Patent Publication Number: US-9415914-B2

Title: Carrier for containers

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/996,512, filed May 9, 2014. 
    
    
     INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/996,512, which was filed May 9, 2014, is hereby incorporated by reference as if presented herein in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure generally relates to carriers or cartons for holding and displaying containers. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to basket-style carriers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In general, one aspect of the disclosure is directed to a carrier for holding a plurality of containers. The carrier includes a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carrier. The panels comprise at least one bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least two side panels. The carrier includes at least one central panel dividing the interior of the carrier into a front portion and a back portion and at least one divider flap foldably attached to the at least one central panel. The at least one divider flap extends to one of the front panel and the back panel to divide one of the front portion and the back portion into at least two container-receiving spaces. The at least one divider flap having a main panel foldably connected to the at least one central panel. At least one beveled portion is foldably connected to the main panel and oblique to the main portion panel. 
     In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a blank for forming a carrier for holding a plurality of containers. The blank comprises a plurality of panels. The plurality of panels include at least one bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least two side panels. The blank further comprises at least one central panel configured to divide the interior of the carrier into a front portion and a back portion when the carrier is formed from the blank. At least one divider flap is foldably attached to the at least one central panel. The at least one divider flap is configured to extend to one of the front panel and the back panel to divide one of the front portion and the back portion into at least two container-receiving spaces when the carrier is formed from the blank. The at least one divider flap has a main panel foldably connected to the at least one central panel. At least one beveled portion is foldably connected to the main panel and oblique to the main portion panel when the carrier is formed from the blank. 
     In another aspect, the disclosure is generally directed to a method of forming a carrier for containing a plurality of containers. The method comprises obtaining a blank comprising at least one bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, at least two side panels, at least one central panel, and at least one divider flap foldably attached to the at least one central panel. The at least one divider flap has a main panel foldably connected to the at least one central panel, and at least one beveled portion foldably connected to the main panel. The method further comprises forming the interior and dividing the interior into a front portion and a back portion with the at least one central panel. The method further comprises dividing one of the front portion and the back portion into at least two container receiving spaces by positioning the at least one divider flap so that the at least one divider flap extends to a respective one of the front and back panels. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Those skilled in the art will appreciate the above stated advantages and other advantages and benefits of various additional embodiments reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the below-listed drawing figures. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the above-discussed aspects be provided both individually and in various combinations. 
       According to common practice, the various features of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exterior of a carton blank used to form an exemplary basket-style carrier according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are detail views of the divider flaps according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the interior of the carton blank of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are views showing the folding of the carton blank to form a partially-erected carrier according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  are views showing further folding of the partially-erected carrier of  FIG. 6  into the carrier according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  are perspective views of the exemplary basket-style carrier according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIGS. 11 and 12  are detail views of a container receiving space according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective of the erected carrier according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 14  is an illustration of the carrier opening process according to one embodiment of the disclosure. Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawings. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT 
     The present disclosure generally relates to carriers, packages, constructs, sleeves, cartons, or the like, for holding and displaying containers such as jars, bottles, cans, etc. The containers can be used for packaging food and beverage products, for example. The containers can be made from materials suitable in composition for packaging the particular food or beverage item, and the materials include, but are not limited to, plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; and the like; aluminum and/or other metals; glass; or any combination thereof. 
     Carriers according to the present disclosure can accommodate containers of numerous different shapes. For the purpose of illustration and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the disclosure, the following detailed description describes beverage containers (e.g., glass bottles or plastic containers) at least partially disposed within the carrier embodiments. In this specification, the terms “lower,” “bottom,” “upper,” “top,” “front,” and “back” indicate orientations determined in relation to fully erected carriers. 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exterior side  1  of a blank  3  used to form a package or basket-style carrier  5  ( FIG. 13 ), in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 13 , the carrier  5  is sized to contain six containers C, three containers being contained in a front portion of the carrier and three containers being contained in a back portion of the carrier. The carrier may be sized and shaped to hold more or less than six containers. 
     The blank  3  has a longitudinal axis L 1  and a lateral axis L 2 . The blank  3  has a front portion  7 , a back portion  9 , a bottom panel  11  foldably connected to the back portion, and a bottom adhesive flap  13  foldably connected to the front portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the front portion  7  and back portion  9  are for being folded about a longitudinal centerline CL when the blank  3  is formed into the carrier  5 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1  adhesive flap  13  and bottom panel  11  respectively have beveled corners  14   a ,  14   b  to facilitate forming beveled corners of the carrier when the carrier  5  is formed from the blank. The bottom panel  11  and the adhesive flap  13  may be oppositely arranged without departing from the disclosure. As discussed in more detail below, the blank  3  is formed into the carrier  5  by folding the blank about the centerline CL so that the front portion  7  and the back portion  9  are overlapped. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the front portion  7 , comprises a front panel  15   a  foldably connected to a first front corner panel  16   a  and a second front corner panel  18   a . The first front corner panel  16   a  is foldably connected to a first side panel  17   a  and the second front corner panel  18   a  is foldably connected to a second side panel  19   a . The front portion  7  includes a front handle panel  21   a  adjacent the first side panel  17   a  and second side panel  19   a . The front handle panel  21   a  is separated from the front panel  15   a , the second front corner panel  18   a , and the second side panel  19   a  by a cut  23   a . The front handle panel  21   a  includes a handle opening  22   a  and a handle flap  25   a  foldably connected to the front handle panel at a lateral fold line  26   a . A central panel flap  27   a  is foldably connected to the first side panel  17   a  at a lateral fold line  29   a . Lateral fold lines  31   a ,  33   a , foldably connect respective first and second side panel  17   a ,  19   a  to first and second front corner panels  16   a ,  18   a . Lateral fold lines  34   a ,  36   a  foldably connect a respective first and second front corner panel  16   a ,  18   a  to the front panel  15   a . A longitudinal fold line  35   a  connects the bottom panel adhesive flap  13  to the front panel  15   a.    
     In the illustrated embodiment, the features of the back portion  9  of the blank  3  include a back panel  15   b , third side panel  17   b , fourth side panel  19   b , a first back corner panel  16   b , a second back corner panel  18   b , back handle panel  21   b , and central panel flap  27   b  that are generally a mirror-image of the corresponding panel or flap of the front portion  7 . Corresponding components (e.g., panels, flaps, fold lines, cuts, etc.) have been designated by corresponding reference numbers that differ by the “a” or “b” suffix, with the “a” components corresponding to the front portion  7  and the “b” components corresponding to the back portion  9  of the blank  3 . 
     In one embodiment, the front portion  7  includes a front or first central panel  41  foldably connected to the second side panel  19   a  at a lateral fold line  43   a . The central panel  41  includes a handle opening  45   a  and a keel  38  foldably connected to the central panel  41  at a longitudinal fold line  39 . A first divider flap  47   a  is foldably connected to the front central panel  41  at a lateral fold line  49   a . A second divider flap  51   a  is foldably connected to the front central panel  41  at a lateral fold line  53   a . Each divider flap  47   a ,  51   a  includes a main portion  62   a ,  63   a  and beveled portions  50   a ,  54   a  and  52   a ,  56   a  foldably connected to the main portions of the respective divider flap at lateral fold lines  42   a ,  58   a  and  46   a ,  60   a . Each beveled portion  50   a ,  54   a ,  52   a ,  56   a  includes a respective attachment flap  55   a ,  57   a  foldably connected to the respective beveled portion of the respective divider flap at a lateral fold line  44   a ,  59   a ,  48   a ,  61   a . The first divider flap  47   a  is at least partially defined by an upper cut  65 , a lower cut  67 , a lateral cut  69 , and the lateral fold line  49   a . The first attachment flap  55   a  is at least partially defined by upper cuts  64 ,  65 ; lower cuts  66 ,  67 ; lateral cuts  68 ,  69 ; and lateral fold lines  44   a ,  59   a . The second divider flap  51   a  is at least partially defined by an upper cut  73  that extend from a lateral edge of the blank  3  to the fold line  53   a , an upper edge  75 , an lower cut  78  that extend from a lateral edge of the blank  3  to the fold line  53   a , a lower edge  77 , a lateral edge  79  corresponding to a lateral edge of the blank, and the lateral fold line  53   a . The second attachment flap  57   a  is at least partially defined by an upper cut  80 , an upper edge  75 , a lower cut  82 , a lower edge  77 , a lateral cut  84 , a lateral edge  79 , and lateral fold lines  48   a ,  61   a , The bevel portion  52   a  of the second divider flap  51   a  is at least partially defined by an upper cut  82 , a lower cut  112 , lower edge  77 , and lateral fold lines  46   a ,  48   a.    
     The back portion  9  includes a back or second central panel  81  foldably connected to the fourth side panel  19   b  at a lateral fold line  43   b . The central panel  81  includes a handle opening  45   b . A third divider flap  47   b  is foldably connected to the back central panel  81  at a lateral fold line  49   b . A fourth divider flap  51   b  is foldably connected to the back central panel  81  at a lateral fold line  53   b . Each divider flap  47   b ,  51   b  includes a main portion  62   b ,  63   b  and beveled portions  50   b ,  54   b  and  52   b ,  56   b  foldably connected to the main portions of the divider flap at lateral fold lines  42   b ,  58   b  and  46   b ,  60   b . Each beveled portion  50   b ,  54   b  and  52   b ,  56   b  includes a respective adhesive flap  55   b ,  57   b  foldably connected to the bevel portions of the respective divider flap at lateral fold lines  44   b ,  59   b  and  48   b ,  61   b . The third divider flap  47   b  is at least partially defined by an upper cut  87 , a lower cut  85 , a lateral cut  89 , and the lateral fold line  49   b . The third attachment flap  55   b  is at least partially defined by lower cuts  84 ,  85 ; upper cuts  86 ,  87 ; lateral cuts  89 ,  88 ; and lateral fold lines  44   b ,  59   b . The fourth divider flap  51   b  is at least partially defined by an upper cut  98  that extend from a lateral edge of the blank  3  to the fold line  53   b , an upper edge  97 , a lower edge  95 , a lateral edge  99  corresponding to a lateral edge of the blank, and the lateral fold line  53   b . The fourth attachment flap  57   b  is at least partially defined by an upper cut  100 , an upper edge  97 , a lower cut  102 , a lower edge  95 , a lateral cut  104 , a lateral edge  99 , and lateral fold lines  48   b ,  61   b . The bevel portion  52   b  of the second divider flap  51   b  is at least partially defined by an upper cut  102 , a lower cut  114 , lower edge  95 , and lateral fold lines  46   b ,  48   b.    
     In the illustrated embodiment, the blank  3  includes a longitudinal fold line  125  that foldably connects the front central panel  41  and the back central panel  81 . Also, a longitudinal fold line  127  foldably connects the front handle panel  21   a  and the back handle panel  21   b . A longitudinal fold line  129  foldably connects the front central panel flap  27   a  and the rear central panel flap  27   b . In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal fold lines  125 ,  127 ,  129  are aligned with the longitudinal centerline CL of the blank  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the top cut  65  of the first divider flap  47   a  has generally straight portions forming respective straight edge portion  175  of the front central panel  41  and an oblique portion forming an edge portion  179  of the front central panel. The bottom cut  67  has straight portions forming respective edge portions  151 ,  157 ,  161  of the front central panel  41  and oblique portions forming respective edge portions  153 ,  159 ,  163  of the front central panel. The upper cut  73  of the second divider flap  51   a  has one generally straight portion forming an edge portion  183  of the front central panel  41 . A lower cut  78  has one generally straight portion forming an edge portion  185  of the front central panel  41 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the top cut  87  of the third divider flap  47   b  has generally straight portions forming respective straight edge portion  195  of the back central panel  81  and an oblique portion forming an edge portion  199  of the front central panel. The bottom cut  85  has straight portions forming respective edge portions  191 ,  193 ,  195  of the back central panel  81  and oblique portion forming an edge portion  201 ,  203 ,  205  of the front central panel. The upper cut  98  of the fourth divider flap  51   b  has one generally straight portion forming an edge portion  223  of the back central panel  81  and a lower edge portion  233  generally straight and defining the outer edge of the of the back central panel  81 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the edge portions  153 ,  157 , and  159  of the first divider flap  47   a  has a heel separator  160  that extends downwardly and the edge portions  193 ,  195 , and  201  of the first divider flap  47   b  have a heel separator  162  that extends downwardly to form a separation between the bottom sides of the container receiving openings when the carrier is formed from the blank. The shape of the top cuts  65 ,  105 , the shape of the bottom cuts  67 ,  107  and the shape of the cuts  73 ,  113  form features of the blank  3  that facilitate forming of the carrier  5  from the blank. The first, second, third and fourth divider flaps  47   a ,  51   a ,  47   b ,  51   b  each have a first dimension D 1  ( FIG. 4 ) comprising the length of the respective main panel  62   a ,  62   b ,  63   a ,  63   b  and beveled portions  50   a ,  54   a ,  52   a ,  56   a ,  50   b ,  54   b ,  52   b ,  56   b  in the flat position (i.e., non-assembled position). The front portion  7  and the back portion  9  each have a second dimension D 2  ( FIG. 10 ) corresponding to the distance from the first and second central panels  41 ,  81  to the front panel  15   a  and the back panel  15   b . The first dimension D 1 , corresponding to the length of the main panels  62   a ,  62   b ,  63   a ,  63   b  and beveled portions  50   a ,  54   a ,  52   a ,  56   a ,  50   b ,  54   b ,  52   b ,  56   b  in the flat or in the folded condition, is greater than the second dimension D 2 . 
     Any of the panels, flaps, fold lines, cuts, or other features could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or omitted from the blank  3  without departing from the disclosure. The blank  3  could be sized and/or shaped to accommodate more or less than six containers without departing from this disclosure. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4-14 , in one exemplary method of erection, the blank  3  is positioned with its exterior surface  1  facing down, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The carrier  5  may be erected from the blank  3  by respectively folding the central panels  41 ,  81  in the direction of arrows A 1  about fold lines  43   a ,  43   b  so that the central panels are in face-to-face relationship with portions of the handle panels  21   a ,  21   b  and the front and back panels  15   a ,  15   b . Glue or other adhesive is selectively applied to the blank  3  to adhesively connect the adhesive flaps  55   a ,  57   a  to the front panel  15   a  with glue and to adhesively connect the adhesive flaps  55   b ,  57   b  to the back panel  15   b . Next, the keel  38  is folded about fold line  39  to be in face-to-face contact and adhesively connected with the exterior surface  1  of the central panel  41 . Then, the side panels  17   a ,  17   b  are folded in the direction of arrows A 2  about fold lines  31   a ,  31   b  so that the side panels  17   a ,  17   b  and central panel flaps  27   a ,  27   b  are in face-to-face contact with portions of the front and back panels  15   a ,  15   b . Also, portions of the central panels  27   a ,  27   b  are in face-to-face contact with portions of the handle panels  21   a ,  21   b  and the central panels can be selectively adhesively secured thereto with glue. 
     Next, the partially assembled blank  3  is folded in the direction of arrow A 3  ( FIGS. 6-7 ) about the longitudinal centerline CL so that the front portion  7  overlaps the back portion  9 . The bottom panel  11  is attached to the bottom panel adhesive flap  13  by glue, or by mechanical attachment wherein the bottom panel  11  comprises locking portions  133  which interlock with openings  135 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the blank  3  is further assembled into the carrier by positioning the first side panels  17   a ,  17   b  and second side panels  19   a ,  19   b  to be in a generally spaced-apart, parallel planar relationship and positioning the front panel  15   a  and back panel  15   b  to be in a generally spaced-apart, parallel planar relationship. Such movement of the side panels  17   a ,  17   b ,  19   a ,  19   b  and front and back panels  15   a ,  15   b , causes the corner panels  16   a ,  16   b ,  18   a ,  18   b , to form beveled corners  216   a ,  216   b ,  218   a ,  218   b , of the carton  5 . As shown in  FIGS. 10-12 , further such movement of the side panels  17   a ,  17   b ,  19   a ,  19   b  and front and back panels  15   a ,  15   b , causes the main panels  62   a ,  63   a  of the divider flaps  47   a ,  51   a  in the front portion of the carrier  5  to be positioned generally perpendicular with beveled portions  50   a ,  54   a ,  52   a ,  56   a  oblique to the main panels  62   a ,  63   a  and the front panel  15   a  to divide the front portion into three container-receiving spaces  255 . Similarly, the rear portion of the carrier is divided into three container receiving spaces  257  by the main panels  62   b ,  63   b  of the divider flaps divider flaps  47   b ,  51   b  and beveled portions  50   b ,  54   b ,  52   b ,  56   b . The beveled corners  216   a ,  216   b ,  218   a ,  218   b  and beveled portions  50   a ,  54   a ,  52   a ,  56   a ,  50   b ,  54   b ,  52   b ,  56   b  create container receiving spaces for increased product (e.g., glass) protection. 
     Containers can be placed into the spaces  255 ,  257  of the carrier  5 . The bottoms of the containers are supported by the bottom walls  11 ,  13  of the carrier  5 . 
     The exemplary carrier embodiment discussed above accommodates six containers arranged in two rows, but the present disclosure is not limited to these numbers. As one example, additional containers may be accommodated by increasing the size of the blank  3  (e.g., in the longitudinal direction L 1  in  FIG. 1 ) and forming additional container-receiving spaces therein. Also, the blank  3  could have less than six container-receiving spaces. 
     In general, the blank may be constructed from paperboard having a caliper so that it is heavier and more rigid than ordinary paper. The blank can also be constructed of other materials, such as cardboard, or any other material having properties suitable for enabling the carton to function at least generally as described above. The blank can be coated with, for example, a clay coating. The clay coating may then be printed over with product, advertising, and other information or images. The blanks may then be coated with a varnish to protect information printed on the blanks. The blanks may also be coated with, for example, a moisture barrier layer, on either or both sides of the blanks. The blanks can also be laminated to or coated with one or more sheet-like materials at selected panels or panel sections. 
     As an example, a tear line can include: a slit that extends partially into the material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of spaced apart slits that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness, or various combinations of these features. As a more specific example, one type tear line is in the form of a series of spaced apart slits that extend completely through the material, with adjacent slits being spaced apart slightly so that a nick (e.g., a small somewhat bridging-like piece of the material) is defined between the adjacent slits for typically temporarily connecting the material across the tear line. The nicks are broken during tearing along the tear line. The nicks typically are a relatively small percentage of the tear line, and alternatively the nicks can be omitted from or torn in a tear line such that the tear line is a continuous cut line. That is, it is within the scope of the present disclosure for each of the tear lines to be replaced with a continuous slit, or the like. For example, a cut line can be a continuous slit or could be wider than a slit without departing from the present disclosure. 
     In accordance with the exemplary embodiments, a fold line can be any substantially linear, although not necessarily straight, form of weakening that facilitates folding therealong. More specifically, but not for the purpose of narrowing the scope of the present disclosure, fold lines include: a score line, such as lines formed with a blunt scoring knife, or the like, which creates a crushed or depressed portion in the material along the desired line of weakness; a cut that extends partially into a material along the desired line of weakness, and/or a series of cuts that extend partially into and/or completely through the material along the desired line of weakness; and various combinations of these features. In situations where cutting is used to create a fold line, typically the cutting will not be overly extensive in a manner that might cause a reasonable user to incorrectly consider the fold line to be a tear line. 
     The above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered together by glue during erection of the carton embodiments. The term “glue” is intended to encompass all manner of adhesives commonly used to secure carton panels in place. 
     The foregoing description of the disclosure illustrates and describes various exemplary embodiments. Various additions, modifications, changes, etc., could be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only selected embodiments of the disclosure, but the disclosure is capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings, and/or within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. Furthermore, certain features and characteristics of each embodiment may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the disclosure.