Bottle carrier

1. A bottle carrier made of a foldable flat material, particularly cardboard, comprising:

a top wall ( 4 ),

a bottom wall ( 2 ),

side walls ( 3 , 5 , 7 , 8 ) interconnecting the top wall ( 4 ) and bottom wall ( 2 ) at the sides, and

a handle portion ( 14 ) extending across the top wall ( 4 ) and into two opposed side walls ( 7 , 8 ) which is defined by weakening lines in the top wall ( 4 ) and the side walls ( 7 , 8 ), has a strip-shaped central portion ( 15 ) in the top wall ( 4 ) and two fork-shaped end portions ( 16 ′, 16 ″) each of which extends into an adjoining side wall ( 7 , 8 ) from the top wall and is joined to the side wall ( 7 , 8 ) at the outer ends;

wherein the ton wall ( 4 ) has disposed thereunder a further top wall ( 6 ) which has a strip-shaped central portion ( 21 ) defined by weakening lines which is disposed below the strip-shaped central portion ( 15 ) of the top wall ( 4 ) so that the strip-shaped central portion ( 15 ) and the further strip-shaped central portion ( 21 ) are adapted to be raised together

wherein handle apertures ( 19 , 22 ) to insert a hand are located on either side of the strip-shaped central portion ( 15 ) and/or the further strip-shaped central portion ( 21 );

wherein the further top wall ( 6 ), at opposed sides, has hinged thereto side flaps ( 13 ′, 13 ″) which are disposed at the insides of the side walls ( 7 , 8 ) to which the fork-shaped end portions ( 16 ′, 16 ″) are joined at their end sides;

wherein the further strip-shaped central portion ( 21 ) has two further fork-shaped end portions ( 38 ′, 38 ″) each of which extends into the adjoining side flap ( 13 ′, 13 ″) from the further top wall ( 6 ) and is joined to the side flap ( 13 ′, 13 ″) at the outer ends;

wherein top wall ( 4 ) and further top wall ( 6 ) are nearly congruent and the entire top wall ( 4 , 6 ) consists of not more than two superimposed cardboard layers, and

wherein the entire handle portion ( 14 ) and central portion ( 21 ) and form-shaped end portions ( 38 ′, 38 ″) do not comprise more than two superimposed carton layers.

2. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein the fork-shaped end portions ( 16 ′, 16 ″) each have two fork prongs ( 17 ′ to 17 IV ).

3. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein the fork-shaped end portions ( 16 III , 16 IV ) each have three fork prongs ( 17 V to 17 X ).

4. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein at least the weakening lines externally defining the handle portion ( 14 ) in the side walls ( 7 , 8 ) end in filletings ( 18 ′ to 18 IV ) bent away from the handle portion ( 14 ).

5. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein the further strip-shaped central portion ( 21 ) is completely defined by a weakening line and is joined to the strip-shaped central portion ( 15 ).

6. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein the strip-shaped central portion ( 15 ) and/or the further strip-shaped central portion ( 21 ) have tabs ( 20 , 22 ) disposed alongside in the handle apertures ( 19 , 22 ) which are adapted to be folded under the strip-shaped central portion ( 15 ) and/or the further strip-shaped central portion ( 21 ).

7. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein the further top wall ( 6 ) and/or the side flaps ( 13 ′, 13 ″), adjacent to the borders of the further top wall ( 6 ) that adjoin the side walls ( 7 , 8 ) to which the fork-shaped end portions ( 16 ′, 16 ″) are joined at their end sides, have disposed therein reversing flaps ( 23 ′ to 23 IV ; 25 ′ to 25 IV ) defined by punched-out portions which are disposed below the fork prongs ( 17 ′ to 17 IV ) so that if the central portion ( 15 ) is raised the fork prongs ( 17 ′ to 17 IV ) are reversed by the reversing flaps ( 23 ′ to 23 IV ; 25 ′ to 25 IV ) in an approximately curved fashion.

8. The bottle carrier according to claim 7 wherein at least one reversing flap ( 23 ′ to 23 IV ) has at last one channelled line ( 23 ′, 24 ″) oriented transversely to the fork prongs.

9. The bottle carrier according to claim 7 wherein reversing flaps ( 23 V to 23 VIII ) disposed in the further top wall ( 6 ) are tapered towards the side flaps ( 13 III , 13 IV ).

10. The bottle carrier according to claim 2 wherein the further fork-shaped end portions ( 38 ′, 38 ″) each have two fork prongs ( 39 ′ to 39 IV ).

11. The bottle carrier according to claim 10 wherein intermediate tabs ( 41 ′, 41 ″) disposed between the fork prongs ( 17 ′ to 17 IV ) are joined to further intermediate tabs ( 42 ′, 42 ″) disposed between the fork prong ( 39 ′ to 39 IV ) which have a widened portion ( 43 ′, 43 ″) within the further top wall ( 6 ).

12. The bottle carrier according to claim 3 , win the further strip-shaped central portion ( 21 ′) has strip-shaped end portions ( 21 ″, 21 ′″) each of which extends into the adjoining side flap ( 13 ′, 13 ″) from the further top wall ( 6 ) and is joined to the side flap ( 13 ′, 13 ″) at the outer ends.

13. The bottle carrier according to claim 7 wherein the strip-shaped central portion ( 15 ′) and the further strip-shaped central portion ( 21 ′) are joined to each other.

14. The bottle carrier according to claim 13 wherein the top wall ( 4 ) and the further top wall ( 6 ) are connected to each other in the areas outside the reversing portions ( 23 ′ to 23 IV ) and the fork-shaped end portions ( 16 ′, 16 ″).

15. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein pull-up tabs ( 27 , 28 ) which are defined by weakening lines and are extended approximately up to the top wall are located in two opposed side walls ( 3 , 5 ).

16. The bottle carrier according to claim 15 wherein each tear tab ( 27 , 28 ) has a hinged joint in the vicinity of the top wall ( 4 ) and is defined by two weakening lines led away approximately in parallel from the hinged joint which are joined to each other at a spacing from the top wall.

17. The bottle carrier according to claim 15 wherein the weakening lines defining the pull-up tabs ( 27 , 28 ) meet together at a deep point of the pull-up tabs ( 27 , 28 ) that forms a short gripping tab ( 29 , 30 ).

18. The bottle carrier according to claim 15 wherein the pull-up tabs ( 27 , 28 ) are disposed in the longitudinal walls ( 3 , 5 ) which are disposed on the longitudinal sides of the handle portion ( 14 ).

19. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein further pull-up tabs ( 34 , 35 ) which are defined by weakening lines on either side of the handle portion ( 15 ) and are extended up to borders of the side walls ( 8 ′, 8 ″) and the side flaps ( 13 ′, 13 ″) are located in the top wall ( 4 ), the side walls ( 8 ′, 8 ″) to which the fork-shaped end portions ( 16 ′, 16 ″) are joined, the further top wall ( 6 ), and the side flops ( 8 ′, 8 ″).

20. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 comprising a cut-to-size piece ( 1 ) of a foldable flat material that has a bottom wall ( 2 ), side walls ( 25 ) hinged to the longitudinal sides of the bottom wall ( 2 ), a top wall ( 4 ) hinged to a further longitudinal side of a side wall ( 3 ), and a further top wall ( 6 ) hinged to a further longitudinal side of a further side wall ( 5 ).

21. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein the bottom wall ( 2 ) and the top wall ( 6 ) have side wall elements hinged to the transverse sides ( 7 ′, 7 ″; 8 ′, 8 ″) that can be folded towards each other and are connected to each other.

22. The bottle carrier according to claim 21 wherein the side wall elements ( 7 ′, 7 ″; 8 ′, 8 ″) have folded thereunder side flaps ( 10 ′, 10 ″ to 12 ′, 12 ″) which are hinged to the ease sides of adjoining side walls ( 3 , 5 ).

23. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein at least two opposed side walls ( 3 , 5 ) have a rectangular portion ( 3 ′, 5 ′) adjoining the bottom wall ( 2 ) and one trapezoidal portion ( 3 ″, 5 ″) adjoining the top wall ( 2 ).

24. The bottle carrier according to claim 1 wherein gripping holes ( 44 ′, 44 ″) arm disposed in at least two opposed side walls ( 7 , 8 ).

25. The bottle carrier according to claim 24 wherein the gripping holes ( 44 ′, 44 ″) are disposed in the side walls ( 7 , 8 ) to which the fork-shaped end portions ( 16 ′, 16 ″) are joined at the end sides.

26. The bottle carrier according to claim 25 wherein the gripping holes ( 44 ′, 44 ″) are reinforced by the side flaps ( 13 ′, 13 ″).

27. The bottle carrier according to claim 24 wherein gripping tabs ( 45 ′, 45 ″) are disposed in the gripping holes ( 44 ′, 44 ″).