Article carriers and blanks therefor

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to article carriers ( 90; 190 ) for forming a package and blanks ( 10; 110 ) for forming the article carriers ( 90; 190 ). The blank ( 10; 110 ) comprises at least one panel ( 12; 112 ) having at least one article engaging structure (RT 1 , RT 2 ). The at least one article engaging structure (RT 1 , RT 2 ) comprises an article receiving aperture (AP 1 , AP 2 ) and an annular series of tabs ( 14, 30; 114, 114 A) formed around the article receiving aperture (AP 1 , AP 2 ). The annular series of tabs ( 14, 30; 114, 114 A) is defined at least in part by plurality of radial cut lines ( 15, 31; 115, 131 ). The annular series of tabs ( 14, 30; 114, 114 A) is defined at least in part by plurality of circumferential cut lines ( 9, 11; 109, 111 ). At least a first one ( 31, 131 ) of the radial cut lines extends to a corresponding circumferential cut line ( 9, 109 ) and at least a second one ( 15; 115 ) of the radial cut lines stops short of a respective circumferential cut line ( 9, 109 ).

1 . An article carrier for packaging at least one article, the article carrier comprising at least one panel having at least one article engaging structure, the at least one article engaging structure comprising an article receiving aperture and an annular series of tabs formed around the article receiving aperture, the annular series of tabs being defined at least in part by plurality of radial cut lines, the annular series of tabs being defined at least in part by plurality of circumferential cut lines, wherein at least a first one of the radial cut lines extends to a corresponding circumferential cut line and at least a second one of the radial cut lines stops short of a respective circumferential cut line. 
     
     
         2 . An article carrier according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one article receiving aperture is a corner aperture, and the at least first one of the radial cut lines is positioned across from the respective corner of the at least one panel such that the at least first one of the radial cut lines extends from the corner aperture toward the corner. 
     
     
         3 . An article carrier according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one article receiving aperture is a corner aperture, and at least two of the annular series of tabs are separated by a tabless area, the at least first one of the radial cut lines defines part of at least one of the at least two of the annular series of tabs. 
     
     
         4 . An article carrier according to  claim 3  wherein the tabless area is positioned across from the respective corner of the at least one panel. 
     
     
         5 . An article carrier according to  claim 3  wherein the at least two of the annular series of tabs each have a width dimension which is less than a width dimension of at least another one of the annular series of tabs. 
     
     
         6 . An article carrier according to  claim 3  wherein the at least first one of the radial cut lines defines part of each of at least two of the annular series of tabs, at least one of the at least two of the annular series of tabs has a width dimension which is less than a width dimension of at least another one of the annular series of tabs. 
     
     
         7 . An article carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular series of tabs comprising a plurality of annularly connected tabs and a plurality of annularly disconnected tabs, the plurality of annularly connected tabs comprise at least a pair of adjacently disposed tabs which are connected by a bridging portion. 
     
     
         8 . An article carrier according to  claim 7  wherein the annularly disconnected tabs are partial tabs, wherein each annularly disconnected tab occupies a smaller portion of the circumference of the at least one article engaging structure than a portion of the circumference of the at least one article engaging structure occupied by one of the annularly connected tabs. 
     
     
         9 . An article carrier according to  claim 8  wherein an engaging edge of a first one of the partial tabs is collinear with an engaging edge of a second adjacent one of the partial tabs. 
     
     
         10 . An article carrier according to  claim 8  wherein the partial tabs are arranged in pairs, each partial tab of a pair comprises an engaging edge arranged collinearly with an engaging edge of the other one of the pair. 
     
     
         11 . An article carrier according to  claim 8  wherein the partial tabs are dimensioned such that an integer number of partial tabs is equivalent to an integer number of annularly connected tabs. 
     
     
         12 . An article carrier according to  claim 7  wherein the annular series of tabs is interrupted by a cutaway, the cutaway occupies a portion of the circumference of the at least one article engaging structure disposed in closest proximity to a point of intersection between a first notional line collinear with an end edge of the at least one panel and a second notional line collinear with a side edge of the at least one panel. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising at least one panel having at least one article engaging structure, the at least one article engaging structure comprising an article receiving aperture and an annular series of tabs formed around the article receiving aperture, the annular series of tabs being defined at least in part by plurality of radial cut lines, the annular series of tabs being defined at least in part by plurality of circumferential cut lines, wherein at least a first one of the radial cut lines extends to a corresponding circumferential cut line and at least a second one of the radial cut lines stops short of a respective circumferential cut line. 
     
     
         21 . A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising at least one panel having at least one article engaging structure, the at least one article engaging structure comprising an article receiving aperture and an annular series of tabs formed around the article receiving aperture, the annular series of tabs comprising a plurality of annularly connected tabs and a plurality of annularly disconnected tabs, the plurality of annularly connected tabs comprise at least a pair of adjacently disposed tabs which are connected by a bridging portion. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An article carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least a second one of the radial cut lines is spaced apart from a respective circumferential cut line. 
     
     
         24 . A blank according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least a second one of the radial cut lines is spaced apart from the respective circumferential cut line. 
     
     
         25 . A blank according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least first one of the radial cut lines is disposed at a position diametrically opposed substantially to the at least second one of the radial cut lines. 
     
     
         26 . A blank according to  claim 20  wherein the at least one article receiving aperture is a corner aperture, and the at least first one of the radial cut lines is positioned closer to the respective corner of the at least one panel than the at least second one of the radial cut lines. 
     
     
         27 . A blank according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least first one of the radial cut lines comprises a pair of adjacently disposed first radial cut lines which define in part a first tooth, the at least second one of the radial cut lines comprises a pair of adjacently disposed second radial cut lines which define in part a second tooth, and wherein the first tooth is disposed at a position diametrically opposed substantially to the second tooth. 
     
     
         28 . A blank according to  claim 20  wherein the at least one article receiving aperture is a corner aperture, the at least first one of the radial cut lines comprises a pair of adjacently disposed first radial cut lines which define in part a first tooth, the at least second one of the radial cut lines comprises a pair of adjacently disposed second radial cut lines which define in part a second tooth, and wherein the first tooth is positioned closer to the respective corner of the at least one panel than the second tooth. 
     
     
         29 . A blank according to  claim 21 , wherein the bridging portion comprises a nick defined between at least two cut lines. 
     
     
         30 . A blank according to  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of annularly connected tabs being defined at least in part by plurality of radial cut lines, the plurality of annularly connected tabs being defined at least in part by plurality of circumferential cut lines, and wherein the at least two cut lines comprise at least one of the radial cut lines and at least one of the circumferential cut lines.