Carrier and method
View Patent ↗The carrier has a central vertical support panel structure with two foldable receptacles extending outwardly from the vertical support panel structure. The outside wall of each receptacle is extended upwardly and bent over to cover the receptacle, and the top portions of those walls are joined together to form a carrying handle structure, either with or without the upper portion of the vertical support panel structure. The potions of the outside walls forming the covers can have openings to receive the necks of bottles such as wine and beer bottles to give added lateral support for the bottles.
1. A foldable carrier comprising
(a) a pair of receptacles, each having four vertical side walls joined together along vertical fold lines to form a foldable enclosure, each of said side walls having lower edges,
(b) each of said receptacles having its own foldable bottom structure, comprising four flanges, each secured to the lower edge of one of said four side walls along a fold line and being secured together so as to unfold to automatically form a multi-ply bottom structure when said side walls are unfolded,
(c) said receptacles being secured together by an inner one of said side walls of one of said receptacles being secured to a corresponding inner one of said side walls of the other of said receptacles,
(d) each of said receptacles having an outside one of said side walls opposite said inner side wall of said receptacle,
(e) said outside wall having a height substantially greater than that of the side walls secured to it,
(f) each of said outside walls being folded over towards said inner side wall in order to cover at least one of said receptacles when said carrier is unfolded, and having an upper edge with a handle structure near said upper edge,
(g) said outside walls being secured together adjacent said upper edges.
2. A carrier as in claim 1 in which said inner side wall of each of said receptacles has a height substantially greater than that of the side walls attached to it and extends to adjacent said upper edges of said outside walls and is secured to said outside walls adjacent said upper edges.
3. A carrier as in claim 2 in which each of said inner side walls has a handle structure near its upper edge, each of said handle structures having a handle hole, said handle holes in said outside and inner side walls being aligned with one another to form a single handle structure.
4. A carrier as in claim 1 in which each of said outside walls has at least one opening for receiving the neck of a necked container therethrough when the container is positioned in the receptacle of which said outside wall is a part.
5. A carrier as in claim 4 in which each of said receptacles has at least one divider extending between said outside wall and said inner side wall, and each of said outside walls has a plurality of container neckreceiving holes.
6. A carrier as in claim 1 including a securing structure selected from the group consisting of (a) a set of mechanical locking elements; (b) said upper edges being overlapped and glued together to form a flat top with a handle slot, and (c) said upper edges being glued tougher to form a vertical handle structure.
7. A carrier as in claim 1 in which adjacent ones of said flanges at opposite corners of said bottom structure are secured together and foldable diagonally.
8. A carrier as in claim 4 in which said opening has a shape selected from the group consisting of circular, an opening with radial slits around the edge, an elongated slot, and an elongated hourglass shaped slot.
9. A carrier as in claim 1 including a fastening structure adjacent said upper edges of said outside walls comprising a lock tab projection on one of said outside walls, and a mating receptacle for said lock tab on the other of said outside walls.
10. A foldable carrier comprising
(a) a pair of receptacles, each having four vertical side walls joined together along vertical fold lines to form a foldable enclosure,
(b) each of said receptacles having its own foldable bottom structure, said bottom structure in each of said receptacles comprising a separate flange depending from the lower edge of each of said four side walls of said receptacle, said flanges being secured together so as to automatically unfold and form a bottom structure when said four side walls are unfolded,
(c) said receptacles being secured together by an inner one of said side walls of one of said receptacles being secured to a corresponding inner one of said side walls of the other of said receptacles
(d) each of said receptacles having an outside one of said side walls opposite said inner side wall of said receptacle,
(e) said outside wall having a height substantially greater than that of the side walls secured to it,
(f) each of said outside walls being folded over towards said inner side wall in order to cover at least one of said receptacles when said carrier is unfolded, and having an upper edge, each of said outside walls having a plurality of holes each of which is positioned to fit over the neck of a necked container in the receptacle below it,
(g) said upper edges being overlapped and fastened together to form a flat top, said top having a handle slot in it.
11. A carrier as in claim 10 in which each receptacle has at least one divider with two ends, said divider being secured at one end to said outside wall of said receptacle and at its other end to said inner wall of said receptacle, thereby forming at least two compartments in said receptacle for holding a necked container therein with its neck extending through one of said holes.
12. A carrier as in claim 11 which each of said dividers is folded flat when said carrier is folded flat, but automatically moves into position to serve as a divider when said receptacle is unfolded.
13. A carrier as in claim 10 in which each of said receptacles is dimensioned to receive a specific size of necked container snugly.
14. A carrier as in claim 10 in which each of said holes is elongated in a direction perpendicular to said outside and inner side walls.
15. A carrier as in claim 10 in which said outside walls are pulled tightly against the shoulders of beverage containers in said receptacle.
16. A foldable carrier comprising
(a) A pair of receptacles, each having four vertical side walls joined together along vertical fold lines to form a foldable enclosure,
(b) Each of said receptacles having its own foldable bottom structure, said bottom structure in each of said receptacles comprising a separate flange depending from the lower edge of each of said four side walls of said receptacle, said flanges being secured together so as to automatically unfold and form a bottom structure when said four side walls are unfolded,
(c) Said receptacles being secured together by an inner one of said side walls of one of said receptacles being secured to a corresponding inner one of said side walls of the other of said receptacles
(d) Each of said receptacles having an outside one of said side walls opposite said inner side wall of said receptacle, (e) Said outside wall having a height substantially greater than that of the side walls secured to it,
(f) Each of said outside walls being folded over towards said inner side wall in order to cover at least one of said receptacles when said carrier is unfolded, and having an upper edge, each of said outside walls having a plurality of holes each of which is positioned to fit over the neck of a necked container in the receptacle below it,
(g) Said inner ones of said side walls having upper edges extending vertically to a height substantially greater than that of the ones of said side walls attached to said inner side walls, each having a handle structure adjacent said upper edge and aligned with the handle structure on the other of said inner ones of said side walls.
17. A carrier as in claim 16 in which each of said receptacles has at least one divider extending between said outside wall and said inner side wall.
18. A carrier as in claim 16 in which adjacent ones of said flanges at opposite corners of said bottom structure are secured together and foldable diagonally.