Package, article carrier and blank therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12434893-B2
Application number	US-202117802445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2021
Priority date	Feb 25, 2020
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a package, a carrier for packaging one or more articles and a blank ( 10 ) for forming the carrier. The package comprises a carrier having a base wall ( 14, 20, 26; 114, 120, 126 ), opposed side walls ( 12, 28; 112, 128 ) and opposed end walls to define an interior. The carrier may take the form of an open topped tray. The package further comprises a plurality of articles disposed in the interior of the carrier. The package comprises a partition structure ( 16/18, 22/24; 116/118, 122/124 ) dividing the interior into two or more chambers (C 1 /C 2 , C 2 /C 3 ). The partition structure ( 16/18, 22/24; 116/118, 122/124 ) may comprise an opening or portal providing a passageway between two adjacently disposed chambers. The opening may be defined or controlled, at least in part by, a gate panel ( 116 B, 24 B; 116 B, 124 B).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A carrier for a package comprising:
an interior configured to receive a plurality of articles, the interior defined at least in part by:
a base wall;
opposed side walls; and
opposed end walls;

a partition structure dividing the carrier into two or more chambers, wherein the partition structure comprises a portal and at least one gate panel translatable or transformable between a first position extending upwardly from the base wall closing the portal in the partition structure and a second position forming a passageway between two adjacently disposed chambers in an open condition in which the at least one gate panel is in the second position, wherein the at least one gate panel having a free upper end edge that forms part of an upper edge of the partition structure.

2. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the base wall of the carrier comprises a first base panel and a second base panel.

3. The carrier according to claim 2 , wherein the first base panel is coupled to the second base panel by the partition structure.

4. The carrier according to claim 2 , wherein the first base panel is spaced apart from the second base panel by a gap.

5. The carrier according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one gate panel spans the gap between the first base panel and the second base panel when in the second position.

6. The carrier according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one gate panel is hingedly connected to one of the first and second base panels.

7. The carrier according to claim 2 , wherein the partition structure comprises two or more divider panels interconnecting the first base panel and the second base panel.

8. The carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the partition structure comprises at least two divider panels comprising a first divider panel hingedly connected to a second divider panel.

9. The carrier according to claim 8 , wherein a cutaway is struck from the at least two divider panels to form the portal.

10. The carrier according to claim 8 , wherein a each of the at least one gate panel is struck from at least one of the at least two divider panels.

11. The carrier of claim 1 wherein in the second position, the at least one gate panel is folded towards the base wall to open the portal in the partition structure.

12. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the partition structure comprises a cutaway for forming the portal.

13. A package comprising:
a film sealed bag; and
a carrier disposed within the film sealed bag, the carrier comprising:
an interior defined at least in part by:
a base wall;
opposed side walls; and
opposed end walls;

a plurality of articles disposed in the interior of the carrier;
a partition structure dividing the carrier into two or more chambers, wherein the partition structure comprises a portal and at least one gate panel translatable or transformable between a first position extending upwardly from the base wall closing the portal in the partition structure and a second position forming a passageway between two adjacently disposed chambers in an open condition in which the at least one gate panel is in the second position, wherein the at least one gate panel having a free upper end edge that forms part of an upper edge of the partition structure.

14. The package according to claim 13 , wherein the film sealed bag comprises an access opening defined at least in part by a tear panel, the access opening being arranged to fully expose at least one article disposed in one of the chambers.

15. The package according to claim 14 , wherein at least one article in another of the chambers is at least partially obscured by a portion of the film sealed bag adjacent to the tear panel.

16. A blank for forming a carrier, the blank comprising a plurality of panels for forming walls of the carrier, the plurality of panels including:
at least one base panel,
first and second side panels,
at least one first end panel for forming a first end wall of the carrier, and
at least one second end panel for forming a second end wall of the carrier;
at least one divider panel for forming a partition structure dividing the carrier, in a set-up carrier condition, into two or more chambers, wherein the at least one divider panel comprises a cutaway for forming a portal in the set-up carrier, wherein the cutaway defines, at least in part, a gate panel, wherein the portal and the gate panel is configured to be translatable or transformable between a first position extending upwardly from the base panel to close the portal in the partition structure and a second position to provide a passageway between two adjacently disposed chambers, wherein the gate panel having a free upper end edge that forms part of an upper edge of the partition structure.

17. The blank according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one first end panel comprises a first part of a complementary locking mechanism and the at least one second end panel comprises a second part of the complementary locking mechanism that is configured to receive at least a portion of the first part to limit movement between the first part and the second part in a locked condition.

18. The blank according to claim 16 ,
wherein the at least one base panel comprises a first base panel and a second base panel, wherein the at least one divider panel comprises at least two foldably connected divider panels, wherein the second base panel is coupled to the first base panel by the at least two foldably connected divider panels;
wherein the at least one first end panel is hingedly connected to the first base panel and the at least one second end panel is hingedly connected to the second base panel and securable to the at least one first end panel in at least partial overlapping relationship in a set up condition;
wherein the at least two foldably connected divider panels are foldable into a face-to-face relationship to divide an interior of the set-up carrier into the two adjacently disposed chambers.

Assignees

• Westrock Shared Services Llc

Inventors

• Loftin Caleb S

Classifications

• B65D75/5855

  Peelable seals · CPC title

• B65D75/5833

  for tearing out a portion of the wall · CPC title

• B65D5/48022

  formed by two parallel panels located in the base of a tray being folded up towards each other · CPC title

• B65D5/305

  combined with a slot provided at the fold line between an adjacent side wall and a lateral extension thereof · CPC title

• B65D77/003 Primary

  Articles enclosed in rigid or semi-rigid containers, the whole being wrapped · CPC title