IMPROVED TWO-ROW BOTTLE CARRIER

Abstract

 A carrier comprising a main part (1) and a folding part (2) folding over the main part (1), with both being joined by means of a fold line (3) on one side of both parts, wherein the main part (1) has two rows in which there are defined cutting areas (4) which allow the passage of the caps through same, while the folding part (2) has inner folding tabs (10) which are located under the caps in the inner part thereof, wherein the main part has first folding sides (7), while the folding part (2) has second folding sides (12) which, once folded, are located under the caps at the outer part thereof, offering a possible double support point. It becomes easier to expel the sheet once it has been die-cut and cut since the main part (1) and the folding part (2) are identical, and furthermore the support under the caps is reinforced.

Description

Technical field

[0001] As established in the title, one object of the present invention relates to an improved two-row bottle carrier, preferably for bottles provided with a cap, where furthermore the carrier allows a finger grip of the assembly.

[0002] The present invention is characterized by the special design and configuration of the sheet, preferably corrugated cardboard containers, from which the carrier is formed, having a design such that it makes them easier to manufacture and offers a double securing point on the outer part external of the caps.

[0003] Therefore, the present invention is comprised within the field of bottle carriers, particularly those used for bottles arranged in two rows.

Background art

[0004] The state of the art provides a number of existing embodiments relating to bottle carriers arranged in two rows, such as those described in the following published patents:

• WO9602436 discloses a six-bottle carrier by means of a sheet in which there have been made six perforations provided with folding tabs which are arranged under the caps of the bottles once the perforations are traversed by the caps. However, it requires an additional perimetral securing band for securing the six bottles and linking them together.
• US5407065, in this patent, which is very similar to the aforementioned patent, although it does not use a perimetral securing band, the sheet for forming the carrier defines flaps forming a perimetral securing skirt.
• US5351815, while this patent has neither the additional perimetral securing band or nor does it define a perimetral skirt, securing is performed by means of a series of folds forming triangular prismatic structures in each row for the purpose of providing structural stability to the set of bottles arranged in two rows.

[0005] Without a doubt, however, the closest prior art to the object of the application is utility model ES1278544 A, which although it does satisfy the purpose that is not sought, it has aspects susceptible to improvement.

[0006] Said utility model ES1278544 comprises a main part of the sheet for forming the carrier and a folding part folded over the main part which is different in size and shape from the main part; so this, in addition to involve material wastage, particularly complicates the expulsion thereof from the die-cutting machine, i.e., complexity in the manufacturing process.

[0007] Furthermore, the support points of the outer part of the caps are unique, so to a certain extent, being able to offer a new support point for the caps in case of deformation of the first support point and thereby offering a much more secure and more reinforced support would be of interest.

[0008] Therefore, the present bottle carrier seeks to overcome the mentioned drawbacks of a difficult manufacturing process, excess material wasted, and on the other hand, to offer reinforced support means, developing a bottle carrier like the one described below and the essential features of which are described in the first claim.

Summary of the invention

[0009] One object of the present invention relates to a two-row bottle carrier which is formed from a single sheet, preferably corrugated and die-cut cardboard containers, comprising a main part and a folding part folding over the first part, with both being joined by means of a fold line on one side of both parts, where the main part has two rows in which there are defined cutting areas which allow the passage of the caps through same; moreover, both the main part and the folding part have folding sides which are located under the caps at the outer part thereof, offering a double support point, while the folding part has inner folding tabs which are located under the caps in the inner part thereof; furthermore, the outer edge of the folding sides of the main part and the folding part are aligned; and finally, both the main part and the folding part both have one or more perforations that match up once both parts are folded over the other, such that they match up and are used as gripping points of the carrier.

[0010] The cutting areas have cuts such that they define in at least the cutting areas of the ends of each row at least a first tab and optionally a second tab, with at least the edge of the first tab under the cap of the bottles being free.

[0011] The main part has first folding sides which are located under the caps in the outer part thereof, and these are what really contact below the caps in the outer part thereof, while the folding part has second folding sides that are also located below the caps in the outer part thereof and as safety support means in the event that the first sides were to fail or not make sufficient contact due to deformation.

[0012] The carrier allows carrying in two rows, where the capacity of the battles is not limiting in any case.

[0013] Preferably four or six bottles can be carried in two rows, where the final number of bottles being carried is not limiting either, and the carrier can be adapted to a larger number in certain circumstances.

[0014] As a result of the bottles being secured and fixed at three or four or five different points, depending on the shape of the bottle, greater stability of the bottles is achieved. The first fixing point under the caps is by means of the first tabs of the cutting areas defined in the main part, the second fixing point is by means of the free edge of the folding sides of the main part, the third fixing point is by means of the inner folding flaps of the folding part, the fourth fixing point is by means of the second tabs defined by the cutting areas of the main part of the sheet, and the fifth possible fixing point would be by means of the second folding sides defined in the folding part and coming into action should the first folding sides of the main part fail.

[0015] Furthermore the area for supporting and transmitting the weight on the facing perforations is a double area since the main part and the folding part match up, which results in greater structural rigidity and transmission of stresses.

[0016] Unless otherwise indicated, all the technical and scientific elements used in the present specification have the meaning that a person skilled in the art to which this invention belongs will normally understand. Methods and materials that are similar or equivalent to those described in the specification can be used in the practice of the present invention.

[0017] Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variants do not intend to exclude other technical features, additives, components or steps. For the persons skilled in the art, other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be inferred in part from the description and in part from the practice of the invention.

Brief description of drawings

[0018] To complement the description that is being made and for the purpose of helping to better understand the features of the invention, according to a preferred practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description in which the following is depicted in an illustrative and nonlimiting manner.

Figure 1 shows a die-cut and cut sheet in a first embodiment and defined for a four-bottle carrier.

Figure 2 shows a die-cut and cut sheet in a second embodiment and defined for a six-bottle carrier.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a four-bottle carrier arranged in two rows.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a six-bottle carrier.

Figure 5 shows a six-bottle carrier in which the central cutting areas have two tabs instead of one.

Description of embodiments

[0019] In view of the figures, a preferred embodiment of the proposed invention is described below.

[0020] Figure 1 and Figure 2 show a die-cut and cut sheet for a four-bottle and six-bottle carrier, respectively, which, as can be seen, comprises a main part (1) and a folding part (2) that can be folded over the main part through a fold line (3) joining same, since the main part (1) and the folding part (2) are arranged one after the other through the fold line (3).

[0021] The main part (1) of both embodiments comprises two rows in which there are defined cutting areas (4) which allow the passage of the caps through same.

[0022] The cutting areas (4) have cuts such that in a first embodiment each row defines a first tab (5) and an expelled area (6), and in a second embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the central cutting areas define a first tab (5) and a second tab (17) if there is enough material to reach the support point with the cap of the bottles.

[0023] There are defined on the main part (1) first folding sides (7) which are joined to the central part of the main part (1) by means of folding sections (8), such that when said first folding sides (7) are folded, they are located under the outer part of the caps of the bottles.

[0024] There are defined on the folding part (2) inner folding tabs (10) which, once folded, are located under the inner part of the caps of the bottles.

[0025] The folding part (2) also has second folding sides (12) which are joined to the central part of the folding part (2) by means of folding sections (13), such that when said second folding sides (12) are folded, they are located under the outer part of the caps of the bottles.

[0026] The outer edge of the first folding sides (7) and the outer edge of the second folding sides (12) are aligned for the purpose of facilitating the expulsion of the sheet once it has been die-cut and cut, in addition to reducing the material to be discarded.

[0027] Both the main part (1) and the folding part (2) have one or more perforations, in the case of the four-bottle carrier of Figure 1, preferably the main part (1) has a first perforation (9) while the folding part (2) has a second perforation (14) such that when the folding part (2) is folded over the main part (1), both perforations (9) and (14) are in a matching arrangement and act as a grip to enable gripping all the bottles upon passing one's fingers through the perforations.

[0028] In Figure 2, since a six-bottle carrier is shown, in addition to having six cutting areas (4) grouped together in two rows arranged on the main part (1), it has two first perforations (15), while on the folding part, it has two other second perforations (16), such that when the folding part (2) is folded over the main part, the perforations (15) and (16) are in a matching arrangement and the entire set of bottles can be held.

[0029] In both embodiments, it can be observed that the folding part (2) has folding inner flaps (10) which are joined with said folding part by means of a fold line (11) and which, when folded, are arranged under the caps of the bottles by the inner part thereof.

[0030] In Figures 3 and 4, the carrier mounted for four bottles and for six bottles can be observed, respectively, where it should be highlighted in both cases that the first folding sides (7) together with the second folding sides (12) of the folding part (2) are both located under the caps by the outer part thereof, with the caps making contact on the second folding sides (12), with the first folding sides (7) being for safety in the event of failure or deformation of the second folding sides (12).

[0031] As a result of the described features, in particular the fact that the folding part (2) has the same dimensions as the main part (1), it becomes easier to expel the sheet once it has been die-cut and cut, and moreover, as a result of the fact that both the main part (1) and the folding part (2) have respectively first folding sides (7) and second folding sides (12), the support of the bottles under the caps in the outer part thereof is reinforced.

Claims

1. An improved two-row bottle carrier, comprising a main part (1) and a folding part (2) folding over the main part (1), with both being joined by means of a fold line (3) on one side of both parts, wherein the main part (1) has two rows in which there are defined cutting areas (4) which allow the passage of the caps through same, while the folding part (2) has inner folding tabs (10) which are located under the caps in the inner part thereof, characterized in that the main part has first folding sides (7), while the folding part (2) has second folding sides (12) which, once folded, are located under the caps at the outer part thereof, offering a possible double support point, and wherein the outer edge of the first folding sides (7) and the outer edge of the second folding sides (12) are aligned.

2. The improved two-row bottle carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the first folding sides (7) of the main part (1) are joined with the rest of the main part by means of fold lines (8), while the second folding sides (12) of the folding part (2) are joined with the rest of the folding part (2) by means of folding sections (13).

3. The improved two-row bottle carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cutting areas (4) have cuts such that they define a first tab (5) and an expelled area (6) in the cutting areas of the ends of each row.

4. The improved two-row bottle carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cutting areas (4) have cuts such that they define a first tab (4) and a second tab (17) in the central cutting areas of each row.

5. The improved two-row bottle carrier according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that for a four-bottle carrier, the main part (1) has a first perforation (9), while the folding part (2) has a second perforation (14), with both matching up once the folding part (2) is folded over the main part (1).

6. The improved two-row bottle carrier according to claim 1 or 2 or 4, characterized in that for a six-bottle carrier, the main part (1) has two first perforations (15), while the folding part (2) has two second perforations (16), with both matching up once the folding part (2) is folded over the main part (1).

7. The improved two-row bottle carrier according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheet is made of corrugated cardboard.

Drawing