TOP GRIPPING CARRIER FOR BOTTLES

Abstract: An article carrier of the top gripping type includes a main panel (20, 116) having a pair of opposed end edges (70, 72, 170, 172), a first fold line (32, 134) extending between said end edges (70, 72, 170, 172), and at least one aperture (44, 144) for receiving an article (A). The aperture (44, 144) is disposed astride the first fold line (32, 134) to interrupt it. A first tab (40, 140) is struck from the main panel (20, 116) and defining at least a part of the aperture (44, 144). The tab (40, 140) is hingeably connected to the main panel (20, 116) so that the tab (40, 140) is displaceable out of the plane of the main panel (20, 116) to operatively engage a part of the article (A) when the article (A) is in the aperture (44, 144). The tab (40, 140) is connected to the main panel (20, 116) by means of a pair of second and third spaced fold lines (60, 62, 160, 162) extending divergently from each other toward one of the end edges (70, 72, 170, 172) so that displacement of the tab (40, 140) out of the plane of the main panel (20, 116) causes the main panel to be folded about the first fold line (32, 134). A stress relieving cut line (64, 164) is provided to extend between the second and third fold lines (60, 62, 160, 162) to partially separate the tab (40, 140) from the main panel (20, 116). The cut (64, 164) line is disposed transversely of the first fold line (32, 134) such that the first fold line (32, 134) is interrupted at the cut line (64, 164).

Description: TOP GRIPPING CARRIER FOR BOTTLES Background of the Invention The invention relates to an article carrier which is used for securing a plurality of articles such as bottles in a group. More particularly the invention relates to an article carrier of the top gripping type which attaches to the tops of articles thereby to secure the articles in an array. It is known to provide top gripping carriers which comprise so-called "sun burst" type apertures having a series of circumferentially arranged tabs which enable the bottle top to pass through the aperture and in which the tabs engage from the underside of the bottle top or on a flange on the bottle neck to prevent removal of the bottle from the aperture. A problem with top gripping carriers of this type is that the tabs need to be of sufficient thickness to provide support for the articles. At the point of connection with the panels, the tabs are prone to folding and losing their strength. This invention seeks to overcome the difficulties by providing a carrier which can flex to relieve the load applied to the bottle neck support tabs. Summary of the Invention One aspect of the invention provides an article carrier for securing at least one article, such as a bottle, which carrier comprises a main panel having a first fold line extending between the opposed end edges of the main panel, and at least one aperture for receiving an article. The aperture is disposed astride the first fold line to interrupt the first fold line. A first gripping tab is struck from the main panel which tab defines at least a part of the aperture. Means for hingably connecting the tab to the main panel is provided to allow the tab to be displaceable out of the plane of the main panel so that the tab can operatively engage a part of an article when such an article is received in the aperture. The hingably connecting means comprises a pair of second and third spaced fold lines extending divergently from each other toward one of the end edges of the main panel so that displacement of the tab out of the plain of the main panel causes the main panel to be folded about the first fold line. The hingably connecting means further comprises a cut line extending between the second and third fold lines to partially separate the tab from the main panel. Such a cut line is disposed transversely of the first fold line such that the first fold line is interrupted at the cut line. According to a feature of this .aspect of the invention, the tab may include a pair of terminal panels hingably interconnected by a middle panel. The terminal panels may be connected to the main panel along the second and third fold lines respectively whereas the middle panel may be separated from the main panel by the cut line. According to another feature of this aspect of the invention, the carrier may further comprise a second gripping tab struck from the main panel and defining at least a part of the aperture. The second gripping tab may be hingably connected to the main panel at a location diametrically opposed to the first gripping tab. According to a further feature of this aspect of the invention, the carrier may further comprise a pair of side panels hingably connected respectively to the opposed side edges of the main panel and extending to respective upper edges located above the main panel. In some constructions where such side panels are provided, the carrier may be tubular in form in which the main panel forms a bottom panel of the carrier. In other constructions where such side panels are provided, the side panels may have free uppermost edges presented to support upper portions of articles received in the apertures. Preferably, each side panel may include a lower portion extending below said main panel. Each side panel may be adapted to pivot about the main panel along their respective hinge upon contact between an article and said lower portion. Another aspect of the invention provides a top- gripping bottle carrier for engaging and supporting at least one bottle at the bottle neck. The bottle carrier comprises a main panel having at least one aperture for receiving a bottle, a pair of side panels hingably connected to the opposed side edges of the main panel respectively. The side panels extend to respective free uppermost edges located above the main panel so as to engage and support the bottle neck when a bottle is received in the aperture. Forcing means is provided to force the free uppermost edges of the side panels toward each other in response to introduction of the bottle into the aperture so that the free uppermost edges are tightened on the bottle neck. According to a feature of this aspect of the invention, each side panel may include a lower portion extending below the main panel so that upon introduction of an article into the aperture, the lower portions of the side panels may be thrust away from each other by the article to force the free upper edges toward each other. In this construction, the forcing means comprises the lower portions of the side panels. Each side panel may comprise an intermediate strip hingably connected to the respective side edge of the main panel, and a support strip secured to the intermediate strip in a face to face relationship. Preferably, the intermediate strip extends upward from the main panel to the respective free uppermost edge while the support strip includes a portion extending above the main panel and a portion extending below said main panel. A further aspect of the invention provides an article carrier comprising a top panel formed with a pair of handle tabs. The handle tabs are struck from the top panel to define a pair of spaced finger apertures in the top panel. The handle tabs are connected to the top panel along generally parallel first fold lines. The top panel contains at lest one second fold line extending between the first fold lines so that the portion of the top panel between the first fold lines folds upwardly about the second fold line when the carrier is lifted by the finger apertures. According to a feature of this aspect of the invention, the first fold lines extend transversely of the opposed side edges of the top panel while the second fold line extends generally parallel to the side edges of the top panel. Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the carrier blank according to the invention; FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a carrier formed from the blank as shown in Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a top-end perspective view of a carrier formed from the blank illustrated in Figure 1; FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a carrier blank according to another embodiment of the invention; and FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a carrier formed from the blank as shown in Figure 3. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a carrier blank 10 for forming a top gripping carrier and made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material. The blank comprises a series of panels hinged one to the next. Thus, end panel 12 is hingably connected to side panel 14 along fold line 24; side panel 14 is connected by way of fold line 26 to a top panel 16, thereby enabling panels 14 and 16 to be placed in a substantially perpendicular relationship. Top panel 16 is connected along fold line 28 to side panel 18 thereby enabling panels 16 and 18 to be placed in a substantially perpendicular relationship such that side panel 14 and side panel 18 form opposing sides in a set up carrier. The side panel 18 is connected to main panel 20 by way of fold line 30 thereby enabling panels 18 and 20 to be placed in a substantially perpendicular relationship such that top panel 16 and main panel 20 form opposed sides. The main panel 20 is connected to strengthening panel 22 by way of fold line 34, thereby enabling main panel 20 and strengthening panel 22 to be placed in a substantially perpendicular relationship whereby strengthening panel 22 and side panel 14 are placed in a face to face relationship when the carrier is in a set up condition. As illustrated in Figure 1, main panel 20 is formed with a row of three hexagonal tab apertures 44, the opposing sides of which carry hinged gripping tabs 40. Each gripping tab 40 comprises three panels 50, 52, 54 connected one to the next along fold lines 56 and 58 respectively. Terminal panels 50 and 54 are further connected to main panel 20 along fold lines 60, 62 respectively, while cut line 64 separates middle panel 52 from main panel 20. Main panel 20 further comprises a central interrupted fold line 32 extending between the opposing free end edges of main panel 20 and aligned with the middle panels 52 of each tab 40. In a set up condition panels 50, 52 and 54 are moved out of alignment along fold lines 56 and 58 and co-act with fold line 32 to fold main panel 20. The middle one of the three said hexagonal tab apertures also has two opposingly positioned flaps 42. A handle H is formed along top panel 16 provided by way of a pair of oppositely disposed semi-circular handle tabs 38 struck from the top panel 16 and separated by fold line 36. The carrier may be carried by folding back each handle tab 38. More specifically, a pair of spaced finger apertures are defined in the top panel 16 when handle tabs 38 are folded inwardly of the tubular carrier. The handle tabs 38 are connected to the top panel 16 along generally parallel fold lines 74, 76. The fold line 36 is disposed generally parallel to the opposed side edges of the top panel 16 and extends between the fold lines 74, 76. The portion of the top panel 16 between the fold lines 74, 76 folds upwardly about the fold line 36 when the carrier is lifted by the finger apertures. The fold line 36 functions to relieve the finger aperture area from stress, and thereby strengthen the handle. In Figure 2 the carrier is in a substantially set up condition. Construction is achieved by folding all the panels in seguence so that panel 22 is face to face with panel 14 whereby a tubular structure is attained. More specifically, panels 14 and 16 are folded along fold line 26 to produce a perpendicular relationship then folding panels 16 and 18, 18 and 20, 20 and 22 are folded along fold lines 28, 30, 34 respectively to produce a perpendicular relationship between the respective panels. The carrier is maintained in a box like condition illustrated in Figure 2, by connecting together side panels 14 and 22 into a face to face relationship, by glue or other suitable means. As shown in Figure 3, said articles are inserted through apertures 44 thereby displacing the gripping tabs 40 out of their general plane until the distal edges of the tabs 40 come into contact with a radially protruding part of said articles. As the tabs 40 are displaced, the main panel 20 is caused to flex by folding along fold line 32, to allow the apertures to open to a greater extent and when the tabs engage a bottle neck the exibility of the main panel gives additional support . ^ r tabs 40 which is enhanced by the provision of a stress relieving cut line 64. In Figure 4 there is shown another embodiment of the invention which illustrates a carrier blank no for forming a top gripping carrier and made from paperboard or similar foldable sheet material. The blank comprises a support strip 112 hingably connected to intermediate strip 114 along fold line 130 thereby enabling strips 112 and 114 to be placed in a face to face relationship. Intermediate strip 114 is hingably connected to main panel 116 along fold line 132 thereby enabling strips 114 and 112 to be folded out of the plane of the blank. Main panel 116 is also hingably connected to intermediate strip 118 along fold line 136. Support strip 120 is foldably connected to intermediate strip 118 along fold line 138 thereby enabling strips 118 and 120 to form a face to face relationship. Fold line 136 enables strips 118 and 120 to be folded out of the general plane. As illustrated in Figure 4, main panel 116 is formed with a row of three hexagonal tab apertures 144 the opposing sides of which are furnished with gripping tabs 140. Each gripping tab comprises three panels 150, 152, 154 connected one to the next along fold lines 156 and 158 respectively. Terminal panels 150 and 154 are further connected to main panel 116 along fold lines 160, 162 respectively, while cut line 164 separates middle panel 152 from main panel 116. Main panel 116 further comprises a central interrupted fold line 134 extending between the opposing free end edges of main panel 116 and aligned with the middle panels 152 of each tab 140. In a set up condition panels 150, 152 and 154 are moved out of alignment along fold lines 156 and 158 and co-act with fold line 134 to fold main panel 116. A handle is formed along support strip 120 provided by way of a pair of oppositely disposed tabs 166 formed in the support strip 120. The carrier may be carried by folding back each tab 166. Construction of the carrier is achieved by folding strips 112 and 114 along fold line 130 in a face to face relationship, and folding strips 118 and 120 along fold lines 138 in a face to face relationship, strips 112, 114 are secured together by glue or other suitable means and thereby maintained in the face to face relationship to form a composite side panel. In like manner, strips 120, 118 are secured together to form another composite side panel. These side panels are folded along fold lines 132, 136 to be disposed generally perpendicularly to main panel 116. To secure articles A together by the above carrier, articles A are inserted through apertures 144. By this means, the lower portions of the strips 112, 120 are thrust away from each other by the articles A, and thereby the gap Gl between the lower portions are increased to produce a pivotal effect. The result is to reduce the gap G2 between the upper portions of strips 112 and 120 thus enabling the free uppermost edges 150, 152 to be tightened on the articles A so as to securely support radially protruding parts of the articles A as illustrated in Figure 5. The introduction of the articles A also move the tabs 140 out of their general plane until the distal edges of the tabs 140 come into contact with a radially protruding part of the articles. By moving the tabs 140 out of alignment, main panel 116 is caused to flex along fold line 134, to allow the apertures to open to a greater extent. When the tabs 140 engage the protruding part, such as a bottle neck flange, the flexibility of the main panels gives additional support for tabs 140 which is enhanced by the provision of a stress relieving cut line 164. The present invention and its preferred embodiments relate to a bottle carrier which is shaped to provide satisfactory rigidity to hold the bottles securely but with a degree of flexibility so that load transferred to the aperture tabs can be better absorbed by the carrier. The shape of the blank minimizes the amount of paper board reguired. The carrier can be applied to an array of bottles by hand or by automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers not limited to those of the top gripping sort.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An article carrier comprising: a main panel having a pair of opposed end edges, a first fold line extending between said end edges, and at least one aperture for receiving an article, said aperture being disposed astride said first fold line to interrupt said first fold line; a first tab struck from said main panel and defining at least a part of said aperture; and means for hingably connecting said tab to said main panel so that said tab is displaceable out of the plane of said main panel to operatively engage a part of said article when said article is in said aperture, wherein said hingably connecting means comprises a pair of second and third spaced fold lines extending divergently from each other toward one of said end edges so that displacement of said tab out of said plain causes said main panel to be folded about said first fold line, and a cut line extending between said second and third fold lines to partially separate said tab from said main panel, said cut line being disposed transversely of said first fold line such that said first fold line is interrupted at said cut line. 2. The article carrier according to claim 1 wherein said tab comprises a pair of terminal panels hingably interconnected by a middle panel, said terminal panels being connected to said main panel along said second and third fold lines respectively, said middle panel being separated from said main panel by said cut line. 3. The article carrier according to claim 2 wherein said terminal panels are connected to said middle panel along fourth and fifth spaced fold lines respectively, each of said fourth and fifth fold lines being arranged at a location offset from said first fold line. 4. The carrier according to claim 1 further comprising a second tab struck from said main panel and defining at least a part of said aperture, said second tab being hingably connected to said main panel at a location diametrically opposed to said first tab. 5. The carrier according to claim 1 further comprising a pair of side panels hingably connected respectively to opposed side edges of said main panel and extending to respective upper edges located above said main panel. 6. The carrier according to claim 5 further comprising a top panel interconnecting said upper edges of said side panels so that a tubular structure is formed by said main, top and side panels. 7. The carrier according to claim 5 wherein said upper edges of said side panels are free uppermost edges for engaging a part of said article when said article is in said aperture so as to support upper portions of said article. 8. The carrier according to claim 7 further comprising means for forcing said free uppermost edges toward each other in response to introduction of said article into said aperture so that said free uppermost edges are tightened on said article in said aperture. 9. The carrier according to claim 8 wherein each of said side panels includes a lower portion extending below said main panel so that upon said introduction of said article, said lower portions may be thrust away from each other by said article to force said free upper edges toward each other, and said pivoting means comprises said lower portions of said side panels. 10. A top-gripping bottle carrier for engaging and supporting at least one bottle at a bottle neck thereof, comprising: a main panel having opposed side edges and at least one aperture for receiving said bottle; a pair of side panels hingably connected to said side edges of said main panel respectively and extending to respective free uppermost edges located above said main panel so as to engage and support said bottle neck when said bottle is in said aperture; and means for forcing said free uppermost edges toward each other in response to introduction of said bottle into said aperture so that said free uppermost edges are tightened on said bottle neck. 11. The carrier according to claim 10 wherein each of said side panels includes a lower portion extending below said main panel so that upon said introduction of said article, said lower portions may be thrust away from each other by said article to force said free upper edges toward each other, and said forcing means comprises said lower portions of said side panels. 12. The carrier according to claim 11 wherein said each side panel comprises an intermediate strip hingably connected to a respective one of said side edges of said main panel, and a support strip secured to said intermediate strip in a face to face relationship. 13. The carrier according to claim 12 wherein said intermediate strip of said each side panel extends upward from said main panel to a respective one of said free uppermost edges, and said support strip of said each side panel includes a portion extending above said main panel to be secured to an adjacent one of said intermediate strips and a portion extending below said main panel to provide a respective one of said lower portions. 14. The carrier according to claim 13 wherein said intermediate and support strips of said each side panel are hingably connected together along said respective free uppermost edge. 15. An article carrier comprising: a top panel; and a pair of tabs struck from said top panel to define a pair of spaced finger apertures in said top panel, said tabs being connected to said top panel along generally parallel first fold lines, said top panel containing at lest one second fold line extending between said first fold lines so that a portion of said top panel between said first fold lines folds upwardly about said second fold line when said carrier is lifted by said finger apertures. 16. The carrier according to claim 15 wherein said top panel has a pair of opposed side edges, said first fold lines extending transversely of said side edges of said top panel, said second fold line extending generally parallel to said side edges of said top panel.

Inventors: AUCLAIR JEAN-MICHEL, SAULAS ALAIN, AUCLAIR, JEAN-MICHEL, SAULAS, ALAIN
Applicants: AUCLAIR JEAN MICHEL, MEAD CORP, SAULAS ALAIN, AUCLAIR, JEAN-MICHEL, SAULAS, ALAIN, THE MEAD CORPORATION
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B65D71
IPC codes: B65D67, B65D71