BOTTLE CARRYING ARRANGEMENT

CONFIGURATION EN PORTE-BOUTEILLES

English Abstract

There is provided a paperboard device made from a blank (10) having two base
panels (15, 16) for connection together, two side
walls (20, 21), two top panels (22, 23), and two handle panels (24, 25) which
are hingedly connected together by fold (26). The top panels
(22, 23) have apertures (28) for receiving necks of bottles to be retained by
the device. The top panels also have flap sections (34), one of
which has a tab (35) which, in use, extends through one of the apertures (28)
in the other top panel (23) and is bent up and retained there
by the neck of the bottle in that aperture.

French Abstract

La présente invention concerne un dispositif en carton réalisé à partir d'une ébauche (10) constituée de deux panneaux de base (15, 16) à raccorder ensemble, de deux panneaux latéraux (20, 21), de deux panneaux de dessus (22, 23), et de deux panneaux de poignée (24, 25) se réunissant en un pli (26) formant charnière. Les panneaux de dessus (22, 23) présentent des orifices (28) permettant d'accueillir les goulots des bouteilles à immobiliser dans le dispositif. Les panneaux de dessus comportent également des rabats (34) dont l'un est équipé d'une languette (35) qui, en utilisation, passe par l'un des orifices (28) ménagés dans l'autre panneau de dessus (23), s'y redresse et y reste bloquée sous l'effet du passage du goulot dans l'orifice.

Claims

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CLAIMS

1. A paperboard carton for carrying a plurality of
bottles arranged in two or more rows and
each having a neck portion topped with a
closure, said carton comprising oppositely
disposed side walls, base walls hingedly
connected to respective side walls and
secured relative to each other below the
bottles, oppositely disposed top panels hingedly
connected to the respective side walls and
having apertures therein for receiving the neck
portions of said bottles, handle panels having handle
openings hingedly connected to respective top panels and
to each other and projecting upwardly from the
top panels and a securing tab attached to one
of said top panels and extending from said one
top panel through one of the apertures on the
other top panel and in use being held in
position in said one aperture by the bottle in
said one aperture, said securing tab extending from
said top panel at one of said handle openings.

2. A carton as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
securing tab extends from a position adjacent
an aperture in the first top panel such that
this aperture, the tab and said one aperture in
the other top panel are .substantially aligned
in the transverse direction of the carton.



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3. A carton as claimed in claim 2 wherein the
aligned apertures are formed in flap sections of
the respective top panels, each flap section
being defined between two spaced cuts extending
transversely on each lengthwise side of its
associated aperture.

4. A carton as claimed in claim 3 wherein said flap
sections are indirectly connected to the handle
panels.

5. A carton as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein
the cuts stop short of the hinge connections
between the top panels and the side walls.

6. A carton as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5
wherein the cuts are formed with frangible
bridges at locations along their length.

7. A carton as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6
wherein the carton is for two rows of three
bottles, the tab being associated with the
apertures for the central pair of bottles.

8. A carton as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7
wherein a further hinge extends the length
of each panel between the hinge connection
with the handle panel and the side wall.



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9. A carton as claimed in claim 8 wherein a further
interlock is provided between the two top
panels, said further interlock connecting the
two top panels before the retention of the tab
by the bottle.

10. A carton as claimed in claim 9 wherein Said
retention is by upward bending of the tab.

11. A carton as claimed in claim 10 wherein the tab
flares outwardly from where it joins said first
top panel and the aperture in the other top panel
has a narrowed top for receiving a narrow
portion of the tab.

Description

CA 02216515 1997-09-26
WO 97/29973 PCT/GB97/00375
BOTTLE CARRYING ARRANGEMENT
This invention relates to a paperboard


arrangement for carrying bottles.


According to the present invention there is


provided a paperboard carton for carrying a plurality


of bottles arranged in two or more rows and each



having a neck portion topped with a closure, said


carton comprising oppositely disposed side walls, base


walls hingedly connected to respective side walls


and adapted to be secured relative to each other below


the bottles, oppositely disposed top panels hingedly



connected to the respective side walls and having


apertures therein for receiving the neck portions of


said bottles, handle panels hingedly connected to


respective top panels and to each other and projecting


upwardlyfrom the top panels and a securing tab



attached to one of said top panels and extending from


said one top panel through one of the apertures on the


other top panel and in use being held in position in


said one aperture by the bottle in said one aperture.


Preferably the securing tab extends from a



position adjacent an aperture in the first top panel


such that this aperture, the tab and said one aperture


in the other top panel are substantially aligned in


the transverse direction of the carton.


In one embodiment, the aligned apertures are



formed in flap sections of the respective top panels,


each flap section being defined between two spaced


cuts extending transversely on each lengthwise;side of


its associated aperture and also said flap 'portions


are not directly connected to the handle panels.


3~


It is a preferred feature that the cuts stop


short of the hinge connections between the top panels


and the side walls. Preferably the cuts are formed


with frangible bridges at locations alon'fg their


3S




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length. In a-preferred arrangement the carton is for
two rows of three bottles, the. tab being associated
with the apertures for the central pair of bottles.
With certain embodiments a further hinge
extends the length ofeach panel between the hinge
connection with the handle panel and the side wall.
Also, a further interlock is provided between the two
top panels, said furtherinterlock connecting the two
t op panels before the retention of the tab by the
bottle. Said retention is preferably by upward
~g bending of the tab. Conveniently, the tab flares
outwardly from-where it joins said first top panel and
the aperture in the other top panel has a narrowed top
for receiving a narrow portion of the tab, ideally
with a snap fit.
One embodiment of the present invention will
now be described in more detail. The description
makes reference to the accompanying diagrammatic
drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a blank for producing a carton
20 according to the present invention,
Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of
the carton in an initial position with the bottles
shown in broken lines.
Figure 3 is a perspective view from above of
the carton after it has been lifted, again with the
bottles shown in broken lines, and
Figures 4A, 4B and 4C are perspective views
from inside the carton showing the stages of
connection of top panels of the carton.
In the figures there is shown a blank 10 for
producing a paperboard carton 11 for retaining a P
plurality of bottles 12 each having a neck portion 13
topped with a closure 14. In this particular
embodiment the carton 11 is adapted to retain two rows


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of three bottles 12, but other arrangements will be


apparent to the skilled reader.


The blank 10 has a pair of base panels 15, 16


each incorporating mating parts 17 of interlocking


formations for joining the two base panels 15, 16.



The base panels are hingedly connected to lower side


walls 18, 19 which in turn are hingedly connected to


side walls 20, 21 which in turn are hingedly connected


to top panels 22, 23. The top panels 22, 23 are also


hingedly connected to handle panels 24, 25 which are



in turn hingedly connected to each other about a


central fold 25.


Openings 27 are provided in the region of the


base panels/lower side walls, side walls junction for


receiving and retaining the heels of the bottles 12.


75


Apertures 28 are also provided in the top panels 22,


23 for receiving the neck portions 13 of the bottles


12. Handle openings 29 are also provided in the


handle panels 24, 25 for receiving the hand of the


user. Cushion panels 30 remain hingedly connected to



the handle panels 24, 25 to provide some comfort to


the user.


A pair of cuts 31, 32 extend transversely into


each top panel 22, 23, and also through part of the


handle panels 24, 25, on either side of the central



aperture 28. The cuts 31, 32 stop short of the fold


connections between the top panels 22, 23 and the side


walls. The cuts 31, 32 also have frangible bridges 33


at spaced locations along their lengths. These cuts


31, 32 and the handle openings 29 define flap sections



34 in which the central apertures 28 are located.


Extending from one of the flap sections 34 is


a securing tab 35 which flares outwardly from the flap


section 34, the connection having a narrow section 36.


Adjacent the narrow section 36 the tab 35 has a pair





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of ears 37. Also in the flap section are a pair of
folds 38 perpendicular to the cuts 31, 32 which folds
38 are linked by a generally channel shaped cut to
form alip 39.
The other flap section 34 is formed with a
slot 40 and the central aperture 28 in this flap
section has a straight sectioned narrow recess 41 at
its top end. A further fold line 42 is also provided
lengthwise of the top panels 22, 23.
The assembly of the carton 11 will now be
described and reference to figures 4A, B and C will be
of assistance.
The blank 10-is folded about its central fold
26 and the top panels 22, 23 are folded outwardly such
that the tab 35 can pass below the other flap section
34. Folding about the folds 38 enables the lip 39 to
engage in the slot 40 thereby to constitute aninitial
interlock with the tabs 35 partially blocking the
aperture 28 in the other flap section 34.
The blank is then lowered over an assembled
array of six bottles 12, the necks 13 of which pass
through the apertures 28 in the top panels 22, 23.
The tab 35 partiallyblocking one of the apertures is
engaged by a bottle and is caused to hinge upwardly
with the narrow section 36 engaging in the recess 41
in the aperture 28. the ears 37 on either side of the
narrow section are preferably a snap fit past the edge
of the aperture 3S immediately flanking the narrow
recess 41. This causes a further interlock between
the flap sections 35. -
The remainder of the process involves the
folding of the side walls, lower side walls and base
panels around the array of bottles and the securing of
the interlocking base panel formations 17 in a '
conventional manner. At this stage the top panels are


CA 02216515 1997-09-26
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slightly angled by virtue of the folds 42.


Also at this stage the frangible bridges 33


_ are still in tact and the two handle panels 24, 25 lie


generally against each other. When a user picks the


carton up, the weight of the bottles will cause the



1


bridges 33 to break. This results in the handle


panels separating somewhat whilst still being


connected at the central fold 26, with the cushion


panels 30 folding under the handle panels. The flap


sections 34 clearly move out of the plane of their



associated top panels 22, 23 and the angling at the


folds 42 tends to disappear as the weight of the


bottles is borne by the remaining parts of the top


panels. The interlocked flap portions 34 prevent the


handle panels 24, 25 from separating beyond a certain



point. This partial separation of the handle panels


24, 25 makes the carton more comfortable to carry, but


the carton remains a tight, secure unit before, during


and after carrying.


It will be readily appreciated that further -



rows of bottles could be incorporated. In addition,


if more bottles were provided in each row then further


interlocking means could be provided between the top


panels. Other methods of securing the base panels and


retaining the bottle heels would also, of course, be



possible.


r
v

Representative Drawing