Neck retention means in wrap-around carriers are well known. For example, US 5 549,197 (Riverwood) illustrates a wraparound carrier incorporating downwardly folded retaining flaps struck from and connected to side panels of the carrier. The retaining flaps are used to support a neck portion of an article.

The present invention and its preferred embodiments seek to overcome or attempt mitigate the problems associated with the prior art.

Summary of the Invention One aspect of the invention provides an article carrier for containing a plurality of necked articles comprising a top, bottom and opposed side panels interconnected together, wherein the top panel comprises article receiving and retaining means including an article engaging tab formed from the top panel, which article retaining flap is adapted to be folded inwardly of the top panel thereby to define an aperture for receiving a neck portion of the article and wherein the article retaining flap abuts said neck portion to engage and retain said article.

According to an optional feature of this aspect of the invention, there further comprising a fold line extending across the article retaining flap such that the flap is folded to define adjacent flap portions adapted to abut the neck portion at two positions thereby to improve article retention.

According to another optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the article receiving

and retaining means comprises a pair of complementary retaining flaps, each being hinged to on opposite edges of said aperture.

According to a further optional feature of this aspect of the invention, the or each hinged flap is foldably joined to the edge of the associated bottle neck receiving aperture along a fold line comprising two angularly related parts.

Optionally, the angularly related parts intersect at the stress relief fold lines defining therebetween an intermediate panel adjacent an end edge of said top panel.

According to a still further optional feature of this aspect of the invention there may further comprise an outer part adjacent a main part of the top panel which outer part is intermediate adjacent articles receiving and retaining means, wherein the outer part of the top panel is so constructed to be folded out of alignment with the adjacent main part.

A second aspect of the invention provides an article receiving and retaining means for an article carrier for packaging articles having a necked portion, said article receiving and retaining means being struck from the top panel of the carrier comprises an aperture formed in part in the top panel and a flap struck from the top panel and hingably connected to the edge of the aperture which flap is adapted to put in an operative position about its hinged connection to provide a portion there of which extends inwardly of the carrier which is adapted to engage a neck portion of an article retained in the aperture.

A third aspect of the invention provides a blank comprising opposed side wall panels and a top panel being foldably interconnected, article receiving and retaining means formed from the top panel, said means comprising an aperture adapted to receive a portion of an article in use and a flap struck from the top panel and hingably connected to an edge of said aperture which flap is adapted to abut the article received in the aperture in use, wherein the flap is adapted to pivot into an operative position about its hinged connection to provide a portion there of which extends through the aperture in use, the portion of said flap being adapted to engage a neck part of the article.

An advantage of the carrier outlined in any one of the aspects of the invention may be that there is provided a carton which can package two or more rows of cartons and/or the top panel to be defined which is not limited in its dimensions, thereby improving carrying capabilities in those carriers with handle means. Beneficially, a larger area of the side panel can be used as an advertising panel.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a plan view of an article engaging and retaining means according to a first embodiment of the invention in a uniform blank; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the article engaging and retaining means shown in Fig. 1 in a formed condition in engagement with article A; FIG. 3 is a plan view of the article engaging and retaining means according to a second embodiment of the invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the article carrier shown in Fig. 3; FIG. 5 is a plan view of the article engaging and retaining means according to a third embodiment of the invention; and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the article engaging and retaining means shown in Fig. 5.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to the drawings, and in particular Fig. 1 and 2 thereof, an article carrier is formed from one or more blanks of paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material. The article carrier is adapted to accommodate a plurality of articles, for example six bottles arranged in two rows of three bottles each. It is envisaged the carton can be adapted to accommodate a different number and/or configuration of articles, according to user

requirements.

In this embodiment, the blank 10 comprises a first base panel 14, inclined heel (or sloping) panel 16, first side panel 18 comprising lower, middle and upper side panels 20,21 22, top panel 24, second side panel 26 comprising upper, middle and lower side panels 27,28,29, inclined heel panel 30 and second base panel 32 hingably connected one to the next along fold lines 34,36,38,40,42,44,46,48,50 and 52 respectively. Article receiving and retaining means 12 which can be of a known type as shown in Fig. 1 is formed in a top wall 24 of a wrap-around carrier. The article receiving and retaining means 12 can be formed at the ends of the tubular structure of a wraparound carton, for example to retain the end corner articles (as shown in Fig. 1) or alternatively, can be provided for one or more of the articles held in a carrier.

The article receiving and retaining means 12 comprises a retaining aperture 54 which, in this example, receives the neck portion of a bottle, as shown in Fig. 2. The article receiving and retaining means 12 may also comprise one or more retaining flaps 56,58 which in the formed carton, provide internal flap portions that abut part of the neck of an article A.

Turning in detail to the article receiving and retaining means 12 in this particular embodiment, there comprises a first flap 56 including outer, and inner flap portions 60,62 respectively. Outer flap portion 60 is hinged to top wall 24 along fold line 64, and to inner flap portion 58 along fold line 66. Inner flap portion 62 is hinged to top panel 24 along fold line 68.

Optionally, a cut line 70 is struck from fold line 64 and fold line 68 at their interconnection to make folding easier and can define a portion which extends upwardly above the top panel, as illustrated in Fig. 2. First flap 56 may be struck from top panel 24, to define an outer side edge 72, and an inner side edge 74 which are interconnected by a cut line 76 defining an end edge of first flap 56. First flap 56 is pivotal about the fold lines 64 and 66 such that these fold lines 64,66 and optional cut line 70 together define a lateral edge 71 of aperture 54 in use, as shown in Fig. 2.

Similarly, a complementary second flap 58 comprises outer, and inner flap portions 78,80 respectively. In this embodiment, second flap 58 is a larger area than of first flap 56. It is anticipated that the first and second flaps 56,58 need not necessarily be different sizes and could be identical in construction. Optionally, one flap only might be provided for a given article receiving and retaining means 12. It is envisaged that where two flaps are provided, they need not abut along cut line 76 and indeed, a significant gap could be provided between the flaps, for example.

Turning to the construction of second flap 58, the outer portion 78 is foldably connected to top wall 24 along fold line 82 and to inner portion 80 along fold line 86. Inner portion 80 is hingably connected to top panel 24 along fold line 88. Likewise, a second cut line 90 can be optionally provided to separate fold line 82 from fold line 86. Second flap 58 is struck from top panel 24, to define an outer side edge 92 and an inner side edge 94 which is interconnected by cut line 76 defining one end edge of second flap 32. Second flap 58 is pivotal about fold lines 82,88 such that these fold lines 82,88 and cut line 90 together define an opposing lateral edge 73 of aperture 54, as shown in Fig. 2. When both flaps 56, 58 are co-planer, such as when the carrier is in blank form illustrated in Fig. 1, the aperture 54 is substantially closed. Optionally, the aperture 54 may extend in to the side wall 18.

In this embodiment, the carrier is formed to package two rows of three articles. The blank 10 shown in Fig. 1, comprises a further article receiving and retaining means 12 for one row of articles formed from top wall 24. In addition, article receiving and retaining means 13 for a second row of articles is also formed from top wall 24. Article receiving and retaining means 13 is substantially the same as retaining means 12 and is therefore not described in any greater detail.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, there may further comprise a pair of apertures 94, adapted to receive articles positioned intermediate the end most articles. These apertures can support a neck portion of the articles and may optionally include a pair of substantially "V"shaped cut lines 96,98 struck from the side panels 18,26 to define fold lines for support tabs that protrude outwardly of the side wall 18. The carton can also include article heel retention means 99 formed from the panels, as is well known in the art. Handle tabs

93 may be struck from top panel 24. Suitable known securing means are provided to secure the base panels together. In this embodiment, locking and retaining tabs 95,97 are provided as is well known.

Turning to the second and third embodiments illustrated in Figs. 3,4 and 5,6 respectively, there comprises additional or alternative modifications to article engaging and retaining means and/or to the carton of the invention. Each embodiment can be applied to a wraparound carton of the type substantially as herein before described and so only the differences of the carrier of the second and third embodiments are described in any greater detail.

The second embodiment illustrates article receiving and retaining means 112 formed in the top panel 124 which corresponds to article receiving and retaining means 12 illustrated in Fig. 1, with corresponding features shown in Fig. 3 prefixed by the numeral"1". Thus, the second embodiment illustrates article receiving and retaining means 112 which further comprises a pair of divergent fold lines 111,113 struck from top panel 124 and extending outwardly from the intersection of fold lines 164 and 166 to the end edges of top panel 124 to define intermediate panel 115. Fold lines 111,113 are intended to act as stress relief folds. Further or alternatively intermediate panel 115 may be moved out of the plane of top panel to minimise unwanted flexing of top panel 124, thereby to improve the rigidity of the end portion of the top panel.

Turning to the third embodiment which is adapted for large glass bottles, there is illustrated article receiving and retaining means 212 formed in the top panel 224 which corresponds to article receiving and retaining means 12 illustrated in Fig. 1, with corresponding features shown in Fig. 5 prefixed by the numeral"2". Thus, the third embodiment illustrates the or each article receiving and retaining means 212 which further comprises a pair of divergent fold lines 211,213 struck from top panel 224 and extending outwardly from the intersection of fold lines 264 and 266 to the end edge of top panel 224 to define intermediate panel 215.

Fold lines 211,213 are intended to act as stress relief folds. Further or alternatively intermediate panel 215 may be moved out of the plane of top panel to minimise unwanted flexing of top panel 224. There may further comprises an additional fold line 217

interconnecting adjacent article engaging and retaining means 212 to define a top panel portion 219 that is positioned out of alignment to the main portion 223 of top panel 224, thereby to minimise unintended flexing of the top panel 224, thereby to improve the rigidity of the top panel.

Optionally, the article receiving and retaining means 212 may further comprise a pair of flaps 231,233 struck from and foldably connected to each upper side panel 222,227 illustrated in Fig. 5, which are adapted to be folded out of alignment with the associated upper side panel 222,227, to receive and retain a shoulder portion of the article A.

In order to erect a wraparound carrier comprising article receiving and retaining means 12, the flaps 56,58 are displaced inwardly by suitable means which may be similar, at least in function to those known, for example from WO 94/25363. In the first embodiment, the top panel 24 of the carrier blank 10 is applied to the tops of a group of articles A to be packaged in the carrier, and the side walls 18,26 folded downwardly to be disposed in flanking relationship along the side walls of the articles. The neck portion of an article A is thereby engaged in the aperture 54 and is also received by the flaps 56,58 of article receiving and retaining means 12. Preferably, each flap is folded during the set up of the article engaging and retaining means about fold line 64,66,68; 82,86,88 respectively to move outer and inner flap portions out of alignment and into abutment with a neck portion of the article A as shown in Fig. 2.

Thereafter, heel retention flaps of article heel retention means 99 are formed to receive and retain a heel portion of the articles as is well known. Base panel 14 can then be folded inwardly and upwardly into engagement with the base portions of the articles A as illustrated in Fig. 2. A similar operation on the other side of the group of articles is also performed, and the wraparound carrier can be completed by securing the overlapping base panels 14,32 together by means known in the art, for example by gluing or preferably by the use of locking and retaining tabs 95,97 as is well known.

Thus, the carrier is in a set-up condition, shown in Fig. 2 and the article receiving and retaining means 12 is formed such that the internal retaining flap portions 60,62,78,80 are provided to engage the neck of article A and to closely conform to the neck portions of the

articles thereby to prevent unwanted movement of the articles in the carrier and to reduce the risk of tearing.

The construction of the second and third embodiments is substantially the same as the first embodiment to produce carriers illustrated in Fig. s 4 and 6 respectively and therefore only the differences are described in any greater detail. Figs. 4 and 6 show intermediate panels 115,215 that are folded out of alignment with top panel 124,224 respectively.

It will be seen from Fig. 6 that the third embodiment includes flaps 231,233 that are folded out of alignment with upper side panels 222,227 to receive a shoulder portion of the articles. Outer parts 219 of the top panel are folded out of alignment with main portion 223 to form a carrier shown in Fig. 6.

It is apparent that a large amount of paperboard may be put into contact with the retained article using a retaining structure according to the invention, thereby providing both protection and securing for the article. It is preferable to use a two part article engaging flap i. e. inner and outer portions 60,62; 78,80 so that they are folded about fold line 66; 86 respectively to define two angularly related parts. Each part desirably abuts a portion of the neck of the article to improve article retention. Additionally, the improved conformity of the retaining flaps and of those embodiments with intermediate panel 115 and/or top panel portion 219 enables a relatively strong pack tightening whilst minimising the risk of tearing.

Further, the invention is not limited to a configuration as described above, and it is envisaged, it would be possible to provide article retaining means according to the invention comprising one or more hinged means per retaining flap to be provided in the assembled carrier.

It will be recognized that as used herein, the terms"top","bottom"and"side"with respect to the panels of the carton (or carton blank) are relative terms, and that the carton (formed from the blank) may be re-oriented as necessary or as described.

It will be recognized that rather than the carton being formed with a plurality of the article receiving apertures, the carton may be formed with only one receiving aperture.

The present invention and its preferred embodiment relate to an article carrier which is shaped to provide satisfactory strength to hold the bottle securely but with a degree of flexibility so that the load transferred to the retaining means is absorbed by the carrier. The shape of the blank minimises the amount of paperboard required. The carrier can be applied to an array of bottles by hand or automatic machinery. It is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers and not limited to those of the wraparound type.