Patent Publication Number: US-2004055905-A1

Title: Container package with carrier and surrounding sleeve

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to packages for groups of containers, and, more particularly, to plastic carriers having arrays of loops for engaging and holding individual containers, particularly for large groups of containers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Container carriers are used frequently to unitize a plurality of containers, such as bottles or cans, into conveniently saleable quantities. Both paperboard and plastic are materials commonly used. Paperboard carriers generally comprise a box in which the containers are held. The box may be totally enclosed, or may have an open top, with individual compartments for each container. In an enclosed box, a handle in the form of an opening or slot in the box may be provided. In an open top box, a handle can be extended upwardly between rows of the container compartments. Disadvantages of paperboard carriers include excess material and cost. Further, once opened, an enclosed box no longer holds the containers securely. An open top carrier can spill the contents therein, if inverted.  
       [0003] Plastic carriers have achieved wide acceptance for their performance, light weight, low cost and versatility in being adapted for containers of different sizes and shapes. The general design for plastic carriers includes the formation of apertures in a stretchable plastic. The apertures are sized and shaped to stretch around the periphery of the containers to be held, either bottles or cans. Automated machinery is available for attaching stretchable plastic carriers to containers quickly and efficiently.  
       [0004] For convenient carrying of a group of containers held by the carrier, various types of hand-grasps are known. For example, it is known to provide holes for finger-tip grasping of the package. It is also known to provide a handle on the carrier, either along one side of the group of containers, or at the tops of the containers.  
       [0005] In one such known design, the carrier is formed from two webs of plastic material juxtaposed over one another. Handle portions and container engaging portions are stamped from the juxtaposed webs simultaneously. The webs are fused or welded along selected portions, such as by lamination. The resulting handle portion is thereby a double thickness of material, and the container engaging portions freely depend from the remainder of the carrier, at each side thereof. The container engaging portions are a single ply of material.  
       [0006] Rapid or instantaneous visual product recognition is an aspect of marketing for many beverage suppliers. While the containers individually lend themselves to consumer identification, the area visible on any one container within the group held by a carrier is small, potentially limiting the impact of the printed area, or “billboard”. In this regard, paperboard carriers have an advantage, in that the side of the box, whether of the enclosed type or of the open-top type, provides a unitary billboard area. Shrinkable wraps have been used, and provide unitary billboard areas. However, once breached, the integrity of the wrap as a carrier is lost, and all containers held therein may become free. In addition, shrink-wrap carriers are not aesthetically pleasing at their ends, and it is difficult to incorporate a handle with a shrink wrap carrier.  
       [0007] A growing trend in the beverage industry is to group larger quantities of containers for sale. While plastic carriers, as described above, have been used for so-called twelve-packs, known carriers for twelve packs commonly have been of the side handle variety. That is, with the containers secured in the carrier, and arranged in an upright position, the carrier handle is provided along one side of the group of containers. In a carrying position, the containers are positioned horizontally, at right angles to the upright position. For some consumers, carrying beverage containers horizontally is uncomfortable, because of fear, largely groundless, that a container seal may rupture, spilling all or a substantial quantity of the beverage. Further, a large group of containers, whether bottles or cans, secured only by stretchable rings in an array of a plastic carrier, might have a feel of instability, with individual containers allowed to skew or twist relative to other containers in the group.  
       [0008] What is needed in the art is a container package including a plastic loop array type of carrier having significant billboard area, and arranged for top handle carrying of a well-balanced and securely held group of containers.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009] The present invention provides a plastic carrier with an array of rings having one ring for each container, and a stretchable sleeve for surrounding and securing the group of containers, while also providing a large informational billboard on each side of the group of containers. In a preferred arrangement, the containers are held in four rows, with a top handle extending upwardly between the middle two rows.  
       [0010] In one form thereof, the invention provides a package for a group of containers including individual containers to be held in rows and ranks. The package has an integral plastic carrier including a container holding portion of interconnected stretchable loops. One loop is provided for each container, with each loop surrounding a different one of the containers. A handle portion is connected to the container holding portion. The handle portion extends upwardly between adjacent rows of containers, to above tops of the containers. A sleeve of stretchable material surrounds the group of containers.  
       [0011] In another form thereof, the invention provides a package for a group of individual containers arranged in at least four rows, with a plurality of containers in each row. A stretchable array of interconnected loops has one loop for each container. Each container is disposed in a separate loop that surrounds the container. A handle is substantially parallel to the rows and is connected to the array. The handle is disposed between adjacent rows of containers and extends upwardly between the containers, with two of the at least four rows of containers on each side of the handle.  
       [0012] In a further form thereof, the invention provides a carrier for a group of containers with an array of interconnected loops arranged in rows and ranks. The array includes four rows. A handle is connected to the array, with two rows disposed on each side of the handle.  
       [0013] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, upon review of the following detailed description, claims and drawings, in which like numerals are used to designate like features. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container package in accordance with the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a carrier in the container package shown in FIG. 1;  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carrier shown in FIG. 2, with containers retained therein; and  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a container package in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     [0018] Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description, or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description, and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items and equivalents thereof.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0019] Referring now more specifically to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular, a container package  10  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Package  10  includes a carrier  12  and a sleeve  14 . In the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, package  12  is provided for a so-called twelve pack, and is shown for packaging a plurality of individual containers  16  into a group  18  of containers  16 . However, it should be understood that the present invention can be used advantageously for packaging more or fewer containers  16  than the twelve pack shown. Further, while package  12  is illustrated for packaging individual containers  16  in the form of bottles, package  12  can be used for packaging containers  16  other than bottles. For example, package  10  can be used also for packaging cans.  
     [0020] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, carrier  12  is illustrated. Carrier  12  includes a handle portion  20 , a container holding portion  22  and a truss-like suspension portion  24  connecting handle portion  20  to container holding portion  22 . The actual configuration of carrier  12  will vary depending on the size, type and quantity of containers  16  to be held in carrier  12 . In a preferred design for carrier  12  to hold a twelve pack as illustrated, carrier  12  is a two-ply structure having a first sheet  26  and second sheet  28 . In FIG. 2, only a first sheet  26  is readily visible, with second sheet  28  disposed directly there behind. First sheet  26  and second sheet  28  are connected by one or more welds  30 ,  32 , two such welds  30  and  32  shown in the drawings. The manner in which such welds can be made is well-known to those skilled in the art, and may include the application or extrusion of material between first sheet  26  and second sheet  28 , to cause the sheets to fuse together. As illustrated, welds  30  and  32  are provided, respectively, near a top of handle portion  20  and a bottom of suspension portion  24 . An additional weld or welds may be provided between those illustrated. Handle portion  20 , container holding portion  22  and suspension portion  24  are formed as integral portions of each sheet  26  and  28 . Welds  30 ,  32  bond sheets  26  and  28  such that the portions  20 ,  22  and  24  of each form a single integral carrier  12 .  
     [0021] Suspension portion  24  is a double thick layer that includes a plurality of struts  34 ,  36  and  38 , including first and second end struts  34  and  36 , respectively, and a plurality of intermediate struts  38  formed in each first sheet  26  and second sheet  28 . Suspension portion  24  essentially connects handle portion  20  with container holding portion  22 .  
     [0022] Handle portion  20  includes a handle opening  40  formed through the double layer of first sheet  26  and second sheet  28 . Handle portion  20  extends upwardly from suspension portion  24 , and in an assembled package  10 , the top of handle portion  20  is above the tops of containers  16  so that handle opening  40  is readily accessible for grasping by a person carrying package  10 .  
     [0023] Container holding portion  22  comprises an array  50  of individual loops  52  formed in rows  54 ,  56 ,  58  and  60  parallel to handle portion  20 ; and ranks  62 ,  64  and  66  perpendicular handle portion  20 . In the embodiment of carrier  12  illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 , two of the rows  54  and  56  are provided on one side of handle portion  20 , and two of the rows  58  and  60  are provided on the opposite side of handle portion  20 . As those skilled in the art will understand, each row of loops  52  is a single-ply layer of material, rows  54  and  56  being formed in first sheet  26  and rows  58  and  60  formed in second sheet  28 .  
     [0024] Each loop  52  is configured to be stretched and totally surround an individual container  16 . Voids  68  are provided in sheets  26  and  28  to allow stretching and shaping of loops  52 , as necessary, to surround individual containers  16 . The material for sheets  26  and  28  is both flexible and resilient, permitting significant stretching without breaking. Low-density polyethylene is a suitable plastic from which carrier  12  can be made.  
     [0025] Sleeve  14  is formed as an endless band surrounding the perimeter of group  18  of containers  16  held by carrier  12 . Sleeve  14  has a top edge  80  and a bottom edge  82 , with an open top  84  and an open bottom  86 . Containers  16  extend above top edge  80  and below bottom edge  82 , through open top  84  and open bottom  86 , respectively. Sleeve  14  has a sleeve height  88  between top edge  80  and bottom edge  82 . Preferably, sleeve height  88  extends a substantially portion of the overall height of containers  16 .  
     [0026] Sleeve  14  can be formed from a strip of stretchable material formed into an endless band by bonding ends of the strip at a seam  90 . At least an outer surface  92  of sleeve  14  is adapted for receiving printing thereon, the attachment of labels, or for holding other visually communicative indicia. Sleeve  14  thereby provides an enlarged billboard area  94  for the printing of consumer information, logos or other product identification features to promote consumer recognition.  
     [0027] In a preferred structure of package  10 , array  50  is disposed within sleeve  14 . That is, loops  52  engage containers  16  at a position on containers  16  between the level of top edge  80  and bottom edge  82 . In a contemplated procedure for using package  10 , sleeve  14  is applied after carrier  12  has been attached to individual containers  16 . Sleeve  14  is stretched to surround group  18  of containers  16 , and is positioned there around to cover carrier  12 . The application of carrier  12  to individual containers  16  to form group  18 , and the placement of sleeve  14  around group  18  can be performed with automated equipment known to those skilled in the art.  
     [0028] In addition to providing an enlarged billboard area  94 , sleeve  14  stabilizes group  18 , minimizing the degree to which individual containers  16  can twist or skew relative to other containers  16  within group  18 . The cooperative association of carrier  12  and sleeve  14  provides a firm, stable feel to the package, increasing the comfort and confidence of consumers carrying the package. The arrangement of containers  16  in group  18  having four rows  54 ,  56 ,  58  and  60 , with three containers  16  in each row, also provides a well-balanced, stable group  18 . Providing handle  20  in the middle of group  18 , with two rows  54  and  56  on one side of handle  20  and two rows  58  and  60  on the other side of handle  20  further aids in balancing group  18  for easy carrying.  
     [0029] The combination of a carrier  12  and sleeve  14  can be used in other configurations than the four row, three rank group  18  illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 . For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a second embodiment of the invention provides a package  120  including a carrier  122  and a sleeve  124 . Carrier  122  is provided with loops  126  that are arranged in two rows  128  and  130  parallel to a handle  132  of carrier  122 .  
     [0030] In package  120 , sleeve  124  surrounds the perimeter of containers  16  held by carrier  122  in group  18 . Sleeve  124  thereby provides stability to package  120 , while additionally providing an enlarged billboard area for advertising and marketing benefits.  
     [0031] The present invention provides improved stability of large packages such as twelve packs, by providing an encircling band for stabilizing containers held in a carrier. The band provides space for advertising and product recognition information.  
     [0032] Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It is understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention, and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.  
     [0033] Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.