One-piece container sleeve

Abstract

A container sleeve designed to be fitted about a beverage container and formed of a single piece of material. The container sleeve includes a first body portion, a second body portion, a first connector and a second connector. The top edges of the body portions facing one another prior to the container sleeve being formed for fitting about the beverage container. The top edges defining a top opening of the container sleeve when the container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. The first connector is integrally connected to the first side edges of the first and second body portions and the second connector is integrally connected to the second side edges of the first and second body portions.

1 . A container sleeve designed to be fitted about a beverage container and formed of a single piece of material, said single piece of material including at least one corrugated layer, said container sleeve including a first body portion, a second body portion, a first connector and a second connector, said first and second body portions including a top edge and first and second side edges, said top edges of said body portions facing one another prior to said container sleeve being formed for fitting about the beverage container, said top edges defining a top opening of said container sleeve when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container, said first connector integrally connected to said first side edges of said first and second body portions, said second connector integrally connected to said second side edges of said first and second body portions. 
     
     
         2 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , herein only said two connectors connect together said first and second body portions. 
     
     
         3 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second connectors extend outwardly from said side edges of said first and second body portions. 
     
     
         4 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second connectors includes a groove along a longitudinal length of said connectors, said groove designed to facilitate in bending said connectors along said grooves when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. 
     
     
         5 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second body portions include a plurality of grooves that are normal to a longitudinal axis of said first and second body portions, said grooves designed to facilitate in bending said first and second body portions about the container when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. 
     
     
         6 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , including a groove positioned between said first and second connectors and said side edges of said first and second body portions, said groove designed to facilitate in said bending of said connectors along said groove when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. 
     
     
         7 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said top edges of said body portions are connected together by a serrated region. 
     
     
         8 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said top edges of said body portions are separated by a slot prior to when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. 
     
     
         9 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a majority of said top edges of said body portions are spaced apart from one another by an opening prior to when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. 
     
     
         10 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said opening has a shape selected from the group consisting of a circle, an oval or polygonal shape. 
     
     
         11 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said side edges of said body portions form two slide slots when said container sleeve is connected to the container. 
     
     
         12 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said two side slots have a shape selected from the group consisting of a U-shape or V-shape. 
     
     
         13 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second side edges on at least one body portion taper toward one another along a longitudinal length of said at least one body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 1 , including an opening positioned on or closely adjacent to said first connector, said second connector, or combinations thereof, said opening positioned along a dividing axis of said container sleeve, said dividing axis positioned between said top edges of said first and second body portion, said opening designed to inhibit or prevent tearing of at least one of said connector when said container sleeve is formed for positioning about a container. 
     
     
         15 . A container sleeve designed to be fitted about a beverage container and formed of a single piece of material, said single piece of material including at least one layer of corrugated material, said container sleeve including a first body portion, a second body portion, a first connector and a second connector, said first and second body portions including a top edge and first and second side edges, said top edges of said body portions facing one another prior to said container sleeve being formed for fitting about the beverage container, said top edges defining a top opening of said container sleeve when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container, said first connector integrally connected to said first sides edges of said first and second body portions, said second connector integrally connected to said second side edges of said first and second body portions, only said two connectors connect together said first and second body portions, said first and second connectors extend outwardly from said side edges of said first and second body portions, said side edges of said body portions forming two slide slots when said container sleeve is connected to the container. 
     
     
         16 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said first and second connectors include a groove along a longitudinal length of said connectors, said groove designed to facilitate in bending said connectors along said grooves when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. 
     
     
         17 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said first and second body portions include a plurality of grooves that are normal to a longitudinal axis of said first and second body portions, said grooves designed to facilitate in bending said first and second body portions about the container when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. 
     
     
         18 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 15 , including a groove positioned between said first and second connectors and said side edges of said first and second body portions, said groove designed to facilitate in said bending of said connectors along said groove when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container. 
     
     
         19 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 15 , wherein a majority of said top edges of said body portions are a) connected together by a serrated region prior to when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container, b) separated by a slot prior to when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container, or c) spaced apart from one another by an opening prior to when said container sleeve is formed for fitting about the beverage container, opening having a shaped selected from the group consisting of a circle, an oval or polygonal shape. 
     
     
         20 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said two side slots have a shape selected from the group consisting of a U-shape or V-shape. 
     
     
         21 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said first and second side edges on at least one body portion tapers toward one another along a longitudinal length of said at least one body portion. 
     
     
         22 . The container sleeve as defined in  claim 15 , including an opening positioned on or closely adjacent to said first connector, said second connector, or combinations thereof, said opening positioned along a dividing axis of said container sleeve, said dividing axis positioned between said top edges of said first and second body portion, said opening designed to inhibit or prevent tearing of at least one of said connectors when said container sleeve is formed for positioning about a container.