Plastic corrugated container with manufacturer's joint adding zero extra thickness

• US 9,555,918 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• 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): Demeree, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US14/265,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20140231497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 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: 1/1
• 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 sheet of corrugated plastic material having a first outer layer, a second outer layer and a plurality of flutes between the first outer layer and the second outer layer configured to include;

a first plastic corrugated end panel having a first side and a second side, a first plastic corrugated side panel connected on a first side to the second side of the first plastic corrugated end panel;

a second plastic corrugated end panel connected on a first side to a second side of the first plastic corrugated side panel, and a second plastic corrugated side panel connected at a first side to a second side of the second plastic corrugated end panel, wherein each of the first end panel, the first side panel, the second end panel and the second side panel have a first thickness;

a plastic corrugated tab extending from a second side of the second side panel, the first outer layer of the plastic corrugated tab welded to the second outer layer of the plastic corrugated tab to a thickness less than the first thickness, and a plastic corrugated edge portion at the first side of the first end panel, the first outer layer of the plastic corrugated edge portion welded to the second outer layer of the plastic corrugated edge portion to a thickness less than the first thickness, the plastic corrugated tab and plastic corrugated edge portion fastened together and collectively forming a joint having a second thickness that is not greater than the first thickness.

2. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the edge portion at the first side of the first end panel includes a cutout.

3. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the tab is glued to the edge portion at the first side of the first end panel.

4. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the first outer layer of the tab and the outer surface of the second outer layer of the edge portion at the first side of the first end panel are welded together.

5. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the tab extends a length of the second side panel.

6. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the first thickness is in the range of 2-10 mm.

7. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 further comprising a first bottom end flap connected to a bottom portion of the first end panel, and a second bottom end flap connected to a bottom portion of the second end panel.

8. The plastic corrugated container of claim 7 further comprising a first bottom side panel flap connected to a bottom portion of the first side panel and a second bottom side panel flap connected to a bottom portion of the second side panel.

9. The plastic corrugated container of claim 8 further comprising a first top end flap connected to a top portion of the first end panel, and a second top end flap connected to a top portion of the second end panel.

10. The plastic corrugated container of claim 9 further comprising a first top side panel flap connected to a top portion of the first side panel and a second top side panel flap connected to a top portion of the second side panel.

11. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the first end panel, first side panel, first end panel, second end panel are integrally connected.

12. The plastic corrugated container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of flutes is in the range of 67-100 flutes per foot.

13. A plastic corrugated container including a manufacturer'"'"'s joint comprising:

a plurality of plastic corrugated panels forming a container body, each panel having a first outer layer, a second outer layer and a plurality of flutes between the first outer layer and the second outer layer and each panel having a first initial thickness; and

,

a manufacturer'"'"'s joint connecting a first plastic corrugated panel of the plurality of plastic corrugated panels having the first outer layer of the first plastic corrugated panel welded to the second outer layer of the first plastic corrugated panel to a thickness less that the first initial thickness to a second plastic corrugated panel of the plurality of plastic corrugated panels having the first outer layer of the second plastic corrugated panel welded to the second outer layer of the second plastic corrugated panel to a thickness less than the initial thickness, the manufacturer'"'"'s joint having a second thickness not greater than the first thickness.

14. The plastic corrugated container of claim 13 wherein the plurality of plastic corrugated panels include a first end panel, a first side panel, a second end panel and a second side panel.

15. The plastic corrugated container of claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of plastic corrugated panels are formed from a single blank of material.

16. The plastic corrugated container of claim 15 wherein the first end panel is integrally connected to the first side panel by a first fold line, the first side panel is integrally connected to the second end panel by a second fold line and the second end panel is integrally connected to the second side panel by a third fold line.

17. The plastic corrugated container of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of bottom flaps, each bottom flap extending from one of a bottom portion of the first end panel, first side panel, second end panel and second side panel.

18. The plastic corrugated container of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of top flaps, each top flap extending from one of a top portion of the first end panel, first side panel, second end panel and second side panel.