Carrier for beverage bottles

Abstract

A carrier shell and a central divider are molded of a resin composition and are assembled to form a beverage bottle carrier. The carrier shell is molded in a flat sheet with living hinges between a bottom panel, opposite side panels and end panel sections that are operatively positionable by folding at the living hinges to form a generally rectangular box configuration with an open top. Male and female tabs on the carrier shell interface with the central divider and interlockingly engage to secure the carrier in the box configuration with the central divider extending parallel between the opposite sides. Secondary dividers extend between the opposite sides and the central divider to form individual bottle compartments for placement of beverage bottle therein. The bottom of the carrier may include recesses for receiving the tops of bottles stored in a like carrier directly below the upper positioned bottle carrier to thereby facilitate vertical stacking of the bottle carriers when filled with beverage bottles.

1 . A beverage bottle carrier comprising:
 a carrier shell formed of a resin composition and including a bottom panel, opposite side panels, and a plurality of end panel sections, and said opposite side panels and said plurality of end panel sections being operatively positionable to extend upwardly from said bottom panel and generally perpendicular to said bottom panel;   a central divider panel formed of a resin composition and including opposite faces, a bottom edge, a top edge and side edges, and said central divider panel being operatively positionable to extend upwardly from said bottom panel of said carrier shell, between said opposite side panels, and in parallel relation to said opposite side panels, and said central divider panel including an elongate aperture proximate to said top edge and defining a handle; and   a plurality of secondary divider panels positioned to extend perpendicularly between said opposite side panels and said central divider panel to define a plurality of individual bottle compartments.   
   
   
       2 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 1  wherein said carrier shell is molded as a flat sheet, and wherein said flat sheet includes a plurality of living hinges extending between and dividing said bottom panel from said opposite side panels, and said living hinges further extending between and dividing said opposite side panels from said plurality of end panel sections, and said plurality of living hinges being structured and disposed to permit folding movement of said opposite side panels relative to said bottom panel, and folding movement of said plurality of end panel sections relative to said opposite side panels to form said carrier shell in a box configuration having an open top. 
   
   
       3 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of secondary divider panels are formed of a resin composition. 
   
   
       4 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 2  wherein said plurality of secondary divider panels are integrally formed with said carrier shell. 
   
   
       5 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 2  wherein said carrier shell further comprises a plurality of tabs for securing said opposite side panels and said plurality of end panel sections in said box configuration with said central divider panel operatively positioned between and parallel to said opposite side panels. 
   
   
       6 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 5  wherein said plurality of tabs include male tabs and female tabs, and each of said male tabs being structured and disposed for interlocking engagement with correspondingly aligned ones of said female tabs. 
   
   
       7 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 6  wherein said central divider includes an arrangement of holes and said female tabs include a series of cups arranged for alignment with said arrangement of holes in said central divider, and said male tabs include a series of buttons positioned and arranged for passage through the holes in said central divider, and said male tabs being structured for interlockingly engagement with the series of cups on said female tabs when said opposite side panels and said plurality of end panel sections are operatively positioned in the box configuration. 
   
   
       8 . A beverage bottle carrier comprising:
 a carrier shell molded of a resin composition and including a bottom panel, opposite side panels, and a plurality of end panel sections, and a plurality of living hinges between said bottom panel and said opposite side panels and between said side panels and said plurality of end panel sections, and said opposite side panels and said plurality of end panel sections being operatively positionable by bending along said plurality of said living hinges to extend upwardly from said bottom panel and generally perpendicular to said bottom panel to form a box configuration with an open top;   a central divider panel formed of a resin composition and including opposite faces, a bottom edge, a top edge and side edges, and said central divider panel being operatively positionable to extend upwardly from said bottom panel of said carrier shell, between said opposite side panels, and in parallel relation to said opposite side panels, and said central divider panel including an elongate aperture proximate to said top edge and defining a handle; and   a plurality of secondary divider panels positioned to extend perpendicularly between said opposite side panels and said central divider panel to define a plurality of individual bottle compartments.   
   
   
       9 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 8  wherein said plurality of secondary divider panels are integrally formed with said carrier shell. 
   
   
       10 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 8  wherein said carrier shell further comprises a plurality of tabs for securing said opposite side panels and said plurality of end panel sections in said box configuration with said central divider panel operatively positioned between and parallel to said opposite side panels. 
   
   
       11 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 10  wherein said plurality of tabs include male tabs and female tabs, and each of said male tabs being structured and disposed for interlocking engagement with correspondingly aligned ones of said female tabs. 
   
   
       12 . The beverage bottle carrier as recited in  claim 11  wherein said central divider includes an arrangement of holes and said female tabs include a series of cups arranged for alignment with said arrangement of holes in said central divider, and said male tabs include a series of buttons positioned and arranged for passage through the holes in said central divider, and said male tabs being structured for interlockingly engagement with the series of cups on said female tabs when said opposite side panels and said plurality of end panel sections are operatively positioned in the box configuration.