Article carrier and blank therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11975902-B2
Application number	US-202218079535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2022
Priority date	Nov 6, 2018
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a package, an article carrier, and a blank ( 810 ) for forming the article carrier. An aspect of the invention provides an article carrier comprising a plurality of primary panels ( 812,814,816 ) at least partially extending around an interior of the article carrier. The plurality of primary panels comprises a first side panel ( 812 ), a top panel ( 814 ), a second side pane ( 816 ) 1 and at least one bottom panel joined together to form a tubular structure having first and second opposed open ends. The article carrier comprises a carrying handle (H) including a handle feature defined in at least the top panel and a foldable handle structure (HS) having opposed connecting panels and a handle strap. The handle strap extends ( 882 ) between the connecting panels.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A blank for forming a carton, the blank comprising a plurality of primary panels for at least partially extending around an interior of the carton in a setup condition, the plurality of primary panels comprising a top panel and a pair of side panels hingedly connected to opposed side edges of the top panel respectively, wherein the blank further comprises a carrying handle including a handle feature defined in at least the top panel and a foldable handle structure having opposed connecting panels and a handle strap extending between the connecting panels, the handle structure being hingedly connected at the opposed connecting panels thereof to the side panels along respective first edges of the side panels, the handle structure is foldable to generally align the handle strap with the handle feature, wherein the blank comprises a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, the first and second ends being defined at least in part by opposed end edges of the top panel respectively, and wherein in the setup condition, the first end is formed to be at least partially open by having an end opening extending at least between the first edges of the side panels.

2. A blank of claim 1 wherein the plurality of primary panels comprises at least one bottom panel configured to be joined together with the pair of side panels and the top panel in the setup condition to form a tubular structure of the carton having a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, at least one of the first end and the second end being at least partially open,
wherein the handle structure is hingedly connected at the opposed connecting panels thereof to the first end of the tubular structure such that the handle structure is foldable into the interior of the carton in the setup condition so that the handle strap is disposed generally in alignment with the handle feature.

3. A combination of a tray blank and a covering blank for forming a package, the covering blank comprising a top panel and a pair of foldable flaps hingedly connected to respective ones of opposed edges of the top panel, each of the foldable flaps extending to a free end thereof that is opposite its hinged connection to the top panel, wherein the free end of a first one of the foldable flaps is disposed at a first distance from the free end of a second one of the foldable flaps in a tubular axis direction of the package when the covering blank is in an erected form in which the foldable flaps are folded out of a plane of the top panel and wherein the first distance is equal to or less than a linear dimension in the tubular axis direction of a tray erected from the tray blank.

4. A combination according to claim 3 , wherein the tray blank comprises a base panel and a pair of opposing panels hinged to the base panel and wherein the linear dimension of the tray is defined between a pair of opposing edges of the base panel.

5. A combination according to claim 3 , wherein the tray blank comprises a base panel and a pair of opposing panels hinged to the base panel, and wherein the linear dimension of the tray is defined between the opposing panels when the tray blank is in an erected form in which the opposing panels are folded out of a plane of the base panel.

6. A combination according to claim 3 , wherein the covering blank is in the erected form when the package is formed wherein the foldable flaps are arranged at least partially to enclose opposed ends or sides of the package, the tray blank comprising a base panel and a pair of opposing panels hinged to the base panel, and wherein the linear dimension of the tray is defined between the opposing panels when the tray blank is in an erected form in which the opposing panels are folded out of a plane of the base panel, and wherein the tray blank is in the erected form when the package is formed in which the opposing panels partially enclose said opposed ends or sides of the package.

7. A combination according to claim 3 , wherein the linear dimension extends parallel to the first distance.

8. A combination according to claim 3 , wherein the linear dimension and the first distance each extends transversely of the package.

9. A combination according to claim 3 , wherein the linear dimension and the first distance each extend longitudinally of the package.

10. A combination according to claim 3 , wherein each of the foldable flaps comprises a corner-forming panel hingedly connected to the foldable flap for forming a corner and wherein the first distance is defined between a first corner-forming panel hingedly connected to the first one of the pair of foldable flaps and a second corner-forming panel hingedly connected to the second one of pair of foldable flaps.

11. A combination according to claim 3 wherein the covering blank comprises a carrying handle including a handle feature defined in at least the top panel and a foldable handle structure having opposed connecting panels.

12. A combination according to claim 11 further comprising at least one reinforcing member hingedly connected to the handle structure.

13. A combination according to claim 12 wherein the at least one reinforcing member is hingedly connected to the central portion of the handle strap.

14. A combination according to claim 12 wherein the at least one reinforcing member is hingedly connected to the handle strap.

15. A package comprising a tray and a covering, the covering comprising a top panel and a pair of foldable flaps hingedly connected to respective ones of opposed edges of the top panel and extending at an angle with respect to the top panel, each of the foldable flaps extending to a free end thereof that is opposite its hinged connection to the top panel, wherein the free end of a first one of the foldable flaps is disposed at a first distance from the free end of a second one of the foldable flaps in a tubular axis direction of the package and wherein the first distance is equal to or less than a linear dimension of the tray in the tubular axis direction.

16. A package according to claim 15 , wherein the tray comprises a base panel and a pair of opposing panels hinged to the base panel and wherein the linear dimension of the tray is defined between a pair of opposing edges of the base panel.

17. A package according to claim 15 , wherein the tray comprises a base panel and a pair of opposing panels hinged to the base panel, the opposing panels extending at an angle with respect to the base panel, and wherein the linear dimension of the tray is defined between the opposing panels.

18. A package according to claim 15 , further comprising a group of articles, wherein each article in the group of articles has a first maximum length dimension defined between opposed ends thereof and a first maximum width dimension defined between opposed sides thereof,
wherein the first distance is equal to or less than one of the first maximum length dimension and the first maximum width dimension and wherein the linear dimension of the tray is equal to or greater than one of the first maximum length dimension and the first maximum width dimension.

19. A package according to claim 15 , wherein the tray comprises a base panel and an end flap hingedly connected to respective ends of the base panel and wherein linear dimension of the tray is defined between an outer surface of the end flap at a first end of the base panel and an outer surface of the end flap at a second, opposing, end of the base panel.

20. A package according to claim 19 , wherein the tray compr

Assignees

• Westrock Packaging Systems Llc

Inventors

• Fahrner Vincent
• Merzeau Julien D

Classifications

• B65D71/30 Primary

  unitary {, i.e. integral} with the tubular packaging elements · CPC title

• B31B50/86

  Forming integral handles; Attaching separate handles · CPC title

• B65D71/38 Primary

  the packaging elements {, e.g. wrappers} being formed by folding and interconnecting two or more blanks · CPC title

• B31B50/624

  Applying glue on blanks · CPC title

• B31B2105/00

  Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by assembling separate sheets, blanks or webs · CPC title