ARTICLE SEPARATING MEANS This invention relates to an article carrier of the basket type adapted to accommodate a plurality of articles, such as bottles and to a blank for forming the carrier. Normally a basket carrier for bottles includes a central (medial) partition structure which incorporates a handle structure by which the carrier can be lifted and carried and the bottles are arranged in rows on either side of the partition structure. More often than not, bottles are separated from one another by transverse partition panels extending from each side of the medial partition structure to the adjacent side wall of the carrier. Hence, in this type of arrangement the bottles are accommodated in individual cells of the carrier although such cells are not essential.

Known basket carriers require a series of complex folds to form partition structures, which may require the blank to be rotated or inverted during construction, thus slowing the process down. The present invention overcomes this problem by constructing a carton which adopts a different approach to supporting and separating articles in a carton.

A problem with the prior art is the amount of board used to achieve a basket type carrier with individual dividing cells. A further problem is associated with the unwanted removal of individual bottles from a multipack carrier.

In the present invention, in order to prevent individual bottles from being removed from the carrier, bottles are restrained by cover (or article retention) panels which can be detached after the formed carrier has been purchased. The cover panels also help to keep the bottles dust free.

A further problem associated with introducing such article retention panels is that upon detachment the strength of the carrier is lost, so that it is not possible to carry the carton with articles stored within it. Further, the prior art does not

address the problem of retaining the handle on a basket style carton in the event that the cover panel is torn during bottle removal. Also, tears can be created in the carton surrounding a receiving aperture due sometimes to an"over-tight"package and in part at least, to any movement of a bottle acting directly against the edge of the receiving aperture.

The present invention has sought to solve or at least mitigate the problems associated with the prior art.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided in or for an article carrier of the basket type adapted to accommodate a plurality of articles, for example, bottles, having a base, opposed side and end walls, an internal partition structure and handle means, an article support and separating means having an article retention panel formed with an article receiving aperture which is adapted to receive a portion of an article disposed in the carrier, a handle reinforcing panel adapted to cover said handle means and means to connect said article support and separating means to said opposed side walls of the carrier.

According to one optional feature, said handle reinforcing panel may be connected to said handle means.

According to another optional feature, said means for connecting said article support and separating means to said opposed side walls may comprise a pair of glue panels separated by said retention panel and said handle reinforcing panel.

Another aspect of the invention provides a blank for forming an article support and separating means comprises in series a glue flap, article retention panel, a reinforcing panel for covering handle means, a second article retention panel and second glue panel hinged one to the next, wherein said article support and separating means comprising an aperture adapted to receive a portion of an article in use.

According to one optional feature of this aspect of the invention, said retention panel and said glue flap are frangibly connected.

Another aspect of the invention provides a method of forming an article carrier from a two part blank, said first blank part being adapted to form a basket carrier having a base, opposed side and end walls, an internal partition structure and handle means and wherein, said second blank part being adapted to form article support and separating means having first and second glue flaps comprising an article retention panel with a plurality of apertures for receiving articles, and a handle cover, which method comprises the steps of setting up the basket carrier; introducing articles to the carrier from above, introducing article support and separating means to the carton, placing the handle cover over the handle means, introducing said articles to said article receiving apertures and inter-engaging each said glue flap with respective ones of said side walls.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming article support and separating means according to the invention; FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a typical basket type carrier used in or with the invention; and FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the article support and separating means applied to the basket carrier illustrated in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings and in particular Figure 1 thereof, there is shown a carton blank 10 for forming an article support and separating means for use in or for an article carrier made from paper board or similar foldable sheet material.

The blank 10 comprises glue flap 12, first retention panel 14, a pair of handle reinforcing panels 16,18 a second retention panel 20 and a second glue flap 22 hingeably connected one to the next along fold lines 24,26,28,30 and 32 respectively.

As shown in Figure 1, first retention panel 14 is formed with at least one aperture. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, three apertures 32,34,36 are provided. The apertures 32,34,36 are ellipsoidal in shape and laterally spaced intermediate the side edges of retention panel 14. In a set up condition, apertures 32,34 and 36 are each adapted to receive an upper portion of an article. Likewise a second retention panel 20 is formed with at least one aperture. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, three ellipsoidal apertures 38,40 and 42 are provided. The three apertures 32,34,36 are laterally spaced intermediate the side edges of retention panel 20. It is envisaged that the shape of the aperture can be altered in other embodiments according to the profile of article disposed in the carrier.

In this embodiment, glue flap 12 and retention panel 14 are frangibly interconnected by a tear strip 44 of the type generally known in the art. Tear strip 44 is juxtaposed with fold line 24. It is preferred that a second tear strip 46 is provided intermediate that the second glue flap 22 and second retention panel 20 to frangibly interconnect these panels. Tear strip 46 is juxtaposed with fold line 33.

Preferably, handle reinforcing panels 16,18 are each formed with rectangular hand apertures 48,50 that are positioned in a central portion of each respective panel. The shape of the hand apertures is often dictated by the shape of the hand apertures of the basket carrier described below. In this embodiment, the upper portion of each handle reinforcing panel 16 and 18 is formed with indentation along the common side edges to better conform with the shape of the handle means of the basket carrier.

The blank illustrated in Figure 1 may be adapted to be used with an open ended basket style carrier 52, an example of which is illustrated in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the basket carrier 52 is adapted to accommodate six articles, for example bottles arranged in two rows of three articles. The carrier 52 has a base (not shown), opposed side 56,58 and end walls 60,62, an internal partition structure 64 and a handle panel (or means) 66 extending upwards from a central portion of the internal partition structure 64. In this embodiment, the handle panel 66 includes a rectangular aperture 68 adapted to receive a user's hand. It is envisaged that the shape of the aperture is not restricted to that described above.

The construction of a completed carrier, shown in Figure 3, from a flat collapsed condition requires a series of sequential folding and glueing operations which can be performed in a straight line glueing machine so that the carton is not required to be rotated or inverted to complete its construction. The folding process is not limited to that described below and can be altered to particular manufacturing requirements.

Often a basket carrier 52 is supplied in a partly-formed flat, collapsed condition. The collapsed carrier 52 is erected by moving the outer edges thereof inwardly towards each other which causes end panels 60,62 and side panels 56,58 to be placed in a subvstantially rectangular configuration to facilitate the construction of individual cells. Thus, transverse partition panels 70,72, shown in Figure 2 are moved out of alignment with first side panel 56 and handle panel 66 and are folded about fold lines such that transverse partition panels 70,72 are in a substantially perpendicular relationship with side panel 56 and handle panel 66. As illustrated in Figure 2, three cells C1, C2 and C3 are formed. Similarly transverse partition panels in the opposing side portion of the carrier are constructed in like manner so that three further cells (not shown) are formed. In use, the transverse partition panels 70,72 may separate and support portions of the articles in adjacent cells.

The carrier is then ready to receive articles that are loaded by relative vertical movement between the bottles and the carrier preferably during forward feed movement, well known in the art. In this embodiment, the bottles enter their respective cells through the top of the carrier. Optionally, the bottles can enter their respective cells through the base of the carrier if the base panels are adapted to inter-engage after the bottles have been loaded.

The carton is then at an intermediate stage: the articles loaded in an erected basket type carrier.

Thereafter, the article support and separating means, in its blank form 10. is introduced from above to the carrier 52 and articles. Preferably, glue is applied beforehand to a portion of handle reinforcing panels 16 and 18 and glue strips 12 and 22.

The blank 10 undergoes a series of folding operations to form the completed carton, shown in Figure 3. In this embodiment, central fold line 28 is brought into contact with the upper edge of handle panel 66, then handle reinforcing panels 16 and 18 are folded towards each other about fold line 28 and into a face to face relationship with handle panel 66 and are secured together by glue or other means known in the art. One benefit of this type of arrangement is that a multi-ply handle is formed which provides a handle structure with improved strength characteristics.

Retention panel 14 is folded about fold line 26 into an angular relationship with handle reinforcing panel 16 and articles contained in cells Cl, C2 and C3 are introduced through apertures 30,32,34 respectively. Likewise, retention panel 20 is folded about fold line 30 into an angular relationship with handle reinforcing panel 18 and articles contained in each cell are introduced to apertures 38,40 and 42 respectively.

In one class of embodiments, the edges of each article aperture 32 to 42 come into contact with an upper portion of their respective articles to provide improved positional support for the article.

Thereafter, glue flaps 12 and 22 are folded out of alignment with respective first and second retention panels 14 and 20 along fold lines 24 and 32. Glue flap 12 is secured to side wall 56 of basket carrier 52 and glue flap 22 is secured to opposing side wall 58 by glue or means known in the art.

Thus, the carton is in a set up condition, as illustrated in Figure 3 and individual bottles (not shown) are separated and supported laterally by retention panels 14,20. To remove individual bottles from the carrier after purchase, a user can detach the retention panels by means of the tear strips 44,46. The retention panels 14,20 also help to keep bottles dust free.

In the event that the retention panels are torn either intentionally or accidentally during bottle removal, then the handle of the carrier can continue to be used.

A two part blank is what enables an efficient use of board to be achieved.

Thus, the need for complex partition structures is reduced, with the consequent savings in paperboard. Further, carton construction can take place during bottle loading which speeds up the loading process, whereas traditional basket style cartons require a set up condition to be achieved prior to the introduction of articles. A carton of the present invention can be formed in a straight line gluing machine.

The present invention and its preferred embodiment relate to an article carrier that is shaped to provide satisfactory strength to hold the bottles securely but with a degree of flexibility so that the load transferred to the handle is absorbed by the carrier. The shape of the blank and the use of a two part blank minimises the amount of paper board required. The carrier can be applied to an array of bottles by hand or automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers and not limited to those of the basket carrier type.