Carrier stock having finger-gripping straps and strut-producing straps

Abstract

Carrier stock for beverage cans or other cans of a type having a chime at an upper end and having a frusto-conical wall below the chime is formed from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, with outer band segments defining can-receiving apertures and including outer band segments and inner band segments, which include a pair of substantially linear edges connected by a relatively small radius at an apex, with webs separating the can-receiving apertures in each longitudinal row, with finger-gripping straps, and with a strut-producing strap. The finger-gripping straps are arranged in pairs and configured such that each finger-gripping strap of each pair extends generally transversely between two of the inner band segments and is curved inwardly toward the other finger-gripping strap of the same pair when the carrier stock is in a flat, unstressed condition. The strut-producing strap is intermediate the finger-gripping straps and aligned with the apexes of opposed inner edges and is at least twice as wide as any pair of the finger-gripping straps and as the radius of the apex. Each finger-gripping strap of each pair has an outer edge, which has an indentation curved inwardly toward the other finger-gripping strap of the same pair and extended transversely in opposite directions from the longitudinal midline when the carrier stock is in a flat, unstressed condition.