Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D71/06—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers
  • B65D71/12—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank
  • B65D71/36—Packaging elements holding or encircling completely or almost completely the bundle of articles, e.g. wrappers the packaging elements, e.g. wrappers being formed by folding a single blank having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D1/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material or by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
  • B65D1/22—Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents
  • B65D1/24—Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D1/243—Crates for bottles or like containers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24012—Materials
  • B65D2501/24019—Mainly plastics
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/2405—Construction
  • B65D2501/24063—Construction of the walls
  • B65D2501/2407—Apertured
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/2405—Construction
  • B65D2501/24121—Construction of the bottom
  • B65D2501/2414—Plain
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24197—Arrangements for locating the bottles
  • B65D2501/24203—Construction of locating arrangements
  • B65D2501/24235—Pillars
  • B65D2501/24242—Pillars or circular cross-section
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24197—Arrangements for locating the bottles
  • B65D2501/24203—Construction of locating arrangements
  • B65D2501/24261—Ribs on the side walls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24197—Arrangements for locating the bottles
  • B65D2501/24324—Means for accommodating grouped bottles, e.g. in a wrapper
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24197—Arrangements for locating the bottles
  • B65D2501/24343—Position pattern
  • B65D2501/2435—Columns and rows
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24363—Handles
  • B65D2501/24541—Hand holes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24764—Reinforcements
  • B65D2501/2477—Parts reinforced
  • B65D2501/24777—Side walls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24764—Reinforcements
  • B65D2501/24789—Means used for reinforcing
  • B65D2501/24796—Plain integral ribs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24764—Reinforcements
  • B65D2501/24828—Location of the reinforcing means
  • B65D2501/24834—Inside the crate
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2501/00—Containers having bodies formed in one piece
  • B65D2501/24—Boxes or like containers with moulded compartments or partitions
  • B65D2501/24006—Details relating to bottle crates
  • B65D2501/24764—Reinforcements
  • B65D2501/24828—Location of the reinforcing means
  • B65D2501/24847—Oriented mainly vertically
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00129—Wrapper locking means
  • B65D2571/00135—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper
  • B65D2571/00141—Wrapper locking means integral with the wrapper glued
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00432—Handles or suspending means
  • B65D2571/00456—Handles or suspending means integral with the wrapper
  • B65D2571/00462—Straps made by two slits in a wall
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00432—Handles or suspending means
  • B65D2571/00518—Handles or suspending means with reinforcements
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00432—Handles or suspending means
  • B65D2571/00537—Handles or suspending means with stress relieving means
  • B65D2571/00543—Handles or suspending means with stress relieving means consisting of cut-outs, slits, or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00648—Elements used to form the wrapper
  • B65D2571/00654—Blanks
  • B65D2571/0066—Blanks formed from one single sheet
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00709—Shape of the formed wrapper, i.e. shape of each formed element if the wrapper is made from more than one element
  • B65D2571/00722—Shape of the formed wrapper, i.e. shape of each formed element if the wrapper is made from more than one element tubular with end walls, e.g. walls not extending on the whole end surface
  • B65D2571/00728—Shape of the formed wrapper, i.e. shape of each formed element if the wrapper is made from more than one element tubular with end walls, e.g. walls not extending on the whole end surface the end walls being closed by gluing
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D2571/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans, pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D2571/00123—Bundling wrappers or trays
  • B65D2571/00833—Other details of wrappers
  • B65D2571/00858—Devices for locating the wrapped bundle in a container, e.g. in a bottle crate

Definitions

• the invention relates to packaging.
• a crate can take either individual bottles or similar articles, or multipacks receiving a substantial portion of each article and accordingly the invention provides a bottle or other article packaging system in which the articles, packed in multipacks, are received in space filling array in a crate, the crate having a vertical strengthening rib received in a slot in the side of the pack opened up by the rib on insertion of the pack into the crate.
• the invention correspondingly provides a multipack for use with a crate having a vertical strengthening rib, the multipack having a slot in one of its sides which is openable by the rib to receive the rib upon insertion of the multipack into the crate.
• the crate may be of conventional design in which the strengthening ribs are a matrix of vertical walls formed in the crate bottom, the walls also acting to separate the bottles.
• the strengthening ribs are relatively short horizontally, and extend substantially from top to bottom of the crate, to cooperate with article base separators upstanding from the base of the crate to locate and separate the articles.
• Filling lines for crates are readily provided with alternative paths in which the bottles or other articles can go straight to crates or via a multipack filling line, so that production can be balanced exactly to the call of market at any time.
• the multipack slots for reception of the crate ribs are preferably in the form of interrupted cuts so that the packs retain strength prior to insertion.
• the slots are provided only where sides of the packs extending over two or more articles in the filled packs are to lie adjacent to the ribs, which are provided in the crate wall.
• the slots are provided only where sides of the packs extending over two or more articles in the filled packs are to lie adjacent to the ribs, which are provided in the crate wall.
• Basal recesses in the multipacks that accommodate the separators in the base of the crate where present are conveniently formed simply as cut-outs, but if desired may be defined by cuts, with the material of the multipack pushed aside on insertion into the crate. If so, the material is likely to spring back when the multipack is removed but this is no disadvantage, indeed it happens with the slots in the pack sides and there is an advantage in that on removal of the packs the legibility of advertising and other indicia printed across the face of the pack is substantially unimpaired.
• the separators conveniently include crossed vertically extending slots for reception of a wall of the multipack in each of a plurality of different orientations within the crate.
• Some products such as "Coca Cola” (Trade Mark) are sold in bottles that in conventional crates touch the crate at contact points provided by expanded diameter portions of the bottles, and such bottles can be accommodated particularly satisfactorily in the multipacks of the invention if, at the contact points, the material of the packs is cut away to allow the contact points to touch in an array of the packs as they would in an array of the bottles without packs.
• the multipacks then take up no more useful space in the crate than the bottles alone, and a preferred aim of the invention in providing for multipack or individual bottles in the same crate in initial supply is met, as is return of empty bottles.
• a further desirable feature of multipacks to be used in crates is compatibility with use of the hand holes in the ends of the crates, providing for ready insertion of a user's fingers. Suitable provision depends on the disposition of the multipacks in the crate.
• a 12-bottle crate with three 4 x 1 multipacks for example needs finger room at the ends of the multipacks, while if alternatively four 3 x 1 packs are used they will lie across the crate and it is their long sides that need provision. End provision is conveniently by sloping the top ends of the packs, taking up what would otherwise be free space inside the pack adjacent to the bottle neck.
• a multipack with one side provided with a depressible portion double hinged to the top to allow finger access when packed in a crate or carton is an independent aspect of the invention.
• a bottle or other article packaging system in which the articles, packed in multipacks, are received in space filling array in a crate having an upstanding article base separator provided on its bottom, the separator having crossed vertically extending slots for reception of a wall of one of the multipacks in each of a plurality of different orientations within the crate.
• the hinging arrangement for finger access allows the material of the multipack side to be continuous with that of the top, so that the unacceptable weakening that a handhole would mean when combined with the crate-rib slots is avoided.
• the packaging system of the invention also allows for up to 20% grater article packing densities than are achievable with prior systems, with corresponding savings in storage and transport costs.
• Fig. 1 is a part cut away view of a crate
• Figs. 2, 3 show two 2 x 3 multipacks
• Figs. 4, 5, 6 show 1 x 3, 1 x 4 and 2 3 multipacks
• Figs. 7 , 8 are detail sketches
• Fig. 9 is a bottle half-section.
• Figs. 10 - 12 show multipack blanks.
• sides 1 ends 2 and base 3 are indicated, the ends being apertured at 4 for finger access in using the crate.
• Strengthening ribs 5 are formed in the sides and ends, and in the base are bottle- base separators 6.
• the separators each consist of four upstanding moulded projections, or post elements, with a curved envelope or profile adjacent to the bottle positions 7 and a cross-shaped slot 8 between the elements that receives the material of adjacent multipacks in one direction or the other according to the disposition of the packs in the crate.
• the multipacks of Figs. 2 to 6 are all of broadly corresponding design with base 10, top 11, plain side 12 slotted side 13 and end flaps 14, 14'.
• Glue flaps as at 15 join base and one side to form a sleeve, and further flaps 16, 17 may join top to ends and base to ends.
• a reinforced handle 18 of per se known kind, which in the designs with end gluing flaps 16, 17 (figures 2, 4, 5) runs into the flap 16. Alternatively it can run across the pack (Figs. 3, 6) leaving the end to be provided with a crate- rib receiving slot, according to the crate design that the pack is for.
• the pack of Fig. 2 for example would allow only two rather than five side strengthening ribs in the long side of a 12-bottle crate, between the three packs accommodated.
• the slots may be formed of multiply-scored material fully separated by a pre-cut, but equally for example they may be divided by single scores and/or not be fully pre-separated.
• Detail sketch 7 shows such part division at 19, with a curved slot-end 20 entered by the crate rib when the pack is loaded into the crate so that separation occurs along the line of the part-division 19 with folding about score 21. On removal of such a pack the folding about 21, which is effected with little force, is largely reversed by the material of the pack with the advantages discussed earlier.
• separate flaps divided from the remainder of a blank by one or more scores may have edges brought together on erection of the blank to define the slot.
• a double score defines a hinge flap 22 which when the pack has been placed in a crate such as that of Fig. 1 allows the top of the panel to be depressed, as discussed earlier, when the fingers of a user are inserted in the hand hole 4, or between adjacent multipacks or a multipack and an adjacent crate wall for removal of multipacks.
• the top of the panel moves inwards by folding about scores 23 and 24, flap 22 moving inwards under top 11.
• FIG 8 the alternative way of allowing for finger room also discussed earlier is shown. Numbering corresponding to that of Fig. 2 is shown, but between top 11 and gluing flap 16 is a sloping portion 25 with corresponding sloping edges 26, 26' of end flaps 14, 14'.
• the pack is a 1 x 4 pack and provided with the sloping portion at each end. Such packs can be loaded longways three to a 12-bottle crate with the sloping portion of the middle one allowing finger room at the handle 4.
• Figs. 3 and 7 there is shown the further feature of a cut out for bottles with expanded portions, which in the "Coca Cola” (Trade Mark) bottle is for example double, one near the base and the other somewhat below the middle of the total bottle height, though some two thirds of the way up the main body of the bottle before it begins to diminish in diameter towards the neck.
• the bottle is shown in a schematic sketch of its half section in Fig. 9.
• cut outs such as those at 27 in Fig. 7 can allow a rubbing shoulder such as 28 in the bottle in Fig. 9 to project through the thickness of the material of the pack and be in contact despite the presence of the pack.
• Fig. 7 is not drawn to the proportions required for the bottle of Fig. 9, and Fig. 3 is for a bottle with a single shoulder; the principle is however clear.
• packs such as those of Figs. 2, 3 and 6, with more than one row of bottles, have holes on the pack base centre line as at 30 in Fig. 2 to accommodate the complete quadripartite post.
• corresponding holes 31 on the non-slotted side of the pack accommodate two parts of the post, the material of the side of the pack entering one or other part of the cross-slot 8.
• the bottom ends of the rib-slots 18 correspondingly accommodate the posts where the packs, rather than being adjacent to a wall of the crate are between other packs, for example the middle two packs of four 1 x 3 packs (Fig.
• Blanks for multipacks embodying the invention are shown in Figs. 10 - 12.
• the blank of Fig. 10 is for a 3 x 1 pack.
• On erection base glue flap 15 is secured to plain side 12. Sloping portions 25' are folded to overlie the flaps 16' and end tabs 41 are glued across the meeting edges of parallel- scored end flaps 14, 14'.
• Parallel scored base-to-end gluing flaps 17' are likewise secured within the end flaps 14, 14'.
• the blank of Fig. 11 is similar, except that it makes a 4 x 1 pack and only provides for finger room by means of sloping end portions 25', whereas the blank of Figure 10 provides both kinds of finger room previously discussed. 8
• Fig. 12 shows a 2 x 3 pack blank.
• sloping portions 25" are folded to overlie flaps 16'.
• the base-to-end gluing flaps 17" are relieved at 42, the flaps 16' relieved at 45 and the sloping portions 25" relieved at 46 to accommodate a pair of crate strengthening ribs.
• edges of panels 43 and 44 formed from the end flaps 14, 4' are brought together to define the edges of slots for receiving those ribs.
• the blank has a hinge flap 22 as well as the sloping portions 25", so providing both kinds of finger room.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)

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• 1995
  • 1995-03-15 GB GBGB9505195.9A patent/GB9505195D0/en active Pending
• 1996
  • 1996-03-15 CZ CZ972865A patent/CZ286597A3/cs unknown
  • 1996-03-15 ZA ZA962113A patent/ZA962113B/xx unknown
  • 1996-03-15 WO PCT/GB1996/000618 patent/WO1996028354A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1996-03-15 EP EP96906866A patent/EP0819083A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1996-03-15 AU AU50118/96A patent/AU5011896A/en not_active Abandoned
• 1997
  • 1997-09-15 NO NO974263A patent/NO974263L/no unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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