WO1995025679A1

WO1995025679A1 - Holding arrangement for cans

Info

Publication number: WO1995025679A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/000560
Authority: WO
Inventors: Emili Requena Miret
Original assignee: Riverwood International Ltd; Riverwood International Corp
Current assignee: Graphic Packaging International Ltd; Graphic Packaging International LLC
Priority date: 1994-03-24
Filing date: 1995-03-16
Publication date: 1995-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1996-09-24
Also published as: AU1897395A; GB9405857D0; TW277043B; CO4410231A1; ZA952293B

Abstract

There is provided a paperboard arrangement (11) for receiving a number of cans (12). There is a main member (14) having at each can location a series of three cuts which create a generally circular hole of a size just smaller than the diameter of the can rim so as to engage therebelow. For each can there is a cover portion (23) which is retained by tabs (22) with respect to the main member (14), the tabs being formed between the spaced ends of the three cuts.

Description

HOLDING ARRANGEMENT FOR CANS

This invention relates to arrangements for holding a plurality of cans.

Multipacks of cans are well known for drinks and foodstuffs. Cans of drinks, and indeed some foods, are often sold in multipacks utilising a plastic ring having a number of apertures for receiving a corresponding number of cans. This number is often four to six. It is, however, desirable to cease using plastic in such multipacks. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an arrangement for holding a plurality of cans each of which has a top rim, said arrangement comprising a paperboard member having a plurality of openings, each opening being generally dimensioned so as to be marginally smaller than the widest dimensions of the top rim of a can to be held and having an associated cover which is connected to the paperboard member by at least one interconnecting tab such that each top rim and the paperboard member ^are pushed relative to each other so that the rim passes through its associated opening which engages below the rim to prevent withdrawal of the can, each cover lies over at least a part of the top of the associated can and the tab or tabs span the rim of the can.

Preferably the tabs and covers are formed from the paperboard member. In most situations the openings and can rims are substantially circular. Conveniently each cover has three tabs. In one arrangement each cover, opening and associated tabs are formed by three separate cuts in the paperboard member. Ideally, the majority of each cut lies on a circle of slightly smaller diameter than the widest dimension of the top rim of the can, with one end of each cut extending outwardly and the other end of each cut extending inwardly, the outer end of one cut overlapping and being spaced from the inner end of an adjacent cut.

In a preferred arrangement each cover is dimensioned so as to wedge inside the top rim of its associated can. A circular fold may be provided on each cover spaced from the general outer edge of the cover to assist this.

In further preferred arrangements the paperboard member has dependent side walls, which side walls are attached to the paperboard member along fold lines whereby in use the side walls are folded down so as to engage the cans and are secured in the folded down positions. This strengthens and reinforces the pack and gives some space for printing. The side walls may be secured with glue or by interlocking formations formed integrally with the side walls. This securing may take place before or after attachment to the cans.

Conveniently the openings are formed in generally rectangular arrays such as 2 X 2 or 2 X 3 or 2 X 4 or even 1 X 2 , 1 X 3 , 1 X 4 or any other suitable configurations. Also finger gripping holes may be provided in the central space between each set of four apertures.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a paperboard blank for forming any of the above arrangements.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail. The description makes reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for a holding arrangement according to the present invention ,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the figure 1 arrangement in use, and

Figure 3 is a partial plan view of a blank for a further holding arrangement according to the present invention.

In figure 1 there is shown a paperboard blank 10 for making a holding arrangement 11 as shown in figure 2. The holding arrangement 11 is used to engage six cans 12 in a 2 X 3 array to form a pack of cans. Each can has a top rim 13 which projects radially outwards a small amount from the wall of the can.

The blank 10 has a main member 14 to which are hingedly attached side walls 15 along fold lines. Gusset panels 16 are also incorporated so that the side panels can be folded so as to be generally perpendicular to the main member 14 in use. The main member 14 also has two finger holes 17 to facilitate carrying of the pack.

In the main member 14 there are a series of three cuts 18 for each can location. The cuts 18 for each can have substantially part circular sections 19 which lie on a circle of slightly smaller diameter than the largest diameter of the rim 13. One end 20 of each cut 18 extends outwardly and the other end 21 of each cut 18 extends inwardly. Ends 20, 21 of adjacent lines overlap and are spaced from each other to constitute tabs 22. The cuts 18 generally form openings in the main member 14 and the paperboard in the middle of the sets of three cuts 18 constitute covers 23 which remain connected to the main member 14 by the tabs 22.

An optional circular fold 24 is also provided on each cover 23 for reasons which will be apparent later.

To avoid repetition the arrangement of only one can will be described. In use of the arrangement 11 a can 12 is aligned with one of the openings in the main member 14. The can and the main member are brought together and the top rim 13 of the can is forced through the opening past the three part circular sections 19 of the cuts 18. These sections 19 snap into position immediately below the top rim 13 of the can which is thereby securely retained relative to the main member 14. As the can rim 13 is forced past the part circular sections 19, the cover 23 is lifted and, due to the interconnecting tabs 22 is caused to rotate slightly around an axis perpendicular to the major surface of the cover 23. This movement causes the tabs 22 to span the rim 13 of the can 12 as is more clearly shown in figure 2.

In the version shown the covers 23 are intended to be pressed down so as to nestle inside the rim 13, retained by interference between the cover edge and the inside of the rim 13. The circular fold 24 assists in this regard. It is not, however, necessary for the covers to be pressed down. The covers 23 can simply sit on top of the rims.

Once the six cans 12 are engaged the side walls 15 are folded down and the gusset panels 16 tucked in behind the side walls 15. Adhesive is then used to secure the side walls 15 and gusset panels so that the cans 12 are held in a tight array by the side walls, with adjacent cans in preferably touching relationship with each other.

Other multipacks of cans can then be stacked on top of one another and the covers 23 prevent the bases of upper cans touching the tops of lower cans. Such metal to metal contact is not desirable as the metal can be caused to react and leave unpleasant residues on the tops of the lower cans. Also, the covers provide general protection for the can tops and provide a surface for additional printing.

In figure 3 there is shown a main member 114 similar to that shown in figures 1 and 2 except that no side walls 15 or gusset panels 16 are provided. All other features are the same and have been given like reference numerals. The main member 114 engages cans 12 in a similar manner to that described above except that the added rigidity of the tightly engaging side panels 15 is not present. The resulting pack, however, retains sufficient rigidity for some purposes and retains the above described advantages concerning stacking.

With the simple main member 114, the main members 114 could be hingedly connected to each other end to end. A concertina arrangement of main members could then be provided for use in a continuous packing machine .

It will be appreciated that the covers need not necessarily be circular and there could be any number of tabs retaining each cover. It is important, however, that the remaining part circular sections 19 are sufficient to securely retain the cans. The tabs may or may not be equiangularly spaced around the cover and in theory could be separately formed and adhesively secured between cover and main member.

It will also be clear that can rim shapes other than circular can also be accommodated by simple redesign of the blanks. Also, any array of cans can be retained using the techniques described above.

Claims

1. An arrangement for holding a plurality of cans each of which has a top rim, said arrangement comprising a paperboard member having a plurality of openings, each opening being generally dimensioned so as to be marginally smaller than the widest dimensions of the top rim of a can to be held and having an associated cover which is connected to the paperboard member by at least one interconnecting tab such that each top rim and the paperboard member are pushed relative to each other so that the rim passes through its associated opening which engages below the rim to prevent withdrawal of the can, each cover lies over at least a part of the top of the associated can and the tab or tabs span the rim of the can.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tabs and covers are formed from the paperboard member.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the openings and can rims are substantially circular.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein each cover has three tabs.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein each cover, opening and associated tabs are formed by three separate cuts in the paperboard member.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein the majority of each cut lies on a circle of slightly smaller diameter than the widest dimension of the top rim of the can, with one end of each cut extending outwardly and the other end of each cut extending inwardly, the outer end of one cut overlapping and being spaced from the inner end of an adjacent cut.

An arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein each cover is dimensioned so as to wedge inside the top rim of its associated can.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7 wherein a circular fold is provided on each cover spaced from the general outer edge of the cover to assist this.

9. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the paperboard member has dependent side walls, which side walls are attached to the paperboard member along fold lines whereby in use the side walls are folded down so as to engage the cans and are secured in the folded down positions .

10. A blank for forming an arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.