EXPANSION FEATURE FOR NECK-RECEIVING OPENINGS IN AN ARTICLE CARRIER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to packages for carrying multiple necked articles such as bottles, and more particularly, to an article carrier with neck-receiving openings each having an expansion feature.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a neck-receiving article carrier wherein the apertures for receiving the necks of the articles include expansion features that maintain a snug fit around articles having various cross- sectional neck sizes, while protecting the integrity of the apertures and the surrounding carrier walls. More specifically, the expansion feature flexes to receive the article neck and to permit movement of the article neck within the aperture, but variably enlarges and reduces the aperture to maintain constant contact between the article and the aperture. Without the expansion feature, the aperture would have to be made larger than the neck to accommodate its diameter and provide some play, or would be subject to tearing if the article shifted within the aperture. Such a larger sized opening and the potential for tearing as a result of shifting increases the risk of rupture of the top panel and destruction of the carrier. The expansion feature is also useful for articles that have a relatively wider neck. The larger tolerance bottle can be accommodated without a corresponding larger aperture, which would compromise the integrity of the carrier and increase the incidence of rupture when the carrier is tightened and locked around an article group.

Advantageously, the improved carrier increases the structural integrity of the carrier by making it more resistant to tearing while accommodating various tolerances. These gains are made without increasing the thickness or quality of the carrier substrate which would inevitably increase the cost of the carrier. The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the aspects and features of the present invention, which should be construed to be merely illustrative of various potential applications of the invention. Other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed information in a different manner or by combining various aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensive understanding of the

invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming an exemplary article carrier, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail view of one of the neck-receiving openings from the blank of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the exemplary article carrier formed from the blank of

FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a row of bottles extending through neck receiving openings in an erected article carrier.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a bottle extending through one of the neck receiving openings and operating the collar in an erected article carrier.

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of bottles extending through neck receiving openings and operating the collar in an erected article carrier.

FIGs. 7 and 8 are detail views illustrating the operation of the collar of neck-receiving opening. FIG. 9 is a detail view of an alternative configuration for a neck-receiving opening, according to a second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not limiting but serve as a basis for the claims and for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

The various embodiments of the invention will be now be described in the context of a wrap-around style neck-through paperboard article carrier for enclosing and carrying two

rows of 375 ml beverage bottles having tapered necks, although, the teachings and principles of the invention are adaptable for implementation in any number of applications and configurations. For example, it is contemplated that the carrier may be formed from any known or yet to be developed foldable sheet material such as, but not limited to, paperboard, corrugated board, clear or opaque plastic, laminates, any combination thereof, and the like. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that in instead of serving as a carrier for beverage bottles, the various embodiments of the article carrier are modifiable to accommodate to any number of necked articles that may or may not be tapered and/or cylindrical, including but not limited to plastic, metallic, or glass bottles, cans, bowling pins, candles, or any other article for which such a carrier is suitable. As used herein, the term "neck" refers to an upper portion of an article that can protrude through an aperture, and the term "necked" is used to describe an article having a neck. The neck of an article may or may not be tapered with respect to any portion of the body of the article.

Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, the drawings illustrate certain of the various aspects of an exemplary embodiment of a carrier for efficiently, safely, and comfortably carrying one or more bottles having necks, according to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the inner surface of a blank 100 for forming an exemplary carrier 300 (best shown in FIG. 3). The blank 100 is cut or formed from a unitary or composite foldable sheet material such as paperboard, corrugated board, clear or opaque plastic, laminates, any combination thereof, or the like. The blank 100 includes several panels that are connected to one another along transverse fold lines. More specifically, the blank 100 includes a first bottom panel 102a that is hingedly attached to a first side panel 104a. The first side panel 104a is hingedly connected to a top panel 106, which is hingedly connected to a second side panel 104b. As used herein, the phrase "side panel" refers to a panel that could be considered a front or a rear panel depending upon from which perspective the carrier 300 is viewed. The side panels 104a, 104b may include windows or cutouts, may be used as display panels to bear graphics and logos, or may be unornamented. The second side panel 104b is hingedly connected to a second bottom panel 102b. The first bottom panel 102a is connected to the first side panel 104a by a bottom corner panel 114a that extends between fold line 108a and a fold line 115a. In the embodiment shown, the first side panel 104a is connected to the top panel 106 via an upper comer panel 112a that extends between a fold line 110a and a fold line 111a. The second

side panel 104b is connected to the top panel 106 via an upper corner panel 112b that extends between a fold line 110b and a fold line 111b. The second side panel 104b is connected to the second bottom panel 102b by a bottom corner panel 114b that extends between fold line 108b and a fold line 115b. The blank 100 is constructed so that it can be shipped by the manufacturer to a merchant or other packer in the flattened condition shown in FIG. 1.

The bottom panels 102a and 102b include corresponding mechanical means for securing the panels 102a, 102b together to form a composite bottom panel 302 in the carrier 300 (FIG. 3). The exemplary locking means include complementary locking elements 118a, 118b, which are shown as male locking tabs and female retention tabs. It should be understood that alternative means for securing the panels include adhesives, VELCRO, staples, and the like.

For each article to be enclosed in the carrier 300, a bottom retention feature 116a, 116b is also formed in the bottom panels 102a, 102b and the bottom corner panels 114a, 114b, respectively. Each bottom retention feature includes an arrangement of severance lines, fold lines, and apertures that cooperate to cradle a portion of the bottom of each article to stabilize its base.

For each article to be enclosed in the carrier 300, the top panel 106 includes a neck- receiving opening 120, one of which is shown in detail in FIG. 2. Each neck-receiving opening 120 includes an aperture 122 having an endless edge E. It is understood by those skilled in the art, that both the neck-receiving opening 120 and the aperture 122 may vary in size and shape dependent upon the embodiment and the neck N received of article A. In some embodiments, although not limiting, the diameter of the aperture 122 is in the range of 36 to 44 mm, and all ranges contained therein. The aperture 122 is formed at least in part in the top panel 106, and the exemplary embodiments, extends into an adjacent corner panel 112. A collar C is provided to variably and reversibly enable enlargement of the aperture 122 when needed to react to tilting or upward thrusting of the neck N of the article A. The collar C is defined by a pair of relief lines 124a, 124b, which in the exemplary embodiments, each includes a contoured cut line bifurcated by a single nick 134, although any suitable severance line may be used depending on the circumstances, including a continuous cut or a cut line interrupted by multiple nicks. A single severance line 126

extends downward from the edge E to extend between the ends of the relief lines 124a, 124b.

More specifically, the aperture 122 includes two regions. A retaining region 130 receives each article neck N and maintains close contact therewith. The retaining region 130 generally conforms to the shape of the neck N, and is formed in the top panel 106. The relief lines 124a, 124b extend along the second region, hereinafter referred to as an expansion region 132, and may be contoured to reflect the curvature of the portion of the edge E that extends along the expansion region 132. The expansion region 132 is relatively narrower than the retaining region 130, and is bounded by the collar C, which is defined by the edge E, the relief lines 124a, 124b and the severance line 126. It is contemplated that the collar C can include more than two relief lines, with a severance line extending between each adjacent pair of relief lines. In any case, the relief lines 124a, 124b are entirely spaced apart by an approximate distance D from the endless edge E, while the severance line 126 extends from and substantially intersects the edge E. In the exemplary embodiments, for example, the relief lines 124a, 124b are spaced apart from the edge E by five to six millimeters, and the length of the severance line 126 is greater than the distance D.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the carrier 300 is designed to enclose six articles A and thus, there are six openings 120a, 120b, 102c, 12Od, 12Oe, 12Of arranged in a 2 x 3 configuration. That is, two rows R of three articles A each will be enclosed, with each row R extending along one of the side panels 104a, 104b. The top panel also optionally includes a handle H, which is shown as a pair of spaced apart apertures that can be used as finger grips to lift the carton by the top wall 106.

To erect the carrier 300, a group of tapered or necked articles A is arranged in a 2 x 3 arrangement. The blank 100 is dropped down or otherwise lowered over the group such that the neck N of each article is received in one of the openings 120a, 120b, 102c, 12Od, 12Oe and the top panel 106, which is now a top wall 306, is horizontally disposed with respect to the surface on which the articles rest. The side panels 104a, 104b are brought down to contact the sides of the articles A and to be perpendicular to the top panel 106, thereby forming a pair of side walls 304a, 304b. In so doing, the top corner panels 112a, 112b are placed at an angle with respect to both the top wall 306 and the side walls 304a, ,304b. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the top corner panels 112a, 112b

are optional elements that may be an integral part of the top wall or of the respective side walls. What is important is the curvature or angular disposition of the region of the carrier 300 that is defined by the comer panels 112a, 112b in the exemplary embodiments. In alternative embodiments, this curvature or angular disposition can be achieved without one of both of the fold lines 110a, 110b, 111a, 111b. In fact, it is contemplated that the side and top walls may be continuously extending regions rather than walls defined by lines of joinder.

The bottom panels 102a, 102b are brought together under the articles A and secured together to form the composite bottom wall 302 as is known in the art. Thus, the bottom corner panels 114a, 114b are also each placed at an angle with respect to both the bottom wall 306 and the side walls 304a, 304b, with a portion of the base of each article protruding at least slightly through the corresponding bottom retention feature 116a, 116b to achieve a cradling effect.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4 and 7, each article neck N is normally positioned at least within the retaining region 130 of each opening 120. The uppermost portion of the shoulder of the article may be visible through the expansion portion 132 of the aperture 122. The curved or angular relationship between the regions defining each corner panel 112a, 112b, the adjacent top wall 306 and side wall 304a, 304b concentrates forward force on the collar C, such that enclosing and tightening the carrier around a larger sized article A, or excessive upward or forward tilting motion of a relatively smaller article A will activate the collar C, as shown in FIGs. 5, 6 and 8.

For example, when an article A is caused to lean forward, that is, toward a side wall 304a, 304b, the neck N moves toward the expansion region and presses against the portion of the edge E that defines the expansion portion 132 and the collar C. This pressure causes the strips S disposed between the relief lines 124a, 124b to rotate forward such that the movable portion of the edge E moves forward and upward, and a gap defined along the relief lines 124a, 124b enlarges. The nicks 134 may break to further enlarge the gap, which lies between the strips S and the adjacent corner panel 112. The severance line 126 is also broken to enable rotation of the strips S. For purposes of illustration only, and not of limitation, the severance line 126 separates the strips S by approximately three to four millimeters in the exemplary embodiments.

The uppermost portion of the neck N of the article A, here shown as a bottle cap 700, may cross the vertical plane defined by the fold line 111. It is to be noted that each

relief line 124a, 124b extends across the fold line 111a, 111b that defines the transition between the top wall 306 and the corner panel 112a, 112b. Importantly, however, the fold line 111a, 111b is under-scored, that is, non-continuous to avoid extending across the collar C. Specifically, the fold line 111a, 111b does not extend across the strips S. This configuration prevents the formation of weak points in the strips S, and controls the rotation of the strips S in that before leaving the retaining region 130, the neck N of the article contacts the pivot points P to encourage the rotation of the strips S to activate the collar C.

When the condition that caused the forward motion of the neck N of the article A subsides, the collar C can spring back to substantially its original orientation. The strips S rotate backward and downward to lie substantially in the plane defined by the corner panels 112a, 112b so that the neck N of the article A is again positioned within the retaining region 130.

It must be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary illustrations of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims. For example, the apertures 122 are rounded to conform to the substantially round necks N of the 375 ml bottles shown as exemplary articles A. It follows that the apertures may be reshaped according to the shape, profile, and dimensions of the article. All such modifications, combinations, and variations are included herein by the scope of this disclosure and the following claims.