Plastic corrugated container with improved fold lines and method and apparatus for making same

• US 8,864,017 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orbis Corporation (Menasha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Orbis Corporation (Menasha Corporation)
• Inventors: McMahon, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Larson, Justin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, PHILLIP D
• Application Number:
  US13/273,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20130092726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 229/198.2, 229/126, 229/930, 428/172, 428/34.2, 428/182, 264/138, 220/62.18, 220/62.11, 220/62.22, 220/62, 220/612
• US Class Current: 229/198.2
• 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 reusable plastic container, the container comprising:

a plastic container body having opposing side panels and opposing end panels;

the container body having 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 having 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; and

the top and bottom side panel flaps each defined with respect to the side panels by a fold line, each of the fold lines including at least a first scored portion and a separate at least a first welded portion, wherein the scored and welded portions alternate along a continuous section of the fold line.

2. The reusable plastic container of claim 1 further comprising the top and bottom end panel flaps each defined with respect to the end panels by a fold line, each of the fold lines including a first scored portion and a separate first welded portion.

3. The reusable plastic container of claim 1 wherein the plastic container body and the top and bottom side and end panel flaps are formed from a plastic corrugated blank.

4. The reusable plastic container of claim 1 wherein at least one fold line includes more than one scored portion.

5. The reusable plastic container of claim 1 wherein at least one fold line includes more than one welded portion.

6. The reusable plastic container of claim 1 wherein at least one fold line includes a scored portion located at each of the first and second ends of the side panels.

7. The reusable plastic container of claim 2 wherein at least one fold line includes a scored portion located at each of the first and second ends of the end panels.

8. The reusable plastic container of claim 1 wherein the plastic container body and the top and bottom side and end panel flaps are formed from a plastic corrugated blank, and the first scored portion is formed by crushing the blank.

9. The reusable plastic container of claim 1 wherein the first scored portion includes serrations.

10. The reusable plastic container of claim 1 wherein the plastic container body and the top and bottom side and end panel flaps are formed from a plastic corrugated blank, the blank having first and second layers, and the separate first welded portion is formed by welding such that the first and second layers are welded together.

11. A reusable plastic container comprising:

a plastic container body having a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall;

a first panel connected to the first side wall by a first fold line, the first fold line having at least a first scored portion and a separate at least a first welded portion;

wherein the scored and welded portions alternate along a continuous section of the fold line.

12. The container of claim 11 further comprising a second scored portion in the first fold line.

13. The container of claim 11 further comprising a separate second welded portion in the first fold line.

14. The container of claim 11 wherein the container body further comprises a first bottom flap connected to the first side wall by a second fold line, the second fold line having a first scored portion and a separate first welded portion.

15. The container of claim 11 wherein the container body is formed from a single sheet of corrugated plastic.

16. The container of claim 11 wherein a first edge of the sheet includes a smooth rounded edge.

17. The container of claim 11 wherein each of the second side wall, first end wall and second end wall include a top flap connected by a fold line and a bottom flap connected by a fold line.

18. The container of claim 17 wherein each of the fold lines connecting the top flaps and bottom flaps to the second side wall, first end wall, and second end wall have a first scored portion and a separate first welded portion.

19. The container of claim 18 wherein each of the fold lines connecting the top flaps and bottom flaps to the second side wall, first end wall, and second end wall have a second scored portion and a separate second welded portion.