Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet and a plurality of container receiving apertures formed in the flexible sheet. An array of the container receiving apertures extend longitudinally across the flexible sheet wherein each container receiving aperture is substantially rectangular and includes an aperture perimeter that increases more than 42% following application to a container.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet and a plurality of container receiving apertures formed in the flexible sheet. An array of the container receiving apertures extend longitudinally across the flexible sheet wherein each container receiving aperture is substantially rectangular and includes an aperture perimeter that increases more than 42% following application to a container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blocking a bar code in a package includes a carrier with a plurality of apertures. The carrier is formed with a plastic material containing an absorbing dye and a fluorescing dye so that a bar code on each container is not readable by a bar code scanner.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet and a plurality of container receiving apertures formed in the flexible sheet. An array of the container receiving apertures extend longitudinally across the flexible sheet wherein each container receiving aperture is substantially rectangular and includes an aperture perimeter that increases more than 42% following application to a container.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet and a plurality of container receiving apertures formed in the flexible sheet. An array of the container receiving apertures extend longitudinally across the flexible sheet wherein each container receiving aperture is substantially rectangular and includes an aperture perimeter that increases more than 42% following application to a container.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers, such as soft drink and other beverage containers, is formed from a polymer composition which provides the carrier with improved recovery, tensile strength and tear resistance. The polymer composition includes about 50–99% by weight of a low density ethylene polymer having a density of about 0.910–0.950 grams/cm3 and about 1–50% by weight of a single site catalyzed ethylene-alpha olefin copolymer plastomer having a density of about 0.850–0.905 grams/cm3.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of beverage containers includes a plurality of container holders, each having a portion with higher energy treatment and a portion with lower energy treatment. The energy treatment is corona or plasma treatment. The portions with higher energy treatment provide better carrier-to-container friction. By varying the level of energy treatment and the relative size of the portions being treated, the amount of overall friction between the flexible carrier and the containers can be controlled.

Abstract: A system for packaging multiple containers wherein a carrier is moved through an applicating machine, the carrier constructed of flexible plastic having a plurality of elongated apertures aligned in transverse ranks, which elongated apertures are oriented in a longitudinal direction of the carrier and have a longitudinal pitch between a center of each adjacent elongated aperture, the longitudinal pitch having a first length. A plurality of containers are also moved through the applicating machine, each container of the plurality of containers spaced apart from an adjacent container by the applicating machine. The carrier is subsequently positioned over the plurality of containers whereby each elongated aperture engages with one of the containers to form a package having a container pitch between a center of adjacent containers with a second length shorter then the first length.

Abstract: A container carrier of flexible resilient material includes an array of loops for surrounding and holding full cans. Slots are provided in the carrier for receiving levers of pop top cans therein and for holding emptied containers by the pop top levers held in the slots.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers, such as soft drink and other beverage containers, is formed from a polymer composition which provides the carrier with improved recovery, tensile strength and tear resistance. The polymer composition includes about 50-99% by weight of a low density ethylene polymer having a density of about 0.910-0.950 grams/cm3 and about 1-50% by weight of a single site catalyzed ethylene-alpha olefin copolymer plastomer having a density of about 0.850-0.905 grams/cm3.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers, such as soft drink and other beverage containers, is formed from a polymer composition which provides the carrier with improved recovery, tensile strength and tear resistance. The polymer composition includes about 50-99% by weight of a low density ethylene polymer having a density of about 0.910-0.950 grams/cm3 and about 1-50% by weight of a single site catalyzed ethylene-alpha olefin copolymer plastomer having a density of about 0.850-0.905 grams/cm3.

Abstract: A package for containers such as beverage bottles and cans includes a carrier with an array of loops, one loop provided for surrounding each container. A wide sleeve surrounds the group of containers held by the carrier. In a preferred arrangement, the carrier includes four rows of loops, with a handle extending upwardly between the middle two rows. The loops are disposed within the sleeve.

Abstract: A multi-packaging device comprises a plastic sheet having a generally uniform thickness and alternating and discrete strips of different materials extending side-by-side and parallel with respect to an array of apertures, wherein each strip of the alternating and discrete strips of plastic sheet includes at least one distinct physical property that differs from each adjacent strip. Such distinct physical properties may include different moduli, different coefficient of frictions, different colors and/or different recycled material contents.

Abstract: A multi-packaging device comprises a plastic sheet having a generally uniform thickness and alternating and discrete strips of different materials extending side-by-side and parallel with respect to an array of apertures, wherein each strip of the alternating and discrete strips of plastic sheet includes at least one distinct physical property that differs from each adjacent strip. Such distinct physical properties may include different moduli, different coefficient of frictions, different colors and/or different recycled material contents.

Abstract: A multi-packaging device capable of carrying containers having a range of diameters. The multi-packaging device is constructed from a plastic sheet having an array of apertures arranged in lateral rows and longitudinal ranks. The plastic sheet contains integral segments of a resilient polymer coextruded with respect to the plastic sheet or laminated on the plastic sheet. The plastic sheet may also contain a longitudinally arranged line of weakness under the resilient polymer. The resultant structure enables the multi-packaging device to maintain integrity when a large diameter container is inserted into an aperture because the resilient polymer laminate continues to stretch even after the plastic sheet reaches a stress level approaching neck-down.

Abstract: A system for packaging multiple containers wherein a carrier is moved through an applicating machine having a drum. The carrier is constructed of a flexible plastic sheet having a plurality of elongated apertures aligned in transverse ranks and a plurality of relief holes positioned between adjacent longitudinal rows of the elongated apertures. A plurality of jaw pairs are positioned around a perimeter of the drum for gripping the carrier. The jaw pairs are movable between a closed position and an open position. The applicating machine further includes an adjustment means for adjustment of a distance between the jaws of each jaw pair in the closed position. The carrier is then positioned over a plurality of containers where each elongated aperture engages with one of the containers. The system according to this invention enables the use of a single applicating machine to package a uniform group of containers having a broad range of diameters.

Abstract: A multi-packaging device capable of carrying containers having a range of diameters. The multi-packaging device is constructed from a plastic sheet having an array of apertures arranged in lateral rows and longitudinal ranks. The plastic sheet contains integral segments of a resilient polymer coextruded with respect to the plastic sheet or laminated on the plastic sheet. The plastic sheet may also contain a longitudinally arranged line of weakness under the resilient polymer. The resultant structure enables the multi-packaging device to maintain integrity when a large diameter container is inserted into an aperture because the resilient polymer laminate continues to stretch even after the plastic sheet reaches a stress level approaching neck-down.

Abstract: A multi-package carrier device having a strip of a relatively high coefficient of friction material along an inner portion of the carrier. A high coefficient of friction, "tactile," material is applied to an encircling aperture style multi-package carrier device made from a relatively low coefficient of friction thermoplastic base material sheet. A strip of the tactile material is applied along one side of the base material of the multi-package carrier. The base material containing the tactile material is then cut into multi-package carriers such that the tactile material traverses a center portion of a container contacting surface of the multi-package carrier. The multi-package carrier is applied to a plurality of containers. After the multi-package carrier is applied to the containers, the tactile material between the rows of containers is in close contact with an upper portion of the container sidewall.

Abstract: A novel carrier for carrying a group of items, such as cans, bottles or the like which hold beverages, foods or the like, is made of a plastic material having an opaque strip of material printed on a surface of the carrier. The opaque strip can be a solid, opaque line or a series of opaque dots. Each item includes an individual machine readable bar code thereon which is at least partially covered by the opaque strip. The package has a machine readable bar code thereon which is not covered by the opaque strip on the carrier. The opaque strip prevents the individual bar codes on the items from being read by a typical bar code reader beam. The bar code on the package can be read since it is not covered by the opaque strip.

Abstract: A method for creating a stable, palletized unit of trays of multipackaged containers. The containers are multipackaged with a flexible ring-type plastic device. The trays are of corrugated paperboard which have been pre-compressed or embossed in predetermined areas of the base of the tray so that any tendency of the tray to compress under pressure from the base of the containers during a palletization is avoided.