Multiple compartment separable container

• US 5,699,957 A
• Filed: 04/19/1996
• Issued: 12/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MEAD Corporation (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Inventors: Blin, Patrick, Daniel, Jean-Yves, Saulas, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCDONALD, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US08/535,283
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 229/120.011, 229/120.17, 229/235, 229/240, 229/906, 229/117.12, 206/192, 206/187, 206/175, 206/170
• US Class Current: 229/117.12
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00141 glued
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00185 by tabs cut within one end and facing away from the other end when blank is unfolded, and co-operting with openings at the other end
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00314 with locating holes or cuts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00358 Two rows of more than two cells
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00364 Four rows of more than two cells
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0045 for hands
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00456 integral with the wrapper
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00462 Straps made by two slits in a wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00549 consisting of fold lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00574 whereby contents can still be carried after the line has been torn
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/0066 formed from one single sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00666 formed from two or more sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00728 the end walls being closed by gluing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00864 Lines of weakness for separating into subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/36 having a tubular shape, e.g. tubular wrappers, with end walls

Abstract

A multi-compartment container for packaging a plurality of articles such as bottles, comprises two or more compartment units and a frangible connecting portion. Each compartment unit comprises a base panel, opposed side panels, opposed end panels and a top panel. Certain adjacent panels of the compartment units partly provide the frangible connecting portion so that removal of the connecting portion causes at least partial separation of the units and provides access for removal of the articles contained in the units. Upon removal of the connecting portion, at least a part of each panel of each compartment unit remains intact.

Claims

1. A multi-compartment container for packaging a plurality of articles, comprising at least two compartment units and a frangible connecting portion, each of said compartment units comprising a base panel, opposed side panels, opposed end panels and a top panel, wherein certain adjacent panels of said compartment units partly provide said frangible connecting portion so that removal of said connecting portion causes at least partial separation of said units and provides access for removal of the articles contained in said units, wherein upon removal of said connecting portion at least part of each of said panels of said each compartment unit remains intact, wherein said adjacent panels are top panels of respective ones of said units and said connecting portion is a cover portion of the container which bridges said units, and wherein said cover portion comprises a handle for carrying said formed container.

2. A multi-compartment container as claimed in claim 1 wherein removal of said cover portion exposes at least one article in each of said compartment units.

3. A multi-compartment container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said compartment units are attached to one another by a second frangible attachment means.

5. A multi-compartment container as claimed in claim 1 comprising at least one pair of adjacent compartment units in side by side relationship, wherein adjacent side panels of said adjacent compartment units form a keel in a base of the formed container which separates articles between said adjacent units.

6. A multi-compartment container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cover portion comprises end tabs which are hingably attached to said cover portion and which can be grasped and pulled to remove said cover portion from said container.

7. A multi-compartment container according to claim 1 formed from a single blank.

8. A multi-compartment container according to claim 1 wherein said each compartment unit comprises means for cooperating with at least one of the articles so as to enable a separated compartment unit to be stored on its side.

9. A multi-compartment container as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cooperating means is an article dividing structure.

10. A multi-compartment container as claimed in claim 9 wherein the cooperating means is a compartment top panel.

4. A multi-compartment container as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second frangible attachment means is a connecting tab which is frangibly hinged to one of the compartment units and secured to an adjacent compartment unit.