Container carrier

Abstract

A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of bottles, the plurality of bottles each having a neck and a cap includes a central rail having at least one opening and a plurality of clips extending from the central rail, each clip for engaging a bottle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of bottles, the plurality of bottles each having a neck and a cap, the container carrier comprising:
 a central rail having at least one opening;   a plurality of clips extending from the central rail, each clip for engaging a bottle.   
     
     
         2 . The container carrier of  claim 1  wherein the central rail is configured to extend vertically between bottles. 
     
     
         3 . The container carrier of  claim 1  wherein each clip of the plurality of clips comprises a pair of flexible arcuate arms that extend outwardly from the central rail. 
     
     
         4 . The container carrier of  claim 3  wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms are engageable with the neck of the bottle below the cap. 
     
     
         5 . The container carrier of  claim 3  wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms together form a generally circular aperture with a gap at a distal end between the pair and wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms diverge at the distal end. 
     
     
         6 . The container carrier of  claim 1  wherein the central rail is formed in a different plane from the plurality of clips. 
     
     
         7 . The container carrier of  claim 6  wherein the central rail is perpendicular to the plurality of clips. 
     
     
         8 . The container carrier of  claim 1  further comprising a web extending between each clip and the central rail, the web configured to be positioned between each bottle and the central rail. 
     
     
         9 . The container carrier of  claim 8  wherein the web is perpendicular to the central rail. 
     
     
         10 . The container carrier of  claim 1  wherein two openings are formed in the central rail, the two openings configured to grasp the container carrier. 
     
     
         11 . A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of bottles, the plurality of bottles each having a neck and a cap, the container carrier comprising:
 a central rail having at least one opening, wherein the central rail is configured to extend vertically between bottles;   a plurality of clips extending from the central rail, each clip for engaging a bottle, wherein each clip of the plurality of clips comprises a pair of flexible arcuate arms that extend outwardly from the central rail.   
     
     
         12 . The container carrier of  claim 11  wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms are engageable with the neck of the bottle below the cap. 
     
     
         13 . The container carrier of  claim 11  wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms together form a generally circular aperture with a gap at a distal end between the pair and wherein the pair of flexible arcuate arms diverge at the distal end. 
     
     
         14 . The container carrier of  claim 11  wherein the central rail is formed in a different plane from the plurality of clips. 
     
     
         15 . A unitized package of a plurality of bottles including a container carrier, the plurality of bottles each having a neck and a cap, the package comprising:
 a container carrier having a central rail, wherein the central rail is configured to extend vertically between bottles;   a plurality of clips extending from the central rail, each clip engaging a bottle, wherein each clip of the plurality of clips comprises a pair of flexible arcuate arms that extend outwardly from the central rail; and   a plurality of bottles, each bottle positioned within a respective clip of the plurality of clips.