US2694488A - Article carrier - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 16', 1954 w E, JR 2,694,488

ARTICLE CARRIER v Filed June 50, 1949 3 Shee'ts-Sheet l Nov. 16, 1954 w. B. CRANE, JR 2,694,488

ARTICLE CARRIER Filed June 30, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

WZZZZamZD. 6mm]:

Z MWW Nov. 16, 1954 w. B. CRANE, JR 2,694,433

ARTICLE CARRIER Filed June 30, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

5 0mm, J;

United States Patent ARTICLE CARRIER William B. (Irene, J12, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 30, 1949, Serial No. 102,311

4 Claims. (Cl. 2tl665) This invention relates to article carriers and is more particularly concerned with improvements in devices for carrying cans or similar containers filled with merchandise of the character generally offered for sale in retail stores.

It is an object of the invention to provide an article carrier of the type described, which is simple in construction, which may be readily applied to the cans or other containers to be carried, which may be economically manufactured from paperboard or similar material and which is relatively inexpensive so that it may be discarded after a single use.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a container carrier which comprises an integral onepiece paperboard blank, cut and creased so that it may be attached to a plurality of cans or similar containers without any substantial change in the conventional method of packing and shipping the latter.

It is another object of the invention to provide a carrier of the type described which may be furnished to the packer in a plurality of flat connected units for application to the merchandise cans or other containers after they have been positioned in an outer packing case, such as, for example, a standard shipping carton which accommodates twenty-four cans arranged in four rows of six cans each, the carrier units being readily separable so that the merchandise may be subsequently removed in units of a predetermined number of cans attached to each carrier and displayed in a stack with the units superposed above each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier fabricated from a single sheet of paperboard material which is die cut and creased to provide a central rib portion and laterally extending handle and tab forming portions, the tab forming portions being adapted to be secured by a suitable adhesive to the tops of a plurality of cans or similar containers, and the handle forming portions being adapted to be folded into upstanding relation with the top portions brought adjacent to each other to thereby form a triangular frame above the cans and provide a handle for carrying the same.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a one-piece article carrier of the character described in which the tab portions provided for attachment to the individual containers are cut and scored to permit them to be shaped to conform to the contour of the top of the can irrespective of whether the surface of the top of the container is concave, convex or ridged.

It is another object of the invention to provide a carrier of the type described in combination with an adhesive coating which is of the pressure-sensitive type whereby the carrier blank may be placed on the tops of a plurality of cans and the tab portions may be ad hesively secured to the tops of the cans by heat and pressure, the handle forming portions being unsecured and freed for movement into upstanding hand gripping relation.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the carrier and modifications thereof which are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an article carrier embodying the principles of the invention which is attached to a half-dozen merchandise containers, with the handle portions being arranged in upstanding relation ready for use;

'Fig. 2 is a plan view of the carrier shown in Fig. 1;

2,694,488 Patented Nov. 16, 1954 Fig. 3 is a transverse section, to an enlarged scale, gie section being taken generally on the line 33 of Fig. 4 is a partial section similar to Fig. 3 but showing the carrier attached to a container having a concave top;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a paperboard blank cut and creased to provide four connected carrier units;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a standard shipping case of twenty-four merchandise containers having four connected carrier units arranged on the top thereof;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of carrier attached to a half-dozen merchandise containers;

Fig. 8 is a partial plan view of a paperboard blank cut and creased to provide the modified form of carrier shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a further modified form of carrier attached to three merchandise containers; and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a paperboard blank cut and creit sed 9to provide the modified form of carrier shown in 1g.

In the distribution and sale of bottled goods, a unit package of six bottles in a cell-like container with a handle is frequently provided. The use of this type package in the marketing of bottled goods has greatly facilitated the handling of this merchandise. The celllike carriers for such packages are generally adapted to support the bottles from beneath and to permit the purchaser to pick up the package and carry it from the store without any further wrapping of the same.

It has long been recognized that a similar multi-unit package of merchandise put up in other containers, such as cans or the like, which could be readily handled by the customer, would be useful, particularly in the large retail stores and similar establishments. Merchandise such as canned milk and canned beer, for example, has been packaged for retail sale in cellular cartons, but such cartons usually contain a dozen cans. A package of a smaller number of cans has not been considered entirely practical because of the substantial expense involved in providing the cartons and handling the same in the packing operation.

Referr ng to the drawings, there is illustrated a simple, inexpensive, paperboard carrier which facilitates the handling in packaged units of a predetermined number of cans or similar containers of merchandise. The carrier, as illustrated, is adapted to be attached to a plurality of cans of milk, beer or similar products and to combine the same into a single package.

in order to facilitate the use of the carrier in connection with standard loading and packaging equipment the carriers are preferably supplied to the packer in units of four for assembly with the cans or similar containers in a standard shipping carton which carton ordinarily receives one or more layers of twenty-four cans, as shown in Fig. 6. The four connected carriers 10, which are illustrated in Fig. 5, are cut from a single sheet or length 11 of paperboard or similar material. Each of the four carrier blanks is identical and each constitutes a carrier for a unit package of six cans of merchandise.

Each of the four carrier blanks i0 is separably connected to the adjoining two blanks by perforated or rtially cut transverse and vertical lines 12 and 13. The blanks 10 are preferably cut to provide corners which are rounded and the waste material is removed before the units 11 of four connected blanks are delivered to the packer.

Each carrier b ank ill is scored along two parallel, central, longitudinally extending transversely spaced lines 14 and 15 which define a central longitudinally extending panel 16. The score lines 14 and 15 are symmetrical about the longitudinal center line of the blank 10. The portions of the blanks ill which extend outwardly of the score lines 14 and 15 form side panels 1'7 and 13. The side panel 17 is cut and scored to pro ide an upstanding h ndle or gripping portion and three laterally extending abs or wings 19, 20 and 21 for connection to the tops of the merchandise containers 22 which are arranged in two longitudinal rows of three containers. The center tab 19 is formed by a curved outer cutting line 23 laterally spaced from the crease line 14 and two longitudinally tend from the ends" of'cutting -lines 23 "to the" crease line 14. The tab 19 is divided by a central transverse cutting line 26 and a longitudinal extending crease line 27 to facilitate its attachment toithentop of the central containerri22l The cutting lines 24 and 25 are extended outwardly 'at 28 and;29. to theends of a longitudinallyextending .crease line 30-to=fornra foldable handle reinforcing-tongue. or flap 31'; At-the oppositeends'of the panel.17 irregular generally; UTshaped :cuttingclines '32fandv33zextend later.- allyzof the creaseline: 14-and form the. end tabs 20 and 21. which are adaptedto-besecured tothe tops of the:end containers 22. in the row-of three containers: Thetabs 20 and 21." are'dividedzbylaterally. extending cutting lines 34- and: 35. and.longitudinally extending crease lines 36 and1.3l to facilitate their. attachmentzto "the tops of the containers 22.

The panels 17 and 18 are cut and creased in. identical manner-,tpanel 18 being-provided with tabs 38, 39, 40 and handle-.reinforcingtongue 41 which correspond to the tabs 19., 20, 21 and-the. handle reinforcing tongue 31, respectively, of" the panel 17.

Tabs 19, 20 and 21 of panel 17 and tabs 38, 39'and 40-of-panel 18 are provided on one side with-a suitable adhesive-, as indicated at 42, 43 and 44 in Fig. 5, for securing the same to the topsof the containers. The adhesive areas-42, 43 and 44 extend across the adjoining portions .of-the central -panelx16 between the transversely aligned tabs of the panels 17 and 18 for a purpose which will i be described.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the carrier is attached to the tops of the containers 22 .with tabs 19, and 21 secured to the tops of one row of containers 22 and tabs 38, 39 and.40- secured tothe tops of the other row of containers 22.: The adhesive areas preferably extend into the .central..panel-16 and provide for attachment of this panel tothe-upwardly projecting rim edges 45 of the adjoining. containers as indicated at 46' in Figs. 3 and 4. With the tabs securely adhered to the tops of the containers 22 the panels 17 and 18 are hinged upwardly about the crease lines 14 and 15 to bring them into upstanding handle forming .position, the tongue members 31 and 41 being folded to. one sideto reinforce the portion of the carrier which 'is gripped by the hand of the user. The cutting linesv 28, 29. which define the ends of the reinforcing tongue 31-andthe corresponding cutting lines forming the ends of reinforcing tongue 41 are curved so that when the tongues are folded over they are interlocked or retained in .engaged position. The upstanding panels 17 and. 18 form with the central panel 16 a triangular shaped carrier frame which is relatively rigid and which is braced by the triangular form against lateral movement. Each of the panel members 17 and 18 is connected to the central panel 16 .by the four longitudinally spaced integral strip members which remain when the tabs are cut out. The weight of the containers is distributed through these four connecting strip members.

The carriers 10 are preferably supplied in units of four (Fig'. 5) to the packer for application to .the tops of the containers'22 during the packingoperation. After the containers 22.have been. inserted in the outer shipping container or carton .47, which is conventionally formed to'receive twenty-four containers 22, the four connected carriers 10 are applied .to the .tops of the containers. 22 by means of a suitable heated press or.similar tool. In this manner, the carriers 10 maybe applied to the containers 22 during the packing operation by merely separating the filling and closing mechanism in the conventional packing arrangement sufficiently to insert suitable mechanism for feeding the carriers 10 and applying the same by heat and pressure. When the packed shipping carton 47 is received in the retail store the carriers 10 may be readily separated from each other and facilitate unpacking and stacking of the merchandise for display. They permit the retail dealer to make an attractive display of the packaged units and also encourage the retail shopper to'buy the unit rather than a smaller number of containers 22. The carriers 10 may be printed with advertising or other matter as desired. Preferably the handle forming portions of the carrier are provided with a distinctive color to facilitate the erection of the same by the merchant or purchaser.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is illustrated a modified form of barrier which is indicated by the numeral 50. The blank forming the carrier 50 is creased along the transversely spaced parallel crease lines 52 and 53 to provide a central panel'51 and out along the lines 54, '55"and56,57 to provide U-shaped handle formations 58 and 59 and central tab formations 60 and 61. The blank is cut at the ends to provide tabs 62, 63 on opposite sides of central tab 60 and tabs 64, 65 on opposite sides of central tab 61 with the outer edges of the tabs being rounded. The attaching tabs 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 are provided with a suitable adhesive which preferably extends into the central panel 51 in the same manner as in the form of carrier shown in Figs. 1 to 6.

The carriers 50 are preferably formed in units of four and are connected to'each other by transverse and longitudinally extending perforated lines 66 and 67 which may be broken after the unit has been inserted and attached to the contents of the twenty-four container outer packing carton. In this form of the carrier, the carton is erected by folding the handle formations 58 and 59 upwardly about the crease lines 52 and 53 to bring theminto juxtaposed relationship and .to permit the user-to carr-y the packaged unit. Thetcontainers' are, ofcourse, secured by the adhesive to tabs 60, 62,63, on one side=of the carrier and to tabs 61, 64, 65 on the other side of the-carrier'50."

The twoforms of the carrier. which have been described are designed-to form a packageof six units of merch'am dise. The carrier may be modified to accommodate a different number of merchandise containers; For example, the carrier'illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 may be moditied for use with two containers by merely omitting the end portionsincluding attaching tabs 62, 63, 64and 65 and forming the carrier the proper size for attachment of the two'tabs-6tl, 61 to the tops of two containers.

In Figs. 9 and 10 there is illustrated a modified form of the carrier particularly designed for use with threemer chandise containers. In this form of the device prefen ably six carriers 70 are fabricated as a unit 71 from a single length of paperboard material. The carriers70-are identical and are defined by' longitudinal"and-transverse perforated lines 72 and 73 which permitready separationeither before or after attachment to the containers;

Each of the blanks forming the carriers 70 is" cut alongthe parallel laterallyspaced longitudinallyaextending pairs of lines 74', 75 and 76, 77 and alongkthe transversely extending curved lines 78'and 79. The curved transverse cutting lines 78 and 79 connectthe outer ends of the respectivepairsof' longitudinal cutting lines 74, 75 and 76, 77 to form attaching tabs 80 and 81.- The longitudinal cutting lines 74,- 75 and76, 77 terminate at their inner ends at the inner endsof transverse outwardly extending crease lines 82, 83 and 84; 85 which are spaced from the transverse center line of the blank 70. The end portions of the blankwhich are separated from the tabs 80 and 81 by the cutting lines 74, 75, 78 and 76, 77, 79 are adaptedto'be folded upwardly about the crease lines 82, 83 and 84,-85-to form upstanding handle portions forthe carrier. The handle forming portion at one end is provided-with'a reinforcing tongue 86 by the curved cutting lines-87,88 which extend from the'cuttinglines 74, 75 to the-transverse crease line 89 which is spaced outwardly of the cutting line 78. The handleportion at the other end-Iis provided with a reinforcing tongue-90 formed-in the samemanner. by curved cutting lines 91,92 and crease line 93. Crossed cutting lines 94, and crease -lines 96 in rectangular formation are provided in the-centerof the blank to facilitate attachment tothe top of the central merchandise container. Longitudinal cutting lines 97', 98 are provided in the tabs 80 and 81' for the same purpose. A suitable adhesive is applied-to the bottom face of the tabs 80, 81 and also to the centralportion of the blank.

The carriers 70 are applied to the three=containers 99-by adhesively attaching the tabs 80 and 81 to the tops of the end containers and the central portion ofthe carrier to the top of the center-containen When thezhandle-forming end portions of the carrier are positioned' in upstanding relation the reinforcing tongues 86 and 90 may be folded upwardly along one side of the handle portions in interlocking relation therewith The particular adhesive employed'for 'attaching"the' tab members to' the tops of the merchandise containers depends upon the material from which the carrier is fabricated and the nature of the container to which it is attached. A- large numberof adhesives areavailable Solvent type adhesive Parts by weight A second viscosity nitrocellulose 100 Dibutyl phthalate 80 Maleic hardened rosin glycerol ester resin 8 Butyl acetate 70 Ethyl acetate 70 Toluene 100 Thermoplastic or hot melt type adhesive Parts by weight Ethyl cellulose, Sec. viscosity ethoxy 47.5 approximately Glycol sebacate 10 Hydrogenated rosin 6 Emulsion type adhesive Parts by weight Cyclicized rubber product of U. S. Pat. 2,230,359 130 Methyl abietate Water 140' Wetting agent,-triethanolamine salt of sulphonated laurel alcohol 10 In all forms of the carrier which have been illustrated the adhesive has been shown applied to the tabs and to the adjoining portions of the central panel member. When a heat sensitive adhesive is employed it may be more desirable in certain cases to coat the entire bottom surface of the carrier with the adhesive rather than the individual tabs. By using the adhesive in this manner the manufacture of the carriers may be facilitated, since they can be prepared from adhesively coated stock and cut and printed as desired.

In all forms of the carrier the tabs or tongues provided for attachment to the top surfaces of the merchandise containers or other articles may be slit and/o1 creased to facilitate attachment to particular surfaces,

it being desirable to have the tabs conform generally 1 to the surfaces to which they are attached for providing maximum areas of attachment.

While specific materials and details of construction have been referred to in describing the illustrated forms of the invention, it will be understood that other materials and other details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A package comprising a carrier member and a plurality of articles arranged in side-by-side row forming relation adhesively suspended beneath said carrier member, said carrier member being formed from a foldable blank cut and scored to provide an elongated generally rectangular central panel and integral side panels, said side panels including article engaging tab formations extending laterally and substantially in the plane of the central panel, said tab formations each being adhesively secured on its bottom surface to the top surface of one of said articles and said side panels including generally U-shaped portions foldable about the side edges of said central panel into cooperating upstanding handle forming relation.

2. A package comprising a carrier member and a plurality of articles arranged in side-by-side double row forming relation adhesively attached to bottom face portions of said carrier member, said carrier member being characterized by an elongate generally rectangular central panel and integral side panels, said side panels being divided into longitudinally spaced article engaging panel formations extending on opposite sides and in the plane of the central panel, said article engaging panel formations each being adhesively secured on its bottom surface to the top surface of one of said articles and said side panels including portions foldable about the side edges of said central panel into cooperating upstanding handle forming relation, said last mentioned portions being generally U-shaped and encompassing the article engaging panel formations when in flattened position.

3. A package comprising a carrier member and a plurality of articles arranged in side-by-side double row forming relation adhesively suspended beneath said carrier member, said carrier member comprising a cut and scored blank providing an elongate generally rectangular central panel and integral side panels on opposite sides of said central panel, said side panels being divided into longitudinally spaced article engaging tab formations extending laterally and substantially in the plane of the central panel, said tab formations each being adhesively secured on its bottom surface to the top surface of one of said articles and said side panels including strip portions extending laterally of said central panel between said tab formations and longitudinal marginal portions connecting the outer ends of said strip portions, said strip portions being hingedly connected at their inner ends to the side edges of said central panel and being movable into cooperating upstanding handle forming relation above said central panel.

4. A carrier for three articles arranged in row formation, said carrier comprising a blank of relatively flex ible material die cut and creased to provide a central panel portion, and tab formations extending on opposite sides of said central panel, said central panel having an adhesive on the bottom surface thereof and being shaped to adhesively engage the top of the central article, said tab formations having an adhesive on the bottom surface thereof and being shaped to adhesively engage the tops of the end articles, and generally U-shaped handle formations having the legs thereof hingedly connected on opposite sides of said central panel and being foldable into upstanding cooperative handle forming relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,492,100 Krueger Apr. 29, 1924 1,524,399 Krueger Ian. 27, 1925 2,158,697 Harrison May 16, 1939 2,171,615 Wesselman Sept. 5, 1939 2,248,234 Hickman et al July 8, 1941 2,252,235 Snelling Aug. 12, 1941 2,397,716 Wendler Apr. 2, 1946 2,452,485 Obernauer Oct. 26, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 752,811 France July 24, 1933

Images