CONTAINER CARRIER

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application, Ser. No. 63/696,668, filed on 19 Sep. 2024. The co-pending provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and is made a part hereof, including but not limited to those portions which specifically appear hereinafter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to beverage multipacks and, more particularly, to multipacks made up of a plurality of containers.

Description of Prior Art

Conventional container carriers are often used to unitize a plurality of similarly sized containers, such as cans, bottles, jars and boxes and/or similar containers that require unitization. Flexible plastic ring carriers and paperboard boxes are two such conventional container carriers.

However, with growing concerns surrounding the environmental impact of improper disposal of plastic waste, manufacturers are transitioning offerings to best support a circular economy. One such solution is plastic ring carriers made from 50% post-consumer recycled content. This carrier is operationally efficient, competitively priced, simple, and has a low carbon footprint in comparison to other beverage multipack alternatives. Today, this solution is not considered 100% curbside recyclable by the FTC Green Guide because 60%+ consumers cannot recycle flexible plastics. Multi-packaging systems are generally used in the beer, soft drink, and general products industries. A new and innovative beverage multipacking solution is desirable that includes a 4, 6, 8, and/or 12 beverage capacity. A preferred design is produced using 100% curbside recyclable rigid plastics, like HDPE or PET. These carriers would be applied on PET bottles and/or aluminum cans.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers into a multipack. According to one embodiment the subject container carrier is configured to unitize cans or bottles with the same device.

A preferred embodiment of the subject invention is made from materials that are 100% curbside recyclable, in particular rigid PET and HDPE plastics that can enter most municipal recycling streams. This invention focuses on end-user needs and structural plastics that can easily be recycled. A solution that is meaningful, practical and makes a positive impact to encourage people to recycle is desired.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a container carrier according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a package according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a container following removal from the package shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a container carrier to unitize a plurality of containers 5 into beverage multipacks. The container carrier 10 according to this invention is shown in FIG. 1 and a unitized multipack 100 is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows a bottle following removal from the multipack shown in FIG. 2.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the container carrier is injection molded or otherwise formed from high density polyethylene (HDPE). Alternatively, PET or HDPE plastics may be used. Preferably, the material is generally rigid and 100% post-consumer recyclable in most or all markets. The container carrier as described is thus molded or formed into a plurality of ribs and/or struts that together define the structures described below and shown in the figures.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the container carrier 10 includes a plurality of container receiving openings forming an array of rings 20 corresponding with a desired size of multipack. As such, although FIGS. 1-2 show six container receiving openings in a 2×3 array, other desired container carriers may be 2×2 for a four pack, 2×4 for an eight pack, or other desired arrays forming a desirable quantity multipack size.

As shown in the subject drawings, the container carrier 10 for unitizing a plurality of containers 5 includes a plurality of rings 20. Each ring 20 is preferably engageable with a corresponding container 5, preferably a bottle, and each ring 20 therefore slides over a neck of a bottle into engagement.

To aid in such engagement, each ring 20 includes a plurality of retention tabs 40 extending inwardly from each ring 20 of the plurality of rings 20 toward a center of the ring 20. The plurality of retention tabs 40 are configured to engage the neck of the engaged bottle.

As best shown in FIG. 1, four retention tabs 40 may be arranged within each ring 20 and extend toward a center of the ring 20. The retention tabs 40 preferably each taper from the ring 20 toward the center of the ring 20. As shown in FIG. 1, in one preferred embodiment, the four retention tabs 40 together form a square void in the center of the ring 20. In this manner, distal ends of the retention tabs 40 are tightly grouped so as to engage the neck of the bottle in a manner that generally follows a contour of the bottle neck. Although not required it is preferably that the distal ends of the retention tabs 40 do not contact each other in the center of the ring 20 so as to permit pass through of the bottle neck without excess material interference.

The four retention tabs 40 shown in FIG. 1 are preferably arranged circumferentially around the ring 20 at 90 degree intervals but preferably offset from the longitudinal alignment of the carrier 10. The plurality of retention tabs 40 together extend substantially across the ring 20 such that the retention tabs 40 occupy much of the diameter of the ring 20. As a result, when applied to a respective bottle, the plurality of retention tabs 40 necessarily follow a contour of the neck of the bottle when engaged. In one embodiment, distal ends of the retention tabs 40 abut a ring or cap of the bottle to prevent removal of the respective ring 20 from the container 5.

A plurality of flaps 60 extend outwardly from each ring 20. A flap 60 of each ring 20 preferably connects a corresponding adjacent flap 60 of an adjacent ring 20 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this manner, the container carrier 10 unitizes a desired set of containers 5 within individual rings 20.

As best shown in FIG. 1, each flap 60 preferably tapers outwardly from the ring 20 to either a connection with an adjacent flap 60 or to an outside edge of the carrier 10. The connection between adjacent flaps 60 is preferably a frangible connection 70 comprising a weakened area between adjacent flaps 60 promote separation of the flaps 60 from each other. In one preferred embodiment, the frangible connection 70 comprises a reduced thickness of material. Alternatively, the material connection may be scored or otherwise compromised to promote separation.

Specifically, the frangible connection 70 between flaps 60 is preferably weaker than the connection of the ring 20 to the respective container 5. As such, a removal force required to pull a respective bottle from a respective ring 20 is greater than a separation force required to separate adjoining flaps 60 along the frangible connection 70. In this manner, both the respective ring 20 and an associated respective bottle are removed from the container carrier 10, as shown in FIG. 3. This connection between the ring 20 and the container 5 thereby reduces excess material in the waste stream and maintains a connection between recyclable materials.

In addition, each ring 20 further includes at least one flap 60 unconnected to an adjacent flap 60 and extending outwardly from the ring. The unconnected flaps 60 are preferably shorter than remaining flaps 60 on the ring 20. As shown in the figures, the flaps 60 are preferably positioned at 90 degree increments around the ring and generally aligned parallel or perpendicular to a longitudinal alignment of the carrier 10. The plurality of retention tabs 40 are preferably circumferentially offset from the plurality of flaps 60.

The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element, part, step, component, or ingredient which is not specifically disclosed herein.

While in the foregoing detailed description this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.