Abstract: A reversible modular beverage can interlocking device which is adapted for forming a plurality of conventional beverage cans into a building block for use as a toy or in display applications or in building construction. The device generally comprises a plurality of thermoplastic reversible annular means for can retention, each sized and shaped for the releasable retention of either the top lipped portion of a beverage can, or the bottom non-lipped portion of a beverage can.

Abstract: A heat-shrinkable holder is disclosed for securing a plurality of articles. The holder may include a first sheet formed of heat-shrinkable material, and a second sheet formed of heat-shrinkable material and joined to the first sheet. The first sheet and the second sheet are joined so as to create at least two openings therebetween. Each of the openings is sized larger than one of the articles. The first and second sheets are heat-shrinkable to an extent to shrink the openings sufficiently to secure two of the articles together into a unit. Various modifications and additions are possible, including use of more than three sheets, providing for the reading of printed indicia on the articles or holder, providing a handle. Numerous orientations and collections of articles are possible. Related packages including a holder and articles are also disclosed, as well as related methods of manufacture of the holder and package.

Abstract: A heat-shrinkable holder for securing articles, a package securing such articles using heat-shrinkable sheets, a shrinkable sleeve, and a method and device for securing such articles using heat-shrinkable sheets and sleeves are disclosed. The holder is constructed so that it is separable when desired, and may comprise the labeling or the like for an article to be packaged. Releasable fasteners such as adhesives, heat seals, and/or perforations may be employed on the sheets. If desired, articles may be individually sleeved with a heat shrinkable film blank portion, which may function as labeling.

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 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 carrier and method of manufacture for a carrier that results in a package of containers includes a plastic sheet having an array of container apertures and an inner web. The inner web includes a flap that impinges into each container aperture thus creating a carrier that may be consistently applied to produce a desirable package.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet having two rows of container apertures formed therein. The plurality of containers are each placed into a respective container receiving aperture and are thus unitized in a package. The flexible carrier further includes two panels and/or two handles, each panel and/or handle formed at a periphery of the flexible sheet along each longitudinal edge of the flexible sheet and a line of weakness formed between the longitudinal rows. As a result of the described configuration, flexible carrier is divisible into two sub-carriers, each unitizing a set of containers and each including a panel and/or a handle along a respective longitudinal edge of the resulting sub-carrier.

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 modular beverage can interlocking device that is adapted for forming a plurality of conventional beverage cans into a building block for use as a toy or in display applications. The device generally comprises a plurality of ring-shaped members, each having an upper orifice which is configured with an upper lip retention portion for releasably retaining the top portion of a conventional beverage can via a snap-fit. Conversely, the lower orifice of each of the ring-shaped members is optimally contoured to hold the lower portion of the conventional beverage can via at a snug friction-fit. The top portion of a plurality of beverage cans may be releasably retained in the upper lip retention portion via insertion through the lower orifice, thereby defining a distribution orientation that is optimally suited for distribution of beverage product in the normal manner.

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 includes a flexible sheet having a row of container receiving apertures formed therein. The flexible carrier further includes a handle integrated with respect to the flexible sheet and may further include a panel integrated with respect to at least one row of the container receiving apertures on an opposite side of the row of container receiving apertures from the handle. A package is formed by fanning out the two rows of container receiving apertures and inserting a plurality of containers, each within a respective container receiving aperture.

Abstract: Polymer-based circular carrier means (11) mounted on can bodies in the manner to cover their entire top surfaces. The circular carrier means (11) are generally planar, sheet-like structures having integral protruding members and recesses creating a corresponding surface for receiving opposite can surface. Each carrier means (11) is additionally provided with a handle means (12), normally encircling part of the periphery of said carrier means (11) and separated therefrom by perforations (14). Each element of a six-element can pack, provided in the form of two arrays of three cans in a typical manner, comprises a carrier means (11) provided with a handle means (12) for individual carriage as well as for carriage of the full can assembly by use of any of said handles (12). Said carrier means (11) are connected to neighboring carriers by perforations (15) along peripheral portions in the parts out of said handle perforations (14).

Abstract: A sleeve for a package of containers such as a group of beverage bottles and cans. The sleeve surrounds the group of containers held by a carrier. The sleeve includes a parting line allowing separation of the sleeve to release the containers, and a tear-initiating breach in the sleeve configured to yield to pressure and initiate tearing along the parting line.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet having two rows of container apertures formed therein. The plurality of containers are each placed into a respective container receiving aperture and are thus unitized in a package. The flexible carrier further includes two handles, each handle formed at a periphery of the flexible sheet along each longitudinal edge of the flexible sheet and a line of weakness formed between the longitudinal rows. As a result of the described configuration, flexible carrier is divisible into two sub-carriers, each unitizing a set of containers and each including a handle along a respective longitudinal edge of the resulting sub-carrier.

Abstract: A carrier and method of manufacture for a carrier that results in a package of containers includes a plastic sheet having an array of container apertures and an inner web. The inner web includes a flap that impinges into each container aperture thus creating a carrier that may be consistently applied to produce a desirable package.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet having two rows of container apertures formed therein. A centerline divides the two rows of container apertures and a plurality of slits are positioned between the centerline and each row of container apertures so that the plurality of slits are positioned generally parallel to the centerline. The plurality of containers are each placed into a respective container aperture and are thus unitized in a package.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cup carrier and method of distribution and application whereby a flexible plastic carrier is applied around sidewall of one or more cups resulting in an easily portable unit with a flexible plastic handle extending therefrom.

Abstract: A modular beverage can interlocking device which is adapted for forming a plurality of conventional beverage cans into a building block for use as a toy or in display applications. The device generally comprises a plurality of ring-shaped members, each having an upper and lower orifice which is optimally contoured to hold the lower and upper end of a conventional beverage can respectively via at least a snug friction-fit. Preferably, the lower orifice has an inwardly facing annular slot for releasable retention of the upper lip of a conventional can via a snap-fit, and most preferably, has multiple inwardly facing annular slots of varying diameter in order to provide a snap-fit for cans of varying outer dimensions. Optional designs are provided which enable the use of thermoplastic materials having a wide range of hardnesses as well as end-cap means which provide for rigid securement to any generally flat surface.

Abstract: A harness for holding two tub-like containers together is disclosed.

Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet having two rows of container receiving apertures formed therein. The plurality of containers are each placed into a respective container receiving aperture and are thus unitized in a package. The flexible carrier further includes a loop extending between the two rows of container receiving apertures at a periphery of the flexible sheet on an end of the package and beyond a longitudinal edge of the rows of the unitized containers. The loop is preferably capable of supporting the package when grasped by a consumer. The flexible carrier may further include an upwardly extending handle and/or a panel integrated with respect to the flexible sheet. The resulting package may be grasped from an end with the loop or, alternatively, from the top with the handle.

Abstract: An integral carrier for carrying multiple containers by their necks is disclosed that has a plurality of annular neck-engaging structures and a pair of centrally located opposing finger loops that promote a balanced distribution of weight for ease in carrying and handling.

Abstract: A beverage holder is especially adapted for securing a three-pack arrangement of beverage containers. Three panels are joined along a central axis. The panels are spaced 120° from one another. Lower ends of the panels form stationary bases, and lower portions of the panels may be cut to form foldable base portions that may be deployed or retracted. When deployed, the foldable base portions form additional base support for the holder, and also support the bottom surfaces of the containers. One or more flexible retention members may be secured to the panels and routed around the containers. Because the holder has no top cover and open gaps exist between the panels, the holder is adapted for securing beverage containers of varying heights, diameters, and shapes.

Abstract: A flexible display including a container, a flexible panel and at least a supporting element is provided. The flexible panel is connected to the container such that the flexible panel can be rolled up inside the container. The supporting element has a shape-remembering characteristic and is disposed in or on the flexible panel. The supporting element can also be rolled up along with the flexible panel inside the container. When the flexible panel is spread out from the container, the supporting element supports the flexible panel and maintains the flexible panel in a spread-out state.

Abstract: A multiple packaged good article package including a carrier, a multiplicity of packaged good articles, a handle, and retaining means. The carrier includes a base panel and first and second side panels. The packaged good articles each include a bag that defines opposing major faces, a top region, and a bottom region, and are arranged on the carrier in an upright, major face-to-major face fashion with the bottom regions resting on the base panel. Each of a first and second outermost package provides an exposed major face relative to a remainder thereof. The first and second side panels extend along a portion of the respective exposed major faces. The handle is provided apart from the carrier and extends across the top regions of the packaged good articles. Finally, the retaining means secures an interior packaged good article to the outermost packaged good articles.

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 multiple-node clip-type bottle securement and carrier device is disclosed.

Abstract: An integrally molded carrier for balanced lifting and carrying of multiple containers by their necks includes a substantially planar web having multiple nodes defining multiple aligned annular support rings, the web being provided with a flexibly attached U-shaped handle attached to one side of the web. Annular neck-engaging flanges integral with the web are arranged around the inside of the support rings for releasably engaging the necks of containers.

Abstract: This invention relates to a carrier and method of packaging containers into a unitized package that includes a generally continuous plastic sheet having a plurality of container apertures extending longitudinally in adjacent pairs. A container is positioned within each container aperture and the plastic sheet is separated along central lines of weakness and peripheral lines of weakness, resulting in multiple unitized packages of exactly three containers arranged in a generally triangular configuration.

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 container carrier especially suitable for larger containers and for packages having a larger number of containers, to provide a feeling of strength as the carrier is lifted. The carrier includes loops for surround and retaining each container, a handle portion and linear struts connecting ends of the handle to outermost loops holding containers. As the containers are lifted, minimal movement of the handle occurs relative to the containers. A supply of the carriers includes multiple carriers connected in an end-to-end arrangement by two separate frangible links.

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 each container while the carrier sleeve surrounds the plurality of containers. Packages preferably comprise two or more layers of containers within the carrier sleeve separated by a divider.

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 sleeve surrounds the group of containers held by the carrier. The carrier includes perforations, slits and frangible links for tearing the carrier and releasing containers individually. The sleeve includes a parting line allowing separation of the sleeve to release the containers.

Abstract: A harness for holding two tub-like containers together is disclosed.

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 and a panel having an integral handle that extends from a longitudinal edge of the planar sheet.

Abstract: A container carrier is provided for use with a plurality of containers. The container carrier comprises a substantially planar flexible platform having a top, a bottom, an outer perimeter and an inner region including a handle and a plurality of container-engaging portions. The handle is made by forming two generally triangularly shaped openings through the sheet on opposite sides of and equally distant from the central axis of the sheet, the material between the openings comprising a strap. Two inwardly opening U-shaped openings are formed around the ends of the strap such that the central axis of the sheet is the line of symmetry of the U-shaped openings. The portion of the sheet bordered by the U-shaped openings comprises a first hinge and a second hinge integral with the first end and second end of the strap, respectively, which permit the strap to be flexed upwardly above the plane of the platform and provide access to the strap.

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 sleeve surrounds the group of containers held by the carrier. The carrier includes perforations, slits and frangible links for tearing the carrier and releasing containers individually. The sleeve includes parting lines allowing separated portions of the carrier to be pulled through the sleeve as the containers are released.

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 sleeve surrounds the group of containers held by the carrier. The carrier includes perforations, slits and frangible links for tearing the carrier and releasing containers individually. The sleeve includes a parting line allowing separation of the sleeve to release the containers.

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: 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 and a panel having an integral handle that extends from a longitudinal edge of the planar sheet.

Abstract: A film of thermoformable plastic material is heated and positioned on the upper part of a group of cans, the film is made to adhere to the surface of said upper part of the group of cans by a thrust action, acting on the top of the film, exerted by a deformable elastic pad in the regions surrounded by the can clinching rim, to urge the film downwards, that film portion adhering to the upper part of the group of cans is separated from the rest of the film, the film is previously heated to an appropriate temperature such that, following cooling, it retains its shape and remains adhering to the surface of said upper part.

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: 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 package of a plurality of containers unitized with a flexible container carrier. The carrier is constructed from a plastic planar sheet having a plurality of container receiving openings. At least one handle is integrally formed with the sheet and removable along a handle tear line. A carrier tear line extends across the sheet and enables the package to be divided into sub-packages depending upon merchandising requirements. One or more handles are removed along the handle tear line, depending on the required configuration of the package.

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: A novel top lift carrier and a novel method of forming same are disclosed herein. The carrier is used to carry a plurality of containers, such as cans, bottles and the like. The carrier is formed from a single ply, plastic handle portion which has a plurality of tabs along an edge thereof and a planar, plastic container engaging portion which has a plurality of apertures therethrough that are provided in rows. Each aperture carries one of the containers. The handle portion and the container engaging portion are formed separately and may be made of dissimilar materials. To form the completed carrier, the tabs are fused or welded to the container engaging portion between the rows of apertures. In a first embodiment, the container engaging portion is provided with a plurality of spaced slots between the rows of apertures. The tabs on the handle portion are respectively inserted through the slots and fused or welded to an underside of the container engaging portion to form a strong, peel resistant weld.

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 including corner container receiving openings and inner container receiving openings. A panel is positioned with respect to a straight longitudinal panel edge of the container receiving openings. When the containers are inserted into the container receiving openings, the panel remains flat and tight with respect to the containers. The panel is urged into a flat position with respect to the containers through a distinct spatial relationship between and among the container receiving openings.

Abstract: This invention relates to a package of a plurality of elongated containers unitized with a flexible container carrier. The carrier is constructed from a plastic planar sheet having a plurality of first receiving openings positioned near a first lateral edge of the sheet and a plurality of second receiving openings at a distance from the first receiving openings. Each of the first receiving openings engages with a neck portion of one of the elongated containers and each of the second receiving openings engages with a middle portion of one of the elongated containers. A panel integral with the sheet is positioned on an outer surface of the package between the first receiving openings and the second receiving openings. The dimensions of the panel correspond with the dimensions of the package to create a package having a large promotional area for advertising and product information.

Abstract: This invention relates to a carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers wherein a sheet of resilient polymeric material is formed with a plurality of container receiving apertures aligned in opposing transverse pairs so that each container receiving aperture has a small radius defining an apex at an interior edge of the container receiving aperture. A transverse web is formed between each opposing transverse pair of container receiving apertures and an elongated aperture is positioned in the transverse web between each apex of the opposing transverse pairs of container receiving apertures. The elongated apertures are preferably sized to permit a small amount of stretch in the transverse web depending upon the diameter and/or contour of the containers resulting in controlled transverse spacing between containers regardless of diameter.