Method of forming a carrier for containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10214334-B2
Application number	US-201615230854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2010
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A carrier that is at least partially holding a plurality of containers. The carrier can include a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel. At least one container-receiving feature extends in at least the bottom panel. The at least one container-receiving feature can at least partially receive at least one container of the plurality of containers. At least one retention flap is foldably connected to the first top panel or the second top panel. The at least one retention flap engages at least a portion of a flange of at least one container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a carrier at least partially holding a plurality of containers, each container of the plurality of containers comprising a flange, the method comprising:
obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel, a first retention flap foldably connected to the first top panel, and a second retention flap foldably connected to the second top panel, wherein at least one container-receiving feature extends in at least the bottom panel, the first retention flap comprises a first proximal portion foldably connected to the first top panel and a first distal portion foldably connected to the first proximal portion, and the second retention flap comprises a second proximal portion foldably connected to the second top panel and a second distal portion foldably connected to the second proximal portion;
inserting at least a portion of at least one container of the plurality of containers through the at least one container-receiving feature;
forming an interior of the carrier at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the flange of each container of the plurality of containers being at least partially enclosed in the interior of the carrier; and
positioning at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap to engage at least a portion of the flange of at least one container of the plurality of containers and so that at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap is generally V-shaped;
wherein the positioning at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap comprises positioning the first proximal portion to extend generally downwardly from the first top panel and the first distal portion to extend generally upwardly from the first proximal portion so that the first retention flap is generally V-shaped; and
wherein the positioning at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap further comprises positioning the second proximal portion to extend generally downwardly from the second top panel and the second distal portion to extend generally parallel to the bottom panel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one container-receiving feature comprises at least one first container-receiving feature and at least one second container-receiving feature;
the inserting at least a portion of the at least one container through the at least one container-receiving feature comprises at least partially inserting at least one container in a first column into the at least one first container-receiving feature so that the at least one container in the first column is generally adjacent the first side panel and at least partially inserting at least one container in a second column into the at least one second container-receiving feature so that the at least one container in the second column is generally adjacent the second side panel.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein
the method further comprises positioning the first proximal portion to at least partially engage the at least one container in the first column and the first distal portion to at least partially engage the at least one container in the second column, and positioning the second proximal portion to at least partially engage the at least one container in the second column and the second distal portion to at least partially engage the at least one container in the first column.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one first container-receiving feature comprises a first outer brace flap foldably connected to the first side panel along a first transverse fold line and a first inner brace flap foldably connected to the bottom panel along a second transverse fold line;
the at least one second container-receiving feature comprises a second outer brace flap foldably connected to the second side panel along a third transverse fold line and a second inner brace flap foldably connected to the bottom panel along a fourth transverse fold line;
the at least partially inserting the at least one container in the first column further comprises at least partially engaging each of the first outer brace flap and the first inner brace flap with the flange of the at least one container in the first column; and
the at least partially inserting the at least one container in the second column further comprises at least partially engaging each of the second outer brace flap and the second inner brace flap with the flange of the at least one container in the second column.

5. A method of forming a carrier at least partially holding a plurality of containers, each container of the plurality of containers comprising a flange, the method comprising:
obtaining a blank comprising a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel, a first retention flap foldably connected to the first top panel, and a second retention flap foldably connected to the second top panel, wherein at least one container-receiving feature extends in at least the bottom panel, the first retention flap comprises a first proximal portion foldably connected to the first top panel and a first distal portion foldably connected to the first proximal portion, and the second retention flap comprises a second proximal portion foldably connected to the second top panel and a second distal portion foldably connected to the second proximal portion;
inserting at least a portion of at least one container of the plurality of containers through the at least one container-receiving feature;
forming an interior of the carrier at least partially defined by the plurality of panels, the flange of each container of the plurality of containers being at least partially enclosed in the interior of the carrier; and
positioning at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap to engage at least a portion of the flange of at least one container of the plurality of containers and so that at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap is generally V-shaped;
wherein the positioning at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap comprises positioning the first proximal portion to extend generally downwardly from the first top panel and the first distal portion to extend generally upwardly from the first proximal portion so that the first retention flap is generally V-shaped; and
wherein the positioning at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap further comprises positioning the second proximal portion to extend generally downwardly from the second top panel and the second distal portion to extend generally upwardly from the second proximal portion so that the second retention flap is generally V-shaped.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the positioning at least one of the first retention flap and the second retention flap further comprises positioning the second distal portion to at least partially overlap the first proximal portion and the second proximal portion to at least partially overlap the first distal portion.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the at least one container-receiving feature comprises at least one first container-receiving feature and at least one second container-receiving feature;
the inserting at least a portion of the at least one conta

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Inc
• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Jones Edward W
• Gonzalez Ana
• Requena Emili
• Gomes Jean-Manuel
• May Kevin T
• Ford Colin
• Sundquist Matthew

Classifications

• B65D2571/00716

  tubular without end walls · CPC title

• B65D2571/0066

  formed from one single sheet · CPC title

• B65B21/242

  in collapsed carton sleeves · CPC title

• B65D2571/00339

  extending from the upper or lower wall · CPC title

• B65D2571/0029

  Openings in top or bottom walls · CPC title