Article top engaging device, article carrier and blank therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12509286-B2
Application number	US-202217878878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2022
Priority date	Mar 10, 2020
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to an article top engaging device, a carrier for packaging one or more articles and a blank for forming the carrier. The article carrier 90 comprises an engaging panel 12 and an article top engaging device RT defined therein. The engaging panel 12 has at least one top-receiving opening defined by an aperture A1 defined therein and having a perimeter. The engaging panel 12 comprises a plurality of cut lines 20/22 each extending radially away from the perimeter. Each of the cut lines 20/22 comprises a linear portion 20 and an arcuate portion 22 . The arcuate portion 22 is contiguously arranged with the linear portion 20 . The engaging panel 12 comprises a fold line 18/19 extending between the linear portions 20 of adjacent pairs of the plurality of cut lines 20/22 so as to define engaging tabs 16 foldably connected to the engaging panel 12 and struck therefrom.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An article top engaging device for an article carrier comprising:
an engaging panel having at least one top-receiving opening defined, at least in part, by an aperture defined in the engaging panel and having a perimeter, the engaging panel comprising:
a plurality of cut lines, each extending radially away from the perimeter, the plurality of cut lines including first and second cut lines, each of the first and second cut lines comprising a linear portion and an arcuate portion, the arcuate portion being contiguously arranged with the linear portion;
a first tab and a second tab, the first tab being disposed between the first and second cut lines, the second tab being disposed adjacent the first tab such that the second cut line is disposed between the first and second tabs, the arcuate portion of the first and second cut lines being disposed adjacent to the first and second tabs respectively and being curved to return towards the first and second tabs respectively.

2 . An article top engaging device according to claim 1 wherein the arcuate portions of the first and second cut lines extend from respective outer ends of the linear portions of the first and second cut lines.

3 . An article top engaging device according to claim 2 wherein each of the arcuate portions terminates at a point spaced apart from the fold line.

4 . An article top engaging device according to claim 1 wherein the perimeter of the aperture defines a polygon.

5 . An article top engaging device according to claim 1 wherein the perimeter of the aperture defines a polygon having at least eight sides.

6 . A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising a panel having a longitudinal direction, the panel including at least two top-receiving openings each defined, at least in part, by an aperture in the panel, the aperture having a perimeter, the panel comprising a plurality of tabs, each of the tabs coupled to the panel by a respective fold line and a plurality of cut lines each extending radially away from the perimeter and extending beyond the fold line, the at least two top-receiving openings being disposed along the longitudinal direction and configured to engage respective articles, the panel being formed from a material having a grain direction extending transversely of the longitudinal direction.

7 . A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising:
a main panel including an article top engaging device having at least one top-receiving opening defined, at least in part, by an aperture defined in the main panel, the aperture having a perimeter, the main panel comprising:
a plurality of cut lines each extending radially away from the perimeter, the plurality of cut lines including a first cut line and a second cut line, each of the first and second cut lines comprising a linear portion and an arcuate portion, the arcuate portion being contiguously arranged with the linear portion;
a first tab and a second tab, the first tab being disposed between the first and second cut lines, the second tab being disposed adjacent the first tab such that the second cut line is disposed between the first and second tabs, the arcuate portion of the first and second cut lines being disposed adjacent to the first and second tabs respectively and being curved to return towards the first and second tabs respectively.

8 . A blank according to claim 7 wherein the first tab is foldably connected to the main panel by a fold line.

9 . A blank according to claim 8 wherein the fold line is defined at least in part by a crease line.

10 . A blank according to claim 8 wherein the fold line is defined in part by at least one cut line.

11 . A blank according to claim 9 wherein the fold line is defined in part by a cut line interrupting the crease line.

12 . A blank according to claim 9 wherein the crease line comprises an embossed line or a debossed line.

13 . A blank according to claim 7 , wherein the main panel comprises fold lines that each extends between the linear portions of adjacent pairs of the plurality of cut lines, respectively, so as to define a plurality of tabs foldably connected to the engaging panel and struck therefrom, the plurality of tabs comprising the first tab and the second tab, wherein the fold lines define a perimeter spaced radially outward from the aperture.

14 . A blank according to claim 8 wherein the arcuate portion of the first cut line and at least a portion of the fold line define a lobe extension of the first tab.

15 . A blank according to claim 13 wherein the fold lines define a polygon having at least eight sides.

16 . An article top engaging device according to claim 1 wherein the first tab is foldably connected to the engaging panel by a fold line.

17 . An article top engaging device according to claim 16 wherein the fold line comprises a cut line.

18 . An article top engaging device according to claim 17 wherein the fold line further comprises a crease line arranged collinearly with the cut line.

19 . A blank according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a handle structure disposed at least in part between two of the top-receiving openings in the longitudinal direction, wherein the handle structure comprises a first handle flap hingedly connected to the main panel and a second handle flap hingedly connected to the main panel, wherein the first handle flap and the second handle flap are substantially in alignment in the longitudinal direction with a transverse distance therebetween.

20 . A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising:
a panel having a longitudinal direction, the panel including at least two top-receiving openings each defined, at least in part, by an aperture in the panel, the aperture having a perimeter, the at least two top-receiving openings being disposed along the longitudinal direction and configured to engage respective article; a handle structure disposed on a portion of the panel at least in part between two of the top-receiving openings in the longitudinal direction, wherein the handle structure comprises a first handle flap hingedly connected to the panel and a second handle flap hingedly connected to the panel, wherein the first handle flap and the second handle flap are substantially aligned in the longitudinal direction with a transverse distance therebetween, wherein the first handle flap and the second handle flap are configured such that, in the formed article carrier, the first handle flap comprises a free edge opposing its hinged connection and the second handle flap comprises a free edge opposing its hinged connection.

Assignees

• Westrock Mwv Llc
• Westrock Packaging Systems Llc

Inventors

• Rosenbrien Cullen B

Classifications

• B65D71/44 Primary

  characterised by the handle · CPC title