This invention relates to a container carrier having container receiving apertures for unitizing a plurality of containers.
Conventional container carriers are often used to unitize a plurality of similarly sized containers, such as cans, bottles, jars and boxes and/or similar containers that require unitization. Flexible plastic ring carriers are one such conventional container carrier.
Flexible plastic ring carriers having a plurality of container receiving apertures, typically of an oval, round or rectangular configuration, that each engage a corresponding container may be used to unitize groups of four, six, eight, twelve or other suitable groups of containers into a convenient multipackage. Flexible ring carriers may include a handle that extends upwardly from the carrier to enable a consumer to carry the package from the top (called a “top lift carrier”) or outwardly from a side of the carrier to enable a consumer to carry the package from the side (called a “side lift carrier”).
There are cost and weight benefits associated with reducing the material necessary to manufacture a carrier. However, a carrier that is reduced in material must still produce a sturdy and aesthetically pleasing package without breakage, sag at the ends or danger of container loss. Such a carrier must also withstand the rigors of high speed application to containers. As such, a need arises for a reduced-weight carrier capable of carrying a large number of containers that permits high speed application and results in an aesthetically pleasing package for the consumer to handle.
The present invention is directed to a flexible carrier for packaging containers that includes an arrangement of container receiving apertures that are configured to permit placement over containers and permit carrying a unitized package of containers along a handle extending longitudinally along the package.
The carrier is suitably configured with a combination of webs and container receiving apertures that permit opening up and generally even, distributed stretching for application to the containers. Traditional carriers typically include oval, round, rectangular or triangular shaped container receiving apertures.
The subject invention is directed to a container carrier that includes an arrangement of container receiving apertures and intermediate cutouts with a side lift handle as shown in the attached drawings. The resulting carrier is configured to enable placement over corresponding containers to result in a tight, unitized bricklike package.
The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:
Containers 5 are preferably PET bottles as shown in
Each flexible carrier 10 preferably includes a single layer of flexible sheet having a width and length defining therein a plurality of flexible bands 30 further defining a plurality container receiving apertures 20, each for receiving a container. The plurality of container receiving apertures 20 are preferably arranged in two longitudinal rows and multiple longitudinal ranks so as to form an array of container receiving apertures 20, such as two rows by two ranks for a four container multipackage 100 as shown in
A representative multipackage 100 resulting from the flexible carrier 10 includes a plurality of unitized containers 5, such as shown in
A preferred carrier configuration includes bands 30 forming two distinct parallel rows of container receiving apertures 20. Each rank preferably includes two container receiving apertures 20 (one for each row in the carrier). Preferably, each of the carriers 10 shown in
Container receiving apertures 20 and intermediate apertures 40 are preferably formed by the bands 30 in a geometry that results in a uniform application of the carrier 10 to containers 5 to produce a tight unitization of containers 5 within each flexible carrier 10. Such a result is difficult when material within the flexible carrier 10 is minimized as shown and described herein. For instance, to achieve desired results in the described embodiments, outer bands 32 are preferably wider than inner bands 34.
As a result of the configuration of container receiving apertures 20 and hands 30 described, a pitch between adjacent container receiving apertures 20 in a row is capable of accommodating both cans and bottles while still maintaining a tight and compact package.
In particular, and as shown in the figures, the carrier 10 preferably includes an intermediate aperture 40 formed in a diamond shape. As described, the intermediate aperture 40 is defined as an aperture positioned between both each transverse rank and each longitudinal row of container receiving apertures 20. Each side of each intermediate aperture 40 is preferably parallel to a portion of each adjacent container receiving aperture 20. Each side of each diamond shaped aperture is preferably the same length. In addition, each corner of each diamond shaped aperture preferably includes rounded corners.
According to one preferred embodiment, an oval aperture 60 is positioned between each container receiving aperture 20 in transverse ranks. Each oval aperture 60 is preferably positioned midway between each adjacent container receiving aperture 20 in transverse ranks. As shown, the oval apertures 60 between outer ranks of container receiving apertures 20 are preferably longer than the oval apertures 60 between center ranks of container receiving apertures 20. According to a preferred embodiment, a major axis of the oval apertures 60 is preferably perpendicular to a major axis of the dividing apertures 14.
As shown in
According to one preferred embodiment, a line of weakness 70 is positioned between the handle 50 or the panel 55 and the array of container receiving apertures. Alternatively, or in addition, a line of weakness 70 may be positioned along a longitudinal row of container receiving apertures 20 opposite the handle 50 or panel 55. The line of weakness 70 may comprise a perforation, a series of slits or other weakened area that permits separation of a portion of the carrier 10 from the remaining carrier 10. In this manner, containers 5 may be released from the multipackage 100 and/or the handle 50 or panel 55 may be separated from the multipackage 100 for use as a proof of purchase or reusable portion of the carrier 10.
While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that flexible carrier 10 and multipackage 100 susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application, Ser. No. 62/595,633, filed on 7 Dec. 2017. This U.S. Provisional Application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and are made a part hereof, including but not limited to those portions which specifically appear hereinafter.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62595633 | Dec 2017 | US |