GB2199553A

GB2199553A - Bottle carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2199553A
Application number: GB08700039A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neville William Anthony Frost
Original assignee: DAVENPORTS BREWERY PLC
Current assignee: DAVENPORTS BREWERY PLC
Priority date: 1987-01-03
Filing date: 1987-01-03
Publication date: 1988-07-13
Also published as: GB8700039D0

Abstract

A bottle carrier formed from card comprises a bottle-supporting strip 14 and two handle-providing portions 16, 18 which are articulated to the two longitudinal edges of the strip to enable them to be turned upwards from a flat condition of the carrier to provide a handle. Two neck-receiving apertures 20 in the strip 14 provide for the strip to engage beneath head flanges F of bottles to be carried (Fig. 2). A corresponding number of insertion apertures 22 in a handle-providing portion enable the head flanges of such bottles to be inserted upwards through the carrier in its flat condition. The insertion apertures 22 are paired off with the neck-receiving apertures 20 and liftable flaps separated by a cut 24 between them enable bottles to be moved from the former to the latter in loading the carrier in its flat condition but prevent their return whilst the carrier is held by means of its handle. <IMAGE>

Description

BOTTLE CARRIER This invention relates to a bottle carrier formed from card or other suitably stiff sheet material, the carrier engaging under head flanges of bottles to enable two or more bottles to be carried collectively.

Whilst the invention arose from development of such a carrier for use with plastics bottles (in particular, so-called PET bottles) which have a substantial carrying flange moulded into the neck of the bottle, it could find application with any bottles which, at least when capped, provide an adequate flange.

The invention provides in one of its aspects a bottle carrier formed from card or other suitably stiff sheet material, the carrier comprising a bottlesupporting strip and two handle-providing portions which are articulated respectively to the two longitudinal edges of the strip to enable them to be turned- upwards from a flat condition of the carrier to provide a handle in use of the carrier, there being at least two neck-receiving apertures in the strip for supportive engagement by the strip beneath head flanges of bottles to be carried and a corresponding number of insertion apertures in the handle-providing portions enabling the head flanges of such bottles to be inserted upwards through the carrier, the insertion apertures being paired off with the neck-receiving apertures and the carrier being suitably formed therebetween to enable bottles to be moved from the former to the latter in loading the carrier in its flat condition and to prevent their return whilst the carrier is held by means of its handle.

For the security of bottles being carried it may be desirable that there be little more than a cut in the carrier between the apertures of each pair, across the associated edge of the bottle-supporting strip.

Provision (such as suitable scoring of card) may be made to ease the lifting of flaps of the carrier on each side of the cut, as a bottle neck is pushed through from one aperture to the other. It is to be noted particularly that when the carrier handle has been turned up for use, such flaps have themselves become folded (along the associated edge of the strip) to militate against their being lifted and a bottle being released accidentally. Preferably all the insertion apertures are provided on the same side of the bottle-supporting strip (i.e. in the same one of the handle-providing portions).

Where the carrier is formed from a sheet of ordinary card, articulation between the handleproviding portions and the bottle-supporting strip may be achieved simply b suitable scoring of the card.

The handle-providing portions may be arranged in any suitable manner for comfortable and secure holding of the carrier. Preferably one of the portions comprises a locking tongue which when engaged through a slot in the other portion serves to secure the two portions together.

It is envisaged that off-licences, shops and other retail outlets would keep stocks of, most usually, twobottle and three-bottle carriers. The carriers could be stored flat, and could bear promotional and other advertising material to the benefit of trade. However, the carriers could alternatively be applied to bottles as part of the production procedure.

There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a two-bottle carrier which illustrates the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the carrier, as stored flat; and Figure 2 is an end view of the carrier, in use, taken along the line Il-Il of Figure 1.

The device shown in the- drawings is a cardboard carrier for two flange-necked PET bottles of two-litre size downwards. The carrier can be produced and stored flat in large quantities and folded easily and quickly in order to provide customers in retail shops with a means of comfortably transporting bottles by hand.

The carrier (Figure 1) is stamped from a sheet of plain cardboard (though other stiff sheet materials could be used). Parallel fold lines 10 and 12 are scored right across the sheet to define the longitudinal edges of a central bottle-supporting strip 14, and also to provide articulation for two equal handle-providing portions 16 and 18 on opposite sides of the strip. The fold lines 10 and 12 are formed to enable the handle-providing portions to be turned upwards from the plane of the strip 14, as will be further referred to hereinafter.

Two circular neck-receiving apertures 20 are punched out from the strip 14, on its centre line and uniformly spaceh -from its ends. Two circular insertion apertures 22 are punched out from one of the handle providing portions 18, these larger apertures being positioned opposite the smaller neck-receiving apertures 20 across the fold 12; the two sets of apertures 20 and 22 are so paired-off, the apertures of each pair being on opposite sides of the fold 12. A cut 24 in the card interconnects the apertures of each pair, the cut extending along the imaginary line interconnecting the centres of the apertures. Fold lines 26 and 28 are in each case scored along the two common tangents of the two apertures, so articulating liftable flaps 30 and 32 which extend between the apertures on opposite sides of the cut 24.

A retaining flap 34 is formed by cuts in one of the handle-providing portions 16 of the carrier, the flap being articulated by means of a score line 35 parallel to the strip 14. In cooperation with an elongate slot 36 in the other handle-providing portion 18 the flap can serve to lock together the two portions 16 and 18 in use (Figure 2). The flap 34 comprises a bridging portion 38 which is longer than the slot 36 and which is of a suitable width to bridge the gap between the two handle-providing portions 16 and 18 when they have been brought together at their uppermost edges (see Figure 2). The flap comprises also a shorter portion providing a tongue 40 which can be passed through the slot 36 (whereas the bridging portion 38 cannot, because it is too long).A scored connecting strip 42 of the flap, connecting together the bridging and tongue portions and being of a width substantially the same (though not less than) the thickness of the card, enables the tongue 40 to be turned upwards from the plane of the bridging portion 38 to prevent withdrawal through the slot 36.

A flat under-surface of the bridging portion, together with hand-holes formed by the slot 36 and a slot 44 left by the flap 34, enable a comfortable handle to be provided.

The carrier is for use with PET bottles having head flanges F of diameter larger than the neckreceiving apertures 20 but smaller than the insertion apertures 22. In use, two bottles are lined up and the flat carrier dropped over them so that their caps C and head flanges F are inserted up through the insertion apertures 22. The carrier is then moved laterally to cause the'bottle necks to become transferred along the cuts 24 to the smaller neck-receiving apertures 20, the flaps 30 and 32 being deflected upwards in so doing but then returning. The two handle-providing portions 16 and 18 of the carrier are then turned up, which causes the flaps 30 and 32 to become folded at the edge of the strip; such folding of the flaps 30 and 32 ensures that they cannot be lifted to release a bottle accidentally. The flap 34 is pressed out from the slot 44 to insert the tongue 40 through the slot 36 in the other handle-providing portion 18. The tongue 40 is then turned up to lock the carrier, and is naturally held in position in gripping the loaded carrier. The head flanges F of the bottles are supported from beneath by the strip 14 around the apertures 20.

The space available, on both sides of the carrier, can be used for various printed promotional purposes: for example, brand names and logos, promotional competitions, and "special offer" descriptive work.

Claims

CLAIM

1. A bottle carrier formed from card or other suitably stiff sheet material, the carrier comprising a bottle-supporting strip and two handle-providing portions which are articulated respectively to the two longitudinal edges of the strip to enable them to be turned upwards from a flat condition of the carrier to provide a handle in use of the carrier, there being at least two neck-receiving apertures in the strip for supportive engagement by the strip beneath head flanges of bottles to be carried and a corresponding number of insertion apertures in the handle-providing portions enabling the head flanges of such bottles to be inserted upwards through the carrier, the insertion apertures being paired off with the neck-receiving apertures and the carrier being suitably formed therebetween to enable bottles to be moved from the former to the latter in loading the carrier in its flat condition and to prevent their return whilst the carrier is held by means of its handle.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 comprising opposed flaps which extend between the insertion and neck-receiving apertures of each pair and are arranged to be deflected out of the plane of the carrier in permitting a bottle neck to be moved between the apertures in the flat condition of the carrier.

3. A carrier according to claim 2 in which the flaps are separated by a cut through the carrier extending from one aperture to the other.

4. A carrier according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 in which the insertion apertures are formed in one of the handle-providing portions, so being arranged all on the same side of the bottle-supporting strip.

5. A carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 4 formed in one piece, the card or other material being scored along the longitudinal edges of the bottle-supporting strip enabling articulation of the handle providing portions.

6. A bottle carrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.