Container Package

Abstract

A multi-packaging device for containers is disclosed as having a plurality of flattened bands of stretchable and elastic plastic material which are interconnected to each other so as to provide a succession of material bands when opened for gripping and holding containers together as a group. The method of manufacturing multi-packaging devices from one or more elongated flattened plastic tubular elements is also disclosed.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the common practice today to multi-package a plurality of canned products together as a group through the use of apertured plastic sheet carrier devices, wrap-around cardboard devices or shrink-wrap plastic tubing devices. Each of the known devices have features which make them advantageous for particular container applications. From the standpoint of market penetration; however, apertured plastic sheet carrier devices of the type disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 2,874,835 have had the widest impact in the can multi-packaging field because of the economic advantages over the multi-packaging devices and their adaptability to high speed applicating equipment. The present invention is directed to a plastic multi-packaging device which is generally similar to apertured plastic sheet carrier devices, but which has distinctly different and improved aspects providing marked advantages thereover.

Apertured sheet plastic carrier devices are stamped from a ribbon or web of plastic material, wound about a reel for storage purposes, and then unwound from the reel for assembly to cans by high speed applicating equipment. Even though apertured sheet plastic carrier devices have embodied the best efforts of those concerned in its development, such devices have disadvantages particularly in the efficient utilization of material from a manufacturing, storage and use standpoint. More specifically, apertured sheet plastic carrier devices produce a large amount of scrap during manufacture, require special storage and shipping reels, and demand certain sheet material thicknesses and machinery requirements due to the manner in which the material which surrounds the apertures in the plastic sheet is stretched and deformed to the shape of tubular necks prior to the application to containers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved plastic multi-packaging device and container package.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plastic multi-packaging device which facilitates manufacture, shipment and storage and the use thereof in forming container packages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method for manufacturing plastic multi-packaging carrier devices for containers.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are attained by the provision of a plurality of flattened bands of stretchable and elastic plastic material which are at least initially interconnected to each other so as to provide a succession of material bands when opened. The method of the present invention is achieved by forming, in at least one elongated flattened tube of stretchable and elastic plastic material, a plurality of pairs of parallel slits each defining flattened material bands with connecting webs between the flattened bands which provide an interconnected series of flattened material bands.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container package including a plurality of canned products and a plastic multi-packaging or carrier device which is constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the container package shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings on a slightly smaller scale;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the container package shown in FIG. 1 on a scale similar to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of an interconnected pair of flattened tubular elements from which one form of multi-packaging or carrier device of the present invention may be formed;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of an interconnected series of flattened material bands of the type which forms the multi-packaging device shown in FIGS. 1-3 of the drawing;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the interconnected series of flattened material bands shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, but illustrating how the flattened bands are opened up to form multipackaging devices;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a plastic multi-packaging device which is formed from the interconnected series of flattened material bands shown in FIGS. 5-6 of the drawings;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of an interconnected pair of flattened tubular elements which are connected along the sides thereof;

FIG. 9 is a top view of an interconnected series of flattened material bands which are formed in a preselected pattern from the tubular elements shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings;

FIG. 10 is an end elevational view illustrating a plurality of interconnected pairs of flattened tubular elements from which a modified form of multi-packaging device may be formed;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view depicting the manner in which an interconnected series of flattened material bands can be formed from the plurality of pairs of tubular elements shown in FIG. 10 to form multi-packaging devices;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view illustrating a plurality of multi-packaging devices which are formed from the preselected pattern shown in FIG. 11 with each multi-packaging device being connected on opposite alternating ends to an adjacent multi-packaging device;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 10 wherein a plurality of pairs of interconnected flattened tubular elements are shown;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 13 showing a preselected pattern from which another modified form of multi-packaging device may be formed;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the modified form of multi-packaging devices which are formed from the preselected pattern of FIG. 14 with the multi-packaging devices being connected along the sides thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIEMENTS

It will be apparent from the discussion that is to follow that whereas the prior art apertured sheet plastic carrier devices are formed or stamped from a sheet or web of plastic material, the multi-packaging or carrier devices of the present invention are formed from one or more flattened tubular plastic elements. This background understanding is important in order to appreciate the structural and functional improvements of the present invention over the prior art, as will now be described.

The container package 10 shown in FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings includes a plurality of cans or containers 12 which are arranged in the well known six-pack multi-package configuration. Each of the cans 12 are depicted as having upper and lower annular enlargements or chimes 14, 16 at opposite ends thereof. In addition to cans with upper and lower annular enlargements as illustrated in the drawings, the present invention has equal application to containers with an upper enlargement only or with no annular enlargements at all, although preferably there is at least an upper annular enlargement for each can.

Each can 12 is gripped and held together as a unit in the container package 10 by the multi-packaging or carrier device 18. It will be noted, from FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, that the multi-packaging device 18 includes a plurality of interconnected circumferential bands of material 20 which grip each can 12 preferably immediately below the upper annular enlargements 14 thereof. Each of the circumferential bands of material 20 is joined to an adjacent band through connecting webs 22 which are more specifically identified as described hereinafter.

In order to grip the cans 12 in the aforesaid manner, the multipackaging device 18 is formed from a flattened tubular element of stretchable and elastic plastic material, polyethylene being one preferred example. It will be apparent that the circumferential bands of material 20 are arranged to have a peripheral dimension, prior to assembly to the cans 12, such that the material bands 20 can be stretched over the cans, by suitable applicating equipment, into elastic and embracing gripping relationship relative to the cans 12. When so assembled to the cans 12, the multi-packaging device 18 forms a container package 10 where the cans 12 are held together as a group for carrying and transporting purposes. It will be noted, from FIG. 2 of the drawings, that the fingers of a user may be inserted into the diamond shaped openings formed by the container package 10 for gripping the sides of the intermediate or central cans 12 for lifting and transporting the container package 10.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4-7 of the drawing for an understanding of how the multi-packaging device 18 is made and constructed. In FIG. 4 of the drawings, there is shown a pair of integrally continuous flattened tubular elements 24 each having opposed folded ends 25 which are joined together at one folded end 25 thereof as at 26. While the interconnected flattened tubular elements 24 may be formed in any suitable manner, they are preferably profile extruded in generally the form illustrated in FIG. 4. It will be apparent that the tubular elements 24 will be more nearly flattened during the fabrication of the multi-packaging device 18 than the slightly exagerated spacing between the walls of the tubular elements in this and subsequent embodiments to be described. Also, the tubular elements 24 may be extruded in a more rounded elliptical or circular shape and then subsequently flattened before being fabricated into multi-packages. The portion 26 which joins the flattened tubular elements 24 is a thickened web which connects the flattened tubular elements 24 at one folded end 25 thereof.

After the flattened tubular elements 24 have been formed in generally the manner exhibited in FIG. 4 of the drawings, it is then possible to form an interconnected series of flattened material bands to provide multi-packaging devices 18. As is best seen in FIG. 5 of the drawings, this is accomplished by slitting the flattened tubular elements 24 so as to provide a plurality of interconnected flattened material bands 28. Each of the material bands 28 is formed by a pair of parallel slits 30, 32 which extend throughout the flattened tubular elements 24 except at the connecting webs 34, 36 respectively. It will be seen that each pair of slits 30, 32 is formed to provide a pair of connecting webs 34, 36 on each side of the thickened web 26 connecting the flattened tubular elements 24. It will be noted from the full and dotted line impressions of each pair of connecting webs 34, 36 that the connecting webs are provided on opposite walls of the flattened tubular elements 24 in order to permit the flattened bands 28 to open up and form the tubular or circumferential bands 20 of the multi-packaging device 18 for assembly to the cans 12.

This is best seen in FIG. 6 of the drawings where the flattened bands 28 are shown from the flattened to the fully opened position. As will be apparent, the opposite, alternating arrangement of the connecting webs 34, 36 for each flattened material band enables the bands 28 to open up in a continuous succession of multi-packaging devices 18. This will permit the multi-packaging devices 18 to feed one another during the assembly thereof by applicating equipment to cans 12. It is contemplated that the multi-packaging device 18 will be separated from the interconnected series of material bands after assembly to the cans 12.

When fully opened, a multi-packaging device 18 will closely resemble the configuration illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings. As will be seen, each of the interconnected bands of material 20 assumes a generally tubular shape when opened up. This makes it unnecessary for each of the generally tubular bands 20 to be stretched to form tubular necks as in the case of apertured sheet plastic carriers prior to assembly to cans. The tubular bands of material 20 as in the present invention also makes it possible to predetermine the thickness or gauge of the walls of the tubular bands 20 so as to provide the least usage of material. In the prior art apertured sheet plastic carrier devices, the apertures are non-uniformly stretched to the shape of tubular necks prior to the assembly to cans and this makes it difficult to control or utilize the least amount of material for multi-packaging applications. With the present invention; however, the opening up of the material bands to the shape illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings makes it possible to uniformly stretch the tubular bands 20 for application to cans 12 as well as control the band thickness with more preciseness.

The connecting webs 34, 36 interconnect opposite, alternating marginal edges of adjacent material bands 20. This results in a multi-packaging device 18, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, where the connecting webs (generally designated by numeral 22) join adjacent material bands 20 upper and lower marginal edges thereof. This will not affect the performance of the multi-packaging device 18 since the material bands 20 are capable of engaging the cans 12 at generally the same circumferential location thereof. While the connecting webs 34, 36 as shown in FIG. 7, join the material bands 20 in the same row, the connecting webs 38 join opposite material bands 20 in adjacent rows. The connecting web 38 is formed from the thickened web 26 when the slits 30, 32 are formed in the flattened tubular elements 24. As will be noted, the connecting webs 38 in the multi-packaging device 18 are smaller than the connecting webs 34, 36 since the thicknesses of the thickened web 26 is less then the width of the connecting webs 34, 36.

Where a single row of interconnected material bands is desired, it will be apparent that the slits 30, 32 with the corresponding connecting webs 34, 36 respectively need to be formed only in a single flattened tubular element 24. It will be apparent from the other embodiments of the present invention, that more than two tubular elements 24 may be extruded, depending on the particular multi-packaging device that is desired.

In the embodiments of the present invention that will now be described, similar reference numerals will be used to designate like parts in the various embodiments with the use of alphabetical suffixes to distinguish between the various embodiments.

As is illustrated in FIGS. 8-9 of the drawings, a multi-packaging device 18 of the type illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings may be formed by a different construction of the flattened tubular elements and the manner in which the tubular elements are slit. Specifically, the flattened tubular element 24a are attached at an intermediate section 40 along the sides or maximum flattened dimension thereof rather than at one end of the tubular elements as shown in the FIG. 4 illustration. In order to form the multi-packaging device 18 in FIG. 7, a plurality of pairs of parallel slits 30a, and 32a are formed in each of the superimposed tubular elements except at opposite ends thereof. Thus, the slit 30a extends throughout each of the superimposed tubular elements 24a, but terminates short of the upper end of the tubular elements as illustrated in FIG. 9 while the slit 32a extends throughout each of the superimposed tubular elements 24a from the upper end thereof, but terminates short of the lower end thereof in FIG. 9. Each of the slits 30a, 32a are terminated at opposite ends by the small circular holes 42 which prevent the slits from tearing into the plastic material. The unslit areas of the tubular elements 24a at opposite ends thereof from the connecting webs 34a, 36a which join adjacent material bands 28a in the same row while the thickened connecting section 40, when severed by the slits 30a, 32a forms the connecting or joining section between opposite material bands in adjacent rows.

Reference is now made to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10-12 of the drawing. In FIG. 10, there is illustrated a plurality of pairs of interconnected flattened tubular elements 24b where each pair of tubular elements 24b are joined to each other along the sides or maximum flattened dimension thereof at an intermediate portion 40b while adjacent pairs of tubular elements 24b are joined to one another at one end thereof as at 26b. Thus, the arrangement is a combination of the method of joining the tubular elements to one another as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8 of the drawings.

As has previously been explained, the tubular elements 24b may be extruded in generally the flattened shape illustrated or in a more opened up form and subsequently flattened following extrusion. In either case, the arrangement of the tubular elements 24b is generally that which is illustrated in FIG. 10 of the drawings prior to forming the material bands by slitting of the tubular elements 24b. The spacing between the walls of each tubular element may, however, be less than that shown prior to and during the slitting operation.

In FIG. 11 of the drawings, it will be seen that the slits 30b and 32b which form the material bands 28b are formed throughout each of the tubular elements 24b except at the lower and upper ends of the tubular arrangement. Specifically, the slit 30b extends throughout each pair of superimposed tubular elements 24b except at the connecting web 46. Similarly, the slit 32b extends throughout the tubular elements 24b except at the upper end of the uppermost pair of tubular elements 24b where the connecting web 48 is provided. By slitting the tubular elements 24b in the aforesaid manner, there is provided, as best seen in FIG. 12 of the drawings, a plurality of interconnected multi-packaging devices 18b which are joined at opposite ends thereof by the connecting webs 46, 48 respectively. Because each of the multi-packaging devices 18b includes a material band 28b which is formed from each of the tubular elements 24b, the connecting webs 26b, 40b which connect material bands 28b in the same and adjacent rows will be of substantially uniform size as compared with the non-uniform in size connecting webs 34, 36 and the connecting webs 38 in the FIGS. 1-9 embodiments. The uniform or non-uniform size of the connecting webs results from the manner in which the tubular elements are connected to one another and the method of slitting, but in either case, they do not affect the functioning of the multi-packaging device.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 13-15 of the drawings is similar to FIGS. 10-12 except that in this case, the tubular elements are slit so as to leave intermediate connecting webs between adjacent multipackaging devices. Specifically, it will be seen that the plurality of pairs of flattened tubular elements 24c are connected to each other as at 40c and connected to adjacent pairs of tubular elements 24c as at 26c. This is the same configuration as is shown in FIG. 10 of the drawings. However, in slitting the plurality of pairs of tubular elements 24c, the slits 30c, 32c are arranged to leave opposite alternating intermediate connecting webs 50, 52 respectively so that adjacent multi-packaging devices 18c are connected along the sides or maximum flattened dimension thereof to one another as is best illustrated in FIG. 15 of the drawings. Thus, each multi-packaging device 18c will unfold with respect to an adjacent multi-packaging device by opening up along the sides rather than the end to end connected arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 10-12 of the drawings. As in the FIGS. 10-12 embodiment; however, the connecting webs 26c and 40c in each multi-packaging device 18c will be substantially uniform in size, as will be apparent.

The various embodiments of the present invention that have been shown are to be considered in an exemplary sense only as the multi-packaging device can be manufactured and used in various multiples in single or plural rows. Also, while the discussion has centered principally on canned products, the multi-packaging device can be used with containers of other shapes and sizes. Further, adjacent tubular bands of the multi-packaging device may be frangibly connected to one another in order to keep the tubular bands with individual container when separated from the remainder of the container package.

From the foregoing, it will now be appreciated the present invention comtemplates a new and improved multi-packaging device and a method of manufacture thereof which provides efficient and economic utilization of material during the manufacture, storage and assembly thereof to containers in a manner which has not been heretofore possible. The variety of multi-packaging applications and the types of products that can be packaged by the multi-packaging device makes it adaptable to wide commercial use.

Claims

I claim:

1. A multi-packaging device for a plurality of containers or the like, said multi-packaging device comprising a plurality of pairs of flattened material bands arranged in two juxtaposed rows, said flattened material bands having a substantially greater transverse dimension than the longitudinal dimension thereof, each of said flattened material bands being made of stretchable and elastic plastic material and having an integrally continuous wall with opposed folded ends, adjacent flattened material bands between said rows being transversely aligned and being attached to each other at one folded end thereof by an integral joint web extending therebetween, adjacent flattened bands in each said row having the continuous walls of said flattened bands in generally longitudinally aligned relationship, said adjacent flattened material bands in each row being joined to each other by connecting webs of limited transverse dimension on opposite alternating marginal edges of said flattened bands to provide a succession of generally transversely aligned cylindrically-shaped bands in said juxtaposed rows wherein the continuous walls thereof are in generally non-aligned relationship when the flattened material bands in said juxtaposed rows are extended in a longitudinal direction for grouping a corresponding number of containers together as a unit.

2. The multi-packaging device as defined in claim 1 wherein the integral joint webs have a predetermined smaller transverse dimension than said connecting web means.

3. The multi-packaging device as defined in claim 2 wherein the integral joint webs having a longitudinal dimension corresponding to the flattened material bands.

4. The multi-packaging device as defined in claim 3 wherein the flattened material bands in said juxtaposed rows have a substantially similar predetermined thickness and said integral joint web is thickened relative to said flattened material bands.

5. A package including a plurality of containers arranged in juxtaposed rows and a carrier device for grouping said containers together as a unit, said carrier device including a plurality of pairs of initially flattened bands of stretchable and elastic plastic material arranged in juxtaposed rows corresponding to said containers, the longitudinal dimension of each flattened band being substantialy less than the transverse dimension of each flattened band, each said flattened band having an integrally continuous wall with opposed folded ends and being in generally longitudinally aligned relationship with the continuous walls of the flattened bands in the same row, adjacent flattened bands between said juxtaposed rows being in transversely aligned relationship and interconnected to each other across a thickened integral joint web, said flattened bands in each row being interconnected to one another on opposite alternating marginal edges thereof by connecting webs of limited predetermined transverse dimension relative to the transverse dimension of said flattened bands in order to permit the flattened bands to open from their flattened condition as a succession of generally cylindrically shaped bands of material with the continuous walls thereof being in non-aligned relationship, said generally cylindrically shaped bands in said juxtaposed rows being stretched over said containers in said juxtaposed rows to provide elastic gripping engagement therewith for carrying said containers together as a unit, and each said thickened joint web between each said adjacently transversely aligned bands in said juxtaposed rows being arranged between said containers in said juxtaposed rows to provide vertical strut reinforcement for said container package between said juxtaposed rows of containers.

6. A multi-packaging device for carrying a plurality of adjacently positioned containers or the like, comprising at least two elongated continuous wall flattened tubes of stretchable and elastic plastic material each having a substantially similar predetermined thickness and opposed folded ends, said tubes being attached to each other at one folded end thereof across a thickened integral joint web, a plurality of pairs of slits extending across each of said elongated continuous wall flattened tubes including said thickened integral joint web to define a plurality of flattened material bands which are generally longitudinally aligned with adjacent flattened material bands in each row and generally transversely aligned with adjacent flattened material bands in said other row, each said pair of parallel slits being spaced apart a distance substantially less than the width of each said elongated continuous wall flattened tubes, the generally longitudinally aligned flattened material bands in each row having flattened openings which are in generally longitudinally aligned relationship to one another, and connecting web means between the flattened material bands in each row for self-opening each of said generally longitudinally aligned flattened material bands and flattened openings into generally non-aligned relationship as generally cylindrically shaped bands of material having non-aligned openings when extended in a longitudinal direction, said thickened integral joint web between said rows of flattened material bands enabling adjacent material bands in said rows to be jointly self-opened as adjacent generally cylindrically shaped bands of material having non-aligned openings with said thickened integral joint web therebetween for assembly to said adjacent positioned containers, said connecting web means being attached to the flattened material bands in each row in alternating sequence on opposite marginal edges of said flattened material bands and said connecting web means also having a transverse dimension which is of sufficiently smaller predetermined width than the transverse dimension of said flattened material bands in order to provide the aforementioned joint self-opening of said flattened material bands in each row.

7. A multi-packaging device for carrying a plurality of adjacently positioned containers or the like, comprising at least two elongated, flattened tubes of stretchable and elastic plastic material each having opposed folded ends and being superimposed relative to one another across the maximum flattened dimension of said tubes, said tubes being attached to each other along a part of the maximum flattened dimension of said tubes, a plurality of pairs of slits extending through said at least two elongated flattened tubes including the attached portions thereof to define a plurality of flattened material bands which are generally longitudinally aligned with adjacent flattened material bands in each row and generally transversely aligned with adjacent flattened material bands in said superimposed row, and connecting web means between the flattened material bands for opening up said flattened material bands for assembly to adjacently positioned containers, said connecting web means being attached to the superimposed flattened material bands in alternating sequence along opposite superimposed folded ends of the flattened material bands.

8. A multi-packaging device for carrying a plurality of adjacently positioned containers or the like, comprising at least two elongated flattened tubes of stretchable and elastic plastic material each having opposed folded ends, said tubes being joined to each other at one folded end thereof, a corresponding number of similar elongated flattened tubes of stretchable and elastic plastic material which are joined to each other at one folded end thereof and superimposed relative to said first mentioned tubes across the maximum flattened dimension of said tubes and attached to said first mentioned tubes along a part of the maximum flattened dimension of each of said tubes, a plurality of pairs of slits extending through said superimposed tubes including the joined and attached portions thereof to define a corresponding number of longitudinal and parallel rows of flattened material bands, the flattened material bands in each longitudinal row being generally longitudinally aligned with respect to one another and the flattened material bands in said parallel rows being generally transversely aligned with respect to one another, and connecting web means between the flattened material bands for opening up the flattened material bands in said longitudinal and parallel rows for assembly to adjacently positioned containers, said connecting web means being attached to the flattened material bands in alternating sequence along opposite superimposed unjoined tube folded ends of said flattened material bands in said longitudinal rows.

9. A multi-packaging device for carrying a plurality of adjacently positioned containers of the like, comprising at least two elongated flattened tubes of stretchable and elastic plastic material each having opposed folded ends, said tubes being joined to each other at one folded end thereof, a corresponding number of similar elongated flattened tubes of stretchable and elastic plastic material which are joined to each other at one folded end thereof and superimposed relative to said first mentioned tubes across the maximum flattened dimension of said tubes and attached to said first mentioned tubes along a part of the maximum flattened dimension of each of said tubes, a plurality of pairs of slits extending through said superimposed tubes including the joined and attached portions thereof to define a corresponding number of longitudinal and parallel rows of flattened material bands, the flattened material bands in each longitudinal row being generally longitudinally aligned with respect to one another and the flattened material bands in said parallel rows being generally transversely aligned with respect to one another, and connecting web means between the flattened material bands for opening up the flattened material bands in said longitudinal and parallel rows for assembly to adjacently positioned containers, said connecting web means being attached to the flattened material bands between said parallel rows along opposite alternating maximum flattened dimensions of said flattened material bands in said parallel rows.