Carton for containers

Abstract

A carrier for at least partially holding a plurality of articles can comprise a plurality of panels that can comprise at least a top panel, a side panel, and a bottom panel. A plurality of article receiver features can be disposed in at least the top panel in at least a first row and a second row. The first row can comprise at least one more article receiver feature than the second row. Each article receiver feature of the plurality of article receiver features can be for at least partially receiving a respective article of the plurality of articles. A retention feature can extend in at least one of the site panel and the bottom panel. The retention feature can be for at least partially retaining at least one article that is at least partially received in a respective one of the article receiving features in the first row.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carrier for at least partially holding a plurality of articles, the carrier comprising
 a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carrier, the plurality of panels comprising at least a top panel, a side panel, and a bottom panel;   a plurality of article receiver features disposed in at least the top panel in at least a first row and a second row, the first row comprising at least one more article receiver feature than the second row, each article receiver feature of the plurality of article receiver features being for at least partially receiving a respective article of the plurality of articles, and   a retention feature extending in at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel, the retention feature being for at least partially retaining at least one article that is at least partially received in a respective one of the article receiving features in the first row.   
     
     
         2 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first row is disposed adjacent the side panel and the second row is spaced apart from the side panel by the first row. 
     
     
         3 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the article receiver features of the plurality of article receiver features are arranged in the first row, the second row, and a third row, the third row comprising at least one more article receiver feature than the second row. 
     
     
         4 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the side panel is a first side panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second side panel disposed opposite to the first side panel, the first row is disposed adjacent the first side panel, the third row is disposed adjacent the second side panel, and the second row is spaced from the first side panel and the second side panel by the respective first row and third row. 
     
     
         5 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the side panel is a first side panel, the bottom panel is a first bottom panel, the ret feature is a first retention feature;   the plurality of panels further comprises a second side panel and a second bottom panel, and a second retention feature extends in at least one of the second side panel and the second bottom panel; and   the second retention feature is for at least partially retaining at least one article that is at least partially received in a respective one of the article receiving features in the third row.   
     
     
         6 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the article receiver features of the second row are staggered with respect to the article receiver features of the first row and the third row. 
     
     
         7 . The carrier of  claim 6 , wherein the article receiver features of the second row are offset from the article receiver features of the first row and the third row so that a respective center of each article receiver feature of the second row is disposed generally halfway between two of the article receiver features in the first row and between two of the article receiver features of the third row. 
     
     
         8 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the article receiver features of the second row are staggered with respect to the article receiver features of the first row. 
     
     
         9 . The carrier of  claim 8 , wherein the article receiver features of the second row are offset from the article receiver features of the first row so that a respective center of each article receiver feature of the second row is disposed generally halfway between two adjacent article receiver features in the first row. 
     
     
         10 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the retention feature comprises a corner retainer for at least partially retaining an article disposed adjacent the side panel and an end of the carrier. 
     
     
         11 . The carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the retention feature comprises a retention panel foldably connected to at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel, a first gusset panel foldably connected to the retention panel, and a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel and the bottom panel, the retention panel extending at least partially over the end of the carrier. 
     
     
         12 . The carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the first gusset panel and the second gusset panel are at least partially in face-to-face contact with one another and are for being at least partially disposed between the bottom panel and an article of the plurality of articles. 
     
     
         13 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the retention feature comprises two retention tabs foldably connected to at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel adjacent a corner opening. 
     
     
         14 . A blank for funning a carrier for holding a plurality of articles, the blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels comprising at least a top panel, a side panel, and a bottom panel;   a plurality of article receiver features disposed in at least the top panel in at least a first row and a second row, the first row comprising at least one more article receiver feature than the second row, each article receiver feature of the plurality of article receiver features being for at least partially receiving a respective article of the plurality of articles when the carter is formed from the blank; and   a retention feature extending in at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel, the retention feature being for at least partially retaining at least one article that is at least partially received in a respective one of the article receiving features in the first row when the carrier is formed from the blank.   
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the first row is disposed adjacent the side panel and the second row is spaced apart from the side panel by the first row. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the article receiver features of the plurality of article receiver features are arranged in the first row, the second row, and a third row, the third row comprising at least one more article receiver feature than the second row. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein the side panel is a first side panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second side panel disposed on an opposite side of the top panel from the first side panel, the first row is disposed adjacent the first side panel, the third row is disposed adjacent the second side panel, and the second row is spaced from the first side panel and the second side panel by the respective first row and third row. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the side panel is a first side panel, the bottom panel is a first bottom panel, the retention feature is a first retention feature;   the plurality of panels further comprises a second side panel and a second bottom panel, and a second retention feature extends in at least one of the second side panel and the second bottom panel; and   the second retention feature is for at least partially retaining at least one article that is at least partially received in a respective one of the article receiving features in the third row when the carrier is formed from the blank.   
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 16 , wherein the article receiver features of the second row are staggered with respect to the article receiver features of the first row and the third row. 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 19 , wherein the article receiver features of the second row are offset from the article receiver features of the first row and the third row so that a respective center of each article receiver feature of the second row is disposed generally halfway between two of the article receiver features in the first row and between two of the article receiver features of the third row. 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the article receiver features of the second row are staggered with respect to the article receiver features of the first row. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the article receiver features of the second row are offset from the article receiver features of the first row so that a respective center of each article receiver feature of the second row is disposed generally halfway between two adjacent article receiver features in the first row. 
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the retention feature comprises a corner retainer for at least partially retaining an article disposed adjacent the side panel and an end of the carrier when the carrier is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 23 , wherein the retention feature comprises a retention panel foldably connected to at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel, a first gusset panel foldably connected to the retention panel, and a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel and the bottom panel. 
     
     
         25 . The blank of  claim 14 , wherein the retention feature comprises two retention tabs foldably netted to at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel adjacent a corner opening. 
     
     
         26 . A package comprising:
 a carrier haying substantially open ends, the carrier comprising a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carrier;   a plurality of articles at least partially disposed in the interior of the carrier, the articles of the plurality of articles being arranged in at least a first row and a second row, the first row comprising at least one more article than the second row.   
     
     
         27 . The package of  claim 26 , wherein the articles in the second row are nested with the articles in the first row. 
     
     
         28 . The package of  claim 26 , wherein the articles of the plurality of articles are arranged in the first row, the second row, and a third row, the third row comprises at least one more article than the second row, and the articles in the second row are nested with the articles in the first row and with the articles in the third row. 
     
     
         29 . The package of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of panels comprise at least a top panel and a side panel. 
     
     
         30 . The package of  claim 29 , wherein the first row is disposed adjacent the side panel and the second row is spaced apart from the side panel by the first row. 
     
     
         31 . The package of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the side panel is a first side panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second side panel disposed opposite to the first side panel;   the articles of the plurality of articles are arranged in the first row, the second row, and a third row, the third row comprising at least one more article than the second row; and   the first row is disposed adjacent the first side panel, the third row is disposed adjacent the second side panel, and the second row is spaced from the first side panel and the second side panel by the respective first row and third row.   
     
     
         32 . The package of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the side panel is a first side panel, the plurality of panels further comprises a second side panel, a first bottom panel foldably connected to the first side panel, and a second bottom panel foldably connected to the second side panel; and   the carrier further comprises, a first retention feature extending in at least one of the first side panel and the first bottom panel, and a second retention feature extending in at least one of the second side panel and the second bottom panel, the first retention feature at least partially retaining at least one article in the first row and the second retention feature at least partially retaining at least one article in the third row.   
     
     
         33 . The package of  claim 29 , wherein the carrier further comprises a plurality of article receiver features disposed in at least the top panel, each article receiver feature of the plurality of article receiver features at least partially receiving a respective article of the plurality of articles. 
     
     
         34 . The package of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of panels further comprises a bottom panel foldably connected to the side panel, and the carrier further comprises a retention feature extending in at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel, the retention feature at least partially retaining at least one article in the first row. 
     
     
         35 . The package of  claim 34 , wherein the retention feature comprises a corner retainer at least partially retaining an article in the first row disposed adjacent one of the substantially open ends of the carrier. 
     
     
         36 . The package of  claim 35 , wherein the retention feature comprises a retention panel foldably connected to at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel, a first gusset panel foldably connected to the retention panel, and a second gusset panel foldably connected to the first gusset panel and to the bottom panel, the retention panel extending at least partially over the substantially open end of the package. 
     
     
         37 . The package of  claim 36 , wherein the first gusset panel and the second gusset panel are at least partially in face-to-face contact with one another and are at least partially disposed between the bottom panel and an article of the plurality of articles. 
     
     
         38 . The package of  claim 34 , wherein the retention feature comprises two retention tabs foldably connected to at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel adjacent a corner opening. 
     
     
         39 . The package of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the plurality of panels comprises at least a side panel and a bottom panel foldably connected to the side panel;   the plurality of articles comprises three articles in the first row; and   the carrier further comprises three retention features extending in at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel, each of the three retention features at least partially retaining a respective one of the three articles in the first row.   
     
     
         40 . A method of forming a package comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of articles and a blank comprising a plurality of panels;   arranging the articles of the plurality of articles in at least a first row and a second row, the first row comprising at least one more article than the second row; and   forming a carrier from the blank by wrapping the plurality of panels at least partially around the plurality of articles, the carrier having substantially open ends.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the arranging the articles further comprises positioning the articles in the second row to be nested with the articles in the first row. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the arranging the articles further comprises arranging the articles in a third row and positioning the articles in the second row to be nested with the articles in the first row and the third row. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises at least a top panel and a side panel, and the forming the carrier comprises engaging the top panel with top portions of the articles of the plurality of articles and folding the side panel with respect to the top panel to be positioned adjacent the articles in the first row, the articles in the second row being spaced from the side panel by the first row. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises at least a top panel and a side panel, the carrier further comprises a plurality of article receiver features disposed in at least the top panel, and the forming the carrier comprises positioning the top panel relative to the articles of the plurality of articles so that each article receiver feature of the plurality of article receiver features at least partially receives a top portion of a respective article of the plurality of articles. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of panels comprises at least a side panel and a bottom panel foldably connected to the side panel, the carrier further comprises a retention feature extending in at least one of the side panel and the bottom panel, and the forming the carrier further comprising positioning the side panel and the bottom panel so that the retention feature at least partially retains at least one article in the first row.