Securing container holders to containers

Abstract

Apparatuses for securing container holders to containers, container holder application systems, and methods of securing container holders to containers are described. An apparatus for securing container holders to containers includes a feeder, a magazine for holding a plurality of container holders, a container holder support surface disposed between the feeder and the magazine and adapted to receive and support a single container holder of the plurality of container holders, a container holder transporter, the container holder transporter including first and second container holder retainers, a container holder press, and an egress support. A container holder application system includes the apparatus and a plurality of container holders.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for securing container holders to containers, the apparatus comprising:
 a feeder;   a magazine for holding a plurality of container holders;   a container holder support surface disposed between the feeder and the magazine and adapted to receive and support a single container holder of the plurality of container holders;   a container holder transporter, the container holder transporter including first and second container holder retainers;   a container holder press; and   an egress support.   
     
     
         2 . A container holder application system, comprising:
 the apparatus of claim  1 ; and   a plurality of container holders disposed within the magazine of the apparatus.   
     
     
         3 . The container holder application system of  claim 2 , wherein each container holder of the plurality of container holders has a container holder nominal surface area equal to the length times the width of the container holder;
 wherein all container holders of the plurality of container holders have substantially the same nominal surface area; and   wherein the container holder support surface of the apparatus has a surface area larger than the nominal surface area of each container holder of the plurality of container holders.   
     
     
         4 . The container holder application system of  claim 3 , wherein each container holder of the plurality of container holders defines a perforation. 
     
     
         5 . The container holder application system of  claim 4 , wherein the perforation extends from one side of the container holder to an opposite side of the container holder. 
     
     
         6 . The container holder application system of  claim 5 , wherein the container holder defines a plurality of container openings, each container opening of the plurality of container openings adapted to receive a container. 
     
     
         7 . The container holder application system of  claim 6 , wherein a first subgroup of the plurality of container openings is positioned on a first side of the perforation and a second subgroup of the plurality of container openings is positioned on a second, opposite side of the perforation. 
     
     
         8 . The container holder application system of  claim 7 , wherein the first subgroup of the plurality of container openings and the second subgroup of the plurality of container openings include the same number of container openings. 
     
     
         9 . The container holder application system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first subgroup of the plurality of container openings and the second subgroup of the plurality of container openings defines four container openings. 
     
     
         10 . The container holder application system of  claim 2 , wherein each container holder of the plurality of container holders comprises a non-plastic material. 
     
     
         11 . The container holder application system of  claim 10 , wherein each container holder of the plurality of container holders comprises cardboard. 
     
     
         12 . A method of securing a container holder to a group of containers, the method comprising:
 advancing a plurality of containers into an apparatus for securing container holders to containers, the apparatus comprising:
 a feeder; 
 a magazine for holding a plurality of container holders; 
 a container holder support surface disposed between the feeder and the magazine and adapted to receive and support a single container holder of the plurality of container holders; 
 a container holder transporter, the container holder transporter including first and second container holder retainers; 
 a container holder press; and 
 an egress support; 
   retrieving a first group of containers from the plurality of containers;   simultaneously retrieving a first container holder adapted to be secured to the first group of containers from the container holder support surface of the apparatus and retrieving a second container holder adapted to be secured to the first group of containers from a plurality of container holders disposed in the magazine of the apparatus;   simultaneously depositing the first container holder onto the first group of containers and depositing the second container holder on the container holder support surface; and   applying a downward force onto the first container holder to secure the first container holder to the first group of containers.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the applying a downward force onto the first container holder is performed to separate the first container holder into first and second container holder portions such that the first container holder portion is secured to a first subgroup of the first group of containers and the second container holder portion is secured to a second subgroup of the first group of containers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each container holder of the plurality of container holders defines a perforation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the perforation extends from one side of the container holder to an opposite side of the container holder. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the container holder defines a plurality of container openings, each container opening of the plurality of container openings adapted to receive a container. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a first subgroup of the plurality of container openings is positioned on a first side of the perforation and a second subgroup of the plurality of container openings is positioned on a second, opposite side of the perforation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first subgroup of the plurality of container openings and the second subgroup of the plurality of container openings include the same number of container openings. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each container holder of the plurality of container holders comprises a non-plastic material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each container holder of the plurality of container holders comprises cardboard.