The present invention relates generally to bottle carriers. More specifically, the invention pertains to a semi-rigid bottle carrier blank that can be quickly erected into a carrier body and a semi-rigid blank that can be quickly erected into a carrier lid, both processes requiring minimal steps and low complexity.
A bottle carrier is essential to packaging a bottle by a manufacturer, a retailer, a shipping company, and, ultimately, a customer. This is particularly true in the wine industry, in which manufacturers, retailers, and customers need to quickly and efficiently assemble bottle carriers for shipping or packaging wine bottles. The need for quick assembly is particularly true when large quantities of bottles need to be packaged into carriers. Frequently, wine bottles are given as gifts, so it is desirable to quickly and efficiently adorn the bottle carrier with ornamentation, such as a bow.
Conventional bottle carriers suffer from excessive cost and complexity. Some conventional bottle carriers are assembled by hand, guided by complicated instructions, and relying on scissors, glue, tape, and/or scissors. Some conventional bottle carrier blanks include a large number of flaps, tabs, and side sections that need to be folded in a particular order along large number of fold lines. Such conventional carriers frequently require application of tape or glue to enclose the carrier. Such a conventional assembly process is time-consuming insofar as it requires lots of steps to erect the carrier, it is expensive insofar as it requires glue or tape to enclose the carrier, and it is complicated insofar as it requires a particular sequence of folds.
Thus, what is needed is a solution for providing a quick-assembling bottle carrier that does not suffer from the shortcomings of conventional solutions.
Various embodiments or examples are disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings:
Various embodiments or examples may be implemented in numerous ways, including as a system, a process, or an apparatus. In general, operations of disclosed processes may be performed in an arbitrary order.
A detailed description of one or more examples is provided below along with accompanying figures. The detailed description is provided in connection with such examples, but is not limited to any particular example. The scope is limited only by the claims and numerous alternatives, modifications, and equivalents are encompassed. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding. These details are provided for the purpose of example and the described techniques may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details, For clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the examples has not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description.
Nebuchadnezzar bottle (15.0 L), or a Melchior bottle (18.0 L), without limitation.
Carrier body blank 100 may be made of any of a variety of common semi-rigid materials. In some examples, blank 100 and the elements contained in blank 100, including sides 102, 104, 106, and 108, and tabs 112, 114, 116, and 118 may be made of commonly used materials such as wood including plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation.
In operation, adhesive 111 can be used to substantially fixedly attach carrier body back side 102 to carrier body right side 108. With body back side and body right side so attached, an end user will not need to apply any glue or tape when erecting the carrier. After being manufactured, blank 100 is capable of being folded into a flat form, with body back side 102 touching body right side 108, and body left side 104 touching body front side 106.
Likewise, in some examples, adhesive 117 can fixedly attach back bottom tab 112 to left bottom tab 116, and adhesive 119 can fixedly attach front bottom tab 114 to right bottom tab 118. As farther described below with respect to
Carrier body blank 100 may optionally be fitted with elements relate to and improve the functionality of the wine carrier. For example, a cushioning material may be affixed to any one or more of body back side 102, body left side 104, body front side 106, and body right side 108 to protect a wine bottle housed in the wine bottle carrier. As a further example, a rubber-like material may be affixed to any one or more of body back side 102, body left side 104, body front side 106, and body right side 108 to prevent excessive sliding of a wine bottle housed in the wine bottle carrier. As a further example, a pouch, an envelope, or other small housing may be affixed on the interior or exterior of any one or more of body back side 102, body left side 104, body front side 106, and body right side 108 to allow wine accessories to be housed inside or outside the wine bottle carrier. Such wine accessories may include, for example, a wine glass, a foil cutter, a corkscrew, and a cork, without limitation.
Wine bottle carrier body 200 may be made of any of a variety of common semi-rigid materials. In some examples, carrier back side 202, carrier left side 204, carrier front side 206, carrier right side 208 may have substantially equal widths, such that folded carrier body 200 will have a substantially square cross section. In some examples, bottle carrier body 200 and the elements contained in it, including sides 202, 204, 206, and 208 may be made of commonly used materials such as wood including plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation.
Blank 300 may be made of any of a variety of common semi-rigid materials. In some examples, carrier lid left side 302, carrier lid back side 304, carrier lid right side 306, carrier lid front side 308 may have substantially equal widths. In some examples, blank 300 and the elements contained in blank 300, including sides 302, 304, 306, and 308, and tabs 312, 314, 316, and 318 may be made of commonly used materials such as wood including plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation.
Exemplary erected wine bottle carrier lid 400 may be made of any of a variety of common semi-rigid materials. In some examples, carrier lid left side 402, carrier lid back side 404, carrier lid right side 406, carrier lid front side 408 may have substantially equal widths, such that wine bottle carrier lid 400 will have a substantially square cross section. In some examples, exemplary erected wine bottle carrier lid 400 and the elements contained in it, including sides 402, 404, 406, and 408, and tabs 412, 414, 416, and 418 may be made of commonly used materials such as wood including plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation.
In operation, upon placing a wine bottle inside a wine carrier body in its erected form 500C, the weight of the wine bottle on the bottom of the wine carrier may serve to keep the auto-locking bottom substantially locked in a substantially horizontal form. In some examples, upon removing the wine bottle from the wine carrier, elastic qualities of the body sides will tend to urge the auto-locking bottom back into substantially horizontal form. Optionally, in order to promote a quicker return to flat form, a spring component can be built between opposing sides of the wine carrier blank, and serving to urge the bottom flaps into a substantially horizontal form if the wine bottle is removed from the wine carrier.
Exemplary wine bottle carrier body blank 500 and exemplary erected wine bottle carrier body 501 may be made of any of a variety of common semi-rigid materials. In some examples, exemplary wine bottle carrier body blank 500, exemplary erected wine bottle carrier body 501, and the elements contained in them, including sides 502, 504, 506, and 508 (not shown), and tabs 512, 514, 516, and 518 may be made of commonly used materials such as wood including plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation.
Exemplary wine bottle carrier lid blank 600 and exemplary erected wine bottle carrier lid 601 may be made of any of a variety of common semi-rigid materials. In some examples, exemplary wine bottle carrier lid blank 600, exemplary erected wine bottle carrier lid 601, and the elements contained in them, including sides 602, 604, 606, and 608, and tabs 612, 614, 616, and 618 may be made of commonly used materials such as wood including plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation,
Exemplary wine bottle carrier body 700 may be made of any of a variety of common semi-rigid materials. In some examples, exemplary wine bottle carrier body 700 and the elements contained in it, including tabs 712, 714, 716, and 718 may be made of commonly used materials such as wood including plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation,
Exemplary wine bottle carrier body 800 may be made of any of a variety of common semi-rigid materials. In some examples, exemplary wine bottle carrier body and lid 800 and the elements contained in it, including sides 802 and 804, sides 806 (not shown) and 808 (not shown), and tabs (not shown) 812, 814, 816, and 818 may be made of commonly used materials such as wood including plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation.
Here, wine bottle carrier body 901 is similar to wine bottle carrier body 200 (
Wine bottle carrier body 901 may be made of commonly used materials, including wood, plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation. Wine bottle carrier body 901 may also be illustrated or textured or otherwise ornamented.
Here, extender 970 includes extender back side 972., extender left side 974, extender front side 976, and extender right side 978. Extender 970 in this example is sized to fit inside wine carrier body 901 and wine carrier lid 951. Extender 970 may be made of commonly used materials, including wood, plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation. Extender 970 may also be painted, illustrated, textured, or otherwise decoratively ornamented,
In some examples, extender 970 can be fixedly coupled to wine bottle carrier body 901 using an adhesive or tape. Extender 970 may also be fixedly coupled to wine bottle carrier body 901 by connecting extender 970 to flexible carrier 938.
As shown, extender 970, having height 984, when fitted within wine bottle carrier body 901, can serve to extend the height of the interior of the wine bottle carrier 900. In some examples, the additional height created by extender 970 may allow the wine bottle carrier 900 to accommodate a larger wine bottle. For example, fitting extender 970 within wine bottle carrier body 901 may allow the wine bottle carrier to accommodate a standard 740 ml bottle, whereas without extender 970, only a half-bottle (375 ml) could be accommodated. Wine bottle carrier body 901 may be fitted a wide selection of extenders so as to accommodate a wide selection of wine bottle sizes.
In some examples, the additional height created by extender 970 may create a substantially empty space above the wine bottle. The empty space in some examples can be used to hold aesthetic ornamental material, such as colored tissue paper or ribbons or bows or flowers, without limitation. The empty space in some examples can be used to hold functional material, such as padding, an ice pack, or insulating material, without limitation. The empty space in some examples can be used to hold wine accessories, including, for example, a wine glass, a foil cutter, .a corkscrew, and a cork, without
Here, wine bottle carrier lid 951 is similar to wine bottle carrier lid 400 (
Extender 970, wine bottle carrier body 901 and wine bottle carrier lid 951 may be made of commonly used materials, including wood, plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation. Extender 970, wine bottle carrier body 901 and wine bottle carrier lid 951 may also be illustrated or textured or otherwise ornamented
Wine bottle carrier body 1001 and wine bottle carrier lid 1051 may be made of commonly used materials, including wood, plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation. Extender 1070, wine bottle carrier body 1001 and wine bottle carrier lid 1051 may also be colored, painted, illustrated, textured, or otherwise ornamented.
Extender 1170, wine bottle carrier body 1101 and wine bottle carrier lid 1151 may be made of commonly used materials, including wood, plywood, cardboard including corrugated cardboard, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, glass, and rigid and semi-rigid plastics including corrugated plastic board and the like, without limitation. Extender 1170, wine bottle carrier body 1101, and wine bottle carrier lid 1151 may also be colored, painted, illustrated, textured, or otherwise ornamented.