Carrier for containers

Abstract

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier includes a front portion, the front portion including a portion of at least one attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, a back portion, the back portion including a portion of the at least one attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, and a reinforcement portion extending from the front portion to the back portion for reinforcing the carrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier comprising:
 a central panel including a front region defining a plurality of front openings arranged to at least partially receive a front group of the plurality of containers, a back region defining a plurality of back openings arranged to at least partially receive a back group of the plurality of containers and a middle region disposed between the front region and the back region;   a front portion including:
 the front region of the central panel; 
 an outer panel foldably connected to the front region of the central panel; 
 a top panel foldably connected to the outer panel and defining a plurality of front apertures wherein the plurality of front apertures are aligned with the plurality of front openings; and 
 an inner panel foldably connected to the top panel; 
   a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the inner panel and in face-to-face alignment with the middle region of the central panel;   an attachment flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel; and   a back portion positioned opposite of the front portion and including the back region of the central panel.   
     
     
         2 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the middle region includes a pair of finger holes and wherein the reinforcement panel includes a pair of finger openings that align with the pair of finger holes. 
     
     
         3 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel is perpendicular to the central panel. 
     
     
         4 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the top panel is perpendicular to the outer panel. 
     
     
         5 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the inner panel extends at an oblique angle from the top panel. 
     
     
         6 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment flap extends at an oblique angle from the reinforcement panel. 
     
     
         7 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel, the top panel and the inner panel cooperate to at least partially enclose an upper portion of the front group of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         8 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of front openings are arranged to receive a neck portion of a respective container of the front group of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         9 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of front apertures are arranged to receive a cap portion of a respective container of the front group of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         10 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment flap extends into the back portion. 
     
     
         11 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a first end flap foldably connected to a first edge of the central panel and a second end flap foldably connected to a second edge of the central panel, wherein each of the first and the second end flaps extend toward the top panel. 
     
     
         12 . A blank for forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
 a central panel including a front region defining a plurality of front openings arranged to at least partially receive a front group of the plurality of containers, a back region defining a plurality of back openings arranged to at least partially receive a back group of the plurality of containers and a middle region disposed between the front region and the back region;   a front portion including:
 the front region of the central panel; 
 an outer panel foldably connected to the front region of the central panel; 
 a top panel foldably connected to the outer panel and defining a plurality of front apertures; and 
 an inner panel foldably connected to the top panel; 
   a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the inner panel;   an attachment flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel; and   a back portion positioned opposite of the front portion and including the back region of the central panel.   
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the middle region includes a pair of finger holes and wherein the reinforcement panel includes a pair of finger openings that are arranged to align with the pair of finger holes. 
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the outer panel is arranged to be folded perpendicular to the central panel. 
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the top panel is arranged to be folded perpendicular to the outer panel. 
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the inner panel is arranged to extend at an oblique angle from the top panel. 
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the attachment flap is arranged to extend at an oblique angle from the reinforcement panel. 
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the outer panel, the top panel and the inner panel are arranged to cooperate to at least partially enclose an upper portion of the front group of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of front openings are arranged to receive a neck portion of a respective container of the front group of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         20 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of front apertures are arranged to receive a cap portion of a respective container of the front group of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         21 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the attachment flap is arranged to extend into the back portion. 
     
     
         22 . The blank of  claim 12 , further comprising a first end flap foldably connected to a first edge of the central panel and a second end flap foldably connected to a second edge of the central panel, wherein each of the first and the second end flaps are arranged to extend toward the top panel. 
     
     
         23 . A method of forming a carton for holding a plurality of containers, the method comprising:
 obtaining a blank comprising:
 a central panel including a front region defining a plurality of front openings arranged to at least partially receive a front group of the plurality of containers, a back region defining a plurality of back openings arranged to at least partially receive a back group of the plurality of containers and a middle region disposed between the front region and the back region; 
 a front portion including:
 the front region of the central panel; 
 an outer panel foldably connected to the front region of the central panel; 
 a top panel foldably connected to the outer panel and defining a plurality of front apertures; and 
 an inner panel foldably connected to the top panel; 
 
 a reinforcement panel foldably connected to the inner panel; 
 an attachment flap foldably connected to the reinforcement panel; and 
 a back portion positioned opposite of the front portion and including the back region of the central panel; and 
   folding the outer panel, the top panel and the inner panel such that they cooperate to at least partially enclose an upper portion of the front group of the plurality of containers.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the middle region includes a pair of finger holes and wherein the reinforcement panel includes a pair of finger openings that are arranged to align with the pair of finger holes. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the outer panel is perpendicular to the central panel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the top panel is perpendicular to the outer panel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the inner panel is at an oblique angle relative to the top panel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the attachment flap is at an oblique angle relative to the reinforcement panel. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each of the plurality of front openings are arranged to receive a neck portion of a respective container of the front group of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each of the plurality of front apertures are arranged to receive a cap portion of a respective container of the front group of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the attachment flap extends toward the back portion. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the blank further comprises a first end flap foldably connected to a first edge of the central panel and a second end flap foldably connected to a second edge of the central panel, wherein each of the first and the second end flaps are folded such that they each extend toward the top panel.