Beverage and food carrier and dispensing systems therefor

Abstract

A carrier for carrying at least one beverage container includes a sheet of at least one layer of a polymeric material having an arrangement of at least one aperture for receiving a beverage container, and having a plurality of handle members for grasping by at least one finger or portion of a users hand for carrying the beverage container. A tray configuration is also provided for use with the carrier or in a separate manner, and a dispensing system for use with the carrier is set forth.

1 . A carrier for carrying at least one tapered container, the carrier comprising:
 at least one flexible sheet formed of at least one layer of a polymeric material;   at least one aperture provided in the sheet for receiving a tapered container; and   a plurality of handle members, wherein a tapered container is selectively positioned at the site of the aperture and the sheet is folded about the container to a position wherein the handle members are joined for grasping by at least one finger or portion of a users hand and the container is engaged by the aperture at a position at or above the center of gravity of the container to allow carrying of the container upon lifting of the sheet folded thereabout.   
   
   
       2 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is at least one layer of medium density polyethylene. 
   
   
       3 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sheet includes at least one base sheet and at least one second sheet which are sealed together at locations to make at least one outside pocket on a side of the carrier. 
   
   
       4 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one base sheet is made of a different material and/or thickness than the at least one second sheet. 
   
   
       5 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein there is a perforation between the at least one outside pocket and the portion of the carrier containing the at least one aperture, allowing the at least one outside pocket to be separated from the rest of the carrier. 
   
   
       6 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one outside pocket is at least partially separated into multiple portions by at least one seal. 
   
   
       7 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one outside pocket has pleats or gussets at its sides or bottom. 
   
   
       8 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the outside pocket has a sealing system associated therewith. 
   
   
       9 . The carrier of  claim 8 , wherein the sealing system is resealable. 
   
   
       10 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein at least one product is pre-packaged in the at least one pocket. 
   
   
       11 . The carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one pre-packaged product is selected from the group consisting of food, beverage, medicine, consumer product, novelty product, promotional product and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one pre-packaged product is a beverage, and a straw hole port is formed therewith. 
   
   
       13 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a securing system to allow the handle members to be selectively attached to one another. 
   
   
       14 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a rigid member positioned at the location of the at least one aperture provided in the sheet for receiving a beverage container, the rigid member having at least one aperture therein corresponding to the at least one aperture in the sheet, to provide further support for a beverage container positioned therein. 
   
   
       15 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a member attached to at least one side of the outside of the carrier. 
   
   
       16 . The carrier of  claim 15 , wherein the member is a strip or tubular member having indicia formed thereon or provided in association therewith. 
   
   
       17 . The carrier of  claim 15 , wherein the member includes perforations to allow for selective removal thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sheet includes at least one base sheet and at least one second sheet which is sealed with the base sheet at an end position thereof with the other end of the at least one second sheet having a handle portion, such that upon folding of the base sheet, the at least one second sheet will form an interior sling portion when the handle portion thereof is grasped along with the handle portions of the base sheet. 
   
   
       19 . The carrier of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one further sheet a second sheet of a polymeric material having an arrangement of at least two apertures for receiving a beverage container and a handle member, wherein the second sheet is attached to the first side of the first sheet such that the at least two apertures of the second sheet are aligned with the at least two apertures of the first sheet. 
   
   
       20 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes at least one pocket provided adjacent to the at least one aperture, to allow carrying of a beverage container in association with the at least one aperture and at least one product in the at least one pocket. 
   
   
       21 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein there exists an additional sheet attached on either side of the at least one aperture, so as to be positioned below a tapered container placed through the at least one aperture. 
   
   
       22 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a tray member for use therewith, the tray member being selectively disposed on top of one or more beverage containers positioned therewith. 
   
   
       23 . The carrier of  claim 22 , wherein the tray member includes a retaining system to engage the at least one beverage container. 
   
   
       24 . The carrier of  claim 23 , wherein the retaining system comprises male or female structures on the bottom of the tray that engage the top portion of a beverage container. 
   
   
       25 . The carrier of  claim 22 , wherein the tray member includes convex or concave side portions that the sides of the carrier frictionally engage. 
   
   
       26 . A carrier for carrying at least one beverage container and a food product, the carrier comprising:
 at least one food containing portion for at least one food item, and a beverage container holding portion attached to the food containing portion.   
   
   
       27 . The carrier of  claim 26 , wherein the beverage container holding portion is a circular sleeve that engages and holds a beverage container in position as the food containing portion is carried. 
   
   
       28 . The carrier of  claim 26 , wherein the beverage container holding portion is a flexible sheet having at least one aperture provided in the sheet for receiving a tapered container; and a handle member, wherein a tapered container is selectively positioned at the site of the aperture and the sheet is folded about the container to a position wherein the handle member can be grasped above the container such that the container is engaged by the aperture at a position at or above the center of gravity of the container to allow carrying of the container upon lifting of the sheet folded thereabout. 
   
   
       29 . The carrier of  claim 26 , wherein the food containing portion is a pouch made of a flexible material provided with a handle portion. 
   
   
       30 . The carrier of  claim 26 , wherein the food containing portion is a rigid container. 
   
   
       31 . A carrier to facilitate handling of beverages and other items comprising
 at least one flexible sheet having a beverage holding portion for receiving a beverage container, and a handle portion formed as an open loop above the beverage holding portion, wherein the handle portion may be grasped by one or more fingers or the palm of the hand of a user, wherein the beverage container is selectively supported in the beverage holding portion for carrying or consumption of the beverage while leaving the rest of the hand free to also carry a another article.   
   
   
       32 . The carrier of  claim 31 , wherein the beverage holding portion is a pouch portion. 
   
   
       33 . The carrier of  claim 31 , wherein the carrier may further comprise a separate pocket portion, which may be used to store and carry at least one other item 
   
   
       34 . The carrier of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one other item is selected from the group consisting of food product, utensils, a napkin, straw, condiments or combinations thereof. 
   
   
       35 . A tray for carrying food product comprising
 a tray body having a bottom and side portions, wherein the tray is nestable with like trays for shipping and storage, and also stackable during use, wherein the tray is nestable with other trays when in a first orientation, and stackable when rotated with respect to another tray, thereby allowing two or more trays to be carried in one hand or stacked on a support surface.   
   
   
       36 . The tray according to  claim 35 , wherein the side portions have structures which are aligned with structures in another tray for nesting and misaligned when rotated for stacking. 
   
   
       37 . The tray according to  claim 35 , further comprising a retaining system to engage at least one beverage container. 
   
   
       38 . The tray of  claim 37 , wherein the retaining system comprises male or female structures on the bottom of the tray that engage the top portion of a beverage container. 
   
   
       39 . A carrier dispensing system for transporting, storing and dispensing a plurality of carrier members wherein the carrier members are formed of at least one flexible sheet and have at least one pocket or aperture provided in the sheet for receiving a product or container,
 the dispensing system including a housing with a plurality of dispensing openings formed therein, the plurality of carrier members be disposed in the housing in a folded, interleaved configuration, such that each of the carrier members may be dispensed individually from a dispensing opening in a manner that removal of one carrier member advances or pulls along the next carrier member to a position for subsequent removal, wherein the plurality of dispensing openings allow the housing to be positioned on a flat surface for dispensing or in an upright position on a shelf while allowing dispensing carriers therefrom.   
   
   
       40 . The dispensing system of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of dispensing openings include an opening on at least one of the edges of the housing and at least one of the top or bottom sides of the housing. 
   
   
       41 . The dispensing system of  claim 40 , wherein the dispensing opening on the top or bottom side located at an intermediate portion of the top or bottom wall of the housing. 
   
   
       42 . The dispensing system of  claim 40 , wherein a plurality of dispensing openings are provided on a plurality of the edges of the housing. 
   
   
       43 . The dispensing system of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of dispensing openings are created by the removal of a panel from the housing.