Basket Carrier Including Open-Top Basket And Lid

Abstract

A basket carrier is disclosed. The carrier includes an open-top basket and a lid for the basket. The basket includes a vertically-extending handle, a pair of side walls foldably connected to the handle by a plurality of divider walls, a pair of end walls foldably connected to the side walls and the handle, and a bottom wall formed by bottom flaps foldably connected to the side walls. The side walls, end walls, divider walls and handle together define a plurality of compartments for holding containers, such as bottles or cans. The handle may include a plurality of handle flaps that are partially separable from the handle to provide comfortable gripping surfaces for a user's hand. The lid includes a top panel for covering a top area of the basket, side panels for covering the side walls of the basket, and adhesive flaps detachably connected to the side panels for attaching the lid to the basket. A handle opening is provided in the top panel, laterally offset from the handle, to provide access to the handle of the basket. Blanks for forming the lid basket and lid are also disclosed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A blank for forming a basket suitable for carrying a plurality of containers, the blank comprising:
 a first upper panel, wherein the first upper panel includes a first handle portion;   a second upper panel foldably connected to an inner lateral edge of the first upper panel along a central fold line, wherein the second upper panel includes a second handle portion;   a side adhesive flap connected to an outer lateral edge of the first upper panel along a first longitudinal fold line, wherein the side adhesive flap is configured to be attached to the second upper panel;   a first bottom closure flap foldably connected to a bottom edge of the first upper panel along a first lateral fold line; and   a second bottom closure flap foldably connected to a bottom edge of the second upper panel along a second lateral fold line.   
     
     
         2 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first handle portion includes at least one first handle flap that is partially separable from the first handle portion;   the second handle portion includes at least one second handle flap that is partially separable from the second handle portion; and   the at least one first handle flap and the at least one second handle flap are each at least partially defined by a substantially U-shaped cut line.   
     
     
         3 . The blank of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one first handle flap and the at least one second handle flap are each at least partially defined by a convex fold line extending between endpoints of the substantially U-shaped cut line and a concave fold line extending between the endpoints of the substantially U-shaped cut line below the convex fold line. 
     
     
         4 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first upper panel comprises first substantially diagonally extending cut lines laterally spaced from each other, and first longitudinally extending interior fold lines laterally spaced from each other;   the second upper panel comprises second substantially diagonally extending cut lines laterally spaced from each other, and second longitudinally extending interior fold lines laterally spaced from each other;   each of the first substantially diagonally extending cut lines bisects one of the first longitudinally extending interior fold lines; and   each of the second substantially diagonally extending cut lines bisects one of the second longitudinally extending interior fold lines.   
     
     
         5 . The blank of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first substantially diagonally extending cut lines and the first longitudinally extending interior fold lines together at least partially define a first side wall portion, a first end wall portion, a first end wall reinforcement portion, the first handle portion and at least one first divider wall portion; and   the second substantially diagonally extending cut lines and the second longitudinally extending interior fold lines together at least partially define a second side wall portion, a second end wall portion, a second end wall reinforcement portion, the second handle portion and at least one second divider wall portion.   
     
     
         6 . The blank of  claim 4 , wherein the first substantially diagonally extending cut lines and the second substantially diagonally extending cut lines are substantially S-shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The blank of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first upper panel includes a first group of longitudinal slits that partially defines the first end wall; and   the second upper panel includes a second group of longitudinal slits that partially defines the second end wall.   
     
     
         8 . The blank of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first bottom glue flap connected to the bottom edge of the first upper panel along a third lateral fold line, and configured to be attached to the second bottom closure flap; and   a second bottom glue flap connected to the bottom edge of the second upper panel along a fourth lateral fold line, and configured to be attached to the first bottom closure flap.   
     
     
         9 . The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the first bottom closure flap and the second bottom closure flap are configured to engage each other in an interlocking relationship. 
     
     
         10 . A blank for forming a basket lid, comprising:
 a top wall panel disposed at a center of the blank;   a first side wall panel foldably connected to a first lateral side of the top wall panel along a first fold line;   a second side wall panel foldably connected to a second lateral side of the top wall panel along a second fold line; and   a handle opening disposed in the top wall panel and laterally offset from a central axis of the top wall panel extending parallel to the first and second fold lines, wherein the handle opening is configured to receive a person's hand.   
     
     
         11 . The blank of  claim 10 , comprising:
 a first adhesive flap detachably connected to the first side wall panel along a first line of weakness, and   a second adhesive flap detachably connected to the second side wall panel along a second line of weakness.   
     
     
         12 . The blank of  claim 10 , comprising:
 a first web member foldably connected to a first end of the top wall panel and connected to the first and second side wall panels; and   a second web member foldably connected to a second end of the top wall panel and connected to the first and second side wall panels.   
     
     
         13 . The blank of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second web members each comprise:
 a rectangular member foldably connected to the top wall panel;   a first gusset member foldably connected to the rectangular member and the second side wall panel; and   a second gusset member foldably connected to the rectangular member and the first side wall panel.   
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 10 , comprising:
 first openings disposed partially in the first side wall panel and partially in the top wall panel; and   second openings disposed partially in the second side wall panel and partially in the top wall panel.   
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 14 , comprising:
 first patterns of weakness positioned to allow enlargement of the first openings; and   second patterns of weakness positioned to allow enlargement of the second openings.   
     
     
         16 . A basket lid comprising:
 a horizontally extending top wall;   a downwardly extending first side wall foldably connected to a first lateral side of the top wall along a first fold line;   a downwardly extending second side wall foldably connected to a second lateral side of the top wall a second fold line; and   a handle opening disposed in the top wall and laterally offset from a central axis of the top wall extending parallel to the first and second fold lines, wherein the handle opening is configured to receive a person's hand.   
     
     
         17 . The lid of  claim 16 , comprising:
 a first adhesive flap detachably connected to the first side wall along a first line of weakness, and   a second adhesive flap detachably connected to the second side wall along a second line of weakness.   
     
     
         18 . The lid of  claim 16 , comprising:
 a first web member foldably connected to a first end of the top wall and connected to the first and second side walls; and   a second web member foldably connected to a second end of the top wall and connected to the first and second side walls.   
     
     
         19 . The lid of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second web members each comprise:
 a rectangular member foldably connected to the top wall;   a first gusset member foldably connected to the rectangular member and the first side wall; and   a second gusset member foldably connected to the rectangular member and the second side wall.   
     
     
         20 . The lid of  claim 16 , comprising:
 first openings disposed partially in the first side wall and partially in the top wall; and   second openings disposed partially in the second side wall and partially in the top wall.   
     
     
         21 . The lid of  claim 20 , comprising:
 first weakening patterns positioned to allow enlargement of the first openings; and   second weakening patterns positioned to allow enlargement of the second openings.