US3861530A

US3861530A - Article carrier

Info

Publication number: US3861530A
Application number: US397166A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rodney K Calvert
Original assignee: Mead Corp
Current assignee: Mead Corp
Priority date: 1973-09-14
Filing date: 1973-09-14
Publication date: 1975-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-21
Also published as: DE2442802C2; JPS5054498A; GB1480360A; ES449183A1; DE2442802A1; NL178670B; NL178670C; FR2243888A1; BE819407A; FR2243888B1; JPS5712741B2; BR7407519D0; IT1019265B; NL7411429A

Abstract

A carrier for packaging a plurality of flanged articles arranged in coincidental tiers wherein each tier includes at least two articles having flanges at their upper ends which are interconnected and wherein the carrier comprises an open ended tubular structure having top and side panels together with a retaining strap interconnected at its ends with the side panels. A retaining flap is disposed on each side edge of the retaining strap and is joined thereto along a fold line so that the retaining flaps engage the side walls of adjacent articles in the lower tier and also the lower surfaces of the interconnected flanges of the articles in the lower tier to hold those articles within the package. Article holding means may be disposed at the corners of the carrier and serves to engage cutaway areas at the junction between interconnected flanges and thus prevents dislodgment of the articles in the upper tier through the open ends of the wrapper.

Description

tinned States Patent [19 1 Calvert Jan. 21, 1975 ARTICLE CARRIER [75] Inventor: Rodney K. Calvert, Dunwoody, Ga.

[73] Assignee: The Mead Corporation, Dayton,

Ohio

22 Filed: Sept. 14, 1973 211 App]. No.: 397,166

Primary ExaminerLeonard Summer Attorney, Agent, or FirmWalter M. Rodgers ABSTRACT A carrier for packaging a plurality of flanged articles arranged in coincidental tiers wherein each tier includes at least two articles having flanges at their upper ends which are interconnected and wherein the carrier comprises an open ended tubular structure having top and side panels together with a retaining strap interconnected at its ends with the side panels. A retaining flap is disposed on each side edge of the retaining strap and is joined thereto along a fold line so that the retaining flaps engage the side walls of adjacent articles in the lower tier and also the lower surfaces of the interconnected flanges of the articles in the lower tier to hold those articles within the package. Article holding means may be disposed at the corners of the carrier and serves to engage cutaway areas at the junction between interconnected flanges and thus prevents dislodgment of the articles in the upper tier through the open ends of the wrapper.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 1 ARTICLE CARRIER Containers for fruit juice, puddings and the like which include a body portion in the shape ofa cup having a flange at its upper end ordinarily are formed, filled and sealed in such a way that the packages are arranged in groups with their flanges interconnected along perforated fold lines. Such groupings may constitute a single pair or any other desired arrangement such as two rows of two packages each, two rows of three, four or five packages each or a greater number of rows ofa desired number of containers. Ordinarily such containers are smaller than an ordinary drinking glass and in order to provide for efficient handling during shipment and display in retail outlets, it is desirable to stack the articles in tiers one above another.

In accordance with one form of this invention, an economical carrier is provided which takes advantage of the flanged connections between two or more articles and provides a package in which at least two articles having interconnected flanges at their upper ends are stacked in tiers with one pair of articles atop another pair and the carrier simply constitutes a top panel which overlies the tops of the articles in the top tier together with side panels which are interconnected at their upper edges to the opposite side edges of the top panel and which extend to a level adjacent the flanges of the articles in the lower tier together with a retaining strap which is interconnected at its ends to the lower edges of the side panels and which extends between the side walls of a pair of articles in the lower tier and which is disposed below the interconnected flanges of the top flanges of the articles in the lower tier. Retaining flaps are foldably joined to the side edges of the retaining strap and engage the articles.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled carrier formed according to the invention and in which the lower portions of the articles in the lower tier are broken away for simplicity and clarity;

FIG. 2A is a side view of a pair of primary containers having flanges at their upper ends which are interconnected; FIG. 2B is a plan view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank from which the carrier is formed as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the carrier shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line designated 5-5 in FIG. 4; and in which FIG. 6 is a plan view of a blank constructed according to a modification of the invention.

In the drawing Cl designates a container which is interconnected with a similar container C2 via the flanges F1 and F2 along a perforated junction line L. In use it may be desirable to separate container C1 from container C2 by simply severing the flange F1 from the flange F2 along the line L.

As is apparent in FIGS. 1, and 5, one tier of containers such as Cl and C2 is disposed atop another tier of similar containers designated C3 and C4 and in coincidental relationship therewith. The arrangement as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 constitute a secure package because the two tiers are secured in place and maintained as a group bythe carrier blank shown in FIG. 3

which includes a top panel 1 having a locking tab 2 foldably joined to a side edge thereof along fold line 3 together with a side panel 4 which is foldably joined to a side edge of top panel 1 along fold line 5. A retaining strap 6 is interconnected at one end 7 with the bottom edge of side panel 4 and at its other end retaining strap 6 is interconnected along fold line 8 with the bottom edge of side panel 9. A lap panel 10 is foldably joined along a fold line 11 with the upper edge of side panel 9.

The carrier as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 is assembled by simply stacking the tiers of containers one atop another as shown and by securing the carrier blank of FIG. 3 in position with the top panel 1 disposed atop the tops of articles C1 and C2 and overlying their flanges and with the

side panels

4 and 9 disposed alongside the side walls of containers C1 and C2, the retaining strap 6 being interposed between articles C3 and C4 and beneath the interconnected flanges F3 and F4.

For the purpose of interconnecting the ends of the carrier blank, a locking aperture designated by the numeral 12 is formed in side panel 9 by striking from that panel a pair of

retaining tabs

13 and 14 which are foldably joined to side panel 9 and to lap panel 10 along fold line 15 and 11 respectively. Thus with the parts assembled as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 the locking tab 2 is simply driven through the aperture 12 and maintained at a desired angle by the

retaining tabs

13 and 14 as is best shown in FIG. 5. This locking structure occupies the notch N1 best shown in FIG. 2B and serves to aid in holding containers C1 and C2 within the wrapper.

Along the opposite edge of top panel 1, holding means generally designated by the numeral 16 is provided and occupies the notch N2 to aid in holding the containers C1 and C2 against dislodgment through the open ends of the wrapper. Holding means 16 comprises a holding panel 17 struck from side panel 4 and foldably joined thereto along fold line 18 together with holding panel 19 struck from a top panel 1 and foldably joined thereto along fold line 20.

Holding panels

18 and 19 are foldably joined to each other along fold line 21 which with the parts occupying a flat plane asv shown in FIG. 3 is coincident with the fold line 5. When the wrapper is assembled as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, holding means 16 is folded inwardly so that holding panel 19 extends downwardly from the top panel 1 while holding panel 17 extends inwardly and in angular relationship to the side panel 4.

For the purpose of engaging the side walls and flanges of containers C3 and C4, a pair of retaining

flaps

22 and 23 are foldably joined to the side edges of retaining strap 6 along arcuate elliptical fold lines 24 and 25 respectively. Of course the strap 6 is disposed underneath the interconnected flanges F3 and F4 and as is clearly shown in FIG. 4 serves to secure the containers C3 and C4 in place within the wrapper. As is apparent in FIG. 5 the

end portions

28 and 29 of flap 23 snugly engage the lower surface of flange F4 and thus aid in securing the lower tier of articles snugly in position within the wrapper. Similarly

end portions

26 and 27 of flap 22 engage flange F3.

The dimension X in FIG. 3 represents the narrowest width of strap 6 and this dimension generally corresponds to the distance X in FIG. 4 between containers C3 and C4.

The modification of the invention as represented by the blank shown in FIG. 6, is similar in all essential respects to the blank shown in FIG. 3. The modification of FIG. 6 differs in that the retaining flange 22A is foldably joined to the side edges of retaining strap 6A along a straight fold line 24A and one end of retaining flap 22A is interconnected with the side wall 9A by a web panel 30 which is foldably joined along fold line 31 to an end of retaining flap 22A and to side wall 9A along a fold line 32. At the other end of retaining flap 22A, a web panel 33 is interconnected with the retaining flap 22A along fold line 34 and with side wall 4A along a fold line 35.

In like fashion retaining flap 23A is interconnected with side wall 9A by a web panel 36 which is foldably joined along fold line 37 to one end of retaining flap 23A and to side wall 9A along a fold line 38. At the other end, retaining flap 23A is foldably joined to web panel 39 along fold line 40 and web panel 39 is foldably joined along a fold line 41 to side wall 4A.

For the purpose of engaging the flanges of the primary packages of the lower tier in a package having four or some greater even number of cups per tier, a pair of

retaining tabs

42 and 43 are used and are integral with or secured to the outer edges of retaining flaps 22A and 23A respectively. These retaining tabs are inserted into the apertures designated N1 and N2 which taken together define composite apertures into which

tabs

42 and 43 protrude. Preferably

tabs

42 and 43 are constructed with tapered side edges which aid in guiding the tabs into a composite opening N1, N2. The

tabs

42 and 43 when captured in apertures N1, N2 hold the flaps 22A and 23A against sidewise collapse and thus strenghen the retaining strap 6A. For some applications of the invention the

tabs

42 and 43 are not used.

The blank of FIG. 6 is manipulated into package forming relation with the primary packages as described above in connection with FIGS. 1-5 inclusive. An aperture designated by the numeral 44 is disposed astride the fold line 11A and a similar aperture 45 is disposed astride the fold line 3A. When the locking tab 2A is driven through the aperture defined by retaining tab 14A, the

apertures

44 and 45 are in close proximity to each other and are in substantial coincidence. These apertures at one corner of the package correspond in a general way with the aperture formed when holding tabs 17A and 19A are folded inwardly thus affording an element of symmetry to the appearance of the package and also serving as a means for holding the primary packages within the wrapper.

If desired a finger gripping aperture 46 may be formed in top panel 1 to facilitate carrying the package where the package includes eight or more articles.

From the above description it is apparent that by the invention a minimum of material is required to form the carrier and that optimum advantage is taken of the flanged arrangement of the primary containers in order to form a secure and economical package.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A carrier for packaging a plurality of flanged articles arranged in two coincidental tiers with each tier comprising at least two articles having interconnected flanges at their upper ends, said carrier comprising a top panel overlying the tops of the articles of the top tier, a pair of side panels interconnected with the side edges of the top panel and extending downwardly with their lower edges at approximately the level of the tops of the articles in the lower tier, and a retaining strap having its ends joined respectively to the lower edges of said side panels and disposed below the interconnected flanges and between the side walls of adjacent articles in the lower tier.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein retaining flaps are foldably joined to the side edges of said retaining strap and arranged with at least portions thereof in face contacting relation with the side walls of adjacent articles in the lower tier.

3. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein at least portions of the outer edges of said retaining flaps engage the lower surfaces of the interconnected flanges of the lower tier.

4. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein the end portions of the outer edges of said retaining flaps engage the lower surfaces of the interconnected flanges of the lower tier.

5. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein the fold lines adjoining said retaining flaps to said retaining strap are of arcuate configuration.

6. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein the outer edges of said retaining flaps are of arcuate generally elliptical configuration.

7. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein a web panel is interconnected between each end of each retaining flap and the adjacent side wall.

8. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein inwardly projecting holding means is disposed at the junction be tween at least one side panel and the associated side edge of said top panel and disposed within a cutaway portion of the flanges of the top tier of articles to prevent dislodgment of the top tier of articles from the carr1er.

9. A carrier according to claim 8 wherein said holding means comprises locking means for interconnecting the upper edge of one of said side panels with the adjacent side edge of said top panel.

Claims

8. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein inwardly projecting holding means is disposed at the junction between at least one side panel and the associated side edge of said top panel and disposed within a cutaway portion of the flanges of the top tier of articles to prevent dislodgment of the top tier of articles from the carrier.