A flexible beverage support sheet & package

Abstract

A flexible beverage support sheet having an insulating, flexible, polymeric sheet adapted for supporting beverage containers, die sheet having a perimeter edge and lines of weakness defining a plurality of insulating beverage holder blanks each of which is configurable about a circumference of an individual beverage container and a beverage package containing the same.

1 . A flexible beverage container support sheet comprising: an insulating, flexible, polymeric sheet adapted for supporting beverage containers, said support sheet having a perimeter edge and lines of weakness defining a plurality of insulating beverage container holder blanks each of which is configurable about a circumference of an individual beverage container to form an individual insulating beverage container holder. 
     
     
         2 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support sheet comprises a base sheet adapted to support at least one tier of a plurality of beverage containers. 
     
     
         3 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support sheet comprises a carton blank adapted for encasing at least one tier of a plurality of beverage containers; said carton blank perimeter circumscribing therein said plurality of holder blanks. 
     
     
         4 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support sheet is integral with or fixed to at least one surface of an overwrap encasing a plurality of beverage containers. 
     
     
         5 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support sheet comprises a separator sheet adapted for separating a first tier of a first plurality of beverage containers from a second tier of a second plurality of beverage containers and providing stabilizing support for maintaining positional relationship between said first and second tier beverage containers in cooperation with an overwrap. 
     
     
         6 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said lines of weakness comprise slits, score lines, perforations or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising fastening means for forming said beverage container holder by connecting an edge portion of an insulating beverage container holder blank to an opposing edge portion of said holder blank. 
     
     
         8 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive tape, an adhesive pattern applied to an edge portion of said holder blanks, hook and loop fasteners, or lines of weakness defining a hook portion and a slot portion whereby a holder blank separated from said support sheet is adapted for connection to itself by insertion of said hook portion into said slot portion to form said beverage container holder. 
     
     
         9 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of holder blanks is manually removable from said support sheet along said lines of weakness. 
     
     
         10 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said holder blanks has opposing edge portions and at least one of said edge portions has a pressure sensitive adhesive applied thereto by which said holder blank is connectable to itself by overlaying said opposing edge portions in adhesive contact thereby connecting them together to form said beverage container holder. 
     
     
         11 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said lines of weakness further define an integral coaster portion for insulating a beverage container bottom surface. 
     
     
         12 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric sheet comprises a cellulosic, rubber, or thermoplastic material or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric sheet comprises a foamed polymer. 
     
     
         14 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric sheet comprises a nonwoven cellulosic, nonwoven plastic, a polyolefin, polyethylene or polypropylene or combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric sheet comprises foamed polyethylene. 
     
     
         16 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric sheet comprises a multilayer structure. 
     
     
         17 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric sheet comprises a multilayer structure of at least three layers including a first surface polymeric layer, a second surface polymeric layer, and an intermediate foamed core polymeric layer between said first and second surface layers. 
     
     
         18 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support sheet is embossed, textured, metallized, or printed. 
     
     
         19 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support sheet is coated with surface property modifying agents, coefficient of friction modifying agents, agents to improve at least one of abrasion resistance, colorfastness, temperature insulating or moisture resistant properties, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric sheet is a multilayer structure of at least two layers wherein said lines of weakness extend through at least a first layer and said first layer is adapted for peelable separation from at least one other layer. 
     
     
         21 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 20 , wherein said lines of weakness include a die cut through at least one layer. 
     
     
         22 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric sheet includes a pressure sensitive adhesive layer which has preferential substantivity to a peelably removable holder blank. 
     
     
         23 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said support sheet comprises at least two superimposed polymeric sheets having at least one longitudinal seal, at least one longitudinal line of weakness, at least three transverse seals, at least one transverse line of weakness, wherein said at least two polymeric sheets each comprises a first polymeric layer, a second polymeric layer, and a third intermediate polymeric foamed layer therebetween. 
     
     
         24 . A flexible beverage container support sheet, as defined in  claim 23 , wherein each said beverage container holder has at least two parallel seals connected by a transverse seal, said seals attaching said two polymeric sheets together thereby forming said beverage container holder having an open end and three side seals. 
     
     
         25 . A flexible beverage container support sheet comprising:
 an insulating, flexible, polymeric, multilayer, polyolefin foamed sheet of at least three layers including a first surface polymeric layer, a second surface polymeric layer, and an intermediate foamed core polymeric layer between said first and second surface layers; and wherein said sheet is adapted for supporting beverage containers, said support sheet having a perimeter edge and lines of weakness defining a plurality of insulating beverage container holder blanks each of which is configurable about a circumference of an individual beverage container to form an insulating beverage container holder and wherein each of said plurality of holder blanks is manually removable from said support sheet along said lines of weakness which comprise slits, score lines, perforations or a combination thereof; said holder blank further comprising fastening means for forming said beverage container holder by connecting an edge portion of an insulating holder blank to an opposing edge portion of said holder blank and wherein said fastener means comprise an adhesive, hook and loop fasteners, or a mechanical fastener comprising lines of weakness defining a hook portion and a slot portion whereby a holder blank separated from said support sheet is adapted for connection to itself by insertion of said hook portion into said slot portion to form said beverage container holder.   
     
     
         26 . A beverage package comprising:
 (a) a plurality of beverage containers;   (b) at least one flexible beverage container support sheet comprising an insulating, flexible, polymeric sheet having a perimeter edge and lines of weakness defining a plurality of insulating beverage container holder blanks; and   (c) an overwrap encasing said beverage containers.   
     
     
         27 . A beverage package, as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said plurality of beverage containers is arranged in at least two tiers and said support sheet is a separator sheet separating said tiers; and whereby said overwrap, separator sheet, and beverage containers cooperate to provide an integrally stable package which resists shifting of individual beverage containers during handling and transport of the package and said separator sheet assists in providing stabilizing support for maintaining positional relationship between said first and second tier beverage containers in cooperation with said overwrap. 
     
     
         28 . A beverage package, as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said support sheet comprises at least one of a base sheet, a separator sheet, an overwrap, a panel fixed to said overwrap, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         29 . A beverage package, as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said support sheet is removable and formable into a plurality of individual insulating beverage container holders. 
     
     
         30 . A beverage package, as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said support sheet further comprises an adhesive tape, an adhesive applied to an edge portion of said holder blanks, hook and loop fasteners, a mechanical fastener, a chemical fastener, or combinations thereof.