US3913738A

US3913738A - Multi container package and carrier

Info

Publication number: US3913738A
Application number: US357057A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert C Olsen
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 1973-05-03
Filing date: 1973-05-03
Publication date: 1975-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-10-21
Also published as: USB357057I5; CA986475A; AU6835674A; JPS50537A

Abstract

A package of a plurality of filled pouch-like containers with closed ends including corner portions of maintained integrity interfitted with corresponding apertures in sheet-like end support members which are interconnected by a strap portion providing a handle acting through the end support members and associated container corner portions for handling and transport of the containers in generally horizontal side-by-side relationship as a unit package.

Description

United States Patent Olsen Oct. 21, 1975 [54] MULTI CONTAINER PACKAGE AND 2,070,414 2/1937 Snell 229/52 A CARRIER 2,514,858 7/1950 Gray 294/872 2,669,351 2/1954 Carson et 211.. 206/526 Inventor: Robert olsen, Wheelmg, 2,745,545 /1956 Dunning 206/466 3,116,947 1 1964 B 224 P [73] Assigneez Illinois Tool Works Inc., Chicago, 3,297,220 141967 54/45 3,331,501 7/1967 Stewart, Jr 229/55 [22] Filed: May 3, 1973 Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr, [2]] Appl' 357057 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert W. Beart; Edward [44] Published under the Trial Voluntary Protest L. Benno Program on January 28, 1975 as document no. B 357,057- g 57 ABSTRACT [52] U S Cl 206/427 2O6/199 2O6/428, A package of a plurality of filled pouch-like containers "5 329/52 294/872 with closed ends including corner portions of main- [51] Int 2 BD25/22, B65D 4. tained integrity interfitted with corresponding aper- B65D /62 tures in sheet-like end support members which are in- [58] Field of Search 2O6/427 428 466 526 terconnected by a strap portion providing a handle 206/199 R 45 26/52 A acting through theend support members and associ- 29 4 ated container corner portions for handling and transport of the containers in generally horizontal side-by- [56] References Cited side relationship as a unit package.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 2,030,996 2/1936 Lustig 206/466 U.S. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,913,738

US. Patent Oct. 21,- 1975 Sheet2bf2 3,913,738

Fig. 5

MULTI CONTAINER PACKAGE AND CARRIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Containers of various types have been arranged in package form as, for example, in so-called six-packs of cans or bottles held together by an apertured sheet of resilient and deformable plastic material with the plastic material around each aperture stretched to snugly engage associated can bodies beneath the top heads, or the bottles beneath the crimped caps, as the case may be. In such packages, the plastic sheet serves as the carrier for the package and finger holes or other handle means may be provided for handling and transport of the containers as a unit package from which one or more of the containers may be removed as desired for consumption or other use depending upon the contents of the containers. There are also strap-like sling arrangements with apertured ends for association with packaged containers and for association with articles of various types for carrying the same.

The present invention is concerned with the packaging and carrying of plural pouch-like containers of the type having closed pillow-like ends with diametral corner portions preferably projecting outwardly from the container body which may be cylindrical or also pillowlike. The containers may be formed of flexible material, preferably a suitable plastic material, and the corner portions substantially maintain their shape and integrity until the container is opened. In one type of container, the integrity of the corner portions is maintained by internal pressure within the container as by the contents, such as beer or carbonated beverages, pressurizing the containers.

An object of the present invention is to package a plurality of such containers by a carrier having end support members with paired recesses wedgingly receiving the corner portions at the ends of the containers for supporting the same in position for handling and transport.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reliable and inexpensive carrier from plastic sheet material with connected end sheet support members apertured in pairs according to number of containers in the package with the projecting corner portions of pressurized pouch-like containers wedgingly received in the corresponding apertures for support and transport.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a carrier with the apertures in the end supports shaped to firmly engage and hold the corner portions of the pouches without damage to the body material of the pressurized pouches.

The above and other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will be hereinafter more fully pointed out in the detail description of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of the carrier for the package;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a typical form of pouchlike container to make up the package;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 2 but showing the container at 180 rotation;

FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation ofa package of six pouches and associated carrier in position for storage and transport; and

FIG. 6 is an end view of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the carrier is shown as including a central straplike handle portion 10 connected to enlarged end support members l2, 14. The carrier is formed of sheet material and preferably of resilient and deformable plastic material, such as a low density polyethylene material, although other materials of the desired characteristics may be used. The

end support members

12, 14 are in the sheet form and may be in various shapes and sizes depending on the number and shape of containers to be supported thereby. As illustrated, the end support sheets l2, 14 have the confronting edges inclined away from each other and outwardly from the handle portion 10, and the longitudinal edges are scalloped to provide outwardly projecting

portions

16, 16a on the

sheet

12 and 18, 18a on the sheet 14, and the free terminal ends are cut away or recessed centrally Each of the

sheet support members

12, 14 is provided with pairs of recess means in the form of

apertures

20, 22 and 24, 26 for the

sheet

12 and 28, 30 and 32, 34 for the sheet 14. The several pairs of apertures, illustrated as six in number for a six pack of containers, are arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the carrier and disposed at approximately 45 thereto, more or less. The

apertures

20, 24 in the sheet 12 are located in the area of the projecting

side portions

16, 16a, respectively, and the

apertures

28, 32 in the sheet 14 are located in the area of the projecting side portions 18, 18a, respectively. Each of the apertures is of tear drop shape with the apical ends 20a, 22a and 24a, 26a of the sheet 12 apertures, and the comparable ends 28a, 30a and 32a, 34a of the sheet 14 apertures pointing toward one another, thus leaving the nicely curved portions 20b, 24b, 28b, 32b of the outer apertures facing outwardly and the curved portions 22b, 26b, 30b, 34b of the inner apertures facing the center axis of the carrier.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the pouchlike container includes a generally cylindrical body portion 36 (FIG. 4) terminating in closed

end portions

38, 38a transversely sealed along top and

botton edges

40, 40a projecting beyond the body portion 36 and forming

corner projections

42, 42a and 44, 44a on the

end portions

38, 38a, respectively. These corner projections extend beyond the body portion 36 and a paper overwrap 46 around the body portion 36. This overwrap may carry suitable printing or the like but may be omitted when such printing or the like is directly applied to the material, usually a flexible plastic material, of the container body portion 36. While the overwrap may add some stiffness to the pouch body 36, this is not essential with the type of pouch which will hold gas under pressure and thus maintain the integrity and desired stiffness of the corner portions. Such pouches are particularly useful in holding beer, carbonated beverages and the like providing internal pressure to pressurize the pouches with maintenance of the integrity of the corner projections which are utilized for holding the packages in the carrier as will be pointed out below.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a six pack of the pouches 36 shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 in assembly with the carrier shown in FIG. 1. The pouches '36 with their overwraps 46 are arranged in horizontal position and in pairs and with the corner projections angles in accordance with the angular disposition of the corresponding apertures in the end sheet support members l2, 14. The distance between the projecting

corners

42, 42a and 44, 44a is slightly greater than the distance between the rounded edges of a corresponding pair of

apertures

24, 26 and 32, 34 respectively, for example. While the integrity of the corners is maintained, they can be deflected slightly to enter the correspond ing apertures and return to normal positions overlying the material of the end support members adjacent the rounded edges of the apertures therethrough for wedging engagement therewith. This wedging engagement traps the pouches between the end support sheets now in vertical position for handling and transport of the package and with the intermediate body portions of the pouches in firm surface contact with one another, both horizontally and vertically. The angular disposition of the interengaged corner portions and apertures serves to distribute the weight of the individual pouches on the end support sheets with the lesser component being at the inner vertical row of

apertures

22, 26 and with perhaps a larger component being at the outer apertures 20. 24. Both series of apertures stabilize the pouches in packaged position and the round edges of the apertures reduces any tendency to cut into or fracture the pouches in the region of the corner portions. These corner portions may be stiffened in various ways for increased integrity, as by heat treatment, folding of the corners with extra layers of material for this purpose and the like; as well as by substantially completely filling the pouches with liquids or pulverulent materials and snug closing thereof to crowd such liquids or materials into the corner portions in the filled container for the desired maintenance of the stiffintegrity thereof for interlocking with the apertures in the end support sheets, just as the gas pressure, when filled with beer or carbonated beverages, serves to pressurize the pouches for this purpose.

i claim:

1. A package of filled and sealed pouch-like containers each with closed ends presenting corner portions of maintained integrity and relative stiffness, and carrier means including a pair of end support members connected by a strap portion, and each end member having groups of recess means with the recess means of each group oriented in accordance with the spacing arrangement of the corner portions of an adjacent container in the package and wedgingly receiving and interlocking with adjacent corner portions trapping the containers in the package for handling and transport.

2. A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier means is in the form of a sheet of plastic material providing the end members in sheet form which are apertured to provide the recess means with the apertures oriented in accordance with the spacing arrangement of the corner portions which project therethrough for the wedging and interlocking association.

3. A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the apertures are of substantially teardrop configuration with the curved portions engaging the cornerportions ofthe ends of the containers. 7

4. A package as claimed in claim 3, wherein the con tainers are disposed horizontally in the package with a pair of end corner portions in straight line opposition and projecting beyond the body portions of the con tainers and with the apertures of each group arranged in corresponding pairs.

5. A package as claimed in claim 4, wherein the corner portions of the containers are disposed at an angle to the vertical center line of the package with the pairs of apertures correspondingly angled.

6. A carrier blank for supporting in package form a plurality of filled pouch-like containers each with closed ends having spaced projecting corner portions,

and comprising a pair of end support portions con-. nected by a strap portion of a length permitting the end\ portions to be angled relative thereto for disposition across the ends of containers in package form, and

each end portion having groups of recess means with the recess means of each group oriented in accordance with the spacing of the corner portions of an adjacent container in package form for wedgingly receiving the adjacent corner portions for support of containers in packaged assembly.

7. A carrier blank as claimed in claim 6, wherein the recess means comprise apertures through the end portions with the apertures of each group arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the center line of the blank.

8. A carrier as claimed in claim 7, wherein the axis of each pair of apertures is inclined relative to the center line of the blank.

9. A carrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the aper-. tures are of tear drop configuration.

10. A carrier as claimed in claim 9, wherein the rounded ends of the apertures of each pair are at the outer ends of the axis thereof.

11. A package of plurality of filled and sealed pouchlike containers, each of said containershaving a gener-. ally cylindrically body portion and closed endseach of which presents a pair of opposed corners projecting radially outwardly of the body portion, said body portion and closed ends of said containers being of substan:

tially maintained integrity and relative stiffness, and a nally of said containers through said opposed corners. =l

Claims

3. A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein the apertures are of substantially tear drop configuration with the curved portions engaging the corner portions of the ends of the containers.

4. A package as claimed in claim 3, wherein the containers are disposed horizontally in the package with a pair of end corner portions in straight line opposition and projecting beyond the body portions of the containers and with the apertures of each group arranged in corresponding pairs.

6. A carrier blank for supporting in package form a plurality of filled pouch-like containers each with closed ends having spaced projecting corner portions, and comprising a pair of end support portions connected by a strap portion of a length permitting the end portions to be angled relative thereto for disposition across the ends of containers in package form, and each end portion having groups of recess means with the recess means of each group oriented in accordance with the spacing of the corner portions of an adjacent container in package form for wedgingly receiving the adjacent corner portions for support of containers in packaged assembly.

9. A carrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the apertures are of tear drop configuration.

11. A package of plurality of filled and sealed pouch-like containers, each of said containers having a generally cylindrically body portion and closed ends each of which presents a pair of opposed corners projecting radially outwardly of the body portion, said body portion and closed ends of said containers being of substantially maintained integrity and relative stiffness, and a carrier formed from a sheet of unsupported resilient plastic material, said carrier comprising a central strap portion and end sections, each of said end sections having a plurality of spaced apart apertures, said containers being arranged in a longitudinal contiguous relationship of two vertical contiguous rows, and said end sections mounted over the closed ends of said containers with said spaced apart apertures engaging the opposed corners of said closed ends to urge said body portions of adjacent containers together along lines circumferentially displaced from lines drawn longitudinally of said containers through said opposed corners.