Carrier for containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11919692-B2
Application number	US-202117478025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2021
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a plurality of panels that includes at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers. The at least one central panel includes a plurality of openings and is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier comprising:
a plurality of panels comprising at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the at least one attachment panel comprising a container retention portion, an exterior marginal portion foldably connected to the container retention portion, and an interior marginal portion foldably connected to each of the container retention portion and the at least one central panel,
the at least one central panel comprises a plurality of openings and is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers,
a surface of the at least one central panel is for being adhered to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers with adhesive.

2. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings comprises a first row of openings and a second row of openings spaced apart from the first row of openings.

3. The carrier of claim 2 , wherein the first row of openings is spaced a first distance from a bottom edge of the at least one central panel, and the second row of openings is spaced a second distance from the bottom edge of the at least one central panel, the second distance is greater than the first distance.

4. The carrier of claim 3 , wherein the at least one central panel is a front central panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a back central panel, the at least one attachment panel is a front attachment panel foldably connected to the front central panel, and the plurality of panels further comprises a back attachment panel foldably connected to the back central panel, the plurality of openings is a first plurality of openings in the front central panel, and the back central panel comprises a second plurality of openings such that the first plurality of openings are in communication with the back central panel and the second plurality of openings are in communication with the front central panel.

5. The carrier of claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of openings comprises a first front row of openings and a second front row of openings spaced apart from the first front row of openings, and the second plurality of openings comprises a first back row of openings and a second back row of openings spaced apart from the first back row of openings.

6. The carrier of claim 5 , wherein the front central panel is foldably connected to the back central panel at a fold line, the first front row of openings is spaced a first distance from the fold line, and the second front row of openings is spaced a second distance from the fold line, the second distance is greater than the first distance.

7. The carrier of claim 6 , wherein the first back row of openings is spaced a third distance from the fold line and the second back row of openings is spaced a fourth distance from the fold line, the fourth distance is greater than the third distance.

8. The carrier of claim 7 , wherein the second distance is greater than the fourth distance, the fourth distance is greater than the first distance, and the first distance is greater than the third distance.

9. The carrier of claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of openings are offset from the second plurality of openings.

10. The carrier of claim 9 , wherein the front central panel and the back central panel are in contact such that a respective portion of the back central panel is exposed through the first plurality of openings and a respective portion of the front central panel is exposed through the second plurality of openings, the respective portion of the front central panel and the respective portion of the back central panel are for receiving an adhesive.

11. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one central panel and the at least one attachment panel includes at least one handle opening having a longitudinal section and at least one lateral section diverging away from the longitudinal section.

12. The carrier of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a top panel overlying at least a portion of the at least one attachment panel, the top panel comprises at least one handle feature aligned with the at least one handle opening.

13. The carrier of claim 12 , wherein the at least one handle feature comprises a first handle feature and a second handle feature, and the at least one handle opening comprises a first handle opening and a second handle opening.

14. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is on the surface of the at least one central panel for being adhered to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers and the surface is adjacent at least one opening of the plurality of openings.

15. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the interior marginal portion extends obliquely from the container retention portion to the at least one central panel.

16. A blank for forming a carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
a plurality of panels comprising at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the at least one attachment panel comprising a container retention portion, an exterior marginal portion foldably connected to the container retention portion, and an interior marginal portion foldably connected to each of the container retention portion and the at least one central panel,
the at least one central panel comprises a plurality of openings and is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the blank,
a surface of the at least one central panel is for being adhered to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers with adhesive.

17. The blank of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of openings comprises a first row of openings and a second row of openings spaced apart from the first row of openings.

18. The blank of claim 17 , wherein the first row of openings is spaced a first distance from a longitudinal centerline of the blank, and the second row of openings is spaced a second distance from the longitudinal centerline of the blank, the second distance is greater than the first distance.

19. The blank of claim 18 , wherein the at least one central panel is a front central panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a back central panel, the at least one attachment panel is a front attachment panel foldably connected to the front central panel, and the plurality of panels further comprises a back attachment panel foldably connected to the back central panel, the plurality of openings is a first plurality of openings in the front central panel, and the back central panel comprises a second plurality of openings.

20. The blank of claim 19 , wherein the first plurality of openings comprises a first front row of openings and a second front row of openings spaced apart from the first front row of openings, and the second plurality of openings comprises a first back row of openings and a second back row of openings spaced apart from the first back row of openings.

21. The blank of claim 20 , wherein the front central panel is foldably connected to the back central panel at a fold line, the first front row of openings is spaced a first distance from the fold line, and the second front row of openings is spaced a second distance from the fold line, the second distance is gre

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Smalley Brian

Classifications

• B65D2571/00716

  tubular without end walls · CPC title

• B65D2571/00444

  for fingers · CPC title

• B65D2571/0066

  formed from one single sheet · CPC title

• B65D2571/00327

  the articles being glued to the wrapper · CPC title

• B65D2571/00141

  glued · CPC title