Plastic corrugated container with sealed edges

• US 10,252,832 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orbis Corporation (Menasha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Menasha Corporation
• Inventors: McMahon, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Battisti, Derek J
• Application Number:
  US14/265,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20140231496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 2291982, 2291983
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/06 Forming folding lines by pressing or scoring
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/063 combined with folding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/305 involving the use of cartridge heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/21 said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/431 Joining the articles to themselves B29C66/4322 and B29C66/4332 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/723 being multi-layered B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7252 hollow-walled
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81422 being convex
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81423 being concave
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81425 being stepped, e.g. comprising a shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81427 comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81431 comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/91423 using joining tools having different temperature zones or using several joining tools with different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7162 Boxes, cartons, cases
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2301/20 made of plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0227 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by heat-sealing, by applying adhesive to the flaps or by staples
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/42 Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4266 : Folding lines, score lines, crease lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4279 : Joints, seams, leakproof joints or corners, special connections between panels B65D5/209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/403 : with at least one corrugated layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/80 : Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging bio-packaging Y02W90/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/93 : Fold detail

Abstract

A reusable plastic container is provided. The container includes a plastic container body having opposing side panels and opposing end panels. The container body also includes top side panel flaps attached to a top portion of each side panel, and bottom side panel flaps attached to a bottom portion of each side panel. The container body has top end panel flaps attached to a top portion of each end panel, and bottom end panel flaps attached to a bottom portion of each end panel. The top and bottom side panel flaps are each defined with respect to the side panels by a fold line. The fold lines including at least one scored portion and at least one welded portion.

Claims

1. A plastic corrugated container comprising:

a plurality of plastic corrugated panels forming a container body, each panel having a first planar layer, a second planar layer and a plurality of parallel flutes disposed therebetween extending from a first edge of the first planar layer and a first edge of the second planar layer at a first end of the panel to a second edge of the first planar layer and a second edge of the second planar layer at an opposing second end of the panel, wherein first edges of the plurality of flutes span from the first edge of the first planar layer to the first edge of the second planar layer and are perpendicular to the first planar layer and the second planar layer; and

a first smooth and arcuate sealed surface having a C-shape without inflexion and connecting the first planar layer and the second planar layer and having no core material, the surface having been formed from the first and second layers without fully melting any of the first planar layer and the second planar layer at the first edge of the first planar layer and the first edge of the second planar layer across the plurality of parallel flutes of at least one panel of the plurality of panels proximate the first end of the at least one panel.

2. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 further comprising a second sealed surface formed at a second edge across the plurality of parallel flutes of the at least one panel proximate the second end of the at least one wall panel.

3. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of panels are integrally connected.

4. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the at least one panel includes a lower bottom flap portion and wherein the first edge is part of the bottom flap portion.

5. The plastic corrugated container of claim 4 wherein the lower bottom flap portion is connected to a wall panel portion of the at least one panel by a fold line.

6. The plastic corrugated container of claim 5 wherein the at least one panel includes an upper top flap portion and wherein the second edge is part of the top flap portion.

7. The plastic corrugated container of claim 6 wherein the upper top flap portion is connected to the wall panel portion of the at least one panel by a fold line.

8. The plastic corrugated container of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of panels includes a lower bottom flap portion having a smooth sealed edge across the plurality of parallel flutes of each panel.

9. The plastic corrugated container of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of panels includes an upper top flap portion having a smooth sealed edge across the plurality of parallel flutes of each panel.

10. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein each of the panels has a thickness of approximately 2-10 mm.

11. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 includes approximately 67-100 flutes per foot.

12. A flap of a plastic corrugated container comprising:

a first planar plastic layer, a second planar plastic layer and a plurality of plastic flutes disposed therebetween, the plurality of plastic flutes extending to a first edge of the first planar plastic layer and a first edge of the second planar plastic layer, wherein first edges of the plurality of plastic flutes span from the first edge of the first planar plastic layer to the first edge of the second planar plastic layer and are perpendicular to the first planar plastic layer and the second planar plastic layer and wherein the first planar plastic layer, the second planar plastic layer and flutes extending from a first smooth and arcuate sealed surface across the plurality of plastic flutes to a fold line, the first smooth surface is formed from the first and second layers without fully melting any of the first planar plastic layer and the second planar plastic layer and the first smooth surface having a C-shape without inflexion and connecting the first planar layer and the second planar layer and having no core material.

13. The flap of claim 12 wherein the first smooth sealed edge is formed by contact with a heat sealing bar having a C-shaped cross-section across the plurality of plastic flutes.

14. The flap of claim 12 wherein the flap includes approximately 67-100 flutes per foot.

15. The flap of claim 12 wherein the flap forms a portion of a bottom of a rectangular box container.

16. The flap of claim 12 wherein the flap forms a portion of a top of a rectangular box container.