Carrier for Holding One or More Containers

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/564,261 filed Mar. 12, 2024. The entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention was not developed with the use of any Federal Funds, but was developed independently by the inventors.

The present disclosure generally relates to carriers for holding, displaying, and/or transporting one or more containers. The carrier preferably is a “folded paperboard bottle carrier” having a reinforcing tab in critical supporting areas of the folded paperboard carrier, as described in greater detail below to support the secure suspension of one or more containers by the carrier without tearing/damage/failure of the folded paperboard bottle carrier under normal use conditions.

The present disclosure generally relates to carriers, packages, constructs, sleeves, cartons, or the like, for holding and displaying containers such as jars, bottles, cans, and the like.

The containers may be used for packaging liquids, solids, medical care products, food and beverage products, and the like, for example. The containers can be made from materials suitable in composition for packaging the products, and the materials include, but are not limited to, glass; plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; and the like; aluminum and/or other metals; 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., plastic bottles) 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.

As described herein, carriers may be formed by multiple overlapping panels, end flaps, and/or other portions of blanks. Such panels, end flaps, and/or other portions of the blank can be designated in relative terms to one another, e.g., “first”, “second”, “third”, and the like, in sequential or non-sequential reference, without departing from the disclosure.

The invention relates to. a carrier for holding one or more containers having a front portion having a front attachment panel comprising one or more openings for at least partially receiving a respective container of the one or more containers and at least one reinforcement tab that extends at least partially around a respective one of the one or more openings for reinforcing the carrier. The carrier may be configured to hold two or more containers.

In another form of the invention, the carrier includes a second panel comprising one or more openings that are coaxially with the front attachment panel one or more openings, forming a bi-folded arrangement and the one or more reinforcement tabs are interposed between the carrier panels near the one or more container holding openings and/or a third panel comprising one or more openings that are coaxially with the front attachment panel one or more openings, forming a tri-folded arrangement and the one or more reinforcement tabs are interposed between the carrier panels near the one or more container holding openings.

The one or more openings may include inwardly extending portions for better gripping the respective container.

The invention also relates to a method for fabricating a carrier for holding one or more containers including the steps of providing a carrier blank having a front portion having a front attachment panel comprising one or more openings for at least partially receiving a respective container of the one or more containers and a second panel comprising one or more openings that are coaxially with the front attachment panel one or more openings, forming a bi-folded arrangement and the one or more reinforcement tabs are interposed between the carrier panels near the one or more container holding openings, providing at least one reinforcement tab that extends at least partially a respective one of the one or more openings for reinforcing the carrier, folding the panels of the carrier such the reinforcement tabs are interposed between the panels, and applying the carrier to the one or more containers. The carrier may include a third panel comprising one or more openings that are coaxially with the front attachment panel one or more openings, forming a tri-folded arrangement and the one or more reinforcement tabs are interposed between the carrier panels near the one or more container holding openings.

As best seen in, the invention relates to a carrierfor holding containers and more specifically, a bottle neck carrier. The invention relates to a carrier device for one or more containers, instead of a plastic holder, that does not break when subjected to various strength tests or loads. Normally the strength tests are conducted by lifting the bottle(s) to chest height and then lowering your arm rapidly and stopping suddenly in an effort to break the carrier. For multiple pack bottles the handle can be hung over the handle of a shopping cart and left hanging while the cart is wheeled around a test area.

Paper board carriers were tested and failed the above tests. Through the addition of reinforcement portion, described in greater detail below, within the paper board carrier layers the carrierpassed the strength tests.

shows a plan view of the carrier. The carriercomprises a tri-fold blank. The carrier blankcomprises a front container retention panel or front attachment panelfoldably connected to an intermediate panelat respective portions of a lateral fold linethat is interrupted by handle aperture. The carrier blankfurther includes a back panelwhich is similarly foldably connected to the intermediate panelat respective portions of a lateral fold linethat is interrupted by a handle apertures.

Additional edge aperturesare provided to form a carrying handle portionfor the user disposed between container holding portionsand, as best seen in.

Container holding openingsare formed on the front panel. Container holding openingsare formed on intermediate panel. And, container holding openingsare formed on rear panel. When the panels are folded along fold linesandthe container openings,, andalign and are coaxially disposed to form a carrier to hold or support two containersandwithin the aligned container opening,,being held by the folded carrier, as best seen in. In the illustrated embodiment, the containersandmay be medicament bottles, beverage bottles, or could be any other suitable type and size of container without departing from the disclosure. In some embodiments, the containers may have an upper rim or other top portion corresponding to a diameter of the holder openings,, and.

The carriermay be sized and shaped to hold more or less than two containers without departing from the scope of the invention, such as by extending or reducing the blankto include additional or fewer sets of container opening,,, for example. The carriermay be provided together with one or more containers as a package (). In some applications, such as when the containers are lighter in weight, the carriermay be in the form of a two panel bottle neck carrier having only two of the panels,, or, included.

Reinforcement portionsare provided as illustrated to provide reinforcement to strengthen the carrieras described above. Referring now to, each reinforcement portionhas a rectangular bodyand a laterally extending portionwhich extends therefrom toward either openingorrespectively. The laterally extending portioncomprises a curved edgehaving a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the opening it is adjacent to. The laterally extending portionextends partially around the opening it is adjacent to as well.

The material used for the reinforcement portioncan vary, but the presently preferred materials suitable in composition for packaging the products, and the materials include, but are not limited to, paper products such as paper, paperboard, corrugated cardboard, glass; plastics such as PET, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EVOH, and Nylon; and the like; aluminum and/or other metals; or any combination thereof. Preferably the materials are also biodegradeable or biorecyclable.

The presently preferred configuration for the reinforcement portion is a die cut tab which is about 0.00429 inch (+/−10%) caliper gloss filmed stock having a white liner.

The carrieris preferably made from 0.024 or 24 pt. paper. The panels may be blank or printed with indicia or the like on the outwardly facing panels when the carrieris in use. The 24 pt. paper is die cut to a one up blankas shown in. In a separate operation the reinforcement portionsare placed on the flat carrier blankas shown and then the carrieris folded along the fold linesand. First one of front paneland back panelis folded up and over to cover the intermediate panel(FIG.). Then the final fold brings the other of front paneland back panelover on top of the other two panels to make one, three panel solid carrier. ()

Adhesive may be applied to the panels prior to the folding process to affix the panels together after the folding process has been completed. The above embodiments may be described as having one or more panels adhered together by adhesive during erection of the carrier embodiments. The term “adhesive” is intended to encompass all manner of adhesives commonly used to secure carrier panels in place. The adhesives can vary depending on temperatures/applications.

While the reinforcement tabis described in the illustrated embodiment as a single portion, it will be understood that such tab can be formed from multiple cooperating panels/flaps/structures and can have a different configuration without departing from the disclosure.

The cooperating container openings may include inwardly extending rounded tabssuch as those disposed around the circumference of openingand inwardly extending radial slits or cuts forming radial segmentssuch as those disposed around the circumference of openingto better grasp the neck or the like of the respective container,, as best seen in

Any of the panels, flaps, fold lines, cuts, or other features could be otherwise shaped, arranged, and/or omitted from the blankwithout departing from the disclosure. The blankcould be sized and/or shaped to accommodate more or less than two containers without departing from this disclosure.

show alternate designs as contemplated by the present invention. Similar primed reference numerals will be used to reference similar structure.show alternate reinforcement portions, whileshow alternate carrier blankdesigns.

Turning now to, an alternate preferred reinforcement portion′ is shown. The reinforcement portion′ is disposed above the openings′. The reinforcement portion′ has a rectangular bodyand a circular openingformed in the center of the of body. The openinghas a center that is coaxial with the center of opening′. The diameter of circular openingis slightly larger than the opening′. The rectangular bodycomprises a laterally extending tabwhich extends toward the other opening′ of the carrier blank. This design permits the use of only two reinforcement portions′ per carrier blank′ if desired. This configuration provides more significant tear and cracking protection to front panel′.

Turning now to, a second alternate preferred reinforcement portion″ is shown. The reinforcement portion″ is disposed similarly as reinforcement portionas best seen in. The reinforcement portion″ has a rectangular body″ and a pair of laterally extending portions″ which extend thereform toward either openingorrespectively. The laterally extending portion″ comprises a curved edge″ having a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the opening it is adjacent to. The laterally extending portion″ extends about halfway around the opening it is adjacent to as well. This configuration provides more surface area to protect the carrierfrom cracks and tears.

Turning now to, a third alternate preferred reinforcement portion″′ is shown. The reinforcement portion″ is similar to the reinforcement portion′ shown inexcept that bodies′ are connected by an intermediate neck portionto protect the entire carrier″ from cracking and tearing. The reinforcement portion″ has a rectangular body″ and a circular opening″ formed in the center of the of body″. The opening″ has a center that is coaxial with the center of opening″. The diameter of circular opening″ is slightly larger than the opening″. The rectangular body″' comprises a laterally extending tab″ which extends toward the other opening″ of the carrier blank. The intermediate neck portionconnects the bodies′. This design permits the use of only one reinforcement portion″′ per carrier blank″′ if desired.

Referring now to, a fourth alternate preferred carrieris shown having a slightly smaller openingsand. Openingsandof carrier() preferably have a diameter of about 2 inches. Openingsandof carrierpreferably have a diameter of about 1.75 to 1.895 inches. With this configuration, the number of slitsmay be reduced. Openingsimilarly uses a star configuration of inwardly extending radial slits or cuts forming radial segmentsto apply pressure to the slits, locking the carrierto a container.

Referring now to, a fifth alternate preferred carrieris shown in which openingalso includes a star configuration of inwardly extending radial slits or cuts forming radial segmentsto apply pressure to the slits, locking the carrierto a container.

It will be understood that the alternate designs shown incan be mixed and matched depending on the requirements of the carrier being used.

It will be understood that the blanks and carriers described herein can be provided in different configurations without departing from the disclosure. For example, the blanks and carriers described herein can be sized and provided with a corresponding number of features suitable to engage a desired number and configuration of containers.

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 carrier to function at least generally as described above.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.