US 11,987,434 B2
Article carrier and blank therefor
Jean-Michel Garnier, Issoudun (FR); and Matthew E. Zacherle, Chesterfield, VA (US)
Assigned to WestRock Packaging Systems, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Appl. No. 17/910,131
Filed by WestRock Packaging Systems, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 9, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/021489
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 8, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/183500, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 16, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/988,142, filed on Mar. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0101163 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. B65D 71/42 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 71/42 (2013.01) [B65D 2571/0066 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An article carrier for packaging at least one article, the article carrier comprising a main panel having at least one top-engaging opening, each top-engaging opening for receiving a portion of an article and defined at least in part by an aperture struck from the main panel, the main panel comprising a series of engaging tabs formed around the at least one opening, the aperture defining a first edge of each of the tabs of the series, wherein the tabs of the annular series are hingedly connected to the main panel such that the tabs yield out of the plane of the main panel when an article is received in the at least one opening so as to bear against the article, at least one of the tabs of the series is defined at least in part by a first cutline extending from the aperture into the main panel, the first cut-line separates at least a portion of the at least one of the tabs from an adjacent one of the tabs of the series, wherein the main panel comprises a second cut-line defining a portion of a second edge of each of said at least one tab and said adjacent tab, wherein the second edge opposes the first edge, and wherein the second cutline comprises a segment of a notional circle surrounding the aperture, and the second cutline is either linear or arcuate in shape.
 
16. A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising a main panel having at least one top-engaging opening, each top-engaging opening for receiving a portion of an article and defined at least in part by an aperture struck from the main panel, the main panel comprising a series of engaging tabs formed around the at least one opening, the aperture defining a first edge of each of the tabs of the series, wherein the tabs of the series are hingedly connected to the main panel, at least one of the tabs of the series is defined at least in part by a first cutline extending from the aperture into the main panel, the first cut-line separates at least a portion of the at least one of the tabs from an adjacent one of the tabs of the series, wherein the main panel comprises a second cutline defining a portion of a second edge of each of said at least one tab and said adjacent tab, wherein the second edge opposes the first edge, and wherein the second cutline comprises a segment of a notional circle surrounding the aperture, and the second cutline is either linear or arcuate in shape.
 
22. A blank for forming an article carrier, the blank comprising a main panel comprising a plurality of top-engaging openings each having an annular series of engaging tabs formed around each of the plurality of top-engaging openings for engaging with a portion of an article received in each top-engaging opening, wherein the annular series of engaging tabs of at least one top-engaging opening is interrupted by a gap, wherein each of the at least one top-engaging opening that has its annular series of engaging tabs interrupted, is interrupted by at most two gaps.