A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a plurality of panels including a top panel foldably connected to at least one attachment panel, and attachment features for attaching the carrier to the plurality of containers and for selectively separating one or more containers from the carrier.

A carrier and method of manufacture for a carrier that results in a package of containers includes a plastic sheet having an array of container apertures and a portion having a printed matte finish where the printed matte finish includes a lower coefficient of friction relative to a container than a remaining surface of the plastic sheet. A plurality of containers are each positioned within an aperture of the array so that the printed matte finish of the plastic sheet is positioned along an inner portion of the package and the remaining surface of the plastic sheet is positioned along an outer portion of the package.

Disclosed are a method and a device (1) used to package articles into printed packaging blanks (2). In the method, a plurality of packaging blanks are first positioned in a magazine (4) and subsequently extracted from the magazine (4).

Subsequently, articles are brought together with the packaging blanks (2) extracted from the magazine (4) such that a particular packaging blank (2) hereby forms a particular packaging or a particular component of a particular packaging for in each instance at least one article.

It is moreover provided that the packaging blanks (2) are printed onto, with the printing onto a packaging blank (2) being carried out temporally after the positioning of the packaging blank (2) in the magazine (4) and temporally before the particular bringing together of the packaging blank (2) with the particular at least one article.

The device (1) can be operated in a corresponding manner.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a central panel for engaging the plurality of containers and at least one attachment feature in the central panel that receives and holds a top portion of at least one container of the plurality of containers. The at least one attachment feature includes an opening in the central panel, a first retention feature, and a second retention feature. The first retention feature and the second retention feature includes a respective first retention edge and second retention edge of the central panel defining a respective first portion and a second portion of the opening and for engaging a respective first portion and a second portion of at least one container of the plurality of containers to at least partially attach the at least one container to the carrier.

A container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers includes a network of molded ribs forming a plurality of container receiving openings formed in a first plane and a plurality of teeth formed in the first plane and extending toward a center of each container receiving opening. A rail may be positioned on an underside of the container carrier between each pair of container receiving openings.

A method of at least partially forming packages. The method comprises moving a blank and a plurality of articles in a downstream direction through a clipping station. The blank can comprise at least a first attachment panel, a second attachment panel, and a keel portion extending from the first attachment panel to the second attachment panel. The method further can comprise forming a clipped assembly by clipping the first attachment panel and the second attachment panel of the blank to respective articles of the plurality of articles during the moving the blank and the plurality of articles through the clipping station and forming a keel by moving articles of the plurality of articles toward one another and folding the keel portion of the blank between the articles as the clipped assembly is moved in the downstream direction.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to an apparatus and method of packaging one or more articles. The device being adapted to applying a plurality of top-engaging carriers to a plurality of groups of articles simultaneously. The device comprises a metering base for facilitating arranging a plurality of articles into groups of articles and an applicator for pressing top-engaging carriers onto groups of articles. The metering base comprises a spacer structure for maintaining a predetermined space between each group of articles and at least a next adjacent group of articles; and a first aligning feature. The applicator comprises an applicator plate having a plurality of receiving cavities each for receiving a top of an article and a second aligning feature for engaging the first aligning feature for sliding movement with each other.

A carrier having a plurality of apertures for holding a plurality of containers together is provided. The carrier has mutually spaced drive pins holes distributed longitudinally therealong. Each container aperture is positioned longitudinally between drive pin holes and each aperture has a centre which is longitudinally offset from a mid-point between successive drive pin holes.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a central panel for engaging the plurality of containers and at least one attachment feature in the central panel that receives and holds a top portion of at least one container of the plurality of containers. The at least one attachment feature includes an opening in the central panel, a first retention feature, and a second retention feature. The first retention feature and the second retention feature includes a respective first retention edge and second retention edge of the central panel defining a respective first portion and a second portion of the opening and for engaging a respective first portion and a second portion of at least one container of the plurality of containers to at least partially attach the at least one container to the carrier.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a front portion having a front attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, a back portion having a back attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, and a reinforcement portion extending from the front portion to the back portion for reinforcing the carrier.