Basket carrier with top panel

Details Basket carrier with top panel Basket carrier with top panel

1997-11-13

2001-11-13

Ackun, Jacob K. (Department: 3728)

Special receptacle or package

Portable segregating carrier for plural cylindrical...

Pendent from handle

C206S427000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06315111

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a basket-style carrier for packaging articles such as beverage bottles. More particularly, it relates to a basket-style carrier incorporating a top panel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Basket-style carriers are commonly employed to package beverage bottles. They normally include a central handle panel located between spaced parallel side panels, a bottom panel connected to the side panels and end panels connected to both the side panels and the handle panel. Dividers extending from the handle panel to the side panels are commonly included to provide individual cells for glass bottles, in order to prevent undue contact between adjacent bottles. Typically, basket-style carriers of this type are fabricated from collapsed carriers which have been formed from blanks. The carriers are loaded either by dropping bottles into place after the bottom panel has been formed or by moving an opened carrier over the bottles and then forming the bottom panel. Packaging machines designed to load and form the finished basket carrier package are employed to rapidly carry out these operations.
Basket carriers are strong and easy to carry, and they add an overall impression of quality to the product. In some cases, however, it is desirable to package beverage bottles in substantially enclosed carriers, which provide even greater product security. This means that a packager must have a different specialized packaging machine designed to handle a different type of carrier, usually a sleeve-type enclosed carrier. This is not only an inconvenience, but it is also quite expensive to provide two separate machines. It would be much more convenient, and more economical, to be able to use the same machine to package bottles in either an enclosed or open-top basket-style carrier.
An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an enclosed basket carrier which can be packaged on the same machine used to package conventional open basket carriers. The carrier must possess adequate strength and rigidity, and should also present a pleasing design appearance basically similar to the appearance of conventional basket carriers.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The carrier of the invention is a basket-style carrier which includes a bottom panel, a pair of opposite side panels foldably connected to the bottom panel and a pair of opposite partial lower end panels foldably connected to the side panels. A center panel foldably connected to the end panels divides the carrier into article-receiving areas located between the side panels and the center panel. The carrier also includes a top panel which is foldably connected to the side panels and spaced from the partial lower end panels. With this arrangement a basket-style carrier having a top panel can be formed from a single blank. When used to package beverage bottles the top panel may be provided with bottle neck openings or it may be formed in such a way as to extend over the tops of the bottles. When the latter embodiment is employed partial upper end panels connected to the top panel extend down toward, but are spaced from, the partial lower end panels. In addition, vertical fold lines may be provided in the end panels to permit the end panels to more closely follow the contour of adjacent end bottles.
In the preferred arrangement each partial lower end panel is comprised of two end panel sections which are foldably connected to the side panels and the center panel. Cell-dividing partitions may extend between the center panel and the side panels. Preferably, the partitions are located so that they are flexed toward the center cell by the entry of articles into the end cells, thereby providing a tight fit. A handle in the form of finger openings in the top panel, or a handle flap extending up from the top panel or the edges of the top panel itself is provided. When employing the embodiment in which partial upper end panels are connected to the top panel, gusset panels automatically cause the upper end panel elements to fold into place during the carrier forming operation.
The carrier is readily formed from a single blank and can be packaged on the same machine used to package conventional basket carriers. It is not only strong and rigid, but presents a pleasing appearance as well.
These and other features and aspects of the invention will be readily ascertained from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments described below.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5052552 (1991-10-01), Maroszek
patent: 5400901 (1995-03-01), Harrelson
patent: 5593027 (1997-01-01), Sutherland

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