Carrier and method
View Patent ↗A carrier blank and method of making a carrier which is highly adaptable for use in different forms with both in-line and right-angle gluers presently in use by many carrier manufacturers. A blank for use with a variety of different right-angle gluers takes advantage of the structure of the carrier which has two separate support panels and receptacles. The parts for the carrier can be formed into a compact lay-out in two parallel arrays on opposite sides of the blank. Cut-outs forming dividers for each of the receptacles are nested and embedded in adjacent parts so as to form integral one-piece dividers. A manufacturer can select among several different blanks available for use on either in-line or right-angle gluers, all for producing essentially the same carrier.
1. A blank for forming a foldable carrier, said blank comprising
(a) a pair of support panels each having opposed side edges extending in a first direction, and first and second opposed transverse end edges extending in a second direction transverse to said first direction, said support panels being arranged with said side edges aligned with one another, and the first of said transverse end edges of each panel adjacent and parallel to the first of said transverse end edges of the other of said support panels,
(b) a pair of side-wall structures for forming two receptacles, each secured to one of said support panels,
(c) each of said side-wall structures comprising a plurality of side-wall panels joined together in series with one of said support panels along fold lines,
(d) each of said side-wall panels and said support panels having a bottom flange extending outwardly from one edge, said flanges forming two linear groups of four bottom flanges extending outwardly from opposite sides of said blank,
(e) at least two of said flanges in each of said groups having an attachment corner with a diagonal fold line, whereby said corner can be attached to an adjacent one of said flanges to form an automatically-opening bottom structure of one of said receptacles,
(f) the length of each of said side-wall panels in said first direction on said blank is substantially less than the length of said support panels in said first direction and said linear groups are spaced from one another, and including a pair of reinforcement panels formed in the space between said two linear groups of sidewall panels, each of said reinforcement panels being connected at one side edge to one of said side edges of one of said support panels along a fold line, whereby each of said reinforcement panels can be folded over and secured to one of said support panels.
2. A blank as in claim 1 including a pair of side flanges, each extending along a fold line from one end of each said linear groups, said end being selected from the group consisting of the west end and the east end, when said linear groups are aligned in an east-west direction.
3. A blank as in claim 1 in which said first end edges of said support panels are joined together along a fold line.
4. A blank as in claim 1 in which each of said support panels includes at least one divider cut-out therefrom, said divider being secured at one end to the support panel from which it is cut out, said cut-out having an end opposite said one end, with an attachment tab at said opposite end for attachment to one of said side-wall panels to form a divider when said carrier is unfolded.
5. A blank as in claim 1 in which each of said corners has a shape selected from the group consisting of substantially triangular and truncated triangular.
6. A blank as in claim 1 in which each of said two flanges has a shape selected from the group consisting of substantially triangular, truncated triangular, and substantially rectangular.
7. A blank as in claim 1 in which at least one of said flanges in each of said linear groups has a width, measured in said first direction, equal to the width of the narrowest of said side wall panels, measured in said transverse direction, so that said one flange spans the width of said bottom structure when said blank is formed into a carrier and unfolded.
8. A blank as in claim 4 in which there are two of said cut-outs forming two dividers for each of said support panels, each being secured to said panel along a longitudinal fold line, said cut-outs extending in said transverse direction.
9. A blank as in claim 8 in which each of the attachment tabs of one of each pair of said dividers is substantially narrower than the base of the other of said pair of dividers, and extends into and is cut out of the material of said base of said other divider.
10. A blank as in claim 9 in which said blank has side flanges extending from one of the east and west ends of said blank, and each of the attachment tabs of said other dividers extends into and is cut out of the material of one of said side flanges.
11. A blank as in claim 4 in which each of said divider cut-outs has an elongated tapered lower extremity to serve as a cushion between beverage containers in adjacent compartments formed by said dividers.
12. A carrier blank comprising:
(a) a pair of support panels,
(b) two groups of side-wall panels, each connected in series to one of said support panels so as to form, together with said support panels, a walled enclosure for a receptacle,
(c) a plurality of flanges, one extending from the lower edge of each of said side wall panels and the attached support panel in each of said groups, said flanges adapted to be selectively secured to one another to form a bottom wall for one of said receptacles,
(d) at least two cut-outs from the material of each of said support panels forming two dividers for each of said receptacles, each of said cut-outs being attached along a fold line at one end to support the panel from which it is cut, and having an attachment tab at the end opposite said one end, one of said dividers having a width at said attachment end which is substantially narrower than the width of said one end of the other divider, with said attachment end being nested within an cut out of the material of said other divider,
(e) said side-wall panels being shorter than said support panels and separated from one another by material of which said blank is made, and a pair of reinforcement panels formed of said material, each attached along a fold line to one of said support panels to be foldable onto and securable to said one support panel as a reinforcement, each of said support panels having a handle structure adjacent the area covered by said reinforcement panel.
13. A carrier blank comprising:
(a) a pair of support panels,
(b) two groups of side-wall panels, each connected in series to one of said support panels so as to form, together with said support panels, a walled enclosure for a receptacle,
(c) a plurality of flanges, one extending from the lower edge of each of said side wall panels and the attached support panel in each of said groups, said flanges adapted to be selectively secured to one another to form a bottom wall for one of said receptacles, and
(d) at least two cut-outs from the material of each of said support panels forming two dividers for each of said receptacles, each of said cut-outs being attached along a fold line at one end to support the panel from which it is cut, and having an attachment tab at the end opposite said one end, one of said dividers having a width at said attachment end which is substantially narrower than the width of said one end of the other divider, with said attachment end being nested within an cut out of the material of said other divider in which said other divider has an attachment tab at the end opposite said one end, the latter attachment tab extending beyond one side edge of said support panel, the latter attachment tab extending into and being cut out of the material of one of said side wall panels which spans the gap left by the cut-out of said other divider.