Carrier for Containers

Abstract

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a first construct and a second construct. The first construct includes a plurality of panels including at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the at least one central panel is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers. The second construct includes at least one panel, the at least one panel of the second construct positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the at least one attachment panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier comprising:
 a first construct comprising a plurality of panels including at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the at least one central panel is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers; and   a second construct comprising at least one panel, the at least one panel of the second construct positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the at least one attachment panel.   
     
     
         2 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first construct is comprised of a material having a first grain direction and the second construct is comprised of a material having a second grain direction, the first grain direction is perpendicular to the second grain direction. 
     
     
         3 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attachment panel comprises at least one container retention feature and the at least one panel of the second construct comprises at least one container retention feature aligned with the at least one container retention feature of the at least one attachment panel. 
     
     
         4 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one container retention feature of the at least one attachment panel comprises a plurality of container retention flaps foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and arranged to define a container receiving opening therebetween. 
     
     
         5 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first construct further comprises first handle features and the second construct further comprises second handle features aligned with the first handle features. 
     
     
         6 . The carrier of  claim 5 , wherein the first handle features comprise a first handle panel foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and the second handle features comprise a second handle panel foldably connected to the at least one panel of the second construct, the second handle panel of the second construct is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the first handle panel of the first construct. 
     
     
         7 . The carrier of  claim 5 , wherein the first construct comprises at least one handle opening in the at least one attachment panel, and the second construct comprises at least one handle flap foldably connected to the at least one panel and aligned with the at least one handle opening. 
     
     
         8 . The carrier of  claim 7 , wherein the first handle features further comprise a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and positioned adjacent the at least one handle opening. 
     
     
         9 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one central panel comprises at least one glue opening. 
     
     
         10 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one central panel is a front central panel and the plurality of panels further comprises a back central panel foldably connected to the front central panel, the at least one glue opening is an at least one front glue opening in the front central panel, and the back central panel comprises at least one back glue opening. 
     
     
         11 . The carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the front central panel is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the back central panel such that a portion of the back central panel is exposed through the at least one front glue opening and a portion of the front central panel is exposed through the at least one back glue opening. 
     
     
         12 . The carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the front central panel is foldably connected to the back central panel at a fold line, the at least one front glue opening is spaced a first distance from the fold line, and the at least one back glue opening is spaced a second distance from the fold line, the second distance is greater than the first distance 
     
     
         13 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the second construct is free from foldable connection to the first construct. 
     
     
         14 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a back panel foldably connected to the at least one panel of the second construct. 
     
     
         15 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first construct is a lower construct and the second construct is an upper construct. 
     
     
         16 . A first blank and a second blank for forming a carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the first blank comprising:
 a plurality of panels including at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the at least one central panel is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers when the carrier is formed from the first blank and the second blank; and   the second blank comprising:   at least one panel, the at least one panel of the second blank for being positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the at least one attachment panel when the carrier is formed from the first blank and the second blank.   
     
     
         17 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 16 , wherein the first blank is comprised of a material having a first grain direction and the second blank is comprised of a material having a second grain direction, the first grain direction is perpendicular to the second grain direction. 
     
     
         18 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one attachment panel comprises at least one container retention feature and the at least one panel of the second construct comprises at least one container retention feature for being aligned with the container retention feature of the at least one attachment panel when the carrier is formed from the first blank and the second blank. 
     
     
         19 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one container retention feature of the at least one attachment panel comprises a plurality of container retention flaps foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and arranged to define a container receiving opening therebetween. 
     
     
         20 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 16 , wherein the first blank further comprises first handle features and the second blank further comprises second handle features aligned with the first handle features when the carrier is formed from the first blank and the second blank. 
     
     
         21 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 20 , wherein the first handle features comprise a first handle panel foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and the second handle features comprise a second handle panel foldably connected to the at least one panel of the second blank, the second handle panel of the second blank is for being positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the first handle panel of the first blank when the carrier is formed from the blank. 
     
     
         22 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 20 , wherein the first blank comprises at least one handle opening in the at least one attachment panel, and the second blank comprises at least one handle flap foldably connected to the at least one panel and for being aligned with the at least one handle opening when the carrier is formed from the first blank and the second blank. 
     
     
         23 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 22 , wherein the first handle features further comprise a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and positioned adjacent the at least one handle opening. 
     
     
         24 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one central panel comprises at least one glue opening. 
     
     
         25 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one central panel is a front central panel and the plurality of panels further comprises a back central panel foldably connected to the front central panel, the at least one glue opening is an at least one front glue opening in the front central panel, and the back central panel comprises at least one back glue opening. 
     
     
         26 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 25 , wherein the front central panel is for being positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the back central panel when the carrier is formed form the first blank and the second blank such that a portion of the back central panel is exposed through the at least one front glue opening and a portion of the front central panel is exposed through the at least one back glue opening. 
     
     
         27 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 26 , wherein the front central panel is foldably connected to the back central panel at a fold line, the at least one front glue opening is spaced a first distance from the fold line, and the at least one back glue opening is spaced a second distance from the fold line, the second distance is greater than the first distance 
     
     
         28 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 16 , wherein the second blank is free from foldable connection to the first blank. 
     
     
         29 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 16 , further comprising a back panel foldably connected to the at least one panel of the second construct. 
     
     
         30 . The first blank and the second blank of  claim 16 , wherein the first blank is for forming a lower construct of the carrier formed from the first blank and the second blank and the second blank is for forming an upper construct of the carrier formed from the first blank and the second blank. 
     
     
         31 . A method of forming a carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the method comprising:
 obtaining a first blank comprising a plurality of panels including at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the at least one central panel is for being positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers;   obtaining a second blank comprising at least one panel, the at least one panel of the second construct;   folding the plurality of panels of the first blank to form a first construct;   forming a second construct from the at least one panel of the second blank; and   positioning the at least one panel of the second construct in at least partial face-to-face contact with the at least one attachment panel of the first construct.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first construct is comprised of a material having a first grain direction and the second construct is comprised of a material having a second grain direction, the first grain direction is perpendicular to the second grain direction. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one attachment panel comprises at least one container retention feature and the at least one panel of the second construct comprises at least one container retention feature aligned with the container retention features of the at least one attachment panel. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one container retention feature of the at least one attachment panel comprises a plurality of container retention flaps foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and arranged to define a container receiving opening therebetween. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first construct further comprises first handle features and the second construct further comprises second handle features aligned with the first handle features. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the first handle features comprise a first handle panel foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and the second handle features comprise a second handle panel foldably connected to the at least one panel of the second construct, the second handle panel of the second construct is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the first handle panel of the first construct. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the first construct comprises at least one handle opening in the at least one attachment panel, and the second construct comprises at least one handle flap foldably connected to the at least one panel and aligned with the at least one handle opening. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first handle features further comprise a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and positioned adjacent the at least one handle opening. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one central panel comprises at least one glue opening. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one central panel is a front central panel and the plurality of panels further comprises a back central panel foldably connected to the front central panel, the at least one glue opening is an at least one front glue opening in the front central panel, and the back central panel comprises at least one back glue opening. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of panels of the first blank are folded such that the front central panel is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the back central panel such that a portion of the back central panel is exposed through the at least one front glue opening and a portion of the front central panel is exposed through the at least one back glue opening. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the front central panel is foldably connected to the back central panel at a fold line, the at least one front glue opening is spaced a first distance from the fold line, and the at least one back glue opening is spaced a second distance from the fold line, the second distance is greater than the first distance 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the second construct is free from foldable connection to the first construct. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising a back panel foldably connected to the at least one panel of the second construct. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first construct is a lower construct and the second construct is an upper construct. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising positioning the at least one central panel between adjacent containers of the plurality of containers and attaching the at least one central panel to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising receiving by the at least one attachment panel a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         48 . A package comprising a carrier holding a plurality of containers, the package comprising:
 a first construct comprising a plurality of panels including at least one central panel and at least one attachment panel receiving a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, the at least one central panel is positioned between and attached to adjacent containers of the plurality of containers; and   a second construct comprising at least one panel, the at least one panel of the second construct positioned in at least partial face-to-face contact with the at least one attachment panel.   
     
     
         49 . The package of  claim 48 , wherein the first construct is comprised of a material having a first grain direction and the second construct is comprised of a material having a second grain direction, the first grain direction is perpendicular to the second grain direction. 
     
     
         50 . The package of  claim 48 , wherein the at least one attachment panel comprises at least one container retention feature and the at least one panel of the second construct comprises at least one container retention feature aligned with the container retention features of the at least one attachment panel. 
     
     
         51 . The package of  claim 48 , wherein the at least one container retention feature of the at least one attachment panel comprises a plurality of container retention flaps foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and arranged to define a container receiving opening therebetween. 
     
     
         52 . The package of  claim 48 , wherein the first construct further comprises first handle features and the second construct further comprises second handle features aligned with the first handle features. 
     
     
         53 . The package of  claim 52 , wherein the first handle features comprise a first handle panel foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and the second handle features comprise a second handle panel foldably connected to the at least one panel of the second construct, the second handle panel of the second construct is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the first handle panel of the first construct. 
     
     
         54 . The package of  claim 52 , wherein the first construct comprises at least one handle opening in the at least one attachment panel, and the second construct comprises at least one handle flap foldably connected to the at least one panel and aligned with the at least one handle opening. 
     
     
         55 . The package of  claim 54 , wherein the first handle features further comprise a handle reinforcement flap foldably connected to the at least one attachment panel and positioned adjacent the at least one handle opening. 
     
     
         56 . The package of  claim 48 , wherein the at least one central panel comprises at least one glue opening. 
     
     
         57 . The package of  claim 56 , wherein the at least one central panel is a front central panel and the plurality of panels further comprises a back central panel foldably connected to the front central panel, the at least one glue opening is an at least one front glue opening in the front central panel, and the back central panel comprises at least one back glue opening. 
     
     
         58 . The package of  claim 57 , wherein the front central panel is in at least partial face-to-face contact with the back central panel such that a portion of the back central panel is exposed through the at least one front glue opening and a portion of the front central panel is exposed through the at least one back glue opening. 
     
     
         59 . The package of  claim 58 , wherein the front central panel is foldably connected to the back central panel at a fold line, the at least one front glue opening is spaced a first distance from the fold line, and the at least one back glue opening is spaced a second distance from the fold line, the second distance is greater than the first distance 
     
     
         60 . The package of  claim 48 , wherein the second construct is free from foldable connection to the first construct. 
     
     
         61 . The package of  claim 48 , further comprising a back panel foldably connected to the at least one panel of the second construct. 
     
     
         62 . The package of  claim 48 , wherein the first construct is a lower construct and the second construct is an upper construct.