CARRIER OF ARTICLE OF TYPE BASKET WITH SIDE WALLS NON-STAGED
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to basket type article carriers and, more particularly, to a basket type article carrier with straight non-stepped side walls. "A basket type carrier generally has end walls, side walls. and transverse dividing bands that together form a plurality of cells for receiving items such as beverage containers Some carriers have stepped side walls that form cells of different heights In a basket type carrier with stepped side walls, the transverse bands forming the cells are usually tapped from the side and the end wall portions that are "staggered" from a central cell.Frequently, it is desirable to have a basket carrier with straight non-stepped side walls.Usually, in order to create a basket carrier that has not side walls staggered but straight must additional carrier material be provided in order to form the transverse bands
• which form the cells. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,927,009, 5,029,698 and 5,040,672, all owned by the Mead Corporation, also the owner of the present invention, relate to basket-type carriers having straight non-stepped side walls. The present invention provides a basket-type articulp carrier with straight non-stepped sidewalls and end walls wherein the dividing portions containing the dividing bands forming the cell are tapped from at least one of the outer folds and creases. inners of a multiple folding handle and are adhered to a central support member that is flat from an internal folding handle panel of the multiple folding handle. The handle panels are located within the perimeter of the side wall and the end structure panels of the template to form the carrier. Other advantages and objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a raised carrier with straight side walls and dividing bands according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of a template from which the carrier of Figure 1 is formed. Figures 3-5 illustrate steps through which the template of Figure 2 is manipulated to form the carrier of the Figure 1. Through the drawings the same reference numerals are used to indicate the characteristics of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 simultaneously, a basket type article carrier 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention has a handle 12 and a plurality of cells 14 for transporting items such as beverage containers. The side walls and the end walls of the carrier 10 are not staggered. The article carrier 10 is formed from a jig 16 in which the handle and division elements are located within the boundaries of the template generally formed by side wall, end wall and vertically extending panels thus reducing the material of waste. The template 16 has a central horizontal folding line 18 that divides the template into what will be referred to as first and second segments. These two segments are similar to each other. A lower panel 20 is located in the first segment. The lower panel 20 has first and second opposite side edges, first and second opposite end edges and a horizontal fold line 22 extending between the end edges. A horizontal fold line 22 divides the bottom panel 20 in two sections that fold flat along the fold line 22 against each other when the carrier 10 is folded for storage or shipping. The second end edge of the lower panel 20 provides a notch 24 which forms a female locking member. The first side wall 26 in the first segment has first and second side edges and first and second end edges and is joined to the second side of the lower panel 20 along a horizontal fold line 28 on the first side of the first side wall 26. When assembled, the first side wall 26 remains generally straight from the bottom panel 20 along the fold line 28. The handle structure of the upright holder 10 is multi-fold. The partition panels are closed from the handle structure. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the external folding of each side of the handle of the upright carrier is formed by panels which for convenience of reference are cited as upper (or upper side) handle panels 44, 46. The internal folding of the handle multiple folding of the upright carrier 10 are provided by panels which for convenience of reference will be cited as bottom (or bottom side) handle panels 94, 96. The larger portions of the partition panels are flat from the top panel assembly (from the top side). These portions of the partition panels are located adjacent to the remaining portions of the upper handle panels along the respective cut lines 42, 80 in the template 16. The central horizontal folding line 18 divides the panel assembly from upper handle on first and second upper handle panels 44, 46 which are identical to each other through the central horizontal folding line 18. A cover of the hand hole 48 is positioned between the first upper handle panel 44 and the top handle panel. transverse division 34b. The cover 48 is adjacent to the panel 34b and is located along the cut line 42 and is attached along the fold line 50 to the first upper handle panel 44. A first partition panel is located in the first segment of the template 16 and is attached to the second side of the first side wall 26 along a horizontal folding line 30. The first dividing panel is divided along the cutting line 32 into two portions 34a, 34b which are transverse partition bands for forming the cells of the container in the raised carrier 10. The panel 34a is a trapezoid with a vertical folding line 36 that divides the panel 34a into a rectangular portion and a triangular portion. The panel 34a is connected to the panel 34b along the vertical folding line 38. The panel 34b is attached to the first side wall 26 along the fold line 30. The outer periphery follows the same basic contour as the inner periphery although it is separated from it and has a bevelled corner opposite the intersection of vertical folding line 38 and cutting line 32. Panel 34b has a fold 40 pointing away from vertical folding line 38 and is placed along a horizontal portion of the cutting line 56. The fold 40 connects the partition panel to the handle panel 44. The narrowness of the fold 40 connecting the member allows the partition panel to be easily twisted and displaced 180 degrees to a position where the division bands 34a, 34b form the cells in the erected carrier. A first end panel 52 is located in the first segment of the template 16 and is attached along the vertical folding line 54 to the first end of the side wall panel 26. The first end panel 52 splices the first upper handle panel 44 along the cut line 56. The cut line 56 is also the cut line between the rectangular portion of the partition panel 34a and the first side wall panel 26. A first riser panel 58 in the first segment is joined along the vertical folding line 60 to the first end panel 52 and the first upper handle panel 44. A second partition panel located in the second segment of the template 16 is identical to the first partition panel through the central horizontal folding line 18. The second dividing panel is divided along the cutting line 62 into two portions 64a, 64b which are transverse dividing bands that form the container cells in the carrier or raised 10. Panel 64a is a trapezoid with a vertical folding line 66 which divides panel 64a into a rectangular portion and a triangular portion. The panel 64a is connected to the panel 64b along the vertical fold line 68. The panel 64b joins the second side wall 72 along the fold line 70. The outer periphery follows the same basic contour as the internal periphery. but is separated from it and has a bevelled corner opposite the intersection of the vertical folding line 68 and the cutting line 62. The panel 64b has a tip 74 pointing away from the vertical folding line 68 and is positioned along a horizontal portion of the cut line 76. As with the fold 40, tip 74 connects the split panel (with bands 64a, 64b) to its associated handle panel 46. Again, the narrowness of the tip 74 connecting the member allows the dividing panel to be easily bent and deployed 180 ° at a position where the dividing bands 64a, 64b form the cells on the erected carrier. A second cover for hand hole 78 is placed between the second upper handle panel 46 and the transverse partition panel 46b identical to the cover for hand hole 48. The second upper handle panel assembly is adjacent to the partition panel a along the line of cut 80 following the contour of the outer periphery of the panel 64b. The cover 78 is adjacent to the panel 64b which is located along the cutting line 80 and is attached along the fold line 82 to the second upper handle panel 44. The second side wall 72 is identical to the first side wall 26. It is attached along the fold line 70 to the transverse partition panel and is located adjacent to the transverse partition panel along the cut line 76. A fold cap 84 extends from the second edge side panel of the second side wall panel 72. A second end panel 86 is identical to the first end panel 52. It is attached to the second side wall 72 along the vertical fold line 88 and is adjacent to the bottom handle panel 46 a along the cut line 76. It also limits the partition panel 64b to the lake of the cut line 76. A second riser panel 90 is connected along the vertical fold line 92 to the second end panel 86. It is also joined along from the central horizontal folding line 18 to the first rising panel 58 and is identical to the first vertically rising panel 58 through the central horizontal folding line 18. As mentioned above, the internal folds of the carrier's multiple fold handle erect 10 are provided by panels which for convenience of reference are cited as lower (or bottom) handle panels 94, 96. The lower handle panel assembly is located adjacent to the partition panel along the line of cutting 42 which follows the contour of the outer periphery of the panel 34b and adjacent the upper handle panel assembly along the vertical cutting line 93. The central horizontal folding line 18 divides the lower handle panel assembly into first and second handle panels 94, 96. A hand hole cover 48 in the second lower handle panel 96 is located along the cut line 100 and is attached along the line. folded 102. A central support panel 104 is attached to the first lower handle panel 94 along the fold line 106 and is located along the support lines 108, 110 and is also cut along of the central horizontal folding line 18. On the upright carrier the central support panel (or lid) 104 is folded 180 degrees along the fold line 106 in flat face relationship with the handle panel 9. In this folded condition it supports the panel / lid 104 which extends a sufficient distance to allow the transverse partition bands 34a, 34b, 64a, 64b to be attached to the support panel 104 while maintaining the dividing bands in a position essentially horizontal. When the carrier is lifted the hand hole cover 98 is folded along the fold line 102 in flat face relationship with the handle panel 96 to which it is attached. Therefore, when the adjacent inner (lower) handle panels 94, 96 are folded along the fold line 18 in the flat face relationship with one another, the hand hole cover 98 fills most of the portion of the space created when the central support panel 104 is folded away from the position and the plane from which it is satin. This is added to the integrity of the handle element on the upright carrier by maintaining the four-fold structure of the handle in its part subjected to greater stress from the lower portion (i.e., the portion farthest from the center fold line 18) of the space created when central support panel 104 is bent out of the position from which it is tapped, forms a hand hole area in the handle panel 94 A third end panel 112 is located in the first segment and is attached along the vertical fold line 114 to the second end of the first side wall panel 26. The third end panel 112 splices the first bottom handle panel 94 along the cut line 116. The cut line 116 is also the cut line between the rectangular portion of the partition panel 64a and the first sidewall panel 26. A third riser panel 118 in the first segment is joined along the vertical fold line 120 to the third end panel 112 and the first bottom handle panel 94. A fourth end panel 122 is identical to the third end panel 112. It is attached to the second side wall 72 as along the vertical folding line 124 and is adjacent the lower handle panel 96 along the cutting line 126. It also limits the splitting panel 64b along the cutting line 126. A fourth rising panel 128 is connected along the vertical folding line 130 to the fourth end panel 122. It is also attached along the central horizontal folding line 18 to the third rising panel and is identical to the third rising panel 118 across the line of central horizontal folding 18. The third and fourth ascending panels 118, 128 are joined together along the central horizontal folding line 18, and the other sides of the ascending panels 118, 128 contain notches 132, 134 to form a member male lock on the lifted carrier. Essentially, the template 16 has only four small cuts 136, 138, 140, 142 that result in wasted material. This is a minimum waste of carrier material. The circular cuts 136, 138 facilitate the folding of the cardboard without accumulation. The cut-out 140 is located at one end of the hand-hole cover 98 and the cut-out 142 is located at the other end of the hand-hole cover 98. These hand-hole cut-outs 140, 142 help to easily separate the portions. not attached to the hand hole cover 98 of the handle panel 96. The cut 140 is located along the arcuate cut line 100 and a straight cut line 144 at one end of the cover 98. The cut 142 is located along the arcuate cut line 100 and the cut line 146 at one end of the cover 98. The cut lines 140, 142 at the transverse edges of the hand hole cover 98 correspond to the configuration of the cutting lines of the division panel 108, 110 which are located closer to the central folding line of the template. Due to this arrangement, when the hand-hole cover 98 of the handle panel 96 is folded in the flat face relationship with the handle panel 96 and the hand-hole cover 98 is located within the opening of the handle panel. opposite handle 94 created by the removal of the central support panel 104, one edge 144 of the hand hole cover 98 is located adjacent and follows the contour of the cutting line 108 of the handle panel 94 and the other edge 146 of the hand hole cover 98 is located adjacent and follows the contour of the cutting line 110 of the handle panel 94. The lifting (or erecting) of the carrier 10 from the template 16 is now described by reference to Figures 1 -5. As will be described in more detail below, the handle panels, the end panels, the riser panels, the transverse partition portions (including the transverse partition bands 34a / 34b, 64a / 64b), the central support panel 104 and the hand-hole cap 98 are folded and glued to produce the upright carrier 10 shown in Figure 1. The upright, mounted panel 10 has a multiple-folding handle where the lower handle panels, 94, 96 form the internal folds and the upper handle panels 44, 46 form the external folds of the handle, with the central support member 104 hanging from the multiple folding handle, with the hand hole cover 98 placed inside. of the upper portion of the space in the handle panel 94 from which the central support panel was flat and with one end of each transverse partition panel adhered to the central support panel 104 and the opposite end of each transverse partition panel joined in a folded manner to a respective side wall panel 26, 72 along their respective fold lines 30, 70. The invention contemplates that the sequence of folding and gluing the different parts of the template 16 may vary. In a preferred embodiment, the transverse partition panels (containing the transverse partition strips (34a / 34b, 64a / 64b) are folded away from the respective handle panels 44, 46. The first partition panel is folded along of the fold line 30 in a flat face relationship with the first side wall panel 26. Similarly, the second partition panel is folded along the fold line 70 in flat face to the second wall panel side 72. The glue is applied to selected areas of the upper handle assembly panels 44, 46 to adhere these panels together as the dividing bands (34a / 34b, 64a / 64b) are manipulated in position for gluing to the panel central support 104, the tip members 40, 74 maintain the partition panels attached to the handle panels 44, 46 so that proper alignment can be achieved.The partition panels are folded along lines d and respective folding 30, 70 in planar face relationship with the first and second respective side wall panels 26, 72. The assembly continues to elevate the lower handle assembly and by folding the central support panel 104. The lower handle panel assembly it is carried over and located in the folding area of the upper handle panel assembly so that the lower handle panel assembly fits into the upper handle panel assembly. At the same time, the lower portion of the riser panel 118 comes into contact with the folded area of the lower handle panel 94, an upper portion of the riser panel 128 comes into contact with the glued area of the lower handle panel 96, and the central support panel 104 is placed over the glued area of the transverse partition band 34b. Next, the riser panels 58, 90 are respectively brought into contact with the glued areas of the upper handle panels 44, 46. This construction is illustrated in Fig. 4. In the assembly step illustrated in Fig. 4, the glue it is applied to the transverse partition band 64b, the gluing lid 84, one or both of the riser panels 58 and 90, and one or both of the riser panels 118 and 128. After the glue is applied, the first portion of the lower panel 20 is folded over the second portion of the lower panel 20 by folding along the fold line 22. The assembly is completed by folding the second element containing the second side wall 72 onto the first segment containing the first side wall 26 along the central horizontal folding line 18. Folding along the central horizontal folding line 18 places the bonded surfaces of the ascending panels 58 and 90 together and the surfaces affixed from the riser panels 118 and 128 together and places the central support member 104 in contact with the glue-laden surface of the transverse partition band 64b. The final step is to place the gluing lid 84 in contact with the lower panel 26 producing the flattened cardboard box illustrated in Figure 5. In the assembled carton, the central support panel 104 is foldedly attached to the panel. bottom handle and sandwiched between the two folds of the folded bottom handle panel. The transverse partition bands are connected to the side walls and the central support panel. The handle assembly supports the central support panel and the transverse partition bands that are connected to the central support panel. The handle structure also supports the riser panels that are attached to it. Instead of discarding a cut of the hand hole in the handle, it folds and is used as a central support panel. The smaller riser panels can be used because they are not needed to support the transverse split bands. The hand hole panel that could otherwise constitute waste is used as a central support panel for the cross-sectional bands. Because the center support panel is sandwiched between the handle folds, maximum support is achieved while using less paper. The double support of the central support panel is achieved by means of the folded connection to the lower handle panel and by gluing it to the handle panels. While the invention has been described with particular reference to a basket carrier for transporting beverage bottles, it is evident that the carrier is suitable for other containers. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the invention are not limited to the particular details of the illustrated examples and therefore, it is contemplated that other modifications and applications will be devised by those skilled in the art. For example, the carrier can be assembled from the template using a different sequence of survey steps from those described. As a further example of the variations contemplated by the invention, it is noted that the dividing panels in the preferred embodiment illustrated are flat from the upper handle panels and the inner handle panels. However, the invention is also practiced so that the partition panels are closed only from the upper handle panels. Accordingly, the claims are intended to cover all modifications and applications that do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.