Package for containers

Abstract

A package for holding a plurality of containers. The package has a top panel, end panels, and side panels. The package has retention features for retaining the containers. The package has gussets for positioning the end panels and side panels around the containers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A package for containing a plurality of articles, the package comprising:
 a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the package, the plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a side panel foldably connected to the top panel, and an end panel foldably connected to the top panel;   at least one opening in the top panel for at least partially receiving at least a portion of one of the articles;   a first gusset panel foldably connected to the side panel, at least a portion of the side panel being in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of the first gusset panel; and   a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel and the end panel, wherein the first gusset panel is at least partially in face-to-face contact with a first portion of the second gusset panel, and at least a portion of the side panel is in face-to-face contact with at least a second portion of the second gusset panel.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the first portion of the second gusset panel comprises a base portion foldably connected to the first gusset panel and the second portion of the second gusset panel comprises an extension comprising a distal end of the second gusset panel. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2  wherein the extension extends laterally beyond an edge of the first gusset panel and is free from connection to the first gusset panel. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the second gusset panel is adhesively attached to both the first gusset panel and the side panel. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line, the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the first gusset panel along a second fold line, and the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the end panel along a third fold line. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the end panel comprises a corner portion at least partially defined by an oblique fold line extending in the end panel, the package at least partially conforming to the shape of an article at the corner portion. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 6  wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line, the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the first gusset panel along a second fold line, and the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the corner portion of the end panel along a third fold line. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1  wherein each article of the plurality of articles comprises a beverage container having an upper portion and a flange, the at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings, each of the openings of the plurality of openings comprises a periphery, and the top panel comprises a plurality of tabs foldably attached to the top panel at the periphery of each of the openings of the plurality of openings. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of tabs at each opening of the plurality of openings comprises two shorter tabs that contact the upper portion the respective container at least partially received in the respective opening and two longer tabs that contact an underside of the flange of the respective container to at least partially retain the respective container in the package. 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 1  wherein each of the first gusset panel and the second gusset panel comprises a free edge that is free from foldable connection to another feature of the package. 
     
     
         11 . A blank for forming a package for containing a plurality of articles, the blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels that comprises a top panel, a side panel foldably connected to the top panel, and an end panel foldably connected to the top panel;   at least one receptacle in the top panel for at least partially receiving at least a portion of one of the articles when the package is formed from the blank;   a first gusset panel foldably connected to the side panel, at least a portion of the side panel for being in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of the first gusset panel when the package is formed from the blank; and   a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel and the end panel, wherein the first gusset panel is for being at least partially in face-to-face contact with a first portion of the second gusset panel when the package is formed from the blank, and at least a portion of the side panel is for being in face-to-face contact with at least a second portion of the second gusset panel when the package is formed from the blank.   
     
     
         12 . The blank of  claim 11  wherein the first portion of the second gusset panel comprises a base portion foldably connected to the first gusset panel and the second portion of the second gusset panel comprises an extension comprising a distal end of the second gusset panel. 
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 12  wherein the extension extends laterally beyond an edge of the first gusset panel and is free from connection to the first gusset panel. 
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 11  wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line, the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the first gusset panel along a second fold line, and the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the end panel along a third fold line. 
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 11  wherein the end panel comprises a corner portion at least partially defined by an oblique fold line extending in the end panel, the package formed from the blank at least partially conforming to the shape of an article at the corner portion. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15  wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line, the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the first gusset panel along a second fold line, and the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the corner portion of the end panel along a third fold line. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 11  wherein the at least one receptacle comprises a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles comprises a plurality of tabs foldably connected to the top panel. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 17  wherein the plurality of tabs at each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles comprises two shorter tabs and two longer tabs. 
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 11  wherein each of the first gusset panel and the second gusset panel comprises a free edge that is free from foldable connection to another feature of the blank. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a package, the method comprising:
 providing a blank comprising a top panel, a side panel foldably connected to the top panel, an end panel foldably connected to the top panel, a plurality of receptacles in the top panel, a first gusset panel foldably connected to the side panel, and a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel and the end panel;   positioning a plurality of articles relative to the blank;   positioning the blank relative to the articles so that the plurality of articles are at least partially received in respective receptacles of the plurality of receptacles;   downwardly folding the end panel relative to the top panel to at least partially enclose the articles in an interior space of the package; and   downwardly folding the side panel relative to the top panel to at least partially enclose the articles in the interior space of the package, wherein the downwardly folding the side panel comprises inwardly folding the first gusset panel and the second gusset panel to position the first gusset panel in face-to-face contact with a first portion of the second gusset panel, and the downwardly folding the side panel comprises positioning at least a portion of the side panel in face-to-face contact with the first gusset panel and positioning at least a portion of the side panel in face-to-face contact with a second portion of the second gusset panel.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the first portion of the second gusset panel comprises a base portion foldably connected to the first gusset panel and the second portion of the second gusset panel comprises an extension extending beyond an edge of the first gusset panel. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising applying adhesive to at least one of the first gusset panel, the second gusset panel, and the side panel to secure the end panel and the side panel in the downwardly folded position. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line, the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the first gusset panel along a second fold line, and the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the end panel along a third fold line. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the end panel comprises a corner portion at least partially defined by an oblique fold line extending in the end panel, and the downwardly folding the end panel comprises positioning the end panel so that the corner portion at least partially conforms to the shape of an article of the plurality of articles. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the first gusset panel is foldably connected to the side panel along a first fold line, the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the first gusset panel along a second fold line, and the second gusset panel is foldably connected to the corner portion of the end panel along a third fold line. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20  wherein each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles comprises a plurality of tabs foldably connected to the top panel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the plurality of tabs at each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles comprises two shorter tabs and two longer tabs. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20  wherein each of the first gusset panel and the second gusset panel comprises a free edge that is free from foldable connection to another feature of the blank.