U.S. patent number 3,784,002 [Application Number 05/246,037] was granted by the patent office on 1974-01-08 for multiple container carrier and individual container lid arrangement.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Illinois Tool Works Inc.. Invention is credited to Ronald Charles Owen.
United States Patent |
3,784,002 |
Owen |
January 8, 1974 |
MULTIPLE CONTAINER CARRIER AND INDIVIDUAL CONTAINER LID
ARRANGEMENT
Abstract
A multiple container package for cans and the like having
outward chime, rim or bead formations at the upper ends thereof and
in which there is provided a carrier in the form of a resilient
deformable sheet of plastic material preformed to provide
downwardly open recessed pockets receiving the upper end portions
of containers arranged in side by side relationship in the package
with the material around the open end of each pocket stretched to
pass over an associated chime or rim formation and then resiliently
contracted as a gripping edge in engagement with the container wall
beneath the chime formation for assembly of the containers in the
package and transport thereof, the material of the plastic sheet
forming the closed end of each pocket being joined to the adjacent
gripping edge by a substantially inert or relaxed annular wall
portion which has been stretched beyond its elastic limit; and the
carrier sheet being provided with weakened web portions between
adjacent containers in the package permitting selective removal of
one or more containers from the package with the remnant recessed
sheet material remaining attached thereto and separately removable
to permit opening of the container proper and dispensing of the
contents thereof and then reusable as a reclosure lid for the
opened container where only part of the contents has been
dispensed.
Inventors: |
Owen; Ronald Charles (Harwood
Heights, IL) |
Assignee: |
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
(Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22929079 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/246,037 |
Filed: |
April 20, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/158;
229/120.012; 294/87.2; 229/927 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
71/50 (20130101); Y10S 229/927 (20130101); Y02W
30/807 (20150501); Y02W 30/80 (20150501) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
71/50 (20060101); B65d 071/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/56AB,65C,65E,65S
;294/87.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dixson, Jr.; William T.
Assistant Examiner: Lipman; Steven E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Robert W. Beart et al.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A package of a plurality of containers arranged in side by side
relationship and each container having an outward end rim
formation; and comprising a carrier sheet of initially resiliently
deformable plastic material having downwardly open pocket
formations each receiving a container end portion and including a
cover portion and an annular wall portion enclosing an associated
container rim formation and joined to a resilient gripping edge
portion at the open end of each pocket formation and stretched over
a corresponding container rim formation and resiliently contracted
to grip the container body wall therebelow for assembly of
containers in the package and transport thereof; and with the
gripping edge portions of each pocket formation connected to one
another by web portions of the carrier sheet in the original
package, the said web portions being intermediately severable to
permit unitary removal of a container and associated pocket
formation from the package and with the remnant edges of the web
portion serving as gripping leverage surfaces for removing the
pocket formation from the container to be opened for dispensing of
the contents therefrom and which opened container may be reclosed
by application of the pocket formation over the open end thereof as
a protective lid assembly where only part of the contents have been
dispensed from the container, and wherein the annular wall portion
of each pocket formation is substantially inert, as compared with
the remainder of the sheet carrier, and flexible to facilitate
application and removal of the pocket formation relative to an
associated container and to accommodate rim formations of varying
dimensions.
2. A package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the web portions of the
carrier sheet between adjacent pocket formations are provided with
transverse and longitudinal lines of weakness facilitating removal
of containers and respective pocket formations from the
package.
3. A package as claimed in claim 2, wherein transverse lines of
weakness terminate in slits directed inwardly from longitudinal
edges of the carrier sheet.
4. A package as claimed in claim 3, wherein the remnant web
portions adjacent the slits provide enlarged gripping surfaces
facilitating removal of pocket formations from associated
containers.
5. A package of a plurality of containers arranged in side by side
relationship and each container having an outward end rim
formation; and comprising a carrier sheet of initially resiliently
deformable plastic material having downwardly open pocket
formations each receiving a container end portion and including a
cover portion and an annular wall portion enclosing an associated
container rim formation and joined to a resilient gripping edge
portion at the open end of each pocket formation and stretched over
a corresponding container rim formation and resiliently contracted
to grip the container body wall therebelow for assembly of
containers in the package and transport thereof; and with the
gripping edge portions of each pocket formation connected to one
another by web portions of the carrier sheet in the original
package, the said web portions being intermediately severable to
permit unitary removal of a container and associated pocket
formation from the package and with the remnant edges of the web
portion serving as gripping leverage surfaces for removing the
pocket formation from the container to be opened for dispensing of
the contents therefrom and which opened container may be reclosed
by application of the pocket formation over the open end thereof as
a protective lid assembly where only part of the contents have been
dispensed from the container, and wherein the annular wall portion
of each pocket formation is stretched beyond its elastic limit to
render the same substantially inert and flexible for adaptation to
container rim formations of varying dimensions.
6. A carrier for a plurality of containers with outward end rim
formations; and comprising a sheet of resiliently deformable
plastic material having downwardly open pocket formations arranged
in side by side relationship for receiving end portions of
containers and supporting the same, each pocket formation including
a cover portion to overlie a container end and joined by a
substantially inert and flexible annular wall portion to a reduced
diameter gripping edge at the open end of the pocket to be
stretched over the container rim formation and contracted into
resilient gripping engagement with the container body wall
therebelow, and with the annular wall portion adapting the pocket
formations to container rim formations of varying dimensional
configurations and facilitating application and removal thereof,
and wherein the annular wall portions are stretched in excess of
the elastic limit thereof to render the same substantially inert
and flexible as compared to the remainder of the carrier sheet
material.
7. A carrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein web portions of the
carrier sheet between adjacent pocket formations are provided with
longitudinal and transverse lines of weakness facilitating
separation of pocket formations and containers associated therewith
from a multi-container package leaving a remnant web formation
around each pocket.
8. A carrier as claimed in claim 7, wherein the ends of the
longitudinal lines of weakness and the inner ends of the transverse
lines of weakness terminate in apertures in the carrier sheet
disposed lengthwise along the center thereof between adjacent
pocket formations.
9. A carrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outer ends of each
transverse line of weakness terminates at inwardly cut edges along
the length of the side edges of the carrier sheet.
10. A carrier as claimed in claim 9, wherein inwardly cut edges are
in the form of slits leaving adjacent enlarged surfaces to service
as gripping means in the remnant web portion when a pocket
formation is removed from the carrier sheet.
Description
This invention is concerned with a multiple container package
including carrier sheet means for transport thereof with the
containers arranged in side by side relationship, and adapted to be
selectively removed from the package.
Multiple container packages of the above general type have been
provided. In some of these packages, the carrier sheet is apertured
in accordance with the packaged container arrangement and the upper
ends of the containers, such as cans arranged in a six pack, are
projected through corresponding apertures in the carrier sheet with
the edge material around each aperture variously engaging the can
bodies and bead formations. The cans may be manipulated in various
ways, as by twisting, tilting or the like, to separate an
individual can from the package. In other types of similar
packages, the carrier sheet has been formed with downwardly open
recesses or pockets receiving the upper ends of cans or similar
containers with the sheet material of the pockets gripping the
container chime formations and the body walls therebelow.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a
pocketed carrier sheet with the tops of individual containers
disposed in corresponding pockets with the material around the open
end of each pocket serving as a resilient gripping edge engaging
the body wall of an associated container beneath the chime or rim
formation to secure the containers together in the package for
transport, and with the closed ends of the pockets and connecting
annular portions enclosing the tops of the containers and sides of
the chime formations, respectively.
An object of the invention is to provide such a package wherein the
carrier sheet includes web portions between adjacent containers
with lines of weakness facilitating selective removal of one or
more containers from the package with the pockets and included web
portions remaining attached to the removed containers.
Another object of the invention is to provide a package
substantially of the above type wherein the individual pocket and
web formations may be conveniently removed from an associated
container permitting opening of the container and dispensing of
contents therefrom and wherein the pocket and web formation may be
reapplied as a reclosure lid to the opened container when only part
of the contents is dispensed.
A further object of the invention is to provide a package
substantially of the above type wherein the annular connecting wall
between the closed end and the gripping edge of each pocket
formation is substantially inert and flexible, as by being
initially stretched beyond its elastic limit, to facilitate
application and removal as a reclosure lid, and to accommodate
container chime or rim formations of varying dimensions and shapes,
since the essential gripping of the container is by the gripping
edge around the open end of each pocket.
The above and other objects of the invention will in part be
obvious and will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.
In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a multiple container
package;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container and attached pocket and
web formation removed from the package of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the container
assembly of FIG. 2, partly in section on the line 3--3, showing the
pocket formation;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a multiple container
package with a modified form of carrier;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a container and attached web and
pocket formation removed from the package of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of still further modified
carrier for a multiple container package, and
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side section showing a web and pocket
formation in association with a modified flanged or rimmed
container.
With reference to FIG. 1, the carrier sheet is shown with a package
of ten or more containers 10 arranged in pairs. The carrier sheet
is provided with central square apertures 12 along the length
thereof with the transverse apices in line with transverse lines of
weakness 14, 14a in webs of the carrier sheet between pairs of
container receiving pocket formations 16 and 16a and with the
longitudinal apices in line with longitudinal lines of weakness 18
in webs of the carrier sheet between pairs of longitudinally
disposed pocket formations 16, 16a. The invention contemplates that
the apertures 12 need not be square but alternatively may be made
curvilinear. The lines of weakness may be provided by scoring,
perforating and the like, and the transverse lines of weakness 14,
14a terminate at the outer side edges of the carrier sheet in
inward notches or slits 20, 20a, respectively. The slits 20, 20a
facilitate initial removal of one or more containers from the
carrier by separating along the lines of weakness 14 and 18 and one
such removed container 10 with its attached pocket formation 16 is
shown in FIG. 2 with a remnant web 22 attached and presenting
enlarged corner gripping surfaces 22a, 22b for leverage in removing
the pocket formation from the removed container.
Reference is made to FIG. 3 for a detail description of a pocket
formation 16 which includes a cover or protective lid portion 24
integral with an annular wall portion 26 which, in turn, is
integral with a gripping edge portion 28 at the open end of the
pocket formation. The radius R of the cover portion 24 is less than
the radius Ry of the pocket aperture defined by the gripping edge
portion 28. This radius Ry is, in turn, less than the radius Rx of
the rim formation 30 on the container and also slightly less than
the radius of the container body below the rim formation. Thus, in
application the pocket formations to the containers either in the
original package or re-applying a pocket formation to a partially
emptied container, the gripping edge portion 28 must be stretched
over the rim formation to then resiliently engage the container
body therebelow. The annular wall portion 26 is shown as being
slightly thinner than the cover 24 and web 22 and this results from
initial cold forming of the plastic sheet to form the pockets with
the material of the annular side wall 26 stretched beyond its
elastic limit to render the same substantially inert and flexibly
relaxed. Thus, the annular wall portion 26 does not enter into the
gripping and support of an included container which is essentially
gripped only by the gripping edge 28. While the wall portion 26 is
shown at the left of FIG. 3 as generally conforming to the
container rim formation 30, this is because of the dimensioning of
that rim formation. If the rim formation were smaller in vertical
or radial extent, the wall portion would assume the loose or
relaxed position indicated by the dotted lines 26a at the right of
FIG. 3. For further illustration in this connection, reference is
made to FIG. 7 where the container 10a is of the type having a thin
radial flange 30a as the rim formation. In this case, the cover
portion 24 will more or less seat on the flange as the gripping
edge portion 28 grips the container body wall therebelow. Here, the
wall portion 26 will be relaxed in folds as in accordion fashion or
otherwise depending on the extent of wall material available
relative to the dimensioning of the rim formation.
Modifications of the carrier sheet are shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. In
FIG. 4, the carrier sheet includes the central openings 12 and the
transverse lines of weakness 14, 14a as well as the longitudinal
lines of weakness 18 along the respective webs of the carrier sheet
between pocket formations 16, 16a. In lieu of the enlarged web
corner portions 22a, 22b of FIG. 1, there cut outs 32, 32a along
the longitudinal outer edges of the carrier sheet between each pair
of containers. A container 10 removed from this carrier sheet is
shown in FIG. 5 where the remnant web 34 is octagonal and provides
peripheral areas for gripping to remove the pocket formation from
the container. In FIG. 6, the carrier sheet combines certain
features of the carrier sheets of FIGS. 1 and 4. This carrier sheet
includes the central openings 12 and the transverse lines of
weakness 14, 14a, as well as the longitudinal lines of weakness 18.
However, the side edges of the sheet have alternate cut outs 36,
36a and notches or slits 38, 38a, thus dividing the carrier sheet
pockets into groups of four. The four container groups may be
removed as a unit, preferably by separating the same along the
lines of weakness 14, 14a from the apices of the cut outs 36, 36a,
respectively, thus leaving intermediate notches 38, 38a to
facilitate subdividing the group by removing one or a pair of
containers, as desired. With such sub-division, there will remain
enlarged corner gripping surfaces 40, 40a and 42, 42a to facilitate
removal of pocket formations from a container to be opened.
In each of the carrier sheets with multiple containers, four, six,
eight or more, assembled therewith, the apertures 12, which may be
of any desired shape, serve as finger or handle grip apertures in
transporting the package. Where a two-pack is removed from the
package, the ends of the web therebetween at the adjacent apertures
12 will serve as gripping or purchase edges for transport. As will
be apparent, selected groups of two or more containers, or even one
container, may be removed from the original package. This may be
accomplished by twisting or other manipulation to cause severance
along the appropriate lines of weakness 14, 14a, 18 and such
severance may be initiated along the notches 20 or 20a of FIG. 1,
or the notches 38, 38a of FIG. 6. Such a removed container and
pocket formation from the package of FIG. 1 will appear as in FIG.
2; or one from the package of FIG. 4 will appear as in FIG. 5; or
one removed from the package of FIG. 6 will have a comparable web
formation around the pocket. Thereafter the pocket formation may be
removed from the container by leverage manipulation of the remnant
web, as by grasping the enlarged portions thereof, such as 22a,
22b, 42, 42a. The flexible wall portion 26 facilitates this removal
in that only the gripping edge 28 need be stretched to clear the
container rim formation, that is, the wall portion 26 inherently
offers no resistance to this manipulation. Thereafter the container
may be opened in conventional manner, as by a can opener, or by
manipulation of a pull tab if one is incorporated in the container
lid for beverages and the like, or by removal of a peripheral band
releasing the entire container lid formation including the bead or
rim. Where only part of the contents is disposed, as in certain
food or ingredient containers, the removed pocket formation serves
as a convenient re-closure which can be easily applied to the open
end of the container, requiring only stretching of the gripping
edge 28 and this gripping edge will serve to grip the wall of those
containers where the entire lid has been removed, leaving the
container closed by the cover portion 24 and the wall portion 26 in
completely relaxed or folded condition, such as in FIG. 7. The
carrier sheet is formed of a suitable resiliently deformable
plastic material, such as polyethylene, and the wall portion when
stretched to exceed its elastic limit may take on an opaque whitish
color.
* * * * *