GB2140766A

GB2140766A - An article holder

Info

Publication number: GB2140766A
Application number: GB08412467A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dennis Tierney
Original assignee: Taylowe Ltd
Current assignee: Taylowe Ltd
Priority date: 1983-05-16
Filing date: 1984-05-16
Publication date: 1984-12-05
Also published as: GB2140766B; GB8412467D0

Abstract

The holder is formed from a blank to comprise first panel (10) having openings therein, and a flap (14). The openings receive first parts of the articles, eg the necks of bottles, and the flap (14) folds down so as to snap fit beneath parts of the articles, eg caps or beads on the bottles, which are adjacent but of a larger cross- section than said first parts and thereby retain the articles in the holder. The flap (14) also covers part of each said opening which may be of key-hole shape or circular. A second panel (16), parallel to the first panel (10), is provided with openings (18) for receiving further parts of the articles. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A holder for an article The invention relates to a holder for an article such as a bottle.

According to the invention there is provided a holder for an article such as a bottle which has adjacent portions of different cross sectional size, the holder comprising a first member defining a recess for locating the relatively smaller portion of the article and a second member movable relative to the first member for location adjacent the relatively larger portion of the article in a non-return manner to retain the article in the holder. Where the article is a bottle, the portions of different cross section will normally be the neck of the bottle and a bead or closure at the' free end.of the neck. In such a case the second member may conveniently snap-fit under the bead or closure to retain the neck in the recess. The bottle can then be lifted by the holder which then forms a convenient carrying means.

Preferably a third member is spaced from the first member, the third member being formed with a recess, substantially aligned with the recess in the first member whereby, in use, a further portion of the article locates in the recess in the third member.

The recess in the first member may comprise a first section through which the larger portion of the article can pass to enable the holder to be located in the article and a second relatively smaller section for locating the relatively smaller portion of the article.

Where the aforesaid third member is provided, the second section of the recess may be coaxial with the recess in the third member.

Preferably the holder is formed from a sheet of material such as cardboard which is folded to form the first, second and third members.

By forming the holder in that way it can be made easily and at low cost. The first member and third member may comprise panels of the sheet which are interconnected along one pair of edges by an intermediate panel, and along another pair of edges by another panel which extends from the third member. The panel extending from the third member may be secured to the first member by means of a flap or the like on the first member. In a preferred embodiment the panel extending from the third member includes a flap which forms the second member. The sheet may be formed so that the fold lines are parallel. In that way the holder is in the form of an openended box-like structure.

The holder is preferably arranged to carry a plurality of articles and a plurality of recesses may be formed in the first member for that purpose.

The said second member may cover a portion of the recess when retaining the article in the holder.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a holder for an article such as a bottle which has adjacent portions of different cross sectional size, the holder comprising a first member defining a recess for locating the relatively smaller portion of the article and a second member which is movable relative to the first member to cover a section of the recess and thereby prevent, in use, the relatively larger portion of the article passing through the uncovered section of the recess.

Where an article such as a bottle having said adjacent portions of different cross sectional size is held in the holder, the second member is preferably located between the first member and the relatively larger portion of the article, thereby retaining the-article in the holder. Preferably the second member has an edge which lies substantially tangential to the neck thereby ensuring secure retention of the bottle. Where the recess in the first member comprises a first section and a relatively smal- ler second section, the smaller section may have a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the neck immediately adjacent the bead or closure. The bead or closure is thereby supported virtually all round by the first and second members.

A holder in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying- drawings in which: Figure 1 is an illustration of a blank for use in making a holder in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a holder formed from the blank of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevation of the holder secured to the necks of three bottles; Figure 4 is a cross-section of the holder in Figure 3 on the line lV-IV in Figure 3 drawn to a larger scale; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the holder locating a different section of the bottle neck; and Figure 6 is a plan view of part of an alternative type of holder in accordance-with the invention.

Referring to Figure i a blank comprises a panel 10 formed with three recesses 11. Each recess comprises two part-circular sections 12, 13, the latter being of smaller diameter than the former. The centre of the section 1 3 lies substantially on the centre line C of the panel 10. The peripheries of the sections 12, 1 3 intersect smoothly. The panel 10 carries a flap 14 foldable about a line 1 5. The periphery of each section 12 terminates at theline 1 5 as shown to assist folding of the flap 14. A further panel 1 6 is connected to the panel 10 by an intermediate panel 17. The panel 1 6 is formed with three recesses 18 in the form of circular apertures.The width of the panel 1 6 is the same as that of the panel 10 and the apertures 1 8 lie on the centre line C' of panel 1 6 in alignment with the respective recesses 11 in panel 10. The panel 1 6 is connected to a further flap 1 9 by means of another intermediate panel 20. The panel 1 7 is connected to the panels 10, i6 through respective fold lines 22, 23 and the panel 20 is connected to the panel i6 and flap 1 9 through respective fold lines 24, 25.

Referring to Figure 2 the blank of Figure 1 is folded and the flap 1 4 is glued to the inside face of panel 20. The panels 10, 1 6 (constituting the aforesaid first and third members) are then spaced apart in a parallel manner by the panels 1 7 and 20. The sections 1 3 of recesses 11 are then coaxial with the apertures 1 8 arranged directly therebeneath.

In use the holder is arranged for location on three bottles 26 as shown in Figure 3. The diameter D of section 1 2 of each recess 11 corresponds substantially to that of the bottle cap 27. The diameter d of the section 1 3 corresponds substantially to the diameter of the neck N immediately beneath the cap. The diameter of each aperture 18 corresponds substantially to that of section 1 2 or may be greater if the diameter of the neck at the position adjacent aperture 1 8 (Figure 4) is greater than that of the cap.The holder is placed in position by passing the necks of the bottles through the respective apertures 18 and recess sections 1 2. The member 10 is then moved sideways relative to the necks so that the latter locate in sections 1 3. With the underside of each cap 27 spaced from the top of panel 10, the flap 14 (constituting the aforesaid second member) is folded down about fold line 25. The flap dimension W is such that the longitudinal free edge E of the flap lies in a plane which is substantially tangential to the notional periphery of the section 1 3 as indicated in broken lines at 30.

As the cap 27 is of greater diameter than section 13, the flap 14 snap-fits between each cap and the adjacent upper surface of panel 10 as in Figure 5. The neck of each bottle is then held securely in the holder and the cap of each bottle prevents the flap 14 returning to its initial position except by the application of substantial manual force to the flap.

Instead of the flap 14 snap-fitting under the cap 27 it can be arranged to snap-fit in nonreturn manner beneath a peripheral bead 28 integral with the neck. If the bead is of greater diameter than the cap 27 the diameter of each section 1 2 and each aperture 18 will be selected to allow the bead to pass therethrough. The diameter of each section 1 3 in that case will correspond substantially to that of the neck immediately beneath the bead.

By locating the necks of the bottles in the two spaced panels 10, 1 6 the holder is mounted firmly on the bottles and forms a convenient carrying handle, the caps or beads being prevented from slipping downwardly out of the holder.

Instead of forming the recesses 11 with the sections 12, 1 3 it is envisaged that they could simply take the form of circular apertures of diameter D as defined above. In such a case the dimension W of the flap 14 will be such that when folded down its longitudinal edge E will be spaced from the diametrically opposite edge of each aperture by a distance F (Figure 5) corresponding substantially to the neck diameter at that point. The flap 14 will, therefore, snap-fit beneath the cap 27 (indicated in broken lines) or bead and the cap or bead will be prevented from passing downwardly through the aperture 11 by the flap 14 and a marginal portion 31 of the panel 10.

The blank may be formed from cardboard, plastics or other material and may carry re-, quired printed matter.

Although specific reference has been made to a bottle the holder could be used to hold other articles e.g. ball-point pens where the flap 14 can snap-fit beneath a cap of the pen.

Claims

1. A holder for an article such as a bottle which has adjacent portions of different cross sectional size, the holder comprising a first member defining a recess for locating the relatively smaller portion of the article and a second member movable relative to the first member for location adjacent the relatively larger portion of the article in a non-return manner to retain the article in the holder.

2. A holder according to Claim i in which a third member is spaced from the first member, the third member being formed with a recess, substantially aligned with the recess in the first member whereby, in use, a further portion of the article locates in the recess in the third member.

3. A holder according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the recess in the first member comprises a first section through which the larger portion of the article can pass to enable the holder to be located on the article and a second relatively smaller section for locating the relatively smaller portion of the article.

4. A holder according to Claim 3 when appendant to Claim 2 in which the second section of the recess is coaxial with the recess in the third member.

5. A holder according to any preceding claim in which the second member is a foldable flap having a free edge which locates adjacent said relatively larger portion of the article.

6. A holder according to any preceding claim in which the holder is formed from a sheet of material which is bent to form the first, second and third members.

7. A holder according to Claim 5 in which the first member and third members comprlse panels of the sheet which are interconnected along one part of respective edges by an intermediate panel and along another part of respective edges by a panel extending from the third member.

8. A holder according to Claim 7 in which the panel extending from the third member is secured to the first member by means of a flap on the first member.

9. A holder according to Claim 7 or 8 in which the panel extending from the third member includes a flap which forms the second member.

10. A holder according to Claim 6,7, or 8 in which the sheet is formed so that fold lines thereof are parrallel.

11. A holder according to any preceding claim in which the first member is formed with a plurality of recesses lying side by side.

1 2. A holder according to any preceding claim in which the second member covers a portion of the recess when retaining the article in the holder.

1 3. A holder lor an article such as a bottle which has adjacent portions of different cross sectional size, the holder comprising a first member defining a recess for locating the relatively smaller portion of the article and a second member which is movable relative to the first member to cover a section of the recess and thereby prevent, in use, the relatively larger portion of the article passing through the uncovered section of the recess.

14. A holder according to any preceding claim and in the case where an article such as a bottle which has adjacent portions of different cross sectional size is held therein, in which the said second member is located between the first member and the relatively larger portion of the article thereby retaining the article in the holder.

1 5. A holder according to claim 1 4 and in the case where the article is a bottle, in which the smaller portion of the bottle comprises a neck and the larger portion comprises a bead or closure on the neck.

1 6. A holder according to claim 1 5 in which the second member has an edge which lies substantially tangential to said neck.

1 7. A holder according to Claim 1 5 or 16 and in the case where the recess in the first member comprises a first section and a relatively smaller second section, in which the smaller section has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the neck immediately adjacent the bead or closure.

1 8. A holder for an article such as a bottle constructed and arranged substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.