GB2085391A - Packaging sleeve for bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

In a packaging sleeve formed of cut and creased material such as cardboard, and having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls and apertures in the top and bottom walls for receiving container necks, the top wall comprises upper and lower sections, at least one of which has locking tabs (42) which engage the container necks or caps to lock the containers in the sleeve. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Double panel top This invention relates to packaging sleeves for holding together groups of containers, such as bottles, normally retailed direct to the public, so that there will be provided "packs" of containers which are easily retailable and handable.

There are many forms of packaging sleeve of the type to which the present invention relates, some of which are designed to be wrapped around the containers, and others of which are adapted to grip the container necks. The present invention is concerned with the latter kind.

The known containers, in common with the containers according to the present invention, are normally constructed from cut and creased sheet material such as cardboard.

In accordance with the present invention, the packaging sleeve is produced from cut and creased sheet material, such as cardboard and comprises two side walls, a base wall and a top wall including an inner section and an outer section, the base wall and heach of the inner and outer sections of the top wall having apertures through which a container neck can pass, the apertures in at least one of the inner and outer sections of the top being at least partly defined by locking tabs which fold upwardly when the container neck is passed therethrough so as become locked under a container mouth rim or cap when the container is in position, thereby to lock the container to the sleeve.Preferably, the locking tabs define the apertures of the inner wall section, the said apertures of the inner and outer top wall sections being polygonal, and the said flaps, when upwardly folded bridging the angles between adjacent flaps of the polygonal form apertures in the outer top wall section.

Also, according to the invention there is provided a sleeve as aforesaid, wherein the sleeve is of generally square or rectangular configuration, and the said upper section and lower section are parallel but spaced in the erected sleeve.

In an alternative arrangement, the said flaps are in the upper section, and the lower section lies adjacent the upper section.

The sleeve is preferably rectangular in cross section, with the top and bottom being of smaller dimension than the side walls.

Suitably, a single blank of cut and creased sheet material comprising five panels namely a bottom panel hinged to the two side panels, and two top panels hinged respectively to the other edges of the side panels, defines the sleeve, the blank being erectabie by folding so that the two top panels are superimposed and are adhesively connected along a line adjacent the free edge of the top panel which lies to the underside in the erected sleeve.

The sleeve is preferably constructed from a one piece cut and creased blank of sheet material, such as cardboard which is foldable into skillet form, and has a glue seam for maintaining the blank in folded skillet form.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a cardboard blank erectable into a sleeve according to the invention; Figure 2 shows an end view of the sleeve erected from the blank shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an end view similar to Figure 2, after the insertion of the containers; Figure 4 shows, in perspective view, one end of the erected sleeve, in the position when holding the containers, and partly broken away to show a detail; Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating how the locking tabs co-operate with the apertures in the top wall.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a blank according to the invention, and erectable into a sleeve according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of the blank of Figure 8 after erection into the sleeve, and shows how the sleeve is applied to three containers to be held thereby; and Figure 8 is a perspective view showing how the sleeve of Figure 6 holds three containers.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, the blank shown in Figure 1 is generally rectangular, and is provided with crease lines 10, 12,14,16, 18, and 20 dividing the blank into a first side panel 22, an outer top panel 24, a second side panel 26, a base panel 28, a glue panel 30, an inner top panel 32, and a glue flap 34.

The blank shown in Figure 1 is for erection into a sleeve for holding two bottles side by side, but it will be appreciated that the invention is not to be limited to a sleeve for holding two containers, as it could easily be designed to hold three or more.

The outer top panel 24 is provided with two apertures 36 of polygonal, in this case octagonal, shape, whilst the base panel 28 is provided with two generally circular apertures 38. Finally, the inner top panel 32 is provided with two apertures 40 which are surrounded by locking tabs 42, of which there are eight surrounding each aperture 40. The apertures 36,38 and 40 are, as shown, aligned longitudinally of the blank, and the eight tabs 42 of each aperture 40 are arranged so that their centre lines respectively will coincide with the corners of the octagon aperture 36 aligned with the appropriate aperture 42, for a purpose to be explained more fully in relation to Figures 4 and 5.

In order to erect the blank, it is first of all folded about fold line 18, so that panels 32 and 34 lie on panels 30 and 28. Next, the blank is folded about fold line 14, so that panels 22,24, and 26 overlie the previously folded over panels 32 and 34, and the glue flap 34 is adhered to the inside of panel 26 in the indicated region 44. Finally, the panel 22 is folded to the underside of panel 30 and is adhered thereto over the regions of panels 22 and 32 which overlap.

The arrangement can be best understood by now referring to Figure 2, in which the sleeve is shown in the erected condition, and the respective panels are indicated.

Figure 3 shows the sleeve when the bottles have been inserted therein, only one bottle 46 being visible as the view is an end view. As the bottle cap 48 passes through the appropriate aperture 40, it folds up the tabs 42 as shown in Figure 3, and the said tabs 42 eventually attheirfree ends lie in the aligned aperture 36, and also enage under the rim 50 of the cap 48, locking the bottle in position. The bottle shoulder region 52 firmly engages the board edges defining the aperture 38 so that the bottle is held firmly and effectively.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the design of the aperture 36 in the top panel, and the associated and aligned aperture 40 are shown in detail. Figure 4 shows in perspective elevation how the tabs 42 when folded upwardly are arranged in relation to the aperture 36, whilst Figure 5 shows more clearly, the geommetric arrangement. The top free edges of the tabs 42 which in effect define a circular region lie within the aperture 36 but do not, or do not substantially, project beyond the upper panel 24.

As shown clearly in Figure 5, in which the ends of the tabs 42 are shown of being finite thickness, the said tabs are arranged so as to bridge the corners between adjacent "flats" of the hexagon aperture 36, and the hexagon aperture 36 is designed so that the distance 54 across a pair of diagonally opposite corners is equal to or only fractionally greater than the maximum diameter of the cap 48, or in this case the maximum diameter of the rim 50, so that in fact the flats of the aperture 36 will interfere with the movement through the aperture of the bottle cap, and will be slightly deflected thereby, and the tabs 42 will be effectively locked in position.

It will be appreciated of course that the tabs 42 must be of a height equal to or greater than the spacing between the outer top panel 24 and the inner top panel 32, when the sleeve is in the erected condition. The inner panel 32 and outer panel 24 coact to provide a strong hold on the container necks.

Referring now to the drawings, the blank of cut and creased sheet material, in this case also cardboard, is of rectangular form and has transverse crease lines 110, 112, 114 and 116 defining five panels 118,120,122,124 and 126. Panel 122 is a base panel and is provided with three apertures 128, of a diameter substantially equal to the width of panel 122, panels 120 and 124 are plain side panels, and panels 118 and 126 are top panels of which panel 118 is provided with three apertures 130 which are circular but are of a diameter smaller than the width of panel 118, whilst panel 126 is provided with three apertures 132 of a shape which is best described as hexagonal, such shape being defined by cuts which define ears or tabs 134 which alternate with other ears or tabs 136, and the size of the apertures 132 is related to the size of the containers to be engaged in these apertures, so that when the containers are inserted, as will be explained, the ears or tabs 134 and 136 fold upwardly and catch underthe container rims, to hold same in position.

To erect the sleeve, it is folded about crease line 112 so that panels 118 and 120 overlie panels 122 and 124. Finally, panel 126 is folded onto the top of panel 118, and panels 118 and 126 are glued together along a strip adjacent the free edge of panel 118, and adjacent the fold line 116. When the flat, folded and glued blank is erected to sleeve form it takes up a rectangular configuration shown in Figure 7. In this configuration, the apertures 132,130 and 128 are aligned so that they can receive the narrow necks of the bottles 38 as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Bottles 138 have a beaded top end 140, and are engaged in the erected sleeve by moving the sleeve and bottles relatively so that the sleeve moves downwards over the necks of the bottles, and the top beads 140 punch through the apertures 130, 132 in the top of the sleeve defined by panels 118 and 126.

As shown clearly in Figure 8, the tabs 134, 136 are deflected upwardly by the passage therethrough of the beads 140 so as to catch under the beads and prevent the bottles from dropping out of the sleeve when the package is lifted by means of the sleeve.

The apertures 128 are the same size as the shoulder region of the bottles 138 located in the apertures, whereby a firm holding of the bottles is achieved.

By the utilisation of the double ply top 118,126 a secure holding of the bottle top is achieved.

Various modifications of the invention may be made; for example, the sleeve need not be of square or rectangular configuration. It could for example be of trapezium shape, but in this case as regards the Figure 1 embodiment the top panel 24 and inner top panel 32 may require to be out of parallelism, and it may be necessary to provide an additional crease to enable the sleeve to be flattened to skillet form.

Claims (1)

1. A packaging sheetwhich is produced from cut and creased material, such as cardboard, comprising two side walls, a base wall and a top wall including an inner section and an outer section, the base wall and each of the inner and outer sections of the top wall having apertures through which a container neck can pass, the apertures in at least one of the inner and outer sections of the top wall being at least partly defined by locking tabs which fold upwardly when the container neck is passed therethrough so as to become locked under a container mouth rim or cap when the container is in position, thereby to lock the container to the sleeve.

2. A sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the locking tabs define the apertures of the inner wall section, said apertures of the inner and outer wall sections being polygonal, and the said flaps, when upwardly folded bridging the angles between adjacent flats of the polygonal form apertures in the outer top wall section.

3. A sleeve according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve is of generally square or rectangular configuration, and the upper section and lower section of the top wall are parallel but spaced in the erected sleeve.

4. A sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the flaps are in the upper top section, and the lower top section lies adjacent the upper top section.

5. A sleeve according to claim 4, wherein the sleeve is rectangular in cross section with the top and bottom being of smaller dimension than the side walls.

6. A sleeve according to claim 4, or 5, wherein a single blank of cut and creased sheet material comprising five panels namely a bottom panel hinged to the two side panels, and two top panels hinged respectively to the other edges of the side panels, defines the sleeve, the blank being erected by folding so that the two panels are superimposed and are adhesively connected along a line adjacent the free edge of the top panel which lies to the underside in the erected sleeve.

7. A packaging sleeve substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings of Figures 1 to 5 or Figures 6 to 8.

New claims filed on 14Oct1981 Superseded claims 1 to 7 New or amended claims:

1. A packaging sleeve which is produced from cut and creased material, such as cardboard, comprising two side walls, a base wall and a top wall including an inner section and an outer section, the base wall and each of the inner and outer sections of the top wall having apertures through which a container neck can pass, the apertures in at least one of the inner and outer sections of the top wall being at least partly defined by locking tabs which yield upwardly when the container neck is passed therethrough so as to become locked under a container mouth rim or cap when the container is in position, thereby to lock the container to the sleeve, the said inner and outer top wall sections being of the same size and being adhered face to face to provide a top wall of double thickness for strength purposes.

2. A packaging sleeve, which is produced from cut and creased material, such as cardboard, comprising two side walls, a base wall and a top wall including an inner section and an outer section, the base wall and each of the inner and outer sections of the top wall having apertures through which a container neck can pass, the apertures in only the outer section of the top wall being at least partly defined by locking tabs which yield upwardly when the container neck is passed therethrough so as to become locked under a container mouth, rim or cap when the container is in position, thereby to lock the container to the sleeve, and the said inner and outer sections lying face to face so that the inner section reinforces the outer section in holding the containers.

3. A packaging sleeve which is produced from cut and creased material, such as cardboard, comprising two side walls, a base wall and a top wall including an inner section and an outer section the base wall and each of the inner and outer sections of the top wall having apertures through which a container neck can pass, the apertures in only the inner section of the top wall being at least partly defined by locking tabs which yield upwardly when the container neck is passed therethrough so as to become locked under a container mouth, rim or when the container is in position thereby to lock the container to the sleeve, and the said inner and outer being spaced and parallel so that the said tabs extend through the apertures in the outer section.

4. A sleeve according to claim 3, wherein the apertures of the inner wall section are polygonal, and the said flaps, when extending upwardly bridging the angles between adjacent flats of the polygonal form apertures in the outer top wall section.

5. A sleeve according to claim 3, or 4, wherein the sleeve is of generally square or rectangular configuration, and the upper section and lower section of the top wall are parallel but spaced in the erected sleeve.

6. A sleeve according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve is rectangular in cross section with the top and bottom being of smaller dimension than the side walls.

7. A sleeve according to claim 1, 2, or 6, wherein a single blank of cut and creased sheet material comprising five panels namely a bottom panel hinged to the two side panels, and two top panels hinged respectively to the other edges of the side panels, defines the sleeve, the blank being erected by folding so that the two top panels, which define the inner and outer sections, are superimposed and are adhesively connected along a line adjacent the free edge of the inner section.

9. A packaging sleeve substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or Figures 6 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.