Abstract: This invention relates to a single-piece carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers with a retainer sheet integrated with a film sleeve. The retainer sheet may comprise a thicker material than the film sleeve. The retainer sheet comprises a plurality of container receiving openings for engaging a top portion of each container while the film sleeve surrounds the plurality of containers. Packages may comprise one or more layers of containers within the film sleeve.

Abstract: This invention relates to a package of a plurality of containers unitized with a flexible carrier. The carrier is constructed from a plastic planar sheet having a plurality of container receiving openings arranged in longitudinal rows and transverse ranks. A panel extends from a longitudinal edge of the planar sheet that is arranged to either remain flat and tight with respect to the package or, alternatively, follow an external contour of the package.

Abstract: This invention relates to a single-piece carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers with a retainer sheet integrated with a film sleeve. The retainer sheet may comprise a thicker material than the film sleeve. The retainer sheet comprises a plurality of container receiving openings for engaging a top portion of each container while the film sleeve surrounds the plurality of containers. Packages may comprise one or more layers of containers within the film sleeve.

Abstract: This invention relates to a single-piece carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers with a retainer sheet integrated with a carrier sleeve. The retainer sheet comprises a plurality of container receiving openings for engaging a top portion of a group of containers of the plurality of containers and two partial container receiving openings for partially engaging a top portion of two additional containers of the plurality of containers. The carrier sleeve surrounds the plurality of containers and a handle is positioned over a center row of containers. A package including containers comprises two layers of containers within the film sleeve.

Abstract: A one-piece plastic handle is adapted for attachment to a sidewall of a container, such as a bottle, to enable a consumer to easily lift and carry the container with one hand. The handle is formed from an elongated handle section having first and second arms which extend from opposite ends of the handle section to form generally an I-shape. When secured to a bottle, the underside of the arms are adhesively secured to the sidewall of the bottle in areas beyond the limits of a label applied to the sidewall of the bottle. A pair of opposed arcuate legs are formed along the length of the handle section between the first and second arms and define reverse bend struts. When the container is not being lifted, the handle section and the opposed arcuate legs lie flat against the sidewall of the container.

Abstract: A multi-packaging device for carrying a plurality of containers. A panel is configured with an array of three-pointed apertures that are each engageable with a container neck portion. Each of the three-pointed apertures is formed by two longitudinal elongated openings and one lateral elongated opening in the panel, with extremities of the longitudinal elongated openings positioned along a longitudinal fold line of the panel. Side flaps are positioned adjacent to the fold line on either longitudinal side of the panel.

Abstract: A plastic carrier for carrying a plurality of containers, such as cans, bottles and the like, includes a novel structure which maintains a straight grip portion when containers are applied thereto. The carrier includes container engaging portions which are joined to a handle portion by a welded seam. Each container engaging portion includes bands which define apertures therein for holding the containers therein. The handle portion extends generally perpendicular to the container engaging portions when the carrier is applied to the containers. The apertures within each container engaging portion include an inner aperture and a pair of end apertures therein. Each inner and outer aperture is defined by a length measured parallel with the welded seam wherein each inner aperture is substantially shorter than each end aperture.

Abstract: A sheet that cooperates with a traditional ring carrier to create a package that covers openable ends of unitized substantially similar cans. The ring carrier unitizes an array of cans into longitudinal ranks and transverse rows. The sheet contains an array of longitudinal, substantially parallel pairs of slits corresponding with the arrayed cans. The corner slits are substantially curved and promote a positive corner wrap at the corner end of the slit. A slit transversely adjacent the corner slit is curved and a slit longitudinally adjacent to the corner slit is straight for most of its length. Two integral flaps extend transversely with respect to the sheet and are folded with respect to the remaining portion of the sheet through an angle greater than 90.degree.. Clipping the sheet onto the array of cans unitized by the ring carrier creates an assembled package. Portions of the sheet adjacent each pair of slits engage a portion of the chime of each corresponding can.

Abstract: A novel for carrying a plurality of containers, such as bottles, cans and the like, includes novel tear strips which can be separated from the carrier so that the containers held by the carrier can be easily removed from the carrier. The carrier includes container engaging portions, each of which includes bands which define apertures therein for engaging the side walls of the containers to hold the containers therein to form a package. Each band has an inner margin portion, an outer margin portion and side margin portions. Each tear strip is positioned on the outer margin portions of the bands. The strip is separated from the remainder of the carrier by a perforation line, which is formed from a series of spaced dots, along which the strip can be torn. In one embodiment, a handle is attached to the tear strip for carrying the carrier and associated containers on their sides.

Abstract: A carrier device for carrying a plurality of containers, such as bottles, cans and the like, includes novel zip strips which can be selectively separated from the carrier device so that the containers held by the carrier device can be easily removed from the carrier device. The carrier device includes container engaging portions, each of which includes bands which define apertures therein for engaging the side walls of the containers to hold the containers therein to form a package. Each container engaging portion has a continuous outer margin portion. Each zip strip is positioned on the respective outer margin portion. The zip strip is separated from the remainder of the carrier device by a series of perforation lines, elongated slits and openings, along which the zip strip can be torn.

Abstract: In a package for containers of a type having a side wall, a wrapper is formed from a paperboard sheet, folded, and seamed and has a bottom wall, two lateral walls providing expansive surfaces for labelling of the package, and two struts, which extend across the wrapper and divide the package into two endmost regions and an intermediate region. As formed from sheet-form, resilient, polymeric material, a carrier has band segments defining container-receiving apertures in two longitudinal rows, two endmost ranks, and two intermediate ranks, and a handle is attached to the carrier so as to extend upwardly from a longitudinal midline of the carrier. Each container is loosely received by one container-receiving aperture so that the band segments defining such aperture grip its side wall.

Abstract: Carrier stock for beverage cans or other cans of a type having a chime at an upper end and having a frusto-conical wall below the chime is formed from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, with outer band segments defining can-receiving apertures and including outer band segments and inner band segments, which include a pair of substantially linear edges connected by a relatively small radius at an apex, with webs separating the can-receiving apertures in each longitudinal row, with finger-gripping straps, and with a strut-producing strap. The finger-gripping straps are arranged in pairs and configured such that each finger-gripping strap of each pair extends generally transversely between two of the inner band segments and is curved inwardly toward the other finger-gripping strap of the same pair when the carrier stock is in a flat, unstressed condition.

Abstract: In a novel, unitized package having an upper tier and a lower tier, each tier comprises substantially identical containers, such as beverage cans of a type having a chime at an upper end, arranged in a substantially rectangular array, and a carrier made from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene. A covering sheet and a second covering or dividing sheet are employed, each being made from a paperboard material. The covering sheet is folded so as to form a cover panel, which covers the upper ends of the containers of the upper tier, and two lateral panels, which extend downwardly from the cover panel, along and below the containers of the upper tier, and along the containers of the lower tier. The cover panel of the covering sheet has slots for receiving portions of the chimes of the containers of the upper tier.

Abstract: A package of substantially identical containers, such as beverage cans, and a carrier and a method of making such packages are disclosed. The carrier has band segments defining container-receiving apertures and additional apertures. The carrier is applied so that the containers are received in the container-receiving apertures and so that the band segments engage cylindrical side walls of the containers. Among the band segments, terminal cross segments define opposite ends of the carrier and medial cross segments separate the container-receiving apertures in each longitudinal row. Each medial cross segment is severed partially, for a substantial distance along its transverse midline, from one of the opposite edges of the carrier, toward one of the additional apertures and has at least one secondary slit extending transversely between the transverse midline and one of the container-receiving apertures.

Abstract: Carrier stock formed from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, for machine application to substantially identical containers. The stock is severable to form individual carriers with three longitudinal rows of container-receiving apertures, as defined by band segments, which include cross segments formed with tear-open tabs. The cross segments formed with such tabs are slitted so as to define a series of frangible bridges, which are staggered transversely, and which can be easily torn by a user pulling on such tabs. Also, a distal portion of each tab is connected to another band segment by a frangible web, which is slitted.

Abstract: A package of substantially identical containers, such as beverage cans, and a carrier and a method of making such packages are disclosed. The carrier has band segments defining container-receiving apertures and additional apertures. The carrier is applied so that the containers are received in the container-receiving apertures and so that the band segments engage cylindrical side walls of the containers. Among the band segments, terminal cross segments define opposite ends of the carrier and medial cross segments separate the container-receiving apertures in each longitudinal row. Each medial cross segment is severed partially, for a substantial distance along its transverse midline, from one of the opposite edges of the carrier, toward one of the additional apertures and has at least one secondary slit extending transversely between the transverse midline and one of the container-receiving apertures.

Abstract: A tear-open container carrier is provided having integral webs defining container encircling apertures for accepting and firmly holding containers therein. The integral webs have bridges extending from the container encircling apertures to a tear strip which is capable of accepting a force. The bridges have force and tear directing and propagating lines. When a force is applied to the tear strips, the carrier bands rupture under the influence of the force and tear directing and propagating lines, thereby opening the container encircling apertures, and allowing the quick and easy removal of the containers from the carrier.

Abstract: Carrier stock formed from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene, for machine application to substantially identical containers. The stock is severable to form individual carriers with three longitudinal rows of container-receiving apertures, as defined by band segments, which include cross segments formed with tear-open tabs. The cross segments formed with such tabs are slitted so as to define a series of frangible bridges, which are staggered transversely, and which can be easily torn by a user pulling on such tabs. Also, a distal portion of each tab is connected to another band segment by a frangible web, which is slitted.

Abstract: Carrier stock for machine application to substantially identical containers, such as beverage cans, has tear-open capability provided by tear-open band segments. Such segments, which extend between adjacent containers, are divided into half segments and have slits and frangible bridge, whereby a tear beginning at a crotch at one end can propagate through such a half segment. The slits include slits common to the half segments and slits staggered transversely.

Abstract: A generally planar paperboard or polymeric sheet for stabilizing a rectangular array of substantially identical cans of a type having an openable end with a chime and for covering substantial portions of the openable ends of the arrayed cans. Pairs of parallel slits in the sheet define can-stabilizing strips. The sheet is clippable onto the cans in such manner that portions of the chimes extend into the paired slits and that each strip fits, without folding such strip, under portions of two adjacent cans. A package for merchandizing such cans can be readily assembled by steps that include providing such cans in a rectangular array and clipping the sheet onto the cans in the specified manner.