US3339726A

US3339726A - Carrier

Info

Publication number: US3339726A
Application number: US455052A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman H Moore
Original assignee: Fibreboard Paper Products Corp
Current assignee: Fibreboard Paper Products Corp
Priority date: 1965-05-10
Filing date: 1965-05-10
Publication date: 1967-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 1984-09-05

Description

I l5a Sept. 5, 1967 1 N. H. MOORE 3,339,726

CARRIER Filed May 10, 1965 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 (PR/0R 4R 2: 5-

I I v //4 Sept-5,1967 N.H. MOORE I 3,339,726

CARRIER Filed May 10, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Lari Ill INVENTOI? NORMA/V H. MOORE 8) 7/ 00, JMM/ v ATTORNEYS Sept. 5, 1967 N. H. MOORE 3,339,726

CARRIER Filed May 10, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 //V VE/V TOR NORMAN H. MOORE Sept. 5, 1967 MOORE 3,339,726

CARRIER Fil'ed May 10, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IV VE /V TOR NORMAN H. MOORE BYJ ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,339,726 CARRIER Norman H. Moore, Palo Alto, Calif, assignor to Fibreboard Paper Products Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 10, 1965, Ser. No. 455,052 9 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carrier which includes a top panel and side panels with a panel portion connected therebetween comprising a first panel portion arranged in diverging relationship with respect to a side panel, a second panel portion horizontally disposed and arranged in a raised relationship with respect to said top panel, and a third panel portion connecting said second panel portion to said top panel.

This invention relates to a carrier for retaining a plurality of beverage or like containers and more particularly relates to a carrier arranged to protect container closure caps against damage.

A number of carriers have been proposed to retain a plurality of cylindrical beverage containers. Such containers often constitute bottles comprising so-called easyopen closure caps having tabs adapted to expedite removal thereof. In order to facilitate such removal, the tab generally maintains a slightly raised position with respect to the top-most plane of the bottle cap. The tab is thus subject to snagging when a number of carriers are stacked on top of each other, for example.

Conventional carriers do not afford adequate protection to such bottle caps nor do they efficiently retain the bottles or other types of containers therein. Furthermore, such carriers are generally limited to the retention of a specifically shaped container.

This invention has substantially overcome the above, briefly mentioned problems by providing a carrier comprising flap means for covering and thus protecting the containers easy-open closure caps. Furthermore, the carrier of this invention comprises panel portions arranged to strengthen the top portion of the carrier and to restrain the containers against adverse movements by applying retaining pressures at critical portions on the crowns of the containers.

Also, as will be hereinafter more fully described the carrier is adapted to retain containers having varied configurations and is thus not restricted to the retention of one specifically shaped container. Furthermore, the side panels of the carrier are adapted to be folded into an upright position to form a handle means.

An object of this invention is to provide a carrier blank adapted to be expeditiously erected to efiiciently retain a plurality of cylindrically shaped bottles or like containers therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carrier comprising flap means arranged to protect easy-open closure caps aflixed to the containers retained therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide a carrier comprising panel portions arranged to strengthen the top portion thereof and to restrain a plurality of containers against movement by applying retaining pressures at critical portions on the crowns of the containers.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a carrier constructed and arranged to transport containers having varied configurations.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a carrier constructed and arranged to have side panel portions thereof folded into an upright position to form a handle means.

3,339,726 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 Further and more specific objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the erected carrier of this invention arranged to retain a plurality of containers therein;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line IIIIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a so-called easy-open bottle cap;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a prior art carrier construction FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a blank adapted to be formed into the carrier illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the blank illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 illustrates the carrier shown in FIG. 1 as it may appear during one step in the packaging operation;

FIG. 9 illustrates the carrier as it may appear during a subsequent step in the packaging operation; and

FIG. 10 is an isometric view illustrating the carrier of FIG. 1 with the side panels thereof folded into an upright position to form a handle portion.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred carrier of this invention, symmetrically formed about a longitudinal axis thereof, comprises a horizontally disposed top panel 11a11b, vertically arranged end panels 12 having flaps 12a hingedly connected thereto (FIG. 8) and a bottom panel 13. Vertically arranged side panels 14, comprising adhesively secured panel portions 15a-15b, are hingedly connected to the bottom panel. Since the carrier is symmetrically arranged, like numerals depict corresponding elements on each side of the carrier.

First, second and third panel portions 16a-16b, 17a- 17b and 18a18b, respectively, are hingedly connected together by means of a plurality of parallel scorelines. The panel portions are arranged between the top and side panels to form an integrated carrier construction. As shown, the first and third panel portions are substantially arranged to extend towards the second panel portion in converging relationship.

Panel portions

15a, 16a, 17a and 18a are preferably arranged in telescoping relationship with respect to underlying

panel portions

15b, 16b, 17b and 18b, respectively. These overlying panel portions may be suitably secured together by conventional adhesive means or the like. Although panel portion 15a is shown as secured in overlying relationship with respect to flap 14 it should be understood that alternatively,

panel portions

15a and 15b may be tucked between flap 14 and the upstanding bottles or containers b.

Also, in certain applications it may be preferred to dispense with the above described telescoping arrangement. For example,

panel portions

11a, 15a, 16a, 17a and 18a in FIG. 6 could be formed as integral parts of

panel portions

11b, 15b, 16b, 17b, and 18b, respectively. Thus, a flap such as flap 27 could then be affixed to a side panel 12 to form the carrier. Furthermore, if so desired, end panels 12 could be removed and the carrier suitably arranged to form an open-end type carrier.

As more clearly disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3, horizontally disposed

panel portions

17a and 17b are raised to a position above the plane of top panel Ila-11b and have flap means 19 arranged to extend therefrom to substan tially cover and protect closure caps 0. Each cap, illustrated in FIG. 4 as affixed to the crown portion of the bottle, may comprise a conventional tab means c adapted to be manually grasped to expedite removal of the cap from the bottle. This tab, as more clearly depicted in FIG. 3, has a tendency to slightly raise itself from the top-most plane of the bottle cap due to its inherent resiliency. Flap means 19 functions to prevent a snagging of the opening tab when the carriers are stacked on top of each other, for example.

As suggested above, further novel aspects of this invention comprise a unique container retaining arrangement, formed by

panel portion

11a, 16a, 17a and 18a, which further functions to strengthen the top portion of the carrier. As disclosed in FIG. 2, retaining pressures are applied at critical areas of the crown portion of the container.

In order to more fully appreciate this novelty, reference is made to a conventional carrier construction illustrated in FIG. 5. As indicated therein, the container is constructed and arranged to apply a first pressure at point A on the neck of the bottle and a second pressure at point B on the shoulder of the bottle. Such pressure points are necessary to prevent movement of the bottle laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, i.e., in the direction of arrows A and B.

In comparison thereto, the above-mentioned panel portions of this invention comprise means constructed and arranged to apply retaining pressures at critical portions of the crown portion of a container, as illustrated at the area depicted by arrow C in FIG. 2. This arrangement not only affords an efficient retaining function but further provides that bottles having various configurations may be utilized due to the fact that no pressure point is needed in the general area depicted by arrow D.

As more clearly illustrated in FIG. 7, panel portion 18a comprises notched portions 18a adapted to be raised out of the plane of the blank (FIG. 9) and arranged to permit closure cap to be freely moved into the position illustrated in FIG. 3. Edge portions of the cap protrude through and rest upon arcuate edge 11a of top panel portion 11a to thus form pressure points along with relatively raised portion 16a of panel portion 16a to prevent movement of the container in a lateral direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the carrier.

In addition, notch portions 18a form edges on panel portion 18a to aiford pressure points constructed and arranged to prevent the crown portion of the container from moving in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier. Thus it can be seen that the above described carn'er arrangements apply retaining pressures at critical portions of the containers to prevent movement thereof in all directions. In addition, tabs 19 and portions of panel portions 17a aid in preventing vertical movements of the bottle.

The above described arrangements further function to strengthen the top portion of the carrier. In particular, as noted in FIG. 2, panel portions 17a are maintained in a raised position with respect to top panel 11a-11b. It has been found that such an arrangement functions to resist the tendency of top panel 11a-11b to distort when the carrier is manually transported, for example.

In order to prevent contact between the bottom ends of two juxtaposed bottles, a plurality of spacer tabs 25 may be suitably formed out of the blank as disclosed in FIG. 6. The spacer tabs may be arranged vertically to separate the bottles, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to thus protect against breakage. As further illustrated in FIG. 6, tabs 26 are formed in top panel portions 11a and 11b to provide finger holes for transporting the carrier. If so desired, a flap 27 may be hingedly connected to top panel portion 11b and suitably attached to panel portion 11a during the formation of the carrier to increase the structural integrity thereof.

The blank illustrated in FIG. 6 is symmetrically formed on each side of a longitudinal axis thereof. The flattened blank initially comprises side Wall panels 14 connected to each side edge of bottom panel 13, an end panel 12 connected to each end edge of the bottom panel and respective first and second top panels 11a and 11b each connected to an edge of an end panel remote from the bottom panel.

As illustrated, the top panels have a width in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the blank which is substantially narrower than the width of the bottom and end panels. Such an arrangement provides for the above described arrangement of panel portions 16a-18a and 1612-18b, connected to respective side edges of the top panels. Each arcuately shaped aperture is formed in a top panel and arranged to extend into the above panel portions and terminate adjacent the scoreline connecting

panel portions

17a and 18a, for example.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the blank may be erected and formed into a tubular shape for purposes of side loading the two rows of containers therein. Suitable machinery may be employed to break the parallel scorelines which join the various panel portions to top panel 11a 11b so as to facilitate loading of the containers to the above described position. Thereafter, the remaining panel portions may be suitably secured together to form the completed carrier of FIG. 1. United States Patent No. 3,090,520, assigned to the assignee of this invention, discloses a number of specific packaging steps which may be utilized to form and load the carrier of this invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, panel portions 15a-18a and panel portions llSb-lSb may be readily released from side panels 14, raised to an upright position on both sides of the carrier and attached together to form a handle means for transporting the containers. This function may be utilized, for example, after the contents of the containers have been exhausted and it is desired to return such containers to a market.

In order to facilitate the formation of the handle member panel portions 15a15b may be initially affixed to side panels 14 with a readily releasable adhesive. Also,

panel portions

16a and 16b have

flaps

28a and 28b, respectively, formed therein. As shown, these flaps may be bent over into superimposed relationship to form means for connecting panel portions 15a-15b together and for manually grasping the carrier handle.

As above suggested, this invention is not limited to a carrier for retaining containers having a specific configuration nor is it limited to the packaging of bottles. Also, rather than packaging six containers as illustrated it should be understood that the novel concepts herein taught may be applied to the packaging of a lesser or greater number of containers.

I claim:

1. A carrier comprising a horizontally disposed top panel, vertically arranged and opposed side panels, a bottom panel connecting said side panels and panel portions connected between said top panel and each of said side panels, said top panel having a width substantially less than that of said bottom panel, said panel portions comprising a first panel portion arranged in diverging relationship with respect to a side panel, a second panel portion horizontally disposed and arranged in raised relationship with respect to said top panel and a third panel portion connecting said second panel portion to said top panel.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said first, second and third panel portions and said top panel comprise portions a-rranged in telescoping and attached relationship with respect to each other.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said side panels comprises panel portions constructed and arranged to be raised to an upright position on both sides of the carrier to form a handle means along with said first, second and third panel portions and means for connecting said side panel portions together.

4. A carrier having two rows of containers retained therein, each of said containers comprising a crown portion terminating in a closure cap at an upper end thereof,

said carrier comprising horizontally disposed top and bottom panels, said top panel being substantially narrower than said bottom panel vertically disposed side panels connected to said bottom panel and panel portions connecting each of said side panels to said top panel, each row of said containers arranged closely adjacent to each side panel with the closure cap of each container arranged to protrude through an arcuately shaped aperture formed in said top panel, said panel portions defined by a plurality of parallel scorelines and comprising a firs-t panel portion arranged to apply retaining pressures to the closure caps of one row of containers in a direction towards the other row of containers, a horizontally disposed second panel portion positioned above said top panel and a third panel portion connecting said second panel portion to said top panel.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein each of said apertures forms opposed notch portions in said third panel portion constructed and arranged to have a closure cap moved thereby during loading, each closure cap having edge portions resting upon arcuate portions formed on said top panel by each of said apertures.

6. A flat blank symmetrically formed on each side of a longitudinal axis thereof, said blank comprising a bottom panel adapted to retain a plurality of upstanding containers thereon, a side wall panel connected to each side edge of said bottom panel, an end panel connected to each end edge of said bottom panel and first and second top panels each connected to an edge of an end panel remote from said bottom panel, each of said top panels having a width in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis which is substantially narrower than the Width of said bottom and end panels and further having a plurality of panel portions connected to each side edge thereof and means forming at least one arcuately shaped aperture in said top panel extending into said panel portions.

7. In a one-piece wrap-around carrier including top, bottom and side panels, the top panel being substantially narrower than the bottom panel, said carrier having a plurality of upstanding containers retained therein, each container comprising a crowned portion terminating in a closure cap arranged to extend above the top panel of said carrier, the invention which comprises panel portions formed on said carrier and arranged to apply retaining pressures to the crown portion of each container in cooperation with an arcuate edge formed on said top panel, said panel portions comprising a first panel portion arranged in opposed relationship and positioned above said arcuate edge to apply a retaining pressure to said closure cap in a direction toward the longitudinal axis of the carrier and second and third panel portions connecting said first panel portion to said top panel, said second panel portion being positioned above the plane of said top panel.

-8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said first and third panel portion-s are substantially arranged to extend towards said second panel portion in converging relationship.

9. A carrier blank comprising a top panel, a first end panel, a bottom panel and a second end panel, said top panel being substantially narrower than said bottom panel and having panel portions connected to each side thereof, said panel portions comprising a panel portion arranged to form at least a portion of a side panel of a formed carrier, a first panel portion connected to said panel portion at a first score line, a second panel portion connected to said first panel portion at a second score line and a third panel portion connected to said top panel at a third score line, said score lines arranged in substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other, arcuately shaped apertures formed in said top panel and said third panel portion, said arcuately shaped apertures comprising notched portions formed in said third panel portion and extending on each side of said arcuate apertures, said notched portions being adapted to permit a cylindrically shaped cap to pass thereby when said third panel portion is raised with respect to said top panel during the carrier loading operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,352 5/ 1937 Keith 22952 2,289,859 7/ 1942 Arthur 220l08 3,156,358 11/1964 Randrup 206- 3,175,684 3/1965 Andre 20665 3,186,545 6/ 1965 Conrades 229-40 X 3,257,066 6/1966 Williams 229 40 LOUIS G. MANOENE, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A CARRIER COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED TOP PANEL, VERTICALLY ARRANGED AND OPPOSED SIDE PANELS, A BOTTOM PANEL CONNECTING SAID SIDE PANELS AND PANEL PORTIONS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID TOP PANEL AND EACH OF SAID SIDE PANELS, SAID TOP PANEL HAVING A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THAT OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, SAID PANEL PORTIONS COMPRISING A FIRST PANEL PORTION ARRANGED IN DIVERGING RELATIONSHIP WITH REPECT TO A SIDE PANEL, A SECOND PANEL PORTION HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AND ARRANGED IN RAISED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID TOP SECOND PANEL AND A THIRD PANEL PORTION CONNECTING SAID SECOND PANELS PORTION TO SAID TOP PANEL.