GB1584838A

GB1584838A - Blanks for cariers

Info

Publication number: GB1584838A
Application number: GB3285777A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Mead Corp
Current assignee: Mead Corp
Priority date: 1976-08-12
Filing date: 1977-08-05
Publication date: 1981-02-18
Also published as: NL187201B; FR2361279B1; FR2361279A1; IT1086310B; NL7707109A; NL187201C; DE7625311U1; BE856562A

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN BLANKS FOR CARRIERS (71) We, THE MEAD CORPORATION, a corporation organised and existing under the laws of the State of Ohio, United States of America, of Courthouse Plaza Northeast Dayton, State of Ohio, 45463, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a blank, foldable to a wrap around carrier for rows of bottles.

A known blank of this type for bottles folds to a carrier comprises foldably interconnected top, side and bottom walls, pos sibly a sloping wall between each side wall and the top wall and a carrying handle which is connected via connecting strips to the respective side walls or sloping walls, the top wall including two members attached to each other, and tabs which are turned under and are adhesively secured, being provided under the carrying handle in order to reinforce it.

Embodiments of such blanks are already known in which the necks of the bottles extend only partially through openings in the upper sloping walls. The top wall lies above the tops of the bottles. The carrying handle, which comprises two foldably interconnected members, can be laid flat on the top side of the wrapper, so that the wrappers, whilst containing bottles, can be stacked without interference from the carrying handle. Since the carrying handle is connected directly to the upper edges of the sloping walls, the force applied to the carrying handle during carrying is uniformly transmitted to the sloping walls, so that a substantial load-carrying capacity, even with relatively thin material, is achieved.

Many types of blanks foldable to carriers for bottles, in which the necks of the bottles extend through openings in the top wall, are known. They are characterised by the small amount of material required, even for relatively tall bottles, and by positive location of the bottles in the wrapper.

However, it is difficult to accommodate a carrying handle of the type described be- tween the bottle necks since, for carrying purposes, the carrying handle must extend above the tops of the bottles. However, for stacking the wrappers the carrying handle must not extend above the tops of the bottles, since it would then be in the way. If the carrying handle is fitted to the top wall in the region between the two rows of bottle necks, the force transmitted via the carrying handle to the top wall causes unfavourable stressing of the material, so that either the wrapper ne.eds to be made of relatively strong material, or tearing must be expected.

A feature of the invention is that it proF vides a blank foldable to a wrap around carrier which has the advantages of a carrying handle capable! of supporting even heavy bottles easily, with the advantages of the type of construction in which the necks of the bottles fully extend through the top wall, and such that, on the one hand, the carrying handle is easily accessible for canying, and, on the other hand, the carrying handle does not interfere with the stacking of the containers.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a blank, foldable to a wrap around carrier for rows of bottles, comprising a series of end-to-end panels connected by fold lines disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the blank, a pair of such panels which, when erected to form a carrier partially overlap and are secured one to another to form a top wall of the carrier, and which include openings for receiving the necks of the bottles and are separated by a further pair of such panels which further panels fold together to form a handle connected to panels, which form the side walls of the carrier when erected, by connecting strips cut out from said top wall panels, such that when erected around rows of bottles, said handle is movable between a carrying position in which it extends outwardly from said tcp wall and a position in which it is at least partially retracted between two rows of bottles.

In the carrying position, the carrying handle can be pulled up far enough to be conveniently accessible. For stacking the wrappers, whilst containing bottles the handle is pushed down, in the manner of a telescope, between the two rows of bottle necks, so that it does not project above the tops of the bottles. In order to avoid the handle interfering with the stacking, even when the necks of the bottles are relatively short, according to the invention, the carrying handle is partially retractable inside the foldable wrapper through the top wall.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the blank is such that the carrying handle is retractable through the top wall of the wrapper and is furnished with locking tabs which engage behind edges of the top wall when the handle is retracted.

Advantageously, each connecting strip has an elongate opening for receiving a bottle neck, such an opening serving to accommodate the change in orientation of the connecting strip relative to the bottle neck on retraction of the carrying handle.

It is preferred that the blank should be manufactured in a one piece blank and that excess material created in the formation of the elongate holes and the carrying handle should be used to reinforce the connecting strips and the carrying handle respectively.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective of a first embodi men.t of a foldable wrapper according to the present invention shown containing six bottles; Fig. 2 shows a blank for the foldable wrapper of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective of another embodiment of a foldable wrapper according to the present invention for containing 6 bottles; Fig. 4 shows a blank for the foldable wrapper in accordance with Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the foldable wrapper of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the foldable wrapper of Fig. 1.

The carrier shown in Fig. 1 is designed to receive two rows of four bottles 1 and is made from a blank as shown in Fig. 2.

The carrier has a top wall 2, side walls 3, and a bottom wall 4. The side walls each include a shaping portion 5 connected to the top wall 2. Generally, the blank is formed in a single piece whose two ends are joined together, in erecting the carrier, with known locking means to form the bottom wall 4. For example locking tongues are inserted in apertures in the other member and are retained by means of locking tabs.

The top wall 2 comprises two members 2.1, 2.2, which partially overlap each other in the central region of the top wall, and are adhesively attached to each other in the region of the overlap. As may be seen from Fig. 2, owing to the top wall 2 being of divided and overlapping construction, material can be obtained, from a one-piece blank, for a carrying handle 6, which is arranged between the two rows of bottle necks. The handle comprises two members, which are connected to each other along a top folding edge 7, and which are connected by means of connecting strips 8 to the sloping walls 5.

In the embodiment shown in accordance with Figs. 1 and 2 and 6, the connecting strips 8 lie between two openings 9 provided in the top wall 2 for the bottle necks.

Reinforcing members, 10, one of which is connected to each of the two ends of the carrying handle 6 on the blank, and each of which is provided with a slot to improve folding, is adhesively secured below the handle 6 in order to reinforce it.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the handle 6 can be retracted inside the container to such an extent that it does not project above the tops of the bottles even when the bottles have very short necks. When the handle is in this position, the container can be stacked without difficulty. Locking tabs 11 may be provided, to ensure that the handle 6 is retained in this position.

As can be seen in Fig. 2, the locking tabs 11 are provided on the reinforcing members 10, and, when the handle is fully retracted, extend inwardly, where they engage behind one edge of the top wall 2.

Alternatively, the locking tab 11 may be arranged on one edge of the top wall 2, and may engage behind a corresponding edge of the handle.

Fig. 3 shows a carrier for six bottles, arranged in two rows which is made from a blank as shown in Figure 4. In this case the carrying handle 6 is connected by a wide connecting strip 8 to the respective sloping wall 5 on each side. In order to provide room for the neck of each centre bottle, an elongate opening 12 for a bottle neck is provided in each of the two connecting strips 8.

As shown in the drawing of the blank in Fig. 4, the elongate opening.l2 in the connecting strip 8 is formed in each case by the cutting of two tags 13, each being folded under one side of the connecting strip 8 and adhesively attached thereto in order to reinforce the connecting strip.

No additional material is required for this reinforcement. In this embodiment, the remaining portions of the connecting strip 8 are further reinforced by means of two extensions 10.1, which are formed with each reinforcing member 10 at each end of the handle 6, and which are adhesively secured under the connecting strips 8.

In the example shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the lower edges of the two portions of the carrying handle 6, which are foldably interconnected along their upper edge 7, are reinforced by means of turn-under strips 6.1. In the embodiment in accordance with Figs. 3 to 5, foldable oblong tabs 14 are provided along the lower edges of both portions of the handle 6, and are adhesively attached to each other along a strip 14.1 on their respective free edges, so that, in its carrying position, the handle 6 forms a tube of triangular cross-section (Fig. 5), which is particularly robust. It is clear from the vertical section shown in Fig. 5 that force applied to the handle 6 is transmitted via the connecting strips 8, in a straight line and substantially without flexural stress upon portions of the folding wrapper, to the sloping walls 5 and the upper edges of the side walls 3.Consequently, it is possible to use material of relatively low flexural strength for the folding wrapper, provided the material is of adequate tensile strength, such as is provided by a relatively thin quality of paper.

The portions subjected to the greatest stress, such as the carrying handle 6 and the connecting strips 8, are reinforced by means of the reinforcing members 6.1, 10 and 10.1 as previously described.

If, on its removal from a shelf or the like, the container is tilted or twisted, the stress upon the connecting strips 8 of the handle 6 is particularly great. On the slightest deformation of the handle and connecting strips which then takes place, the connecting strips 8 are laterally supported by their outer edges and/or the edges of their elongate holes 12, against the necks of the bottles, so that undue deformation and stress are avoided.

Instead of the handle 6 being held in position by means of locking tabs 11, it may be inserted and retained in a slot or the like provided in the top wall 2. The locking tabs 11 may be arranged so high on the handle 6 that, even when the bottles have relatively short necks, as in Figs. 1 and 6, the handle 6 can be retracted so far into the folding wrapper, and, particularly for stacking, is maintained sufficiently low, that it does not interfere with subsequent handling of the container.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A blank, foldable to a wrap around carrier for rows of bottles, comprising a series of end-to-end panels connected by fold lines disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the blank, a pair of such panels which, when erected to form a carrier partially overlap and are secured one to another to form a top wall of the carrier, and which include openings for receiving the necks of the bottles and are separated by a further pair of such panels which further panels fold together to form a handle connected to panels, which form the side walls of the carrier when erected, by connecting strips cut out from said top wall panels, such that when erected around rows of bottles, said handle is movable between a carrying position in which it extends outwardly from said top wall and à position in which it is at least partially retracted between two rows of bottles.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, in which each side wall panel includes a portion adjacent the top wall which forms a sloping portion when the carrier is erected.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 1 of 2, in which at least one elongate opening, for receiving a bottle neck, is provided in each connecting strip.

4. A blank as claimed in claim 3, in which excess material created during the formation of each elongate opening comprises two tags, each of which is, when the carrier is erected, folded under and adhesively secured to the connecting strip.

5. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one edge of the carrying handle is provided with a locking tab for engagement behind an edge of the top wall when the carrying handle is retracted.

6. A foldable wrapper as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which at least one edge of the top wall is provided with a locking tab for engagement behind one edge of the carrying handle when the carrying handle is retracted.

7. A blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the pair of panels which fold together to form a carrying handle each includes a part, one edge of which is foldably connected to an edge of the respectiye part of the other panel and the opposite edge of each is foldably connected to a tab, the tabs being adapted to be secured one to another at their free edges so as to form a handle of triangular section when the carrier is erected.

8. A blank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which pair of panels which fold together to form a carrying handle each includes a part, one edge of which is foldably connected to an edge of the respective part of the other panel, and the opposite edge of each said part is provided with a folded under reinforcing strip.

9. A blank substantially as hereinbefore

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. extensions 10.1, which are formed with each reinforcing member 10 at each end of the handle 6, and which are adhesively secured under the connecting strips 8. In the example shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the lower edges of the two portions of the carrying handle 6, which are foldably interconnected along their upper edge 7, are reinforced by means of turn-under strips 6.1. In the embodiment in accordance with Figs. 3 to 5, foldable oblong tabs 14 are provided along the lower edges of both portions of the handle 6, and are adhesively attached to each other along a strip 14.1 on their respective free edges, so that, in its carrying position, the handle 6 forms a tube of triangular cross-section (Fig. 5), which is particularly robust. It is clear from the vertical section shown in Fig. 5 that force applied to the handle 6 is transmitted via the connecting strips 8, in a straight line and substantially without flexural stress upon portions of the folding wrapper, to the sloping walls 5 and the upper edges of the side walls 3.Consequently, it is possible to use material of relatively low flexural strength for the folding wrapper, provided the material is of adequate tensile strength, such as is provided by a relatively thin quality of paper. The portions subjected to the greatest stress, such as the carrying handle 6 and the connecting strips 8, are reinforced by means of the reinforcing members 6.1, 10 and 10.1 as previously described. If, on its removal from a shelf or the like, the container is tilted or twisted, the stress upon the connecting strips 8 of the handle 6 is particularly great. On the slightest deformation of the handle and connecting strips which then takes place, the connecting strips 8 are laterally supported by their outer edges and/or the edges of their elongate holes 12, against the necks of the bottles, so that undue deformation and stress are avoided. Instead of the handle 6 being held in position by means of locking tabs 11, it may be inserted and retained in a slot or the like provided in the top wall 2. The locking tabs 11 may be arranged so high on the handle 6 that, even when the bottles have relatively short necks, as in Figs. 1 and 6, the handle 6 can be retracted so far into the folding wrapper, and, particularly for stacking, is maintained sufficiently low, that it does not interfere with subsequent handling of the container. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A blank, foldable to a wrap around carrier for rows of bottles, comprising a series of end-to-end panels connected by fold lines disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the blank, a pair of such panels which, when erected to form a carrier partially overlap and are secured one to another to form a top wall of the carrier, and which include openings for receiving the necks of the bottles and are separated by a further pair of such panels which further panels fold together to form a handle connected to panels, which form the side walls of the carrier when erected, by connecting strips cut out from said top wall panels, such that when erected around rows of bottles, said handle is movable between a carrying position in which it extends outwardly from said top wall and à position in which it is at least partially retracted between two rows of bottles.

9. A blank substantially as hereinbefore

particularly described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A carrier whenever made from a blank as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

11. A carrier substantially as hereinbefore described in Figures 1 and 6 or Figures 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.