Stretchable packaging device for containers

Claim 2

A packaging device made of stretchable and elastic plastic material for a plurality of containers arranged in a group, comprising a flattened tube wraparound skirt which is dimensioned relative to said containers in order to be stretched for elastically gripping the containers substantially about the entire circumference thereof, and a flattened inverted U-shaped integral top which is of lesser dimension than and is centrally located, open, and unattached relative to spaced opposite upper areas of the flattened tube wraparound skirt in order to assume a horizontal position overlying said containers when said packaging device is assembled thereto.

Claim 3

A packaging device for a plurality of containers arranged in a group, comprising lay flat tubing made of stretchable and elastic Plastic material and including a flattened wraparound skirt and integral top, said flattened wraparound skirt having a width in its lay flat form substantially greater than said flattened top and being opened up and mounted in stretched and elastic gripping engagement around the group of containers, and said flattened top having through openings at opposite side edges thereof to enable said top to be opened up to assume a horizontal position overlying said containers.

Claim 4

A packaging device for a plurality of containers arranged in a group, comprising lay flat tubing made of stretchable and elastic Plastic material and including a flattened wraparound skirt and integral top, said flattened wraparound skirt having a width in its lay flat form substantially greater than said flattened top and being opened up and mounted in stretched and elastic gripping engagement around the group of containers, and said flattened top having through openings at opposite side edges thereof to enable said top to be opened up to assume a horizontal position overlying said containers.

Claim 5

A carrier device adapted to carry a plurality of articles arranged in side by side relationship, said carrier device comprising lay flat tubing made of stretchable and elastic plastic material and including a wraparound skirt and a top integral therewith, said wraparound skirt being substantially circumferentially continuous and having a width in its lay flat form which is substantially greater than said integral top, said wraparound skirt being dimensioned relative to said plurality of articles in order to provide a stretch mounted wraparound skirt which is adapted to elastically embrace and grip the articles at least substantially about the entire circumference of said articles and over at least a portion of the height thereof to enclose and hold the articles therein, said integral top being folded-in-half in its lay flat form with opposite unattached side edges throughout the height thereof in order to permit said integral top to unfold and overlie said articles when said carrier device is assembled to said plurality of articles.

Claim 6

A carrier device adapted to carry a plurality of articles arranged in side by side relationship, said carrier device comprising lay flat tubing made of stretchable and elastic plastic material and including a wraparound skirt and a top integral therewith, said wraparound skirt being substantially circumferentially continuous and having a width in its lay flat form which is substantially greater than said integral top, said wraparound skirt being dimensioned relative to said plurality of articles in order to provide a stretch mounted wraparound skirt which is adapted to elastically embrace and grip the articles at least substantially about the entire circumference of said articles and over at least a portion of the height thereof to enclose and hold the articles therein, said integral top being folded-in-half in its lay flat form with opposite unattached side edges throughout the height thereof in order to permit said integral top to unfold and overlie said articles when said carrier device is assembled to said plurality of articles.

Claim 7

A container package including a plurality of adjacently positioned containers and a lay flat tube packaging device made from stretchable and elastic plastic material, said lay flat tube packaging device having a flattened tube circumferential skirt for engaging the sides of said containers, a flattened tube integral top for covering the upper ends of said containers and an open bottom, the flattened tube circumferential skirt of said packaging device having greater width areas in its lay flat form than said flattened tube integral top on opposite sides thereof, the flattened tube integral top throughout its length at opposite side edges thereof and the flattened tube circumferential skirt throughout its greater width areas in the vicinity of the upper portions thereof being open and unattached, the open bottom of said packaging device enabling said packaging device to be mounted over said containers, and said packaging device being positioned over said containers with the flattened tube circumferential skirt being opened up and mounted in stretched and elastic gripping engagement around the sides of said containers while the flattened tube integral top is opened up for covering the upper ends of said adjacently positioned containers.

Claim 8

A container package including a plurality of adjacently positioned containers and a lay flat tube packaging device made from stretchable and elastic plastic material, said lay flat tube packaging device having a flattened tube circumferential skirt for engaging the sides of said containers, a flattened tube integral top for covering the upper ends of said containers and an open bottom, the flattened tube circumferential skirt of said packaging device having greater width areas in its lay flat form than said flattened tube integral top on opposite sides thereof, the flattened tube integral top throughout its length at opposite side edges thereof and the flattened tube circumferential skirt throughout its greater width areas in the vicinity of the upper portions thereof being open and unattached, the open bottom of said packaging device enabling said packaging device to be mounted over said containers, and said packaging device being positioned over said containers with the flattened tube circumferential skirt being opened up and mounted in stretched and elastic gripping engagement around the sides of said containers while the flattened tube integral top is opened up for covering the upper ends of said adjacently positioned containers.

Claim 9

The container package as defined in claim 4 wherein said packaging device further includes a substantially unstretched skirt extension for underlying said containers.

Claim 10

The container package as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said circumferential skirt and integral top includes tab means for association with the other of said circumferential skirt and integral top.

Claim 11

The container package as defined in claim 4 wherein said top includes a plurality of apertures adapted to receive the necks of necked containers.

Claim 12

The container package as defined in claim 4 wherein the containers are positioned in an open-top carton prior to the stretch mounting of said packaging device over said containers, the circumferential skirt of said packaging device also being stretched mounted around the sides of said open-top carton.

Claim 13

The container package as defined in claim 4 wherein said adjacently positioned containers are arranged in a vertical stack.