Carrier for containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9708112-B2
Application number	US-201514591236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2015
Priority date	Jan 7, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A carrier for holding a plurality of articles. The carrier comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels can comprise a first top panel foldably connected to a second top panel and a back panel. The second top panel can be oblique with respect to the first top panel and the back panel. A crown retention feature can be in the back panel adjacent the first top panel for at least partially receiving a top portion of a first article of the plurality of articles. A crown receiving opening can be in the second top panel spaced apart from the first top panel for at least partially receiving a top portion of a second article of the plurality of articles so that the top portion of the second article extends at least partially through the crown receiving opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A carrier for holding a plurality of articles, the carrier comprising:
a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a second top panel, and a back panel, the first top panel being foldably connected to the second top panel and the back panel, the second top panel being planar and oblique with respect to the first top panel and the back panel;
a crown retention feature in the back panel adjacent the first top panel for at least partially receiving a top portion of a first article of the plurality of articles; and
a crown receiving opening in the second top panel spaced apart from the first top panel for at least partially receiving a top portion of a second article of the plurality of articles so that the top portion of the second article extends at least partially through the crown receiving opening.

2. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the back panel extends downwardly from the first top panel.

3. The carrier of claim 2 , further comprising a handle disposed in the back panel and spaced apart from the first top panel.

4. The carrier of claim 1 , further comprising a handle disposed in the back panel.

5. The carrier of claim 4 , wherein the handle comprises a first handle flap and a second handle flap each foldably connected to the back panel.

6. The carrier of claim 5 , wherein the first top panel is foldably connected to the back panel along a first fold line and the first handle flap and the second handle flap are foldably connected to the back panel along a respective second fold line and third fold line that are generally parallel to the first fold line.

7. The carrier of claim 5 , wherein the first handle flap and the second handle flap are foldably connected to the back panel along respective fold lines that are generally collinear with one another.

8. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a front panel foldably connected to the second top panel, the crown receiving opening extending adjacent the front panel.

9. The carrier of claim 8 , wherein the second top panel is oblique with respect to the front panel.

10. The carrier of claim 8 , further comprising a first bottom panel foldably connected to the front panel and a second bottom panel foldably connected to the back panel, the first bottom panel being at least partially interlocked with the second bottom panel.

11. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the crown retention feature comprises a first retaining flap and a second retaining flap each foldably connected to the back panel adjacent a retaining opening, and the top portion of the first article is for being at least partially received in the retaining opening and is for being at least partially retained by the first retaining flap and the second retaining flap.

12. The carrier of claim 11 , wherein an edge of the first top panel extends adjacent the retaining opening.

13. The carrier of claim 11 , wherein each of the first retaining flap and the second retaining flap is foldably connected to the back panel along a respective oblique fold line, and the first retaining flap and the second retaining flap are at least partially separable from one another along a line of weakening.

14. The carrier of claim 1 , further comprises a first side panel and a second side panel each foldably connected to the back panel and extending at least partially across a respective first side and second side of the carrier.

15. The carrier of claim 14 , further comprising a front panel foldably connected to the second top panel, and a third side panel and a fourth side panel each foldably connected to the front panel and extending at least partially across the respective first side and second side of the carrier.

16. The carrier of claim 1 , further comprising a front panel foldably connected to the second top panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the back panel, a first attachment flap foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the front panel, and a second attachment flap foldably connected to the second side panel, wherein the first attachment flap is attached at least partially in face-to-face contact with the second attachment flap, and the first side panel and the second side panel extend at least partially across a side of the carrier.

17. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of articles comprises a back row of articles including the first article and a front row of articles including the second article, and the carrier is asymmetric so that the carrier is configured differently adjacent the back row than the carrier is configured adjacent the front row.

18. A blank for forming a carrier for holding a plurality of articles, the blank comprising:
a plurality of panels comprising a first top panel, a second top panel, and a back panel, the first top panel being foldably connected to the second top panel and the back panel, the second top panel is for being positioned to be planar and oblique with respect to the first top panel and the back panel when the carrier is formed from the blank;
a crown retention feature in the back panel adjacent the first top panel for at least partially receiving a top portion of a first article of the plurality of articles when the carrier is formed from the blank; and
a crown receiving opening in the second top panel spaced apart from the first top panel for at least partially receiving a top portion of a second article of the plurality of articles so that the top portion of the second article extends at least partially through the crown receiving opening when the carrier is formed from the blank.

19. The blank of claim 18 , further comprising a handle disposed in the back panel.

20. The blank of claim 19 , wherein the handle is spaced apart from the first top panel.

21. The blank of claim 19 , wherein the handle comprises a first handle flap and a second handle flap each foldably connected to the back panel.

22. The blank of claim 21 , wherein the first top panel is foldably connected to the back panel along a first fold line and the first handle flap and the second handle flap are foldably connected to the back panel along a respective second fold line and third fold line that are generally parallel to the first fold line.

23. The blank of claim 21 , wherein the first handle flap and the second handle flap are foldably connected to the back panel along respective fold lines that are generally collinear with one another.

24. The blank of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises a front panel foldably connected to the second top panel, the crown receiving opening extending adjacent the front panel.

25. The blank of claim 24 , further comprising a first bottom panel foldably connected to the front panel and a second bottom panel foldably connected to the back panel, the first bottom panel for being at least partially interlocked with the second bottom panel when the carrier is formed from the blank.

26. The blank of claim 18 , wherein the crown retention feature comprises a first retaining flap and a second retaining flap each foldably connected to the back panel adjacent a retaining opening.

27. The blank of claim 26 , wherein an edge of the first top panel extends adjacent the retaining opening.

28. The blank of claim 26 ,

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Inc

Inventors

• Sutherland Robert L
• Zammit Mark
• Ford Colin P
• May Kevin T

Classifications

• B65D71/20 Primary

  Slits or openings along the fold line of the tubular body · CPC title

• B65D2571/0066

  formed from one single sheet · CPC title

• B65D71/243

  extending from the side walls · CPC title

• B65D71/22

  Openings or windows formed in the side walls · CPC title

• B65D2571/00845

  Windows · CPC title