Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Container carrier
This invention relates to a container carrier, specifically for receiving
bottles
which comprises a box-shaped carrying container and a middle wall disposed
therein
with folded-out transverse flaps which form compartments for the containers.
Such basket-type container carriers having an upper opening and a carrying
handle on the middle wall which protrudes beyond the opening ("open basket
carriers") are known. It is further known to manufacture such container
carriers from
a single cut-to-size panel of a foldable flat material that forms the carrying
container
and middle wall, or from two flat cut-to-size panels of a foldable flat
material one of
which defines the carrying container and the other of which defines the middle
wall.
Container carriers made of two flat cut-to-size panel of a foldable flat
material are
described, for example, in DE-OS 28 36 826, in DE-OS 30 33 773, DE 196 02 358
Cl, and WO/01/00500 Al.
The disadvantage of known container carriers is that there are openings in the
area of the folded-out transverse flaps in the middle wall. Bottles or other
containers
are likely to strike against each other while being inserted or transported.
This can
result in breakage or annoying noise while bottles or other containers are
being
transported.
Accordingly, it is the object of the invention to provide a container carrier
which has more beneficial properties with regard to the charging with
containers and
the transport thereof.
One aspect of the invention is a container carrier made of at least one
foldable
flat material. The container includes a box-shaped carrying container having a
bottom
wall, side walls, end walls, and an upper-sided opening. A middle wall is
disposed
between the side walls in the carrying container. The middle wall has folded-
out
transverse flaps which define compartments. The middle wall also has a
carrying
handle disposed at the top of the middle wall and projecting from the opening
of the
carrying container. At least one longitudinal flap is hinged to the middle
wall which
forms at least one opening of the middle wall by folding out the transverse
flaps and
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closes them at least partially. The middle wall has middle wall portions which
are
collapsed about a vertical middle folding line for hinging the transverse
flaps. At least
one of the transverse flaps is folded out of each middle wall portion. A first
of the
middle wall portions has hinged thereto at least one longitudinal flap at the
end distal
from the middle folding line. A second of the middle wall portions has at
least one
longitudinal flap turned out of the second middle wall portion between the
middle
folding line and one of the transverse flaps. At least one of the longitudinal
flaps
disposed between the middle folding line and the transverse flap are turned
out of an
area of the second middle wall portion that is located opposite a handle
opening of the
first middle wall portion. The carrying container is manufactured from a first
cut-to-
size portion of foldable flat material and the middle wall is manufactured
from a
second cut-to-size portion of foldable flat material.
The inventive container carrier made of at least one foldable flat material
comprises:
- a box-shaped carrying container having a bottom wall, side walls, end walls,
and an upper-sided opening,
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a middle wall disposed between the side walls in the carrying container, with
folded-out transverse flaps which define compartments for the containers,
a carrying handle disposed at the top of the middle wall and projecting from
the opening of the carrying container, and
- at least one longitudinal flap hinged to the middle wall which is turned
into
at least one opening of the middle wall that is formed by folding out the
transverse flaps and closes them at least partially.
Any contact is avoided between bottles or other containers on different sides
of the middle wall since the inventive container carrier has a longitudinal
flap turned
into the opening of the middle wall. This reduces the risk of breakage while
the
container carrier is being charged and avoids annoying noise while the
container
carrier is being transported. Those benefits are achieved in a particularly
economical
manner because the longitudinal flap forms part of the middle wall. The
advantage
in manufacturing the container carrier is that the longitudinal flap requires
to be
turned into the opening about its hinge. The container carrier is suited for
manufacture on machines running at a particularly high speed.
According to an aspect, the longitudinal flap is hinged to the middle wall
perpendicularly to the transverse flaps. This allows to save material and is
particularly beneficial for the folding process during manufacture.
According to an aspect, at least one longitudinal flap is hinged to the middle
wall on either side of the hinge of the transverse flaps. This favours a
closure of the
at least one opening to a large extent when the material is used economically.
According to an aspect, the middle wall has middle wall portions which are
collapsed about a vertical middle folding line for hinging the transverse
flaps
wherein at least one transverse flap is folded out from each middle wall
portion and
at least one middle wall portion has hinged thereto at least one longitudinal
flap at
the end distal from the middle folding line and/or at least one middle wall
portion
has at least one longitudinal flap turned out of the middle wall portion
between the
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middle folding line and the transverse flap. This can realize a particularly
strong
middle wall with largely closed openings when the material is used
economically.
According to an aspect, the longitudinal flap disposed between the middle
folding line and the transverse flaps is turned out from an area of the middle
wall
portion that is located opposite a handle opening of the other middle wall
portion.
This allows to use an area, which requires to be removed anyhow for a handle
opening, as a longitudinal flap, which favours an economical use of the
material.
According to an aspect, the longitudinal flap is coupled to the middle wall or
carrying container at a distance from its hinge. This ensures the closure of
the
opening and further stabilizes the container carrier.
To this effect, according to an aspect, the longitudinal flap hinged between
the middle folding line and the transverse flaps is fixed between the two
middle wall
portions at a distance from its hinge. The flap is preferably fixed on at
least one side
of the longitudinal flap which is oriented transversely to its hinge.
According to an
aspect, the flap is fixed next to hinge areas of the transverse flaps.
According to an aspect, the middle wall is coupled to end wall tabs
projecting from the insides of the end walls of the carrying container and the
longitudinal flap is coupled to at least one end wall tab. This also fixes the
longitudinal flap in the opening. Thus, a longitudinal flap may be fixed which
is
hinged to the edge of the middle wall distal from the central folding line.
According
to an aspect , the flap is additionally fixed between hinge areas of two
transverse
flaps.
According to an aspect, the carrying container is manufactured from a first
cut-to-size portion of foldable flat material and the middle wall is
manufactured
from a second cut-to-size portion of foldable flat material. The foldable flat
material
concerned can particularly be cardboard.
According to an aspect, the carrying container and/or the middle wall is/are
manufactured from kraft cardboard.
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According to an aspect, the carrying container and/or the middle wall is/are
manufactured from recycling cardboard.
The joints of the various components of the container carrier can be adhesive
joints wholly or partially. Furthermore, joints which are possible can be
hooked
joints, stamped through joints, staples and the like.
The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the
accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
Fig. 1 shows flat-spread cut-to-size portions of a carrying container of a
middle
wall of a container carrier in a bottom view;
Fig. 2 shows the container carrier in an raised position in a partial section
in an
oblique perspective top view.
The cut-to-size portion 1 shown in Fig. 1 for a carrying container
(hereinafter
also referred to as "1 ") is integrally manufactured from an externally
painted
recycling cardboard. The portion has an end wall portion 2', a side wall 3',
and an
end wall portion 4' hinged to each other transversely. At its lower
longitudinal edge,
the side wall 3' has a bottom wall 5 which is longitudinally subdivided by a
central
folding line 6. The central folding line 6, in turn, has a receptacle 7 for a
hook.
The cut-to-size portion further has an end wall portion 2", a side wall 3",
and
an end wall portion 4" which are also hinged to each other transversely. A
bottom
tab 8 is hinged to the lower longitudinal edge of the side wall 3".
The transverse sides of the end wall portions 2', 2", which are located
opposite the hinges thereof to the side walls 3', 3", have hinged thereto end
wall tabs
10', 10" at 9', 9". Accordingly, the transverse sides of the end wall portions
4', 4",
which are located opposite the hinges to the side walls 3', 3", have hinged
thereto
end wall tabs 12', 12" at 11', 11 ".
In contrast, the end wall tabs 12', 12" are standing back on their base and
have a hooked portion 13', 13" there.
The cut-to-size portion 1 has two portions 1', 1" which are coupled to each
other via a longitudinally extending central folding line 14. The portion 14'
thereof is
I
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a means to couple the end wall tabs 12', 12" to each other. Furthermore, its
portion
14" interconnects outer handle portions 15', 15" which are transversely hinged
to the
end wall tabs 10', 10" at 16', 16". The outer handle portions 15', 15" have
handle
openings 17', 17" and handle tabs 18', 18" which can be folded out. In
addition, the
outer handle portions 15', 15" are detachably fixed to the upper edges of the
side walls
3', 3" which face each other and end wall portions 2', 2" via bridged-over
punched
apertures.
Inner handle portions 20', 20" are hinged to the transverse sides of the outer
handle portions 15', 15" opposite the hinges 16', 16" thereof at 19', 19" and
are
coupled to each other by the portion 14"' of the central folding line 14. The
line is
interrupted by punched apertures, i.e. an arrow-shaped one 21' and an oval one
21 ".
Next to the inner handle portions 20', 20", the cut-to-size portion 1 has
major punched
apertures 22', 22" so that after a turning motion about the hinges 19', 19"
against the
outer handle portions 15', 15" handle tabs 20"', 20" of the inner handle
portions 20',
20" come into congruency with the handle tabs 18', 18". For the rest, however,
the
handle openings 17', 17" will remain free. To turn the inner handle portions
20', 20"
about the hinges 19', 19" they are merely coupled to the side walls 3', 3" and
end wall
tabs 12', 12" via bridged-over punched apertures.
The latter have wheel-like punched apertures 23', 23" next to the portion 14'
of
the central folding line 13 at the free transverse side.
In turn, the cut-to-size portion 24 shown in Fig. 1 for a middle wall
(hereinafter also designated "24") is integral, but is punched from a non-
painted
recycling cardboard. The cut-to-size portion has two sections 24', 24" which
are
longitudinally hinged to each other via a central folding line 25 which is
interrupted
by (partially) oval punched apertures 26, 26". At one end of the central
folding line,
the cut-to-size portion 24 has a protrusion 27 which is complementary to the
tip of the
arrow-shaped punched aperture 21'.
Adjacent to the central folding line 25, the sections 24', 24" each have a
handle
portion 28', 28" one 28" of which has a handle opening 29. The other one 28',
at an
appropriate point, has a longitudinal flap 30 which is hinged to
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transversely extending tabs 31', 31" on the side opposite the central folding
line 25 in
a longitudinal direction at 32, 32". Moreover, the longitudinal flap 30 has a
longitudinally projecting tongue 33 with a radius which corresponds the
adjoining
area of the handle opening 29.
The handle portions 28', 28" each have a lateral coupling portion 34', 34"
which is extended away from the central folding line 25. Further, a lower
coupling
portion 35', 35" extends from the base of the lateral coupling portions 34',
34"
approximately in parallel with the central folding line 25.
The lateral coupling portions 34', 34" have hinged thereto transverse flaps
38',
38" via hinges 36', 36" and 37', 37". The flaps are provided with transverse
flap
coupling tabs 39', 39". Moreover, transverse flaps 42', 42" are hinged to the
handle
portions 28', 28" at 40', 40" and to the lower coupling portions 35', 35" at
42', 42".
The flaps, in turn, have transverse flap coupling tabs 43', 43".
Another longitudinal flap 44 is hinged to that longitudinal side of the
section
24' which is distal from the central folding line 25, namely via a
transversely
protruding tab 45 at 46. At a distance from the tab 45', the longitudinal flap
44 has
another transversely protruding tab 45" which is separated from the transverse
flap 42'
by a punching line.
For an assembly of a container carrier, the cut-to-size portion 24 is placed
ready with its inside facing upwards. Further, the cut-to-size portion 24 is
positioned
with its upper side against the inside of the cut-to-size portion 24 so that
the outer
edge of the cut-to-size portion 24 that is adjacent to the lateral coupling
portions 34',
34" comes to lie next to the folding lines 9', 9" of the cut-to-size portion
24 and the
central folding line 25 is disposed above the portion 14" of the central
folding line 14.
The longitudinal flap 30 hereby is placed above the handle opening 17' and the
handle
opening 29 is placed in congruency above the handle opening 17". As a result,
the
transverse flap coupling tabs 39', 39", 43', 43" are pasted to the side walls
3', 3" and so
are the handle portions 28', 28" to the outer handle portions 15', 15".
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The longitudinal flaps 30, 44 are turned against the inside of the cut-to-size
portion 24 so as to partially overlap the transverse flaps 38', 42' in a
longitudinal
direction.
Subsequently, the inner handle portions 20', 20" are turned about the folding
lines 19', 19" against the inside of the outer handle portions 15', 15" and
handle
portions 28', 28" and are pasted thereto. This causes material of the inner
handle
portions 20', 20" which is on the central folding line 14"' to engage punched
apertures
26' to 26"' on the central folding line, and vice versa. The protrusion 27
comes to lie
accurately in the arrow tip of the punched aperture 21'. This avoids excessive
material
accumulations. In addition, the handle portions 20', 20"" come into congruency
with
the handle tabs 18', 18", as a result of which they can be pasted thereto.
Afterwards, the end wall portions 4', 4" with the end wall tabs 12', 12"
suspended thereon are turned about. This causes the end wall tab 12' to be
pasted to
the adjoining marginal area of the longitudinal flap 44. Further, this causes
the end
wall tabs 12', 12" to be pasted to the inner handle portions 20', 20" in the
area
sidewards of the marginal punched apertures 23', 23". As a result, the area of
the end
wall tabs 12', 12" comes to lie between the marginal punched apertures 23',
23".
Accurately on the tip of the punched aperture 21', which avoids excessive
material
accumulations also in this place.
Further, the end wall tabs 10', 10" are turned against the handle portions
28',
28" and lateral coupling portions 34', 34" and are pasted thereto.
Subsequently, the cut-to-size portions 1 and 24 are jointly folded together
about the superimposed folding lines 14, 24, which pastes the end wall tabs
10', 10"
together, the end wall tabs 12', 12" together, the inner handle portions 20',
20"
together, the handle portion 28" to the tabs 31', 31" of the longitudinal flap
30, and the
lateral coupling portion 34" to the marginal area of the longitudinal flap 30
adjacent to
the tab 3 1' and to the marginal area of the longitudinal flap 44 adjacent to
the tab 45.
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The bottom wall 5 was also folded about the central folding line 6 before so
that the bottom wall tab 8 will be pasted to the turned portion of the bottom
wall 5.
Before the portions requiring pasting together are folded the pasting lines
and
pasting areas are applied to at least one of those portions.
The above-described pasting and folding process can be advantageously
performed by the package manufacturer, wherein the longitudinal axis of the
cut-to-
size portions may remain in the direction of passage. It is possible to
achieve high
passage speeds.
The container carrier thus folded and turned is shown in a raised position in
Fig. 2. The position is attained by forcing the folded hinges 9', 9" of the
end wall
portions 2', 2" and the hinges of the side walls 3', 3" against the end wall
portions 4',
4" of the flat-lying container carrier. This causes the transverse flaps 38',
38", 42',
42" to be turned away from the middle wall 24 and any bridges of punching
lines
which still might exist to be broken up. It further causes the bottom 5 to be
spread
apart and, along with the receptacle 7, to be hung into the hook 13', 13"
composed of
two pasted cardboard plies in order to stabilize the raised structure.
The raised container carrier 1, at its top between the side walls 3', 3" and
end
walls 2', 2" and 4', 4", has an opening 47 from which a carrying handle 48
extends
which is formed by the handle portions 15', 15", 20', 2", 28', 28". The
carrying
handle is defined by a cardboard which is folded in a maximum of six plies
above
each other. The opening 45 allows to introduce bottles therethrough into the
compartments limited by the transverse flaps 38', 38", 42', 42". The bottles
will not
strike against each other while being introduced because the openings in the
middle
wall 24 which are made accessible by the transverse flaps 38', 38", 42', 42"
are
closed by the longitudinal flaps 30, 44 which also stabilize the entire
container
carrier. Nor can annoying glass noise be heard during a transport.
