GB2427182A

GB2427182A - Bottle gripping article carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2427182A
Application number: GB0511945A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alain Saulas; Philippe Lebras
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Current assignee: WestRock Packaging Systems LLC
Priority date: 2005-06-13
Filing date: 2005-06-13
Publication date: 2006-12-20
Also published as: SI1893502T1; DE602006016119D1; EP1893502B1; WO2006135914A3; WO2006135914A2; ES2374803T3; ATE477194T1; EP2251276A1; ES2351626T3; EP1893502B8; SI2251276T1; EP2251276B1; PL2251276T3; GB0511945D0; ATE527183T1; RU2391278C2; EP2251276B9; PL1893502T3; RU2008101460A; ES2374803T9

Abstract

The invention relates to a top gripping article carrier (60) for holding a plurality of articles, for examples bottles (B), in an array to facilitate the lifting and carrying of the articles. The top gripping carrier (60) comprises a blank forming a series of panels for forming top (18), bottom (14) and side walls (12, 16) of the carrier (60). The bottom wall (14) of the carrier (60) is provided with a first row of article receiving apertures for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the carrier. The carrier (60) further comprises a keel structure (26, 28, 34) which extends alongside the first row of article receiving apertures and is formed from material used to create those article receiving apertures. The keel structure (26, 28, 34) is interrupted by a series of separations between adjacent article receiving apertures, and the keel structure (26, 28, 34) spans a length of the carrier (60) which is greater than the length of the interrupting separations.

Description

TOP GRIPPING ARTICLE CARRiER

Technical Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a carton produced for packaging a plurality of articles, for example bottles. More particularly, the invention relates to a carton of the top gripping type which attaches to the tops of the articles thereby securing the articles in an array for carrying.

Back2round of the Invention Consumers like to purchase goods such as yoghurt drinks contained in bottles or pots in multiple packs, such bottles or pots often have flanged tops and therefore top gripping carriers are suitable for gripping and carrying an array of these bottles. Top gripping cartons which engage the underside of such flanged articles are known. Such cartons employ what are known as sunburst apertures, which have a series of tabs arranged circumferentially about an aperture. The tabs yield when the flanged top is pushed through the aperture and the tabs can then engage the underside of the flanged bottle top to prevent the removal of the bottle. A problem with such arrangements is that the support provided to hold the bottle is limited and the bottles may move, rotate or twist relative to one another. This creates a carton that is unstable and the unstable nature of the bottles within the carton can cause the weakening of the tabs so reducing their effectiveness as retention means.

A structure that attempts to solve this problem is disclosed in EP 1 007 434. In EP 434 a top gripping carrier is disclosed which has a bracing tab extending between adjacent bottles to restrict their movement in a horizontal direction and a retaining tab which supports the underside of the bottle flange to restrict the downward vertical movement of the bottles. A problem arises with this arrangement when a large number of bottles are contained within the carton, for example when eight or more bottles are contained in two rows of four. In these larger top gripping carriers, the effect of any movement of the V. a. V..

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a *.. a * * V. at. * * * : : . * a bottles is emphasised by the number of bottles, this can result in the weakening of the bracing tab which separates the tops of bottles in adjacent rows, which can result in an unstable carton. This problem is further emphasised when, as is often the case, the carton is made of paperboard and is stored within a refrigerator to keep the yoghurt drinks cool.

The temperature and humidity of this environment can cause the paperboard material to weaken; this in combination with a large number of bottles can cause the bottles to be undesirably released from the top gripping clip. To prevent this from occurring, large side walls could be added to the carton. However, it is not desirable to add material, as this makes an expensive and uneconomical carrier. It is therefore preferable to provide a carton which uses an economical amount of material whilst providing a sufficiently strong and rigid carrier for gripping the tops of bottles and thereby securely holding them

in a stable array.

The present invention seeks to avoid or at least mitigate these and other problems of the prior art. Positional support is provided to maintain the articles in a spaced arrangement and vertical support is provided to further minimise the movement of articles.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a top gripping carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the top gripping carrier comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the carrier having a first row of article receiving apertures for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the carrier, the top gripping carrier further comprising a keel structure, the keel structure extending alongside the first row of article receiving apertures and being formed from material used to create said article receiving apertures, characterised in that the keel structure is interrupted by a series of separations between adjacent article receiving apertures and in that the keel structure spans a length of the carrier which is greater than the length of the interrupting separations.

* * IS * * S * 5 5 * * : * S * * * Preferably wherein there may further comprise a second row of article receiving apertures, said second row of article receiving apertures is aligned parallel with said first row and the keel structure is formed between said first and second rows to restrict the relative movement of upper portions of articles held within each of those rows.

Additionally or alternatively, the carrier may further comprise a series of side wall apertures formed in each of the side walls in alignment with said first row of article receiving apertures, each of said side wall apertures for retaining an upper edge portion of an article held by said carrier to restrict vertical movement of said article.

Preferably wherein the keel structure may be formed in part from a first retention tab and a bracing tab, said first retention and bracing tabs being formed from material used to create an article receiving aperture in said second row and being connected together such that the first retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part of an article held within that article receiving aperture and wherein the bracing tab is disposed between that article and an opposed article to minimize relative movement between those articles.

Additionally the keel structure may further comprise a second retention tab formed from material used to create an article receiving aperture in said second row and wherein the second retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part of an article held within that aperture.

Preferably the side edge apertures may be shaped such that a flat lower edge is provided to engage the underside of the radially protruding part of an article and wherein an upper edge of the aperture is shaped such that a concave projection of the top wall is defined, which concave projection provides protection of the top of the article held within an adjacent aperture.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a blank for forming a top gripping carrier, the top gripping carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the * I * I. * * I blank comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the blank having a first row of article receiving apertures for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the carrier, the blank further comprising an arrangement for forming a keel structure when the blank is formed into the top gripping carrier, the arrangement being formed from material used to create said article receiving apertures, characterised in that when the carrier is set up keel structure extends alongside the first row of article receiving apertures and is interrupted by a series of separations between adjacent article receiving apertures and in that the keel structure spans a length of the carrier which is greater than the length of the interrupting separations.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides a top gripping carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the top gripping carrier comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the carrier having two rows of article receiving apertures each aperture for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the carrier, the top gripping carrier further comprising a keel structure extending alongside the first row of article receiving apertures, the keel structure being formed in part from bracing tabs each bracing tab being struck from material used to form an article receiving aperture and having a maximum width equal to the diameter of that article receiving aperture, each bracing tab being disposed between adjacent articles in opposed rows thereby minimizing relative movement between those articles, the top gripping carrier further comprising side edge apertures, each side edge aperture formed in one of the side walls for retaining an upper edge of an article present in an adjacent article receiving aperture thereby minimizing vertical movement of that article.

I I S * S

I * * * II I.. * S * * S * * III 5S5 According to a fourth aspect, the invention provides a blank for forming a top gripping article carrier, the top gripping article carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the blank comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the blank having two rows of article receiving apertures each aperture for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the set-up carrier, the blank further comprising bracing tabs, each bracing tab being struck from material used to form an article receiving aperture and having a maximum width equal to the diameter of that article receiving aperture, the blank further comprising side edge apertures, each of the side edge apertures being formed in one of the side walls such that, when the blank is set-up into the top gripping carrier, the side edge apertures retain an upper edge of an article present in an adjacent article receiving aperture thereby minimizing vertical movement of that article and each bracing tab is disposed between adjacent articles in opposed rows to form a keel structure extending alongside the first row of article receiving apertures thereby minimizing relative movement between those articles.

According to a fifth aspect, the invention provides a top gripping carrier for canying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the top gripping carrier comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the carrier having an article receiving aperture for receiving an upper portion of an article held by the carrier, the top gripping carrier further comprising a first retention tab formed in part from a side wall and in part from material used to form an adjacent article receiving aperture, said first retention tab being hinged to said side wall and being disposed operatively to engage a protruding part of an article present in that aperture thereby limiting the vertical movement of that article.

Additionally the top gripping carrier may further comprise a second retention tab and a bracing tab struck from said article receiving aperture, the second retention tab and a bracing tab being connected together such that the first retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part of an article held within that article receiving aperture and wherein the bracing tab is disposed between that article and an article held in * Ii. a e. a

a Is * S * * * * IS ld * * . * * * S 555 I* an opposed article receiving aperture to minimize relative movement between those articles.

Preferably the bracing tab may be provided with a cut out which cut out defines the part of the first retention tab which is struck from the article receiving aperture.

Additionally a third retention tab may be formed from material used to create the opposed article receiving aperture, the third retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part of an article held within that opposed article receiving aperture to minimize the downward vertical movement of that article and a second bracing tab may be hinged to the third retention tab, the second bracing tab being shaped similarly to the cut out of the first bracing tab such that the two bracing tabs interlock.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, a blank for forming a top gripping carrier, the top gripping carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the blank comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the top gripping carrier, the bottom wall of the blank having an article receiving aperture for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the top gripping carrier, the blank further comprising a first retention tab formed in part from a side wall and in part from material used to form an adjacent article receiving aperture, said first retention tab being hinged to said side wall and when the blank is formed into a set-up carrier the first retention tab is disposed operatively to engage a protruding part of an article present in that aperture thereby limiting the vertical movement of that article.

Three exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a blank for forming a top gripping carrier according to one aspect of the invention; I. I I. I * I, * I Iii. I * S * S * * * FIGURE 2 shows a perspective top, side and end view of a top gripping carrier constructed from the blank of Figure 1, holding a 2x3 array of bottles; FIGURE 3 shows a second perspective view of the carrier constructed from the blank of Figure 1, shown from the top, other side and other end; FIGURE 4 shows an end on view of the loaded carrier of Figures 2 and 3; FIGURE 5 shows a blank for forming a top gripping carrier according to a second aspect of the invention; FIGURE 6 shows a top plan view of the blank of Figure 5 being formed around a 2x3 array of bottles, as the blank is formed into a top gripping carrier according to a second aspect of the invention; FIGURE 7 shows an end on view of the fully formed and loaded carrier of Figure 6; FIGURE 8 shows a plan view of a blank for forming a carrier according to a third aspect of the invention; FIGURE 9 shows a top plan view of the blank of Figure 8 being formed around a 2x3 array of bottles as the blank is formed into a top gripping carrier; FIGURE 10 shows an end on view of a loaded and fully formed carrier of the third aspect of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular Figure 1 thereof, there is shown a carton blank 10 for forming a top gripping carrier 60 (shown in Figure 2) which is made from paperboard or other similar foldable sheet material. The blank 10 comprises a glue flap 32, first side panel 12, base panel 14, second side panel 16, and top panel 18, connected one to the next in series along fold lines 40, 42, 52 and 54 respectively.

1 * a, a *, , S 5 I * * I * * I$* * : * S * * I As illustrated in Figure 1, bottom panel 14 is formed with two rows of three article receiving apertures. The article receiving apertures are defined by bracing 34 and retention tabs 20, 26 and 28, which are struck from material forming the base panel 16. The article receiving apertures can be more clearly seen in Figures 2 and 3, where bottles (B) are shown having been inserted into the article receiving apertures and the bracing 34 and retention tabs 20, 26, 28 have been folded out of the plane of the bottom panel 14. In this example, the top gripping carrier 60 is formed with two rows of three article receiving apertures in the bottom panel 16 and in Figure 2; six bottles in a two x three arrays are shown. It is envisaged however that more or less than six bottles may be contained within the top gripping carrier of the present invention and in more or less than two rows.

Turning in detail to the configuration of one pair of article receiving apertures, there comprises a first retention tab 26 struck from and connected to the bottom panel 14 along fold line 48. Bracing tab 34 extends from and is hinged to the first retention tab 26 along fold line 46. The bracing tab 34 is separated from the bottom panel 14 by a cut line, although in other embodiments, the bracing tab 34 may be defined by a perforate line which can be broken when the blank is erected into the top gripping carrier shown in Figure 2. A second retention tab 28 is struck from the opposed article receiving aperture, the second retention tab 28 is formed similarly to the first retention tab 28 and is foldably connected to the bottom panel 16 along fold line 50.

Together, the bracing tab 34 and the first retention tab 26 form part of a keel structure which structure can be viewed in Figures 2 and 3. Once the upper portion of an article, such as a bottle (B) is inserted into the article receiving aperture, the first retention tab 26 and bracing tab 34 are folded out of the plane of the bottom panel 14. The first retention tab 26 operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part or flange of the bottle (B) to restrict the downward movement of the bottle (B) so that it is retained within the article receiving aperture. The bracing tab 34 is further folded, relative to the retention tab 26, about fold line 46, so that it is disposed between bottles (B) in opposed adjacent apertures. The bracing tab 34 operatively engages the underside of radially protruding portions of the two bottles such that the movement of those two bottles relative to one another and in a a If V.

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V V V * * V * * I * * * I a * downward vertical direction is minimized. Similar parts of the keel structure are formed between the other article receiving apertures, such that a keel structure is formed which extends alongside and between the rows of article receiving apertures. The keel structure is interrupted by separations between adjacent pairs of article receiving apertures. The keel structure is further strengthened by the second retention tab 28 which also operatively engages the underside of a flanged part of a bottle (B).

In this embodiment the bottle (B) contained within the article receiving aperture is supported by a third retention tab 20 which is struck from the side panel 12 and the bottom panel 14.

The third retention tab 20 is hinged to the side panel 12 along fold line 44. In this embodiment, the bracing tab 34 is provided with a cut out which defines the part of the third retention tab 20 which is struck from the article receiving aperture. An upper edge 56 of the third retention tab is therefore defined by a cut line common to the bracing tab 34 and the third retention tab 20. The upper edge 56 of the third retention tab engages the bottle (B) to limit downward vertical movement of the bottle thereby retaining it within the top gripping carrier 60.

A fourth retention tab 30 is formed from material used to create the opposed article receiving aperture, the fourth retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part of an article held within that opposed article receiving aperture to minimize the downward vertical movement of that article. The fourth retention tab 30 is hinged along fold line 52 which adjoins the bottom panel 14 and the second side panel 16. In this embodiment the fourth retention tab is provided with a cut out 24, however it is envisaged that rather than being an aperture 24, a second bracing tab 24 could be provided, which would be hinged to the second retention tab 28 along a fold line in a similar way to the arrangement of the first retention tab 26 and bracing tab 34. Such a second bracing tab 24 may be shaped similarly to the cut out of the first bracing tab, which defined retention tab 20 such that the two bracing tabs 24 and 34 could mate or interlock, thereby providing a strengthened keel structure. - 1% I * *

S

The top gripping carrier 60 is formed around the array of bottles (B) as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The top gripping carrier is also provided with a series of side edge apertures 22 which are aligned with the article receiving apertures such that a lower flat edge of each side edge aperture engages the underside of a flanged part of a bottle (B) and the top portion of the bottle is protected by a projection of the top wall 18 as can be seen in Figure 3. In this way the side wall aperture 22 restricts the vertical movement of a bottle so held within the carrier.

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 5-7 and a third embodiment in Figures 8 - 10. These embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which similar features are denoted by like reference numerals which have been raised by a factor of 100 or 200 to indicate the different embodiments.

Figure 5 illustrates a blank 110 for forming a top gripping carrier. The blank 110 comprises a glue panel 132, first side panel 112, a bottom panel 114, a second side panel 116 and a top panel 118. Inner retention tabs 126 and 128 are struck from the bottom panel 110 and in part define article receiving apertures. A bracing tab 134 is also provided and is hinged to retention tab 126 along fold line 148. Together the retention tab 126 and bracing tab 134 form part of a keel structure which is disposed in alignment with first and second rows of article receiving apertures. The keel structure comprises similar portions provided by bracing 134 and retention tabs 126 of adjacent article receiving apertures as illustrated in Figure 6. The keel structure is provided to limit the relative movement of bottles in opposed article receiving apertures and additional article retention tabs 120 and 130 are provided which support the underside of the bottles (Bl) nearest to the side walls 112, 116. This can also be seen from the end on view of the carton illustrated in Figure 7.

Additionally side edge apertures 122 are provided; each side edge aperture is formed in one of the side walls 112 or 116 and retains an upper portion of an article present in an adjacent article receiving aperture thereby minimizing vertical movement of that article.

* I.. a. . *I a. 4 4 a a a * .S * 14 I I II * *4S I I * * * * * a S I I S 4 a S * * ii In combination therefore, the keel structure and side edge apertures provide a strong and stable top gripping carrier.

A blank 210 for forming a top gripping article carrier according to a third embodiment is shown in Figure 8. In this embodiment the bracing tab 234 has a maximum width which is approximately equal to the diameter of the article receiving aperture from which it is struck. Therefore the keel structure formed alongside one row of bottles (B2) is interrupted by a series of separations between adjacent article receiving apertures and the keel structure spans a length of the carrier which is greater than the length of the interrupting separations. In other embodiments it is envisaged that the separations may be negligible in size or indeed each bracing tab 234 may be connected to an adjacent bracing tab 234.

In the third embodiment side edge apertures 222 are also provided to limit the vertical movement of each bottle (B2) held by the carrier. The function of the side edge apertures 222 can be seen from the end on view of Figure 10.

It can be appreciated that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, for example, the size and shape of the panels may be adjusted to accommodate articles of differing size or shape. The article receiving apertures may be shaped differently to accommodate articles of differing size or shape. Other variations may also be made within the scope of the invention, for example, side edge apertures 22 may be provided on both sides of the carrier, or only on one side, the retention tab 20 may also be provided on both sides of the carrier.

It will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as "top", "base", "end", "side", "inner", "outer", "upper" and "lower" do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference to a frangible line can also be construed as a cut line, score line, perforate line or slit, without departing from the scope of invention. Also, any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only; indeed it is envisaged that * *.. ** * .** S. I * I S I * I. S SI I I S. * . I.. I S S I * . S * I I S S uS S S S * hinged connection can be formed from one or more of the following, a line of demarcation or weakened line, a score line, a frangible line or a fold line without departing from the scope of invention.

Claims

* *** ** * S..

5* S * S * SI S 45 5 S ** * S 5.4 I * I I S * 5 I S S I I S S SI* S S S Claims 1. A top gripping carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the top gripping carrier comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the carrier having a first row of article receiving apertures for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the carrier, the top gripping carrier further comprising a keel structure, the keel structure extending alongside the first row of article receiving apertures and being formed from material used to create said article receiving apertures, characterised in that the keel structure is interrupted by a series of separations between adjacent article receiving apertures and in that the keel structure spans a length of the carrier which is greater than the length of the interrupting separations.
2. A top gripping carrier according to claim 1 wherein there further comprises a second row of article receiving apertures, said second row of article receiving apertures is aligned parallel with said first row and the keel structure is formed between said first and second rows to restrict the relative movement of upper portions of articles held within each of those rows.
3. A top gripping carrier according to claims I or 2 wherein the carrier further comprises a series of side wall apertures formed in each of the side walls in alignment with said first row of article receiving apertures, each of said side wall apertures for retaining an upper edge portion of an article held by said carrier to restrict vertical movement of said article.
4. A top gripping carrier according to any of the preceding claims wherein the keel structure is formed in part from a first retention tab and a bracing tab, said first retention and bracing tabs being formed from material used to create an article receiving aperture in said second row and being connected together such that the first retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part * .** .. * a..

a. * a a a * I. * ** a a it * * as. a I 5 * a * a I I * I I 0 * a.. a a S of an article held within that article receiving aperture and wherein the bracing tab is disposed between that article and an opposed article to minimize relative movement between those articles.
5. A top gripping carrier according to claim 4 wherein the keel structure further comprises a second retention tab formed from material used to create an article receiving aperture in said second row and wherein the second retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part of an article held within that aperture.
6. A top gripping carrier according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein the side edge apertures are shaped such that a flat lower edge is provided to engage the underside of the radially protruding part of an article and wherein an upper edge of the aperture is shaped such that a concave projection of the top wall is defined, which concave projection provides protection of the top of the article held within an adjacent aperture.
7. A blank for forming a top gripping carrier, the top gripping carrier for canying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the blank comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the blank having a first row of article receiving apertures for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the carrier, the blank further comprising an arrangement for forming a keel structure when the blank is formed into the top gripping carrier, the arrangement being formed from material used to create said article receiving apertures, characterised in that when the carrier is set up keel structure extends alongside the first row of article receiving apertures and is interrupted by a series of separations between adjacent article receiving apertures and in that the keel structure spans a length of the carrier which is greater than the length of the interrupting separations.

* *q. 0* * I., ** * * .
S * S. S It * I IS * . 555 5 I I I S * S I S S I 5 S *1S 5 5 5 * 8. A top gripping carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the top gripping carrier comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the carrier having two rows of article receiving apertures each aperture for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the carrier, the top gripping carrier further comprising a keel structure extending alongside the first row of article receiving apertures, the keel structure being formed in part from bracing tabs each bracing tab being struck from material used to form an article receiving aperture and having a maximum width equal to the diameter of that article receiving aperture, each bracing tab being disposed between adjacent articles in opposed rows thereby minimizing relative movement between those articles, the top gripping carrier further comprising side edge apertures, each side edge aperture formed in one of the side walls for retaining an upper edge of an article present in an adjacent article receiving aperture thereby minimizing vertical movement of that article.
9. A top gripping carrier according to claim 8 wherein the side edge apertures are shaped such that a flat lower edge is provided to engage the underside of the radially protruding part of an article and wherein an upper edge of the aperture is shaped such that a concave projection of the top wall is defined, which concave projection provides protection of the top of the article held within an adjacent aperture.
10. A blank for forming a top gripping article carrier, the top gripping article carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the blank comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the blank having two rows of article receiving apertures each aperture for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the set-up carrier, the blank further comprising bracing tabs, each bracing tab being struck from material used to form an article receiving aperture and having a maximum width equal to the diameter of that article receiving aperture, the blank further comprising side edge apertures, each of the side edge apertures being formed in one of the side walls * If* I. * *t* *. p
I I * *I I at * * t* * I *I* I I I I * I I I I I I.e I I S * such that, when the blank is set-up into the top gripping carrier, the side edge apertures retain an upper edge of an article present in an adjacent article receiving aperture thereby minimizing vertical movement of that article and each bracing tab is disposed between adjacent articles in opposed rows to form a keel structure extending alongside the first row of article receiving apertures thereby minimizing relative movement between those articles.

II. A top gripping carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the top gripping carrier comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the carrier, the bottom wall of the carrier having an article receiving aperture for receiving an upper portion of an article held by the carrier, the top gripping carrier further comprising a first retention tab formed in part from a side wall and in part from material used to form an adjacent article receiving aperture, said first retention tab being hinged to said side wall and being disposed operatively to engage a protruding part of an article present in that aperture thereby limiting the vertical movement of that article.
12. A top gripping carrier according the claim 11 further comprising a second retention tab and a bracing tab struck from said article receiving aperture, the second retention tab and a bracing tab being connected together such that the first retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part of an article held within that article receiving aperture and wherein the bracing tab is disposed between that article and an article held in an opposed article receiving aperture to minimize relative movement between those articles.
13. A top gripping carrier according to claim 11 wherein the bracing tab is provided with a cut out which cut out defines the part of the first retention tab which is struck from the article receiving aperture.
14. A top gripping carrier according to either of claims 12 or 13 wherein a third retention tab is formed from material used to create the opposed article receiving * *f* IS SI S * . * S * St S St * 5 II * S *** I * 5 S S * * I S S S S S S a.. * S S aperture, the third retention tab operatively engages an underside of a radially protruding part of an article held within that opposed article receiving aperture to minimize the downward vertical movement of that article.
15. A top gripping carrier according to claim 14 wherein a second bracing tab is hinged to the third retention tab, the second bracing tab being shaped similarly to the cut out of the first bracing tab such that the two bracing tabs interlock.
16. A blank for forming a top gripping carrier, the top gripping carrier for carrying a plurality of articles such as bottles, the blank comprising a series of panels for forming top, bottom and side walls of the top gripping carrier, the bottom wall of the blank having an article receiving aperture for receiving an upper portion of an article to be held by the top gripping carrier, the blank further comprising a first retention tab formed in part from a side wall and in part from material used to form an adjacent article receiving aperture, said first retention tab being hinged to said side wall and when the blank is formed into a set-up carrier the first retention tab is disposed operatively to engage a protruding part of an article present in that aperture thereby limiting the vertical movement of that article.
17. A top gripping article carrier as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings, specifically figures 8 to 10.