FI107442B - Tear-down container stand - Google Patents

Abstract

A tear-open container carrier (10) has integral webs defining container encircling apertures (16) for accepting and firmly holding containers therein. The integral webs have bridge means (32) extending from the container encircling apertures to tear strips (34) which are capable of accepting a force. Each of the bridge means (32) has force and tear directing and propagating means (36). When a force is applied to a tear strip, the integral webs rupture under the influence of the force and tear directing and propagating means (36), thereby opening the container encircling apertures (16), and allowing the quick and easy removal of the containers from the carrier. <IMAGE>

Description

107442

Opening container rack

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to devices made of thin plastic material intended to form packages of a plurality of containers. The present invention relates generally to the unique construction of a container rack useful for keeping a plurality of containers as a unit that takes into account the rapid removal of the containers held by the rack. More particularly, the invention relates to a weakened portion formed on a solid web which can be broken by the forces applied to the solid web by a tear strip, thereby releasing the containers. Container racks, roughly similar to the rack of the present invention, have been in use for several years. While such container racks can be used in many ways, one of the more popular uses is to hold multiple soft drink cans, bottles, or other containers together in a unit called a "six-pack" (i.e., a "six-pack").

20 Six-Pack and other units have the same general structure. U.S. Patent No. 3,038,602 to Rapata and U.S. Patent No. 3,084,792 to Poupitch disclose a common structure. Generally, a blank in the form of a continuous sheet of a resilient, elastic material such as polyethylene or the like has openings that receive and tightly hold a plurality of containers.

The opening has a circumference smaller than the corresponding circumference of the containers. Because of the fact that the perimeter of the openings 30 can receive the perimeter of the containers, the openings are often stretched to the limits of their structural integrity. The perimeters of the containers are placed in the stretched openings and then the openings are allowed to return to their original state, but the openings do not reach their original state and remain tensioned because they contain the openings.

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The perimeter of the openings is compressed and shaped around the perimeter of the containers, thereby ensuring that the containers are securely held in the openings of the rack. This tight fit is an advantage for anyone who uses container racks, 5 such as consumers, merchants, and the like, when they transport containers, for example, after buying a home, at a hurry, or displaying merchandise at some retail outlet. The elasticity of the preform material ensures that the containers are securely held in the openings.

10 To further ensure a tight fit and to increase user comfort, U.S. Patent 4,550,824 to Poupitch and Rhoad discloses a ribbon formed from a blank and which can be torn off from the blank. The tape can be pulled down to surround the containers, thereby further tightening the fit between the plurality of containers and the rack.

The container rack in the form of a plate can be directed to a plurality of containers in the form of an assembly line. The plate of the rack containers, which now supports the racks, is cut to form a single smaller tank rack. For the Six pack structure, this cut occurs after every sixth row of tanks. Alternate number units are cut from different locations depending on the desired number of containers.

The container racks and therefore the containers are moved down the assembly line to where they are placed in boxes, baskets or other suitable containers. The baskets are then loaded onto vehicles intended for transportation to the consumer, such as a retailer. · The retailer removes and builds container containers and associated containers

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displaying attractive merchandise from containers. The attractive presence of merchandise attracts the attention of consumers, who then buy tanks for their personal use.

3, 107442

It is a general object of the invention to provide a container rack having a quick release to remove the containers from the rack.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a container 5 rack having means for removing containers which provides a faster and easier method of removing containers from the rack than is currently available.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a container rack having bands surrounding the bins having means for weakening segments of the bands surrounding the container which provide the weakened parts, wherein the weakened parts are capable of breaking to remove the container.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container rack having means for breaking weakened parts so that the containers can be easily removed from the rack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container holder from which one can can be easily removed without the need for tools.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a container holder which can be successfully used with either cans, bottles or other appropriate containers.

. The objects of the invention are achieved according to the independent claims 1 and 10. Preferred embodiments of the invention are claimed in the dependent claims.

A container rack useful for holding a plurality of containers releasably as a single unit in accordance with the present invention comprises a substantially planar blank formed from a resilient, defor-1 resilient elastic material. Parts of the blank have been removed to form bands surrounding the containers defining the bands surrounding or receiving the openings disposed in parallel ribs. The bands surrounding the container are capable of receiving and holding the containers tightly there. The reservoir carrier has means for removing the reservoirs, comprising means for controlling and advancing rupture and force, bridge means, and weakened portions to cause rupture of the straps surrounding the reservoir. The weakened parts are connected to tear strip means capable of receiving force and applying this force to the weakened parts to break them in this way. 10 When the weakened parts are broken, the straps surrounding the container also break, thereby releasing the container held in the opening around the container.

The arrangement, mode and operation of the structure of the invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be better understood by reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like constituents; detachable together as a unit with a container rack constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the container rack of Figure 1 showing the arrangement of the rack without the containers surrounding the container, Figure 3 is a partial plan view of the combined container racks shown in Figure 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the "container rack shown in Fig. 1, in which one of the openings surrounding the container is fractured, in this manner, the container is easily removed, Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial plan view of the container 35, showing force and tear direction and propagation means comprising a plurality of rails 107442, and Fig. 5A is an enlarged partial plan view of the container and tear direction and propagation means comprising a plurality of perforations.

While the invention may be susceptible to embodiments in various forms, a specific embodiment is shown and will be described in detail in the drawings, it being understood that the present disclosure is to be construed as exemplifying the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit it.

Referring first to Figure 1, the container rack constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is shown to hold a plurality of containers 12. Although the container rack 10 is shown to hold six containers 12, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this number. The container rack 10 works equally well with any number of containers 12.

The general structure of the container rack is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,038,602 to Rapata, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference. Referring generally to Figure 2, the container rack 10 is certain. 25 structure. The container holder 10 is formed of a substantially planar blank or plate, not shown, made of a flexible, deformable, elastic material such as polyethylene or the like. The blank preferably consists of a resilient, deformable, unsupported plastic sheet, such as low-density polyethylene, having a sheet thickness of 0.46 mm and a 2% stretch modulus of 248 MPa, such as Weave's transfer of the present invention. U.S. Patent No. 3,874,502. The disclosure of this patent 35 is incorporated herein by reference. It is necessary that the material of the blank be sufficiently flexible and flexible so that the container holder 10 can be expanded to receive the container 12 and then shrink around a plurality of containers 12 and hold tightly as will be described herein.

Parts are removed from the substantially planar blank to form solid webs 14. The solid webs 14 are substantially continuous and have circulating paths. The solid webs 14 form closed arches, i.e. ribbons 15 surrounding the receptacles, which define the receptacle or apertures 16 surrounding the receptacle. The ribbons 15 and the apertures 16 surrounding the receptacles are disposed in parallel rows 18 to hold the receptacles 12 in the same regular manner. Each row 18 preferably comprises two openings 16 surrounding the container 15. The openings 16 surrounding the containers are regularly spaced apart and centered around the center line of the container holder 10. This precise shape of the openings 16 surrounding the containers and therefore the containers 12 takes into account the easy storage of the filled container rack 10 and the maximization of available storage space, such as in a truck or refrigerator.

A plurality of parallel rows 18 of openings 16 surrounding the containers are disposed along the blank. The portions are removed from the blank outside the openings surrounding the containers to form teeth 20 disposed between each adjacent row 18 of the openings 16 surrounding the containers. The teeth 20 further assist in defining the openings 16 surrounding the containers, which preferably have the same shape as the containers 12.

Accordingly, each of the openings 16 surrounding the container has an inner circumference 22 constructed to receive and squeeze the respective peripheral circumference 24 of the containers 12. Specifically, as disclosed in Weaver et al., U.S. Patent No. 351,219,117, assigned to a transfer recipient of the present invention, the openings 16 surrounding the containers are smaller than the circumference of the circumference 24 of the surrounding container. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.

For example, if the containers 12 are substantially cylindrical in shape, the perimeter 24 of the containers 12 is substantially circular and the perimeter 22 of the apertures 16 surrounding the containers is substantially ellipsoidal. The circumferential circumference 22 of the openings 16 surrounding the containers has rounded corners 25 which assist in placing the containers 12 within the openings 16 surrounding the containers and also prevent the openings 16 surrounding the containers 16 from rupturing the lids 15 surrounding the containers.

The teeth 20 also increase the flexibility of the ribbons 15 defining the openings 16 around the containers 15 so that the perimeter 22 of the perforations 16 can expand to squeeze the containers 12 and compress and form around the perimeter 24 of the containers 12. The teeth 20 and the rounded corners 26 do not interfere, but contribute to the compression of the circumferential 22 and prevent excessive stretching of the straps 15 surrounding the tanks so that the openings 16 surrounding the tanks may fit snugly into the container 12. These teeth 20 and rounded edges 26 more obvious here.

The width gaps 28 are disposed between adjacent strips 15 surrounding the containers on the same row 18 on the side of the openings 16 surrounding the containers opposite to the notches 20. The widthwise gaps 28 increase the openings 16 defining the containers and extend the strips of the same • · Benefits other than teeth 20 and rounded corners 26.

The longitudinal slots 30 are disposed between two adjacent rows 18 of bands 15 surrounding the containers and centered on the center line of the container rack 10. The longitudinal slots 30 are of sufficient size to receive a human finger such that the longitudinal slots 30 provide means for holding and transporting the container rack 10 when the containers 12 are disposed within the apertures 16 surrounding the containers.

Outside the bands 15 surrounding the containers, the segments 31 of the container carrier 10 are preferably centered on lines extending from the center of the openings 16 surrounding the containers. The segments 31 are elongated and extend away from the straps 15 surrounding the containers 10 and the openings 16 surrounding the containers to form a bridge means 32. The bridging means 32 extend away from the containers 15 to the tearing strips 34 associated with the bridging means 32. Each of the openings 16 surrounding the container has its own corresponding bridge means 32 associated with certain containers around the containers 15 defining each of the openings 16 surrounding the container and extending the tear strip 34. As described below, the tear tabs 34 can break a single a strip 15 around the container and thereby open one circumferential opening 16 at a time.

The bridge means 32 have force and tear direction and propagation means 36 which weaken. «25 segments 31. The force and tear direction and propagation means 36 may take varying shapes such as the slit 37, slice lines or the shape of the lines of the perforations 39 shown in Figure 5A. Each of the above-mentioned shapes of force and tear-shifting and guiding means 36 works equally well in the present invention.

The force and tear-guiding and advancing means 36 extends across the bridge means 32 into the region 35 adjacent to the ribbons 15 surrounding the tear strip 34. This may be a single line or a plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel lines. However, it is important that the force and tear-guiding and advancing means 36 do not extend into the strips 15 surrounding the containers, because if the means 36 continue, the openings 16 surrounding the containers may break when stretched when the container holder 10 is placed over the containers 12. The force and rupture guiding and propagation means 36 are used to cause the rupture to propagate through the straps 15 surrounding the containers when the force is applied to the tear strips 34.

10 The force and tear direction and transmission means 36 causes the weakened portion 38 to form on the bridge means 32. The weakened portion 38 extends from the outer circumference of the containers surrounding the bands 15 to the tear strips 34 as disclosed herein. for easy removal.

The tear strips 34 extend over the entire length of the container rack 10 and are capable of absorbing and transmitting this force to the bridge means 32. Once applied to the bridge means 32, the force may act on the force and tear-guiding and propagating means 36, thereby breaking the respective webs 15 surrounding the containers. and removing the container 12.

The operation of the tank rack 10 becomes clearer from the following: · 25 detailed examinations. In a modern mass production line, the material forming the blank is provided in the form of a roll. The roll is mounted on the machine and the other end of the preform roll is fed to the machine. The blank meets a cutting machine, such as a punch punch, which is well known in the art. The hole punch removes portions of the force and tear of the fixed webs 14, the straps around the containers 15, the openings 16 in the struts, the teeth 20, the width gaps 28, the longitudinal gaps 30, the bridge means 32, and the tearing strips 34. 35 to form a driving and advancing means 36. Removed parts of the preform are collected and can be recycled to • «10 107442 for later use.

As shown in Figure 3, a plurality of container racks 10 are formed in series on a sheet of blank material. The container racks 10 are connected in series by joints 40 between the two adjacent container racks 10. The joint is weak enough to break, thereby releasing a single container rack 10 from the series during the process of applying the container rack to the containers 12.

In order to place the container holder 10 on the tops of the containers 12 to obtain the shape of Figure 1, the circumference of the bands 15 surrounding the containers is stretched. This is necessary because the circumference of the bands 15 surrounding the containers is smaller than the corresponding circumference of the containers 12. The rounded corners 26 of the circumference 22 of the bands 15 surrounding the containers ensure that the solid webs 14 do not tear under stretching stress, and the teeth 20 and the width gaps 28 take into account the maximum elongation of the circumference 22 of the bands 15 surrounding the containers. Once the circumferential ring 22 has been sufficiently stretched, the containers 12 are placed therein.

Without parts removed from the container rack 10 to form the teeth 20 and the width gaps 28, it is possible that the compression and adaptation of the perimeter 22 is severely prevented or limited, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the container rack 10 to hold the containers 12. When the perimeter 22 compresses and conforming thereto, the straps 15 surrounding the containers become truncated cone-shaped as shown in Figure 1. Now, the containers 12 are held tightly in the openings 16 surrounding the containers 16. The consumer can place his fingers in the longitudinal slots 30 and easily transport the container holder 10 to the desired location.

When the consumer reaches his desired position, he wants to remove at least one container 12 from the container holder 35 10. To do this, the consumer applies an upward and outward force on either of the tear strips 34 or • 107442, depending on how many containers 12 are to be removed. The magnitude and duration of the force are also determined by the number of detachable containers 12.

When the consumer applies a force to the tear strips 34, 5 this force is transmitted to the bridge means 32 and then to the force and tear direction and propagation means 36. The force and tear direction and propagation means 36 causes the weakened areas 38 to fracture. This fracture proceeds from the weakened portions 38, through the straps 15 surrounding the containers 10 and into the inner periphery 22 of the openings 16 surrounding the containers. In this manner, the straps 15 surrounding the containers are fractured, thereby changing the closed arcuate structure of the as shown in Figure 4. Now, the consumer can remove the container 12 from the container holder 10 relatively easily.

This same procedure gives similar benefits to others. For example, merchants often create exciting merchandise displays to entice consumers and encourage them to buy merchandise. In the case of containers 12 held in a container rack, the merchant may wish to remove a certain number of containers 12 to create a display of his merchandise therein. Therefore, the trader will also benefit from the present kek-25. Not only are the containers 12 unmixed, but also the time required to create the display of the merchandise can be significantly reduced because the trader does not have to spend significant time and effort to remove the containers 12 from the container 30 lines 10.

The structure of the container rack 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention provides an easily openable opening method for detaching the containers 12 from the container rack 10. Unlike other container racks 35 currently available, the container rack 10 of the present invention does not require Also, the force does not need to be applied to the containers 12, thereby preventing the containers 12 from being pushed together with the ensuing tangle. Since the force required to remove the containers 12 is relatively small, no tools are needed. bridge means 32 and the weakened portion 38, the consumer can only remove one container 12 at a time or any number of containers 12 from the container carrier 10. This type of container carrier 10 can also be used for a plurality of different containers 1. 2, such as bottles as well as cans, and with different shapes of container periphery 24 simply by varying the shape of the opening peripheral 22.

It should be understood that although certain preferred embodiments are set forth herein, it is intended to cover all variants, modifications, and equivalents which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

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Claims (10)

A container rack (10) operable to hold a plurality of containers (12) releasably into a single 5 unit, comprising: a substantially planar blank formed of a resilient, deformable elastic material; the blank comprising strips 10 (15) surrounding the containers defining openings (16) surrounding the containers arranged in parallel rows (18); openings surrounding the containers having a smaller circumference (22) than the corresponding circumference (24) of the container such that the bands (15) surrounding the containers are able to receive and hold the containers (12) there; characterized by a bridge means (32) extending away from the straps surrounding the containers, and a tear strip (34) connected to the bridge means; The bridge means having weakened portions (38) formed by the tear direction and propagation means (36); and the tear strips (34) are capable of receiving force and applying force to the weakened portions such that it breaks the weakened portions (38) and the straps (15) surrounding the reservoirs to release the reservoir (12) held in the opening (16) surrounding the reservoir. A container rack according to claim 1, characterized in that it has longitudinal slots (30) disposed between adjacent rows (18) of openings (16) surrounding the containers, whereby the longitudinal slots are capable of receiving against the human finger so that the rack can be carried. Container line 35 according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has teeth (20) disposed adjacent to the openings (16) of the container surrounding the openings (22) and the periphery (22) of the openings surrounding the containers. 24) inter-suitability would be facilitated. A container rack according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (36) for directing force and rupture and for advancing comprises an incision line. A container rack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the means (36) for directing and advancing the force and the trough comprises a groove. A container rack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the force and tear direction and propagation means (36) comprise 15 line perforations. The container rack according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (36) for directing and propagating the force and tear extend along the bridge means (32) towards and around the circumference of the bands (15) surrounding the containers. A container rack according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each bridge means (32) comprises a force and tear direction and. A pair of propelling means (36) extending from the container removal means (34) towards and perpendicular to the circumference of the straps (15) surrounding the containers. A container rack according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tear strip 30 (34) extends on at least one edge of the container rack. A package comprising: a plurality of parallel rows (18) of containers (12) and the like and a rack according to any one of the preceding claims. "107442 lb