wall panel 6 is foldably joined to inner side wall panel 5 along interrupted fold line 15. Also bend lines 15, 17 and 18 are formed in inner side wall panel 5 and, likewise, bend lines 19, 20 and 21 are formed in inner side wall panel 6. Similar structure is disposed on the opposite side of bottom wall 1 in that outer side wall panel 8 is joined to outer side wall panel 9 along interrupted fold line 22. Additionally, bend lines 23, 24 and 25 are formed in outer side wall panel 8 and bend lines 26, 27 and 28 are formed in outer side wall panel 9.
  • For the purpose of transporting the carrier, hand gripping apertures 29 and 30 are formed respectively in inner side wall panels 5 and 6. Hand cushioning flaps 31 and 32 are joined respectively to inner side wall panels 5 and 6 along fold lines 33 and 34. In similar fashion, hand gripping apertures 35 and 36 are formed respectively in outer side wall panels 8 and 9 and hand cushioning flaps 37 and 38 are joined respectively thereto along fold lines 39 and 40.
  • A side wall extension panel 41 is joined to the lower edge of outer side wall panel 8 along fold line 42. A cushioning panel 43 is joined to side wall extension panel 41 along fold line 44. As is apparent from Figure 1, fold line 44 is disposed perpendicular to fold line 42 and the length of cushioning panel 43 is approximately one half the length of side wall extension panel 41.
  • In order to form the carrier from the blank shown in Figure 1, initially it is necessary to fold inner side wall panel 6 upwardly along interrupted fold line 15 into the disposition shown in Figure 2. Then it is necessary to make an application of glue to inner side wall 6 and outer side wall 9 as shown by stippling in Figure 2.
  • Thereafter the carrier inner side wall means in the form of inner side wall panels 5 and 6 together with one-half of bottom wall 1 are elevated and folded over along fold line 2 to occupy the positions as shown in Figure 3. By this operation inner side wall panel 6 is adhered to outer side wall panel 9.
  • Following this operation, an application of glue is made to inner side wall panel 5 and outer side wall panel 8 as shown by stippling in Figure 3. Following this the inner side wall means together with bottom wall 1 and outer side wall panel 9 are elevated along interrupted fold line 22 and folded over into face contacting glued relation with outer side wall panel 8. The blank then appears as shown in Figure 4 which represents the carrier in complete and collapsed condition.
  • In order to set up the collapsed carrier as shown in Figure 4, it is simply necessary to fold bottom wall 1 into a flat plane. By this operation one composite side wall in the form of inner side wall 5 and outer side wall 8 and the other composite side wall in the form of inner side wall 6 and outer side wall 9 assume an upwardly converging relationship from the respective sides of bottom wall 1. As the carrier is formed side wall extension panel 41 automatically extends downwardly from the composite side wall composed of inner side wall panel 6 and outer side wall panel 8. Following this, cushioning panel 43 is simply rotated inwardly along fold line 44 to a position substantially perpendicular to side wall extension panel 41. Then the carrier is simply pressed downwardly into locked relationship with the corresponding bottles to be packaged as is well known. The carrier then appears as shown in Figure 5 with the cushioning panel 41 disposed between the shoulder portions of adjacent bottles.
  • While the invention is illustrated and described in connection with a carrier for two bottles in which a single cushioning panel is provided, it is apparent that a top gripping carrier for more than two bottles would include a plurality of cushioning panels so as to afford cushioning between each pair of adjacent bottles in a row of bottles.
  • By this invention an economical top gripping carrier is provided for the packaging of bottles which includes effective and convenient separation and cushioning means between the shoulder portions of the bottles.

Claims (9)

1. A bottle carrier comprising a bottom wall (1) having a plurality of neck receiving apertures (3, 4), a pair of side walls (5, 8; 6, 9) joined respectively along their bottom edges to the side edges of said bottom wall, a plurality of top receiving apertures (11-13) formed in the upper portions of said side walls and disposed respectively in aligned relationship with said neck receiving apertures, a side wall extension panel (41) foldably joined to one of said side walls (5, 8) and extending generally downwardly therefrom, characterized by at least one cushioning panel (43) foldably joined to said side wall extension panel (41), but free of said bottom wall (1), such that the cushioning panel can be folded from a first position in which it lies in the plane of the side wall extension panel (41) to a second position in which it lies normal to the plane of both said side wall extension panel (41) and said bottom wall (1).
2. A bottle carrier according to claim 1, further characterized in that said cushioning panel (43) is foldably joined to said side wall extension panel (41) along a fold line (44) disposed substantially perpendicular to the fold line junction (42) between said side wall extension panel and said one side wall. -_u-
3. A boftle carrier according to claim 1 or claim 2 further characterized in that at least one side wall (5, 8) is formed of an inner panel (5) and an outer panel (8) secured together in face contacting relationship.
4. A bottle carrier according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in-that a medial fold line (2) is formed in said bottom wall (1
5. A bottle carrier according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that a pair of hand gripping apertures (31,35; 30, 36) are formed respectively in said pair of side walls.
6. A bottle carrier blank comprising a bottom wall (1) inner side wall means (5, 6) foldably joined to a side edge of said bottom wall, outer side wall means (8, 9) foldably joined to the opposite side edge of said bottom wall, characterized by a side wall extension panel (41) foldably joined to said outer side wall means (8) remote from said bottom wall, and a cushioning panel (43) foldably joined to said side wall extension panel but free of said bottom wall.
7. A bottle carrier blank according to claim 6, further characterized in that said cushioning panel (43) is joined to said side wall extension panel (41) along a fold line (44) disposed generally perpendicular to the fold line (42) between said side wall extension panel and said outer side wall means (8).
8. A bottle carrier blank according to claim 6 or claim 7, further characterized in that the length of said cushioning panel (43) is approximately one half the length of side wall extension panel (41).
9. A bottle carrier blank according to any of claims 6 to 8, further characterized in that a medial fold line (2) is formed in said bottom wall.
EP81301303A 1980-04-07 1981-03-26 Bottle carrier and blank therefor Expired EP0037683B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13790980A 1980-04-07 1980-04-07
US137909 1980-04-07

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0037683A1 EP0037683A1 (en) 1981-10-14
EP0037683B1 true EP0037683B1 (en) 1984-11-14

Family

ID=22479586

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP81301303A Expired EP0037683B1 (en) 1980-04-07 1981-03-26 Bottle carrier and blank therefor

Country Status (15)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0037683B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS56142163A (en)
AR (1) AR230603A1 (en)
AU (1) AU543724B2 (en)
BR (1) BR8101944A (en)
CA (1) CA1152032A (en)
DE (1) DE3167143D1 (en)
DK (1) DK155681A (en)
ES (1) ES268048Y (en)
MX (1) MX152332A (en)
NO (1) NO155283C (en)
NZ (1) NZ196204A (en)
PH (1) PH17525A (en)
PT (1) PT72552B (en)
ZA (1) ZA81858B (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0215844B1 (en) * 1985-03-22 1991-02-06 Manville Corporation Handle structure for wrap-around carrier
FR2612496B1 (en) * 1987-03-19 1989-05-19 Rey Imprimerie HAT FOR HOLDING AND TRANSPORTING TWO NEIGHBORING LONG OBJECTS, SUCH AS VERTICAL BOTTLES

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH450268A (en) * 1966-01-17 1968-01-15 Serametta S A Lightweight packaging for transporting items
US3387879A (en) * 1967-05-05 1968-06-11 Mead Corp Carrier for flanged article
US3528697A (en) * 1968-10-31 1970-09-15 Mead Corp Carrier for flanged articles
US3860281A (en) * 1973-07-30 1975-01-14 Mead Corp Carrier for flanged articles
JPS5550121Y2 (en) * 1975-11-07 1980-11-21

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK155681A (en) 1981-10-08
PH17525A (en) 1984-09-13
PT72552A (en) 1981-03-01
NO811159L (en) 1981-10-08
AU543724B2 (en) 1985-05-02
MX152332A (en) 1985-06-27
ES268048Y (en) 1983-11-16
AR230603A1 (en) 1984-05-31
JPH0238462B2 (en) 1990-08-30
CA1152032A (en) 1983-08-16
JPS56142163A (en) 1981-11-06
NZ196204A (en) 1983-09-02
EP0037683A1 (en) 1981-10-14
AU6766481A (en) 1981-10-15
NO155283B (en) 1986-12-01
ES268048U (en) 1983-05-01
BR8101944A (en) 1981-10-13
NO155283C (en) 1987-03-11
ZA81858B (en) 1982-03-31
PT72552B (en) 1982-03-12
DE3167143D1 (en) 1984-12-20

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