Article carrier and blank therefor

• US 20050103651A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westrock Packaging Systems, LLC (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Inventors: Lebras, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 7,063,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/162
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0029 Openings in top or bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00475 and extending ion a substantially vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00512 movable or foldable between an extended and a retracted position
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00524 integral
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0066 formed from one single sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00728 the end walls being closed by gluing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00753 the end walls being closed by interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00783 the end walls forming the bottom or upper wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00913 for accommodating articles of varying size
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/0055 with individual openings for holding the articles

Abstract

An article carrier and a blank for forming an article carrier for carrying one or more articles comprising a plurality of panels for forming the opposed sides and ends of the article carrier including a pair of laterally spaced top wall panels hingedly connected to the opposed side walls. A carrying handle is hinged to the top wall panels. The handle is movable between a retracted position when the handle does not extend above the top of the articles and a deployed position whereby the handle protrudes above the article tops.

Claims

1. An article carrier for carrying one or more articles, comprising a plurality of panels for forming opposed sides and ends of the article carrier including a pair of laterally spaced top wall panels hingedly connected to opposed side wall panels and a carrying handle hinged to the top wall panels, wherein the handle is movable between a retracted position where the handle does not extend above tops of the articles and a deployed position where the handle protrudes above the article tops, wherein the top wall panels are sized and hinged to the handle so that each of the top wall panels flexes in such a resilient manner that the top wall panels are put into tension during initial lifting or lowering movement of the handle and are relaxed by further movement of the handle to cause a pop-up effect when lifting the handle and retracting effect when lowering the handle.

2. An article carrier according to claim 1 wherein the pop up effect occurs when the top wall panels move upwardly above a horizontal plane containing the upper edges of the side wall panels and the retracting effect occurs when the top wall panels move downwardly below the same horizontal plane.

3. An article carrier as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an intermediate panel hingedly connecting the each top wall panel to the handle and wherein the intermediate panel is adapted to move from downward orientation in the retracted position to an upward orientation in the deployed position so as to enable the handle to flex relative to the top wall panels.

4. An article carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the each top wall panel further comprises at least one aperture to receive an upper portion of an article.

5. An article carrier as claimed in claim 4 wherein the at least one aperture is generally ellipsoidal in shape so as to be circular in diameter in both the deployed and retracted positions.

6. An article carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the carrier is a basket type carrier.

7. A blank for forming an article carrier for carrying one or more articles comprising a plurality of panels for forming the opposed sides and ends of the article carrier hingedly connected together and a pair of laterally spaced top wall panels hingedly connected to the respective side wall panels and a handle panel hinged to the top wall panel, wherein the top wall panels are sized and hingedly connected to the handle so that each of the top wall panels flexes in such a resilient manner that in a set up article carrier, the top wall panels are put into tension during initial lifting or lowering movement of the handle and are relaxed by further movement of the handle to cause a pop-up effect when lifting the handle and a retracting effect when lowering the handle.

8. A blank as claimed in claim 7 further comprising an intermediate panel hingedly connecting the each top wall panel to the handle, the intermediate panel is adapted to move from, downward orientation in the retracted position to an upward orientation in the deployed position so as to enable the handle to flex relative to the top wall panels in a set up article carrier.

9. A blank as claimed in claim 7 wherein the each top wall panel further comprises at least one aperture to receive an upper portion of an article.

10. A blank as claimed in claim 9 wherein the at least one aperture is ellipsoidal in shape.