Patent Abstract:
We describe a carrier which seeks to prevent containers, such as bottles, located in compartments at open ends of the carrier from slipping out of the carrier. We also describe a carrier in which adjacently located bottles are prevented from contacting into each other. We further describe a carrier in which sliding movement of a loaded carrier across a surface is minimised.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1) Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to carriers, and more particularly to carriers of the type commonly used for carrying containers such as bottles of wine or beer from a retailer. 
         [0003]    2) Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Bottle carriers, generally made of cardboard, are well-known but tend to suffer from a number of disadvantages. These include a tendency to collapse during use, usually in accordance with Murphy&#39;s Law, at the most inconvenient point between the point of purchase and a purchaser&#39;s home or car, which often results in the retailer being called upon to provide replacement bottles, at their expense. Such carrier malfunction arises from poor efficiency during the gluing process of manufacture, with the problem only being identified when a failure occurs. The construction itself is often also the cause of the failure. Conventional carriers are designed to be expanded from a flat, unassembled state which is suitable for storage, to an assembled state by pushing the respective flatpacked sides of the carrier together. Carriers of this kind of design have a base generally formed from interlocking cardboard pieces fashioned with the bottom edge of the carrier sides. Carriers designed in this way are inefficient, as the main strength of the assembled carrier lies perpendicular to the vertical plane containing the load force exerted by the bottles when the carrier is loaded. Such constructions have a tendency to fail when the carriers are fully loaded, much to the inconvenience of the user. 
         [0005]    Another problem associated with conventional bottle carriers is that adjacently placed bottles tend to knock together whilst the carrier is in use, particularly whilst the carrier is being transported in a moving vehicle. 
         [0006]    Additionally, the bases of conventional carriers are substantially smooth and so there is a tendency for a loaded carrier to slide around in a moving vehicle. 
         [0007]    A further problem associated with conventional bottle carriers is that when a carrier is only partially loaded it tends to be unbalanced and unstable when being carried. This effect is highlighted when an odd number of bottles are being carried, as the carrier tends to tip into an orientation in which bottles can potentially slide from the carrier. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,116 discloses a carrier for glasses or bottles formed from a single blank of material and with a single die. During assembly the adhesive may be applied with a single line gluer, and the assembled carrier is adjustable to accommodate articles of different heights. An optional separator piece is used to separate the top rims of various height glasses within the carrier. However, the carrier still suffers from some of the disadvantages highlighted above and additionally from the fact that bottles placed in the end compartments can slip out of the carrier. This problem is particularly evident when the carrier is unbalanced by being used for an uneven number of bottles. The carrier includes open apertures to receive bottles placed in the carrier, which means that the carrier is not well adapted for carrying a range of different sized or shaped bottles. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Accordingly, the present invention seeks to address the above problems whilst remaining compatible with existing production methods. 
         [0010]    The present invention seeks to provide a carrier which prevents containers, such as bottles, located in compartments at open ends of the carrier from slipping out of the carrier. 
         [0011]    The present invention also seeks to provide a carrier which prevents adjacently located bottles from contacting into each other. 
         [0012]    The present invention further seeks to provide a carrier which minimises sliding movement of a loaded carrier across a surface. 
         [0013]    The present invention also seeks to provide a carrier which can be more efficiently manufactured than other carriers currently commonly available. In its broadest sense, the present invention provides a container carrier in which the carrier comprises a downwardly extending and substantially vertical dividing wall formed with a handle portion which extends upwardly therefrom and a handle reinforcement portion which extends downwardly from the handle portion adjacent thereto, the carrier further comprising a first base portion extending generally laterally away from the dividing wall, and a first sidewall extending generally upwardly therefrom; a first roof section extending generally upwardly and laterally from the first sidewall towards the handle portions; a second roof section extending generally downwardly and laterally from the first roof section and the handle portions, wherein the handle portions pass through a slot formed in a ridge dividing first and second roof sections; a second sidewall extending generally downwardly from the second roof section; a second base portion extending generally laterally away from the second sidewall and towards the dividing wall and the first base portion; and a minor dividing wall extending upwardly from the second base portion, adjacent to and adhered to the dividing wall, wherein the roof sections each include container receiving portions. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the carrier is formed from a unitary blank. Suitably, the carrier is formed from a corrugated board material, suitably cardboard or a plastics equivalent. 
         [0015]    In a first aspect of the present invention, the container-receiving portions each comprise a plurality of deformable flaps. In a second aspect of the present invention, container-retaining barriers are provided at open ends of the carrier. 
         [0016]    Optionally, tabs are formed in the base of the assembled carrier to define container accommodating areas and to prevent adjacent containers from knocking each other whilst the carrier is in transit. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the carrier is collapsible for storage or transportation. More preferably, the carrier includes locking means to lock the carrier in an expanded form. Suitably, a tab is formed extending from an upper edge of at least one of the roof portions to engage a corresponding cut-out in the separator piece, below the carrier handle. The separator prevents bottles located opposite one another on either side of the handle from knocking into each other. The separator is generally open toward the ends of the carrier, but also features a barrier, formed with the carrier base, to prevent bottles located at the ends of the carrier from slipping out therefrom. 
         [0018]    In a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a container carrier having a base including feet to reduce slippage whilst the carrier rests on a surface. Suitably, the feet have a serrated edge. Optionally, the feet are squared. The carrier may be any conventional carrier or a carrier of the type described above. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The above and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a blank of first embodiment of a carrier in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view along a side and from a first end of a carrier formed from the blank of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a plan view from above of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a plan view from below of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0026]      FIGS. 7A-E  are alternative feet designs for a bottle carrier in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a blank of a second embodiment of a carrier in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a plan view of a blank of a third embodiment of a carrier in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view along a side and from a first end of a carrier formed from the blank of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  is a plan view of a blank of a fourth embodiment of a carrier in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 12  is a further plan view of the blank of  FIG. 11 ; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 13  is a perspective of a carrier in assembled or use condition of the blank of  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a single piece blank  10  is shown, from which completed carrier  9  may be formed through folding. The carrier blank  10  comprises a single elongate piece of a material and includes regions corresponding to a handle portion  11 , a handle reinforcement portion  12 , a roof portion  13 , sidewalls  14 , 14 ′ and a base  15 . 
         [0034]    Handle reinforcement portion  12  is formed at a first end of the elongate blank  10  and is attached, opposite a fold line  20 , to handle portion  11 . Handle  11  is formed with a major dividing wall  21 , which connects to a first base portion  22  through fold line  23 . First base portion  22  in turn connects to a first sidewall  14 , through fold line  24 , which itself is formed with roof  13 , and divided therefrom by fold line  25 . Roof  13  is further divided into first and second roof sections  60 ,  61 , mirrored by fold line  30 , wherein first roof section  60  sits between fold lines  25  and  30 . Accordingly, second roof section  61  is attached to a second sidewall  14 ′ through fold line  31 , and said second sidewall  14 ′ is divided from second base portion  32  by fold line  33 . Second base portion  32  is formed with a minor dividing wall  34  and is divided therefrom by fold line  35 . Fold lines  20 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  30 ,  31 ,  33  and  35  are substantially parallel. 
         [0035]    Additionally, handle portion  11  and handle reinforcement portion  12  further comprise a complementary cutout and flap  40 . In the embodiment shown, an edge proximate fold line  20  of the partial cut-out of handle portion  11  forms a fold line so that the cut-out defines flap  40 . When the carrier  9  is in an assembled state, this arrangement allows the flap to be folded back through the handle portion  11  and the cut-out of the handle reinforcement portion  12  to provide a more comfortable handle grip through which a user may place their hand for holding the carrier  9 . It will be recognised by the skilled person that flap  40  may alternatively be formed on handle reinforcement portion  12 . 
         [0036]    Fold line  30 , bridges and divides roof  13  into roof sections  60  and  61  and further comprises a slot  41  with dimensions suitable to allow simultaneous passage of handle portion  15  and handle reinforcement portion  14  therethrough. Additionally, a locking tab  42  is formed integrally with slot  41  and engages a complementary locking slot  43  formed at the base of handle portion  11 . In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the tab and slot may be positioned respectively on the opposite side of slot  41  and at the base of handle reinforcement portion  12 . In a further alternative embodiment, complementary tab and slot arrangements may be provided on both sides of the carrier  9  for added stability. As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 5 , when blank  10  is assembled into its corresponding carrier, the locking tab  42  engages slot  43  to hold the carrier in a configuration suitable for use. 
         [0037]    Blank  10  further includes a plurality of pairs of bottle engaging flaps  44  the roof  13 . The flaps  44  allow a bottle to be inserted therethrough and into the body of the carrier, and grip a bottle so inserted around its neck or body. The flaps  44  also prevent adjacently placed bottles from knocking against each other when the carrier is in use. Each flap  44   a ,  44   b  of a pair comprises a portion hingedly attached to the surrounding roof  13  along a hinge line  46  ( FIG. 3 ). An upper portion  47  of each flap is cut such that it is not joined to the roof  13 . A trans-verse fold line is formed between the upper  47  and lower  48  sections of each flap. In the figures, a solid line represents a cut between the flap and adjacent roof  13  and a hashed line represents a fold line, suitably formed by perforations or by compressing the board along the line. 
         [0038]    Additionally, first and second base portions  22 ,  32  of blank  10  also comprise tabs  45  in the form of feet to prevent a loaded carrier from slipping, for instance in the boot of a car whilst in transit. In the embodiment shown the feet  45  are formed along fold lines  24  and  33 , though it will be recognised that they could be formed anywhere within the base portions  22 , 32 .  FIGS. 7A-E  illustrate a number of alternative feet designs. 
         [0039]    Blank  10  may also include separator flaps (not shown) formed in the first and second base portions  22 ,  32 . In a bottle carrier designed to accommodate six bottles the separator flaps longitudinally divide the bottom portions  22 , 32 , into thirds. In the assembled configuration the flaps are folded into the body of the carrier to provide a means of separating the bases of adjacent bottles placed therein. Prior to assembly of the carrier  9 , glue is applied to sections  50  to  53  of blank  10 . Sections  50  to  52  lie on an opposite face of blank  10  to section  53 . Alternatively, it will be recognised that the regions of the blank to which glued sections  50  to  53  adhere may also be glued. During assembly handle portions  11  and  12  are folded so that glued section  50  lies therebetween to adhere the two handle portions together. The thus formed handle is then passed through slot  41  of roof  13 , and all fold lines lying therebetween are folded accordingly to form a first side of carrier  9 . End barriers  54 , formed from cut-outs  46  which span sidewall  14  and first base portions  22 , are folded upwards so that glued portions  51  adhere the barrier to the dividing wall  21 . Minor dividing wall  34  of the second end of blank  10 , distal to the handle portion, is then folded along fold lines  31 ,  33  and  35 , to form a symmetrical carrier  9 , and adhered to dividing wall  21 . End barriers  55  of the second thus formed side, and formed from cut-outs  46 ′, are folded upwards so that glued portions  52  adhere the barrier to minor dividing wall  34 , which is itself adhered to dividing wall  21 . Once the glue has set, the handle portion may be passed back through slot  41  to provide a flat configuration of carrier  9 , which is suitable for packing, storage and shipment. 
         [0040]    In the expanded configuration, as seen in  FIGS. 2 to 6 , the carrier  9  is capable of receiving and accommodating a range of different sized bottles due to bottle engaging flaps  44 . 
         [0041]    When a carrier according to the present invention has been formed it can be folded flat for storage and shipment, by passing the handle portion back through the slot formed in the ridge dividing the first and second roof sections. The carrier is easily expanded for use, and in its expanded form, the sidewalls of the carrier are pressed down over a locking tab at the base of the handle to maintain the expanded configuration. In use, bottles can be placed in the carrier and are received therein by pushing the base of the bottle through bottle engaging flaps in the carrier roof which connects the respective sidewalls and which provides a means of separating adjacent bottles. The bottle engaging flaps grip the body or neck of a bottle located within the carrier to prevent clanking whilst the carrier is being used to carry a number of bottles, or whilst the carrier is in transit within a vehicle. 
         [0042]    A modified carrier is shown in blank form in  FIG. 8 . The construction is generally the same as the embodiment described above. However, left and right edges (as viewed from the front) of each roof section  60 ,  61  are provided with reinforcing elements in the form of edge flaps  70 . In forming the assembled carrier, flaps  70  are folded behind the outer surface of the respective roof section and glued in position. 
         [0043]    Additional reinforcement may optionally be applied to minor dividing wall  34  and the operatively lower part of the major dividing wall  21 , as shown by the shaded portions in  FIG. 8 . Reinforcement may be by means of an additional cardboard element glued in position or by means of a sheet material such as paper. The reinforcement may be overprinted to improve the aesthetics of the carrier. 
         [0044]    As a further modification, the bottle-engaging flaps are redesigned. The upper portion  47  is omitted such that each flap has a single portion  71 , hingedly formed with the roof portion  13 , with an aperture  72  formed above. The provision of an aperture  72  together with flaps  71  maintains good frictional engagement with a bottle, carton or other container, but improves the obviousness of the location of the bottle-receiving apertures for the end user. 
         [0045]    Further, a modified carrier having feet  45  in accordance with a third aspect of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . The construction of the carrier is generally the same as that of conventional carriers. However, feet  45  are provided to prevent a loaded carrier from slipping, for instance in the boot of a car, whilst in transit. 
         [0046]    As may be seen, therefore, the present invention provides numerous advantages. It may be assembled easily and inexpensively, and is capable of accommodating bottles of a range of different sizes and shapes. The design of the carrier is such that it will provide stable storage means and will prevent bottles from knocking together and breaking during transit. It may be formed with a single die, using conventional manufacturing equipment. It uses around 12% less material than conventional carriers which are in common use, may be folded flat for shipment, and can be easily expanded and assembled by the user. 
         [0047]    In  FIG. 11 , a plan is shown of a further carrier according to the present invention. In  FIG. 13 , this embodiment is shown in assembled condition. 
         [0048]    It is described how this blank can be transferred to a folded condition of the carrier in which it can be handed to an end user. Furthermore, it is described how the carrier can be converted from the folded condition to the use condition. 
         [0049]    The upper side in  FIG. 11  is the printed sight or shiny side of the blank, which side mainly forms the outer side of the carrier when it is in the folded condition. The other side is the lackluster, or non-printed cardboard side that forms the substantially the inside of the carrier. 
         [0050]    The blank can be produced from cardboard or corrugated cardboard with the corrugation being aligned length wise or width wise. The blank comprises several cutting lines and a number of folding lines. Furthermore, a number of areas are glued to a number of other areas. The blank is shown as it is after it has been cut out. The folded condition in which the carrier is, from which it can be folded out to the use condition, is a condition in which the blank is brought after a number of folding and gluing operations. The folding and gluing operations for converting the blank from the cut out condition to the folded position is described below. 
         [0051]    In order to transform the blank from the shown position in  FIG. 11  to the folded position in which it is preferably provided to the end user, the following operations are performed. 
         [0052]    The lackluster side of section  102  is folded along folding line  107  and glued against the lackluster side of section  3  such that the same is positioned adjacent to the back of section  103  that is bounded by the dotted line  108 . By means of this operation a handle or grip of two layers of cardboard with the opening  104  of section  102  comes into being, further comprising a foldable flap  105  of section  103  that is foldable along folding line  106 . Furthermore, the blank is folded along the folding line  114 ,  115 ,  116  in such a way that the lackluster parts are placed adjacent to one other, especially the parts  109  against the perspective parts  111 ,  112 ,  131  and a part of  129 . 
         [0053]    Furthermore, the blank is folded along the folding lines  140  that are extending in prolongation of the handle opening  121 , in such a way that the shiny side of section  9  is brought in a position adjacent to the lackluster side of amongst others section  129 A and other sections. 
         [0054]    The areas that are indicated with A,A; B,B; J,J; I,I ( FIG. 12 ) are glued together with the lackluster sides. By doing this, these areas are reinforced. 
         [0055]    The area  109 B is folded along folding line  141 A and glued against area  109 A that is bounded by a dotted line  141  and that is part of section  109 . In this operation, the shiny sides are glued together. 
         [0056]    Furthermore, the flaps  133 ,  133 A,  132 ,  132 A are folded and glued together with the lackluster side against the lackluster part of the blank towards which these flaps are folded. These folding and gluing operations provide a reinforcement which helps prevent tearing of the cardboard of the carrier during use under strain of the weight of e.g. cans or bottles that are placed in the carrier. 
         [0057]    The above concludes the folding and gluing operations. The carrier is brought in the folded condition and ready for use and an operation for bringing the carrier in the use condition. 
         [0058]    The carrier comprises a number of folding and cutting lines that contribute to its usability according to the present invention as will be described below. 
         [0059]    The cutting lines are as follows. The cardboard of the blank is cut along the lines:
         123 ,  123 A for forming of feet for providing a resistance against sliding and/or bumping because of sliding during use;     119  for folding down flaps that are defined by cutting lines  119  and by folding lines  18 , which flaps help providing openings for placing e.g. bottles. Several openings are defined in the blank;     120  for indicating positions for placing bottles in the carrier;     124  for allowing fingers through the vertical wall for folding out flaps  127 ,  127 A along folding lines  126 ,  126 A for pulling out the attached walls to the folded out position of the carrier;     142  for allowing protrusion  122  to engage with this slot  42  when the folded out use condition of the carrier is reached;     144 , which are cut-outs for enabling a separation between folding out of the carrier between the parts  112 ,  112 A,  113 ,  113 A and the parts  131  and  131 A in which the parts  131 ,  131 A form the bottom of the carrier positions of which the bottles are supported and the parts  112 ,  112 A,  113 ,  113 A provide a sideway support to the bottles that are supported by the parts  131 ,  131 A.       
 
         [0066]    The advantages of this embodiment or several aspects of this embodiment are:
       by pulling the flaps  127 ,  127 A, the surfaces  129 ,  129 A are pulled away from each other and the folded out position is attained without the risk that the folding lines  37 ,  37 A fold inwards, because of which the carrier would not fold out to the position of use. In an alternative way of folding out the device, in which the user tries to fold out the carrier by pushing down the folding line  40 , the folding lines  137 ,  137 A are likely to fold inwards does blocking the folding out operation;   tearing of the cardboard is prevented by the reinforcements of the folded flaps  132 ,  132 A,  133 ,  133 A;   the folding lines  118  are straight because of which the openings for the bottles can be folded open easily;   the opening  124  contributes to the operation for folding out the carrier in that in a simple manner, the user can reach the flaps  127 ,  127 A for performing the pulling operation for folding out the carrier. Alternatively, instead of adding the flaps  127 ,  127 A, simple openings at substantially this location can provide a similar means for pulling out these sidewalls.       
 
         [0071]    In  FIG. 13 , the embodiment of  FIG. 11  is shown in the folded out use position. As can clearly be seen, the centre wall  109  comprises an opening  124  which makes gripping of the pull flaps  127 ,  127 A during a folding out operation of the carrier easier because the fingers can reach through this opening  124  while gripping the flaps  127 , 127 A. Alternatively, when only a pull openings  126 ,  126 A are provide in stead of the flaps, reaching through the opening  124  will enable easier gripping as well. 
         [0072]    In this embodiment, the folding lines  118 , 119  are straight for easy folding of the respective flaps before or during placing of bottles. 
         [0073]    In the above, the present invention is described by means of several preferred embodiments. Different aspects of different embodiments are to be considered to be described in combination such that all combinations that can readily be made by a person skilled in the art are to be considered to be disclosed. These preferred embodiments are not limiting for the scope of protection of this text. The conferred rights are determined by the annexed claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1