The Mead Corporation

James T Stout

James B DeMaio

Prentice J Wood

James R Oliff

Robert E Plaxico

A carrier,has a bottom wall (,), side walls (,), a top wall (,), and end walls. At least one of the end walls is is a composite structure of multiple-ply construction. The composite end wall is made up of multiple end wall flaps (,) in face-to-face relation with respect to one another with a hand-hole handle structure formed from hand-hole apertures (,) in each of the flaps aligned over one another. In each end wall flap score lines (,) extend from the respective ends of each aperture generally toward a corner of the flap. One of the score lines (,) in each set extending from each aperture (,) is coincident with a supplemental score line (,) which extends from the end edge of the adjoining side wall (,). The supplemental score lines (,) extend from the end edge of the side wall (,) generally to a point of intersection of the respective side wall score line (,) with the respective top or bottom edge of the side wall (,). Each side wall score line (,) is parallel with the edge of intersection between the side wall (,) and adjoining end wall.

Heavy duty article carrier

A set-up basket style article carrier has a bottom panel, first and second opposed sidewalls attached to the bottom panel, riser panels, a handle attached to the riser panels, transverse partition straps extending between the riser panels and sidewalls, and tapered end panels attached to the riser panels. A blank for the article carrier has a bottom panel, a sidewall joined to the bottom panel along a horizontal fold line, a handle assembly panel joined to the sidewall along a horizontal fold line, a tapered end panel joined to the sidewall along a vertical fold line and to the handle assembly panel along horizontally extending fold lines, and a riser panel joined to the end panel along a fold line offset from vertical to accommodate taper in the tapered end panel. Tapering the end panels permits slanting of the sidewalls so that the bottoms of the sidewalls are closer to the center riser panels than the top of the sidewalls, and the bottom area between the sidewalls, riser panels and transverse partition straps is smaller than the top area between the sidewalls, riser panels and transverse partition straps. A container traveling easily through the top area is grasped in the bottom area by a sidewall, riser panel and partition strap or end panel to reduce pressure exerted on the bottom panel and sagging thereby allowing thinner material to be used for the carrier.

Basket style article carrier with tapered end panels and separator straps

A carton formed from sheet material for containers such as cans or bottles includes a top wall, a pair of side walls and a bottom wall interconnected to form a tubular structure. A notional strip is defined along the top wall, having notional side edges, and extends between the end edges and has a width less than the distance between the side edges. A pair of hand apertures, each having at least one aperture edge, are defined in the top panel and disposed along opposite sides of the notional strip with at least a portion of the aperture edges disposed generally along the notional side edges. A plurality of preformed tear lines, one of the tear lines extending along an adjacent one of the notional side edges from substantially adjacent each end of each of the apertures toward a respective one of the top panel end edges but terminating at a termination point disposed remotely therefrom. At least one score line is defined in the top panel to extend generally from each of the termination points to an adjacent corner of the top panel.

Carton and a handle therefor

A collapsed carton for subsequent setup to receive articles includes top and bottom panels and a pair of side panels. End closure flaps extend from opposite side edges of each of the side panels to close the tubular carton when set up. A divider panel is disposed within the tubular structure between the top and bottom panels. A pair of glue flaps are foldably connected to the divider panel side edges, each of the glue flaps being secured to an inner surface of one of the side panels to retain the divider panel within the tubular structure. At least one divider end flap is foldably connected to one of the divider panel end edges. A first aperture is defined through one divider end flap. A second aperture is defined through one of the end closure flaps at one of the tubular ends of the carton to coincide with the first aperture when the carton is collapsed.

Two-tier can package having divider panel and method of forming the same

A divider panel (20) has a major panel (22) with attached anchor flaps (24, 26) for securing the panel (20) in a multiple-tier article package. The anchor flaps (24, 26) are attached to the major panel (22) along perforated lines (23) that permit the anchor flaps (24, 26) and major panel (22) to be separated from one another. The divider panel (20) is scored with lines (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) that encourage bending of the divider panel (20) about axes defined by the scored lines (28, 30, 32, 34, 36). One or more apertures (37) in the major panel (22) enable a finger or fingers to be inserted to facilitate removal of the major panel (22) or the entire divider panel (20) from the carton. A carton which contains the divider panel (20) has a tear-away flap (171) which is integrally formed with an end closure of the carton and which is attached to an anchor flap of the divider panel (152). The divider panel (152) may be removed from the carton by tearing away the tear-away flap (171) from its end closure and withdrawing the divider panel (152) from the carton through the opening created by removal of the tear-away flap (171).

Removable divider panel for multiple-tier article package

A carton for containers such as cans or bottles includes a top wall, pair of side walls and a bottom wall interconnected to form a tubular structure. End closure structure includes an end flap connected to each end edge of the top wall. A handle aperture is defined in the top wall and positioned thereon generally centrally of the top wall. A handle reinforcing structure includes a pair of end portions, one of the end portions connected along a side edge of each of the end flaps and extending to the top edge thereof, and a central portion connected to each of the end portions and extending therebetween. The central portion is secured in overlapping relationship to the top wall and positioned thereon to be substantially adjacent to a portion of the handle aperture.

Handle reinforcement for a carton

A carton for packaging articles includes a generally rectangular top wall having a pair of spaced hand apertures formed therein. The hand apertures are disposed to define therebetween a handle strip for use in lifting the carton. The top wall is provided with a fold line extending from the region of each corner of the top wall toward the handle strip and further with a first severance line extending transversely of each fold line. Each first severance line is interposed between the handle strip and the respective fold line such that each fold line terminates at the respective severance line. This arrangement prevents stress concentration at the region of the handle strip when the carton is lifted.

Stress-relieving arrangement for carton handles

A package comprises a plurality of beverage cans arranged into a group of at least two vertically-aligned tiers, a carton disposed around the exterior of the group of the cans, and a divider panel disposed between upper and lower adjacent tiers. Each can has a cylindrical side wall defining an axis. The cans in each tier have their axes disposed vertically and parallel to each other. The carton includes top and bottom panels interconnected by a pair of side panels to form a tubular structure, and a pair of end closure structures disposed to close opposite open ends of the tubular structure. The end closure structures are connected to the tubular structure and are disposed substantially adjacent the side walls of the cans of the group along opposite ends of the group. The divider panel is provided with a pair of anchor flaps which are secured to the end closure structures.

Two tier can package having secured divider panel and method of forming

A handle (30) is integrally formed with a carton (20) by apertures (20) adjacent the handle (30). Each aperture (20) is covered by a combination of tabs (22, 24) which are foldable out of the plane of the aperture (20) to define the sides of the handle (30). In a tripartite arrangement of tabs (22, 24) a center tab (22) lies between opposing end tabs (24). The center tab (22) and end tabs (24) are foldably joined to opposite sides of the aperture (20). The center tab (22) is contoured and etched with fold lines (38, 42) which encourage bending of the center tab (22) about cans (1) or similarly shaped articles encased by the carton (10).

Integral handle for carton for beverage can package

The top wall of an article carrier is provided with a pair of hand gripping apertures and score lines extend from the apertures to the corners of the top wall. A supplementary score line extends from a point of intersection with a score line and is arranged to extend beyond the edge of the carrier top wall and to a point of intersection with the top portion of the adjacent side wall at each corner of the carrier. The load of the carrier is well distributed so as to avoid any tendency for the side walls to bow outwardly and thus to interfere with a product removal and reinsertion feature formed in each of the carrier side walls. Efficient distribution of the weight also makes possible the usage of lower caliper board than is usually required for heavy duty carriers while still maintaining package integrity and viability with a product remover and reinsertion structure formed in each carton side wall.

The top wall of an article carrier is provided with at least one hand gripping aperture and a number of score lines are arranged to extend from an end of the hand gripping aperture outwardly in a converging path toward corners of the top wall. Diverging cut lines are formed at the outer end of the score lines and diverge from each other as cut lines one of which extends across the top wall and into the adjacent end wall and the other of which extends in the top wall and into the adjacent side wall. The arrangement of diverging score lines in association with converging cut lines constitutes an effective means of distributing the carrier load. By this means the caliber of board used in the formation of the carrier may be substantially reduced and economies thereby effected.

A package for beverage containers such as cans arranged in two or more axially-stacked tiers includes a carton having interconnected top, bottom and side walls. End closure structure connected to at least some of the walls closes one end of the carton. A dispenser for the containers includes first and second apertures defined in the end closure structure. The first aperture extends from one of the side walls and the bottom wall into the end closure structure, and the second aperture extends from the same side wall and the top wall into the end closure structure. The first and second apertures terminate remote from each other such that a portion of the end closure structure extends between the apertures and is connected to the side wall.

Roll-out dispenser for a beverage carton

A heavy duty article carrier for packaging cans disposed horizontally includes bottom, top, side and end walls. A composite top wall includes a pair of hand hole apertures and a score line is formed in each side wall near the top edge thereof and the ends of these side score lines are connected with a weakened severance line which adjoins a diagonal score line formed at each corner of the carrier top wall. In addition, a score line is formed in each end wall near the top thereof and each end of these end score lines is interconnected with the adjacent end edge of the top wall and with the adjacent end of an adjacent diagonal weakened severance line formed in the top wall.

Heavy duty article carrier for cans arranged in a horizontal position

An article carrier having bottom, top, side and end walls interconnected to form an enclosure of rectilinear configuration and having a pair of spaced apart hand hole openings formed in the top wall includes a reinforcing strip secured to the inner surface of the top wall and between the hand hole openings. End extensions which may or may not be adhered project from each end of the reinforcing strip and are folded into flat face contacting relation with the end walls respectively and are secured thereto. The fold lines between the end extensions and the cooperating end edges of the reinforcing strip are debossed so as to protrude inwardly and mate with a complementary embossed area which is encased by torque relief slits thereby reducing the tension along the outer surfaces of the fold lines between the top wall and the end walls so as effectively to strengthen the load bearing elements of the carrier top wall.

Article carrier reinforcing structure

The top wall of an article carrier is provided with a pair of hand gripping apertures and a number of score lines are arranged to extend from adjacent an end of a hand gripping aperture outwardly in a diverging path toward the corners of the top wall. By this means the top wall of the carrier is rendered especially strong by efficiently distributing the weight of the carrier and its contents so that the caliber of board used may be substantially reduced and economies thereby effected.

Growing community of inventors

Ellijay, GA, United States of America

James T Stout