U.S. patent application number 11/329199 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-12 for multi-pack container arrangements.
This patent application is currently assigned to Rexam Beverage Can Co.. Invention is credited to Joanna Stephens.
Application Number | 20070158225 11/329199 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37733414 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070158225 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stephens; Joanna |
July 12, 2007 |
Multi-pack container arrangements
Abstract
A multi-pack arrangement for cans includes upper and lower cans
in axial alignment and a wrapper such as shrink wrap film covering
the cans. A tear strip is provided to facilitate removal of the
wrapper from the cans. A token such as a chip, coin, a piece of
paper or a piece of plastic is positioned within the arrangement
between the upper and lower cans. The presence of a token is only
revealed after the wrapper has been removed and the cans separated
from each other. Other embodiments include promotional information
printed on a tear strip in a multi-container arrangement, and
promotional information on the interior surface of a wrapper
joining two containers together.
Inventors: |
Stephens; Joanna; (Chicago,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCDONNELL BOEHNEN HULBERT & BERGHOFF LLP
300 S. WACKER DRIVE
32ND FLOOR
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
Rexam Beverage Can Co.
Chicago
IL
|
Family ID: |
37733414 |
Appl. No.: |
11/329199 |
Filed: |
January 9, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/430 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2203/00 20130101;
B65D 2517/0052 20130101; B65D 2571/00018 20130101; B65D 71/08
20130101; B65D 75/66 20130101; B65D 21/0227 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/430 |
International
Class: |
B65D 65/00 20060101
B65D065/00 |
Claims
1. Packaging apparatus for cans, comprising: a wrapper surrounding
first and second cans and maintaining the cans in substantial axial
alignment with the first can positioned above the second can; a
tear strip incorporated into the wrapper for facilitating removal
of the wrapper from the first and second cans; and a token placed
between the first can and the second can wherein removal of the
wrapper and separation of the first can from the second can exposes
the token.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cans comprise beverage
cans.
3. The apparatus of clam 1, wherein the token is redeemable for a
prize.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the token comprises a piece of
paper or plastic.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the token comprises a chip.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tear strip is incorporated
into the wrapper so as to provide for tearing the wrapper in a
direction substantially parallel to the axial alignment of the
cans.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wrapper is formed of a
plastic material and further comprises printing on an exterior
surface thereof.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the wrapper surrounds
substantially the entire axial length of the first and second
cans.
9. A method of packaging cans, comprising the steps of: placing a
token on the top of a first can; placing a second can on top of the
first can in axial alignment therewith to thereby conceal the
token; applying a wrapper surrounding the first and second cans to
thereby maintain the cans in the axial alignment and maintain the
token in a concealed condition.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the cans comprise beverage
cans.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the wrapper comprises a printing
applied to the exterior surface thereof.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the wrapper further comprises a
tear strip.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the tear strip is oriented
substantially in an axial direction.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein at least the first can or the
second can contains a non-beverage item.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-beverage item comprises
a non-food item.
16. A method of packaging first and second containers comprising
the step of: applying a wrapper to the first and second containers
to hold the first and second containers together, the wrapper
having a tear strip; and wherein the tear strip includes printing
of a promotional nature.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the tear strip includes a first
side facing the containers, and wherein the printing is applied to
the first side.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the containers comprise
cans.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the containers are held in an
axially aligned condition by the wrapper.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the containers are held in a
side-by-side condition by the wrapper.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first container contains a
beverage and the second container contains a non-beverage item.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein the containers are sized such
that the combination of the first and second containers held by the
wrapper is capable of being vended by a standard 12 oz. beverage
can vending machine.
23. A method of packaging first and second containers comprising
the step of: applying a wrapper to the first and second containers
to hold the first and second containers together, the wrapper
having a tear strip; and wherein the wrapper has an interior
surface facing the containers, and wherein the interior surface
includes printing of a promotional nature.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the wrapper is substantially
opaque.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the wrapper is substantially
transparent.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the containers comprise
cans.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the printing indicates whether
the purchaser has won a prize.
28. The method of claim 16, wherein the printing indicates whether
the purchaser has won a prize.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] A. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to the packaging arts and more
particular to the field of packaging of containers in a multi-pack
arrangement.
[0003] B. Description of Related Art
[0004] The art discloses several arrangements whereby two or more
articles such as cans are packaged together. Shrink wrapping of two
or more packages such as bottles and cans is generally described in
Philpot, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,141 (beverage cans); Kracht et al.,
U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,877 (fruit juice cans); French patent 2,615,490
(bottle and box together); and Whitt U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,976
(batteries). The early patent to Paulucci, U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,281,
discloses two cans axially aligned and secured by an adhesive tape
extending around the middle of the of the assembly and covering the
bottom of one can and the top of the other can. Taylor, U.S. Pat.
No. 3,113,668, discloses a packaging construction of two cans
axially aligned with a wrapper covering the cans. A tear strip is
provided for tearing off the wrapper and exposing the cans.
Similarly, Nedblake, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,671, discloses two
containers axially aligned with a wrapper partially covering the
two containers, with perforations forming a line of weakness for
removing the wrapper.
[0005] Bjornsen, U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,137, discloses a variety of
constructions of cans wrapped in a shrink wrap film axially aligned
with each other. Other prior art of interest includes Simmons, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,788,076 and Pavey et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,191,695 and
5,316,166, which disclose pull tabs with tokens retained by the
pull tab. See also Kirkland, U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,945, which
discloses vendable containers.
SUMMARY
[0006] In a first aspect, a packaging arrangement for cans is
disclosed comprising a wrapper surrounding first and second cans
and maintaining the cans in substantial axial alignment with the
first can positioned above the second can. The wrapper can take the
form of a paper or plastic material, such as shrink wrap plastic
film. The packaging apparatus further comprises a tear strip
incorporated into the wrapper for facilitating removal of the
wrapper from the first and second cans, and a token placed between
the first can and the second can, wherein removal of the wrapper
and separation of the first can from the second can exposes the
token. No special construction of the cans or ends thereof is
required to accommodate the token.
[0007] In another aspect, a method of packaging cans is provided
comprising the steps of: placing a token on the top of a first can;
placing a second can on top of the first can in axial alignment
therewith to thereby conceal the token; and applying a wrapper
surrounding the first and second cans to thereby maintain the cans
in the axial alignment and maintain the token in a concealed
condition.
[0008] In one embodiment, the cans comprise beverage cans.
Alternatively, the cans could contain human or animal food
products, or the cans could contain non-food items such as tennis
balls or other consumer products.
[0009] The token, which may take the form of a coin, chip (e.g.,
poker-chip sized device), piece of paper or plastic, or other form,
is typically redeemable for a prize. For example, a multitude of
cans may be assembled in a multi-pack arrangement but only a select
few such multi-pack arrangements has a token. The token is normally
concealed in the multi-pack arrangement since it is hidden by
virtue of it being placed between the top of lower can and the
bottom of the upper can. Only after the purchaser removes the
wrapper and separates the cans will the purchaser know whether they
have purchased a multi-pack arrangement with a winning token.
[0010] Other aspects of this disclosure include multi-pack
container arrangements with the containers arranged side by side or
in an axially aligned condition (with or without a token), in which
both beverage and non-beverage containers are grouped together. The
containers can be of mixed sizes.
[0011] In still further embodiments, a multi-pack container
arrangement is provided which includes a wrapper and a tear strip.
Promotional printing (e.g., a message "You have won!") is placed on
the tear strip, e.g., on the side of the tear strip facing the
containers.
[0012] A variety of tear strip constructions are contemplated, such
as (1) providing perforations in the wrapper enabling a strip of
wrapper to be torn from the wrapper and release the wrapper from
the cans, (2) a pull strip (e.g., string or plastic) with a free
end extending circumferentially around the cans or arranged
vertically and extending from the top of the wrapper to the bottom
of the wrapper in a direction substantially parallel to the axial
alignment of the cans, or (3) still other constructions or devices
for tearing a wrapper either now known or later developed. The term
"tear strip" is intended to cover all such constructions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures
of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures
disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than
restrictive.
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-pack can arrangement
showing two cans axially aligned and covered by a shrink wrap film,
with the top of the lower can shown in dashed lines to show the
placement of a token on top of the lower can.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a cross section of the arrangement of FIG. 1 in
the location where the top of the lower can and the bottom of the
upper can.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a user manipulating a
tear strip in order to remove the wrapper from the cans.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED AND ALTERNATIVE
EMBODIMENTS
[0017] Referring now to FIG. 1, a packaging apparatus for multiple
cans is shown in a perspective view. The packaging apparatus
includes a wrapper 30, which may take the form of shrink-wrap film,
surrounding an upper or first can 10 and a lower or second can 20.
The film or wrapper 30 maintains the cans in a substantial axial
alignment with the first can 10 positioned above the second can 20.
The wrapper 30 includes printing on the exterior surface thereof,
including trademarks 32 or other printing identifying the contents,
product information 34, and a promotional tag line 36 to draw the
purchaser's attention that the packaging arrangement may include a
prize. The wrapper may surround the cans 10 and 20 and extend
substantially the entire axial length of the cans 10 and 20.
[0018] The wrapper may include printing on both the exterior
surface and the interior surface thereof. The wrapper may be
transparent, or may be opaque.
[0019] The size of the cans can vary. They need not be the same
size, for example one could be 6 oz. and the other could be 12 oz.
The cans need not both contain the same type of product. For
example, one can could contain a beverage and the other a snack
item. As another example, one can could contain a food item and the
other can could contain a non-food item, such as a T shirt, toy,
etc. In one preferred embodiment, the assembled dual pack can
arrangement is sized so as to be vendable from a standard vending
machine, e.g., a vending machine adapted to vend standard 12 oz.
aluminum beverage cans. Alternatively, the grouped containers could
be vended from a vending machine adapted to accommodate the
physical dimensions of the grouped containers.
[0020] A tear strip 50 is incorporated into the wrapper 30 for
facilitating removal of the wrapper from the first and second cans.
The tear strip 50 includes a free end 52 which is grasped by the
user and pulled downward to tear the wrapper and thereby separate
the wrapper from the cans. The tear strip 50 can take a variety of
forms, including a reinforced plastic strip, string, a strip of
wrapper material bounded by perforations extending the length of
the can, or other construction the details of which are not
important and can vary widely.
[0021] In one embodiment, the tear strip 50 contains printing. The
printing could be on the exterior surface or the interior surface.
In one embodiment, the interior surface of the tear strip contains
printing which is of a promotional nature. Such printing could for
example indicate that the purchaser is a winner of a prize.
[0022] The top of the lower can 20 is shown in phantom in FIG. 1 as
it is concealed by the upper can 10 and the wrapper 30 in the
arrangement of FIG. 1. The top of the lower can 20 includes a pull
tab 22 for opening the can. A token or prize 40 is placed between
the two cans, and in particular is placed on the surface of the top
of the lower can 20 and below the bottom (not shown in FIG. 1) of
the upper can 10. When the user removes the wrapper and separates
the upper can 10 from the lower can 20, the token is thus
exposed.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a cross section of the arrangement of FIG. 1 in
the location where the top of the lower can 20 and the bottom of
the upper can 10. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the bottom of the upper
can 10 includes a domed surface 14 (conventional in the art of
beverage cans) which creates a space 16 for the token 40 placed on
the top of the lower can 20.
[0024] The token 40, which may take the form of a coin or chip,
piece of paper or plastic, or other form, in one possible
embodiment is redeemable for a prize. For example, a multitude of
cans may be assembled in a multi-pack arrangement but only a select
few such multi-pack arrangements has a token 40. The token is
normally concealed in the multi-pack arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2
since it is hidden by virtue of it being placed between the top of
lower can and the bottom of the upper can. Only after the purchaser
removes the wrapper 30 and separates the cans 10 and 20 will the
purchaser know whether they have purchased a multi-pack arrangement
with a winning token.
[0025] In the event that the cans are not so configured with a dome
14 and the space between the top of the lower can and the bottom of
the upper can is limited, the token can preferably take the form of
sheet of paper or plastic with printing applied thereto to inform
the purchaser that they have won a prize and providing instructions
for redeeming the token. Thus, a token formed as a sheet of paper
or plastic would not affect the ability of the cans to be stacked
on top of each other in a stable relationship.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a user grasping the
tear strip 50 in their fingers 60 and pulling the tear strip 50
down in order to remove the wrapper 30 from the cans. The wrapper
is not adhesive to the cans in the preferred embodiment. Thus,
after the tear strip has been pulled to the bottom, the wrapper 30
is easily removed from the cans allowing the top can to be lifted
off of the bottom can and the user gain access to the contents.
[0027] In one embodiment, the cans comprise beverage cans.
Alternatively, the cans could contain other human or animal food
products, or the cans could contain non-food items such as tennis
balls, toys, game devices, clothing such as a T-shirt, or other
consumer products. The cans need not contain the same type of
product. For example, one can could include a snack food and a
second can a T-shirt. As another example, one can could contain a
beverage and a second can contain salted nuts or other snack
food.
[0028] The wrapper, token and tear strip concepts described above
can be extended to an arrangement of three or more cans assembled
together. Moreover, while FIG. 1 shows cans in an axially aligned
condition, the cans could be shrink-wrapped in a side-by side
arrangement. In this embodiment, the promotional message (e.g.,
indicating the purchaser won a prize) could be printed on the
inside of the wrapper or on the inside of the tear strip.
[0029] In another aspect, a method of packaging cans is provided.
The method includes the steps of placing a token 40 on the top of a
can 20; placing a second can 10 on top of the first can 20 in axial
alignment therewith to thereby conceal the token, as shown in FIG.
2 and then applying a wrapper 30 surrounding the first and second
cans to thereby maintain the cans in the axial alignment and
maintain the token in a concealed condition. The wrapper is
preferably a shrink wrap plastic film with a built-in tear strip,
with printing applied to the exterior surface thereof as shown in
FIG. 1. Methods for shrink wrapping articles such as cans are known
in the art and therefore detailed discussion of the apparatus for
shrink wrapping the cans is omitted for the sake of brevity.
[0030] In another aspect, a method of packaging containers is
provided which includes a step of providing a wrapper having a tear
strip, wherein printing is applied to the tear strip, and applying
the wrapper to at least two containers so as to group or hold the
containers in a group. The containers could be cans, bottles, boxes
or other type of containers. The containers need not be axially
aligned, e.g., they could be held in a side by side arrangement.
The printing applied to the tear strip is preferably applied to the
wrapper on the side facing the containers, so that it is not
visible when the grouped containers on placed the store shelf. The
user must remove the tear strip in order to read the printing on
the tear strip. In an alternative arrangement, the printing is
applied to the interior surface of the wrapper but not on the tear
strip. Again, only after the wrapper is removed is the purchaser
able to inspect the printing (e.g., to see if they wrapper is one
indicating the purchaser won a prize.)
[0031] While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have
been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize
certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations
thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended
claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include
all such modifications, permutations, additions and
sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope. For
example, many of the concepts of this disclosure could be applied
to bottles instead of cans, e.g., a side by side arrangement of
bottles with printing on the tear strip. The promotional nature of
the printing applied to the tear strip, wrapper, or token could
take a variety of forms designed to spur consumer interest or
demand for the product. Example include a "cents off" coupon, a
message indicating whether the purchaser won a prize (or did not
win), and a simple promotional message such as "Try our new product
X, you will like it!"
* * * * *