US3784246A

US3784246A - Bottle carrier

Info

Publication number: US3784246A
Application number: US00249062A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Klygis
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 1972-05-01
Filing date: 1972-05-01
Publication date: 1974-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-08
Also published as: FR2183440A5; NO132347B; BE791328A; DK141282C; DK141282B; NO132347C; CA967522A; AU468679B2; ZA727108B; IT973214B; JPS4922293A; BR7207307D0; SE391501B; DE2251685B2; NL7214026A; DE2251685C3; AU4734672A; DE2251685A1

Abstract

A carrier for a plurality for bottles arranged in a row. The carrier is made from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material which folds and mechanically locks into a prism-like shape in which the end faces are triangles. Aligned apertures through the base and apex of the carrier provide an interlocking relationship of the carrier with the bottles such that the side walls of the carrier are bowed outwardly to project the marginal edges of the apertures in the apex of the carrier firmly against the underside of the cap portion enlargements of the bottles with the marginal edges of the apertures in the base of the carrier being firmly circumferentially urged downwardly against the enlarging neck portions of the bottles. The bottle gripping apertures in the apex of the carrier are defined by partially lapped larger apertures in lapped sections of the carrier. Simple tabs permit the carrier to be unlocked and the larger apertures in lapped sections of the carrier may then be axially aligned to permit the carrier to be easily lifted from the bottles. The carrier may be reused by mechanically interlocking the tabs in the tab receiving apertures and projecting the carrier downwardly over the bottles until the apex apertures snap below the enlarged cap portions of the bottles.

Description

United States Patent 1 Klygis 41 BOTTLE CARRIER [75] lnventor: Mindaugas Julius Klygis, Evergreen Park, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc., Chicago,

Ill.

[22] Filed: May 1, 1972 [21 Appl.-No.: 249,062

[52] [1.8. Cl. 294/87.2, 206/65 E [51] Int. Cl B65d 71/00 [58] Field of Search 294/87, 87.2;

206/65 C, 65 E; 224/45 A, 45 AA, 45 AB, 45 BA; 229/40, 52 BC Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Att0rney-R. W. Beart et a].

[4 1 Jan. 8, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A carrier for a plurality for bottles arranged in a row. The carrier is made from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material which folds and mechanically locks into a prism-like shape in which the end faces are triangles. Aligned apertures through the base and apex of the carrier provide an interlocking relationship of the carrier with the bottles such that the side walls of the carrier are bowed outwardly to project the marginal edges of the apertures in the apex of the carrier firmly against the underside of the cap portion enlargements of the bottles with the marginal edges of the apertures in the base of the carrier being firmly circumferentially urged downwardly against the enlarging neck portions of the bottles. The bottle gripping apertures in the apex of the carrier are defined by partially lapped larger apertures in lapped sections of the carrier. Simple tabs permit the carrier to be unlocked and the larger apertures in lapped sections of the carrier may then be axially aligned to permit the carrier to be easily lifted from the bottles. The carrier may be re-- used by mechanically interlocking the tabs in the tab receiving apertures and projecting the carrier downwardly over the bottles until the apex apertures snap below the enlarged cap portions of the bottles.

9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 BOTTLECARRIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The subject invention is primarily directed to carrier constructions for relatively large beverage bottles such, for example, as those of a one quart size, and particularly such beverage bottles which have enlarged cap or crown portions and downwardly enlarging or diverging neck portions beneath the cap portions. The invention is further directed to such carriersin which the bottles are held by the neck portions thereof and depend or hang from the carrier. Paperboard carriers have been made for packaging or otherwise securing a group of such beverage bottles together in a depending condition, and to support the relatively heavy weight of a number of such bottles has generally required positive paperboard gripping means which must generally be torn or otherwise destroyed to remove bottles from the carrier, withthe result that the carrier cannot be used again for carrying the empty bottles when their return to a store is desirable or necessary. Various molded or formed bifurcated clips are also known for carrying a group of bottles in a depending condition. While reusable, such carriers are generally expensive and do not hold the bottles against pivoting in the carrier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The carrier of the invention is a simple and economical carrier that can be used and reused for carrying recarrier firmly holds the bottles against pivoting in the carrier. The carrier is made from a resilient, deformable plastic she et material, such as high density polyethylene. The carrier blank has various apertures therein and a pair of tabs which cooperate with four fold lines to permit the blank to be folded and locked into a bottle carrier for a plurality of bottles arranged in a row. The assembled carrier is generally in the shape of a prism having end faces which are triangles, and has a length sufficient to span the row of bottles.

The carrier is applied to the row of bottles by project- I ing it downwardly over the tops ofthe bottles. In the initial projection of the carrier downward over the bottles, the base of the carrier, which has apertures of a substantial size therein, engages the enlarging or diverging neck portions of the bottles substantially below the cap portions. In the further downward porjection of the carrier over the bottles, the apex of the carrier, which has apertures therein with opposed upwardly and inwardly inclined edges, is cammed over the enlarged cap portions of the bottles to lock beneath the cap portions. In the locking of the apex apertures beneath the cap portions enlargements, the opposed side walls of the carrier are bowed outwardly and, by virtue of the resiliency of the material, the longitudinally extending sides of the apex apertures are urged upwardly into firm locking engagement with the underside of the cap portion enlargements and the marginal edges of the apertures in the base of the carrier are firmly urged downwardly and circumferentially about the enlarging neck portions of the bottles to firmly hold the bottles in axial parallel alignment against pivoting to permit safe, convenient transport of the resulting package.

The resulting package is carried by grasping fingergripping means such as apertures which are formed in the opposed side walls of the carrier.

The resulting package is easily removed from the bottles by pulling the tabs from their interlocking apertures. The apex of the carrier then opens into axially aligned overlapping apertures which are substantially larger than the enlarged cap portions of the bottles and the opened carrier is then merely lifted from the botties.

The carrier of the invention is also easily reassembled for carrying bottles, such as returning empties to the store, by over-lapping the apex portions of the carrier, and manually snapping the tabs into their interlocking apertures. The carrier is then merely pushed downwardly over the bottles as previously described to again lock the carrier and the bottles together as a package.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple reusable carrier, for a plurality of beverage bottles having enlarged cap portions and downwardly diverging neck portions, which is easily assembled in a locked condition for application to the bottles, easily unlocked for removal from the bottles, and which, in the locked and applied condition to the bottles, will firmly hold the bottles in a row for hand transport by gripping the carrier with the bottles in a depending condition therefrom.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent upon the perusal of the hereinafter following specification and drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carrier blank constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view ofa package showing the carrier of FIG. 1 in an assembled condition and ap plied to three bottles in a row; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the structure shown in FIG. 2 and taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2. 1

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The carrier blank 10 shown in FIG. 1 is punched or otherwise formed from a sheet of plastic material of uniform thickness. In reductions to practice of the invention, one suitable material has been found to be high density polyethylene in a 0.04 inch thickness. High density polyethylene has the proper resiliency and deformability to permit the carrier blank 10 to be folded and locked into an assembled condition, to effectively interlock with a plurality of substantially heavy beverage bottles, to be easily disassembled and removed from the bottles, and to be easily reassembled for repeated use.

The carrier blank 10 is provided with four spacedapart and

parallel fold lines

12, 14, 16 and 18. The fold lines l2, l4, l6 and 18 divide the carrier blank 10 into five

panel sections

20, 22, 24 26 and 28.

Panel section 20 includes one longitudinal edge of the carrier and is contiguous to panel section 22 on fold line 12. The outer longitudinal edge of panel section 20 is provided with a pair of integral tabs 30 which extend outwardly therefrom in the plane of panel section 20. Each tab 30 has opposed ears 32 which extend in directions longitudinal of the panel section 20. Although the cars 32 on the tabs 30 are shown as substantially semicircular, the invention contemplates other forms for the tabs 30. For example, the tabs 30 may have the general shape of an arrowhead.

The panel section 20 further includes the major portions of a plurality of apertures 34. In the present embodiment, the apertures 34 are three in number to provide a carrier embodiment for three bottles, however, the invention contemplates a greater or lesser number of apertures for a corresponding different number of bottles. The apertures 34 intersect and make the fold line 12 discontinuous. Portions of the apertures 34, about one-fourth of the width thereof measured transversely of the

panel sections

20 and 22, extend into panel section 22. The apertures 34 are substantially square in shape and the length of a side thereof is greater than the largest diameter of the cap portion of the bottle intended to be associated therewith.

Panel section 28 is substantially a mirror image of panel section 20 without the tabs 30. Panel section 28 includes one longitudinal edge of the carrier blank and is contiguous to panel section 26 on fold line 18.

Panel sections

28 and 26 are provided with apertures 36 which are formed therein as apertures 34 are formed in panel sections and 22. Panel section 28 preferably has a width which is narrower than the width of panel section 20, absent of the tabs 30, by a distance of substantially equal to the thickness of the blank 10.

Panel section 26 is also narrower than panel section 22 by about the thickness of the blank 10. This width arrangement of the

panel sections

20, 22, 26 and 28 provides for proper relative positioning of panel section 20 over panel section 26 with fold line 12 at the apex of the defined prism as may be seen in FIG. 3.

Panel section 22 is contiguous to panel section 24 along fold line 14. Panel section 26 is contiguous to panel section 24 along fold line 16. Panel section 24 is provided with three circular apertures 38 which are arranged in a spaced-apart relationship longitudinally of the panel section 24 and substantially in transverse alignment with the

apertures

34 and 36. The apertures 38 are tangent to the

fold lines

14 and 16. The apertures 38 have a diameter less than the diameter of the bottle intended to be associated therewith at a point measured axially downward of the bottle from the un-' derside of the enlarged cap portion, a distance substantially equal to the vertically projected width of the panel section 22.

The

panel sections

22 and 26 are further provided with longitudinally extending finger-gripping apertures 40. The finger-gripping apertures 40 are arranged as mirror images of each other in the

panel sections

22 and 26 and are further positioned respectively, one between center aperture 34 and center aperture 38, and the other between center aperture 36 and center aperture 38. Each of the finger-gripping apertures 40 is further provided with a flap 42 extending along the longitudinal edge thereof closest to the

apertures

34 and 36 and foldable from the plane of the

panel sections

22 and 26 to provide a substantially wider finger engaging area than is provided by the edge or thickness of the material of the blank 10.

Panel section 26 is provided with a pair of tab interlocking apertures 44. The tab interlocking apertures 44 are positioned in a spaced-apart relationship longitudinally of the panel section 26 on opposite sides of the finger-gripping aperture 40 therein and substantially in transverse alignment with the tabs 30. The tab interlocking apertures 44 have widths measured in a direction longitudinally of the panel section 26 which are substantially equal to the width of the tabs 30 without the ears 32.

In assembling the carrier, the

panel sections

22 and 26 are folded upwardly in the same direction from the panel section 24 so that the panel section 24 defines the base of the carrier. The

panel sections

20 and 28 are then folded along the fold lines 12 and 18 respectively toward each other, and the fold lines 12 and 18 are brought together in a lapped arrangement with the fold line 12 over the fold line 18 to cause the

panels

22 and 26 to form the side walls of the carrier with the general shape of a prism having end faces which are triangles. The ears 32 of the tabs 30 are then projected or snapped through the tab interlocking apertures 44 so that the

panel sections

20 and 28 extend generally downwardly from the apex formed by

fold lines

12 and 18 and generally parallel and against the side walls of the carrier formed by

panel sections

22 and 26. In the assembled condition of the carrier, openings of a size, measured in a direction transversely of the carrier, substantially smaller than the maximum diameter of the enlarged cap portions of the bottles intended to be associated therewith are formed by the opposed longitudinally extending

sides

34a and 36a of the

apertures

34 and 36.

In the foregoing described assembled condition of the carrier it is merely necessary to downwardly project the carrier over the bottles intended to be associated therewith. Such bottles are shown at 46 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The enlarged cap portions of the bottles 46 are indicated at 48. The downwardly diverging portions of the bottles 46 are indicated at 50. In the initial projection of the carrier downwardly over the three bottles 46 arranged in a row, the inner periphery of the apertures 38 in the base of the carrier will firmly circumferentially engage the enlarging or diverging neck portions 50 of the bottles 46. Further downward projection of the carrier by a force applied on the apex of the carrier will cause side edge 34a of each aperture 34 and side edge 36a of each aperture 36 to cam over and lock immediately beneath the enlarged cap portions 48. The side edges 34a and 36a are slightly deformed as may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The resiliency of the material in the described arrangement will cause the side edges 34a and 36a of the

apertures

34 and 36 to be firmly urged against the necks of the bottles immediately beneath the enlarged cap portions 48.

When the partially lapped

apertures

34 and 36 are interlocked beneath the enlarged cap portions 48 as described, the side walls of the carrier will be bowed outwardly longitudinally thereof as shown in FIG. 3. This bowing of the side walls of the carrier produces an extremely stable and substantially rigid package. The resiliency of the side walls urges the apex of the carrier and the openings therein in firm locking contact with the necks of the bottles 46 beneath the cap portions 48 and further urges the base portion of the carrier downwardly relative to the bottles 46 to firmly hold the bottles 46 with the longitudinal axis thereof parallel and against pivoting thereof. The finger-gripping apertures 40 in the side walls of the carrier do not disturb the firm resilient locking and holding arrangement of the carrier on the bottles 46 when the carrier is hand-transported by a person grasping the carrier with his fingers in tinger-gripping apertures 40 and with the bottles 46 in a depending condition from the carrier.

The carrier is easily removed from the bottles 46 by a person pulling the central portion of the tabs 30 downwardly of the side wall of the carrier to pull or snap the ears 32 of the tabs 30 out of the tab interlocking apertures 44. When the tabs 30 have been unlocked from the apertures 44, the panel sections and 28 are shiftable relative to each other to substantially axially align the peripheries of the apertures 34 with the peripheries of the apertures 36 and the carrier may then be merely lifted from the bottles 46.

When it is desired to reuse the carrier, it is merely necessary-to lap the panel section 20 over the panel section 26 and snap the tabs in the apertures 44. With the carrier again in an assembled condition, it is merely necessary to project the carrier downwardly over the bottles 46 as previously described to reform the defined carrier package.

Having described the invention, it is to be understood that changes can be made in the described embodiments by one skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A carrier for a plurality of bottles arranged in a row, said carrier formed from a sheet of resilient deformable plastic material, said sheet of plastic material having four fold lines therein in a parallel spaced apart relationship, to form five panel sections, the third panel section being located centrally of said carrier with the second and fourth panel sections being contiguous thereto along the opposite longitudinal marginal edges thereof, the first panel section being contiguous to said second panel section and including one longitudinal edge of said sheet, the fifth panel section being contiguous to said fourth panel section and including the other longitudinal edge of said sheet, said third panel section including a plurality of bottle encircling apertures therein arranged in a row extending longitudinally of said third panel section, said carrier being foldable into the configuration of a prism having triangular end faces with said third panel section defining the base of said prism and with said second and fourth panel sections defining the side walls of said prism, said fifth section being folded beneath said second section and said first section being folded over said fourth section whereby the fold line between said first and second sections defines the apex of said prism and the fold line between said fourth and fifth sections is disposed immediately beneath the apex of said prism, a second plurality ofapertures through said first and second sections, said second plurality of apertures arranged in a row longitudinally of said first and second sectionsand intersecting the fold line between said first and second sections, a third plurality of apertures formed in said fourth and fifth sections, said third plurality of apertures arranged in a row longitudinally of said third and fourth sections and intersecting the fold line between said third and fourth sections, said second and third plurality of apercap portions of the bottles intended to be associated with said carrier, whereby said carrier is projectable downwardly over a plurality of bottles intended to be associated therewith with said apertures in said base portion circumferentially engaging the neck portions of said bottles below the enlarged cap portions thereof and with said openings deformed and resiliently gripping the portions of said bottles immediately below the enlarged cap portions.

2. A carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein said second and fourth panel sections have a transverse width dimensioned to cause said second and fourth panel sections to be bowed outwardly when said carrier is projected downwardly over a plurality of bottles intended to be associated therewith with said apertures in said base portion circumferentially engaging neck portions of said bottles below the enlarged cap portions thereof and with said openings deformed and resiliently gripping the portions of said bottles immediately below the enlarged cap portions.

3. A'carrier as defined in claim 1, and finger gripping means formed in said second and fourth panel sections for transporting said carrier and any bottles therein.

4. A carrier as defined in claim 3, wherein said finger gripping means comprises a slot formed in each of said second and fourth panel sections with said slots extending longitudinally of said panel sections, and flap means integrallyformed along the upper longitudinally extending side of each slot to provide substantial finger gripping surfaces.

5. A carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein said means between said first and fourth panel sections for releas ably securing the outer edge of said first panel section to said fourth panel section comprises a plurality of tab interlocking apertures formed in said fourth section in a longitudinally spaced apart relationship thereof, and a plurality of tabs integrally formed on the outer edge of said first panel section and shaped to mechanically interlock in said tab interlocking apertures when said first panel section is folded over said fourth section and said tabs are projected into said tab interlocking apertures.

6. A carrier as defined in claim 5, wherein said tabs are formed to have ears projecting from opposite sides thereof in directions longitudinally of said first panel section.

7. A carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of bottle encircling apertures in said third panel section tangentially engage the fold lines along the longitudinal sides of said third panel section.

8. A carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein the sides of said second and third plurality of apertures defining the sides of said openings transversely opposed of said sections are-straight lines.

9. A carrier blank for bottles having an enlarged cap portion associated with their open ends, said carrier blank being formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and having a bight portion through the middle of the blank, said bight portion provided with a plurality of first apertures in predetermined spaced relation to accept and engage a portion of the neck of the bottles below their open ends, opposed margins on opposite sides of said bight portion being provided with predetermined spaced second apertures each of which is substantially larger in every dimension than the largest diameter of said enlarged cap portions. the material at the edge of each of said second apertures being continuous and uninterrupted. means for releasably locking said opposed margins together in an overlapped arrangement with said blank in a substantially tubular prism shape, said second apertures being positioned in said opposed margins to cooperate in pairs to define central openings each center of which lies on the axis of one of said first apertures and about the apex of said prism shape of said blank when said opposed margins are locked together in said overlapped arrangement,

and said second apertures being further positioned in said opposed margins to position the centers of said second apertures of each pair thereofon opposite sides of the apex of said prism shape of said blank in the direction of overlapping when said opposed margins are locked together in said overlapped arrangement to cause each of said central openings to have a dimension in the direction of overlapping which is substantially less than the dimension of each second aperture in the same direction and less than the largest diameter of

Claims

1. A carrier for a plurality of bottles arranged in a row, said carrier formed from a sheet of resilient deformable plastic material, said sheet of plastic material having four fold lines therein in a parallel spaced apart relationship, to form five panel sections, the third panel section being located centrally of said carrier with the second and fourth panel sections being contiguous thereto along the opposite longitudinal marginal edges thereof, the first panel section being contiguous to said second panel section and including one longitudinal edge of said sheet, the fifth panel section being contiguous to said fourth panel section and including the other longitudinal edge of said sheet, said third panel section including a plurality of bottle encircling apertures therein arranged in a row extending longitudinally of said third panel section, said carrier being foldable into the configuration of a prism having triangular end faces with said third panel section defining the base of said prism and with said second and fourth panel sections defining the side walls of said prism, said fifth section being folded beneath said second section and said first section being folded over said fourth section whereby the fold line between said first and second sections defines the apex of said prism and the fold line between said fourth and fifth sections is disposed immediately beneath the apex of said prism, a second plurality of apertures through said first and second sections, said second plurality of apertures arranged in a row longitudinally of said first and second sections and intersecting the fold line between said first and second sections, a third plurality of apertures formed in said fourth and fifth sections, said third plurality of apertures arranged in a row longitudinally of said third and fourth sections and intersecting the fold line between said third and fourth sections, said second and third plurality of apertures being dimensioned larger than the enlarged cap portions of the bottles intended to be associated with said carrier, said second plurality of apertures lapping said third plurality of apertures to define openings through the apex of said prism above respective ones of said apertures in said base section with said openings being dimensioned in a direction transversely of said sections less than the diameter of the enlarged cap portions of the bottles intended to be associated therewith, means between said first and fourth panel sections for releasably securing the outer edge of said first panel section to said fourth panel section, said apertures in said base section being of a size capable of being received over the neck portions and below the enlarged cap portions of the bottles intended to be associated with said carrier, whereby said carrier is projectable downwardly over a plurality of bottles intended to be associated therewith with said apertures in said base portion circumferentially engaging the neck portions of said bottles below the enlarged cap portions thereof and with said openings deformed and resiliently gripping the portions of said bottles immediately below the enlarged cap portions.

3. A carrier as defined in claim 1, and finger gripping means formed in said second and fourth panel sections for transporting said carrier and any bottles therein.

4. A carrier as defined in claim 3, wherein said finger gripping means comprises a slot formed in each of said second and fourth panel sections with said slots extending longitudinally of said panel sections, and flap means integrally formed along the upper longitudinally extending side of each slot to provide substantial finger gripping surfaces.

5. A carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein said means between said first and fourth panel sections for releasably securing the outer edge of said first panel section to said fourth panel section comprises a plurality of tab interlocking apertures formed in said fourth section in a longitudinally spaced apart relationship thereof, and a plurality of tabs integrally formed on the outer edge of said first panel section and shaped to mechanically interlock in said tab interlocking apertures when said first panel section is folded over said fourth section and said tabs are projected into said tab interlocking apertures.

8. A carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein the sides of said second and third plurality of apertures defining the sides of said openings transversely opposed of said sections are straight lines.

9. A carrier blank for bottles having an enlarged cap portion associated with their open ends, said carrier blank being formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and having a bight portion through the middle of the blank, said bight portion provided with a plurality of first apertures in predetermined spaced relation to accept and engage a portion of the neck of the bottles below their open ends, opposed margins on opposite sides of said bight portion being provided with predetermined spaced second apertures each of which is substantially larger in every dimension than the largest diameter of said enlarged cap portions, the material at the edge of each of said second apertures being continuous and uninterrupted, means for releasably locking said opposed margins together in an overlapped arrangement with said blank in a substantially tubular prism shape, said second apertures being positioned in said opposed margins to cooperate in pairs to define central openings each center of which lies on the axis of one of said first apertures and about the apex of said prism shape of said blank when said opposed margins are locked together in said overlapped arrangement, and said second apertures being further positioned in said opposed margins to position the centers of said second apertures of each pair thereof on opposite sides of the apex of said prism shape of said blank in the direction of overlapping when said opposed margins are locked together in said overlapped arrangement to cause each of said central openings to have a dimension in the direction of overlapping which is substantially less than the dimension of each second aperture in the same direction and less than the largest diameter of said enlarged cap portions.