Can multi-package

Abstract

 A package (10) comprises a number of cans (14) or other containers arranged in an array of ranks and rows and a one piece carrier (12) having container encircling bands (20, 22) and apertures (16, 18) located on the cylindrical body portions between the ends of the containers (14) and extending between every pair of adjacent containers (14) to connect the array of containers (14) together to provide a stable, easy to carry package. Each container (14) is held individually without the carrier (12) engaging its chime, and the carrier (12) is not readily divisible without destroying the integrity of the package. A handle (30) is provided along one edge for carrying the package.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to carriers, and more paritcularly to a carrier for assembling a predetermined number of cylindrical cans or containers and which contacts the containers at a position intermediate their ends.

[0002] Carriers are well known and have been used in various forms for connecting together a predetermined number of containers, usually six, for ease of carrying. These carriers are normally constructed from a single piece of deformable plastic and are designed to engage the top rim or "chime" of each can. Such carriers are shown, for example, in US-A-2,874,835 and US-A-3,874,502.

[0003] It is also well known to employ carriers for assembling a larger number of containers, usually twelve. Such a carrier is shown, for example, in US-A-4,018,331. Additionally, a package of 12 containers may be unstable or difficult to carry, and in US-A-4,269,308; US-A-4,385,691 and US-A-4,520,924 conventional carriers are used at the chimes to connect adjacent containers and, in addition, plastic encircling bands are shown and described contacting the containers between their ends to hold all 12 in close contiguous relationship whilst providing a handle for ease of carrying.

[0004] The main drawback with these existing carriers is the ease with which one may separate a 12 pack into two 6 packs by cutting the carrier or encircling band itself. This condition is not favoured by bottlers since it destroys the integrity of the carrier and defeats the purpose of a 12 pack package.

[0005] Additionally, can manufacturers often find it necessary to slightly neck the top of each can just beneath the chime. This necking exists in the form of one, two, three or four steps, depending on the type of can, and this significantly reduces the diameter of the top of each can. Accordingly, existing carriers must provide sufficient distance between successive can apertures which encircle the can tops so that the can's longitudinal axes all remain parallel after assembly, otherwise a "tipping" condition occurs. Moreover, due to these different can chime and neck arrangements, it becomes necessary to alter each carrier slightly properly to engage the various arrangements which raises inventory and manufacturing costs.

[0006] It is also most desirable to provide an easy means for carrying the 12 pack, preferably by a handle rather than mere finger holes due to the extra weight involved. Handles cannot be incorporated into a top chime engaging carrier alone due to its unstable position at the top edge of the container and have heretofore been placed on the encircling band.

[0007] According to a first aspect of this invention a package comprises a plurality of containers having cylindrical body portions arranged in an array of rows and ranks and a one-piece carrier having container encircling bands and apertures located on the cylindrical body portions between the ends of the containers and extending between every pair of adjacent containers to connect the array of containers together to provide a stable, easy to carry package in which each container is held individually without the carrier engaging its chime, the carrier not being readily divisible without destroying the integrity of the package.

[0008] According to a second aspect of this invention a carrier comprises resilient elastic deformable sheet of plastics material having a plurality of rows and ranks of integrally connected bands of predetermined width creating reconfigurable container receiving and gripping apertures for surrounding and frictionally engaging a cylindical portion of a container between its ends, a plurality of lateral axes between each of the ranks, a plurality of longitudinal row axes perpendicularly to the lateral axes, lateral web means lying on the lateral axes and integrally connecting pairs of apertures in a given row, longitudinal web means integrally connecting pairs of adjacent apertures in a given rank, and an integral handle located on one of the outer edges of the sheet, the longitudinal web means being substantially the same width as the bands and the laterial web means being less than twice the width of the bands so that a package made from the carrier cannot easily be divided without destroying its integrity.

[0009] A package in accordance with this invention is difficult to divide as a result of the positioning of the carrier in the middle of the body of the containers and it remains stable even after several containers have been removed. Furthermore, contact by rubbing of the containers together is reduced as a result of the positioning of the carrier. The location of the carrier also permits use of a single size for all similar body diameter can sizes regardless of the type of chimes or necks employed by the manufacturer. Additionally, the containers cannot "tip" since the carrier engages their middle and less detail is needed in the spacing of apertures. Finally, "pistoning" and "skewing", which refer to vertical and horizontal movement between the cans respectively, are eliminated since the carrier is a single unit which holds the cans closely and tightly together.

[0010] A paricularly example of a carrier and a package in accordance with this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package;

Figure 2 is a plan of the package; and,

Figure 3 is a plan of the carrier.

[0011] Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated in Figure 1 a package unit 10 constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.

[0012] The unit 10 consists of a plastic carrier 12 and a plurality of containers 14 which are normally cylindrical aluminum beverage containers but can be any type of container which has a generally cylindrical portion of length suitable for the carrier to engage, regardless of the cross section of the container.

[0013] The carrier 12, as illustrated in Figure 3, is formed from a blank of uniform thickness and includes oval shaped side row apertures 16 and lemon shaped center row apertures 18 arranged generally in ranks and are defined by a series of interconnecting bands 20 and 22 respectively. Although these shapes are desirable for effective gripping of the containers, it is to be understood that similar shapes may be employed without departing from the teachings of the present invention. These apertures 16 and 18 are also designed to have a peripheral extent, defined by the inner margin of each band 20 and 22, to be less than the peripheral extent of the cylindrical body portion of the container to be associated therewith.

[0014] The apertures 16 and 18 of the carrier 12, are basically defined by a series of lateral and longitudinal axes. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, three rank axes A1, A2 and A3 are illustrated which separate the carrier 12 into fourths in a lateral direction. Similarly, row axes A4, A5 and A6 bisect each rank including the apertures 16 and 18 as well as the bands 20 and 22 and run in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to axes A1, A2 and A3. Accordingly, as can be discerned by examining Figure 3, the axes of the carrier 12 intersect and form lateral webs 24 and 26 which are situated on the lateral axes A1, A2 and A3 while longitudinal webs 28 connect adjacent pairs of apertures in a given rank.

[0015] Normally, a chime engaging carrier for a container having a necked portion is designed so that the lateral webs 24 and 26 are wider than the width of the band portions 20 and 22 of a carrier 12 and is approximately twice the width while the thickness of the carrier 12 remains uniform throughout. This limitation is critical since it prevents the "tipping" problems mentioned above. If these sections are made too narrow, a necked chime carrier will force adjacent cans to tip toward each other since the distance between apertures is less than the distance between the container walls themselves. The design of wide lateral webs is illustrated, for example, in US-A-4,-018,331.

[0016] In this disclosure, although the longitudinal webs were proximate in width to the band itself, the lateral webs were significantly wider and were approximately twice the width of the bands.

[0017] In the present invention, the thickness of the carrier 12 remains uniform throughout while the lateral webs 24 and 26 can be reduced in width from previous lateral webs since the carrier 12 engages along the length of the containers. These webs 24 and 26 are considerably less than twice the width of the bands 20 and 22 and are proximate the width of longitudinal webs 28. This significantly reduces the amount of material used per carrier while providing a universal carrier which can be used for any similar container regardless of its chime or neck arrangement.

[0018] The reduced width of the lateral webs 24 and 26 together with the position of the carrier 12 along the container length also prevents several undesirable conditions. For example, any abrasion of the containers caused by rubbing together is eliminated since the carrier is positioned along their length which only permits adjacent containers to contact each other near their ends. Additionally, no extra encircling band is needed for stability and when one or several containers are removed, the 12 pack arrangement remains intact. Furthermore, "pistoning" and "skewing" between adjacent cans is eliminated.

[0019] More importantly, separation of the carrier is virtually impossible for several reasons. First, the position of the carrier is located so far from the ends of the container that it inhibits a cutter from reaching the carrier. Second, since the containers are now held so close together, it is difficult for a cutter to be inserted between them. Finally, cutting of a lateral web will usually result in the piercing of a band defining an aperture since the bands engage the containers in a manner different from previous carriers.

[0020] If a band is cut, the ability to sub-group the multi-package into two or more multi-packages is significantly lessened. More specifically, due to the increased width of the lateral webs 24 and 26 of previous carriers, the bands 20 and 22 were able to engage and fully contact the entire circumference of each can 14 while still having enough lateral web width to provide sufficient spacing of the containers. These webs normally conform to a "U" shape after application to the cans 14. In the present invention, due to the decreased width of lateral webs 24 and 26, a "U" shape does not normally occur which prevents bands 20 and 22 from fully contacting the entire circumference of each can 14. Here, the bands 20 and 22 are somewhat pulled away from the containers 14 near each lateral web 24 and 26 and an attempt to cut the carrier here can pierce the aperture which will cause the can to be released by the band. It is this combination of tight lateral spacing, reduced band contact area and intermediate container contact which makes carrier sepation extremely difficult, if not impossible, while maintaining enough stability to properly hold each container.

[0021] The carrier 12 also has a handle 30 integrally formed to one of its outer edges. The preferred embodiment shows such a handle 30 placed along one longitudinal side of the carrier 12, but placement along a lateral side of the carrier 12 can readily be accomplished while performing the same function. It is to be noted that the handle 30 spans the two intermediate ranks of the carrier 12 which lie between axes A1 and A3 and in fact extends past these two axes to engage the bands 20 which define the apertures 16 of the two end ranks. Previous handle means terminated somewhat before axes A1 and A3 but are extended in the present invention to more equally bear the load and eliminate stress within the carrier 12.

[0022] In operation, an array of cylindrical cans, preferably twelve, is placed beneath the carrier 12 which is deformed by stretching jaws of a carrier applying mechanism (not shown) which then forces the carrier bands 20 and 22 down to a position generally midway along the body of the cans to provide the necessary frictional holding power and stability for the package.

[0023] Additional features of the carrier 12 include several apertures 32 placed along axes A1, A2 and A3 between successive ranks as well as smaller apertures 34 placed near the handle 30. These apertures 32 and 34 create the individual bands holding each can, provide proper deformation during stretching and reduce the weight and material of the carrier.

Claims

1. A package (10) comprising a plurality of containers (14) having cylindrical body portions arranged in an array of rows and ranks and a one-piece carrier (12) having container encircling bands (20, 22) and apertures (16, 18) located on the cylindrical body portions between the ends of the containers (14) and extending between every pair of adjacent containers (14) to connect the array of containers (14) together to provide a stable, easy to carry package in which each container (14) is held individually without the carrier (12) engaging its chime, the carrier (12) not being readily divisible without destroying the integrity of the package.

2. A package according to claim 1, wherein the array of containers (14) includes three rows and four ranks.

3. A package according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a carrying handle (30) formed integrally with the carrier (12).

4. A package according to claim 3 when dependent upon claim 2, wherein the handle (30) is located on one of the longitudinal sides of the package and has a length which spans and is connected to all of the ranks.

5. A carrier (12) for use in a package in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, comprising a resilient elastic deformable sheet of plastics material having a plurality of rows and ranks of integrally connected bands (20, 22) of predetermined width creating reconfigurable container receiving and gripping apertures (16, 18) for surrounding and frictionally engaging a cylindical portion of a container between its ends, a plurality of lateral axes (A1, A2, A3) between each of the ranks, a plurality of longitrudinal row axes (A4, A5, A6) perpendicularly to the lateral axes, lateral web means (24, 26) lying on the lateral axes (A1, A2, A3) and integrally connecting pairs of apertures (16-16; 18-18) in a given row, longitudinal web means (28) integrally connecting pairs of adjacent apertures (16-18-16) in a given rank, and an integral handle (30) located on one of the outer edges of the sheet, the longitudinal web means (28) being substantially the same width as the bands (20, 22) and the lateral web means (24, 26) being less than twice the width of the bands (20, 22) so that a package made from the carrier cannot easily be divided without destroying its integrity.

6. A carrier according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of apertures (32) each located at an intersection of the lateral (A, A2, A3) and rank (A4, A5, A6) axes.

7. A carrier according to claim 5 or 6, having three rows and four ranks of apertures in which the handle (30) is joined to the container encircling bands in all four ranks.

Drawing