Locking sleeve for container package

Abstract

A packaged product and blank of a flexibly walled sleeve for the product are provided by the present invention. The product includes first and second elongate plastic containers stacked atop one another. A flexibly walled sleeve friction fitting around the stacked containers along height and width dimensions holds the stacked containers together. A trapezoidal locking tab attached to a top panel of the sleeve is inwardly bent along fold lines serving as a second mechanism for securing the containers.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A blank comprising: 
 a left side panel with upper and lower edges;    a right side panel with upper and lower edges;    a top panel with left and right fold lines comprising a center panel flanked on either side along parallel fold lines by a flanking panel, the top panel connecting the left and right side panels;    a first folding flap attached to the left side panel at an edge parallel and distant from the left fold line;    a second folding flap attached to the right side panel at an edge parallel and distant from the right fold panel; and    trapezoidal locking tabs attached to the top panel along opposite ends thereof, the locking tabs each having parallel base and apex fold edges end connected by slant edges, and parallel crimping fold lines connecting base and apex fold edges.    
     
     
         2 . The blank according to  claim 1  further comprising at a corner of each locking tab a die cut notch formed by portions of the slant edge and base fold edge.  
     
     
         3 . The blank according to  claim 1  wherein the left and right side panels are of greater dimension along a length thereof than a width or length dimension of the top panel.  
     
     
         4 . The blank according to  claim 1  wherein there are seven contiguous panels defined by six fold lines along a longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         5 . A packaged product comprising: 
 (i) a first elongate plastic container;    (ii) a second elongate plastic container stacked atop the first plastic container, the stacked containers defining an irregular shaped footprint with outward bulge line along a side profile;    (iii) a flexibly walled sleeve friction fitting around the stacked containers along height and width dimensions, trapezoidal locking tabs being attached to a top panel of the sleeve along opposite ends thereof, the locking tabs each having parallel base and apex fold edges end connected by slant edges, and parallel crimping fold lines connecting base and apex fold edges, the locking tabs functioning to secure the containers within the sleeve.    
     
     
         6 . The packaged product according to  claim 5  wherein the sleeve is formed of a base section enclosing a bottom end thereof, the base being of a smaller width than a widest portion of the containers thereby achieving a friction fit against side panels of the sleeve.