DE20019604U1 - Container carrier - Google Patents

Description

Container carrier

The invention relates to a container carrier made of foldable flat material, in particular cardboard. The container carrier can be used in particular for transporting bottles.

Container carriers in the form of a carrying basket that is open at the top are already known, which are also referred to as "open basket carriers". These are usually designed to hold six containers, which can be bottles in particular. They have a box-shaped carrying container with an opening at the top, from which a middle wall protrudes with a section that is designed as a carrying handle. Cross walls can be folded out from the middle wall in order to

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Patent Attorneys ■ European Patent Attorneys ■ Authorized Representatives before the European Patent Office

^UligeCfcaet. . .

Deutsche Bank AG rfam&urgiNo. 05·284·97<&Bgr;&iacgr;&Zgr;«)&idiagr;) 700.14) ■ eo*stbank»Hämbiirg, Sr. 28 4*isÖ6 (gUZ 200 100 20)
Dresdner Bank AG Hamburg, No. 933 60 35 (bank code 200 800 00)

&bull; · « * f ? · fl * t &euro;

-2-carrying containers
Compartments for inserting containers through the top opening are formed. Container carriers with compartments are mostly used for transporting glass bottles. EP 0 280 095 B1 describes such a container carrier which is made from a one-piece cut of foldable flat material and in which the base wall is held by a hook on the lower edge of the middle wall.

"Open basket carriers" of the "strap-style" type have crossbars between a handle and the side walls, which are primarily intended to increase the stability of the container carrier. These container carriers are used in particular for the transport of plastic bottles. An example of this carrier type is shown in DE 87 12 569 Ul.

In the well-known "open basket carriers", the carrying handle does not protrude above the top of the container to enable stacking. As a result, it is difficult for the user to grip the container carrier using a handle opening formed in the carrying handle. In addition, reaching into the handle opening can be uncomfortable or even cause injuries, especially if the containers are bottles with sharp-edged crown caps.

There are also "open basket carriers" that have an extended handle that has a fold line at the level of the upper end of the container.

&bull; · &diams; ·

so that the end section of the handle can be pivoted against the top of the container in order to stack the container carriers on top of each other. However, folding the end section is difficult to carry out mechanically, especially if several container carriers are to be packed in an outer box, the top wall of which is to rest on the top of the container.

Based on this, the object of the invention is to provide a container carrier with a box-shaped carrying container and a carrying handle protruding from the opening of the carrying container, which has more favorable handling properties.

The object is achieved by a container carrier with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the container carrier are specified in the subclaims.

The container carrier according to the invention made of foldable flat material has

a box-shaped carrying container with a bottom wall, side walls, end walls and a top opening and

- a carrying handle arranged between the side walls and protruding from the opening of the carrying container,

- wherein the floor wall has at least one overlapping area in which different floor wall sections permanently connected to one another

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overlap, so that by at least partially dissolving the overlapping area, the bottom wall together with the bottles arranged on it within the carrying container can be lowered with respect to the carrying handle.

Because the base wall has an overlapping area, it is possible to arrange the base wall in a starting position in which the upper ends of the handle and the container are arranged at approximately the same level. In this starting position, the container carrier can be stacked. In this situation, the container carrier can also be easily packed in an outer box, whereby the outer boxes can be stacked.

In addition, however, by removing the overlapping area, the base wall can be brought into a transport position in which the base wall and thus the bottles on it are slightly lowered compared to the starting position, so that the handle protrudes beyond the upper ends of the containers and can be easily grasped at a handle opening. After transport, the handle protruding beyond the upper ends of the containers is harmless, as the container carrier no longer needs to be stacked.

The overlapping area can be designed in different ways. For example, it is possible to design the overlapping area as a single or multiple fold of the floor wall, which can be pulled apart.

-5-wall
In order to ensure that the container is not lowered undesirably before transport by grasping the carrying handle, such a fold can be trapped, for example, inside the carrying container, in particular between parallel rows of bottles or between a row of bottles and a side wall of the carrying container.

According to a preferred embodiment, the base wall sections are detachably connected to one another in a section of the overlapping area that is close to the body. The base wall is consequently stabilized in the starting position by the detachable connection of the overlapping area. After the detachable connection has been released, the overlapping area can be at least partially released so that the base wall reaches the transport position.

The term "close to the body" refers to the section of the overlapping area that directly borders on the part of the floor wall that does not belong to the overlapping area. The term "far from the body" refers to the part of the overlapping area that is further away from the part of the floor wall that does not belong to the overlapping area.

In principle, the bottom wall sections can be connected to one another at the end of the overlapping area furthest from the body, e.g. via a groove line. The overlapping area can then be completely dissolved when the bottom wall moves into the transport position. According to a further embodiment, the bottom wall sections

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in a section of the overlapping area remote from the body, they are permanently connected to one another. The overlapping area is then only partially dissolved when moving into the transport position. This can advantageously be the case with a container carrier which, according to a further embodiment, has two base wall sections which are hinged to different side walls and connected to one another in between.

According to a further embodiment, the base wall sections in sections of the overlapping area remote from the body, which are delimited by first fold lines parallel to the instructions of the base wall sections on the side walls, are permanently connected to one another, and the base wall sections in sections of the overlapping area close to the body, which are delimited by second fold lines parallel to the instructions of the base wall sections on the side walls, are detachably connected to one another. The fold lines make it possible in particular to fold the entire overlapping area or the section of the overlapping area remote from the body under containers contained in the carrying container.

According to a further embodiment, the base wall sections between the overlapping area and the side walls have third folding lines parallel to their articulations to the base wall sections. These folding lines can be used in particular to adapt to the bevelled or rounded base of containers.

According to a further embodiment, the base wall sections in the section of the overlapping area remote from the body are permanently connected to one another by a full-surface adhesive connection. In the section of the overlapping area close to the body, according to a further embodiment, they can have adhesive connections at specific points and/or over part of the area and/or that can be separated by perforation lines and/or that have a reduced adhesive strength. The detachable connections can advantageously be formed by at least two circular adhesive connections that are surrounded by perforations in a base wall section.

According to a further embodiment, the end walls and the base wall have central fold lines so that the container carrier can be brought into a flat state by folding the end wall sections, the side walls and the base wall sections together, from which it can be erected in the opposite direction. This makes it possible to transport the container carrier flat in stacks and to only erect it shortly before it is loaded with containers.

According to a further embodiment, the bottom wall has an outwardly projecting tab at the end of the overlapping area remote from the body, which engages between a front wall section and an adjacent side wall when the container carrier is folded flat, in order to pivot the overlapping area to one side of the carrying handle when the container carrier is erected. The overlapping area can be created in particular by inserting containers into a position between the underside of the

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-8th-

holder and the adjacent inside of a floor wall section. The overlapping area can then unfold freely downwards after the detachable connection has been released.

According to a further embodiment, a central wall is provided between the side walls below the carrying handle, which can serve to stabilize the container carrier or to separate the containers from one another. For the same reason, transverse crosspieces and/or transverse walls can be arranged between the carrying handle and/or the central wall and the side walls.

Also to stabilize the container carrier in the starting position of the base wall, according to a further embodiment, a hook is formed on the lower edge of an end wall or the middle wall to grip under the base wall and stabilize the container carrier in the upright position. In the transport position, the base wall is located below the hook, which is no longer needed because the inserted containers keep the container carrier upright.

The container carrier can be made from several cuts of foldable flat material. Preferably, however, it is made from a one-piece cut of foldable flat material. The container carrier can in particular be made from cardboard.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings of exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a flatly laid out blank of the container carrier in plan view;

Fig. 2 shows an erected container carrier made from a blank according to Fig. 1 with the bottom wall in the starting position in a perspective side view;

Fig. 3 the same container carrier with the bottom wall in transport position in another perspective side view.

The blank shown in Fig. 1 has two side walls 1, 2. Bottom wall sections 3', 3" of a bottom wall 3 are hinged to the outer edges of the side walls 1, 2.

The preceding and also the following hinges and fold lines can be realized by creasing lines.

The bottom wall sections 3', 3" have first fold lines 5', 5" which are parallel to their attachments to the side walls 1, 2 and which delimit the sections 6', 6^ remote from the body.

-&Igr;&Ogr;-Furthermore
the base wall sections 3', 3" have second fold lines 7', 7" which are parallel to their guides to the side walls 1, 2. These form central fold lines of the base walls 3. In addition, they delimit sections 8', 8" close to the body with the first fold lines 5', 5".

Furthermore, third folding lines 9', 9" are formed in the bottom wall sections 3', 3", which are parallel to their articulations to the side walls 1, 2 and are located between the articulations to the side walls 1, 2 and the second folding lines 7', 7".

The bottom wall sections 3', 3" each have an arrowhead-shaped recess 10', 10" on one transverse side, the tip of which falls into the second fold line 7', 7".

The bottom wall section 3' has an outwardly projecting tab 11 at the end of its outer edge associated with the same transverse side.

Furthermore, the body-near section 8' has two circular perforation lines 12', 12".

The side walls 1, 2 have front wall sections 12', 12" of a front wall 12 hinged to one of the aligned transverse sides and front wall sections 13', 13" of a front wall 13 hinged to the other aligned transverse sides.

Adhesive tabs 14', 14" and 15', 15" are hinged to the other transverse sides of the end wall sections 12', 12" and 13', 13" respectively. The adhesive tabs 14', 14" are connected to one another via a fold line 14'" and the adhesive tabs 15', 15" are connected to one another via a fold line 15'', which are located on the longitudinal center axis of the blank.

Handle sections 16', 16" are directed to the central region of the inner transverse sides of the adhesive tabs 15', 15", which are also connected to one another on the longitudinal central axis of the blank by a fold line 16'". Complementary handle openings 17', 17" are present in the handle sections 16', 16", which have handle relief tabs 18', 18" on the inner edges.

Inner handle sections 16"', 16 ^IV are connected to the opposite transverse sides of the handle sections 16', 16", which are also connected to one another on the longitudinal center line of the blank 1 by a fold line 16 ^V. The fold line 16 ^V is interrupted by an approximately dumbbell-shaped cutout 19. Handle openings 17'", 17 ^IV are formed in the inner handle sections 16"', 16 ^IV , which can be made to coincide with sections of the handle openings 17', 17".

In addition, there are crosspieces 20', 20", which are hinged at one end to the side walls 1, 2 and at the other end to the handle sections 16', 16". Furthermore, there are crosspieces 20'", 20 ^IV , which are hinged at one end to the side walls 1 and 2 and at the other end to the inner handle sections 16'", 16 ^IV .

Finally, the adhesive tabs 14', 14" have longitudinal hooks 22', 22" adjacent to recesses 21", 21" on their outer edges.

The blank is preferably made from cardboard by punching, creasing or embossing. It is preferably printed.

The cut can be prepared for infestation with bottles as follows:

First, the inner handle sections 16'', 16 ^IV are folded against the inner sides of the handle sections 16', 16" and glued to them. Furthermore, the front wall sections 12', 12" with the attached adhesive tabs 14', 14" are folded against the inner sides of the side walls 1, 2 or against the inner handle sections 16'", 16 ^IV , whereby the adhesive tabs 14', 14" can be glued to the inner handle sections 16'", 16 ^IV in the middle area.

Furthermore, the adhesive tabs 15', 15" are folded against the inside of the blank, where they can be glued to the handle sections 16', 16" in the middle area.

Furthermore, each base wall section 3', 3" is folded inwards around its second fold line 7', 7". The sections 6', 6" remote from the body then form a layer 23', 23" of an overlapping area 23 with the sections 8', 8" close to the body.

The parts of the cut can then be folded against each other around the fold lines 14'", 15'", 16'" and 16 ^V , whereby the adhesive flap 14' can be glued to the adhesive flap 14", the adhesive flap 15' to the adhesive flap 15", the handle section 16' to the handle section 16" and the handle sections 16'" to the handle section 16 ^tv can be glued to each other at the contact points.

During this folding process, the layers 23', 23" meet and are glued together over the entire surface in the sections 6', 6" remote from the body and in the sections 8', 8" close to the body only within the circular perforation lines 12', 12", thereby forming the overlapping area 23.

Furthermore, the folding process can be carried out in such a way that the tab 11 engages between the front wall section 12" and the side wall 2.

The container carrier is then in a flat, fully pre-glued arrangement in which it can be stacked and transported to save space. The above preparatory measures are preferably carried out by the packaging manufacturer.

&bull; · &diams;· ·

The container carrier can be erected shortly before the bottles are packed by pressing against the fold lines between the end wall sections 13', 13" on the one hand and against the fold line between the end wall section 12' and the side wall 1 or between the end wall section 12" and the side wall 2 on the other hand. As a result, the end wall sections 12', 12" and 13', 13" are each folded out to form a flat end wall 12, 13. Furthermore, the parts of the base wall sections 3', 3" that are located between their guides to the side walls 1, 2 and the second fold lines 7', 7" are folded out to form a flat base wall 3. In this case, the overlapping section 23 is pivoted from the end wall section 12" into an inclined position of approximately 45° with respect to the base wall 3. In addition, the uprighting causes the crossbars 20', 20", 20'", 20 ^[V to pivot transversely to the handle 16 formed by the handle sections 16' to 16 ^IV and to the side walls 1, 2. Furthermore, the hook 22 formed by the overlapping hooks 22', 22" is brought under the base wall 3 in the region of the overlapping recesses 10', 10".

Bottles 24 can be inserted from above into the container erected in this way, with a row of bottles pressing the overlapping section 23 with their undersides against the inside of the bottom wall 3.

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The container carrier is shown in this position in Fig. 2. Six bottles 24 are inserted through the top opening of the carrying container delimited by the side walls 1, 2 and the end walls 12, 13. The bottles 24 are supported at the bottom by the base wall 3, which is in the starting position, so that the upper ends of the bottles 24 protrude slightly beyond the handle section 16. This is unfavorable for carrying the container carrier by the handle opening 17.

However, according to Fig. 3, the bottles 24 can be brought into a lower position relative to the handle 16 by moving the base wall 3 into the transport position, so that the handle opening 17 is accessible above the bottles 24. This is achieved by separating the connection of the sections 8', 8" of the overlap region 23 closest to the body by tearing out the circular regions within the tear-open perforations 12', 12". This can be achieved, for example, by pulling on the base wall 3 or by loading the base wall 3 by briefly moving it downwards and suddenly stopping the container carrier, so that the weight of the bottles 24 acts in an impact manner on the base wall 3. After the detachable connection between the sections 8', 8" closest to the body is released, this area of the overlap section 23 unfolds, so that only the overlap in the sections 6', 6" remote from the body remains, which hold the bottom wall 3 together.

-16-Afterwards
only the sections 6', 6" furthest from the body are pivoted under a row of bottles 24. The third fold lines 9' result in an adaptation to the rounded base of the bottles 24.

When the container carrier is no longer needed, it can be folded flat again with the base wall 3 pulled out downwards and disposed of in a space-saving manner.

Claims (16)

1. Container carrier made of foldable flat material with - a box-shaped carrying container with a bottom wall ( 3 ), side walls ( 1 , 2 ), end walls ( 12 , 13 ) and an opening at the top and - a carrying handle ( 16 ) arranged between the side walls ( 1 , 2 ) and protruding from the opening of the carrying container, - wherein the bottom wall ( 3 ) has at least one overlapping region ( 23 ) in which different bottom wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") which are permanently connected to one another overlap one another, so that by at least partially dissolving the overlapping region ( 23 ) the bottom wall ( 3 ) together with the bottles ( 24 ) arranged thereon within the carrying container can be lowered with respect to the carrying handle ( 16 ). 2. Container carrier according to claim 1, wherein the bottom wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") are detachably connected to one another in a section ( 8 ', 8 ") of the overlap region ( 23 ) close to the body. 3. Container carrier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") are permanently connected to one another in a section ( 6 ', 6 ") of the overlap region ( 23 ) remote from the body. 4. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bottom wall ( 3 ) has two bottom wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") which are hinged to different side walls ( 1 , 2 ) and connected to one another therebetween. 5. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the base wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") in sections ( 6 ', 6 ") of the overlapping region ( 23 ) remote from the body, which are delimited by first fold lines ( 5 ', 5 ") parallel to the articulations of the base wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") to the side walls ( 1 , 2 ), are permanently connected to one another, and in which the base wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") in sections ( 8 ', 8 ") of the overlapping region ( 23 ) close to the body, which are delimited by second fold lines ( 7 ', 7 ") parallel to the articulations of the base wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") to the side walls ( 1 , 2 ), are detachably connected to one another. 6. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the bottom wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") between the overlap region ( 23 ) and the side walls ( 1 , 2 ) have third folding lines ( 9 ', 9 ") parallel to their articulations to the bottom wall sections ( 3 ', 3 "). 7. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the bottom wall sections in the section ( 6 ', 6 ") of the overlap region ( 23 ) remote from the body are permanently connected to one another by full-surface adhesive bonding. 8. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which the bottom wall sections in the section ( 8 ', 8 ") of the overlap region ( 23 ) closest to the body have adhesive connections which are at certain points and/or over part of the surface and/or which can be separated by perforation lines and/or which have a reduced adhesive strength. 9. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which the end walls ( 12 , 13 ) and the base wall ( 3 ) have central fold lines, so that the container carrier can be brought into a flat state by folding the end wall sections ( 12 ', 12 ", 13 ', 13 "), the side walls ( 1 , 2 ) and base wall sections ( 3 ', 3 ") together, from which it can be erected in the opposite direction. 10. Container carrier according to claim 9, in which the bottom wall ( 3 ) has an outwardly projecting tab ( 11 ) at the end of the overlapping region ( 23 ) remote from the body, which tab engages between an end wall section ( 12 ') and an adjacent side wall when the container carrier is folded flat in order to pivot the overlapping region to one side of the carrying handle ( 16 ) when the container carrier is erected. 11. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the overlap region ( 23 ) can be pressed against the inside of a base wall section ( 3 ") in the erected state by inserting containers ( 24 ). 12. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 11, which has a central wall between the side walls ( 1 , 2 ) below the carrying handle ( 16 ). 13. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 12, in which transversely directed crosspieces ( 20 ) and/or transverse walls are arranged between the carrying handle ( 16 ) and/or the central wall and the side walls ( 1 , 2 ). 14. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 13, in which a hook ( 22 ) is formed on the lower edge of an end wall ( 12 ) or a middle wall in order to engage under the bottom wall ( 3 ) and to stabilize the container carrier in the upright position. 15. Container carrier according to one of claims 1 to 14, which is made from a one-piece blank of foldable flat material. 16. A container carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 15, which is made of cardboard.