An article top engaging device, a carrier (90) for packaging one or more articles (B) and a blank (10) for forming the carrier. The article carrier comprises an engaging panel (112) having at least one top-receiving opening (A1-A8). The article top engaging device comprises at least four engaging members (T1-T6). The at least four engaging members comprise at least one pair of diametrically opposed engaging members. At least one of the at least four engaging members (T1, T5) is hingedly connected to the article carrier by a linear fold line (21). At least two of the at least four engaging members (T2, T4, T6, T8) are hingedly connected to the article carrier by a respective nonlinear fold line (46a/46b).

Aspects of the invention relate to an expandable carton (90) which can be opened from a closed state having a first capacity, into an opened state having a second, greater capacity such that ice or other additional articles can be loaded into the expanded carton along with the original articles housed therein. The carton (90) comprises: a top wall (12), a bottom wall (16), a first side wall (14), and a second side wall (18) hingedly connected to one another to form a tubular structure. The carton (90) additionally comprises a first end wall (22a, 24a, 26a, 28a) and a second end wall (22b, 24b, 26b, 28b), each of said end walls (22a, 24a, 26a, 28a; 22b, 24b, 26b, 28b) for enclosing an open end of the tubular structure of the carton.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a package, an article carrier for packaging a plurality of articles and to a blank for forming the article carrier. The article carrier may package at least one article having a recess. The article carrier comprises a plurality of panels for forming a tubular structure for surrounding at least one article. The article carrier comprises an article retention device for engaging a recess of one of said at least one article. The article retention device may inhibit dislodgement of the article from at least one of opposite open ends of the tubular structure in a setup carrier. The tubular structure defines a tubular axis. The article retention device comprises a flap hingedly connected to a first one of the plurality of panels along a first fold line. The first fold line extends at an acute angle with respect to the tubular axis. The acute angle may be no more than 50 degrees.

A carton includes primary panels (12, 14, 16, 18) hingedly interconnected to form a tubular structure and an end closure structure (1). The primary panels include a first wall panel (12) and a second wall panel (14). The end closure structure includes a first end flap (22b) connected to the first wall panel and a second end flap (24b) connected to the second wall panel. The first end flap includes two arm portions (52, 54) each hingedly connected to the first wall panel, and a bridging portion (50) extending between the arm portions. The two arm portions are spaced apart from each other such that a display window (56) is defined between the two arm portions and that one or more containers (A) in the carton are exposed to view through the display window.

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.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to article carriers (90) for forming a package and blanks (10; 110; 210; 310) for forming the article carriers (90). The blank (10; 110; 210; 310) comprises at least one panel (12; 112; 212; 312) having at least four article receiving openings (RT1). The at least one panel (12; 112; 212; 312) comprises a handle feature. The at least article receiving openings (RT1) are arranged in two rows. The handle feature comprises at least one handle opening (Ha1, Ha2, Ha3) located at a centre (C) of the at least four article receiving openings (RT1). The at least one handle opening (Ha1, Ha2, Ha3) is defined at least in part by a pair of first tabs (16, 18; 140, 142; 216, 218; 340, 342, 370, 372, 374, 376) hingedly connected to the at least one panel (12; 112; 212; 312) by a pair of first divergent fold lines (17, 19; 141, 143; 341, 343, 373a, 373b, 375a, 375b) respectively. Each of the first tabs (16, 18; 140, 142; 216, 218; 340, 342, 370, 372, 374, 376) comprises a height dimension (H1) extending between the respective first fold line (17, 19; 141, 143; 341, 343, 373a, 373b, 375a, 375b) and a free end of that first tab (16, 18; 140, 142; 216, 218; 340, 342, 370, 372, 374, 376). The height dimension (H1) may be equal to or greater than a distance (He) between the centre (C) and each of the first fold lines (17, 19; 141, 143; 341, 343, 373a, 373b, 375a, 375b).

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a plurality of panels forming a front portion, a back portion, and a central portion extending from the front portion to the back portion, the front portion having a front attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, the back portion having a back attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, the central portion having a central panel, and locking features for maintaining an erected configuration of the carrier, the locking features including at least one male locking feature extending from a respective panel of the plurality of panels and being at least partially received in a respective at least one female locking feature at least partially defined in a respective panel of the plurality of panels.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers. The carrier can comprise a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carrier. The plurality of panels can comprise at least a front panel and a central panel. The interior of the carrier can be divided into a front portion and a back portion by at least the central panel. A divider flap can be foldably connected to the central panel. The divider flap can extend at least partially from the central panel to the front panel. An attachment feature can comprise a hinge panel and an attachment tab. The hinge panel can be foldably connected to the divider flap along a first fold line, and the attachment tab can be foldably connected to the hinge panel along a second fold line. The attachment tab and the front panel can at least partially overlap one another.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a package, a carton, and a blank for forming the carton. An aspect of the invention provides a carton comprising a plurality of primary panels defining an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises a first primary panel and a second primary panel hingedly connected to the first primary panel along a first fold line. The carton comprises a plurality of end closure panels including first and second end closure panels hingedly connected respectively to the first and second primary panels. The first end closure panel is hingedly connected to the first primary panel along a second fold line and to the second end closure panel. The second fold line is disposed obliquely to the first fold line.

A carrier for holding one or more products. The carrier can comprise a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carrier, the plurality of panels comprising at least a front panel and a side panel. A central panel can at least partially divide the interior of the carrier into a front portion and a back portion. The side panel can extend at least partially from the front panel to the central panel. A lid can at least partially close a top of the carrier.