Carrier for containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12103751-B2
Application number	US-202217859178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2022
Priority date	Jul 8, 2021
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a top retainer formed from a top container retention blank including a top attachment panel for at least partially receiving the plurality of containers, and a bottom retainer formed from a bottom container retention blank including a bottom attachment panel for being attached to the plurality of containers and having a plurality of bottom container retention tabs foldably connected to the bottom attachment panel and at least partially separable from the bottom attachment panel for being attached to a respective container of the plurality of containers, the top attachment panel is free from attachment to the bottom attachment panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier comprising:
a top retainer formed from a top container retention blank comprising a top attachment panel for at least partially receiving the plurality of containers; and
a bottom retainer formed from a bottom container retention blank comprising a bottom attachment panel for being attached to the plurality of containers and comprising a plurality of bottom container retention tabs foldably connected to the bottom attachment panel and at least partially separable from the bottom attachment panel at a respective cut in the bottom attachment panel for being attached to a respective container of the plurality of containers, each bottom container retention tab of the plurality of bottom container retention tabs comprises a plurality of lines of weakening defining a plurality of reconfigurable sections of the respective bottom container retention tab, the top attachment panel is free from attachment to the bottom attachment panel.

2. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein each reconfigurable section of the plurality of reconfigurable sections is repositionable relative to an adjacent reconfigurable section of the plurality of reconfigurable sections at the respective line of weakening.

3. The carrier of claim 2 , wherein each bottom container retention tab of the plurality of bottom container retention tabs is foldably connected to the bottom attachment panel at a respective curved fold line.

4. The carrier of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of bottom container retention tabs is for being adhered to a respective container of the plurality of containers with glue.

5. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the top retainer comprises top container retention features, the top container retention features comprising a plurality of container openings for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers.

6. The carrier of claim 5 , wherein the top container retention features further comprises a plurality of top container retention tabs foldably connected to the top attachment panel and positioned extending into a respective container opening of the plurality of container openings for engaging a respective container of the plurality of containers.

7. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the top attachment panel is in generally parallel and spaced relation to the bottom panel.

8. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bottom container retention tabs are for being at least partially received in a recess of a respective container of the plurality of containers.

9. A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier comprising:
a top retainer comprising a top attachment panel for at least partially receiving the plurality of containers;
a bottom retainer comprising a bottom attachment panel for being attached to the plurality of containers, the bottom retainer comprises bottom container retention features including a plurality of bottom container retention tabs foldably connected to the bottom attachment panel for being attached to a respective container of the plurality of containers, each bottom container retention tab of the plurality of bottom container retention tabs comprises a plurality of lines of weakening defining a plurality of reconfigurable sections of the respective bottom container retention tab, the top attachment panel is free from attachment to the bottom attachment panel; and
handle features, the handle features comprising at least one handle flap foldably connected to the top attachment panel, the at least one handle flap at least partially separable from the top attachment panel for exposing a handle opening.

10. In combination, a top container retention blank and a bottom retention container blank for forming a carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the combination comprising:
a top container retention blank comprising a top attachment panel for at least partially receiving the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the top container retention blank and the bottom container retention blank; and
a bottom container retention blank comprising a bottom attachment panel for being attached to the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the combination of the top container retention blank and the bottom container retention blank and comprising a plurality of bottom container retention tabs foldably connected to the bottom attachment panel and at least partially separable from the bottom attachment panel at a respective cut in the bottom attachment panel for being attached to a respective container of the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the top container retention blank and the bottom container retention blank, each bottom container retention tab of the plurality of bottom container retention tabs comprises a plurality of lines of weakening defining a plurality of reconfigurable sections of the respective bottom container retention tab, the top attachment panel is free from attachment to the bottom attachment panel.

11. The combination of claim 10 , wherein each reconfigurable section of the plurality of reconfigurable sections is repositionable relative to an adjacent reconfigurable section of the plurality of reconfigurable sections at the respective line of weakening.

12. The combination of claim 11 , wherein each bottom container retention tab of the plurality of bottom container retention tabs is foldably connected to the bottom attachment panel at a respective curved fold line.

13. The combination of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of bottom container retention tabs is for being adhered to a respective container of the plurality of containers with glue when the carrier is formed from the top container retention blank and the bottom container retention blank.

14. The combination of claim 10 , wherein the top container retention blank comprises top container retention features, the top container retention features comprising a plurality of container openings for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the top container retention blank and the bottom container retention blank.

15. The combination of claim 14 , wherein the top container retention features further comprises a plurality of top container retention tabs foldably connected to the top attachment panel and positioned extending into a respective container opening of the plurality of container openings for engaging a respective container of the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the top container retention blank and the bottom container retention blank.

16. The combination of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of bottom container retention tabs are for being at least partially received in a recess of a respective container of the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the top container retention blank and the bottom container retention blank.

17. In combination, a top container retention blank and a bottom retention container blank for forming a carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the combination comprising:
a top container retention blank comprising a top attachment panel for at least partially receiving the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the top container retention blank and the bottom container retention blank; and
a bottom container retention blank comprising a bottom attachment panel for being attached to the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the combination of the top contai

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Hicks Douglas R
• May Kevin T
• Spivey Sr Raymond R

Classifications

• B65B17/025 Primary

  the articles being joined by a top carrier element · CPC title

• B65D71/504

  the element being formed from a flexible sheet provided with slits or apertures intended to be stretched over the articles and adapt to the shape of the article · CPC title

• B65B51/02

  Applying adhesives or sealing liquids · CPC title

• B65D71/403

  formed by folding several blanks · CPC title

• B65D71/42

  formed by folding a single blank into a single layer element · CPC title