Patent ID: 7721878

Claim:
A package, comprising: a carton, comprising: at least one top panel; a first receiving panel extending across a bottom of the carton; a second receiving panel extending across the bottom of the carton; a first side panel; a second side panel; a brace extending between the first and second receiving panels, the brace comprising a first side brace panel foldably connected to the first receiving panel, a second side brace panel foldably connected to the second receiving panel, and a center brace panel foldably connected to the first side brace panel and the second side brace panel and extending across the top of the brace; a first row of first container apertures in the first receiving panel, at least one first strut being located at each first container aperture; and a second row of second container apertures in the second receiving panel and spaced from the first row of container apertures, at least one second strut being located at each second container aperture; and a plurality of containers, each container being accommodated in one of the container apertures and having a flange at the top of the container that comprises an upper end face at the top of the flange, a lower end face at the bottom of the flange, and an intermediate flange surface, extending between the upper end face and the lower and end face, the intermediate flange surface having an inner portion adjacent the brace and an outer portion adjacent one of the first side panel and the second side panel, wherein the brace extends between the first row of container apertures and the second row of container apertures and is adjacent to and abuts a respective flange of the plurality of containers, the center brace panel abuts and extends between the respective inner portions of the intermediate flange surfaces and is located at an elevation below the elevation of the upper end face of the flanges, and the first side panel and the second side panel abut the respective outer portions of the intermediate flange surfaces of the flanges, the center brace panel cooperating with a respective one of the first side panel and the second side panel to restrict each respective container from translational movement in a direction generally perpendicular to the first side panel and the second side panel.