Patent ID: 7458458

Claim:
A package for a group of containers including individual containers to be held in rows, said package comprising; a plastic carrier including a container holding portion of interconnected stretchable loops, one said loop for each said container, each said loop surrounding a different one of said containers; a sleeve surrounding the group of containers, said sleeve having a top edge and a bottom edge defining an open top and an open bottom of said sleeve; at least one parting line in said sleeve adapted for separation therealong and extending from a point intermediate said top and bottom edges toward at least one of said top and bottom edges, and having an end positioned to open said at least one of said top and bottom edges; and a tear-initiating breach in said sleeve spaced from said top edge and from said bottom edge and associated with said at least one parting line for yielding to pressure applied against said sleeve in the vicinity thereof to initiate tearing along said at least one parting line from said point intermediate said top and bottom edges and continuing toward said end positioned to open said at least one of said top and bottom edges.