Blank for forming an article carrier
A blank ( 1 ) 0 for forming an article carrier ( 90 ) has a main panel ( 12 ) which includes at least one article retention structure R 1 having an aperture A 1 defined in the main panel and one or more tabs formed about a periphery of the aperture in the main panel. The one or more tabs are connected to the main panel such that the tabs yield out of the plane of the main panel when an article is received in the aperture to bear against the article. The main panel includes a paperboard substrate and at least one polymeric layer.
1 . A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising a main panel comprising a paperboard substrate, wherein the main panel comprises at least two article retention structures, each having an aperture defined in the main panel, the blank further comprising one or more tabs formed about a periphery of each of the apertures in the main panel, the one or more tabs being connected to the main panel such that the tabs yield out of the plane of the main panel when an article is received in the aperture so as to bear against the article, wherein the main panel is defined in part by a pair of opposing side edges each of which includes a curvilinear portion such that the main panel has a first length (W 1 ) extending between the curvilinear portions, the W 1 being less than a maximum length (W) of the main panel, and W 1 being less than Z×D 1 , wherein D 1 is a maximum diameter of one or more articles and Z is an integer number of columns of an array in which the at least two article retention structures are arranged.
2 . A blank according to claim 1 wherein the tabs yield out of the plane of the main panel in an article-carrying configuration in which the main panel is applied to one or more articles, wherein the W 1 is less than Y×D 1 where Y is a first integer number of rows of an array in which the at least two article retention structures are arranged.
3 . A blank according to claim 1 wherein the main panel comprises a handle structure disposed between recessed portions.
4 . A blank according to claim 3 , wherein the at least two article retention structures comprise a first pair of article retention structure (R 1 , R 2 ) and a second pair of article retention structure (R 3 , R 4 ), wherein the handle structure (A 7 ) is located in a region disposed between the first pair of article retention structures (R 1 , R 2 ) and the second pair of article retention structures (R 3 , R 4 ).
5 . A blank according to claim 4 , wherein the handle structure comprises a handle aperture struck from the main panel.
6 . A blank according to claim 1 wherein the one or more tabs comprises two or more tabs formed about a periphery of the aperture in the main panel, wherein the spacing between the two or more tabs is less than a maximum width of at least one tab.
7 . A blank according to claim 1 wherein the curvilinear portion comprises a free edge to which no other part of the blank is connected.
8 . A package comprising an article carrier and at least two articles, the carrier comprising a main panel comprising a paperboard substrate, wherein the main panel comprises at least two article retention structures each having an aperture defined in the main panel, the carrier further comprising one or more tabs formed about a periphery of each of the apertures and are connected to the main panel, the at least two articles are received in the at least two article retention structures such that the one or more tabs are folded out of the plane of the main panel so as to bear against the at least two articles, wherein the main panel is defined in part by a pair of opposing side edges, wherein the side edges each includes a curvilinear portion such that the main panel has a first length (W 1 ) extending between the curvilinear portions, the first length being less than a maximum length (W) of the main panel, and W 1 being less than Z×D 1 , wherein D 1 is a maximum diameter of one or more articles and Z is an integer number of columns of an array in which at least two article retentions structures are arranged.
9 . A package according to claim 8 wherein the first length is less than Y×D 1 , and Y is a first integer number of rows of an array in which the at least two article retention structures are arranged.
10 . A package according to claim 8 wherein the main panel comprises a handle structure disposed between recessed portions.
11 . A package according to claim 10 wherein the at least two article retention structures comprise a first pair of article retention structures and a second pair of article retention structures, and wherein the handle structure is located in a region disposed between the first pair of article retention structures and the second pair of article retention structures.
12 . A package according to claim 10 wherein the handle structure comprises a handle aperture struck from the main panel.
13 . A blank comprising a plurality of main panels each for forming an article carrier, wherein the main panels comprise a paperboard substrate and each of the main panels comprising a plurality of apertures, wherein a plurality of foldable engaging tabs are formed about a periphery of each of the plurality of apertures, and wherein the plurality of main panels are frangibly connected together by frangible connections and separating apertures, in a matrix fashion such that the blank is applicable to a plurality of groups of articles simultaneously.
14 . The blank according to claim 13 wherein the plurality of main panels comprises a first main panel and a second main panel adjacent the first main panel, wherein the plurality of apertures of the first main panel comprises a first aperture and a second adjacent-most aperture, wherein the plurality of apertures of the second main panel comprises a third aperture adjacent the first aperture, wherein a distance between a notional center of the first aperture and a notional center of the second aperture is equal to a distance between the notional center of the first aperture and a notional center of the third aperture.
15 . The blank according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of main panels are configured to be automatically disconnected from one another upon application of the blank to the plurality of groups of articles.
16 . The blank according to claim 13 each of the plurality of main panels comprises at least one article retention structure having a respective aperture among the plurality of apertures defined in therein.
17 . The blank according to claim 13 wherein each of the plurality of main panels is defined by a perimeter including convexly curved edges and concavely curved edges.
18 . The blank according to claim 13 wherein in the matrix fashion, each of the plurality of main panels comprises a matrix or array of article retention apertures, in a Y×Z arrangement, where Y indicates the number of rows of articles, and Z indicates the number of columns of articles.
19 . The blank according to claim 18 wherein the width of the main panels is equal to Z times the maximum width of an article.
20 . The blank according to claim 18 wherein the width of the main panels is equal to Y times the maximum width of an article.