Carrier for cans, a cardboard blank for a carrier for cans and a method to assembly a carboard blank

Abstract

The present invention relates to a carrier of cardboard, preferably corrugated cardboard, for connecting a plurality of generally cylindrical cans ( 4 ), being disposed in at least two rows and having an inclined upper part and a top closure ( 6 ) with a projecting circular rim ( 8 ). The carrier ( 31 ) is produced from a plane blank ( 32 ), having, for each can to be connected by the carrier, two mutually opposing, essentially arcuate slits ( 44, 45 ), the outer edges of which engage below the rim ( 8 ) of the cans when the carrier is assembled on the plurality of cans to connect the carrier and the cans and form a package assembly. Gripping recesses ( 42 ), adapted to be gripped by fingers to lift and handle the package assembly, are centrally disposed in the carrier blank ( 32 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ), and a bowl-shaped indentation ( 66 ) is formed centrally in the carrier ( 31 ) between said gripping recesses ( 42 ) and the rows of cans ( 4 ). The invention also relates to a plane blank for a carrier of cardboard and a method to assemble a plane blank of cardboard.

1 . A carrier of cardboard, preferably corrugated cardboard, for connecting a plurality of generally cylindrical cans ( 4 ), being disposed in at least two rows and having an inclined upper part and a top closure ( 6 ) with a projecting circular rim ( 8 ), said carrier ( 31 ) being produced from a plane blank ( 32 ), having, for each can to be connected by the carrier, two mutually opposing, essentially arcuate slits ( 44 ,  45 ), the outer edges of which engage below the rim ( 8 ) of the cans when the carrier is assembled on the plurality of cans to connect the carrier and the cans and form a package assembly, characterised in that gripping recesses ( 42 ), adapted to be gripped by fingers to lift and handle the package assembly, are centrally disposed in the carrier blank ( 32 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ), and that a bowl-shaped indentation ( 66 ) is formed centrally in the carrier ( 31 ) between said gripping recesses ( 42 ) and the rows of cans ( 4 ).  
     
     
         2 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , characterised in that bowl-shaped indentations ( 68 ) are formed centrally in the carrier ( 31 ) between a gripping recess ( 42 ) and a side ( 58 ) of the carrier blank ( 32 ) and between the rows of cans ( 4 ).  
     
     
         3 . A carrier according to  claim 2 , characterised in that said arcuate slits ( 44 ,  45 ) comprise an arcuate intermediate section ( 16 ;  46 ) and two arcuate end sections ( 18 ;  48 ) on each side thereof, said intermediate section ( 16 ;  46 ) being formed radially inside the extended arcuate end sections ( 18 ;  48 ).  
     
     
         4 . A carrier according to  claim 3 , characterised in that said intermediate section ( 16 ;  46 ) forms an inwardly projecting arcuate engagement tongue ( 22 ;  52 ) between the end sections ( 18 ;  48 ), said tongue being adapted to abut on and engage below the rim ( 8 ) of the can to connect the carrier ( 1 ;  31 ) and the cans ( 4 ) in the assembled state of the carrier.  
     
     
         5 . A carrier according to  claim 4 , characterised in that oblique folding lines ( 55 ) are disposed in the carrier blank ( 32 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ), said oblique folding lines ( 55 ) connecting the outer portions of each engagement tongue ( 52 ) in the inner arcuate slits ( 45 ) with an adjacent gripping recess ( 42 ) or with an adjacent side ( 58 ) of the blank ( 32 ).  
     
     
         6 . A carrier according to  claim 5 , characterised in that the arcuate end sections ( 18 ;  48 ) of the inner and outer slits ( 44 ,  45 ) are circular, having a radius which is equal to or slightly larger than the radius of the circular rim ( 8 ) of the can and that the inner arcuate slit ( 45 ) in each pair of opposing slits ( 44 ,  45 ) has an arcuate intermediate section ( 46 ) with a radius which is larger than the radius of the arcuate end sections ( 48 ).  
     
     
         7 . A carrier according to  claim 6 , characterised in that the arcuate intermediate section ( 46 ) of said inner slit ( 45 ) forms a projecting engagement tongue ( 52 ,  52 ,  52 ), which is radially delimited by an arcuate folding line ( 53 ) extending between the end sections ( 48 ) of the slit ( 45 ) and which is divided by radially extending incisions ( 47 ) into at least two engagement flaps ( 52 ), said flaps ( 52 ) being adapted to be folded upwardly to bear on the inclined surface of the can ( 4 ) and to engage below the rim ( 8 ) of the can, when the carrier ( 31 ) is assembled on the cans ( 4 ).  
     
     
         8 . A carrier according to  claim 7 , characterised in that the height of the engagement tongue of the inner slit ( 45 ) has its maximum in the centre of the tongue and decreases towards the ends of the tongue.  
     
     
         9 . A carrier according to  claim 8 , characterised in that said oblique folding lines ( 55 ) extend between each outermost engagement flap ( 52 ) and an adjacent gripping recess ( 42 ) or an adjacent side ( 58 ) of the blank.  
     
     
         10 . A carrier according to  claim 9 , characterised in that folding lines ( 54 ) are provided in the carrier blank ( 32 ) extending parallel with the sides ( 56 ) of the blank and with the rows of cans ( 4 ), said folding lines ( 54 ) connecting the ends of the arcuate slits ( 44 ,  45 ) with each other or with an adjacent side of the blank ( 32 ).  
     
     
         11 . A carrier according to  claim 10 , characterised in that additional folding lines ( 54 ) are provided in the carrier blank ( 32 ) extending parallel with the sides ( 56 ) of the blank and with the rows of cans ( 4 ), said additional folding lines ( 54 ) connecting step-like portions ( 20 ), between the intermediate section ( 16 ) and the end sections ( 18 ) in the outer slits ( 44 ), with each other or with an adjacent side ( 58 ) of the blank, forming outer foldable side panels ( 60 ) along the rows of cans ( 4 ).  
     
     
         12 . A carrier according to  claim 1 , characterised in that at least two gripping recesses ( 42 ) are provided between the rows of cans ( 4 ).  
     
     
         13 . A carrier according to  claim 12 , characterised in that said gripping recesses ( 42 ) are formed as circular or oval openings in the carrier blank ( 32 ).  
     
     
         14 . A plane blank of cardboard, preferably corrugated cardboard, said blank being adapted to be assembled as a carrier for a plurality of generally cylindrical cans being disposed in at least two rows, and having, for each can to be connected by the carrier, a pair of two mutually opposing, essentially arcuate slits ( 44 ,  45 ), characterised in that gripping recesses ( 42 ) are centrally disposed in the carrier blank ( 32 ) between the rows of said pairs of slits ( 44 ,  45 ), that said arcuate slits ( 44 ,  45 ) comprise an arcuate intermediate section ( 16 ;  45 ) and two arcuate end sections ( 18 ;  48 ) on each side thereof, said intermediate section ( 16 ;  46 ) being formed radially inside the extended arcuate end sections ( 18 ;  48 ).  
     
     
         15 . A plane blank according to  claim 14 , characterised in that the arcuate intermediate section ( 46 ) of the inner slit ( 45 ) of each pair of slits ( 44 ,  45 ) forms a projecting engagement tongue ( 52 ,  52 ,  52 ) which is radially delimited by an arcuate folding line ( 53 ) extending between the end sections of the slit ( 45 ) and which is divided by radially extending incisions ( 47 ) into at least two engagement flaps ( 52 ).  
     
     
         16 . A plane blank according to  claim 15 , characterised in that oblique folding lines ( 55 ) are disposed in the carrier blank ( 32 ) between the pairs of slits ( 44 ,  45 ), said oblique folding lines ( 55 ) connecting the outer portions of each engagement tongue ( 52 ) in the inner slits ( 45 ) with an adjacent gripping recess ( 42 ) or with an adjacent side ( 58 ) of the blank ( 32 ).  
     
     
         17 . A plane blank according to  claim 16 , characterised in that folding lines ( 54 ) extending parallel with the sides ( 56 ) of the blank and with the rows of said pairs of slits ( 44 ,  45 ) are provided in the carrier blank ( 32 ), said folding lines connecting the ends of the arcuate slits ( 44 ,  45 ) with each other or with an adjacent side of the blank ( 32 ).  
     
     
         18 . A plane blank according to  claim 17 , characterised in that additional folding lines ( 54 ) extending parallel with the sides ( 56 ) of the blank and with the rows of said pairs of slits ( 44 ,  45 ) are provided in the carrier blank ( 32 ), said additional folding lines ( 54 ) connecting step-like portions ( 20 ) between the intermediate section ( 16 ) and the end sections ( 18 ) in the outer slits ( 44 ) in each pair with each other or with an adjacent side ( 58 ) of the blank.  
     
     
         19 . A method to assemble a plane blank ( 32 ) of cardboard, preferably corrugated cardboard, as a carrier ( 31 ) on a plurality of generally cylindrical cans ( 4 ) being disposed in at least two rows and having an inclined upper part and a top closure ( 6 ) with a projecting circular rim ( 8 ), said plane blank ( 32 ) comprising, for each can to be connected by the carrier, two mutually opposing, essentially arcuate slits ( 44 ,  45 ), the outer edges of which are intended to engage below the rim ( 8 ) of the cans when the carrier is assembled on the plurality of cans to connect the carrier and the cans and form a package assembly, characterised in that the plane blank ( 32 ) is superimposed on the plurality of cans ( 4 ), that pressure is applied against two opposing side panels ( 60 ) on the blank ( 32 ), such that said panels are folded and the outer edges of the outer slits ( 44 ) are displaced downwardly to engage below the rim ( 8 ) of the cans ( 4 ), and that pressure is applied against the central portion ( 62 ,  64 ) of the blank ( 32 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ), such that the outer edges of the inner slits ( 45 ) are displaced downwardly to engage below the rim ( 8 ) of the cans ( 4 ) and such that a central portion ( 62 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ) is forming a bowl-shaped indentation ( 66 ).  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , characterised in that pressure is applied against the central portion ( 62 ,  64 ) of the blank ( 32 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ), such that pressure is applied at certain central portions ( 62 ,  64 ) between each pair of cans ( 4 ) forming a bowl-shaped indentation ( 66 ,  68 ) between each pair of cans.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , characterised in that pressure is applied against the central portion ( 62 ,  64 ) of the blank ( 32 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ) at certain central portions ( 62 ,  64 ), such that the blank ( 32 ) is folded in longitudinal folding lines ( 54 ) extending between the ends of the inner slits ( 45 ) or an adjacent side ( 48 ) of the blank and also in oblique folding lines ( 55 ) in the central portion of the blank.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , characterised in that pressure is applied against the central portion ( 62 ,  64 ) of the blank ( 32 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ), such that pressure is applied at each central portion ( 62 ,  64 ) of the blank which is delimited by the oblique folding lines ( 55 ), gripping recesses ( 42 ) centrally disposed in the blank or a side ( 48 ) edge of the blank, and arcuate folding lines ( 53 ) radially delimiting an engagement tongue ( 52 ,  52 ,  52 ) formed in the inner slit ( 45 ).  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , characterised in that pressure is applied against the central portion ( 62 ,  64 ) of the blank ( 32 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ), such that the arcuate folding lines ( 53 ) are pressed against the inclined surface of the cans ( 4 ) and the engagement tongues ( 52 ,  52 ,  52 ) are being folded upwardly to engage below the rim ( 8 ) of the can.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , characterised in that the pressure that is applied against the central portion ( 62 ,  64 ) between the rows of cans ( 4 ) is applied by means of a pressure-applying tool with spring-loaded rolls.