Abstract: A carrier 10 has a bottom wall (24), side walls (22, 26), a top wall (20), and end walls. At least one of the end walls is is a composite structure of multiple-ply construction. The composite end wall is made up of multiple end wall flaps (40, 42, 44, 46) in face-to-face relation with respect to one another with a hand-hole handle structure formed from hand-hole apertures (48, 48a, 48b, 49, 49a, 49b) in each of the flaps aligned over one another. In each end wall flap score lines (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86) extend from the respective ends of each aperture generally toward a corner of the flap. One of the score lines (62, 65, 82, 85) in each set extending from each aperture (48a, 48b, 49a, 49b) is coincident with a supplemental score line (25, 27) which extends from the end edge of the adjoining side wall (22, 26).

Abstract: A set-up basket style article carrier has a bottom panel, first and second opposed sidewalls attached to the bottom panel, riser panels, a handle attached to the riser panels, transverse partition straps extending between the riser panels and sidewalls, and tapered end panels attached to the riser panels. A blank for the article carrier has a bottom panel, a sidewall joined to the bottom panel along a horizontal fold line, a handle assembly panel joined to the sidewall along a horizontal fold line, a tapered end panel joined to the sidewall along a vertical fold line and to the handle assembly panel along horizontally extending fold lines, and a riser panel joined to the end panel along a fold line offset from vertical to accommodate taper in the tapered end panel.

Abstract: A carton formed from sheet material for containers such as cans or bottles includes a top wall, a pair of side walls and a bottom wall interconnected to form a tubular structure. A notional strip is defined along the top wall, having notional side edges, and extends between the end edges and has a width less than the distance between the side edges. A pair of hand apertures, each having at least one aperture edge, are defined in the top panel and disposed along opposite sides of the notional strip with at least a portion of the aperture edges disposed generally along the notional side edges. A plurality of preformed tear lines, one of the tear lines extending along an adjacent one of the notional side edges from substantially adjacent each end of each of the apertures toward a respective one of the top panel end edges but terminating at a termination point disposed remotely therefrom.

Abstract: A collapsed carton for subsequent setup to receive articles includes top and bottom panels and a pair of side panels. End closure flaps extend from opposite side edges of each of the side panels to close the tubular carton when set up. A divider panel is disposed within the tubular structure between the top and bottom panels. A pair of glue flaps are foldably connected to the divider panel side edges, each of the glue flaps being secured to an inner surface of one of the side panels to retain the divider panel within the tubular structure. At least one divider end flap is foldably connected to one of the divider panel end edges. A first aperture is defined through one divider end flap. A second aperture is defined through one of the end closure flaps at one of the tubular ends of the carton to coincide with the first aperture when the carton is collapsed.

Abstract: A divider panel (20) has a major panel (22) with attached anchor flaps (24, 26) for securing the panel (20) in a multiple-tier article package. The anchor flaps (24, 26) are attached to the major panel (22) along perforated lines (23) that permit the anchor flaps (24, 26) and major panel (22) to be separated from one another. The divider panel (20) is scored with lines (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) that encourage bending of the divider panel (20) about axes defined by the scored lines (28, 30, 32, 34, 36). One or more apertures (37) in the major panel (22) enable a finger or fingers to be inserted to facilitate removal of the major panel (22) or the entire divider panel (20) from the carton. A carton which contains the divider panel (20) has a tear-away flap (171) which is integrally formed with an end closure of the carton and which is attached to an anchor flap of the divider panel (152).

Abstract: A carton for containers such as cans or bottles includes a top wall, pair of side walls and a bottom wall interconnected to form a tubular structure. End closure structure includes an end flap connected to each end edge of the top wall. A handle aperture is defined in the top wall and positioned thereon generally centrally of the top wall. A handle reinforcing structure includes a pair of end portions, one of the end portions connected along a side edge of each of the end flaps and extending to the top edge thereof, and a central portion connected to each of the end portions and extending therebetween. The central portion is secured in overlapping relationship to the top wall and positioned thereon to be substantially adjacent to a portion of the handle aperture.

Abstract: A carton for packaging articles includes a generally rectangular top wall having a pair of spaced hand apertures formed therein. The hand apertures are disposed to define therebetween a handle strip for use in lifting the carton. The top wall is provided with a fold line extending from the region of each corner of the top wall toward the handle strip and further with a first severance line extending transversely of each fold line. Each first severance line is interposed between the handle strip and the respective fold line such that each fold line terminates at the respective severance line. This arrangement prevents stress concentration at the region of the handle strip when the carton is lifted.

Abstract: A package comprises a plurality of beverage cans arranged into a group of at least two vertically-aligned tiers, a carton disposed around the exterior of the group of the cans, and a divider panel disposed between upper and lower adjacent tiers. Each can has a cylindrical side wall defining an axis. The cans in each tier have their axes disposed vertically and parallel to each other. The carton includes top and bottom panels interconnected by a pair of side panels to form a tubular structure, and a pair of end closure structures disposed to close opposite open ends of the tubular structure. The end closure structures are connected to the tubular structure and are disposed substantially adjacent the side walls of the cans of the group along opposite ends of the group. The divider panel is provided with a pair of anchor flaps which are secured to the end closure structures.

Abstract: A handle (30) is integrally formed with a carton (20) by apertures (20) adjacent the handle (30). Each aperture (20) is covered by a combination of tabs (22, 24) which are foldable out of the plane of the aperture (20) to define the sides of the handle (30). In a tripartite arrangement of tabs (22, 24) a center tab (22) lies between opposing end tabs (24). The center tab (22) and end tabs (24) are foldably joined to opposite sides of the aperture (20). The center tab (22) is contoured and etched with fold lines (38, 42) which encourage bending of the center tab (22) about cans (1) or similarly shaped articles encased by the carton (10).

Abstract: The top wall of an article carrier is provided with a pair of hand gripping apertures and score lines extend from the apertures to the corners of the top wall. A supplementary score line extends from a point of intersection with a score line and is arranged to extend beyond the edge of the carrier top wall and to a point of intersection with the top portion of the adjacent side wall at each corner of the carrier. The load of the carrier is well distributed so as to avoid any tendency for the side walls to bow outwardly and thus to interfere with a product removal and reinsertion feature formed in each of the carrier side walls. Efficient distribution of the weight also makes possible the usage of lower caliper board than is usually required for heavy duty carriers while still maintaining package integrity and viability with a product remover and reinsertion structure formed in each carton side wall.

Abstract: The top wall of an article carrier is provided with at least one hand gripping aperture and a number of score lines are arranged to extend from an end of the hand gripping aperture outwardly in a converging path toward corners of the top wall. Diverging cut lines are formed at the outer end of the score lines and diverge from each other as cut lines one of which extends across the top wall and into the adjacent end wall and the other of which extends in the top wall and into the adjacent side wall. The arrangement of diverging score lines in association with converging cut lines constitutes an effective means of distributing the carrier load. By this means the caliber of board used in the formation of the carrier may be substantially reduced and economies thereby effected.

Abstract: A package for beverage containers such as cans arranged in two or more axially-stacked tiers includes a carton having interconnected top, bottom and side walls. End closure structure connected to at least some of the walls closes one end of the carton. A dispenser for the containers includes first and second apertures defined in the end closure structure. The first aperture extends from one of the side walls and the bottom wall into the end closure structure, and the second aperture extends from the same side wall and the top wall into the end closure structure. The first and second apertures terminate remote from each other such that a portion of the end closure structure extends between the apertures and is connected to the side wall.

Abstract: A heavy duty article carrier for packaging cans disposed horizontally includes bottom, top, side and end walls. A composite top wall includes a pair of hand hole apertures and a score line is formed in each side wall near the top edge thereof and the ends of these side score lines are connected with a weakened severance line which adjoins a diagonal score line formed at each corner of the carrier top wall. In addition, a score line is formed in each end wall near the top thereof and each end of these end score lines is interconnected with the adjacent end edge of the top wall and with the adjacent end of an adjacent diagonal weakened severance line formed in the top wall.

Abstract: An article carrier having bottom, top, side and end walls interconnected to form an enclosure of rectilinear configuration and having a pair of spaced apart hand hole openings formed in the top wall includes a reinforcing strip secured to the inner surface of the top wall and between the hand hole openings. End extensions which may or may not be adhered project from each end of the reinforcing strip and are folded into flat face contacting relation with the end walls respectively and are secured thereto. The fold lines between the end extensions and the cooperating end edges of the reinforcing strip are debossed so as to protrude inwardly and mate with a complementary embossed area which is encased by torque relief slits thereby reducing the tension along the outer surfaces of the fold lines between the top wall and the end walls so as effectively to strengthen the load bearing elements of the carrier top wall.

Abstract: The top wall of an article carrier is provided with a pair of hand gripping apertures and a number of score lines are arranged to extend from adjacent an end of a hand gripping aperture outwardly in a diverging path toward the corners of the top wall. By this means the top wall of the carrier is rendered especially strong by efficiently distributing the weight of the carrier and its contents so that the caliber of board used may be substantially reduced and economies thereby effected.

Abstract: A tubular carton includes interconnected bottom, side and top walls. The side walls are disposed perpendicular to the top and bottom walls to form a sleeve, with a dust flap foldably joined to each end of each of the top and bottom walls. An end flap is foldably joined to each end of the side walls, with at least a portion of each of the end flaps being disposed perpendicular to the major axis of the sleeve. An alignment edge is defined along each side edge of at least one of the dust flaps, the alignment edge being defined by a portion of the side edge extending to the fold line connecting an adjacent one of the end flaps to the respective one of the side walls. A corresponding carton blank is also disclosed.

Abstract: A bottle carrier for packaging and gripping in a taut fashion, a plurality of bottles includes top, bottom and side walls, each side wall having a substantially vertically disposed bottom portion and preferably inwardly inclined top portion foldably joined to the bottom portion to form a tubular structure. Top end panels are foldably joined to each end edge of the top wall together with a bottom end panel foldably joined to each end edge of the bottom wall and secured in overlapping relation with the associated top end panel. Special web structure is foldably joined to the end edges of the vertically disposed lower portions of the side walls and to the inwardly inclined upper portions of the side walls so as to close the carton ends and to grip the packaged bottles in a taut and secure manner thereby to minimize bottle breakage.

Abstract: A carrying handle arrangement for a can carton having interconnected top, bottom and side walls and end closure panels is provided with a carrying handle arrangement. The arrangement includes a pair of spaced transverse generally parallel flaps formed in the top wall and a pair of spaced stress relieving slits formed in each side wall. The flaps are arranged such that a portion of the top wall between the flaps is located medially between the opposite end edges of the top wall. At least one of the side edges of each flap is arranged to function as a fold line. The opposite ends of each flap is defined by a pair of end slits are arranged to interconnect the adjacent ends of the side edges respectively. The stress relieving slits intersect a junction between the respective side wall and the top wall and extend into the top wall. Each stress relieving slit extends along the top wall to a point on the adjacent end slit.

Abstract: The invention applies to an article carrier handle structure for a carrier having top, bottom and side walls foldably joined to form a tubular arrangement. The handle structure is struck from the top wall of the carrier and includes a main handle flap together with a minor handle flap and a reinforcing strip. The main and minor handle flaps and the reinforcing strip are constructed in such manner that a five ply handle structure is provided so as to form an unusually sturdy mechanically strong handle.

Abstract: A bottle carrier for packaging and gripping in a taut fashion a plurality of bottles includes top, bottom and side walls, each side wall having a substantially vertically disposed bottom portion and an inwardly inclined top portion foldably joined to the bottom portion to form a tubular structure, top end panels foldably joined to each end edge of the top wall together with a bottom end panel foldably joined to each end edge of the bottom wall and secured in overlapping relation with the associated top end panel. A first collapsible web is foldably joined to each end edge of each top end panel and to the end edge of each of the inwardly inclined top wall portion. A yieldable fold line formed in each collapsible web extends from the adjacent corner of the top wall downwardly in angular relation to the adjacent end edge of the associated inwardly inclined top wall portion.