SK44596A3 - Basket carrier for bottles and blank therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

An articles carrier (C) of the basket type for bottles comprises a base (16, 22), opposed side walls (12, 28) opposed end walls (64, 66; 88, 90) and an internal medial partition structure (74, 84; 100, 110) which incorporates an upstanding handle panel (112, 144). The carrier includes bottle cells defined, in part, by transverse partition panels (116, 118, 120; 148, 150) on both sides of the medial partition structure. The open tops of the cells are substantially closed by removable top panels (32, 44) extending between the upstanding handle panel and respective side walls of the carrier and include openings (A) through which neck portions of bottles received in the carrier are exposed to view.

Description

The present invention relates to a basket type article carrier adapted to accommodate multiple articles, such as bottles and a blank for forming the carrier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The basket carrier for the bottle normally includes a central (media) compartment part, which includes a handle structure by which the carrier can be lifted and carried, and the bottles are arranged in rows on both sides of the central compartment. Typically, the bottles are separated from each other by transverse dividing compartments extending from each side of the central compartment structure to the adjacent side wall of the carrier. Thus, in this type of arrangement, the bottles are seated in individual cells of the carrier, although these cells are not always essential.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, in order to prevent the individual bottles from being removed from the carrier, the bottles are in motion limited by the cover parts which can be removed after purchase of the full carrier. The cover parts also help to protect the bottles against dust.

One aspect of the invention is that it provides a basket-type article carrier adapted to accommodate more articles such as a bottle that includes a base, opposing sidewalls and end walls, and an inner central partition structure comprising a handle forming means, with which the carrier can be lifted

-2a carrying said articles and placed on both sides of said central partition structure of the carrier, and wherein an upper plate portion is provided for joining said central partition structure to both sidewalls together, said upper plate portion having means for preventing removal of individual adjacent articles, if present in the carrier.

According to one aspect of this aspect of the invention, said constraining means may limit the movement of at least the upper portions of said articles when present in the carrier.

According to another feature of this aspect of the invention said limiting means may comprise openings formed in all said upper plate means.

According to another feature of this aspect of the invention, said top panel may comprise a pair of parts each being part but separable from said central partition structure and respective opposing sidewall.

according to a further feature of this aspect of the invention, said central partition structure may comprise integral transverse members which interconnect the central parts of the central partition structure and all opposing sides of the carrier to form a row of cells for placing articles on both sides of the central partition structure and each of the upper parts substantially closes the open ends of the cells in order to prevent removal of the articles therefrom until at least a portion of said upper part is removed. The pairs of handle reinforcement plates are preferably pivotably coupled to the respective said top piece, said handle parts being secured once the carrier is filled in a face-to-face manner along with the upwardly projecting handle portion of the central partition structure defining all said top parts.

According to a further feature of this aspect of the invention, it may

Said base comprising a bottom panel adapted substantially to close the bottom of the carrier after the carrier has been filled, and wherein said bottom panel comprises at least one opening through which the carrier may be punctured on a post providing means for separating the article in the shipping box.

Another aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming a basket type article carrier that includes a single sheet of collapsible material, including base forming members, opposing side and end panels, and an inner partition structure that includes a handle member and wherein all sidewalls are rotatably connected together parts for substantially closing the top of the carrier, said upper closure parts being formed with openings through which parts of the articles to be placed in the carrier can be projected. Preferably, all said upper closure parts are pivotably connected to respective parts of a pair of handle-reinforcing parts, said pair of handle-reinforcing parts being pivotally connected to another that is along the center line of the bend of the blank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an unfolded one blank of a carton from which the bottle carrier according to the invention is formed; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a folded but unfilled bottle carrier formed from the blank shown in FIG. 1 in a top and partial cross-sectional view; and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bottle carrier similar to FIG. 2, but complete and fully filled with bottles.

EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the bottle carrier C is formed from a single blank 10 of cardboard or other suitable collapsible sheet material and adapted to accommodate six bottles B (FIG. 3) arranged in two rows of three in each row.

The carrier comprises a first sidewall 12 to which a lower base 14 and a main lower part 16 are pivotally connected to the lower end thereof. The base part is pivotally connected to the sidewall 12 along the bending line 18 and the lower part 16 is pivotally connected to the base 14 along the line. bend 20. The bottom panel 16 is formed with a pair of apertures A which allow the carton to be placed in a bottle crate having an upstanding protruding column post. To complete the bottom of the carrier, when forming the carrier, the free edge of the bottom portion 16 is secured to the bottom strip 22. This is done after the carrier has been filled with bottles. The lower band 22 is pivotally connected to the opposing bottle heel 24 along the fold line 26, which in turn is pivotally connected to the lower edge of the second opposite side wall 28 of the carrier along the fold line 30.

The upper portions of each of the sidewalls 12 and 28, respectively, are similar and connected as a whole according to the center line of bend F of the support. The top part 12 comprises the side of the associated upper portion 22 that covers the cell to position the cylinders along one side of the handle structure H but has a series of openings S and S ^ _3, through which the outside of the neck of the bottle, stored in these cells. The upper portion 32 is pivotally connected to the sidewall 12 along the groove of the fold line 34 and also integrally rotatably connected to the first handle portion 36 along the fold line of the fold line 38. during ingestion, the upper portion 32 can tear along the grooves of the fold line 34 or 23. separate, at least partially, to allow the bottles to be removed from the carrier cells. The handle member 36 includes

A hole in the handle 40 which is reinforced by the pivotally connected flap of the handle 42.

Similarly, the upper portion of sidewall 28 comprising integral upper part 44 which covers the cell umiesenie cylinders of the other H of the handle and includes a series of openings S ₄ - _S, through which neck portion of bottles accommodated in those cells. The upper portion 44 is pivotally connected to the sidewall 28 along the groove of the fold line 46 and also as one unit pivotally connected to the other reinforcing portion of the handle 48 along the fold of the fold line 50. Thus, in use, the upper portion 11 can be torn along the grooves of the fold lines 46 or 55; at least partially detached, allowing the bottles in the cells below it to be removed from the carrier. The handle portion 48 includes a handle opening 52 that is reinforced by a pivotably attached flap 51. The holes in the handle 15 and 52 are inserted into the register to form the handle H.

Further, stiffening of the handle portion is provided by the stiffening flaps 56 and 58. The flap 55 is pivotally connected to the handle portion 36 along the fold line 60 and is bent to a face-to-face position such that the reinforced portion 15 and the like flap 58 are pivotally connected to the handle portion. 15 along the bend line 62 and is bent to a face-to-face position to stiffen the panel 48.

One end of the carrier is provided with end portions 51 and 55, respectively. End portion 64 is pivotally connected along fold line 68 to intermediate portion 25 that provides a tapered corner portion between sidewall 12 and end portion 51Diel 25 is pivotally connected to sidewall 12 along fold line 72. Along its opposite end, the rim portion 64 is pivotally attached to the central strip portion 74 along the fold line

25th

Similarly, the end piece 66 is pivotally connected along the bend line 78 to the intermediate piece 55, which forms another chamfered corner carrier portion between the sidewall 28 and the end piece 55-6. The panel 80 is pivotally connected to the sidewall 28 along the bend line 82. Along the opposite end is the end edge a portion 66 pivotally connected to the center strip portion 84 along the fold line 86. The center strip portion 84 is fastened face to face with the center strip portion 74 and forms part of the center internal structure of the carrier as a continuation extending below the handle structure H.

The opposite end of the carrier is provided with end portions 88 and SH, respectively. The end portion 88 is pivotally connected along the fold line 92 to the intermediate portion 94 which forms an angled corner portion between the sidewall 12 and the endboard 88. The portion 94 is pivotally connected to the sidewall 12 along the fold line. 96. Along the opposite end, the pivotally connected piece 88 along the line 98 to the main center piece 100. Similarly, the end piece 90 is pivotally connected along the bend line 102 to the intermediate piece 104 that forms a tapered corner portion between the side panel 28 and the end piece SQ. The part 104 is pivotally connected to the sidewall 28 along the bending line 106. Along its opposite end, the edge portion 90 is pivotally connected along the bending line 108 to the main center piece 110.

The construction of the center parts 100 and 110, respectively, is as follows:

The central portion 100 includes an integral handle portion 112 in which a hole of the handle 114 is punched near the upper edge. To form partitions that partially define a single row of individual carrier cells, a row of three transverse dividers 116, 118 and 120 are pivotally connected to the main center piece 100 along the fold lines 122, 124, and 126, respectively. on the second common anchoring member 128 along the bending lines 130, 132 and 134. Another anchoring ear 136 is punched and pivotally hinged to the transverse partition 116. At its upper edge, the partition 100 carries a reinforcing handle 138 formed with a handle opening 140 and rotatable

-Heated to a portion of the handle member 112 along the bend line 142.

the central portion 110 includes an integral portion of the handle portion 144 from which the hole of the handle 146 is punched near its upper edge. To form additional compartments which in part define another row of individual carrier cells, a rotatable row of three transverse partition panels 148, 150 and 152 are connected to the main center piece 110 along the fold lines 154, 156 and 158, respectively. each to the next common anchoring parts 160 along the bending lines 162. 164 and 166, respectively.

In order to form the entire carrier in a flat folded save from the blank, a series of bending and gluing operations is required. While these operations are known to those skilled in the art, in this particular case, the handle reinforcement portion 138 first folds along the bend line 142 and is fastened face to face on the handle portion 112 of the central portion 100. The stiffening members of the handle structure 56 and 58 are similarly folded and fixed face to face together with handle grip portions 36 and 48, respectively.

The main central compartment structure 1100 folds 180 ° to the right around the bending line 98 and the common anchoring member 128 and the anchoring ear 136 are secured facing the face against the sidewall 12- Similarly, the main center piece 110 folds 180 ° to the right around the bending line 108 and the common anchoring piece 160 is secured facing the face against the sidewall

At the other end of the blank, the end piece 64 is folded together with the central strip portion 74 as a single unit around the fold line 68 of the central partition structure 100, and likewise the end portion 66 together with the central portion 84 folds as a unit around the fold line 78 to overlap through adjacent end pieces of the folded center

-8 partition structure 110.

then the partially formed carrier is folded around the bending line F so that these parts reach on both sides of the central bending line F facing the face. Prior to performing this folding, glue is applied to the handle portions 112, 144 and other portions of the main center panels 100, 110 not connected to the transverse partition panels together with their adjacent end walls and center strips 64, 74, 66 and 84, respectively. the carrier surfaces are joined together when the bending around the bending line F is completed, the carrier is then in a flat, flattened shape from which it can be unfolded for filling.

The filling is accomplished by relative vertical movement between the bottles and the carrier during a common forward filling movement, well known in the art, whereby the bottles penetrate the respective cells through the open bottom of the carrier. Thereafter, the lower part 16 is folded upwards, thereby closing the lower ends of the bottle cells, and the free edge of the lower panel 16 is secured with an overlap with the free edge of the security strip 22 to form the bottom of the carrier.

During and immediately after the filling process, the parts reinforcing the handle 36, 48 connected to the upper portions 32 and ív respectively, are disconnected from the other (inner) portions 112/138. 144 of the handle structure 11 so that the registration of the apertures A with the portions of the filled bottles is easier to achieve.

Then, the positioning of each of the upper panels 32 and 44 is relatively fixed as a result of securing the (outer) reinforcing handle portions ϋ and 48 in registration with the (internal) component structure to form the finished handle structure shown in FIG. 3 drawings.

protruding handles as H is

Claims (9)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A basket-type article carrier adapted to accommodate more products than bottles, comprising a bottom, opposing sidewalls and end pieces, and an inner central partition structure including a handle by which the carrier can be lifted and carried, the articles are disposed on both sides of said central partition structure and wherein there is an upper panel joining together with said central partition structure and both said side panels, said upper panel having means limiting the ability to remove adjacent articles when present in the carrier. Product carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that said means of restraint restrict the movement of at least the upper portions of said products when present in the carrier. Product carrier according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said limiting means comprises openings formed in each of said upper parts. Product carrier according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said upper part comprises a pair of parts, each part being but separable from said central partition structure and the parts forming opposite sidewalls. Product carrier according to claim 4, characterized in that said central partition structure comprises as part of transverse partition parts which interconnect -10-center panels of the central compartment structure and both opposite sides of the carrier, thereby creating multiple cells for receiving articles on both sides of the central compartment structure, and wherein each top panel substantially closes the opening of the cells upwards, thereby preventing removal of products therefrom works at least partially separate. Product carrier according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that a pair of reinforcing parts as a handle are pivotally connected to each other and to said respective upper parts, said handle parts being secured as soon as the carrier is loaded face-to-face with the vertical handle portion of the partition structure, thereby defining all said upper parts. Product carrier according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said base comprises a part adapted substantially to close the bottom of the carrier after the carrier is filled and wherein said base part comprises at least one opening through which the carrier can be punctured. for a post having means for separating the products in the transport box. 8. A blank for making basket type article carriers comprising a single sheet of collapsible material including bottom, side and end panels, and an inner partitioning structure including a handle portion and wherein each side panel is rotatably coupled to the panels. for essentially closing the top of the carrier, wherein said upper closure parts are formed with openings through which parts of the products that are placed can be seen -11in carriers. A blank according to claim 8, characterized in that said upper closure parts are pivotally connected to respective parts of a pair of handle-reinforcing parts, said pair of handle-reinforcing parts being pivotally connected to one another along the center line of the bend of the blank.