Pleated package having a reinforced central region with pre-expanded pleats

• US 5,988,492 A
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Solo Cup Operating Corporation (Robert Charles Dart)
• Original Assignee: Akiva Buchberg, Gilbert Capy
• Inventors: Buchberg, Akiva, Capy, Gilbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe, Stephen P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Tri M.
• Application Number:
  US08/973,010
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 229/122.34, 229/87.03, 229/87.02, 383/120
• US Class Current: 229/122.34
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/12 formed with crease lines to facilitate folding
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/28 Articles or materials wholly enclosed in composite wrappers, i.e. wrappers formed by associating or interconnecting two or more sheets or blanks

Abstract

A package made from a flexible pleated sheet with a central region reinforced by the addition of a second pleated sheet. Folding and unfolding is made easier by having a central area with semi-extended pleats with a side area having flattened pleats.

Claims

1. A package comprising:

a) an outer wrap made from a first pleated rectangular flexible sheet having opposing sides and a reinforced central region (2) and having a plurality of flutings having a plurality of fold lines at said reinforced central region (2) which are semi-extended and extend to the opposing sides of said first sheet, said opposing sides having flattened pleats; and

b) a second sheet having a plurality of flutings having a plurality of fold lines being semi-extended, said second sheet being secured along lines where the flutings come into contact with said first sheet wherein each flute of a plurality of flutes of the second sheet is in interposing overlapping engagement with a corresponding flute of the reinforced central region.

2. The package in accordance with claim 1 wherein upon expansion of the package, the reinforced central region has an annular shape with the flutings of the first sheet in a position parallel to and extending around the opposing sides of the first sheet to form a circle.

3. The package in accordance with claim 1 wherein the flutings of the reinforced central region are accordion-pleated and semi-extended and being prolonged at lateral regions in the form of recumbent folds, whereupon the expansion of the package causes the reinforced central region to form dihedrons (13) having a common edge.

4. The package in accordance with claim 3, wherein the flutings of the reinforced central region are flat pleats.