ARTICLE CARRIER AND BLANK

Abstract: An article carrier comprises a generally tubular wraparound structure, and a carrying handle (H1) extending generally upwardly from the tubular structure. The tubular structure includes laterally spaced top panels (146,156) and a bridging structure (195,197) disposed to span a space between the top panels (146,156). The carrying handle (H1) includes handle panels (116,118) extending from the spaced respective inner side edges (126,130) of the top panels and secured partially together in a face-to-face contacting relationship. The handle panels (116,118) are hingedly connected together along medial fold lines (193,194) formed respectively in the handle panels (116,118). The medial fold lines (193,194) extend along the tubular axis of the tubular structure and are disposed in registry with each other. The distance (D1) between each medial fold line (193,194) and the adjacent inner side edge (126,130) is generally equal to a half of the distance (D2) between the inner side edges (126,130).

Description: ARTICLE CARRIERAND BLANK Background of the Invention The invention relates to an article carrier and a blank for forming an article carrier which are particularly useful, but not limited to, carrying bottles. More particularly, the invention relates to a wraparound article carrier having a two-ply upright carrying handle and an improved bridging structure for strengthening the handle and reinforcing its constituent handle panels. The bridging structure also serves to insure the integrity or tightness of the carrier Bracing structures for bracing handle structures in article carriers are well known. For example, GB 480 138 illustrates a wraparound carrier which shows a pair of tabs 12, 12' formed from the handle panels spanning the space between the top panels and connected to each other by mechanical engagement. Such arrangements were possible because the cartons were packed by hand. However, in automated packaging machines, lateral movement of the panels to cause mechanical engagement of tabs 12 and 12' is undesirable. In order to strengthen the handle structure, it is desirable for handle panels to be in face contacting relationship. However, in those carriers where the handle panels are spaced or diverge away from their point of connection it causes the handle structure to be weaker. Other examples of bracing structures are illustrated in EP 0 122 397 and US 5 158 177, however these structures are required to be constructed in the bottling machines which is undesirable because it increases the complexity of the machinery and/or limits carton throughput. A further problem associated with the prior art concerns the stacking of such carriers which can interfere with the handles and destroy their integrity. Summary of the Invention The present invention and its preferred embodiments seek to overcome or attempt to mitigate the problems associated with the prior art. One aspect of the invention provides an article carrier comprising a generally tubular wraparound structure defining a tubular axis, and a carrying handle extending generally upwardly from the tubular structure. The tubular structure includes a pair of laterally spaced top panels and a bridging structure disposed to span the space between the top panels. The carrying handle includes a pair of handle panels extending from the spaced respective inner side edges of the top panels and secured partially together in a face-to-face contacting relationship. The handle panels are hingedly connected together along medial fold lines formed respectively in the handle panels. The medial fold lines extend along the tubular axis of the tubular structure and are disposed in registry with each other. The distance between each medial fold line and the inner side edge of adjacent top panel is generally equal to a half of the distance between the inner side edges. According to an optional feature of the invention, the handle panels may be formed respectively with second medial fold lines disposed in registry with each other at an elevation between the top of the carrying handle and the first medial fold lines. This arrangement allows the handle to be folded along the registered second fold lines to be moved downward from an upright position to either side to reduce the height of the carrier According to an optional feature of the invention, the bridging structure may include a pair of tabs formed from the handle panels and secured together in overlapping relationship to span the space between the top panels. Preferably, the pair of tabs may be glued together in face contacting relationship. According to another optional feature of the invention, the tabs maybe hingedly connected to the lower edge of hand apertures formed in the handle panels. According to a further optional feature of the invention, the tabs maybe hingedly connected to the top panels respectively. According to a still further optional feature of the invention, the first medial fold line of each handle panel defines upper and lower panel portions of the each handle panel, and the upper handle panel portions of the handle panels may be secured together. The handle panels may, preferably, be hingedly connected together along a common upper edge. Brief Description of the Drawings Exemplary 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 a blank for forming a wraparound article carrier according to an embodiment of the invention; FIGURES 2 A, 2B and 2C illustrate the formation of the handle structure incorporating the bridging structure shown in Figure 1 ; FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the handle structure of the article carrier formed from the blank shown in Figures 1, 2 A, 2B and 2C; and FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of the handle structure shown in Figure 3. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to the drawings and, in particular, Figures 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a blank for forming an article carrier which blank is formed from paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material. The article carrier is adapted to accommodate a plurality of articles, for example four bottles arranged in two rows of two bottles each. It is envisaged that the carrier can be adapted to accommodate a different number and/or configuration of articles according to user requirements. In this embodiment, there is shown a unitary blank 110 made from paperboard or like foldable sheet material. The blank 110 comprises a first base panel 112, a side wall structure 114, a top panel 146, a handle structure or handle HI (Figures 1 and 4), a second top wall panel 156, a second side wall structure 120 and a second base panel 122 hingedly connected one to the next along fold lines 124, 150, 126, 130, 160 and 132 respectively. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, it will be seen that the base panel 112 may include an inclined heel (or slope) panel 134 intermediate base panel 112 and side wall structure 114 and hingedly connected thereto along fold lines 136 and 124 respectively. There may further comprise a second heel panel 138 intermediate side wall structure 120 and base panel 122 and hingedly connected thereto along fold lines 132 and 140 respectively. The first and second side wall structures 114 and 120 preferably comprise upper and lower side wall panels 144, 142 and 154, 152 hingedly connected together along fold line 148 and 158 respectively. In one class of embodiments, there may further comprise article receiving and retaining means 162, 162a, 162b and 162c struck from the lower side wall panels, base panels and the intermediate heel panels. Each article receiving and retaining means is identical and therefore only one of the article receiving and retaining means 162 is hereinafter described. The retaining means 162 comprises a retaining aperture 170 struck from the heel panel 138 and extending into base panel 122. It is shaped to receive a lower part of the article A . The article receiving and retaining means 162 may further comprise one or more retaining flaps 172 which in a formed carton provide internal flap portions to retain the base of an article. More preferably, there comprises a pair of flaps 172 hingedly connected to the opposite edges of aperture 170. Each flap 172 comprises upper and lower flap portions 164, 166 hingedly connected together along fold lines 168 to enable the upper and lower flap portions to be folded out of alignment with respect to each other and to better conform to the shape of that part of the article A engaged by the flap 172 and in the aperture 170. A plurality of apertures 174 are formed in the top panels 146, 156. They are adapted to be aligned in vertically spaced registry with the article receiving and retaining means 162, 162a, 162b, 162c in a set-up condition. These apertures 174 are provided to support a neck portion of the article and may optionally include a pair of substantially "V" shaped fold lines 175 formed in the upper side panels 144 and 154 to define support tabs 177 separated by cut line 179 that protrude outwardly of the side wall structures 114, 120. The handle structure HI is provided with first and second handle wall panels 116, 118 hingedly connected together along their common lateral edge by fold line 128. First handle wall panel 116 is connected to top panel 146 by fold line 126 and second handle wall panel 118 is connected to top panel 156 by fold line 130. In this embodiment, first handle wall panel 116 comprises an upper handle panel 179 and a lower handle panel 178 hingedly connected together along interrupted medial fold line 193. Likewise, second handle wall panel 118 comprises upper handle panel 183 and lower handle panel 187 hingedly connected together along interrupted medial fold line 194. In one class of embodiments there may further comprise a pair of second medial fold lines 181, 191 formed in upper handle panels 179, 183, respectively. These fold lines 128, 193, 194, 181, 191 are disposed along and lie parallel to the axis of the tubular carrier to be erected from the blank of Figure 1. In use, first medial fold lines 193, 194 can be used to assist in folding the handle structure into a flat collapsed condition where the handle structure lies flat on one of the top panels 146, 156 when the carrier is partially erected for transportation. The function of the second medial fold lines 181, 191 is to reduce the vertical height of the erected handle structure which is described in more detail below. First and second handle panels 116, 118 are provided with hand apertures 176 and, optionally, hand support flaps 180a, 180b, 180c improve the handling characteristics of the article carrier. A bridging structure is provided, which in this embodiment is formed by a pair of tabs 195, 197 struck from handle panels 116, 118 and extending into hand aperture 176. Tab 195 is hingedly connected to top panel 146 along fold line 126 and likewise tab 197 is hingedly connected to top panel 156 along fold line 130. Turning to the construction of the article carrier of the present invention, it is envisaged that it can be formed by a series of sequential folding and gluing operations in a straight line machine so that the carrier is not required to be rotated or inverted to complete its construction. The folding process is not limited to that described below and may be altered according to particular manufacturing requirements. The construction of the handle structure HI is illustrated in Figures 2 A, 2B, 2C whereby the panels forming one side of the carrier comprising handle panel 116, top panel 146, side wall structure 114 and base panel 112 together with upper handle panel 183 are folded about first medial fold line 194 in the direction designated by the letter X (Figure 2 A), so that the aforementioned panels are placed in face contacting relationship with the panels forming the other side of the carrier as shown in Figure 2B. Upper handle panels 179, 183 are secured together by glue or by other suitable means known in the art. The tabs 195, 197 forming the bridging structure are also secured together. One way to achieve this, is for glue to be applied to those parts of tab 197 and upper handle panel 183. Those panels forming one side of the carrier 112, 114, 146 and 116 are folded about central fold line 128 in the direction designated by the letter Y (Figure 2B) such that the tabs 195, 197 and upper handle panels 179 and 183 are secured together in face contacting arrangement as shown in Figure 2C. By this means, first medial fold lines 193, 194 are brought into registration with each other and so are second medial fold lines 181, 191. Thus, the carrier is partially erected. However, the handle HI is still in a flat collapsed condition shown in Figure 2C wherein the handle lies flat on top panel 156. This flat condition is available due to the arrangement wherein the distance Dl between each first medial fold line 193, 194 and the inner side edge 126, 130 of the adjacent top panel 146, 156 is generally equal to a half of the distance D2 between the inner side edges 126, 130 of the spaced top panels 146, 156. The distances Dl, D2 are indicated in Figure 4. The partially erected, flat blank 110 is convenient for transportation to be supplied to a user for final erection and loading of the carrier. In order to package a group of articles with the article carrier, .the top panels 146 and 156 are applied to the tops of a group of articles as shown in Figure 4, and the side wall structures 114, 120 are folded downwardly to be disposed in flanking relationship with the side walls of the articles so that a neck portion of each article A is received in and engaged by the apertures 174. During this process, the handle HI is thrust aside by the tops of the articles A and folded about the registered first medial fold lines 193, 194 into an erected upright condition as shown in Figure 4. The heel retention flaps of the article heel retention means 162, 162a are then formed to receive a heel portion of the articles A as is well known. Base panel 122 and heel panel 138 are folded inwardly and upwardly into engagement with base portions of the articles. A similar operation on the other side of the group of articles is also performed and the wraparound carrier can be completed by securing the overlapping base panels 112, 122 together by suitable means known in the art, for example by gluing or, preferably, by the use of locking and retaining tabs as is well known. Thus, the carrier is in a set up condition whereby there is shown an article carrier for carrying one or more necked articles. The article carrier comprises a plurality of panels for forming the article carrier including a pair of laterally spaced top panels 146, 156, and a pair of handle panels 116, 118 extending upwardly from the top panels 146, 156 and forming a carrying handle. The bridging structure is provided to span the space between the top panels 146, 156 wherein the bridging means comprises a pair of tabs 195, 197 formed from the handle panels 116, 118 and secured together in overlapping relationship to span the space between the top panels 146, 156. In use, the user will insert his hand in the hand apertures 176 and fold the flaps 180 for improved cushioning during handling. As the carrier is moved, the handle panels 116, 118 are prevented from separation by the bridging structure. Furthermore, the upper part of handle HI formed from the upper handle panels 179, 183 is two ply and is therefore strengthened to avoid any unwanted tearing which is unsightly and leads the user to question the strength characteristics of the carrier. In one class of embodiments, the handle structure HI is at an elevation above the tops of the articles, which allows easier access to the hand apertures 174. However, if these packages are stored in a stacked condition then the handle structure HI may be damaged. To solve this problem, the handle structure HI is provided with the first and second medial fold lines 193, 194, 181, 191 to cause the handle HI to be folded along the registered first fold lines 193, 194 as well as along the registered second fold lines 181, 191. This allows the upper part of the handle HI to move downward from the upright position shown in the solid line in Figure 4 to a stowed position on either side such as shown by the dotted line in Figure 4 to reduce the height of the handle HI . It will be seen that the top of the handle is moved downwardly and to one side so that the vertical height of the carrier is lower than the height of the bottle to be packaged. One advantage of employing this approach is that the loaded carriers can be stored or shipped by stacking the carriers without destroying the integrity of the handle structure. It is intended that this aspect of the invention is not limited to article carriers described above. It is envisaged that the handle collapsing means such as first and second fold lines can be applied to other carriers with a similar handle structure without the bridging structure. It will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as "top", "base", "end", and "side" do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only: indeed it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more of one of the following, a score line, a frangible line or a fold line, without departing from the scope of invention. It should be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the present invention, for example, the size and shape of the panels and apertures may be adjusted to accommodate articles of differing size or shape, alternative top and base closure structures may be used. A single article receiving structure may be provided in some embodiments, and in other embodiments a linear array of additional apertures may be provided in each of the article receiving structures such that the carton may accommodate more than one article. Additional panel(s) may be provided between the main and transverse article receiving panels so as to form a curved interface therebetween.

Claims: CLAΓMS 1. An article carrier comprising a generally tubular wraparound structure defining a tubular axis, and a carrying handle extending generally upwardly from said tubular structure, said tubular structure including a pair of laterally spaced top panels and a bridging structure disposed to span a space between said top panels, said carrying handle including a pair of handle panels extending from spaced respective inner side edges of said top panels and secured partially together in a face-to-face contacting relationship, wherein said handle panels are hingedly connected together along medial fold lines formed respectively in said handle panels, said medial fold lines extending along said tubular axis and being disposed in registry with each other, and wherein the distance between each of said medial fold lines and an adjacent one of said inner side edges of said top panels is generally equal to a half of the distance between said inner side edges. 2. An article carrier 1 according to claim 1 wherein said handle panels are formed respectively with second medial fold lines disposed in registry with each other at an elevation between the top of the carrying handle and the first medial fold lines whereby the handle may be folded along the registered second fold lines to be moved downward from an upright position to either side to reduce the height of the carrier. 3. An article carrier as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the bridging structure comprises a pair of tabs fonned from the handle panels and secured together in overlapping relationship to span the space between the top panels. 4. An article carrier as claimed in claim 3 wherein the pair of tabs are glued together in face contacting relationship. 5. An article carrier as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the tabs are hingedly connected to a lower edge of hand apertures formed in the handle panels. 6. An article carrier as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the tabs are hingedly connected to the top panels respectively. 7. An article carrier as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first medial fold line of each of the handle panels defines upper and lower panel portions of said each handle panel, and wherein the upper handle panel portions of the handle panels are secured together. 8. An article carrier as claimed in claim 7 wherein the handle panels are hingedly connected together along a common upper edge.

Inventors: AUCLAIR J, BEAUJEAN J, AUCLAIR, J, BEAUJEAN, J
Applicants: AUCLAIR J, BEAUJEAN J, MEAD CORP, AUCLAIR, J, BEAUJEAN, J, THE MEAD CORPORATION
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B65D71
IPC codes: B65D71