EP0934212B1 - Top gripping carton - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an article carrier which is used for securing a plurality of articles such as bottles in a group. More particularly, the invention relates to an article carrier of the top gripping type which attaches to the tops of articles thereby to secure the articles in an array.

US-A-5273156 discloses a neck clip bottle carrier having a handle panel extending up from angled side panels. Lower edges of openings in the side panels engage neck flaps of bottles. The handle panel can be folded to be engaged with the bottle flange to maintain the handle panel below the bottle tops to allow the carriers to be stacked.

The present invention and its preferred embodiment seek to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.

One aspect of the invention provides an article carrier of the top-gripping type for accommodating at least one article having a neck flange which carrier comprises a handle panel hinged to a top part of the carrier and foldable from an upright position of use to a stowed position in which it extends adjacent a first side wall of the carrier and means provided to hold the handle panel in its stowed position characterised in that means are provided on said top part to space the neck flange of each article above said top part to expose the neck flanges and to enable means from storage shelving to be introduced beneath the neck flanges for engagement therewith thereby to support the article carrier.

According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention the spacing means may comprise at least one spacer element protruding from the top part of the carrier to engage the neck flange of the article. Preferably, the spacer element may be an article receiving tab extending from a side wall of the carrier.

According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the means to hold the handle panel in a stowed position may comprise a handle locking tab extending from a free edge of the first side wall of the carrier and a retaining portion of the handle panel, which handle locking tab is adapted to interengage with the retaining portion. Optionally, the retaining portion may extend inwardly from an upper edge of a hand aperture of the handle panel.

According to a further optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the support means may comprise a pair of guides adapted to be engaged with the neck flange of at least one article.

According to yet another optional feature of this aspect of the invention the carrier may comprise a base panel having a plurality of apertures to receive the articles, a handle panel being connected to top gripping means, the top gripping means being formed from inwardly sloping first and second side walls, each side wall being connected to the base panel along their lower edge. The handle panel extends from the upper edge of each side wall, wherein the top griping means includes a pair of complementary top gripping apertures struck from respective ones of the side walls and extending into the handle panel. Preferably, there comprises a pair of spacer tabs extending from the lower edge of each of the apertures and adapted operatively to engage and retain part of an article spaced from the side walls. More preferably, the pair of spacer tabs may be adapted to space a neck portion off the article from the first and second side walls to enable the neck portion to receive a pair of guides extending from storage shelving thereby to hold the article.

A second aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming an article carrier, which blank comprises a base panel having a plurality of apertures to receive the articles, first and second side walls, each side wall being connected to the base panel along their lower edge and a handle panel extending from the upper edge of one or each side wall, and a pair of complementary top gripping apertures struck from respective ones of the side walls. There further comprises a pair of spacer tabs extending from the lower edge of each of the top gripping apertures and adapted operatively to engage and retain part of an article. Preferably, there may comprise a pair of spacer tabs extending from the lower edge of each of the apertures and adapted to operatively engage and retain part of an article spaced from the side walls. More preferably, the pair of spacer tabs may be adapted to space a neck portion off the article from the first and second side walls to enable the neck portion to receive a pair of guides extending from storage shelving thereby to hold the article.

According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention there may comprise means to hold the handle panel in a stowed position which means comprises a handle locking tab extending from a free edge of the first side wall of the carrier and a retaining portion of the handle panel. Preferably, the retaining portion may extend inwardly from an upper edge of a hand aperture of the handle panel.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a carton blank according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of an erected carton formed from a blank shown in Figure 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the erected carton being loaded onto guides;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the carton being supported by guides;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a carton according to another embodiment; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the erected carton shown in Figure 5 in a stowed position.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a carton blank 6 for forming a top gripping carton made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material. The blank 6 comprises a series of outer panels 7,8 and inner panels 9, 10 hinged one to the next. Thus, outer panels 7, 8 comprise side panel 12, top gripping panel 14, handle panels 16, 18, 20, 22, top gripping panel 24, side panel 26, and base panel 28, hingably connected one to the next along fold lines 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72 and 74 respectively. Top gripping panel 14 includes an aperture 90 positioned in a central portion of top gripping panel 14 and extending into handle panels 16,18. In addition, a pair of apertures 92, 94 are struck from fold line 60 being positioned on either side of aperture 90 and extending into handle panels 16, 18. Tabs 96, 98 and 100 are struck from top gripping panel 14 and extend substantially into apertures 90, 92, 94 respectively, being shaped to provide an opening between said tabs and top gripping panel 14.

Turning to handle panel 18, there is a tab 102 struck from score line 104 and positioned in a central portion of handle panel 18. Aperture 90 extends substantially to the free edge of tab 102.

Handle panel 16, 18 and top gripping panel 14 are symmetrical to handle panels 20, 22 and top gripping panel 24 respectively about fold line 66 whereby these panels are of similar construction and not therefore more specifically described.

Base panel 28 comprises three apertures 106, 108, 110 to each receive an upper portion of an article. The apertures are substantially circular with aperture 108 being positioned in a central portion of base panel 28 and apertures 106, 110 being positioned on either side of and substantially equidistant from aperture 108. Tab 112 is struck from side panel 26 and extends into aperture 108. Apertures 106, 110 are adapted to extend between fold lines 74 and 76. Aperture 108 extends to fold line 76 from tab 112. A central interrupted fold line L connects the opposing free edges of base panel 28 and passes through apertures 106, 108, 110.

Inner panels 9, 10 to support the aforesaid outer panels 7, 8, are connected to base panel 28 along fold line 76 being symmetrical with outer panels 7, 8 about central fold line L. Thus inner panels 9, 10 comprise side panel 30, top gripping panel 32, handle panels 34, 36, 38, 40, top gripping panel 42 and side panel 44 hingably connected one to the next along fold lines 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88 and 89 respectively. Top gripping panel 32 includes an aperture 120 positioned in a central portion of top gripping panel 32 and extending into handle panels 34, 36. In addition a pair of apertures 122, 124 are struck from fold line 78, being positioned either side of aperture 120 and extending into handle panels 34, 36. Tabs 126, 128 and 130 are struck from inner top gripping panel 32 and extend substantially into apertures 120, 122, 124 respectively, being shaped to provide an opening between said tabs and top gripping panel 32.

Handle panels 38, 40, top gripping panel 42 and side panel 44 are symmetrical to handle panels 34, 36, top gripping panel 32 and side panel 30 respectively about fold line 84 whereby these panels are of similar construction and therefore not more specifically described.

Fold lines 80, 82, 86, 88 are interrupted by apertures B, C, D, E being optionally incorporated to assist in ease of folding.

A carton K is constructed with reference to Figures 1 and 2, inner panels 9, 10 are folded about fold line 76 and 84 until the free edge 140 of side panel 30 comes into contact with fold line 74, thereby forming a tubular shaped structure with base panel 28. Outer panel 8 is folded about fold line 74 and brought into a face to face relationship with inner panel 10 thereby moving folding tab 112 out of alignment with aperture 108. Outer panel 7 is then folded about fold line 66 and brought into a face to face relationship with inner panel 9. Outer panels 7, 8 are connected together with inner panels 9, 10 by glue or other means known in the art.

The handle structure H, illustrated in Figure 2, is then formed by folding handle panels 34, 36 and handle panels 38, 40 about fold lines 80, 88 respectively until handle panels 34, 36 are brought into a face relationship with handle panels 38, 40 respectively and are connected together by glue or other means known in the art.

Articles A are inserted through each of apertures 106, 108, 110 thereby displacing tabs 96, 98, 100 out of their general plane until the distal edges of the tabs come into contact with the underside of the neck flanges of each article 142, 144, 146 respectively. Thus, the articles are held in position by aforesaid tabs, as shown in Figure 2.

To enable the articles A to be stored on guides, as illustrated in Figure 3 and 4, handle structure H is folded about fold lines 70 and 68 such that handle structure H is in a face to face relationship with top gripping panel 24 and side panel 26 respectively. Handle structure H is restrained in a stowed position by tucking tab 102 between article A and tab 112. Thus the neck flanges 142, 144, 146 from each respective article is exposed to allow pairs of guides 148, 150, 152 respectively to be introduced to respective ones of flanges thereby supporting the articles A as shown in Figure 4.

To use the handle structure H again, tab 102 is unclipped from corresponding tab 112 so that handle structure H can be folded away from the face to face relationship with side panel 26 and into a substantially upright position as shown in Figure 2.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in figure 1, side panel 12 may be extended to increase the area for graphics display.

Referring to figures 5 and 6, there is shown another embodiment of the invention in which handle panel 212, extends along a reduced portion of the tubular structure 210. The other panels are of similar construction to the embodiment described earlier and are not therefore more specifically described. In this embodiment, tab 214 is struck from side panel 216 and is adapted to receive tab 218 from handle panel 212.

Articles A are inserted according to the method substantially as outlined above. Likewise, to enable the articles A to be stored on guides, handle panel 212 is folded about fold lines 220, 222 such that handle panel 212 is in a face to face relationship with side panel 216.

Handle structure 212 is restrained in a stowed position by tucking tab 218 into the aperture formed when tab 214 is moved out of alignment with side panel 216 illustrated in Figure 6. Thus, neck flanges 230, 232, 234 from each respective article are exposed to allow pairs of guides (not shown) to be introduced to respective ones of flanges thereby supporting the articles A.

The present invention and its preferred embodiments relate to an article carrier which is shaped to provide satisfactory strength to hold the bottles securely but with a degree of flexibility so that the load transferred to the handle is absorbed by carrier. The shape of the blank minimises the amount of paperboard required. The carrier can be applied to an array of bottles by hand or automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers and not limited to those of the top gripping sort.

Claims (15)

1. An article carrier of the top-gripping type for accommodating at least one article having a neck flange (142, 144, 146) which carrier comprises a handle panel (20, 18) hinged to a top part of the carrier and foldable from an upright position of use to a stowed position in which it extends adjacent a first side wall (26) of the carrier and means provided to hold the handle panel in its stowed position characterised in that means are provided on said top part to space the neck flange of each article above said top part to expose the neck flanges and to enable means from storage shelving to be introduced beneath the neck flanges for engagement therewith thereby to support the article carrier.
2. An article carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spacing means comprises at least one spacer element (96, 98, 100) protruding from the top part of the carrier to engage the neck flange (142, 144, 146) of the article.
3. An article carrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spacer element is an article receiving tab (96, 98, 100) extending from a side wall (26) of the carrier.
4. An article carrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said means to hold said handle panel in a stowed position comprises a handle locking tab (112) extending from a free edge of said first side wall (26) of the carrier and a retaining portion (102) of said handle panel, which handle locking tab is adapted to interengage with said retaining portion.
5. An article carrier as claimed in claim 4, wherein the retaining portion (102) extends inwardly from an upper edge of a hand aperture (90) of said handle panel (18).
6. An article carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support means comprises a pair of guides (148, 150, 152)adapted to be engaged with said neck flange of at least one article.
7. An article carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, which carrier comprises a base panel (28) having a plurality of apertures (106, 108, 110) to receive said articles, said handle panel (H) being connected to top gripping means, said top gripping means being formed from inwardly sloping first and second side walls (26, 44), each said side wall being connected to said base panel (28) along their lower edge and wherein said handle panel extends from the upper edge of each said side wall, wherein said top gripping means includes a pair of complementary top gripping apertures (90, 120; 92, 122; 94, 124) struck from respective ones of said side walls (26, 44) and extending into said handle panel (H).
8. An article carrier as claimed in claim 7 wherein there comprises a pair of spacer tabs (96, 126; 98, 128; 100, 130) extending from the lower edge of each of said apertures and adapted to operatively engage and retain part of an article spaced from said side walls.
9. An article carrier according to claim 8 wherein said pair of spacer tabs are adapted to space a neck portion (142, 144, 146) of the article from the first and second side walls to enable the neck portion to receive a pair of guides (148, 150, 152) extending from storage shelving thereby to hold said article.
10. A blank for forming an article carrier, which blank comprises a base panel (28) having a plurality of apertures (106, 108, 110) to receive said articles, first and second side walls (26, 44), each said side wall being connected to said base panel (28) along their lower edge and a handle panel extending from the upper edge of one or each said side wall, and a pair of complementary top gripping apertures (90, 120; 92, 122; 94, 124) struck from respective ones of said side walls (26, 44), characterised in that there further comprises a pair of spacer tabs (96, 126; 98, 128; 100, 130) extending from the lower edge of each of saidtop gripping apertures and adapted operatively to engage and retain part of an article (A).
11. A blank as claimed in claim 10 wherein there comprises a pair of spacer tabs (96, 126; 98, 128; 100, 130) extending from the lower edge of each of said apertures and adapted to operatively engage and retain part of an article spaced from said side walls.
12. A blank as claimed in claim 11 wherein said pair of spacer tabs are adapted to space a neck portion (140, 144, 146) of the article from the first and second side walls to enable the neck portion to receive a pair of guides (148, 150, 152) extending from storage shelving thereby to hold said article.
13. A blank as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12 wherein there comprises means to hold said handle panel in a stowed position which means comprises a handle locking tab (112) extending from a free edge of said first side wall (26) of the carrier and a retaining portion (102) of said handle panel.
14. A blank as claimed in claim 13, wherein the retaining portion (102) extends inwardly from an upper edge of a hand aperture (90) of said handle panel (18).
15. A blank for forming an article carrier as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images