Container carrier

Abstract

A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers that includes a first engagement means configured to engage a can and a second engagement means configured to engage a bottle, wherein the first engagement means and the second engagement means are generally superimposed upon each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers, the container carrier comprising:
 a first engagement means configured to engage and retain a can;   a second engagement means configured to engage an adjacent pair of bottles, wherein the first engagement means and the second engagement means are generally superimposed upon each other.   
     
     
         2 . The container carrier of  claim 1  wherein the first engagement means comprises container receiving fittings configured to engage with a chime of a can and the second engagement means comprises an oval aperture configured to engage with a neck of each of the adjacent pair of bottles. 
     
     
         3 . The container carrier of  claim 1  further comprising a handle extending along a longitudinal edge of the container carrier, the handle capable of pivoting over a top of the container carrier. 
     
     
         4 . The container carrier of  claim 1  wherein the first engagement means comprises two or more arcuate clips and the second engagement means comprises an oval aperture configured to accommodate at least two bottles. 
     
     
         5 . The container carrier of  claim 4  further comprising a pair of gripping apertures formed along a center axis of the container carrier. 
     
     
         6 . The container carrier of  claim 4  wherein the arcuate clips and the oval aperture are each formed in transverse ranks for each transverse pair of containers. 
     
     
         7 . A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers, the container carrier comprising:
 a pair of container engaging fittings that are configured to engage a pair of cans arranged in transverse ranks for each transverse pair of containers; and   an oval aperture positioned within the pair of container engaging fittings that are configured to alternatively engage a pair of bottles.   
     
     
         8 . The container carrier of  claim 7  wherein the oval aperture is positioned within each transverse rank and extends between each transverse pair of container engaging fittings. 
     
     
         9 . The container carrier of  claim 7  wherein the pair of container engaging fittings comprise a set of downwardly extending arcuate clips. 
     
     
         7 . container carrier of claim  7  further comprising a pair of gripping apertures formed along a center axis of the container carrier. 
     
     
         11 . The container carrier of claim  10  wherein the gripping aperture is formed as a ring between each four of the container receiving fittings to provide an opening for grasping the multipack. 
     
     
         12 . The container carrier of  claim 7 , wherein the container carrier is formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or high density polyethylene (HDPE).