US3760978A

US3760978A - Multi-container carrier carton

Info

Publication number: US3760978A
Application number: US00117008A
Authority: US
Inventors: O Stone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-02-19
Filing date: 1971-02-19
Publication date: 1973-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-25
Also published as: CA967524A

Abstract

An improved boxboard carton for use, in the preferred embodiment, as a twelve-bottle carrier, having an improved handle structure that includes means for holding or tilting the centrally located bottles outwardly to provide additional hand room. In one embodiment, the holding means cooperates with a hand inserted into the handle to provide the additional room, and the entire carton, including the outer structure, the central divider, the multi-cell structure and the handle, is of one-piece construction using a single carton blank with a minimum amount of boxboard area and without waste. In another embodiment, the holding means itself holds the bottles outwardly without the need for cooperation with an inserted hand to accomplish the holding. The handle does not project above the upper surface of the carton whereby excellent stackability is achieved. The carton blank can be formed into a preglued carton tube on known high speed gluers, and the glued, flat carton tube can be set up by the bottler using existing equipment. In another embodiment, the top wall includes slits in one set of flaps and mating score lines in the other set of flaps, so that the top wall can be re-closed and locked after being opened.

Description

United States Patent 1 Stone [11] 3,760,978 [451 Sept. 25, 1973 1 MULTI-CONTAINER CARRIER CARTON R. Boston, Fairport, N.Y. part interest to each [52] U.S. Cl. 220/115, 220/118, 229/28 BC, 229/45, 229/52 A, 229/52 B, 229/52 BC [51] Int. Cl B6Sd 75/00 [58] Field of Search 220/115, 118, 114; 229/52 BC, 52 A, 52 B, 28 BC, 51 TC, 45, 51 SC [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,253,489 1/1918 Houghland 229/45 2,661,143 12/1953 lnman 229/51 SC X 2,616,600 11/1952 Morgan 220/115 3,157,309 11/1964 Chidsey, Jr. et a1... 220/115 3,554,402 1/1971 Lock 220/115 3,198,381 8/1965 Gioia 220/115 1,234,483 7/1917 Luke 229/51 TC 3,403,839 10/1968 Farquhar 220/118 X Primary ExaminerSamuel B. Rothberg Assistant ExaminerStephen P. Garbe Attorney-Schovee & Boston 5 7 ABSTRACT An improved boxboard carton for use, in the preferred embodiment, as a twelve-bottle carrier, having an improved handle structure that includes means for holding or tilting the centrally located bottles outwardly to provide additional hand room. In one embodiment, the holding means cooperates with a hand inserted into the handle to provide the additional room, and the entire carton, including the outer structure, the central divider, the multi-cell structure and the handle, is of onepiece construction using a single carton blank with a minimum amount of boxboard area and without waste. In another embodiment, the holding means itself holds the bottles outwardly without the need for cooperation with an inserted hand to accomplish the holding. The handle does not project above the upper surface of the carton whereby excellent stackability is achieved. The carton blank can be formed into a preglued carton tube on known high speed gluers, and the glued, flat carton tube can be set up by the bottler using existing equipment. In another embodiment, the top wall includes slits in one set of flaps and mating score lines in the other set of flaps, so that the top wall can be re-closed and locked after being opened.

43 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures SHEET 1 0F 4 INVENTOR.

ORISON W. STONE ATTORNEYS PMENIEUSEPZS'Q" 3,760,978

SHEET 3 of 4 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS ORlSON w. STONE MULTI-CONTAINER CARRIER CARTON BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Boxboard cartons for use as twelve-bottle carriers are known, however, the known cartons are subject to various inherent disadvantages. For example, known carriers are relatively expensive because they have to be made from several separate pieces of boxboard. Further, known carriers employ handles that must be raised to be used; when let go of the handle can drop back down making it necessary to raise it again. The handles also make palletizing stacks of carriers difficult by sometimes remaining raised or partly raised above the top surface of the carton. The raised handle also causes problems in the bottle removal process at the bottling plant.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved carton blank and carton that do not have the above disadvantages.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved multi-container carrier carton having a recessed handle and means for holding adjacent containers away from the handle to provide additional hand room.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carton blank and a carton produced therefrom, which carton is useful as a multi-cell carrier that can be of one-piece construction, that uses a minimum amount of boxboard and without waste, that provides greater protection between bottles, that provides excellent stackability, that can be run on high speed gluers, and that can be readily set up on existing brewery plant equipment.

-' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An improved twelve-bottle carrier including a handle structure that exists below the top surface of the carton and means for holding the tops of bottles, adjacent the handle, tilted away from the handle to provide additional hand room. In a first embodiment the holding means cooperate with the hand to accomplish the holding and is formed from a one-piece boxboard carton blank. In another embodiment, a separate insert is added, and the adjacent bottles are held further outwardly than in the first embodiment and without the need for cooperation with a hand. The carrier comprises an outer structure including a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls and two end walls, and an inner structure including a central divider and a multicell structure. The handle includes a hand hole in the central divider and a hand hole flap projecting partway down into the hand hole from above, to provide a relatively large, smooth support surface for the hand. A pair of breakaway flaps are positioned in the top wall above the hand hole and on opposite sides of the central divider. In the first embodiment, a pair of infolded shield flaps are hingedly connected to the breakaway flaps to protect the knuckles from any sharp edges on the bottle closures and to help force the centrally located bottles outwardly to provide additional knuckle room.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description thereof, when read in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top planar view of a carton blank of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top planar view of a carton tube made from the carton blank of FIG. 1 and folded flat;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an erect carton made from the carton blank of FIG. 1 with the top flaps open and horizontal;

FIG. 4 is a partly broken away end view of the erect carton;

FIG. 5 is a partly broken away side view of the carton;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the carton of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the carton of the second embodiment as it appears before the separate insert is added to complete the handle;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the carton of FIG. 7 showing the handle completely formed;

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the handle of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the separate insert; and

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the carton showing a reclosure embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The three embodiments of the present invention will be separately described below with reference to FIGS. 1-6, 7-10, and 11.

With reference now to the drawings, FIG. I shows a one-piece carton blank 2 that can be formed into a carton tube 4 (FIG. 2) that can, in turn, be erected into a carton 6 (FIG. 4) having a multi-cell compartment 7, for use as a multi-container carrier. In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the carton 6 is used as a twelve-bottle carrier for beer, and it is this twelve-bottle carrier that will be described in detail below. It is to be understood, of course, that the carton 6 of the present invention can be designed to carry other quantities than twelve, for example, six, and to carry other containers than bottles.

Before beginning the detailed description, a brief, general description of the carton 6 will be helpful. The carton 6 comprises generally an outer structure 8, an inner structure 10, and a handle structure 12 made up partly from the inner structure 10 and partly from the outer structure 8. The outer structure 8 completely encloses the multi-cell compartment 7 and includes the various walls (discussed in detail below), and the inner structure 10 includes a central divider l3 and a multicell structure I4.

With detailed reference now to FIG. I, the carton blank 2 comprises a first portion 16 and a second portion 18 hingedly connected together by a pair of

hinge straps

20 and 22. The first portion 16 forms the outer structure, i.e. the top, side and bottom walls of the carton 6 while the second portion 18 forms the inner structure, i.e., the central divider 13 and the multi-cell structure 14.

The first portion 16 comprises, in series, a first end wall 24, hingedly connected to a first side wall 26,

hingedly connected in turn to a second end wall 28, hingedly connected in turn to a second side wall 30. A glue flap32 is hingedly connected to the first end wall 24 and is glued at the right side (as viewed in FIG. 1) of thesecond side wall 3 when the carton blank 2 is formed into the carton tube 4. The first portion 16 further includes a first bottom end wall flap 36 hingedly connected to the first end wall 24, a first bottom side wall flap 38 hingedly connected to the first side wall 26, a second bottom end wall flap 40 hingedly connected to the second end wall 28, and a second bottom side wall flap 42 hingedly connected to the second side wall 30. The first portion 16 also includes a first top end wall flap 44 hingedly connected to the first end wall 24, a first top side wall flap 46 hingedly connected to the first side wall 26, a second top end wall flap 48 hingedly connected to the second end wall 28 and a second top side wall flap 50 hingedly connected to the second side wall 30. Each of the top

side wall flaps

46 and 50 includes a

breakaway flap

52 and 54, respectively. Hingedly connected to each of the

breakaway flaps

52 and 54 is a

shield flap

56 and 58 respectively, the purpose for which will be explained in detail below.

The second portion 18 comprises, in series, a first divider wall end support section 60, hingedly connected to a first divider wall 62, hingedly connected in turn to a second divider wall end support section 64, hingedly connected in turn to a second divider wall 66. The

divider walls

62 and 64 form the central divider 13 in the erect carton 6. The

divider walls

62 and 66 each have a substantially rectangular opening 68 and 70, respectively, therein which openings cooperate in the erect carton 6 to form a hand hole 71. The second divider wall 66 includes a flap 72 hingedly connected to a bottom edge 73 of the opening 70. The

divider walls

62 and 66 each include a reinforcing

flap

74 and 76, respectively, connected to the top edges thereof. The shape of the reinforcing

flaps

74 and 76 is such, with respect to the shape of the

shield flaps

56 and 58, as to minimize the total quantity of boxboard area required for the carton blank 2 while still providing sufficient material for the

flaps

56, 58, 74 and 76. The reinforcing

flaps

74 and 76 each include an

extension

78 and 80 respectively, hingedly connected thereto, which

extensions

78 and 80 extend into the hand hole 71 (see FIG. 4) formed by the two openings 68 and 70. When a hand 81 (see FIG. 4) is inserted into the hand hole 71, the

extensions

78 and 80 are forced to fold in the opposite direction to provide a relatively large, smooth surface 84 (FIG. 4) for supporting the carton 6.

The second portion 18 also includes a plurality of cell walls for dividing the compartment 7 into a predetermined number of preferably identical cells. Each of the

divider walls

62 and 66 provide the cell walls for the adjacent half of the compartment 7. The first divider wall 62 is hingedly connected to

cell walls

86, 88, 90, 92 and 94. The second divider wall 66 is similarly hingedly connected to

cell walls

96, 98, 100, 102, and 104. Each of the cell walls 86-94, in the erected carton 6, extend perpendicularly to the first divider wall 62 and are connected to the adjacent first side wall 26 by means of glue flaps 106, 108, 110, 112, and 114. Correspondingly, the cell walls 96-104 in the erect carton 6, extend perpendicularly to the second divider wall 66 andare connected to the adjacent second side wall 30 by" means of glue flaps 116, 118, 120, 122, and 124, respectively.

Top edges

126 and 128 of the first and

second divider walls

62 and 66, respectively, include recessed or stepped edges 130-131 and 132-133 respectively. These recessed or stepped edges allow the top end wall flaps 44 and 48 to fold flat, in the erect carton, to provide a completely flat top surface to improve stackability of the cartons 6.

As mentioned above, the two

portions

16 and 18 are hingedly connected together by means of the hinge straps 20 and 22. It is noted that the hinge straps 20 and 22 are each provided with

circular openings

134 and 135, respectively, for providing as much head room for the container or bottle positioned in the cell just below the particular hinge strap, as is provided for the other ten bottles. This provides as flat a top surface for the carton 6 as is possible, to improve stackability of the cartons 6. The

openings

134 and 135 can, of course, be of any desired shape and size. It is to be noted that the hinge straps 20 and 22 can be connected to the top side wall flaps 46 and 50 rather than to the top end wall flaps 44 and 48, if desired, although the presently described structure is preferred.

FIG. 2 shows the carton tube 4 formed from the carton blank 2 of FIG. 1. ln forming the carton tube 4, the first step is to apply glue to the reinforcing

flaps

74 and 76 while the blank 2 is face down. These reinforcing

flaps

74 and 76 are then folded onto the first and

second divider walls

62 and 64, respectively. Then glue is applied to the glue flaps 106-124 and also, if desired (although it is not essential), to the divider wall

end support sections

60 and 64. The second portion 18 is then folded over on top of the first portion 16 along a pair of

hinge lines

136 and 138 connecting the hinge straps 20 and 22 to the top end wall flaps 44 and 48, respectively. The glue flap 32 is then folded 180 to overly section 60 and glue is applied to the glue flap 32. Glue is also applied to the portions of the central divider 13 that remain in face to face relationship in the erect carton 6. Then the two

portions

16 and 18 are folded along a hinge line 140 connecting the first side wall 26 to the second end wall 28. The carton tube 4 can be transported in the flat orientation shown in FIG. 2 and can be readily and easily setup for packing at the brewery.

FIG. 3 is an open top view showing the carton tube 4 of FIG. 2 after it as been erected. When force is applied to erect the carton tube 4, the various cell walls 86-104 are caused to fold along both of their fold lines to form the predetermined cell structure of the carton 6 for receiving the beer bottles. FIG. 6 shows the top of the carton 6 as it appears when packed and closed.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional end view of the carton 6 as it appears when assembled and loaded; FIG. 4 also diagrammatically shows the manner in which the handle structure 12 operates with respect to a hand 81 of a person carrying the carton 6. In carrying the carton 6 the hand 81 first pushes down on the two breakaway flaps 52 and 54 breaking a weak connection at 144 and 145(see FIG. 1) for flap S2 and at 146 and 147 (FIG. 1) for flap 54. The breakaway flaps 52 and 54 and the shield flaps 56 and 58 are then pushed downwardly and fingers of the hand 81 are then inserted through the hand hole 71, bending the

extensions

78 and 80 to the .left (as viewed in FIG. 4) to provide the smooth holding surface 84. The shield flaps 56 and 58 prevent the fingers from coming into contact with any sharp edges of the bottles 150 during insertion of the fingers into the compartment 7. The fingers also force the flap 72 to the left. The shield flaps 56 and 58 press against the adjacent bottles 150 forcing them outwardly to provide additional room for the fingers of the hand 81.

Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7-10. FIGS. 7-9 show a carton 200 identical to the carton 6 of FIGS. 3-6 except for a new handle structure 202. The new handle structure 202 provides more band room than does the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, and the additional hand room is provided by the structure itself, without requiring the cooperation therewith of the hand as is required in the FIGS. 1-6 embodiment. As will be seen from the following description, the new handle structure 202 does not employ either the shield flaps 56 and 58 nor the flap 72 of the embodiment of FIGS. l-6.

The new handle structure 202 (see FIG. 8) comprises a hand hole 204, a pair of breakaway flaps 206 and 208, and a separate insert 210. The separate insert 210 is inserted and glued into place after the carton 200 has been filled with containers 211, and after the top surface 213 of the carton 200 has been glued down. FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing the carton 200 after it is filled with containers, and after the top wall is glued down, but before the insert 210 is inserted. Referring now to FIG. 7, the breakaway flap 206 is divided by

slits

212 and 214 into a central section 216, hingedly connected to a top side wall flap 218 along a hinge line 220, and a pair of

end sections

222 and 224 hingedly connected to the top side wall flap 218 along hinge lines 226- and 228, respectively. The breakaway flap 208 is similarly divided by

slits

230 and 232 into a central section 234, hingedly connected to a top side wall flap 236 along a hinge line 238, and a pair of

end sections

240 and 242 hingedly connected to the top side wall flap 236 along a pair of

hinge lines

244 and 246, respectively. The breakaway flaps 206 and 208 each include a pair of cutouts 248-249 and 250-251, respectively, for reasons to be disclosed in detail below. The section 216 is temporarily connected to

sections

222 and 224 at

breakaway connections

252 and 254, and similarly the section 234 is temporarily connected to

sections

240 and 242 at

breakaway connections

256 and 258.

With reference now to FIG. 9, showing, in crosssection, the completely constructed handle structure 202, insertion of the separate insert 210 down into place causes the

connections

252, 254, 256, and 258 to break and causes the

sections

216, 222, 224, 234, 240, and 242 to all move downwardly about their hinge lines. The insert 210 comprises a pair of reinforcing

panels

260 and 262 glued to opposite outside surfaces of a central divider 13, each of which

panels

260 and 262 is hingedly connected to one of a pair of

wedge panels

266 and 268. The two reinforcing

panels

260 and 262 are also connected to a narrow central panel 270 that overlies a top edge 272 of the central divider 13. Each of the reinforcing

panels

260 and 262 is provided with an

opening

274 and 276, respectively, that register with an opening 278 in the central divider 13 to form the hand hole 204 in complete handle structure 202. Each one of the reinforcing

panels

260 and 262 is hingedly connected to an

extension tab

277 and 279 respectively, that extends partway into the hand hole 204 to form, when forced to one side or the other by a hand, a relatively large, smooth surface 265, similar to surface 84 of FIG. 4, for contacting the hand. Prior to the insert 210 being forced down into position into the carton 200, glue is applied to the inside surfaces of the reinforcing

panels

260 and 262. As the insert 210 is forced down, the

wedge panels

266 and 268 contact the

central sections

234 and 216, respectively, and the

sections

234 and 216 in turn contact the four centrally located containers 211 and force them to tilt outwardly. The containers are forced to tilt outwardly a sufficient distance such that a pair of

free edges

282 and 284 of the section 216 and a pair of

edges

286 and 288 of wedge panel 266 snap and lock under a pair of

closures

290 and 291 of a pair of containers 211 on one side of the central divider 13. Similarly, on the other side of the central divider 13, a pair of

edges

292 and 294 of the section 234 and a pair of

edges

296 and 298 of wedge panel 266 snap and lock under a pair of

closures

300 and 302 of a pair of containers 211 on the other side of the central divider 13. The term free, used with respect to edges, means that the particular panel is not connected to another panel along the free edge thereof. The

closures

290, 291, 300, and 302 snap into locking engagement with the various edges at that point in the outward movement of the containers 211 when the closures are forced into and received in the cutouts 248-251. The downward force exerted on the

wedge panels

266 and 268 by the

closures

290, 291, 300, and 302, force the glued reinforcing

panels

260 and 262 tightly against the central divider 13 producing a good tight glued connection.

The angle of the

slits

212, 214, 230, and 232 is such that in the completed handle structure 202, the

end sections

222, 224, 240, and 242 abut the

wedge panels

266 and 268 to enclose the compartment 7; a continuous series of walls separate the compartment 7 from the recess 312.

It is to be noted that the cutouts 248-251 do not ex-. tend all the way back to the

hinge lines

220 and 238, respectively. The reason for this is to provide four

short tabs

330, 332, 334, and 336 projecting over the tops of the four

closures

290, 291, 300, and 302, to aid in protecting the hand from scraping on the edges of the closures.

The new handle structure 202 is similar to the handle structure 12 of FIGS. 1-6 in that the centrally located containers are tilted outwardly in both embodiments to provide additional room for the hand carrying the carton. However, whereas this feature is accomplished in the embodiment of FIGS. l-6 by structure cooperating with the hand itself, the embodiment of FIGS. 7-10 accomplishes the same objective without the need for such cooperation. In the new embodimennthe handle structure 202 itself holds the centrally located containers outwardly. Further, in the new embodiment, there is no need to have to initially thrust the hand-down to break the breakaway flaps, the new handle structure 202 provides an opening 310 and a recess 312 exposing the handle structure 202 while still forming an enclosed compartment for the containers within the carton.

The hand hole 204 is slightly closer to the top surface 213 of the carton 200 than is the hand hole 71 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6. This has been made possible by virtue of the additional reinforcing

panels

260 and 262 of the insert 210, which strengthen the portion of the central divider adjacent the hand hole 204.

It should also be noted that the embodiment of FIGS. 7-10 provides more room for the hand than does the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6. This is accomplished by means of the cutouts 24&-25l allowing the containerengaging flap to move outwardly into contact with the container itself rather than being stopped by the closure. This feature provides approximately 1% inch additional room on each side of the central divider 13.

When the carton 200 is used for returning empty containers, the

wedge panels

266 and 268 are simply pushed down by the containers into the two cells below the handle structure 202. Each of the

wedge panels

266 and 268 is provided with a

break line

320 and 322, respectively, that contacts the cell walls, 90 and 100, respectively. When returnables are thrust into the cells, the

wedge panels

266 and 268 are pushed down, tear along their break lines, and are forced down and along the central divider 13.

While the embodiment of FIGS. 7-10 has been described with detailed reference to the presently preferred construction thereof, it is to be understood that other structures can be used to hold at least the centrally located containers on at least one side of the central divider (the knuckle side), in an outwardly tilted position to provide the additional hand room. This other structure can include various types of holding means, such as wedge panels, whether locked under the closures or not, and even locking lugs or separate elastic bands to pull and hold the tilted containers in the desired position.

Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 11 showing only one end of the carton; it is to be understood that the other end is identically constructed. This embodiment is identical to that of FIGS. 1-6 above, with the exception that the top side wall flaps 46 and 50 are each provided with a

diagonal slit

350 and 352, respectively, adjacent one end thereof, and with the further exception that the top end wall flap 44 is provided with a pair of mating

diagonal score lines

354 and 356, allowing the corners of the flap 44 to be bent and inserted through the

slits

350 and 352, respectively. In this way, when the carton 6 is to be used to return empties, the top wall can be easily locked down into place, allowing convenient stacking and palletizing. The slits and score lines do not have to be positioned at 45 degrees, but can be at any desired diagonal angle, as long as the slits and score lines mate," that is, are at the proper angle relative to each other whereby a corner will properly fit and lock into a slit.

The term one-piece construction as applied to the outer structure, the inner structure, and the handle structure of the carton 6 of the present invention is hereby defined to mean that the three structures are formed from a single carton blank.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a carton having a flat top surface for use as a multi-container carrier, the improvement comprising:

a. a handle structure centrally located adjacent said flat top surface; and

b. said handle structure including means for contacting the upper portions of only centrally located containers, adjacent said handle structure, and for holding centrally located containers, when received in said carrier, tilted away from said handle structure, to provide additional hand room.

2. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said handle structure and said holding means are located completely below a top surface of said carton.

3. The carton according to claim 2 wherein said holding means includes an edge that locks under a closure of said containers.

4. The carton according to claim 3 wherein said holding means comprises a panel section hingedly connected to a top wall of said carton, said panel section including an edge spaced from said hinge and positioned such that when said panel section is pivoted down into said carton, said edge will lock under a closure of a container positioned below said edge.

5. The carton according to claim 4 wherein said holding means includes a wedge panel separate from said top wall, said wedge panel including a free edge at one side thereof for locking under a container closure at the same side thereof as does said panel section edge.

6. In a carton for use as a multi-container carrier, the improvement comprising:

a. a handle structure;

b. means for holding predetermined ones of containers, located in said carton adjacent said handle structure, tilted away from said handle structure, to provide additional hand room;

0. said handle structure and said holding means being located completely below a top surface of said carton;

d. said holding means including an edge that locks under a closure of said containers;

e. said holding means comprising a panel section hingedly connected to a top wall of said carton, said panel section including an edge spaced from said hinge and positioned such that when said panel section is pivoted down into said carton, said edge will lock under a closure of a container positioned below said edge;

f. said holding means including a wedge panel separate from said top wall, said wedge panel including an edge at one side thereof for locking under a container closure; and

g. wherein said wedge panel is glued adjacent the other side thereof to said handle structure and is adapted to be wedged with said edge under said closure.

7. The carton according to claim 3 wherein said holding means includes a wedge panel separate from said top wall said wedge panel being hingedly and movably connected to said handle structure along a hinge line, said wedge panel having a free edge located above said hinge line, for locking under a container closure.

8. In a carton for use as a multi-container carrier, the improvement comprising:

a. a handle structure;

c. said handle structure and said holding means being located completely below a top surface of said carton;

d. said holding means including an edge that locks under a closure of said containers; and

a e. wherein said carton includes:

iii. said top wall including a pair of breakaway flaps one on each side of said central divider, a hand hole in said central divider beneath said breakaway flaps, and an insert, separate from the remaining elements of said carton, and glued to said central divider over said hand hole, said insert including a pair of wedge panels one on each side of said central divider, each of said wedge panels and each of said breakaway flaps including edges adapted to lock underneath a closure of a container positioned in said carton.

9. The carton according to claim 8 wherein said edges of said breakaway flaps are formed by means of cutouts in said breakaway flaps.

10. The carton according to claim 9 wherein said insert includes a pair of reinforcing panels hingedly connected together including one on each side of said central divider, and each of said reinforcing panels including an opening therein in register with said hand hole.

'11. The carton according to claim 10 wherein each of said reinforcing panels includes an extension flap hingedly connected thereto and projecting partway down into said hand hole for pivoting one way or the other to provide a relatively large, smoothsurface for carrying said carton.

12. The carton according to claim 8 wherein said wedge flaps overlie said breakaway flaps.

13. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising:

a. an outer structure of approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and including a top wall, a bottom wall, two sidewalls, and two end walls completely enclosing a multi-cell compartment;

b. an inner structure including a central divider and a multi-cell structure connected between said central divider and said sidewalls;

c. a handle structure centrally located adjacent said top wall;

d. said outer structure, said inner structure, and said handle structure being of one-piece construction; and

e. said structures including means adjacent said handle structure for contacting the upper portions of only those containers located adjacent said handle structure and for holding only said adjacent containers tilted away from said handle structure to provide additional hand room.

14. The carton according to claim 13 including means cooperating with a hand associated with said handle structure for forcing containers adjacent said handle structure outwardly to provide additional knuckle room for said hand.

15. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising:

c. a handle structure;

d. said outer structure, said inner structure, and said handle structure being of one-piece construction;

e. means cooperating with a' hand associated with said handle structure for forcing containers adjacent said handle structure outwardly to provide additional 'knuckleroom for said hand; and

f. wherein said handle structure is located completely below the upper surface of said top wall and includes a hand hole in said central divider and wherein said forcing ineans includes a pair of breakaway flaps hingedly connected to said top wall for providing a central opening in said top wall overlying said hand hole, said breakaway flaps being in directly opposed relationship to each other.

16. The carton according to claim 15 wherein each of said breakaway flaps is hingedly connected to an infolded shield flap extending down into said compartment for preventing said hand from scraping against said containers and for contacting centrally located containers for forcing them outwardly.

17. The carton according to claim 13 including means for holding predetermined ones of containers, located in said carton adjacent said handle structure, tilted away from said handle structure, to provide additional hand room.

18. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising:

b. an inner structure including-a central divider and a multi-cell structure connected between said central divider and said sidewalls;

c. a handle structure;

e. means for holding predetermined ones of containers, located in said carton adjacent said handle structure, tilted away from said handle structure, to provide additional hand room; and

f. wherein said holding means includes an edge for locking under a closure of said containers.

19. The carton according to claim 18 wherein said holding means includes at least one panel section hingedly connected to said top wall, and a separate insert, each of said panel sections and said insert including edges for locking under a closure of said containers, and means for wedging said panel sections and inserts between said central divider and said containers.

20. The carton according to claim 13 wherein said multi-cell structure divides said compartment into a plurality of identical cells.

21. The carton according to claim 13 wherein said handle structure exists completely below the upper surface of said top wall.

22. The carton according to claim 13 wherein said inner structure can be preglued to said outer structure to form a carton tube that can fold flat.

23. The carton according to claim 13 wherein said handle structure includes a hand hole in said central divider.

24. The carton according to claim 23 wherein said central divider extends the length of said compartment from one end wall to the other, parallel to and midway between said side walls, and wherein said central divider comprises a pair of separate central divider walls in contact with each other throughout their length along their respective inside surfaces.

25. The carton according to claim 24 wherein said multi-cell structure comprises a plurality of cell walls on each side of said central divider, said cell walls extending perpendicularly to said central divider and being equally spaced along the length of said compartment, and each cell wall being positioned directly across from the adjacent cell wall on the opposite side of said central divider.

26. The carton according to claim 25 wherein each of said cell walls is formed from the material of the adjacent central divider wall and is hingedly connected thereto.

27. The carton according to claim 26 wherein each of said cell walls includes a terminal flap glued to the adjacent side wall.

28. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising:

c. a handle structure;

e. said handle structure including a hand hole in said central divider;

f. said central divider extending the length of said compartment from one end wall to the other, parallel to and midway between said sidewalls, and wherein said central divider comprises a pair of separate central divider walls in contact with each other throughout their length along their respective inside surfaces;

g. said multi-cell structure comprising a plurality of cell walls on each side of said central divider, said cell walls extending perpendicualrly to said central divider and being equally spaced along the length of said compartment, and each cell wall being positioned directly across from the adjacent cell wall on the opposite side of said central divider; and

h. wherein said pair of central divider walls comprises a first divider wall and a second divider wall and wherein said first divider wall is hingedly connected at one end thereof to a first divider wall end support section positioned parallel to and in contact with a first end wall, and wherein said second divider wall is hingedly connected at one end thereof to a second divider wall end support section positioned parallel to and in contact with a second end wall.

29. The carton according to claim 28 wherein each of said cell walls is formed from the material of the adjacent central divider wall and is hingedly connected thereto and wherein said first and second divider walls are connected together by means of said second divider wall end support section being hingedly connected to a terminal flap hingedly connected to one of the cell walls formed from said first divider wall.

30. The carton according to claim 29 wherein said top wall includes a top side wall flap connected to each of said side walls and a top end wall flap connected to each of said end walls, and wherein said central divider is hingedly connected to said top end wall flaps.

31. The carton according to claim 30 wherein a first top end wall flap is hingedly connected to a first hinge strap, hingedly connected in turn to said first divider wall end support section, and wherein said second top end wall flap is hingedly connected to a second hinge strap, hingedly connected in turn to said second divider wall end support section.

32. The carton according to claim 31 wherein each of said first and second hinge straps include an opening therein sufficient to provide-a container positioned in the cell directly below each of said hinge straps, the same head room as the remaining containers have.

33. The carton according to claim 32 wherein each of said separate central divider walls includes an upper reinforcing flap hingedly connected to the top edge thereof and folded down and glued to the respective outside surface thereof.

34. The carton according to claim 33 wherein at least one of said reinforcing flaps includes a hand hole flap hingedly connected thereto and extending partway into said hand hole for providing a relatively large, rounded carrying surface for a hand inserted into said hand hole.

35. The carton according to claim 23 wherein said top wall includes a pair of top sidwalls each of which includes a pair of hingedly connected breakaway flaps for providing a central opening for receiving a hand, said breakaway flaps being in directly opposed relationship to each other and being centrally positioned in said top wall directly over said hand hole.

36. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising:

c. a handle structure;

e. said handle structure including a hand hole in said central divider;

f. said top wall including a pair of top sidewalls each of which includes a pair of hingedly connected breakaway flaps for providing a central opening for receiving a hand, said breakaway flaps being in directly opposed relationship to each other and being centrally positioned in said top wall directly over said hand hole; and

g. wherein each of said breakaway flaps is hingedly connected to an infolded shield flap extending down between said central divider and the adjacent containers, for preventing the hand from scraping against the containers, and for contacting the centrally located containers for forcing them outwardly to provide additional knuckle room.

37. A one-piece carton blank for forming a multi-cell carrier carton having an outer structure, an inner structure and a handle structure, said carton blank comprising a first portion comprising an outer structure of a carton to be erected from said carton blank, a second portion comprising a central divider structure and a muIti-cell structure, each of said portions including elements that cooperate in the carton to be erected from said carton blank to provide a complete handle structure for said carton, said first portion being hingedly connected to said second portion by means of a pair of hinge strap panel sections separate from said first and second portions, said hinge strap panel sections each including a central opening therethrough of sufficient size to accomodate a top of a container to be received within said carton.

38. A one-piece carton blank for forming a multi-cell carrier carton having an outer structure, an inner structure and a handle structure, said carton blank comprising a first portion comprising an outer structure of a carton to be erected from said carton blank, a second portion comprising a central divider structure and a multi-cell structure, each of said portions including elements that cooperate in the carton to be erected from said carton blank to provide a complete handle structure for said carton, said first portion being hingedly connected to said second portion by means of a pair of hinge straps; and wherein said first portion includes, hingedly connected together in series, a first end wall, a first sidewall, a second end wall, and a second sidewall, wherein said first and second end walls are hingedly connected to first and second bottom end wall flaps respectively, wherein said first and second sidewalls are hingedly connected to first and second bottom sidewall flaps respectively, all of said bottom wall flaps being adjacent one edge of said carton blank, wherein said first and second end walls are also hingedly connected to first and second top end wall flaps respectively, wherein said first and second sidewalls are hingedly connected to first and second top sidewall flaps respectively, and wherein said pair of hinge straps are hingedly connected respectively to said first and second top end wall flaps.

39. The carton blank according to claim 38 wherein said second portion includes, hingedly connected together in series, a first divider wall end support section, a first divider wall, a second divider wall end support section, and a second divider wall.

40. The carton blank according to claim 39 wherein said first and second divider walls are hingedly connected to first and second reinforcing flaps respectively, along an edge of said first and second divider walls adjacent said first section.

41. The carton blank according to claim 39 wherein each one of said pair of hinge straps is hingedly connected between a respective one of said first and second divider wall end support sections and a respective ceived within said carton.

Claims

1. In a carton having a flat top surface for use as a multicontainer carrier, the improvement comprising: a. a handle structure centrally located adjacent said flat top surface; and b. said handle structure including means for contacting the upper portions of only centrally located containers, adjacent said handle structure, and for holding centrally located containers, when received in said carrier, tilted away from said handle structure, to provide additional hand room.

6. In a carton for use as a multi-container carrier, the improvement comprising: a. a handle structure; b. means for holding predetermined ones of containers, located in said carton adjacent said handle structure, tilted away from said handle structure, to provide additional hand room; c. said handle structure and said holding means being located completely below a top surface of said carton; d. said holding means including an edge that locks under a closure of said containers; e. said holding means comprising a panel section hingedly connected to a top wall of said carton, said panel section including an edge spaced from said hinge and positioned such that when said panel section is pivoted down into said carton, said edge will lock under a closure of a container positioned below said edge; f. said holding means including a wedge panel separate from said top wall, said wedge panel including an edge at one side thereoF for locking under a container closure; and g. wherein said wedge panel is glued adjacent the other side thereof to said handle structure and is adapted to be wedged with said edge under said closure.

8. In a carton for use as a multi-container carrier, the improvement comprising: a. a handle structure; b. means for holding predetermined ones of containers, located in said carton adjacent said handle structure, tilted away from said handle structure, to provide additional hand room; c. said handle structure and said holding means being located completely below a top surface of said carton; d. said holding means including an edge that locks under a closure of said containers; and e. wherein said carton includes: i. an outer structure of approximately rectangular parallepiped shape and including a top wall, a bottom wall, two sidewalls, and two end walls completely enclosing a multi-cell compartment; ii. an inner structure including a central divider and a multi-cell structure connected between said central divider and said sidewalls; and iii. said top wall including a pair of breakaway flaps one on each side of said central divider, a hand hole in said central divider beneath said breakaway flaps, and an insert, separate from the remaining elements of said carton, and glued to said central divider over said hand hole, said insert including a pair of wedge panels one on each side of said central divider, each of said wedge panels and each of said breakaway flaps including edges adapted to lock underneath a closure of a container positioned in said carton.

11. The carton according to claim 10 wherein each of said reinforcing panels includes an extension flap hingedly connected thereto and projecting partway down into said hand hole for pivoting one way or the other to provide a relatively large, smooth surface for carrying said carton.

13. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising: a. an outer structure of approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and including a top wall, a bottom wall, two sidewalls, and two end walls completely enclosing a multi-cell compartment; b. an inner structure including a central divider and a multi-cell structure connected between said central divider and said sidewalls; c. a handle structure centrally located adjacent said top wall; d. said outer structure, said inner structure, and said handle structure being of one-piece construction; and e. said structures including means adjacent said handle structure for contacting the upper portions of only those containers located adjacent said handle structure and for holding only said adjacent containers tilted away from said handle structure to provide additional hand room.

15. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising: a. an outer structure oF approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and including a top wall, a bottom wall, two sidewalls, and two end walls completely enclosing a multi-cell compartment; b. an inner structure including a central divider and a multi-cell structure connected between said central divider and said sidewalls; c. a handle structure; d. said outer structure, said inner structure, and said handle structure being of one-piece construction; e. means cooperating with a hand associated with said handle structure for forcing containers adjacent said handle structure outwardly to provide additional knuckle room for said hand; and f. wherein said handle structure is located completely below the upper surface of said top wall and includes a hand hole in said central divider and wherein said forcing means includes a pair of breakaway flaps hingedly connected to said top wall for providing a central opening in said top wall overlying said hand hole, said breakaway flaps being in directly opposed relationship to each other.

18. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising: a. an outer structure of approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and including a top wall, a bottom wall, two sidewalls, and two end walls completely enclosing a multi-cell compartment; b. an inner structure including a central divider and a multi-cell structure connected between said central divider and said sidewalls; c. a handle structure; d. said outer structure, said inner structure, and said handle structure being of one-piece construction; e. means for holding predetermined ones of containers, located in said carton adjacent said handle structure, tilted away from said handle structure, to provide additional hand room; and f. wherein said holding means includes an edge for locking under a closure of said containers.

28. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising: a. an outer structure of approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and including a top wall, a bottom wall, two sidewalls, and two end walls completely enclosing a multi-cell compartment; b. an inner structure including a central divider and a multi-cell structure connected between said central divider and said sidewalls; c. a handle structure; d. said outer structure, said inner structure, and said handle structure being of one-piece construction; e. said handle structure including a hand hole in said central divider; f. said central divider extending the length of said compartment from one end wall to the other, parallel to and midway between said sidewalls, and wherein said central divider comprises a pair of separate central divider walls in contact with each other throughout their length along their respective inside surfaces; g. said multi-cell structure comprising a plurality of cell walls on each side of said central divider, said cell walls extending perpendicualrly to said central divider and being equally spaced along the length of said compartment, and each cell wall being positioned directly across from the adjacent cell wall on the opposite side of said central divider; and h. wherein said pair of central divider walls comprises a first divider wall and a second divider wall and wherein said first divider wall is hingedly connected at one end thereof to a first divider wall end support section positioned parallel to and in contact with a first end wall, and wherein said second divider wall is hingedly connected at one end thereof to a second divider wall end support section positioned parallel to and in contact with a second end wall.

32. The carton according to claim 31 wherein each of said first and second hinge straps include an opening therein sufficient to provide a container positioned in the cell directly below each of said hinge straps, the same head room as the remaining containers have.

36. A carton for use as a multi-container carrier and comprising: a. an outer structure of approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and including a top wall, a bottom wall, two sidewalls, and two end walls completely enclosing a multi-cell compartment; b. an inner structure including a central divider and a multi-cell structure connected between said central divider and said sidewalls; c. a handle structure; d. said outer structure, said inner structure, and said handle structure being of one-piece construction; e. said handle structure including a hand hole in said central divider; f. said top wall including a pair of top sidewalls each of which includes a pair of hingedly connected breakaway flaps for providing a central opening for receiving a hand, said breakaway flaps being in directly opposed relationship to each other and being centrally positioned in said top wall directly over said hand hole; and g. wherein each of said breakaway flaps is hingedly connected to an infolded shield flap extending down between said central divider and the adjacent containers, for preventing the hand from scraping against the containers, and for contacting the centrally located containers for forcing them outwardly to provide additional knuckle room.

37. A one-piece carton blank for forming a multi-cell carrier carton having an outer structure, an inner structure and a handle structure, said carton blank comprising a first portion comprising an outer structure of a carton to be erected from said carton blank, a second portion comprising a central divider structure and a multi-cell structure, each of said portions including elements that cooperate in the carton to be erected from said carton blank to provide a complete handle structure for said carton, said first portion being hingedly connected to said second portion by means of a pair of hinge strap panel sections separate from said first and second portions, said hinge strap panel sections each including a central opening therethrough of sufficient size to accomodate a top of a container to be received within said carton.

41. The carton blank according to claim 39 wherein each one of said pair of hinge straps is hingedly connected between a respective one of said first and second divider wall end support sections and a respective one of said top end wall flaps.

42. The carton blank according to claim 41 wherein each of said first and second divider walls includes a plurality of cell walls partially cut out of the material of said first and second divider walls.

43. The carton blank according to claim 42 wherein said hinge straps each include a circular opening of sufficient size to accomodate a top of a container to be received within said carton.