US3429496A

US3429496A - Wrap-around type carrier and blank therefor

Info

Publication number: US3429496A
Application number: US679139A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert J Hickin
Original assignee: Packaging Corp of America
Current assignee: Packaging Corp of America
Priority date: 1967-10-30
Filing date: 1967-10-30
Publication date: 1969-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1986-02-25

Description

Feb. 25, 1969 R. .1. HlcKlN 3,429,496

WRAP-AROUND TYPE CARRIER AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Oct. 30, 1967 #VVE/V701? ROBERT J H/CK//V BY PEA/LETO/V, /VEUM/V SE/BOLD W/L/MS ATTORNEYS Fg. I

2/ @a y i United States Patent Office 3,429,496 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A wrap-around type carrier formed from a single blank of foldable sheet material for accommodating a plurality of articles of like configuration arranged in upright s1de- 8 Claims lby-side relation and forming `at least one row of articles.

The carrier includes an elongated top panel, depending sidewall panels and an elongated bottom panel; all of said panels cooperating to form a tubular member encompassing the row of articles. Disposed at least at one end of the carrier is an elongated end panel which is adjacent to, but separate from an adjacent end edge of the top panel. The end limits of the end panel are -foldably connected to adjacent edges of the sidewall panels whereby said end panel assumes a substantially concave disposition with respect to the end of the car-ton and a transverse disposition with respect to the top panel.

Background of the invention Merchandising of bottled beverages for example in a single, compact and portable package containing three, six or eight individual bottles has become a popular and convenient method of retailing such beverages. The bottles accommodated within the package are normally arranged in upright side-by-side relation and form either a single row in the case of three bottles or two parallel rows in the case of six and eight bottles. The row or rows of bottles are normally encompassed by a tubular-shaped carrier formed of paperboard or like on which attractive eye-catching advertising indicia is imprinted. In the retailing of such packaged beverages it is customary for a plurality of loaded carriers to be arranged in stacked relation on a shelf which is readily accessible to the customer. Because in many instances a large number of competitive carrier-packaged bottled beverages are arranged side by side on the same shelf, only the open ends of the loaded carriers are exposed to the view of the customer. Because of such an arrangement of the loaded carriers, it has been found a definite advantage to the customer while making a selection of a carrier-packed bottled beverage to have an ad, or identifying, panel formed on the open end of the carrier. Furthermore, such a panel serves to stabilize the bottles within the carrier and prevent accidental falling of the accommodated bottles endwise of the carrier during normal handling of the loaded carrier.

Various so-called ad-panel, wrap-around carriers have heretofore been provided; however, due to certain design characteristics, the end (ad) panels thereof are ineffective for the above-stated purposes. For example, in certain structures the end panel is foldably connected to the sidewall panels as well as the top panel with the result that the end panel does not readily remain in its desired folded position, but due to the iight of the paperboard used in forming the carrier, is susceptible to returning its unfolded condition wherein it is substantially coplanar with the top panel. In other instances where the ad-panel is foldably connected to the top panel diiculty is sometimes encountered in manually folding the panel inwardly.

Summary of the invention Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a wraparound type carrier which is not beset with the aforenoted shortcomings of the prior art structures.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a wrap-around carrier which is of simple and inexpensive construction, attractive in appearance, and may be readily manipulated either mechanically or manually into carrying engagement with a plurality of bottles or the like.

Further and additional -objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a Wrap-around type carrier is provided which is formed from a single blank of foldable -material and is adapted to accommodate six bottles of like coniiguration arranged in side-by-side relation and in two parallel rows of three bottles each. The carrier comprises an elongated top panel which is adapted to overlie the accommodated bottles. Sidewall panels are provided which are foldably connected to opposite elongated side edges of the top panel and depend therefrom. A bottom panel is foldably connected to the bottom edges of the sidewall panels and is adapted to subtend the accommodated bottles. The top, sidewall and bottom panels cooperate with one another to form a tubular member. Disposed at each end of the tubular member is an elongated end panel. Each end panel is disposed adjacent to but separated from a narrow edge of the top panel and has the opposite end limits thereof foldably connected to the adjacent edges of the depending sidewall panels. The end panels assume concave positions and are transversely disposed with respect to the top panel.

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference should be made to the drawing wherein:

FIG. l is a top plan view of a blank for one form of the improved carrier;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the improved carrier shown in loaded condition; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of F IG. 2.

Description Referring now to FIG. 2, one form of an improved wraparound type carrier 10 is shown loaded with six bottles 11 which are arranged in side-by-side relation to form a pair of parallel rows A and B of three bottles each. While six bottles are shown accommodated by the carrier 10, it is to be understood of course that the number of bottles may be increased or decreased without departing from the scope of the invention. In instances Where only three bottles are being accommodated they are arranged in a single row. Furthermore, the improved carrier is not restricted to accommodating only beverage bottles but instead may accommodate articles of various other shapes and sizes from that as shown. In any case the articles being accommodated by a single carrier should be of like configuration.

The carrier 10 is formed from a blank of sheet material (i.e. paperboard) of suitable point on which attractive and eye-appealing indicia has been imprinted. The blank l0, as seen in FIG. l, comprises an elongated top panel 13 which is adapted, in the illustrated embodiment, to overlie the tops of the accommodated articles 11. A pair of finger openings 14 are formed in the panel 13 to facilitate hand carrying of the loaded carrier.

Connected by

foldlines

15 and 16 to the opposite elongated side edges of top panel 13 are

sidewalls panels

17 and 18. The

foldlines

15 and 16 are interrupted by longitudinally spaced struck-

ont tabs

20 and 21, which are adapted, when the blank is set up and loaded, to provide suitable openings 20a and 21a in which are disposed portions of the upper ends 11a of the bottles 11. The openings 20a and 21a serve to retain the bottle upper ends in proper spaced relation.

Each

sidewall panel

17 or 18 is provided with foldably connected sections 17a, b and c or 18a, b and c. The upper panel sections 17a and 18a extend divergently downwardly from the top panel 13 when the blank is set up, see FIG. 3, so as to conform approximately to the tapered configuration of the bottle upper-end portions. The middle sections 17b and 1817 extend vertically downwardly from the lower edges of sections 17a and 18a and snugly engage therebetween the central portions of the accommodated bottles. To the bottom edge of each middle section 17b or 18h is a lower section 17e or 18C. The sections 17e and 18C extend convergently downwardly from the middle sections 17b and 1811.` Connected by foldlines 22 to the lower edges of sections 17e and 18e are bottom-forming

panels

23 and 24. Each foldline 22 is interrupted by a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 25 which are adapted to accommodate lower portions 11C of the bottles. The openings 25 coact with the bottle lower portions 11b and retain the latter in their proper relative positions. The number and shape of the sidewall panel sections will depend upon the number and shape of the articles accommodated by the carrier.

The bottom-forming

panels

23 and 24 are adapted to overlap one another when the carrier is set up and are retained in said overlapping relation by any suitable means, such as a plurality of tabs 26 formed along the outer edge of panel 23, and a like number of openings 27 formed along the outer edge of panel 24. The manner of retaining

panels

23 and 24 in overlapping relation forms no part of the instant invention.

Disposed adjacent each narrow edge of top panel 13 and separated therefrom by an elongated slit or cut 28 is an end or ad panel 30. As illustrated, the ends of each slit 28 terminate at

foldlines

15 and 16; however, if desired they may extend slightly beyond same and be curved relative to one another into divergent relation. The opposite ends of each panel 30 are connected to the adjacent edges of the upper sidewall panel sections 17a and 18a by

foldlines

31 and 32 which extend divergently outwardly from the ends of foldlines and 16, respectively, see FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment each end panel 30 is provided with a pair of second foldlines 33 which are axial extensions of

foldlines

15 and 16. The

foldlines

31, 32 and 33 cooperate to permit the end panel 30 to be readily folded downwardly with respect to the top panel 13 and assume a substantially concave or recess position, see FIG. 2. When the end panel 30 is in its downwardly folded position, it is retained in such position by the gusset-like segments 34 which are formed at each end of the panel 30 between foldlines 31-33 and 32-33 and extend inwardly toward the bottles 11 as seen more clearly in FIG. 2.

If desired, the foldlines 33 may be omitted in which case the end panels 11 will assume inwardly bowed positions when folded downwardly with respect to the top panel 13` In either case the angular disposition of the

foldlines

31 and 32 and the separation of each end panel from the adjacent edge of the top panel 13 by the slit or cut 28 permit the end panel to be readily folded downwardly and remain in such position.

The downwardly folded end panels 30 serve two functions: (a) provide indicia means which is observable when the loaded carrier is viewed endwise, and (b) prevent the upper portions of the end bottles from accidentally falling endwise out of the carrier.

Thus it will be seen that a simple, inexpensive, attractive and eiective wrap-around carrier has been provided which incorporates an ad-panel which provides end identification for the carrier and better retention of the articles within the carrier.

While several modifications of the invention have heretofore been described, it is to be understood that further modifications are contemplated and it is intended therefore by the appended claims to cover such further moditications.

I claim:

1. A Wrap-around type carrier for use in packaging a plurality of articles of like configuration arranged in upright side-by-side relation to form at least one row of articles, said carrier comprising an elongated top panel for engaging the top portions of the accommodated row of articles, a pair of sidewall panels foldably connected to and depending from opposed elongated side edges of said top panel; a bottom panel foldably connected to the lower edges of the depending sidewall panels for subtending the accommodated articles, said top, sidewall and bottom panels cooperating to form a tubular member for encompassing the article row; and elongated end panels disposed adjacent to but separated from by a cut line the narrow end edges of said top panel, each end panel having the opposite end limits thereof foldably connected to adjacent edges of said depending sidewall panels, said end panel assuming a substantially concave disposition with respect to the end of the carton and a transverse disposition with respect to said top panel.

2. The carrier of claim 1 wherein each sidewall panel includes an upper section having the upper edge portion thereof foldably connected to the elongated side edge of the top panel, said upper section extending obliquely downwardly from said top panel and having the lower edge portion thereof foldably connected to a second section of said sidewall panel; said end panel end limits being foldably connected to the sidewall panel upper sections.

3. The carrier of claim 2 wherein the foldline connection between said top panel and said sidewall upper section is interrupted by a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings for lockingly engaging the upper portions of the accommodated row of articles.

4. The carrier of claim 1 wherein each sidewall panel includes a lower section having the upper edge portion thereof foldably connected to a second sidewall section and the lower edge portion thereof foldably connected to the bottom panel; the foldline connection between said sidewall lower section and said bottom panel being interrupted by a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings for lockingly engaging the lower portions of the accommodated row of articles.

5. The carrier of claim 1 wherein each end panel is provided with second foldlines, one disposed adjacent each end limit and extending axially from the end of the fold connection between said top panel and said adjacent sidewall panel; each second foldline extending across said end panel and being transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal dimension of said elongated end panel.

6. The carrier of claim 5 wherein each second foldline and the adjacent foldline connection between said end panel end line and said adjacent sidewall panel form an acute angle and define a gusset-like end segment of said end panel, whereby the portion of the end panel intermediate said gusset-like end segments assumes a substantially perpendicular disposition with respect to the plane of said top panel and overlies an upper portion of the end article of the accommodated row of articles.

7. A blank for a wrap-around type carrier comprising an elongated top panel, sidewall panels foldably connected to the opposite elongated edges of said top panel, a bottom panel foldably connected to at least one sidewall along an edge thereof opposite the edge connected to said top panel, and an elongated end panel disposed adjacent to but separated from a narrow edge of said top panel; the end limits of said end panel being connected by foldlines to adjacent edge portions of said sidewall panels, said foldlines extending divergently from the ends of the fold connections between said top panel and said sidewall panels.

8. The blank of claim 7 wherein said end panels includes second foldlines extending axially from the fold` 5 6 connections between said top panel and said sidewall 3,202,584 8/ 1965 Forrer 206-65 panels; said end limit-fold connection and one of said 3,270,914 9/ 1966 Graser 206--65 second foldlines dening a gusset-like end segment of 3,339,723 9/ 1967 Wood 206-65 said end panel. 3,381,816 5/ 1968 Forrer 206-65 References Cited 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner. Re.24,667 7/1959 Finding 20s-65 US-C1XR- 2,222,211 11/1940 Ameson 22o-112 206-655 22o-112 2,382,844 8/1945 Arneson 220-112