Patent Application
20190062017
Aspects of the present invention relates to a packaging device for packaging a multi-pack of containers, and more particularly relate to a sheet or a band packaging device for packaging a multi-pack of cans or bottles having a common geometric shape.
We've all seen images of wildlife killed or maimed by plastic six-pack rings. We've seen these things scattered across the landscape and floating in our waters. The good news is that each one of us has the power to eliminate this particular threat to our shared environment.
Six-pack rings, also known as “yokes”, are a common and persistent environmental problem that needs to be resolved. Although only 50 years old, this product can be found nearly everywhere and causes a substantial amount of environmental damage. Although we refer to them as 6-pack rings, this product can actually have any number of rings. And though they are commonly used as packaging for aluminum drink cans, 6-pack rings can be found on many types of products.
The best solution is to not create the problem in the first place. If consumer demand for products packaged in 6-pack rings declined, manufacturers would stop producing them. That's how our economy works. As a consumer, our purchasing decisions have power. Looking for products that are in paper packaging or buying individual products and carrying them home in a reusable bag is one solution of this problem.
If one feels extra motivated, one could write to companies that use this packaging for their products. Let them know how unhappy one is with this decision and that you can boycot their products that include 6-pack rings. Consumer opinion does count and has changed how industries design and manufacture products.
Cutting every hole (not just the primary rings) greatly reduces the chance that an animal will get entangled in the product. This is critical even if you plan on recycling the rings. The rings could blow off a truck or out of the recycling plant and get into the environment. A few seconds of your time could save a life (or several lives). However, how many consumers would regularly do this cutting every time they throw or recycle six-pack rings.
Six-pack rings are made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE). This is the same material that is used to make plastic bags and many types of plastic containers. While the rings themselves are not usually marked, LDPE is identified with the recycling code 4 and is completely recyclable. The code is just an arbitrary number and is used to identify the type of plastic used in a product.
Recycling plastic products has several positive effects. First, it keeps the item from taking up space in a landfill. Second, recycling removes the potential for the product to get out into the environment. Third, recycling used plastic produces less air and water pollution than the production of virgin plastic. Fourth, using recycled plastic reduces our dependence on petroleum. Finally, recycling closes the resource loop. For true sustainability, all waste products need to become feed stock for new products.
Products made from LDPE can't usually be recycled back into their original form. The recycling process changes the chemical structure of the plastic. However, LDPE products can be recycled into more durable products such as trash cans, lumber, and floor tile.
Six-pack beverage can rings are not the largest or most dangerous environmental threat we face. But they do create a tangible and substantial hazard that cannot and should not be ignored. Especially since they are an extremely unnecessary product.
Therefore, a device and a method for avoiding deadly consequences in nature caused by a packaging device of six-pack beverage can rings.
Briefly described, aspects of the present invention relate to a multi-pack package device including a carrier that includes a plurality of apertures for receiving multiple containers such that each of the plurality of apertures being surrounded in two dimensions by a sheet or a band. The multi-pack package device further includes a plurality of bonds formed by bonding a neck surface of a container of the multiple containers to the sheet or the band and a plurality of perforations-based structures including perforations arranged to create a tear line that passes through a particular aperture of the plurality of apertures at a location where the neck surface is bonded to the sheet or the band.
In accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a multi-pack packaging device is provided for carrying multiple cans or bottles each having a common geometric shape and adapted to permit release of each of the multiple cans or bottles individually. The multi-pack packaging device comprises a carrier, formed from a sheet of a paper-based material or a band of a resilient material, that includes a plurality of apertures for receiving the multiple cans or bottles, each of the plurality of apertures being surrounded in two dimensions by the paper-based material or the resilient material as the sheet of the paper-based material or the band of resilient material extends about at least a portion of a periphery of each of the multiple cans or bottles while forming a closed loop about the multiple cans or bottles. The multi-pack packaging device further comprises a plurality of bonds formed by bonding a neck surface of a can or a bottle of the multiple cans or bottles to the sheet of the paper-based material or the band of resilient material. Each of the plurality of bonds associated with a different one of the plurality of apertures and configured to hold one can or bottle of the multiple cans or bottles. The multi-pack packaging device further comprises a plurality of perforations-based structures including perforations arranged to create a tear line that passes through a particular aperture of the plurality of apertures at a location where the neck surface is bonded to the sheet of the paper-based material or the band of resilient material. The perforations are configured to enable the plurality of perforations-based structures to be torn from the multi-pack packaging device to cause the particular aperture to no longer be surrounded in two dimensions by the paper-based material or the resilient material, and to enable a can or a bottle of the multiple cans or bottles to be removed from the multi-pack packaging device.
Consistent with another embodiment, a multi-pack packaging device comprises multiple containers. The multi-pack packaging device comprises a carrier that includes a plurality of apertures for receiving the multiple containers. Each of the plurality of apertures being surrounded in two dimensions by a sheet or a band. The multi-pack packaging device further comprises a plurality of bonds formed by bonding a neck surface of a container of the multiple containers to the sheet or the band. Each of the plurality of bonds associated with a different one of the plurality of apertures and configured to hold one container of the multiple containers. The multi-pack packaging device further comprises a plurality of perforations-based structures including perforations arranged to create a tear line that passes through a particular aperture of the plurality of apertures at a location where the neck surface is bonded to the sheet or the band. The perforations are configured to enable the plurality of perforations-based structures to be torn from the multi-pack packaging device to cause the particular aperture to no longer be a loop, and to enable a container of the multiple containers to be removed from the multi-pack packaging device.
Consistent with yet another embodiment, a method of packaging a multi-pack of containers is provided. The method comprises providing multiple containers, providing a carrier that includes a plurality of apertures for receiving the multiple containers, each of the plurality of apertures being surrounded in two dimensions by a sheet or a band, providing a plurality of bonds formed by bonding a neck surface of a container of the multiple containers to the sheet or the band, each of the plurality of bonds associated with a different one of the plurality of apertures and configured to hold one container of the multiple containers and providing a plurality of perforations-based structures including perforations arranged to create a tear line that passes through a particular aperture of the plurality of apertures at a location where the neck surface is bonded to the sheet or the band, the perforations are configured to enable the plurality of perforations-based structures to be torn from the multi-pack packaging device to cause the particular aperture to no longer be a loop, and to enable a container of the multiple containers to be removed from the multi-pack packaging device.
To facilitate an understanding of embodiments, principles, and features of the present invention, they are explained hereinafter with reference to implementation in illustrative embodiments. In particular, they are described in the context of a packaging device for holding a multi-pack of containers in a multi-loop structure. Embodiments of the present invention, however, are not limited to use in the described devices or methods.
The components and materials described hereinafter as making up the various embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable components and materials that would perform the same or a similar function as the materials described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of embodiments of the present invention.
Although some embodiments of this invention may be described and illustrated herein in terms of 6 pack can holders, it should be understood that embodiments of this invention are not so limited, but are generally applicable to any number of cans such as two, four or more cans. Further, although some embodiments of this invention may be described and illustrated herein in the context of a paper sheet or a plastic band, it should be understood that embodiments of this invention are not so limited, but are generally applicable to any type of packaging materials.
The multi-pack packaging device 300 comprises multiple containers such as the can 302. The multi-pack package device 300 further comprises the carrier 303 that includes a plurality of apertures such as the aperture 315 for receiving the multiple containers. Each of the plurality of apertures being surrounded in two dimensions by a sheet or the band 305. The multi-pack packaging device 300 further comprises a plurality of bonds such as the dab 325 of the synthetic glue formed by bonding the neck surface 330 of the can 302 of the multiple containers to the sheet or the band 305. Each of the plurality of bonds associated with a different one of the plurality of apertures and configured to hold one container of the multiple containers.
The multi-pack packaging device 300 further comprises a plurality of perforations-based structures including perforations arranged to create a tear line such as the pair of tear lines 320(1-2) that passes through a particular aperture 315 of the plurality of apertures at a location 335 where the neck surface 330 is bonded to the sheet or the band 305. The perforations are configured to enable the plurality of perforations-based structures to be torn from the multi-pack packaging device 300 to cause the particular aperture 315 to no longer be a loop. And to enable the can 302 of the multiple containers to be removed from the multi-pack packaging device 300.
The multi-pack packaging device 400 comprises a carrier 408 formed from a sheet of a paper-based material or a band of a resilient material. The carrier 408 includes a plurality of apertures 410(1-6) or rings for receiving the multiple cans 405(1-6) or bottles. Each of the plurality of apertures 410(1-6) are being surrounded in two dimensions by the paper-based material or the resilient material as the sheet of the paper-based material or the band of resilient material of the carrier 408 extends about at least a portion of a periphery of each of the multiple cans 405(1-6) or bottles while forming a closed loop about the multiple cans 405(1-6) or bottles.
The multi-pack packaging device 400 comprises a plurality of bonds 415(1-6) (only 415(1-3) are seen in
The multi-pack packaging device 400 further comprises a plurality of perforations-based structures 425(1-6) (only 425(1-3) are seen in
Each of the plurality of bonds 415(1-6) and each of the plurality of perforations-based structures 425(1-6) form a breakable portion of the paper-based material or the resilient material about a neck of each of the multiple cans 405(1-6) or bottles in response to an application of a pulling force on the multiple cans 405(1-6) or bottles which both release a given can or a given bottle and sever a loop-shaped structure of a given aperture 410 of the plurality of apertures 410(1-6) which acts to retain the given can 405 or the given bottle in the aperture 410 thereof.
The plurality of perforations-based structures 425(1-6) include a pair of tear lines 430(1-6) (only 430(1-3) are seen in
The pair of tear lines 430(1-6) are parallel to each other and laid out perpendicular to a length of the loop-shaped structure of the given aperture 410 of the plurality of apertures 410(1-6). A location of the pair of tear lines 430(1-6) within the loop-shaped structure of the given aperture 410 of the plurality of apertures 410(1-6) is aligned with a location of a given bond of the plurality of bonds 415(1-6) such that the given bond 415 is surrounded by the pair of tear lines 430. The given bond of the plurality of bonds 415(1-6) is a dab of a synthetic glue commonly used in a packaging industry. A given strength of each bond of the plurality of bonds 415(1-6) is set to be more than a strength or a pulling force it takes to tear up the plurality of perforations-based structures 425(1-6).
The carrier 408 serves as a holder for a multiplicity of containers, i.e., the multiple cans 405(1-6) or bottles which are shown in the drawings as six identical cans. Exemplar can 405 is typically constructed of metallic material such as aluminium, and includes a circular flange or rim 435 at a top portion thereof. The carrier 408 hugs the rim 435 such that the can 405 cannot be removed without some level of a pull force applied.
The carrier 408 may be the band of the resilient material that comprises low-density polyethylene (LDPE) being a thermoplastic made from monomer ethylene. The band of the resilient material may be plastic, paper, an elastomeric composition, or combinations of the same. The carrier 408 may be the sheet of the paper-based material is edible, biodegradable and is made of beer by-products that can be eaten by sea life.
In one embodiment, the strength of the bond formed by the synthetic glue for the dab 625 is greater than a typical medium pull force of a human hand. This strength of this bond formed by the synthetic glue for the dab 625 is greater than a tearing resistance of the pair of tear lines 430(1) or the bond of a tear-able section of the carrier 408 from the aperture 410. The bonding and tearing mechanism 700 is configured in such a way so that the pair of tear lines 430(1) break first before the bond of the dab 625 can be broken with a certain pull force by a human to remove the can 620 from the carrier 408.
In one embodiment, there may be only one tear line out of the pair of the tear lines 430. In one embodiment, the dab 625 bond is configured to be stronger than a tearing bond of the pair of tear likes 430 such that in a normal operation the pair of tear lines 430 will break first in a sequence before the dab 625 bond. This type of a difference in strengths of two bonds can be achieved by designing the perforations of the pair of tear lines 430 such that tearing is made easier than pulling the dab 625 bond from the neck of the can 620. The dab 625 bond is intended to be broken in one embodiment where there is only one tear line present from the pair of tear lines 430. However, the dab 625 bond is intended to be not broken in one embodiment where both two tear lines of the pair of tear lines 430 are present. In the single tear line embodiment first in a sequence the single tear line will break in normal operation in response to a first pull force, then the dab 625 bond will break in response to a second pull force. In the double tear line embodiment, the pair of tear lines 430 break about the same time while the dab 625 bond stays intact on the body of the can 620 with a small portion of the carrier 408 still attached to it (the small part of the sheet or the band which was in between the pair of tear lines 430).
The method 800 comprises a step 815 of providing a plurality of bonds formed by bonding a neck surface of a container of the multiple containers to the sheet or the band. Each of the plurality of bonds associated with a different one of the plurality of apertures and configured to hold one container of the multiple containers. The method 800 comprises a step 820 of providing a plurality of perforations-based structures including perforations arranged to create a tear line that passes through a particular aperture of the plurality of apertures at a location where the neck surface is bonded to the sheet or the band. The perforations are configured to enable the plurality of perforations-based structures to be torn from the multi-pack packaging device to cause the particular aperture to no longer be a loop, and to enable a container of the multiple containers to be removed from the multi-pack packaging device.
While embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in exemplary forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents, as set forth in the following claims.
Embodiments and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known starting materials, processing techniques, components and equipment are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure embodiments in detail. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments, are given by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions and/or rearrangements within the spirit and/or scope of the underlying inventive concept will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, article, or apparatus.
Additionally, any examples or illustrations given herein are not to be regarded in any way as restrictions on, limits to, or express definitions of, any term or terms with which they are utilized. Instead, these examples or illustrations are to be regarded as being described with respect to one particular embodiment and as illustrative only. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any term or terms with which these examples or illustrations are utilized will encompass other embodiments which may or may not be given therewith or elsewhere in the specification and all such embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of that term or terms.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of invention.
Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments thereof, these embodiments are merely illustrative, and not restrictive of the invention. The description herein of illustrated embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein (and in particular, the inclusion of any particular embodiment, feature or function is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to such embodiment, feature or function). Rather, the description is intended to describe illustrative embodiments, features and functions in order to provide a person of ordinary skill in the art context to understand the invention without limiting the invention to any particularly described embodiment, feature or function. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, while the invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the invention.
Respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” or “in a specific embodiment” or similar terminology in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any particular embodiment may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the invention.
In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment may be able to be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, components, systems, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the invention. While the invention may be illustrated by using a particular embodiment, this is not and does not limit the invention to any particular embodiment and a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional embodiments are readily understandable and are a part of this invention.
Although the steps, operations, or computations may be presented in a specific order, this order may be changed in different embodiments. In some embodiments, to the extent multiple steps are shown as sequential in this specification, some combination of such steps in alternative embodiments may be performed at the same time.
Embodiments described herein can be implemented in the form of control logic in software or hardware or a combination of both. The control logic may be stored in an information storage medium, such as a computer-readable medium, as a plurality of instructions adapted to direct an information processing device to perform a set of steps disclosed in the various embodiments. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate other ways and/or methods to implement the invention.
It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application.
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any component(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component.
