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Title:
CONTAINER CARRIER
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/143463
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A flexible carrier (10) for carrying a plurality of containers within a plurality of corresponding container receiving apertures (25) that includes at least two rows of generally triangular shaped container receiving apertures (25) each having an outer band (30) including a pair of outwardly extending protrusions (70). The carrier further includes a separation aperture (50) formed between each transverse rank of container receiving apertures whereby a width (60) of the separation aperture is approximately equal to a width (65) between each separation aperture.

Inventors:
OLSEN ROBERT C (US)
SAMARAS CHRISTOPHER J (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2014/015442
Publication Date:
September 18, 2014
Filing Date:
February 08, 2014
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS (US)
International Classes:
B65D81/28; B65D71/50
Foreign References:
US6056115A2000-05-02
US20110259767A12011-10-27
EP1077185A22001-02-21
US5209346A1993-05-11
US5265718A1993-11-30
US4462494A1984-07-31
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
HAUPTMAN, Benjamin J. (2318 Mill Rd Suite 140, Alexandria Virginia, US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
h A carri r for mttimsg a. luralit of containers l hia eorr spoBdm eotitalner receiving pe tures, tire carrier c m ling;

an array of coatamet receiving apertures formed in longitudinal rows and transverse ranks wh rein each container receiving aperture includes an order band and a pai of oblique inner nds, each outer baud having an. inner edge md an enter edge, the inner edge fomiiog an engagement surface with a corresponding container sad. the outer edge including a pai of outwardly ending prolradons;

a small radius formed between the pair of inner heads at art Inner comer of each, container receiving aperture thereby forming a generally triangnlar shaped container receiving aperture: and

a separation aperture formed between each transverse rank of container receiving apertures whereby a width, of the separation aperture is approximately eo¾al to a width between each separation aperture.

2» The carrier of Claim 1 wherein each container receiving aperture stretches at least 35% when engaged with a respective container.

3, The carrier of Claim 1 further comprising a pai of finger channels positioned within each transverse rank between each separation aperture.

4, The carrier of Claim 3 wherein each finger channel generall follows a profile of a respective separation aperture,

5, The carrier of Claim 1 farther comprising a slit positioned within each inner band. 6, The carrier of Claim S wherein ire slit is ene al arallel to m edge of the timer nd,

7, The carrier of Claim I wherein a distance between each container receiving aperture m transverse pair is less t an a height ( ltitede) of eaeh container receiving aperture. .

8, The carrier of Claim I wtrerehi he small radius is .appr ximatel .1 Ί

9, The carrier of C m I wherein the small radius- is smaller than a radius formed between each inner band and the outer band.

10, The carrier of Claim I wherein the pair of outwardly fonned. protrusions correspond with a pair of jaws for applying the carrier to die plu ali of containers,

11, A carrier lor unitizing a lu alit of containers within corresponding container receiving apertures, the carrier comprising:

no. array of container receiving apertures formed in longitudinal rows and transverse ranks wherein each container receiving aperture includes au outer hand and a pair of ohii ne inner hands, eac onler hand having an inner edge and. an oute edge* the inner edge forming an engagement surface with a corresponding container and the outer edge including a pair of outwardly extending protrusions, wherein a distance between each container receiving aperture in. a transverse pair is less than a height of each container receiving aperture; and

a separation apertu e formed between eaoh transverse rank of container receiving apertures whereby a width of the separation aperture is approximately equal to a width between, eaoh separation aperture, 12, Tie carrier of Claim 11 former comprising a small radius formed t een, the pair of inner bands at an. inner comer of each container receiving apeitiire thereby forroing a gcoer liy ts angukr shaped, cosign r receiving aperture,

B. The earne of Claim 11. ftather com rising a slit positioned within each tenor b nd.

1.4, The carrier of Claim 11 wherein the slit is generally parallel to an edge of the inner hand

15, A carrier for umtma a plurality of containers within corresponding container receiving apertures, the earner comprising:

an array of container receiving apertures formed in Jongitodinal TOWS and transverse ranks wherein each container receiving; apertnre includes an outer hand and a pair of oblique inner bands that together form a. generally triangular peritneter, each en er hand having an. inner edge and s enter edge, the inner edge forming an engagement surface with a corresponding container, wherein a distance betwee each container receiving aperture in a transverse pair is less titan, a height, of each container recei ving aperture;

a slit positioned within each inner hand generally parailei to the an edge of tire inner h d?

a separation, aperture formed between each transverse rank of containe receiving a ertees whereby a width of the separatio apertnre is approximately equal, to a width between each se arat on apertnre.

16. The earner of Claim 1.5 wherek the outer edge mciwimg a pair of outwardly e&tetsdiag protrusions.

17. The carrier of Clam 15 wherein ac outer hand includes five changes of concavit along its feogiir

IS, The carrier of Claim 16 further eornprisi«g a small radius of approximately J 'v formed bet en fee pair of inner bands at an isx&er corner of each container receiving aperture.

Description:
TMs mv ii toa relates o a co ainer carrier tor oeMsd ig a plurality of corstainers,

CoEvesitional cotuainer carriers are often used to oiti¾e a plurality of similarly ste containers, such as c ns, bottles, j m and boxes aiui or sinii!ar containers that require umtte&t sL Flexible p!asdc n earners are one socli conventional eoia mer carrier.

Flexible plastic ring earners having a plurality of container receiv ng apertoxes that each engage a eorrsspoiiding, container may he nsee! to ¾&ittee groups of four, six, eight, twelve or other suitable groups of containers iat a convenient aieltipaekage,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present mveatkm is directed to flexible carrier lor packaging containers that includes a sm ller footprint than known earners and thus uses less material.

Aecording to preferred emk>dimoats of this invention, each flexible carrie preferably includes two rows of coixtaiaer receiving; apertures, each lor .receivin a container, to form a package. The resuiil g carrier is configured to result in a tight, unitized hdcklike package following application of the carrier to a corresponding array of coatamers.

BRI EF DESCRIPTION OF THE DMA WI NGS

Tire above-frien&sed md other features and. objects of this invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in c njunction with the drawings wherein:

fig, 1 is a side elevational view of ¾ container carrier according to the prior art.

Fig. 2 is a side elevations! view of container carrier according t ne preferred embodiment of this inventioa,

Fig. 3 is a side elevatioaal view of a co» aii» carrier according to one preferred embodiment of ibis invention.

Fig.. 4 is a side ekvational view of a container carrier according to one preferred mbod m n of this invention. ESCEIFFIOM OF FEE EEEEB EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a flexible carrier according to the prior art.. Figs. 2-4 show several embodiments of a flexible carrier 10 for milking six o more containers into a resulting unitized package. Although Figs, 2-4 illustrate various strnetees for flexible earner 10 of die invention, the illustrations are exemplary, and the invention is not limited to the flexible carriers 10 or package showir. For example, flexible earner 1CI may be alternatively configured and used to unitize four, eight or any other desired number of containers.

Containers are preferably caas, however, bottles or any other commonly unitized container may be used with flexible carrier 10 aooording to this invention. The containers are preferably, though not necessarily, like-sixed within single flexible carrier 1( .

Each flexible carrier 10 preferably includes a single layer of flexible sheet 20 having a *h and length defin ng thereia a plurality of container receiving apertures 25, each for receiving a container. The plurality of container receiving apertures 25 are preferably arranged in longitudinal rows and longitudinal ranks so as to form an array of container receiving apertures 25, such a two rows by three ranks for a six container mnltip&ckage as shown in Figs, 2-4. Container receiving apertures 25 are preferably elongated in a longitudinal direction of flexible carrier 10. As described above,, the plurality of container receiving apertures 25 are preferably arranged m transverse pairs. As shown, in Figs, 2-4, two parallel rows of con a ner receiving apertures 25 are preferably formed within flexible sheet 20,. A sueir one row of container receiving apert res 25 is preferably 5 formed along each side of t e carrier 1( . Container receiving apertures 25 are preferably formed ia a geometry that results in. a tight enibzation of containers without excess play and/or sli ng between and among containers and flexible carrier 10.

The container carrier 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the

Id hwention keiades a series of ktercornieeting webs that define the plurality of container receiving apertures 25. Such webs are stretchable around a. coiMamer daring application and recoverable around he container following application. According to a preferred mibodimenl,, each, container receiving aperture 25 stretches at least 35%, and more preferably, greater than 38%,. when engaged wife

1 S a respective container.

As sho n in. i s. 2 and % each, container .receiving aperture 25 preferably includes art outer band 30 and a pair of oblique inner bands 40 that together form a generall triangular shaped container receiving aperture 25. Each outer band 30 Includes aa. tra edge 32 and an. outer edge 35 wherein the inner

20 edge 32 forms aa en agement surface with, a corresponding container and the oarer edge 35 includes a pair of outwardly extending protrusions 70, More generally, the container carrier 10 preferably includes an outer band 30 that includes five changes of concavity along its length.

As shown in Figs, 2 and 3 * a small radius 45 is preferably formed

25 between the pair of inner bands 40 at an inner corner of each, container receiving aperture 25 thereby fortniag the generally triangular shaped container receiving aperture 25. According to a preferred embodiment of this Invention, the small radius i approximately Λ*. This contrasts to prior art carriers wherein a corresponding mdius is -25" or larger, In any event, the small r dius 45 is smaller thae a radius formed between each, inner band 40 and. the outer baud 30,

Tlie container earner 10 preferably further Includes a separation aperture SO formed, between each transverse rank of container receiving apertures 25. The separation aperture SO preferably includes a width 60 that, is approximately equal to a width 65 between, each separation aperture 50. Existing carriers typicall include a width 65 substantially larger than a width 60,

According to one preferred embodiment,, the container carrier I0 : may iiirther comprise a pair of linger channels 90 positioned within each transverse rank between each separation aperture 5(1 As shown in. Figs. 2 and. .3, each finger channel 90 generally fellows a profile of a respective separation aperture 50, Further, each finger channel preferably rnalotalns a generally consistent width throu hout its length.

According to one preferred embodiment shown in Fig, 3 S the container carrier 10 may liat er include a plurality of slits 80 ? each silt SO positioned within a respective inner band 40. As shown, the slit 80 h preferably generally parallel to an edge of the inner band 40, Because of the narrow corrfigaratlon of the container carrier 10 of Ibis Invention * the slit 80 provides souse relief between the finger channels 90 and hie container receiving apertures 25 when the containe carrier 10 is carried or lifted by the cons ner, thereby maintaining unitization of the package.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, a distance 100 between each container receiving aperture 25 ia a. transverse pair Is loss mas a height 110, or altitude, of each container receiving aperture 25, Mor specifically, as shown in Figs, 2 and 3 S ire distance 190 between, each container receiving aperture 25 is roughly 80% of the height 110 of each container receiving aperture 25, Typical prior art ratios between, the transverse distance between, container apertures and the height of snch container receiving apertures is 1:1.5, Fig.. 4 sho s additional embodiment for applying to smaller "sleek" containers and therefore- having an even, narrow width than the container carrier shown in Ft , 2 and 3, I» all such. embodiments, fee container carrier 1 includes a narrower width than teditiona! container carriers In the prior art. Such. narrower width enables the staltoe us m&nidacture of at least one and preferably two additional lanes or strings of container carriers 10 during the poaching process while still maint ini g the necessary integrity of the resulting xmitfeed package of containers *

A package resulting fem. flexible carrier 10 includes a plurality of ani&ed containers. Flexible earners 10 are generally applied to coiriateers by stretching flexible sheet 20 surrounding container recei ving apertures 25 around container, and requiring: the stretched carrier 10 to recover, thereby providing a tight eng gement Generally such flexible carriers 10 are continuously pouched and subsequently applied to containers using an. applicating drum (not shown} which stretches a generally continuous string of container carriers 10 into engagement with individual containers using multiple jaw pairs that grasp container receiving apertures 25 along outer bands 30, la this manner, the pair of outwardly femed protrusions 70 preferably correspond with the ends of a pair of jaws for applying the carrier to the plurality of containers. By adding ad itional material to the outer bands 30 in di form of protrusions 70, a width of outer band. 30 of the container carrier 10 is reduced but the integrity of the container carrier 10 is maintained in critical stretch ones, such, as within the outer bands 30, The protrusions 70 act to protect the narrower portions of the outer hands 30 from necking down..

While in the foregoing specification s invention has been described in relation to certain preferred, e bodiment thereof, and many details have been, set forth for purpose of illustration, it will he apparent to those skilled in the art. that flexible carrier 10 is susceptible to additional m odiments and that certain, of the details described here n, can be varied. co∞dem I withou departi ng from the basic principles of the mveatkm