Apparatus and methods for packaging and distributing combinations of multi-pack beverage cartons and complementary containers

Abstract

Combined packages including a multi-pack carton of beverage containers and one or more complementary containers are disclosed. The multi-pack carton typically contains at least six or twelve beverage containers, which can be cans or bottles. A packaging material at least partially surrounds both the multi-pack carton and the complementary container, thus holding the multi-pack carton and the complementary container in mutual abutment. A combined package can also include an adhesive between the multi-pack carton and the complementary container that holds a face of the multi-pack carton and a face of the container in mutual abutment. To facilitate palletizing the combined packages, the surface areas of the faces can be approximately the same, and the overall shape of the combined package can be generally rectanguloidal. Apparatus and methods for manufacturing such combined packages are also disclosed.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A combined food and beverage package, comprising: 
 a multi-pack carton containing a plurality of beverage containers;    a snack food container; and    a packaging material that at least partially surrounds both the multi-pack carton and the snack food container, thus holding the multi-pack carton and the snack food container in mutual abutment.    
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging material is a sheet of polymeric material.  
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging material is transparent.  
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging material is a shrink-wrap material.  
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging material applies a constrictive force to both the multi-pack carton and the snack food container to hold the multi-pack carton and snack food container in mutual abutment.  
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the beverage containers are cans or bottles and the multi-pack carton contains at least six beverage containers.  
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 6 , wherein the multi-pack carton contains at least twelve beverage containers.  
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive between the multi-pack carton and the snack food container that holds a face of the multi-pack carton and a face of the snack food container in mutual abutment.  
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein each of the faces has a length, the lengths of the faces being approximately the same.  
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein each of the faces has a surface area, the surface areas of the faces being approximately the same.  
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging material is a band.  
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the combined package has an overall shape that enables a plurality of said combined packages to be palletized.  
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the combined package has an overall shape that is generally rectanguloidal.  
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein each of the multi-pack carton and the snack food container has a generally rectanguloidal shape.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus for manufacturing a combined food and beverage package, the apparatus comprising: 
 a conveyance system that transports a multi-pack carton and a snack food container positioned adjacent to one another; and    a band applicator that at least partially surrounds both the multi-pack carton and the snack food container with a band that holds the multi-pack carton and the snack food container in mutual abutment, by applying the band to both the multi-pack carton and the snack food container while the multi-pack carton and the snack food container are adjacent to one another.    
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 a first conveyor that transports the multi-pack carton and provides the multi-pack carton to the conveyance system; and    a second conveyor that transports the snack food container and provides the snack food container to the conveyance system,    wherein the first conveyor and the second conveyor meet at a junction adapted to position the multi-pack carton and the snack food container adjacent to one another.    
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 an adhesive sprayer for applying an adhesive to at least one of the multi-pack carton and the snack food container.    
     
     
         18 . A beverage package, comprising: 
 a multi-pack carton containing a plurality of beverage containers;    at least one complementary container that contains an item that is complementary to the beverage; and    a packaging material that at least partially surrounds both the multi-pack carton and the complementary container, thus holding the multi-pack carton and the complementary container in mutual abutment.    
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the packaging material is a sheet of polymeric material.  
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the packaging material is transparent.  
     
     
         21 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the packaging material is a shrink-wrap material.  
     
     
         22 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the packaging material is a band.  
     
     
         23 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the packaging material applies a constrictive force to both the multi-pack carton and the complementary container to hold the multi-pack carton and complementary container in mutual abutment.  
     
     
         24 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the beverage containers are cans or bottles and the multi-pack carton contains at least six beverage containers.  
     
     
         25 . The package of  claim 18 , further comprising an adhesive between the multi-pack carton and the complementary container that holds a face of the multi-pack carton and a face of the complementary container in mutual abutment.  
     
     
         26 . The package of  claim 25 , wherein each of the faces has a length, the lengths of the faces being approximately the same.  
     
     
         27 . The package of  claim 26 , wherein each of the faces has a surface area, the surface areas of the faces being approximately the same.  
     
     
         28 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the combined package has an overall shape that enables a plurality of said combined packages to be palletized.  
     
     
         29 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the combined package has an overall shape that is generally rectanguloidal.  
     
     
         30 . The package of  claim 29 , wherein each of the multi-pack carton and the complementary container has a generally rectanguloidal shape.  
     
     
         31 . The package of  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of complementary containers, wherein the packaging material at least partially surrounds the multi-pack carton and the complementary containers, thus holding the multi-pack carton and the complementary containers in mutual abutment.  
     
     
         32 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the complementary container contains a snack food.  
     
     
         33 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the complementary container contains a promotional item.  
     
     
         34 . The package of  claim 33 , wherein the promotional item is a toy.  
     
     
         35 . The package of  claim 33 , wherein the promotional item is a video.  
     
     
         36 . The package of  claim 33 , wherein the promotional item is a tee-shirt.  
     
     
         37 . Apparatus for manufacturing a beverage package, the apparatus comprising: 
 a conveyance system that transports a multi-pack carton and a complementary container positioned adjacent to one another;    an applicator that at least partially surrounds both the multi-pack carton and the complementary container with a packaging material that holds the multi-pack carton and the complementary container in mutual abutment, by applying the packaging material to both the multi-pack carton and the complementary container while the multi-pack carton and the complementary container are adjacent to one another; and    a heat source that shrinks the applied packaging material to hold the multi-pack carton and the complementary container in mutual abutment.    
     
     
         38 . Apparatus according to  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a first conveyor that transports the multi-pack carton and provides the multi-pack carton to the conveyance system; and    a second conveyor that transports the complementary container and provides the complementary container to the conveyance system,    wherein the first conveyor and the second conveyor meet at a junction adapted to position the multi-pack carton and the complementary container adjacent to one another.    
     
     
         39 . Apparatus according to  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 an adhesive sprayer for applying an adhesive to at least one of the multi-pack carton and the complementary container.