MXPA97006576A - Barrier of a carrier of a carrier, that doubles around the articles, and elements of retention of these articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an article carrier, which is folded around them, which contains a plurality of adjacent rows of articles, having curved bottom portions, this carrier comprises: a top panel; opposite side panels, connected to the upper panel, a bottom panel, which comprises of an internal fin connected at its lateral edge to one of the side panels, and an external fin, connected at its lateral edge to the other side panel, each side panel fin has a free edge, opposite the edge connected to a side panel, and two end edges, the fin of the bottom panel includes an integral tongue of the retaining support hinged there, adjacent to each end edge of the outer flap of the bottom panel, these retaining support tabs are bent upwardly from the outer fin of the bottom panel on the inside of the carrier, the inner fin of the bottom panel includes hinged a tongue. In the integral retention portion of articles, adjacent to each end edge of this internal fin, the article retention tabs are folded upwardly from this internal tab of the bottom panel into the interior of the carrier, so as to make contact with the curved portions of the article. background of adjacent spaced articles, and contact with the associated retaining support tab, and the inner flap of the bottom panel includes a locking tab, adjacent to each article retaining tab, each locking tab extending through an associated locking opening in the outer fin of the bottom panel to the interior of the carrier and in contact with an associated retention support tab

Description

BARRIER OF A CARRIER OF A CARRIER. THAT DOUBLES AROUND THE ITEMS. AND ELEMENTS OF RETENTION OF THESE ITEMS Field of the Invention The invention relates to carriers that are folded around articles, which incorporate stops or end retaining elements to prevent outward movement of packaged articles. More particularly, it relates to a carrier of this type in which the retaining element is compatible with the mechanical latches that connect the fins of the bottom panel of the carrier to each other. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The carriers of articles, which are folded around them, are commonly designed to have ends which are partially or fully open. In any case, the carriers may be provided with elements to prevent the articles from falling from the ends. The beverage cans, for example, are held in place partly by the tension provided by the carrier preform that bends very tightly around them, by the contact of the top and bottom flanges of the cans with the edges of the cans. cuts in the side panels of the carrier, through which these flanges of the cans extend. Bottles are more difficult to retain in open end carriers, compared to cans, due to their configurations. Although cutouts may be provided in the side panels of a carrier to receive the heel portions of the bottles, its tapered or neck configuration makes it difficult to apply the wrapper to the carrier as firmly as in the case of the cans. A preferred resource for preventing outward movement of the bottles in a carrier that is folded around the articles is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,094,347, issued March 10, 1992, on behalf of Richard D. Schuster. . This patent discloses a bottle retention or stop element at each end of the bottom panel, which extends between curved spaced portions of adjacent end bottles. The stops are formed of retention tabs on the outer fin of the bottom panel, which are bent in the final configuration, when pushed through the openings in the inner fin of the bottom panel. Although the stops perform the desired retention function, they can be used only when they do not interfere with the mechanical latches that hold the fins of the bottom panel together. Thus, they can not be used on a carrier that requires the mechanical latches to be placed adjacent to the ends of the carrier.

Since the bottom panel of the carrier, which is folded around the articles, can not be allowed to fail, it is essential that the locking system, which connects the fins of the bottom panel together, be able to withstand the forces caused by the weight of the packaged items and the tensions of the transport and handling that tend to pull the locks in separation. An approach to this problem uses primary and secondary latches. The primary locks connect the fins to each other, while the secondary locks function to hold the fins in place in order to prevent the primary locks from separating. A preferred locking mechanism is disclosed in U.A. Patent No. 5,443,203, issued August 22, 1995, on behalf of Robert L. Sutherland. In that arrangement, the primary locks are integral with the outer flap of the bottom panel and the secondary locks are integral with the internal flap of the bottom panel, which extends through openings in the outer flap of the bottom panel. Each secondary lock is in the form of a tab separated by a fold line in a base portion and an end portion. The base portion overlaps the end of the outer fin of the bottom panel and the end portion extends into a locking opening of the outer fin of the panel. The structure of the secondary locks and the associated opening is such that the secondary locking tabs are prevented from being inadvertently removed, thus not only maintaining the secondary lock in the operative condition, but also keeping the primary lock in the operative condition. However, this arrangement does not allow the use of end stops, since their location will interfere with the locking tab structure of the bottom panel. It would be highly convenient to provide a bending carrier around the articles, capable of employing both the mechanical locking system, of the type described in the Sutherland patent, and also the end retaining member, of the type described in the Schuster patent. . Brief Summary of the Invention The invention comprises an article carrier, which is folded around them, which contains a plurality of adjacent rows of articles, such as bottles, having curved bottom portions. Its basic construction is the typical arrangement of side panels connected to a top panel and to a bottom panel, formed of bottom panel fins, internal and external, overlapping. The outer flap of the bottom panel includes a hinged integral retention support tab adjacent to each end edge of the outer fin of the bottom panel, the retention support tabs being bent upwardly from the outer fin of the panel bottom inside the carrier. The inner flap of the bottom panel includes a hinged integral article retaining tab adjacent to each end edge of the inner flap of the bottom panel. The article retaining tabs are folded upwardly from the inner flap of the bottom panel within the carrier, thereby making contact with the curved bottom portions of the adjacent spaced articles and with the associated retaining support tab. A locking tab, adjacent to each article retaining tab, extends upwardly through an associated locking opening in the outer fin of the bottom panel into the carrier and contacts the associated retaining support tab. By means of this construction, the insertion of the locking tabs through the locking openings automatically push the retention support tabs, hinged, in position, and the pivoting movement of the retention support tabs, in turn. , causes the article retention tabs to pivot up in position, between the curved bottom portions of adjacent articles. This results in interlocking tabs that are held securely and in retaining stops of items that are also held securely in place.

In a preferred arrangement, both the article retaining tabs and the retaining support tabs are hinged to their bottom panel fins along fold lines, which are substantially parallel to the end edges of the panel fins. background. In addition, the retaining support tabs include slots through which a corner of the locking tabs extend, as a means of locking the assembly together. The locking openings in the outer fin of the bottom panel, through which the locking tabs extend, are, at least partially, comprised of cutouts, resulting from bending into the retaining support tabs. In addition, the locking openings are preferably partially comprised of slits, which extend from the cutouts, as described in more detail below. Preferably, the retaining tabs include lateral extensions, connected in a foldable manner, which contact the curved bottom portions of adjacent articles, thus making the resulting retaining stops three-dimensional. These retaining stops fit snugly between the spaced bottom portions of the end bottles in the carrier and hold them in place against outward movement. In addition to this function, because the stops interconnect the bottom panel fins, internal and external, they also reinforce any other interlocking element that interconnects the fins of the bottom panel. The foregoing and other aspects of the invention, as well as other benefits, will be readily apparent from the more detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Figure 1 is an illustrative view of a bottle carrier, which is bent thereon, which incorporates the characteristics of mechanical locking and bottle retention features of the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a preform for manufacturing the carrier of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the portion of Figure 2 within the oval 3; Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the portion of Figure 2 within the oval 4; Figure 5 is an illustrative view of the bottom portion of a carrier, with the bottles removed for clarity, showing the first phase of bottom panel formation; Figure 6 is an illustrative view, similar to that of Figure 5, but showing the fins of the bottom panel in a next intermediate stage of bottom panel formation; Figure 7 is a partial illustrative view, showing the two different male locking tongues in position, which are to be inserted in the female secondary locking openings; Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a partial illustrative view, similar to that of Figure 7, but illustrating the male locking tabs in their fully inserted end positions; Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a partial illustrative view of an upright retainer stop; Figure 12 is a plan view of the retaining stop of Figure 11; Figure 13 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along line 13-13 of Figure 12; and Figure 14 is an enlarged, partial end view of a carrier showing the retainer stop in place between two bottles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Figure 1, a carrier 10, which is folded around the articles, is illustrated in relation to the packaging of six B beverage bottles, arranged in two rows of three bottles each. The carrier is comprised of side panels 12, connected at their lower ends to the bottom panel 15 and at their upper ends to the inclined back panels 14, which, in turn, are connected to the top panel 16. For the purposes of the invention, the back panels are considered as part of the side panels. The openings 18 for the neck of the bottles in the upper panel and adjacent portions of the backing panels allow the neck of the bottles to extend through the upper panel. Included in the upper panel are the finger holes 20, which provide handle openings for lifting the carrier. The tongues 22, which can be folded, cover these finger holes, when the carrier is at rest. The side panels include heel cutouts 24 for receiving the external bottom portions of the bottles and the bottom panel 15 is comprised of overlapping fins of the bottom panel, internal and external, 26 and 28. In addition, extending upwards from the panel bottom 15, between the curved portions, spaced to the outside, of the end bottles B at each end of the carrier, is the retention element or stop 30 of the bottles, the details of which are described below. A preform 32, for manufacturing the carrier, is shown in Figure 2, in which reference numbers similar to those used in Figure 1, denote similar elements. The preform is rectangular in configuration and includes straight edges, which are for the efficient arrangement of the preforms in a band, from which these preforms are cut. Centrally located in the preform is the section 16 of the upper panel, which is connected by the fold lines 34 to the backrest panel sections 14. These sections 14 of the back panel, in turn, are connected by fold lines 36 to the sections 12 of the side panel. The fold lines 38, which are interrupted by the bead cutouts 24, connect the sections 12 of the side panel to the fins, 26 and 28, of the bottom panel. The outer flap 28 of the bottom panel includes a section 40 of the locking panel, which is connected to the main body of the flap 28 by the fold line 42. By interrupting the fold line 42, opposite each heel cutout 24, they are the spaced slots 44, which form the primary locking tongues 46. Placed in the section 40 of the locking panel, opposite to each primary locking tab, are the slots forming the female secondary locking openings. As best shown in Figure 3, the slit 48, centrally positioned, includes an arcuate, outwardly extending portion, which forms a small retaining tab 50. The fold line 52 is spaced outwardly from the slit 48, and the ends of the fold line 52 and the slit 48 are connected by transverse slits 54, which extend slightly beyond the slit 48. This arrangement forms the retaining tab 56, which is similar to the secondary locking female opening structure, described in US Patent No. 5,443,203. Referring again to Figure 2, the inner flap 26 of the bottom panel includes male secondary locking tabs, positioned opposite each bead cutout 24. As best shown in Figure 4, the secondary locking tab 58, centrally positioned, is connected to the inner flap of the bottom panel by the fold line 60. The main body of the tab 58 is formed by slits 62, which ends are connected by the fold line 64. This fold line 64 is interrupted by the arched slit 66, which forms the tongue 68. The secondary locking tab 58 includes a portion 70 formed by the slit 72, which extends outwardly. of the fold line 64. A straight transverse portion 74 of the slit 72 forms a female primary locking edge, which functions as explained below. This arrangement is similar to the structure of the secondary locking tongue, described in the patent of E. U. A., No. 5,443,203. Still referring to Figures 2 and 4, it can be seen that the secondary locking end tabs 76 are different from the central locking tab 58. The internal portions of the locking tabs 76 are somewhat similar to the structure of the tongue. lock 58, which has a fold line 78 corresponding to fold line 60, slits 80 and 82 corresponding to slits 62 and 72, a straight slit portion 84, corresponding to slit portion 74 and an intermediate fold line 86, which corresponds to the fold line 64, thus forming an end portion 87. The outer portions of the locking tabs 76, however, are different. The slit 88 connects the outer ends of the fold line 78 and the slit 84, and with the slits 90 and 92 and the fold line 94 form the retaining tab 30. The fold line 94 is substantially parallel to the edge e of the preform and the slits 90 and 92 are extensions of the fold line 78 and the slit 84, respectively, Preferably, the slit 92 is shorter than the slit 90, in order to elongate the end portion 87 of the slit. secondary locking tongue 76, as explained below below. Included in the retention tab 30 are two arcuate fold lines 96, which extend from the ends of the fold line 94 and converge towards the fold line 86 to divide the retention tab into three sections, a main body section 98 and two side sections 100. Referring again to Figures 2 and 3, it can be seen that the structure of the secondary locking end openings is different from the secondary central locking opening. The inner portion of the locking opening structure is similar to that of the central locking opening in which the fold line 102 corresponds to the fold line 52, the end slot 104 corresponds to the slot 54 and the slot 106 corresponds to the slit 48. The fold line 102 and the slit 106 are connected, however, by the arched slit 108, which continues for a substantial distance beyond the slit 106 to form the tab 107. The slits 110 diverge from the slits 107. ends of the slit 108 in the direction of the nearer end edge of the preform, and the fold line 112 connects the outer ends of the slits 110. The area bounded by the fold line 112 and the slits 108 and 110 form a retaining tab 114 for the retaining tab, as explained below. In addition, each support tab includes an interior slit, which is aligned with the slit 106.

To form a package that is folded around the articles, a preform is lowered onto a group of bottles to be packed so that the necks of the bottles extend up through the bottleneck openings 18, in the section of upper panel. The preform is then folded along the fold lines of the side panel and pulled tightly around the bottles in the usual manner, so that the fins of the bottom panel are overlapped. The section 40 of the locking panel and the secondary locking tabs, 58 or 76, are then bent again, as shown in Figure 5, which omits the bottles for clarity purposes, after which the panel section locked is bent downward in the final position shown in Figure 6. During this procedure, the primary locking tabs 46 are joined to the edges of the cutouts formed by the slots 74 and 84 when the secondary locking tabs are folded back, and in their final position they are placed below the inner flap of the bottom panel 26. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the central secondary locking tab 58 is then pivoted forward about the fold line 60 and its outer portion. 70 is bent around the fold line 64 to the position of the end of the outer portion 70 on the retaining tab 56 of the female secondary locking opening, adjacent the tab 50. This causes that tab 68 separates from slit 66 to form a retention cutout or opening 118 of the same configuration as tab 68. The secondary locking tab is then pushed towards the interior of the carrier, during which maneuvering of the tab 56 is free to pivot, as necessary, around its fold line 52, to allow angular entry of the central secondary locking tab within the space created between the tab 56 and the edge formed by the slit 48 of Figure 3. The transverse grooves 54 allow adjacent portions of the locking panel segment 40 to be slightly enlarged to allow continued passage downwardly of the secondary locking tab. The continued movement of the central secondary locking tab results in this tab being inserted completely into the secondary locking opening, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. During the movement of the outer portion 70 of the secondary locking tab 58 through the secondary locking openings, the outer portion 70 contacts and slides past the retaining tab 50. When the relative movement between the secondary locking tab portion 70 and the retaining tab 50 carries the retaining cut-out 118. of the secondary locking tongue opposite the retaining tab 50, this tongue 50 moves easily within the retaining cutout. As in the locking structure described in U.S. Patent No. 5,443,203, the retaining tab 50 prevents the secondary locking tab from being forced out of the secondary locking opening and, at the same time, the locking tab 56 prevents that the portion 70 of the locking tab move transversely, thus maintaining the retaining tab in the cavity 118. Referring again to Figure 7, when the secondary locking tab 58 is pivoted about the fold line 60 and the outer portion 70 of the locking tab is bent around the fold line 64, the secondary locking end tabs 76 also pivot about their fold lines 78 and their end portions 87 are placed over the slits 106 of the locking tab. the associated secondary locking openings. When the end flap portion 70 of the central secondary locking tab 58 is pushed through the fins of the bottom panel to its final position, the portions 87 of the end flap of the secondary locking tabs 76 are moved to its fully inserted position, shown in Figure 9. As the locking tabs 76 move to their final position, the ends of the portions 87 of the end flaps move past the slits 106, bending the flaps 107, shown in Figure 3, into the process. The tongues 107, like the fin 56, are free to pivot when this occurs, allowing the fin end portions 87 to enter a slight angle. After entry of the fold lines 102 of the tabs 107, it causes the ends of the vanes 107 to be oriented against the vane portions 87, which help in keeping the vane portions 87 in place securely. As the fin portions 87 move into the carrier, the ends of the fin portions 87 pivot to the retaining support tabs 114 around the fold lines 112 toward the interior of the carrier. Although the ends of the fin portions 87 are placed over the slits 116 of the support tabs 114, as shown in Figure 7, they also attach to the solid portion of the support tabs 114, between the inner ends of the support tabs 114. the slits 116 and the curved slits 108, thus pushing the support tabs 114 into the interior of the carrier. As will be appreciated, particularly with reference again to Figures 5 and 6, the support tabs 114 overlap the retaining stop tabs 30 at the start of this procedure. The pivot to the interior of the support tabs 114, therefore, causes the retaining stop tabs 30 to pivot inwardly around their fold lines 94. As the retaining stop tabs 30 move into the interior of the carrier, the lateral retaining extensions 100 make contact with the adjacent bottles, which act as cams, causing the extensions to bend inward, giving the retaining stop a three-dimensional pyramid configuration. The final condition of the retaining stop 30, the retaining support tab 114 and the end locking tab portion 87 are shown in Figures 11 to 13. Note that the outer corner 120, formed by the elongated upper edge of end locking tongue portion 87 has penetrated the slit 116 in the retaining support tab 114, so that the upper edge of the end portion 87 acts as a support for the support flap 114. Since the tongue retention 30 is supported by the support flap 114, it is reinforced securely. Further, since the corner portion 120 makes contact with the retaining tab 30, the end portion 87 of the secondary locking tab is prevented from being removed from the interior of the carrier. Also, as shown in Figure 14, the tightening of the lateral retaining extensions 100 against the sides of the bottles B also acts to retain the retaining stops in place. As previously noted, the slit 92 is shorter than the slit 90. This results in the inclination of the portion of the slit 88 that forms an edge of the outer tab portion 87, thus forming the corner 120. It will now be clear that the invention allows the use of both article retaining stops and secondary detents, designed to prevent accidental removal of the secondary locking tab. The insertion of the secondary locking end tabs automatically raise the retaining stops and, at the same time, move the retaining support tabs into place. This cooperative relationship keeps the secondary locking end tabs in place. They also assist in the action of the tab 107 of the secondary locking end openings against the secondary locking end tabs. The fabrication of the carrier is simple and does not require extra stages beyond those normally associated with the use of the secondary locking tabs, which incorporate an intermediate fold line. Although the carrier lock has been described in connection with a carrier for use with long neck bottles, which extend through the openings of the bottle necks in the upper panel, it will be obvious that the invention can be employed in set with carriers to wrap bottles of short necks, cans or other types of items.

It will be evident that the invention need not be limited to all the specific details described in relation to the preferred embodiment and that changes can be made in certain characteristics of the preferred embodiment, which do not alter the function and general basic concepts of the invention, without departing of the spirit and scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims.

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMS 1. A carrier of articles, which is folded around them, which contains a plurality of adjacent rows of articles, having curved bottom portions, this carrier comprises: a top panel; opposite side panels, connected to the top panel; a bottom panel, which comprises of an internal fin connected at its lateral edge to one of the side panels, and an external fin, connected at its lateral edge to the other side panel, each side panel fin has a free, opposite edge to the edge connected to a side panel, and two end edges; The outer flap of the bottom panel includes an integral tongue of the hinged retaining bracket therein, adjacent to each end edge of the outer flap of the bottom panel, these retaining bracket tabs being bent upwardly from the outer flap of the panel. bottom inside the carrier; the inner flap of the bottom panel includes a hinged integral article retaining tab, adjacent to each end edge of this inner flap, the article retaining tabs being bent upwardly from this internal flap of the bottom panel within the interior of the carrier, so as to make contact with the curved bottom portions of adjacent spaced articles, and contact with the associated retaining support tab; and the internal flap of the bottom panel includes a locking tab,. adjacent to each article retaining tab, each locking tab extends through an associated locking opening in the outer flap of the bottom panel into the carrier and in contact with an associated retaining support tab.
2. 2. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 1, wherein each retaining support tab includes a slit, each locking tab having a corner portion, which goes through the slit, into a slit. associated retention support tab.
3. 3. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 2, wherein each article retaining tab has an upper edge in contact with the corner portion of an associated locking tab.
4. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 1, wherein the article retaining tabs are hinged to the internal fin of the bottom panel, along the fold lines, which are substantially parallel to the end edges of the inner fin of the bottom panel.
5. 5. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 4, wherein each article retaining tab includes lateral extensions connected on its opposite sides along fold lines, these lateral extensions making contact with the curved portions. background of adjacent articles.
6. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 5, wherein the fold lines, which connect the lateral extensions to the retaining tabs are curved and converge with each other from the internal fin of the bottom panel .
7. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 1, wherein each locking tab is connected to the inner flap of the bottom panel by a fold line spaced from the free edge of the inner panel flap , each locking tab includes an intermediate fold line, which divides the locking tab into a base portion and an end portion, the base portion of the locking tab extends substantially parallel to and below the outer tab of the bottom panel and the end portion of the locking tab extends through the associated locking opening in the outer fin of the bottom panel.
8. 8. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 7, wherein the locking openings in the outer fin of the bottom panel comprise, at least partially, of cutouts resulting from folding into the retaining support tabs.
9. 9. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 8, wherein the locking openings in the outer fin of the bottom panel are comprised, in part, of slits extending from the cutouts, which result from the folded into the retention support tabs.
10. 10. A foldable bearer: of articles, as defined in claim 9, wherein the slits, which extend from the cutouts result from folding into the retaining support tabs, define outer edges of secondary tabs of the locking openings.
11. 11. A carrier that is folded around articles, as defined in claim 1, wherein the locking tabs are secondary tabs, the outer tab of the bottom panel contains at least one primary locking tab, which connects a primary opening of locking on the internal flap of the bottom panel.
12. 12. A preform for manufacturing a carrier that is folded around the articles, for packaging a plurality of adjacent rows of articles, having curved bottom portions, this preform comprises: a sheet, generally rectangular, having a top panel section centrally placed; side panel sections, connected to the opposite sides of the upper panel section by fold lines, this upper panel section and the side panel sections have end edges, which correspond to the opposite edges of the preform; an inner flap of the bottom panel, connected to one of the side panel sections along a first fold line and an outer flap of the bottom panel, connected to the other side panel section along a second line of folding, each flap of the bottom panel has a free edge opposite the fold line, which connects the flap of the bottom panel to an associated section of the side panel and end edges corresponding to the opposite edges of the preform; the outer fin of the bottom panel includes an integral retention support tab hinged therein, adjacent to each end edge of the outer fin of the bottom panel; the inner flap of the bottom panel includes an integral hinged article retaining tab adjacent to each end edge of the inner flap of the bottom panel; and this internal flap of the bottom panel includes a locking tab adjacent to each article retaining tab; the locking tabs, article retaining tabs, and retaining support tabs are positioned so that, on a carrier manufactured from the preform, each locking tab extends through an associated locking opening in the outer flap of the panel bottom, created by bending an associated retention support tab and engaging the associated retention support tab, while this associated retention support tab engages a bent associated retention tab.
13. 13. A preform of a carrier that is folded around the articles, as defined in claim 12, wherein each retaining support tab includes a slit, each locking tab having a portion positioned so as to extend through of the slit of an associated retention support tab in a carrier formed from the preform.
14. 14. A preform of a carrier that is folded around the articles, as defined in claim 12, wherein the article retaining tabs are hinged to the internal fin of the bottom panel, along fold lines, which are substantially parallel to the end edges of the inner fin of the bottom panel.
15. 15. A preform of a carrier that is folded around the articles, as defined in claim 14, wherein each retention tab includes lateral extensions connected on the sides opposite the retention tab, along lines of bending
16. 16. A preform of a carrier that is folded around the articles, as defined in claim 15, wherein the fold lines, which connect the lateral extensions to the retaining tabs are curved and converge with each other away from the edge of the adjacent end of the inner fin of the bottom panel.
17. 17. A preform of a carrier that is folded around the articles, as defined in claim 12, wherein each locking tab is connected to the inner fin of the bottom panel by a fold line spaced from the free edge of the panel. internal fin of the bottom panel, each locking tab includes an intermediate fold line, which divides the locking tab into a base portion and an end portion, this base portion of the locking tab is positioned so that it extends substantially parallel to and below the outer fin of the bottom panel on a carrier manufactured from the preform, and the end portion of the locking tab extends through an associated locking opening in the outer fin of the bottom panel of such a carrier .
18. 18. A preform of a carrier that is folded around the articles, as defined in claim 17, wherein the outer fin of the bottom panel includes a slit, which extends from each retaining support tab in a direction away from the adjacent end edge of the outer fin of the bottom panel.
19. 19. A preform of a carrier that is folded around the articles, as defined in claim 18, wherein each retaining support tab includes a slit, spaced from and aligned with the slit extending from the support tab. retention.
20. 20. A preform of a carrier that is folded around the articles, as defined in claim 18, wherein the slit, extending from each retaining support tab, defines an edge of a secondary locking tab , this secondary locking opening tab is connected to the external fin of the bottom panel by a fold line, adjacent to the free edge of the outer fin of the bottom panel.