Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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1070645
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This invention relates to packaging and is more parti-
cularly concerned with improvements in carrier type packages of
beverage bottles or similar products which employ a single flat
blan]c wrapped about a group of the bottles arranged in longitu-
dinal and transverse row alignment so a.s to form a tubular
container with provision for confining the bottles at the ends of
the container while enabling the bottles to be removed without
destroying the carrying capabilities of the container.
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In the packaging of bottles and canned beverages two
types of carton or carrier structures have achieved extensive use
in the beverage marketing industry, namely, the cellular b~sket-
type, which is particularly adaptable for multi-trip use with
products in returnable bottles, and the single trip, disposable,
wraparound type, which is most often employed with products in
non-returnable containers, particularly, canned beverages. With
the introduction of the non-returnable or disposable beverage -
bottles the wraparound type has been adapted for these, also,
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since it employs less material and is more economical for one-
trip, disposable use than the basket type. Initially, the
packaging of bottles in a wraparound blank presented a retention
problem because of the bottle shape at the top. However,
retention apertures in which outside cap edges were seated with
provision for a tight wrap solved that problem and the adoption
of an "add panel" turned down at the ends of the tube followed.
Recently, there has been a demand for elimination of the
disposable containers, or alternatively, some arrangement for
inducing the consumer to return such containers for reuse or
recycling, particularly, the disposable bottles. In response to
such demands, it has been suggested that an effort be made to
develop a single trip styl~e wraparound style package which will
enable the bottles to be removed and replaced without mutilating
the wrapper or container to an extent which would render it unfit
for the purpose of carrying the empty bottles on a return trip
to the distributor. It is a general object of the invention,
therefore, to provide a package adapted for marketing bottlea
products which can be formed by wrapping a blank of paperboard
or similar wrapper forming material about a group of bottles
in double row and transverse alignment so as to confine the
bottles while enabling the customer to readily remove the bottles
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from the package without destruction of the bottle retaining
capabilities of the container and to replace the empty bottles
therein for return to the distributor.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide
a carrier~type package for marketing bottled beverages or similar
products which employs a single blank of paperboard, or similar
foldable sheet material, which is cut and scored so that it may
be wrapped about a group of bottles which are arranged in double
row and transversely paired alignment, with provision for retain-
10 ing the endmost bottles against movement out of the container thusformed while enabling the bottles to be readily removed without
destroying the bottle retaining and carrying characteristics of
the wrapper and enabling the bottles, when emptied, to be
replaced in the original container for convenience in returning
them to the distributor.
Another object of the invention is to provide a
wraparound-type bottle package with provision for restraining the
;~ endmost bottles against accidental removal from the wrapper while
enabling their ready removal and replacement without destroying
20 the container or carton forming characteristics o the wrapper and
with a handle construction which extends into the interior of the
package between pairs of the bottles and which may remain intact
while the bottles are removed and replaced.
To this end the invention as claimed herein is embodied
; in a package which employs a single blank of paperboard or other
suitable foldable sheet or web material which is cut and scored
so as to enable it to be wrapped about a group of bottles
arranged in double row, transversely paired and longitudinal
30 alignment, with means for retaining the bottles in position in
the bottom of the tubular container formed by the wrapper and
~ means at the top for restraining the endmost bottles against
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~ movement out of the ends of the container, together with a handle
i structure in the form of a pair of panels cut in part from the
:~ top wall and in part from the side walls and folded down into a
vertical plane in the interior of the tubular carrying container
or carton and between oppositely disposed top portions of trans-
versely aligned pairs of the bottles, enabling the bottles to
be readily removed and replaced in the carrying container without
material damage to the container and without destroying the -
carrying capabilities of the same.
.: 10 The aforesaid objects and other objects and advantages
ofthe invention will become more apparent when reference is made
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s~ to the accompanying detailed description of the preferred embodi-
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~` ments of the invention which are set forth therein, by way of
~' example, and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein like
~, reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a set-up bottle
carrier type container, with bottles shown therein in phantom
~'~ line, which embodies the principles of the invention;
Figure 2 is an end view of the container of Figure 1,
20 to a larger scale;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the container of Figure
1, to a larger scale;
Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal section taken on
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the line 4-4 of Figure 3;
.; Figure 5 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank for
wrapping about a cluster of bottles to form the container and
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package illustrated in Figure l;
, Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion
30 of a modified blank structure;
Figure 7 ïs a fragmentary perspective view showing a
: portion of an end of a carrier container formed with the modified
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blank of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a further
`: modified blank structure; -
Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a
top portion of one end of a carrier container formed with the . :
blank of Figure 8;
~ Figure 10 is a partial plan view showing a central
10 portion of a cut and scored blank for wrapping about a cluster of ~:
.~ bottles to form a further modified bottle package;
Figure 11 is a perspective view showing a bottle
package formed with the modified blank of Figure 10;
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Figure 12 is a partial plan view s~owing a central
portion of a cut and scored blank for wrapping about a cluster
of bottles to form a still further modified bottle package; and
Figure 13 is a perspective view showing a bottle
. package formed with the modified blank of Figure 12.
Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a
.-~ 20 carrier carton for an eight bottle package and a cut and scored
. blank of paperboard, or similar foldable sheet material, for
making the same, which embodies the principal features of the
invention, and several modifications thereof. It will be under-
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~ stood that the principles of the invention may be otherwise
applied and that the following description of the carrier carton
' and the modified carton structure as shown in the drawings is for
the purpose of setting forth the several forms of the invention
which are pesently preferred.
. 30 The carton structure 10 which is illustrated in : .-
- Figures 1 to 4 is formed by wrapping the blank 12 of Figure 5
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about a cluster of beverage bottles B which are arranged in two
rows of four bottles each with the bottles in transversely paired
alignment. The blank 12 is paperboard or other suitable sheet
material which is cut and scored as shown in Figure 5. The blank
12, which is symmetrical about a longitudinally extending center
line a-a, is divided by parallel, longitudinally spaced score
lines 14, 15, 16 and 17, which extend transversely of the blank,
into a top wall forming center panel section 18, adjoining side
wall forming panel sections 20 and 22 and bottom wall forming
panel sections 23 and 24, the last mentioned being at opposite
end margins of the blank 12. The side wall forming panel
sections 20 and 22 are subdivided by transversely extending score
lines 25 and 26, which are parallel with and equally spaced from
the score lines 15 and 16, into associated top and bottom side
wall forming panels 27, 28 and 30, 32, respectively. The
dimension of the top wall forming panel section 18 in the
direction longitudinally of the blank corresponds approximately :
to the distance between the outside edges of the capped tops of a
pair of transversely aligned bottles B, which distance is less
~ 20 than the transverse distance at the bottom of the bottles with
the result that the top side wall panels 27 and 30 are slanted
toward each other when the wrapper is assembled about a group
of bottles, the score lines 25 and 26 being located so that the
panels 27 and 30 follow generally or generally conform to the
upward slant of the bottle surfaces at the upper portions of the
bottles, that is, the portions extending from the main portion
of the bottle body to the neck portion thereof. The dimensions,
longitudinally of the blank, of the bottom side wall panel
portions 28, 32 correspond generally to the height of the
main body portions of the bottles B. The width or transverse
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dimension of the major portion of the blank 12 correspondsapproximately to the bottom dimension of the rows of bottles B,
when grouped as shown in Figure 3, so that when the wrapper 12
is wrapped about thegroup of bottles, it takes the form of an
open ended tube with provision for restraining the bottles
against removal out of the ends of the tube.
The restraining means for the top of the endmost ~ ~
bottles comprises relatively narrow panels 33 and 34 formed in ~- :
opposite side margins of the blank 12 and extending from the :
10 opposite ends of the top wall forming panel 18. The panels 33
and 34 are separated from the panel 18 by longitudinally extend-
ing hinge or fold forming score lines 35 and 36 with the opposite
ends of the panels ~oined to the adjoining side wall panels 27 and
30 by foldable, triangular webs 37, 38 and 40, 42 which in the
set-up carton or carrier are folded so as to lie on the inside
surfaces of the side wall forming panels, as shown in Figures 1,
2 and 4. ~he top end wall panels 33 and 34 project a short dis-
tance beyond the longitudinally extending side edges 43 and 44 of
: the blank 12 and extend inwardly thereof a similar distance to
20 the score lines 35 and 36, as viewed in Figure 5.
The top wall forming panel ]8 and the adjoining side
wall panels 27 and 30 are cut and scored to provide a handle
forming structure 45 (Figures 1 to 4) when the package is formed.
A score line 46, extending longitudinally of the blank and center-
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ed transversely thereof, is adapted to form a hinge fold for apair of handle forming panels 47 and 48 which extend on opposite
sides of the score line 46 and are cut primarily from the material
; in the panel 18 with end portions 50, 52 and 53 r 54 extending
.. 30 into the adjoining side wall panels 27 and 30. The handle panels
47 and 48 are formed by cutting on the curved lines 55 and 56
which are equally spaced laterally from the center score line 46,
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which are semi-circular or bowed outwardly toward the blank sid-
edges, in the form illustrated, and which extend at the ends into
the side wall forming panels 27 and 30 to the ends of pairs of
score lines 55, 56 and 57, 58. The score lines 55, 56 and 57, 58
extend in diverging relation from the intersection of the score
line 46 with the transverse score lines 15 and 16 and are adapted
to serve as hinge folds for the handle panel end portions 50, 52
and 53, 54 which constitute triangular web formations connecting
the handle panels to the side wall panels 27 and 30 at opposite
ends of the panels 47 and 48 when the panels 47 and 48 are folded
into a vertical plane within the carton or carrier so as to form
the handle structure 45 as shown in Figure 4. The handle panels
47 and 48 are provided with aligned finger apertures by cutting
on the curved lines 60, 62 and scoring on the hinge forming lines
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63, 64 thereby providing small reinforcing panels or tabs 65 and
66 which are adapted to fold or hinge on the lines 63, 64 to the
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. position shown in Figure 4 or to a position sandwiched between the
folded panels 47 and 48.
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. The side wall forming panels 28 and 32 are provided
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.~ 20 with a series of transversely spaced apertures 67 of identical
.~ configuration which are spaced transversely of the blank in
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accordance with the spacing of the bottles in the lengthwise
rows. The apertures 67 interrupt the bottom fold or hinge forming
score lines 14 and 17 and extend a short distance into the bottom
~.~ wall forming panels 23 and 24. The uppermost edges of the aper-
:' tures 67 in the set up carton are defined by curved cutting lines
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68 which bulge or bow into the apertures 67 and which have their
ends connected by transverse fold lines 70 and 72. The latter are
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.; 30 spaced toward the center of the blank from the fold lines 14 and
-~ 17 and the small side wall sections or tabs thus formed are split
by short, longitudinally extending cuts 73. The apertures 67 are
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adapted to receive the heels of the bottles so as to hold the :
: bottles at the bottom against movement in the tightly wrapped
package 10. The apertures 67 and associated elements may be
formed in accordance with the disclosure in U.S. patent
No. 3,589,593, granted to Arthur J. Weiss on June 29, 1971.
The bottom wall forming panels 23 and 24 at the end
margins of the blank 12 are provided with locking and latching
means in the free marginal portions which are adapted to be
overlapped and secured beneath the bottom of the bottle assembly
;: 10 in wrapping the blank about the assembly so as to form the
~ package 10. The panel 24 which is outermost, when the panels
23 and 24 are overlapped to form the carrier bottom, is scored
on a transverse line 74 to provide a relatively narrow male
locking panel 75 on the blank end margin. The score line 74 is
.;. spaced from the end edge of the blank and is interrupted by a ~ :
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: series of transversely spaced cutting line formations 76 each
extending into the main body of the panel 24 so as to provide
.. locking tab members 77. A series of latching fingers 78, having ~. .
; enlarged heads and reduced neck portions, are formed on the
blank end margin in alignment with the locking tab members 77.
~ The locking panel 75 may be sectionalized, as shown, to facili-
tate manipulation in the locking operations. The other bottom
wall forming panel 23, which may be termed the female locking
panel, is provided along its free margin with a series of
locking apertures 80 for receiving the locking tabs 77 and the
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latching fingers 78. The locking apertures 80 are transversely
spaced in accordance with the spacing of the locking and latch-
: ing elements 77 and 78 so as to cooperate therewith in securing
the panels 23 and 24. The locking and latching arrangement may
be the same as the corresponding arrangement described in afore-
said U.S. patent No. 3,589,593 or as described in U.S. patent
.. No. 3,556,386, granted to Robert H. Ganz on January 19, 1971.
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The manner in which the cut and scored blank 12 is
applied to the group or assembly of bottles B will be readily
apparent from the drawings and the foregoing description. The
blanks are designed to be fed down over the top surfaces of the
bottle clusters or assemblies with the handle panels 47 and 48
turned down toward a vertical center plane so as to lie between
the center pairs of transversely aligned bottles and leaving -
openings in the top panel 18 which provide access to the center
pairs of bottles. The side wall panels 27, 28 and 30, 32 are
,~ lO folded down along the outermost side surfaces of the bottles and
the bottom wall forming panels 23 and 24 are overlapped with the
locking tabs 77 and latching fingers 78 being engaged in the
apertures 80 while tightly drawn to confine the bottles. The
latch forming fingers 78 are positioned in a vertical plane, as
shown in Figure 2, so as to serve as separators for the bottom
` portions of the transversely aligned pairs of bottles. The bottom
or outside heel portions of the bottles are seated in the aper-
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tures 67. The panels 33 and 34 are turned down into a generally
vertical plane so as to confine the end pairs of bottles at the
tops thereof. These panels 33 and 34 may serve as advertising
elements and they may be hinged outward without destruction so as
to release the tops of the end pairs of bottles for removal and
subsequent replacement. When the bottles are replaced the panels
33 and 34 may be hinged to bottle restraining position without
destruction of the web members 37, 40 and 38, 42 which retain
them in such position. Appropriate instructions for removing and
replacing the bottles may be printed on the carton surface. The
consumer is able to discern, generally without instructions, that
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30 the bottles may be readily removed and replaced without destroying
the carton and the handle arrangement alerts him to the reuse
capability for returning the bottles to the distributor.
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In Figures 6 and 7 there is illustrated a modified form
of restraining means for the end pair of bottles in the carrier
package. Only one of the modified end panel arrangements is shown,
it being understood that a corresponding arrangement is provided
~ at the other side of the blank 112 (Figure 6).. The blank 112 is :~.
socred to provide the top wall forming panel 118, the same as in
the blank 12 of Figure 5, with longitudinally spaced, transverse
score lines 115 and 116 defining side edges of the panel 118 and
the end wall forming panel 133 separated therefrom by the longi-
10 tudinally extending score line 135. The score line 135 is offset
inwardly of the side edge 143 of the blank and a rectangular
~r' portion of the panel 133 projects outwardly of the blank side edge
143 and is defined by an outer side edge 182 and transverse edges
183 and 184 which are spaced longitudinally of the blank and
offset from the plane of the transverse score lines 115 and 116
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. in the direction of the ends of the blank 112. Hinge forming
score lines 185 and 186 extend from the intersection of the score
line 135 with the transverse score lines 115 and 116, in divergins
relation, to the intersections of the edge lines 183 an~ 184 with
.; 20 the blank side edge 143, and define a hinge side of web formations
. ~ 137 and 140 which connect the panel 133 with side wall forming
panel portions 127 and 130. The other hinge side is defined by
score lines 187 and 188 diverging outwardly from the ends of the
transverse score lines 115 and 116. The score lines 187 and 188
extend to relatively short, longitudinally extending cutting lines
190 and 192 which extend toward each other to a pair of cutting
lines 193 and194,which, in turn, extend to the side edge 182,
` resulting in reinforcing extensions 195 and 196 on the web forma-
~ 30 tions 137 and 140, which will lie along the side wall panels 127
:~; and 130 in the set up condition of the carrier, as shown in
: Figure 7, while providing a somewhat deeper end panel 133.
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Another top end wall panel arrangement is illustrated
in Figures 8 and 9. The top wall panel 218 is formed in the blank
212 in the same manner by spaced, transverse scores 215 and 216
and the end wall panel 233 is separated from the panel 218 by
longitudinal score line 235 which extends a substantial distance
towards opposite ends of the blank 212 and defines portions of
the ends of the top panel portions 227 and 230 of the side wall
; panel sections, terminating at the inner ends of diagonal cutting
lines 282 and 283 extending from the blank side edge 243 to points
10 adjacent the ends of the transverse score lines. Transverse cut-
ting lines 284 and 285 extend from the ends of the longitudinal
score line 235 which form the ends of the panel 233, the outer
edge 286 of the latter being offset outwardly of the plane of the
blank edge 243. Pairs of diverging score lines 287, 288 and
290, 292 extend from the intersections of the line 235 with the
transverse score lines 215 and 216 to the outer side edge 286
of the panel 233 and define triangular web formations 293, 294
~ and 295, 296 which are adapted to fold on each other and lie on
; the inside faces of the side wall panels 227 and 230 as shown
20 in Figure 9 50 as to reinforce the connections between the end
wall panel 233 and the side wall panels.
In Figures 10 and 11 another form of the carrier
package or carton having a modified top wall forming panel
arrangement is illustrated. In this form of the carrier the
blank 312 is cut and scored as described with respect to blank
12 except for the top wall forming panel 318 and adjoining side
- wall panel portions 327 and 330. The top wall panel 318 is
defined in the blank 312 by spaced, parallel, transverse score
30 lines 315 and 316 while the adjoining top side wall forming panels
327 and 330 extend between the score lines 315 and 316 and the
transversely extending, parallel score lines 325 and 326 which
` are spaced from the score lines 315 and 316, respectively.
Handle forming panels 347 and 348 are formed in these panels in the
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same manner as the handle panels 47 and 48 in the blank of
Figure 5. Score lines 335 and 336 are spaced inwardly of the side
edges of the blank and extend between the transverse score lines
315 and 316 so as to define fold lines for add panel formations
333 and 334 which are connected to top corner portions of the top
side wall forming panels 327 and 330 by triangular web formations
337, 340 and 338, 342. The distance between the score lines
315 and 316 is somewhat less than the distance between the outside
edges of the bottle caps of the aligned pairs of endmost bottles
and cap receiving apertures 370 are provided in the side wall
panels which are located so that the caps on the endmost bottles
seat therein when the blank is wrapped about the bottles. The
blank 312 is assembled with a cluster of bottles B and wrapped
about the bottles in the same manner as described with respect
to the blank 12, with possibly somewhat less tension or compression
when the panels are locked together, so that the apertures 370
will serve to restrain the endmost bottles against movement out
of the ends of the carrier while at the same time the end bottles
may be intentionally removed without destroying the retention
capabilities of the wrapper. In this form the add panel serves
its normal function and is not relied upon to hold the end bottles :
in the carrier.
Still another modified form of the carrier is illustrated
in Figures 12 and 13. The blank 412 is cut and scored in the same
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~ manner as described with respect to the blank 12 except for the
: omission of the add panel formations 33, 34 and the provision of
cap receiving apertures 470 in the side wall panel portions 427
~ and 430. The top wall forming panel 418 is defined by the spaced
,~ 30 transverse score lines 415 and 416 while the adjoining top side
wall forming panels 427 and 430 are defined by the spaced parallel
score lines 425, 415, and 426, 416. Apertures 470 are provided
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in the side wall forming panels 427 and 430 adjacent the score
lines 415 and 416 in which the caps on the~ endmost bottles are
seated when the blank is wrapped about a cluster of bottles so as
to serve as a means for restraining the endmost bottles against
accidental movement out of the ends of the carrier while permitting
intentional removal without the need for tearing the blank
material. Handle panels 447 and 448 are formed in the blank 412 in
the same manner as the handle panels 47 and 48 in the blank 12
and are folded to form handle members in the same way.
In all forms of the carrier or carton which are
disclosed the handle structure is the same. In each form the
handle panels aepend from the plane of the top wall forming panel
so that they nest between the center pairs of bottles. The center
pairs of bottles may be readily removed upwardly through the
openings resulting from the handle panel formation. With the
; exercise of a normal degree of care the endmost bottles may be
removed without appreciable tearing of the blank and without
destroying the retention capability of the carton so that the
empty bottles may be replaced for a return trip to the distribu-
20 tion center.
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