Article carrier and blank therefor

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a package, an article carrier for packaging one or more articles and a blank for forming the carrier. The article carrier comprises a pair of spaced panels including a covering panel and an engaging panel. A male locking tab formed from the covering panel connects the covering panel with the engaging panel. The locking tab is hingedly connected to the covering panel along a fold line. The fold line lies upon a notional line n-n which extends obliquely with respect to at least one of an end edge M 1 , M 2 and a side edge of the covering panel.

1 . An article carrier for engaging at least one article, the article carrier comprising an engaging panel including two or more article retention structures, each of the two or more article retention structures comprising an article receiving opening defined in part by an aperture and in part by a plurality of engaging tabs disposed about the aperture, wherein a first article retention structure of the two or more article retention structures comprises a first engaging tab and a second article retention structure of the two or more article retention structures comprises a second engaging tab, the second article retention structure being disposed adjacent to the first article retention structure, the first engaging tab being connected to the engaging panel via the second engaging tab, wherein the second engaging tab is connected directly to the engaging panel by at least one connecting element. 
     
     
         2 . An article carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one connecting element comprises a pair of connecting elements connecting opposed marginal portions of the second engaging tab to the engaging panel. 
     
     
         3 . An article carrier according to  claim 2 , wherein the first engaging tab is connected to a medial portion of the second engaging tab by a hinged connection. 
     
     
         4 . An article carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the first engaging tab comprises a first width dimension and the second engaging tab comprises a second width dimension, the second width dimension being greater than the first width dimension. 
     
     
         5 . An article carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein a third article retention structure of the two or more article retention structures is disposed adjacent to the second article retention structure, wherein the second article retention structure comprises a third engaging tab disposed generally orthogonally to the second engaging tab, and the third article retention structure comprises a fourth engaging tab wherein a first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs is connected directly to the engaging panel by at least one second connecting element and the other one of the third and fourth engaging tabs is connected to said first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs. 
     
     
         6 . An article carrier according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one second connecting element comprises a pair of second connecting elements connecting opposed marginal portions of the said first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs to the engaging panel. 
     
     
         7 . An article carrier according to  claim 6 , wherein the other one of the third and fourth engaging tabs is hingedly connected to a medial portion of said first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs. 
     
     
         8 . An article carrier according to  claim 5 , wherein the first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs comprises a third width dimension and the other one of the third and fourth engaging tabs comprises a fourth width dimension, the third width dimension being greater than the fourth width dimension. 
     
     
         9 . An article carrier according to  claim 5 , wherein a tooth free region is provided between the second engaging tab and the first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs. 
     
     
         10 . An article carrier according to  claim 3 , wherein the hinged connection comprises at least one linear fold line, wherein the first engaging tab comprises a first width dimension and the second engaging tab comprises a second width dimension, each of the first and second width dimensions extends parallel with the at least one linear fold line, and wherein the second width dimension is greater than the first width dimension. 
     
     
         11 . A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising an engaging panel including two or more article retention structures, each of the two or more article retention structures comprising an article receiving opening defined in part by an aperture and in part by a plurality of engaging tabs disposed about the aperture, wherein a first article retention structure of the two or more article retention structures comprises a first engaging tab and a second article retention structure of the two or more article retention structures comprises a second engaging tab, the second article retention structure being disposed adjacent to the first article retention structure, the first engaging tab being connected to the engaging panel via the second engaging tab, wherein the second engaging tab is connected directly to the engaging panel by at least one connecting element. 
     
     
         12 . A blank according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one connecting element comprises a pair of connecting elements connecting opposed marginal portions of the second engaging tab to the engaging panel. 
     
     
         13 . A blank according to  claim 12 , wherein the first engaging tab is connected to a medial portion of the second engaging tab. 
     
     
         14 . A blank according to  claim 11 , wherein the first engaging tab comprises a first width dimension and the second engaging tab comprises a second width dimension, the second width dimension being greater than the first width dimension. 
     
     
         15 . A blank according to  claim 11 , wherein a third article retention structure of the two or more article retention structures is disposed adjacent to the second article retention structure, wherein the second article retention structure comprises a third engaging tab disposed generally orthogonally to the second engaging tab, and the third article retention structure comprises a fourth engaging tab wherein a first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs is connected directly to the engaging panel by at least one second connecting element, and the other one of the third and fourth engaging tabs is connected to the first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs. 
     
     
         16 . A blank according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one second connecting element comprises a pair of second connecting elements connecting opposed marginal portions of the first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs to the engaging panel. 
     
     
         17 . A blank according to  claim 16 , wherein the other one of the third and fourth engaging tabs is hingedly connected to a medial portion of said first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs. 
     
     
         18 . A blank according to  claim 15 , wherein the first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs comprises a third width dimension and the other one of the third and fourth engaging tabs comprises a fourth width dimension, the third width dimension being greater than the fourth width dimension. 
     
     
         19 . A blank according to  claim 15 , wherein a tooth free region is provided between the second engaging tab and the first one of the third and fourth engaging tabs. 
     
     
         20 . A blank according to  claim 14 , wherein the first engaging tab is hingedly connected to the second engaging tab by at least one linear fold line, and wherein each of the first and second width dimensions extends parallel with the at least one linear fold line. 
     
     
         21 . A blank according to  claim 11 , wherein the aperture of the second article retention structure has a center, and wherein the second engaging tab is disposed closer to the center of the aperture of the second article retention structure than at least one of the remainder of the plurality of engaging tabs of the second article retention structure.