Carrier and package

Abstract: A carrier (22) packages a group of items (20), such as cans or bottles which hold beverages or foods and is made of a plastic material having an opaque strip (36) of material printed on its surface. The opaque strip (36) can be a solid, opaque line (38) or a series of opaque dots (40). Each item (20) includes an individual machine readable bar code (32) thereon which is at least partially covered by the opaque strip (36). The package (48) has a machine readable bar code (50) thereon which is not covered by the opaque strip (36) on the carrier (22). The opaque strip (36) prevents the individual bar codes (32) on the items (20) from being read by a typical bar code reader beam. The bar code (50) on the package can be read since it is not covered by the opaque strip (36).

Description: This invention is generally directed to a novel, plastic carrier for a group of items, such as cans, bottles or the like which hold beverages, foods or-the like. More particularly, the invention contemplates a plastic carrier which groups together the items and prevents individual bar codes on each item from being read by a typical laser bar code reader beam. Bar codes are widely used on items so that information about the item, such as price, can be easily and quickly read by scanning the bar code with a bar code reader beam. When the bar code is scanned, the bar code number is input into a computer to retrieve stored information about the item. When items are grouped together in a package for sale, each item typically includes an individual machine readable bar code. The package is additionally labelled with a bar code which corresponds to the price of the group of items. In a package that has a substantially transparent carrier, e.g. a band type carrier as shown in US-A-4,219,117 or US-A-4,557,375, when the package is scanned for a price, a bar code from an individual item could be scanned instead of the bar code on the package itself. If this occurs, information which correlates to the individual item would be retrieved and the purchaser of the package will be charged the individual price instead of the group package price. This can result in significant losses to the seller. EP-A-0322312 discloses a packaging for groups of articles, the packaging being made of a plastics material transparent to most of the visible spectrum but opaque to infra-red radiation. This prevents reading of the bar codes on the individual items but allows a global bar code to be placed on the outside of the packaging. However, the packaging envelopes the whole of the articles and therefore uses large amounts of plastics material, which must be of a very specialised variety. WO-A-87/02330 discloses a transparent film which is wrapped over the top of a group of items to package them together, and which has printed on it a network of scrambled lines which prevent the barcodes on individual items being read. A global bar code is placed on the outside of this package. This arrangement also uses large amounts of material to make the packaging, and also considerably obscures the labels on the individual items. The package does not give firm holding of individual containers. EP-A-0677453 was published after the priority date of the present application and therefore forms prior art for novelty considerations only. This describes a band type carrier, but it is formed from a plastics material including a chemical blocking agent which blocks out light of the wavelength used by bar code readers. The bands at least partly obscure the bar codes and a bar code for the entire package may be placed elsewhere on the package. The present invention is intended to overcome or minimize the problems of the prior art as well as to present improvements and additional advantages. The present invention discloses a carrier for carrying a group of items, such as cans, bottles or the like which hold beverages, foods or the like. The items, when encircled by the carrier, form a package. The carrier is made of a plastic material and has an opaque strip of material on a surface of the carrier. The opaque strip can be a solid, opaque line or a series of opaque dots. Each individual item includes an individual machine readable bar code thereon which, when the carrier is attached thereto, is at least partially covered by the opaque strip on the carrier. The opaque strip prevents the individual bar code on the individual items from being read by a typical laser bar code reader. The package may include a machine readable bar code thereon which is not covered by the opaque strip. The package bar code can be read by the laser bar code reader to retrieve data about the package, such as the price of the complete package. A particular example of a carrier and a package including it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:- FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a carrier having an opaque strip on a surface thereof having features in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a plurality of cans encircled by the carrier shown in FIGURE 1; and FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a carrier having a strip of opaque dots on a surface thereof having features in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGURE 2, a plurality of items, e.g. cans, 20 are grouped together and surrounded by a novel carrier 22 shown in detail in FIGURE 1. The items 20 shown in FIGURE 1 are typical cans which hold beverages, foods or the like, each of which include a cylindrical side wall 24 having an exterior face, a top wall 26 and a bottom wall 28. The exterior face of the side wall 24 can be decorated with graphics or writing 30 for aesthetic purposes or identification of the product. The exterior face of the side wall 24 of each item 20 also includes a machine readable bar code 32 thereon having a plurality of horizontal lines. The individual bar codes 34 can be printed on the exterior face of each item 20 or otherwise affixed to the item 20 by suitable known means, for example by adhesive. The bar code 32 on each individual item 20 allows the item 20 to be scanned by a typical laser bar code reader. When the bar code 32 on the item 20 is scanned by a bar code reader (not shown), information, such as the price, about the individual item 20 is retrieved from a computer attached to the bar code reader. The bar code scanners or readers used today are Helium/Neon laser bar code readers which typically emits a beam of light in a wavelength of about 630 nanometers or 670 nanometers to scan and read a bar code on an item or package. The carrier 22 of the present invention is made of a suitable plastic material, such as low to medium density, resilient polyethylene. The carrier 22 has substantially transparent portions 34 and an opaque strip of material 36 thereon. Opaque, in describing this invention shall mean sufficient to prevent the laser beam from transmitting through the carrier in the region of the line. As shown in FIGURE 1, the opaque strip 36 can be a solid opaque line 38. As shown in FIGURE 3, the opaque strip 36 can be a densely spaced dot pattern 40 which is generally the same width as the solid opaque line 38 shown in FIGURE 1. The opaque strip 36, viz. the solid line 38 or the dot pattern 40, is affixed to the carrier 22 by suitable known methods, such as printing the opaque strip 36 on a surface of the carrier 22 or the like and the opaque strip 36 is made of suitable, known materials, such as ink or the like. The opaque strip 36, if desired, may be affixed to both sides of the carrier 22. As illustrated in the drawings, the opaque strip 36 is generally between the transparent portions 34. The strip 36 or dot pattern 40 is preferably 1/8" (3 mm) to cover at least 2 "modules" or lines of the bar code. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the carrier 22 is made of a plurality of bands 42 having apertures 44 therein. The bands 42 are integrally joined at 46. The cans 20 are securely held within the apertures 44 so that each band 42 completely encircles and surrounds each individual can 20. Each band 42 of the carrier 22 resiliently contacts and grips each can 20 along its side wall 24. As shown in FIGURE 1, the carrier 22 may include an integral handle 49. The carrier 22 groups the items 20 together so that a group of items 20 may be sold as a package 48. The opaque strip 38, viz. the solid line 38 or the dot pattern 40, form an annular band around each aperture 44 in the carrier 22. When the carrier 22 is affixed to the cans 20, to prevent the bar code 32 on an individual can 20 from being read by a bar code reader beam, the carrier 22 is placed in a position along the side wall 24 in such a manner that the opaque strip 38 totally covers at least one line on each bar code 32 on each individual can 20 when the bar code is aligned so the lines on the bar code are parallel to the opaque line of the carrier. While the line 38 is shown intermediate the edges of the carrier, it could be positioned at an edge and still function in accordance with the description herein. Since the strip 38 is impervious to light emitted by the laser bar code reader beam, when the laser reader beam scans the package 4B, the opaque strip 38 prevents the covered line or lines on the individual bar codes 32 from being read by the bar code reader beam and the information about an individual item 20 cannot be retrieved. While the strip 38 is impervious to the laser beam, the graphics and/or writing 30 on the cans 20 is only partially obscured to the human eye. Thus, the graphics and/or writing 30 can still be generally seen by the human eye through the opaque strip 38 and the opaque strip 38 minimally detracts from the aesthetics of the exterior of the can 20. The opaque strip 38 only needs to cover a minimum of one line of the bar code 32 on each individual can 20 so that the light beam from the bar code reader will be confused and cannot read the individual bar code 32 on the can 20. It is within the scope of the invention, however, that the opaque strip 38 can completely cover each bar code 32 on each individual can 20. The package 48 may have a machine readable bar code 50 on it which is not covered by the carrier 22. Alternatively, a machine readable bar code may be on the outer surface of the carrier 22 (not shown) so that the bar code is on top of the opaque strip 36. These bar codes allow a laser bar code reader to retrieve information about the package 48, such as the price of the group of items 20, when these bar codes are scanned by the reader beam. The package bar code 50 may be printed on the exterior of one of the cans 20 or on the carrier 22 or otherwise affixed to a can 20 or the carrier 22 by suitable known means, such as adhesive. The items 20 shown in FIGURE 2 are typical cans which hold beverages, foods or the like, however, it is to be understood that other types of items, such as bottles or boxes may be grouped together and surrounded by the carrier 22. Also, as shown in FIGURE 2, the carrier 22 has a plurality of continuous bands 42, each of which encircles a can 20. It is to be understood that the carrier 22 may be of a variety of forms, such as a single sheet of plastic formed to fit around the items 20.

Claims: A carrier (22) for carrying a group of items (20), each item (20) including an individual machine readable bar code (32) thereon, the carrier (22) comprising individual band segments joined together, each band encircling and gripping an individual item (20), each said band being formed from a plastics material having a strip (38) of opaque material thereon, so that when the carrier (22) extends around the items (20) to form a package (48), the strip (38) of opaque material is disposed to at least partially cover the individual machine readable bar codes (32) for preventing machine reading of the bar codes (32). A package (48) comprising a carrier (22), a group of items (20) retained by the carrier (22), each item (20) having a machine readable bar code (32) thereon, aligned so that its lines are substantially perpendicular to the axis of the item, the carrier (22) comprising individual band segments joined together, each band encircling and gripping an individual item (20), each said band being formed from a plastics material including a strip (38) of opaque material thereon disposed to be parallel with the bar code lines and at least partially covering the bar codes (32) for preventing machine reading of them. A package according to claim 2, in which the opaque strip (38) overlays and totally covers at least one line of the bar code (32). A carrier or package according to claim 3, wherein the strip (38) of opaque material forms an annular band around each item (20). A carrier or package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strip (38) of opaque material is a solid opaque line or a densely spaced pattern (40) of opaque dots. A carrier or package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (22) includes at least one substantially transparent portion around the strip (38) of opaque material. A carrier or package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strip (38) of opaque material is printed on a surface of the carrier (22). A carrier or package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (22) includes a machine readable bar code thereon which is not covered by the strip (38) of opaque material. A carrier or package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic material is polyethylene.

Inventors: SAMARAS PETER L, WEAVER WILLIAM N, SAMARAS, PETER L., WEAVER, WILLIAM N.
Applicants: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS, ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65D71
IPC codes: B65B27, B65D71