Bottle Packaging

Abstract

A bottle holder ( 2 ) comprising a base ( 3 ) and a lid ( 4 ), wherein the base comprises a plurality of bottle receiving portions ( 7 ), each bottle receiving portion being configured to engage a neck of a bottle, the lid being configured to engage the base and cover tops of bottles engaged by the base.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A bottle holder comprising:
 a base; and   a lid, wherein the base comprises a plurality of bottle receiving portions, each bottle receiving portion being configured to engage a neck of a bottle, and wherein the lid being configured to engage the base and cover tops of bottles engaged by the base.   
     
     
         19 . The bottle holder of  claim 18 , wherein the bottle receiving portions comprise a plurality of flaps separated by cuts. 
     
     
         20 . The bottle holder of  claim 19 , wherein the cuts are radially extending. 
     
     
         21 . The bottle holder of  claim 19 , wherein inner edges of the flaps define holes at the centre of the bottle receiving portions. 
     
     
         22 . The bottle holder of  claim 19 , wherein the flaps are triangular sections of an annulus or trapezoidal. 
     
     
         23 . The bottle holder of  claim 19 , wherein the cuts are configured such that outer ends of the cuts are at least 5 mm from the neck of the bottle in use. 
     
     
         24 . The bottle holder of  claim 18 , wherein the base and the lid are connected via a hinge, and wherein the base and the lid are configured to be opened and closed using the hinge. 
     
     
         25 . The bottle holder of  claim 18 , wherein structures are indented into the base of the bottle holder. 
     
     
         26 . The bottle holder of  claim 18 , wherein structures are indented into the lid of the bottle holder. 
     
     
         27 . The bottle holder of  claim 25 , wherein the structures indented into the lid correspond with structures indented into the base such that when the lid is closed the structures in the lid touch the structures in the base. 
     
     
         28 . The bottle holder of  claim 18 , wherein an uppermost surface of the lid is a planar surface, excluding any indented structures. 
     
     
         29 . A bottle package, comprising:
 a bottle holder according to  claim 18 ;   a plurality of bottles engaged in the bottle receiving portions provided in the bottle holder; and   a plastic film wrapped around the bottle holder and the bottles.   
     
     
         30 . The bottle package of  claim 29 , wherein the bottle receiving portions hold the bottles with a force of engagement of less than 55 N. 
     
     
         31 . The bottle package of  claim 30 , wherein the force of engagement is less than 40 N. 
     
     
         32 . A method of packaging bottles, comprising:
 providing a bottle holder with a base and a lid, the lid comprising a plurality of bottle receiving portions;   engaging a bottle neck into each bottle receiving portion; and   wrapping the bottle holder and the bottles in a plastic film.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein an additional item is placed in a space between the base and the lid of the bottle holder. 
     
     
         34 . A method of unpacking bottles from bottle packaging, the bottle packaging comprising a bottle holder and a plastic film, the bottle holder comprising a plurality of bottle receiving portions, each of the bottle receiving portions engaging a bottle neck, the plastic film being wrapped around the bottle holder and the bottles, the method comprising:
 removing the plastic film from the bottles and the bottle holder; and   disengaging the bottles by pushing or pulling them out of the bottle receiving portions in the bottle holder.