Locking means for display package

• US 4,512,474 A
• Filed: 12/08/1983
• Issued: 04/23/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc. (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc. (Howmet Aerospace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harding, LeRoy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ehrhardt, Brenda J.
• Application Number:
  US06/559,417
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 206/461, 206/462, 206/463, 206/467, 206/470, 206/471, 220/4 E, 220/306, 229/2.5 R
• US Class Current: 206/461
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/225 the sheet or blank comprising more than one fold line B65D75/245 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved locking means for display packages of the vacuum-formed type having a first section closable onto a second section to hold articles in an interior chamber formed therebetween and means for locking the sections in the closed position. The improvement comprises locking means having snap-engaging male and female portions. The male portion is formed integrally with the first section and has a negative or zero draft sidewall that terminates in an outwardly projecting widened collar at its crown. A female portion is formed integrally with the second section and has a zero draft sidewall having a narrowed rim around its receiving opening. The widened collar resiliently snap-engages with said narrowed rim at spaced-apart contact points therebetween. The improved locking means is capable of releasably locking a display package in the closed position.

Claims

1. An improvement for plastic packages of the vacuum-formed type having a first package section closable with a second package section and having means for fastening the sections in a closed position, the improvement comprises locking means having at least one set of resiliently engageable male and female portions respectively integrally formed with said package sections, said male portion having a generally cylindrical side wall, said female portion having a side wall which is polygonal in cross section, the side walls of both said portions having non-positive draft, said male and female portions including engagement means adapted to resiliently contact each other during engagement at spaced-apart points.

2. The improvement as in claim 1 wherein the engagement means comprises a widened collar of the male portion and a narrowed rim of the female portion, whereby the collar is snap-engageable with said rim.

3. The improvement as in claim 2 wherein central axes of the male and female portions are co-axial at engagement and wherein the female portion sidewall defines a recess having a size to accommodate the collar of the male portion therein.

4. The improvement as in claim 1 wherein the portions of each said set of locking means resiliently contact at symmetrically spaced-apart points.

5. The improvement as in claim 1 wherein the package sections are joined at hinge means therebetween facilitating pivoting to the closed position.

6. The improvement as in claim 1 wherein the female portion is square in cross section.

7. In a package of the type made by vacuum forming synthetic resin thermoplastic material into a pair of sections adapted to close one upon the other in order to retain an object in a chamber formed therebetween, and having fastening means for securing the sections together, the improvement wherein said fastening means comprise resiliently engaging male and female portions respectively integrally formed with said package sections, said male and female portions each having a continuous side wall formed with non-positive draft, the male portion being circular in cross section and the female portion being polygonal in cross section, the height of the male portion side wall being no greater than the depth of the female portion side wall, and said male and female portions including resiliently engageable means providing spaced-apart snap-engaging contact points.

8. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein at snap-engagement central axes of the male and female portions are co-axial.

9. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the sidewall of the male portion is integrally formed with a generally flat top crown and an outwardly extending widened collar forming a transition of the crown to the sidewall, and the female portion sidewall having an inwardly extending narrowed rim forming a transition to the the package section from which formed, wherein said widened collar and narrowed rim comprise said resiliently engageable means.

10. The improvement as in claim 9 wherein the snap-engaging contact is made between said widened collar and narrowed rim during engaging and wherein contact points therebetween are evenly spaced apart.

11. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the package sections are formed from synthetic resin thermoplastic having a thickness of from about 23 gauge to about 27 gauge.

12. The improvement as in claim 7 wherein the female portion is square in cross section.