Container carrier

April 16, 1963

3,085,682

O. J. POUPITCH

CONTAINER CARRIER

<img file="US3085682A_D0001.tif" />

April 16, 1963

3,085,682

O. J. POUPITCH

CONTAINER CARRIER

<img file="US3085682A_D0002.tif" />

United States Patent Office „ 3,085,082

Patented Apr. 16, 1963 ~ FIG· i® ^a perspective view of the can carrier unit of r-G. 4 attached to six cans before the handle portion has been folded into carrying position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 5 after the ¹ handle has been folded upwardly into can carrying posi-

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one embodiment of. a .sheet metal carrier clip contemplated by the Present invention, said clip being shown just prior to its ) attachment to the handle structure;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the clip shown in FIG. 7 in operative association with a pair of adjacently positioned cans;

FIG .9 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view, taken substantially along the line 9—-9 of FIG 8 to disclose the position of the deformable portions' of the clip, prior to final assembly with the beaded can extremities;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9, disclosing the clip m its final position of assembly or attachment to the cans;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view of a clip representing a modification of the invention, said clip being in position ^tob® received by spaced apertures in the handle structure; of mr·’ -¹²,¹? ^a P^Ian.view of the clip and handle structure or no. 11 _ln superimposing relation with respect to adjacent cans;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner m which the clip of FIGS. 11 and 12 interlocks with the beaded extremity of adjacent cans;

,. 1- ’Vf ^secti°nal view taken substantially along the line 14—14 of FIG. 12; and

J¹?' ¹⁵ ’f ^a?.^elevatiOTal view illustrating another modinea lorm oi clip.

. Referring now to the drawings more in detail, where^been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that one embodiment of the present invention contemplates &gt; in FTcVlt ^C n ^des!⁸ⁿ.^ated generally by the numeral 2 η h t ‘θ ¹⁰’ ^incIusive. This clip 2 is best disclosed m detail by the perspective view of FIG. 7. Before describing the clip 2 in detail, it should be understood that a complete can carrier unit consists of a plurality of these ^Cf^{PS to a handle structur}e which may be made ' °^f T i ^{e in}“P^enslve ^eet material, such as cardboard or the like One of these cardboard handle structures is shown in FIG. 4 and is designated generally by the numeral 4.. It may be found practical in the production of carrier units contemplated hereby to employ a sheet of cardboard as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 from which four of the handle sections 4 may be provided. It will be noted that transverse scorings 6 serve to facilitate detachment of the single cardboard unit 4 from the larger unit shown in FIG. 3. The significance of this construction will be more apparent as the description progresses. It will also be seen from FIG. 6 that the handle structure 4 mav be bent or folded together after the clips 2 have been secured to containers or cans-8, thereby presenting an opening 1© to receive the user’s fingers. A flap 12 cooperates to hold the two folded sections of the handle structure together when gripped by the user.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the invention contemplates a carrier device which presents a handle.

^a\^{inS at}₁^tacbed thereto-a plurality of canbeaded extremities 14 of a pair of cans 8 to secure the cans against separation from the handle. Particular attention is directed to the features of construction of the earner clip 2. This clip 2 constitutes a one-piece structure γ—ς may comprise a single sheet metal stamping. The clip 2 includes an elongated body portion 16 supporting at each extremity thereof locking means or elements 18

3,085,682 CONTAINER CARRIER

Ougljesa Jts’es Poupiteh, Itasca, III., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Illinois Tool Works, Inc., a corporation of Delaware

Original application Oct. 30, 1950, Ser. No. 192,921.

Divided and this application -Apr. 28, 1960, Ser. No.

25,318 ’

Claims. (Cl. 206—65)

This invention relates generally to container carriers, and more particularly to carriers in the form of a handle adapted for association with the beaded extremity of cans and the like, such as those commonly in use for beverages, food stuffs, et cetera. This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 192,921, filed October 30, 1950, now abandoned, and a continuation of my application Serial No. 610,770, filed September 19, 1956, now abandoned.

. The present invention is concerned primarily with car- 20 riers of the type referred to above incorporating as a part of the handle structure, an element or clip adapted to be produced from stock, as for example sheet metal, which may be attached expeditiously with a firm grip to’ adjacent extremities or rims of containers.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates the use of a very simple one piece clip as referred to above of novel construction adapted to interlock with adjacent rim portions of a pair of containers, such as the adjacent beaded extremities of a pair of cans, by deflecting 30 or shifting a portion of the clip after initial application thereof to the container extremity.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container carrier in the form of a handle capable of being produced from suitable sheet stock, such as paper 35 or cardboard, this handle structure serving to support a plurality of the above mentioned clips, thereby enabling the single handle structure to support a plurality of adjacently positioned containers or cans.

It is also contemplated to provide a very inexpensive 40 handle structure of the type previously referred to presenting sufficient surface area to permit the application thereto advertising, trademark indicia and the like.

The present invention lends itself for simple methods of attachment of carrier clips, such, for example, as clips 45 formed from sheet metal or other suitable stock by bringing, the clip into association with adjacently positioned peripheral portions of the container extremities and subsequently deforming a portion of the clip to establish complete attachment, thus making it possible to assemble ⁵θ the carriers with the can extremities as they are advanced in pairs from conventional can-handling apparatus.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description ; when considered in connection with the accompanying 55 drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carton containing 1 twenty-four containers or cans, each group of six cans i having attached thereto a carrier of the type contemplated by the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional disclosure of the carton of FIG. 1 resting upon conventional conveyor rollers, and a pair of auxiliary rollers positioned at the upper side thereof for bending or deforming sheet metal carrier clips into final attachment to pairs of cans· 65 h_nMina d.-JT’ —r“ ““^vlu “ «'“““y or can-

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a set o’f four carCarrier gating _ with ^ent devices or units similar to those shown in FIG. 1 disclosing the manner in which scoring of the handle portion ^pe™^{ds se}P^aratton of each unit for carrying six cans; carrier

Fn I κ ^{a Pla}? ^{View of one of the can carr}ier units 70 which i after detachment from one of the four units illustrated m FIG. 3;

3,085,682 provide upstanding abutment surfaces 33 which, engage the upstanding outer peripheral surfaces of the nms and cooperate with the upstanding rim engaging surfaces ot tne folded element 22 to restrain tilting of the cans laterally away from each other. It also should be noted that cooperable pairs of locking means 20 and 22 at the opposite side margins of the clip body include portions provided by the pairs of shoulders and lugs at opposite ends of the clip body which engage the rims at arcuately substantially spaced areas for resisting twisting of the cans relative to each other. It will be appreciated that all of the clips 2 are attached to their respective containers or cans by the application of force longitudinally of the cans. It is contemplated that this method of attachment may be practiced in various ways, depending upon the type of can-handling equipment which is employed just prior to the association of the clips with the cans.

After the three clips 2 of each cardboard handle section or unit 4 have been attached to six. complementary 90 cans, the carton 30 may be closed for shipment, the foul connected cardboard sections remaining in their co-planar relation. When the shipping carton reaches its point of destination and the merchandise is to be removed therefrom and placed on the shelves in a store each section 4 25 may be separated along the score line 6. Due to tne flush relationship of the handle sections 4 with the can extremities, each section supporting six cans may be stacked one upon the other. To render the section 4 operable as a handle, it is only necessary for tne ultima30 purchaser to fold both sides of said section together upwardly along longitudinal score lines and then bena the flap 12 into overlapping relation as illustrated m FIG. 6. In this position, the handle 4 serves to carry the six cans, with the upper adjacent beaded extremiUes 35 thereof held securely by the clips 2. Obviously, th^re will be a tendency for the lower adjacent extremities of each pair of cans to bear against each other when they are suspended from the handle 4. By making the handle structure 4 of suitable inexpensive sheet stock, such as 40 heavy paper or cardboard, sufficient area is provided to enable the application thereto of indicia, such as advertising, trademarks, etc. To detach a can from the carrier it is only necessary to tilt the lower extremities o adjacent cans outwardly. Or, in other, woros, pivot the 45 cans about the shoulders 20. This will cause tne ugs 22 to be shifted sufficiently to enable disengagement ot the bead from said lugs and shoulders. .

It is contemplated that there may be instances where the clips may be attached to the cans simultaneously with 50 the attachment thereof to the cardboard handles, lhe invention obviously contemplates either method attachment, depending upon the nature of the can-handling equipment employed and depending also upon the natu of the cans and the type of handle structure with which 55 the clip is to be used. By locking the beads 14 within an area defined by the shoulder 20, the adjacent edge of the neck portion of the element 18 and the complementary edge of the lugs 22, a very strong yet structurally simple coupling arrangement is presented In fact, this 60 particular coupling arrangement lends itself for. use with a wide variety of sizes and shapes of can extremities without the necessity of shaping the clip to conform with the arcuate contour of the container extremity. It also serves to provide a very strong carrying clip with a minimum amount of sheet metal stock, thereby reducing materially the cost of manufacture.

In FIGS. 11 to 14, inclusive, another form of clip contemplated by the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 2a. This clip 2a is Practically identical structurally with the clip 2 previously described, and the constituent parts thereof are identified by numbers corre sponding with the numbers employed to designated parts of the clip 2 except that they bear the suffix «· The only distinguishing feature of the clip 2α from the clip 2 that in applying the clip to the handle structure and also which are bent out of the plane of the body. Arcuate sections 19 integrally joining the body and elements 18 provide rib-like sections for reinforcing the body and restraining transverse bending or collapsing of the body. These elements 18 are spaced from each other a distance . which is sufficient to permit their insertion in the space between the peripheries of adjacent can extremities a shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and each of the elements 1» present a pair of oppositely disposed shoulders 20 designed to underlie complementary beads 14 of each pair of ad- ] jacently positioned cans 8 as clearly shown m FIGS 9 and 10. The upwardly facing surfaces of the shoulders extend so that they are capable of substantially completely traversing the beads or rims 14 with outermost margins 21 of the shoulders substantially abutting the sides of the ^The clip 2 also incorporates at each extremity thereof locking means or lugs 22 which are positioned in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the elements 18 The lugs are hingedly connected to opposed side margins of the clip body 16 by wing members 24.It will be noted that these wing members are preferably embossed or ribbed to lend transverse strength. The lugs 22 are initially formed so that they flare laterally outwardly as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9. Margins 23 of the lugs and adjacent margins 21 of the shoulders define downwardly and outwardly opening throats 25 sufficiently wider than the rims to enable the rims to pass through the throats during assembly of the clip and cans while the cans are held in parallel relationship with respect to each other. This greatly facilitates handling of the cans and the assembly ^From'the description thus far given, it.will be understood that the clips 2 may first be attached to their respective cardboard handle structures 4 by inserting the elements 18 through complementary slits 26 m the handle 4 In instances where it is desirable to further secure the clip against dislodgement from the handle structure after the insertion of the elements 18 within the slits 26, , suitable struck out prongs or barbs 28 may be employed. These barbs 28 are sharply pointed and will pierce the cardboard. After insertion, the prongs 28 may be bent into underlying relation with respect to the handle, thereby crimping the clip to the handle. It has been found i some instances that no auxiliary fastening elements or prongs are necessary, this being Particularly true where the slits 26 are so narrow that the opposed walls which define each slit frictionally engage opposite sides of the elements ¹⁸After the clips 2 have been applied to the handle sections 4, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the cardboard sheet comprised of the four handle structures is in readiness to&gt; be applied to the twenty-four cans carried in side-by-side substantially abutting and parallel relationship by a conventional shipping carton 30, FIG. 1. Upon initial association of the combined cardboard handle section and clips 2 with the upper beaded margins of.the cans 8 the elements 18 and locking lugs 22 of each clip occupy the position illustrated in FIG. 9. In this Position, as mentioned above, the margins of the lugs 22 me flared outwardly a sufficient amount to receive the can beads or rims 14 without substantially disturbing the parallel relationship of the cans and to permit the shoulders 20 of the elements 18 to underlie the bead or run along the outer periphery of each complementary can 8. By the use of rollers 32, or other suitable means, pressure may be applied to the upstanding lugs 22 so as to fold and permanently set the lugs into the position shown in FIG. 10 to close the throats. By thus deforming or shifting the clip structure, the upper rims of each pair of adjacent cans are positively interlocked with a companion clip with the elements 22 engaging the inner rim ^s”^rfac^es for substantially the full depth of the nms and the shoulders completely traversing the downwardly facing outer surfaces of the rims. In addition, the locking means 18

3,08.5,682 5 with the adjacent can peripheries, the elements ISa are bent out of the plane of the body 16a to the positions shown in FIG. 13 after the clip in the form shown in FIG. 11 has been brought into juxtaposition with the handle structure 4. It will be noted that triangular recesses 26a corresponding with the shape of the outer extremity of the elements 18α are provided in the handle structure. This permits clearance for the element 18α as it is bent normal to the plane of the body 16α. By thus deforming or deflecting a portion of the clip a pair of cans are coupled to the clip and handle.

In following the method of attaching the clip 2α to the adjacent extremities of a pair of cans, it is only necessary to apply pressure to the elements 18α after the parts have been moved into proper juxtaposition as shown in FIG. 14. Instead of employing rollers 32 which may be used for attaching clips 2, a pair of plungers 32α may be used to bend the elements 18α from the solid line position in FIG. 14 to the dotted line position. The use of plungers, like the use of rollers, make it possible to perform the attaching or assembling operation after the cans emerge from conventional can-handling machinery.

In FIG. 15 a clip 2b is disclosed. Hook-shaped rim engaging elements 18b correspond functionally with the the free corner portions of the elements 18Z&gt; provide shoulders or surfaces 20b engageable beneath the can rims, and the opposite edges 33b of the portions 18i&gt; are engageable with the peripheral edges of the rims. Another structural difference of the clip 2b over the clip 2 30 ' is that the fingers 22b extend generally toward the hookhke portions and are bent upwardly from the body of the clip to afford added length to the fingers. As the clip is moved into operative association with a pair of can rims, downward pressure may be asserted against the 35 _{of pnt} · ° ^{overie tops of the} beaded upwardly bent portions of the fingers 22b, thereby cans- Miners, each sard outwardly extending _·___ . _ · 1 j·* « . - - ⁹. .. ³ LlOnS neirt£T niSHTiTSArl nf· nd __·χ__ ing said fingers to elongate to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 8 and thereby close the throats. In this position, these fingers cooperate with the elements 18Z&gt; in positively attaching the clip to the complementary con- 40 tainer rims.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention contemplates a container carrier which has a very practical application to containers provided with beaded extremities, and the like. It enables such containers when adjacently positioned to receive a clip of extremely simple, yet sturdy construction, without necessity of disturbing the position of the container. That is to say, all of the clips disclosed herein are so arranged as to permit distortion or shifting of a portion of the clip in order to bring about final attachment thereof to the container rims. The simplicity of the clip design and the ease with which such clips may be applied to a plurality of pairs of containers, such as beaded cans, makes it possible to reduce materially the ultimate cost to the consumer of the completed can carrier device. While, for purposes of illustration, a handle structure made of non-metallic sheet stock, such as paper or cardboard, has been shown other forms of handle structures may be employed which readily lend themselves for association with resilient clips of the type contemplated hereby. While, for purposes of illustration, certain specific forms of can carriers have been disclosed herein, it will be apparent that other modifications and changes in structure are contemplated without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.