U.S. patent number 3,576,274 [Application Number 04/794,311] was granted by the patent office on 1971-04-27 for bottle carrier.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Finn Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Melchiore M. Stramaglia.
United States Patent |
3,576,274 |
Stramaglia |
April 27, 1971 |
BOTTLE CARRIER
Abstract
A bottle carrier which is fabricated from a single blank of
sheet material which is cut, scored, folded and glued in a fashion
such as to provide a knocked-down bottle carrier which can be
easily and quickly automatically erected simply by exerting
opposing forces on two of its opposite edges. The bottom of the
bottle carrier is self-erecting and pulls a centrally disposed
divider into position during the erection thereof.
Inventors: |
Stramaglia; Melchiore M.
(Castro Valley, CA) |
Assignee: |
The Finn Industries, Inc.,
(Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
25162293 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/794,311 |
Filed: |
January 27, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/183; 493/82;
493/59; 493/90 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
71/004 (20130101); B65D 71/0022 (20130101); B65D
2571/00524 (20130101); B65D 2571/00141 (20130101); B65D
2571/00783 (20130101); B65D 2571/00932 (20130101); B65D
2571/0066 (20130101); B65D 2571/00487 (20130101); B65D
2571/00728 (20130101); B65D 2571/00388 (20130101); B65D
2571/0029 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
71/00 (20060101); B65D 71/62 (20060101); B65D
71/58 (20060101); B65d 005/48 (); B65d
025/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/113,107,108,109,111,114,115 ;229/52 (BC)/ ;229/41 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bockenek; David M.
Claims
I claim:
1. A flat-foldable bottle carrier having four outer walls, two of
said walls having at one end thereof bottom closure flaps which
fold downwardly into a bottom for said bottle carrier as said walls
are separated after being folded flat; said two walls having at the
other end thereof carrier panels which are formed to provide a
vertically disposed handle portion and a horizontally-disposed
bottle receiving portion for receiving and carrying bottles; a
longitudinal divider disposed centrally within said bottle carrier
formed of a pair of divider panels, each of said divider panels
being integrally affixed to one of said bottom closure flaps along
one end thereof and to one of said carrier panels, said divider
panels further being substantially coextensive in area with one of
said carrier panels and overlaying said panel, said divider panels
also overlaying one another and being fixedly secured together,
whereby said divider panels and said carrier panels are
automatically forcibly urged into position by said bottom closure
flaps as the latter fold downwardly into said bottom for said
bottle carrier as said walls are separated after being folded
flat.
2. The flat-foldable bottle carrier of claim 1, wherein said four
outer walls comprise two sidewalls and two end walls, said two end
walls being folded in half along a score line thereon and the end
edges thereof being fixedly secured to the end edges of said two
sidewalls, respectively, with said end walls exposed when said
bottle carrier is folded flat, said bottom closure flaps being
integrally affixed to said sidewalls along one edge thereof and
sandwiched between said sidewalls in face-to-face relationship when
said bottle carrier is folded flat, said bottom closure flaps being
forcibly urged downwardly into bottom-forming position as said
outer walls are separated after being folded flat by exerting
opposing forces against the score lines on said two end walls,
respectively.
3. The flat-foldable bottle carrier of claim 2, wherein said
carrier panels having locking notches therein which are adapted to
frictionally and lockingly receive the top edges of said end walls
therein for holding said bottle carrier erect.
4. The flat-foldable bottle carrier of claim 1, wherein said
horizontally-disposed bottle receiving portion of each of said
carrier panels is formed to provide a centrally positioned cell for
receiving and carrying a bottle, said cell being flanked by a pair
of flaps which are foldable vertically downwardly into said bottle
carrier to form outboard cells on each of the opposite sides of
said center cell, flaps forming separators between bottles in said
outboard cells and said center cell, whereby all of said bottles in
said bottle carrier are substantially completely separated from one
another.
5. The flat-foldable bottle carrier of claim 4, wherein said center
cell normally is closed by a pair of foldable flaps which are
folded vertically downwardly within said bottle carrier to provide
additional separation between a bottle in said center cell and
bottles in said outboard cells.
Description
This invention relates to improved bottle carriers which are
fabricated from a single blank of sheet material in a fashion such
that they can be shipped and/or stored in a knocked-down or
flat-folded configuration and thereafter easily and automatically
erected.
An object of the invention is to provide improved bottle carriers
having solid outer walls or panels, thereby providing better
printing surfaces for advertising material and the like.
Another object is to provide improved bottle carriers constructed
in a fashion such as to provide full bottle separation.
Still another object is to provide improved bottle carriers having
a bottom wall which is more rigid than those on most similar types
of bottle carriers.
A still further object is to provide improved bottle carriers which
are constructed and folded in a fashion such that they can be
easily formed or erected in a bottling or glass plant, either
automatically or by hand.
Another object is to provide improved bottle carriers formed from a
single blank of sheet material, with a substantially irreducible
amount of waste material.
Still another object is to provide improved bottle carriers which
can be more easily glued than theretofore generally possible with
most similar types of bottle carriers.
A still further object is to provide improved bottle carriers
having a handle which is generally more rigid than the handles on
similar types of bottle carriers.
A still further object is to provide improved bottle carriers which
are adapted to be used in conjunction with existing machines for
forming, for erecting and for filling them, with little or no
modification to said machines.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in
part appear hereinafter.
The above objectives are accomplished with a bottle carrier which
is fabricated from a single blank of sheet material which is cut,
scored, folded and glued in a fashion such as to provide a
knocked-down bottle carrier which can be easily and quickly
automatically erected simply by exerting opposing forces on two of
its opposite edges. The bottom of the bottle carrier is self
erecting and pulls a centrally disposed divider into position
during the erection thereof. This divider not only separates the
bottles on the opposite sides thereof, but supports the bottom and
has a handle grip formed in it, at its top edge. Individual bottle
dividers are provided on each of the opposite sides of the center
divider and are automatically positioned by means of the bottles as
the latter are placed in the bottle carrier.
The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture
possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements
which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and
the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in
which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank of sheet material from which a
bottle carrier exemplary of a first embodiment of the invention is
formed;
FIGS. 2--4 are top plan views illustrating the manner in which the
blank of FIG. 1 is folded to form a bottle carrier;
FIGS. 5--7 are bottom views of the folded blank illustrating the
manner in which the bottom of the bottle carrier is formed;
FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the erected bottle carrier;
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a bottle carrier exemplary of
another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the blank of sheet material from
which the bottle carrier of FIG. 10 is formed;
FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along lines 12-12 of FIG. 10;
FIG. 13 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 13-13 of FIG.
10;
FIG. 14 is a top plan view of a blank of sheet material used to
form still another bottle carrier exemplary of the invention;
FIGS. 15--17 are views of the blank of sheet material of FIG. 14,
illustrating the manner in which it is folded to form the bottle
carrier shown in FIG. 23;
FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken substantially transversely
through the bottle carrier as it is being erected, to illustrate
the manner in which the panels and dividers thereof are pulled into
place;
FIGS. 19--22 are bottom views of the bottle carrier illustrating
the manner in which the bottom of the bottle carrier is formed;
FIG. 23 is a sectional view of the bottle carrier formed from the
blank of sheet material of FIG. 14, taken along lines 23--23 of
FIG. 22;
FIG. 24 is a side plan view of still another bottle carrier
exemplary of the invention;
FIG. 25 is a partial top plan view of a blank of sheet material
illustrating an alternate construction for providing additional
handle support; and
FIG. 26 is a view illustrating the manner in which the blank of
sheet material of FIG. 25 is folded.
Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the
several views of the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1--9 thereof, there is
shown a bottle carrier 150 (FIG. 8), exemplary of a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, which is formed from the
single blank of sheet material 151 shown in FIG. 1. This blank 151
is cut and scored in a fashion such as to form end panels 152 and
153 including end panel sections 152a, 152b and 153a, 153b,
respectively, side panels 154 and 155, and a small glue flap 156
which, when folded along score lines 158--163, form the outer
rectangular-shaped sidewalls of the bottle carrier 150. The glue
flap 156 has adhesive applied to it on the side opposite that shown
in FIG. 1, and is adhesively affixed to the end panel 152a so that
it lies interiorly of the bottle carrier 150. With this
construction, the sidewalls (the end panels 152 and 153 and the
side panels 154 and 155) of the bottle carrier 150 are in the form
of solid panels and are not interrupted with glue lines and the
like. Accordingly, the solid panels provide better printing
surfaces for vignettes, as well as the advertising material which
normally is applied to these bottle carriers, when compared to most
presently available similar types of bottle carriers. In addition
to providing better printing surfaces, these panels can be more
easily printed, and there is less likelihood of the design and the
decorativeness of the vignettes and the like being distorted or
otherwise disfigured when the bottle carrier is formed.
The blank 151 further is cut and scored to provide a self-forming
bottom including bottom panels 166 and 167, a centrally disposed
divider including divider panels 168 and 169, and a pair of panels
which, when the bottle carrier is erected, form handle portions 170
and 171 and individual bottle separator panels 172 and 173. As can
be best seen in FIG. 9, the divider panels 168 and 169 are abutted
together face-to-face centrally of the bottle carrier 150 and the
upper portions thereof are sandwiched between the handle portions
170 and 171, when the bottle carrier is erected. The upper portions
of the divider panels 168 and 169 are adhesively affixed to the
handle portions 170 and 171, respectively, and further are
adhesively or otherwise secured to one another, so as to provide a
strong, rigid handle. The divider panels 168 and 169 have hand
openings 174 in them which are positioned so that they align with
one another when the bottle carrier is erected, so as to form a
single hand opening 175, as can be seen in FIG. 8.
The individual bottle separator panels 172 and 173 are horizontally
disposed when the bottle carrier 150 is erected, and each of them
has formed therein a centrally disposed bottle receiving opening
177 which is normally covered by two small divider flaps 178 and
179 which can be folded along score lines 180, to depend vertically
downwardly into the bottle carrier, as can be best seen in FIG. 8.
The edges 181 of these divider flaps 178 and 179 also
advantageously are cut in a sinusoidal fashion to provide
additional lengths of board material between the bottles placed in
the bottle carriers. The openings 177 each also are flanked by a
pair of foldable divider flaps 182 and 183 which are automatically
folded along the score lines 180 so as to depend vertically
downwardly within the bottle carrier 150, as can be best seen in
FIG. 8, when bottles are placed in the bottle carrier. It can
therefore be seen that all of the bottles placed in the bottle
carrier 150 are substantially completely separated from one
another, by means of the centrally disposed divider formed by the
divider panels 168, 169 and the divider flaps 182 and 183.
It also may be noted that bottles placed in the bottle carrier 150
seat on the bottom panels 166 and 167, and the weight of these
bottles help to fully erect or form the bottom. When the filled
bottle carrier is picked up by the handle portions 170 and 171, the
divider panels 168 and 169 being adhesively affixed to these handle
portions support the bottom panels 166 and 167. This fact, as well
as the fact that the bottom panels are integral with the side
panels 154, 155 and the divider panels 168, 169, substantially, if
not completely, eliminates the possibility of the bottom tearing
out of the bottle carrier as a result of a glue seam parting. The
double handle strengthens the bottle carrier and, in addition, is
fairly rigid so as to provide a secure feeling to anyone carrying
the bottle carrier.
The blank 151 is folded in the manner described below, to form the
bottle carrier 150. Adhesive first is applied to the blank 151, at
glue areas 185--190, and it is then folded along the score lines
191 and 192 to affix the strengthening flaps 193 and 194 in
overlapping relationship on the handle portions 170 and 171.
Thereafter, or simultaneously with the above-described folding
operation, the blank 151 is folded along the score lines 196 and
197 so that the bottom panels 166 and 167 and the divider panels
168 and 169 overlay the side panels 154, 155, the individual
separator panels 172, 173 and a portion of the handle portions 170
and 171, as shown in FIG. 2.
Next, adhesive is applied to the glue areas 198, 199, 215 and 216,
and then the blank 151 is folded over along the score line 161, as
illustrated in FIG. 3, so that the divider panels 168 and 169 are
adhesively affixed together. Prior to making the above-described
fold, adhesive preferably is applied to the back side of the glue
flap 156, as indicated by the dotted area 200 in FIG. 3.
Alternatively, however, this adhesive can be applied after the fold
is made. Adhesive also is applied to the glue area 201 on the end
panel section 152a. The final fold then is made along score lines
158, to fold the end panel section 152a in overlapping relationship
on the end panel section 152b and the glue flap 156. With this
fold, the glue flap 156 is affixed to the inside of the end panel
section 152a, as shown in FIG. 4.
The bottle carrier 150 now is completely formed and, as can be seen
in FIG. 4, is in a knocked-down configuration so that it can be
easily shipped and/or stored. It may be noted that the bottle
carrier is formed from the blank 151 with a minimum number of
folds. Also, the blank 151 can be automatically folded and glued,
as well as being erected in the manner hereinafter described, on
most existing apparatus for forming bottle carriers, with little or
no modification to this apparatus.
To erect the bottle carrier 150, opposing forces, as indicated by
the arrows 217 and 218 in FIGS. 5--7, are exerted against the two
opposite edges of the folded blank 151. As these forces are
applied, the opposite side panels 154 and 155 are forced to spread
apart, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6. As these side panels
spread apart, the bottom panels 166 and 167 are caused to unfold,
downwardly into bottom-closing positions, as illustrated in FIGS.
6, 7 and 9, 13. As these bottom panels 166 and 167 are forced into
their bottom-closing positions, they pull the divider panels 168
and 169 into position, vertically disposed centrally of the bottle
carrier, as can be best seen in FIG. 9. It may further be noted
that the individual separator panels 172 and 173 are folded along
the score lines 204 and 205 and are pulled into their horizontally
disposed positions, on each of the opposite sides of the divider
panels 168 and 169, as the latter panels are pulled into
position.
It may be noted that the handle portions 170 and 171 each have a
pair of locking notches 207 and 208 formed therein which are
aligned when these handle portions are overlapped. These locking
notches 207 and 208 are adapted to frictionally receive the top
edge of the end panel 152 and 153 therein, respectively, to
maintain the bottle carrier erect, until a bottle, or bottles, is
placed in it. Once the bottles are placed within it, which can be
done automatically or manually, the bottles forcibly urge the
bottom panels 166 and 167 downwardly, which action tends to keep
the top edges of the end panels 152 and 153 engaged within the
locking notches 207 and 208, and the bottle carrier erect.
When the bottoms of the bottles engage the small divider flaps 178
and 179, the latter are forced to fold along the score lines 180 so
that they depend downwardly within the bottle carrier, as can be
best seen in FIG. 8. Likewise, the divider flaps 182 and 183 are
forced downward into the bottle carrier, to separate the bottles.
These divider flaps 182 and 183 advantageously are scored along
score lines 209 and 210 to permit them to be more easily forced
into position. If these divider flaps are not scored, they may not
drop into position, since the outer ends thereof overlap the edges
of the end panels. The longer length, however, is desirable to
provide a greater amount of material between adjacent bottles. The
edges 211 of these divider flaps 182 and 183 also are preferably
angularly cut, as can be best seen in FIG. 1, to provide a
clearance to prevent them from snagging on the edge of the glue
flap 156, as they are being forced into the interior of the bottle
carrier.
In FIGS. 10--13, there is shown a bottle carrier 10, exemplary of
another embodiment of the invention, which is formed from the
single blank of sheet material 12 shown in FIG. 11. This blank 12
is cut and scored in a fashion such as to form end panels 14 and
15, side panels 16 and 17, and a small glue flap 18 which, when
folded along score lines 19--22, form the outer rectangular-shaped
sidewalls of the bottle carrier 10. The glue flap 18 has adhesive
applied to it on the side opposite that shown in FIG. 11, and is
adhesively affixed to the end panel 14 so that it lies interiorly
of the bottle carrier 10. It can be seen that this construction is
like that of the bottle carrier 150 so that the sidewalls of the
bottle carrier 10 also are in the form of solid panels and are not
interrupted with glue lines and the like. Accordingly, with this
bottle carrier also, better printing surfaces for vignettes, as
well as the advertising material which normally is applied to these
bottle carriers are provided.
The blank 12 further is cut and scored to provide a self-forming
bottom including bottom panels 24--27, a centrally disposed divider
including divider panels 28 and 29, and a pair of panels which,
when the bottle carrier is erected, form handle portions 30 and 31
and individual bottle separator panels 32 and 33. As can be best
seen in FIGS. 10 and 12, the divider panels 28 and 28 are abutted
together face-to-face centrally of the bottle carrier 10 and the
upper portions thereof are sandwiched between the handle portions
30 and 31, when the bottle carrier is erected. The upper portions
of the divider panels 28 and 29 are adhesively affixed to the
handle portions 30 and 31, respectively. Normally, these divider
panels 28 and 29 are not adhesively or otherwise secured to one
another, however, they may be secured together, in some suitable
fashion, at a brewery or glass plant where the bottle carrier is
erected, to increase the rigidity of the handle. The divider panels
28, 29 and the handle portions 30, 31 each have hand openings 34 in
them which are positioned so that they all are aligned with one
another when the bottle carrier is erected, so as to form a single
hand opening 35, as can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 12.
The individual bottle separator panels 32 and 33 are horizontally
disposed when the bottle carrier 10 is erected, and each of them
has a centrally disposed bottle receiving opening 37 formed in it
which is flanked by a pair of foldable divider flaps 38 and 39
which are formed by cut lines 36 and score lines 41. These foldable
divider flaps 38 and 39 are automatically folded along the score
lines 41 so as to depend vertically downwardly within the bottle
carrier 10, as can be best seen in FIG. 13, when bottles are placed
in the bottle carrier. It can therefore be seen that all of the
bottles placed in the bottle carrier 10 are substantially
completely separated from one another, by means of the centrally
disposed divider formed by the divider panels 28, 29 and the
divider flaps 38 and 39.
It also may be noted that bottles placed in the bottle carrier 10
seat on the bottom panels 25 and 27, and the weight of these
bottles help to fully erect or form the self-forming bottom. When
the filled bottle carrier is picked up by the handle portions 30
and 31, the divider panels 28 and 29 being adhesively affixed to
these handle portions support the bottom panels 25 and 27. This
fact, as well as the fact that the bottom panels are integral with
the side panels 16, 17 and the divider panels 28, 29,
substantially, if not completely, eliminates the possibility of the
bottom tearing out of the bottle carrier as a result of a glue seam
parting. The double handle strengthens the bottle carrier and, in
addition, is fairly rigid so as to provide a secure feeling to
anyone carrying the bottle carrier.
Still another bottle carrier 40 which is generally like the bottle
carrier 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 14--23. This bottle carrier
provides some additional advantages not provided by the carrier 10,
and in addition with it, the amount of material required to
fabricate it can be reduced.
The bottle carrier 40 is formed from the single blank of sheet
material 42 which is shown in FIG. 14 and which is cut, scored,
folded and glued in a fashion such as to form end panels 43, 44,
side panels 45, 46, and a small glue flap 47, which when folded
along score lines 48--51, form the solid outer rectangular-shaped
sidewalls of the bottle carrier. The blank 42 like the blank 12
further is cut and scored to provide a self-forming bottom
including bottom panels 52--55, a centrally disposed divider
including divider panels 56 and 57, and a pair of panels which,
when the bottle carrier is erected, form handle portions 58, 59 and
individual bottle separator panels 60, 61. The principal
distinctions between the blanks 12 and 42 are in the shape of the
divider panels 56, 57, the handle portions 58, 59 and the bottle
separator panels 60, 61 which, in the case of the blank 42, are cut
so that the blanks cut from a larger sheet of material are
reversible and nest with one another to permit them to be cut with
a substantially irreducible amount of waste material. It is
therefore apparent that substantial savings in the cost of
materials used to fabricate the bottle carriers 40 are provided.
Other improvements and savings will be apparent from the
description which follows.
More specifically, the handle portions 58, 59 have side edges 63
which are cut at an angle such as to permit the handle portions on
another blank 42 to be nested with them, to reduce the amount of
waste material which results from cutting the blanks from a larger
sheet of material. The side edges 64 of the divider panels 56, 57
also are cut at an angle, for the same reason. In addition, the
length of the divider panels is shortened so that the top portions
thereof do not completely overlap the handle portions 58 and 59, as
can be seen in FIG. 15. Cutting the edges 64 in this fashion and
shortening the length of the divider panels not only reduces the
amount of material used in the bottle carriers, but it improves the
decorative appearance of the bottle carriers so that they are more
attractive. To compensate for the lack of overlapping material, the
handle portions 58, 59 are provided with small strengthening flaps
65, 66 which are folded over along the score lines 67 and
adhesively affixed to the handle portions. These flaps 65, 66
strengthen the handle portions and provide a more rigid feeling to
the bottle carrier while the latter is being carried.
The individual bottle separator panels 60, 61 are cut and scored in
generally the same fashion as the separator panels 172 and 173 of
the bottle carrier 150. In particular, it can be seen that these
panels are cut to provide two small divider flaps 68, 69 which can
be folded along score lines 70, to depend vertically downwardly
into the bottle carrier, as can be best seen in FIG. 23. The edges
71 of these divider flaps 68, 69 also are cut in a sinusoidal
fashion and the length of the foldable divider flaps 73 and 74
flanking the divider flaps 68, 69 is lengthened so that these
divider flaps likewise provide substantially more separation
between the bottles in the bottle carrier.
The blank 42 is folded in the manner described below, to form the
bottle carrier 40. The blank 12 is formed in a fashion similar to
that used in forming the bottle carrier 10. Adhesive first is
applied to the blank 42, at flue areas 75--78. Adhesive also can be
applied at glue areas 79 and 80 instead of or in addition to the
glue areas 76 and 78, however, the adhesive preferably is applied
only to the glue areas 76 and 78. After applying the adhesive, the
blank 42 is folded along the score lines 67 to affix the
strengthening flaps 65 and 66 in overlapping relationship on the
handle portions 58 and 59. Thereafter, or simultaneously with the
above-described folding operation, the blank 42 is folded along the
score line 82 which extends across the entire width of the blank,
so that the bottom panels 52--55 and the divider panels 56 and 57
overlay the side panels 45, 46, the individual separator panels 60,
61 and a portion of the handle portions 58 and 59, as shown in FIG.
15. As this fold is being made, the triangular-shaped tug tabs 84
and 85 are folded back along the score lines 86 and 87 to overlay
the bottom panels 52 and 54. Adhesive then is applied to the tug
tabs 84 and 85, as indicated by the dotted areas 88 and 89.
Next, that portion of the blank 42 to the right of the score line
50 is folded over atop the portion to the left of the score line
50, as shown in FIG. 16. In doing so, the tug tab 85 is adhesively
affixed to the bottom panel 55, generally in the area indicated by
the dotted area 90 in FIG. 15. Prior to making the above-described
fold, adhesive preferably is applied to the back side of the glue
flap 47, as indicated by the dotted area 91 in FIG. 16.
Alternatively, however, this adhesive can be applied after the fold
is made. The final fold is along score line 48, to fold the end
panel 43 and the bottom panel 52 in overlapping relationship and to
affix the glue flap 47 to the inside of the end panel 43, as shown
in FIG. 17. With this fold, the tug tab 84 is adhesively affixed to
the bottom panel 53, generally in the area indicated by the dotted
area 92, in FIG. 16. The bottle carrier 40 now is completely formed
and, as can be seen in FIG. 17, is in a knocked-down
configuration.
To erect the bottle carrier 40, opposing forces, as indicated by
the arrows 95 and 96 in FIGS. 19--22, are exerted against the two
opposite edges of the folded blank 42. As these forces are applied,
the opposite side panels 45 and 46 are forced to spread apart, in
the manner illustrated in FIG. 20. As these side panels spread
apart, the bottom panels 52 and 54 are caused to unfold, downwardly
and, in doing so, the tug tabs 84 and 85 pull the bottom panels 53
and 55 into bottom-closing positions, as illustrated in FIGS. 21
and 22. As these bottom panels 53 and 55 are being pulled into
their bottom-closing positions, the divider panels 56 and 57 also
are pulled into position, vertically disposed centrally of the
bottle carrier, as can be best seen in FIG. 18. It may further be
noted that the individual separator panels 60 and 61 are folded
along the score lines 97 and 98 and are pulled into their
horizontally disposed positions, on each of the opposite sides of
the divider panels 56 and 57, as the latter panels are pulled into
position. In this respect, the construction of the bottle carrier
40 is unique in that it not only has a self-forming bottom, but the
latter further functions to erect the dividers within the bottle
carrier. The self-forming bottom strengthens the bottle carrier and
increases the speed at which the bottle carriers can be
erected.
Once the bottle carrier 40 is erected, bottles can be placed within
it, automatically or manually. As the bottoms of the bottles engage
the small divider flaps 68 and 69, the latter are forced to fold
along the score lines 70, so that they depend downwardly within the
bottle carrier, as can be best seen in FIG. 23. Likewise, the
divider flaps 73 and 74 are forced downward into the bottle
carrier, to separate the bottles. These divider flaps 73 and 74 are
scored along score lines 99 and 100 to permit them to be more
easily forced into position. The edges 101 of these divider flaps
73 and 74 also are preferably angularly cut, as can be best seen in
FIG. 14, to provide a clearance to prevent them from snagging on
the edge of the glue flap 47, as they are being forced into the
interior of the bottle carrier.
In FIG. 24, there is illustrated still another bottle carrier 105
which is generally like and is formed in the same general fashion
as the bottle carriers 10 and 40. However, it may be noted that the
center cell 106 thereof, on each of the opposite sides of the
center divider, is lowered so as to provide a tapering profile
appearance. This tapered appearance is provided by, for example,
angularly cutting the edges 101 of the divider flaps 73 and 74 of
the blank 42 so that these edges extend into the side panels 45 and
46, instead of away from them. In this case also, the divider flaps
107 and 108 are shortened in length so that they extend
substantially to the bottom wall 109.
In FIGS. 25 and 26, there is illustrated an alternate construction
for reenforcing the handle portions of a bottle carrier. In this
case, a handle reenforcement flap 110 substantially corresponding
to the outline of the handle portion 111 is cut in the divider
portion 112 and is adapted to be folded along a score line 113.
This handle reenforcement flap 110 is folded along the score line
113, as the blank 115 is folded along the score line 116 in the
manner described above, so that it can be adhesively affixed to the
handle portion 111, as illustrated in FIG. 26. The hand opening 118
in the handle reenforcement flap 110 is positioned so that it
aligns with a substantially similar hand opening 119 in the handle
portion 111.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those
made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently
attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above
article without departing from the scope of the invention, it is
intended that all matter contained in the above description or
shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended
to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention
herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention,
which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall
therebetween.
Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new
and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
* * * * *