Top-gripping beverage can carrier, and assembly

Abstract

A top-gripping beverage can carrier including a main panel of cardboard sheet material having at least one, and preferably multiple, can receiving apertures. The carrier is provided with locking tabs, which are hingedly connected to the main panel and which are for engaging an underside of a radially protruding portion of a beverage can to be received in the can receiving aperture. The carrier further includes a cover panel for at least partly covering at least a lid of one of the one or multiple cans to be held by the carrier. The cover panel is hingedly connected to the main panel via an intermediate panel, wherein the intermediate panel is hingedly connected to the main panel by means of a first cover fold line, and wherein the intermediate panel is hingedly connected to the cover panel by means of a second cover fold line. The carrier further includes a connector panel which is hingedly connected to the cover panel by means of a third cover fold line. The connector panel is arranged to snap below the lid of the can in order to hold the cover panel in place in its covering position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . Top-gripping beverage can carrier, comprising a main panel of cardboard sheet material having at least one can receiving aperture, wherein the main panel is provided with a series of locking tabs hingedly connected to the main panel by means of a respective tab fold line, and disposed around the can receiving aperture, wherein each locking tab extends from the respective tab fold line towards a retaining edge for engaging an underside of a radially protruding portion of a beverage can to be received in the can receiving aperture, said radially protruding portion of the can being formed by a lid of said can, wherein said retaining edge is located more inwardly with respect to the can receiving aperture than said tab fold line, wherein each locking tab can pivot about the respective tab fold line from an initial position of the respective locking tab, in which said respective locking tab lies substantially in line with the main panel, towards a folded up position in which said locking tab is under an angle with the main panel, wherein the carrier further comprises a first cover panel for at least partly covering at least one first lid of at least a first one of the one or multiple cans to be held by the carrier, wherein the first cover panel is hingedly connected to the main panel via a first intermediate panel, wherein the first intermediate panel is hingedly connected to the main panel by means of a first cover fold line, and wherein the first intermediate panel is hingedly connected to the first cover panel by means of a second cover fold line, wherein the carrier further comprises a first connector panel which is hingedly connected to the first cover panel by means of a third cover fold line, wherein the first connector panel is arranged to snap below the first lid of the first can in order to hold the first cover panel in place in its covering position. 
     
     
         2 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the first connector panel is provided with a first connector edge formed by a first cut or slit, which can be clicked or clamped beneath the first can's first radially protruding portion formed by the first lid of said first can in order to lock the first cover panel in its covering position. 
     
     
         3 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier further comprises a second cover panel for at least partly covering at least one second lid of at least one second one of the cans to be held by the carrier, wherein the second cover panel is hingedly connected to the main panel via a second intermediate panel, wherein the second intermediate panel is hingedly connected to the main panel by means of a fourth cover fold line, and wherein the second intermediate panel is hingedly connected to the second cover panel by means of a fifth cover fold line, wherein the carrier further comprises a second connector panel which is hingedly connected to the second cover panel by means of a sixth cover fold line, wherein the second connector panel is arranged to snap below the second lid of said second can in order to hold the second cover panel in place in its covering position. 
     
     
         4 . Carrier according to  claim 3 , wherein the second connector panel is provided with a second connector edge formed by a second cut or slit, which can be clicked or clamped beneath the second can's second radially protruding portion formed by the second lid of said second can in order to lock the second cover panel in its covering position. 
     
     
         5 . Carrier according to  claim 3 , wherein the carrier is arranged such that, in a use position of the carrier, a first outer edge of the first connector panel and a second outer edge of the second connector panel may abut against each other, and may preferably clamp each other to at least some extent. 
     
     
         6 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the first can receiving aperture for receiving therein the first can is part of a first row of multiple can receiving apertures, and wherein the first cover panel is for at least partly covering the respective lids of the cans of to be held by said first row of can receiving apertures. 
     
     
         7 . Carrier according to  claim 6 , wherein the first connector panel is provided with multiple connector edges, each of them formed by a respective cut or slit, which can be clicked or clamped beneath a respective radially protruding portion formed by a respective lid of a respective can to be held by a respective one said first row of can receiving apertures. 
     
     
         8 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the second can receiving aperture for receiving therein the second can is part of a second row of multiple can receiving apertures, and wherein the second cover panel is for at least partly covering the respective lids of the cans to be held by said second row of can receiving apertures. 
     
     
         9 . Carrier according to  claim 8 , wherein the second connector panel is provided with multiple connector edges, each of them formed by a respective cut or slit, which can be clicked or clamped beneath a respective radially protruding portion formed by a respective lid of a respective can to be held by a respective one said second row of can receiving apertures. 
     
     
         10 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cover panel is formed out of the same sheet of cardboard material as the main panel, and preferably wherein also the first intermediate panel and the first connector panel are formed out of the same sheet of cardboard material as the main panel. 
     
     
         11 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the second cover panel is formed out of the same sheet of cardboard material as the main panel, and preferably wherein also the second intermediate panel and the second connector panel are formed out of the same sheet of cardboard material as the main panel. 
     
     
         12 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet of cardboard material from which the main panel is formed is a sheet of corrugated fiberboard. 
     
     
         13 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the use position of the carrier, the first connector, the first cover panel, the first intermediate panel and a respective portion of the main panel provided with at least the first can receiving aperture, together substantially define a shaft, which, when seen in a direction substantially parallel to the first cover fold line, has a cross-section substantially formed as an acute trapezoid (American English) or so-called acute trapezium (British English). 
     
     
         14 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the center of the first can receiving aperture for receiving the first can and the center of the second can receiving opening for receiving the second can are spaced apart over an interspace corresponding with the diameter at the widest point of the body of the cans to be held by the carrier, preferably said interspace for instance being about 66 mm. 
     
     
         15 . Carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the centers of two adjacent ones of the can receiving apertures of a respective row of can receiving openings are spaced apart over an interspace corresponding with the diameter at the widest point of the body of the cans to be held by the carrier, preferably said interspace for instance being about 66 mm. 
     
     
         16 . Assembly, comprising a carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly further comprises at least one beverage can which is held within a respective can receiving aperture of said carrier.