Multi-Component Product Container With Reclosable Top

• US 20090314415A1
• Filed: 08/03/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arrow innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Arrow innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Lay, Dieter F., Gross, Richard A., Fox, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,137,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/69
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/1673 injecting the first layer, then feeding the insert, then injecting the second layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1671 with an insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/00 Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3612 comprising fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/362 comprising at least a single wire, e.g. in the form of a winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3644 being a ribbon, band or strip
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3676 being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3684 being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5432 joining hollow covers and hollow bottoms to open ends of container bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72343 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/08 Polymers of acrylic acid esters, e.g. PMA, i.e. polymethylacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 : Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/16 : Fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2305/00 : Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/00 : Use of elements other than metals as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/565 : for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 11/02 : of curved cross-section thermally insulated B65D81/3813
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/12 : Closures secured by soldering, welding, or otherwise uniting opposed surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/28 : at lines or points of weakness
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/502 : applied to the external part of the container wall only
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/506 : Rigid or semi-rigid members, e.g. plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/02 : Removable lids or covers with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/08 : having articulated or hinged closures B65D55/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A container provides sealed storage for contents. The container includes a composite top member formed of a panel and a frame. The panel includes an opening for providing access to the contents of the package. The frame includes a closure member that is molded in an open position, and which can be moved to a closed position for closing the opening in the panel. The container is formed of a container body in the form of a tubular member formed to a desired shape. The container body is closed using the top member that closes a top opening of the container body, and a bottom member that closes a bottom opening of the container body.

Claims

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12. A method for manufacturing a reclosable top for a container, comprising the acts of:

providing a panel member having an opening;

molding a frame section onto the panel member, wherein the frame section is configured to enable the top to be secured to a container body having a top opening;

molding a movable closure member onto the panel member, wherein the movable closure member is interconnected with the top member so as to be movable between an open position for exposing the panel opening, and a closed position in which the movable closure member overlies and closes the panel opening, wherein the movable closure member is molded onto the panel member in the open position; and

closing the top opening of the panel member with a removable seal member separate from the movable closure member.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the acts of molding the frame section and molding the movable closure member onto the panel member are carried out simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the acts of molding the frame section and molding the movable closure member are carried out such that a portion of the frame section and a portion of the movable closure member are formed integrally with each other.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the act of molding the frame section includes molding a peripheral lip that surrounds the opening in the panel member.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the act of molding the movable closure member is carried out so as to form a hinge section integrally with the movable closure member, wherein the hinge section is configured to provide movement of the closure member between the open and closed positions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the act of molding the movable closure member is carried out by molding material of the frame section and the closure member over an upward protrusion in the panel member, wherein the upward protrusion forms an area of reduced thickness between the frame section and the closure member that forms the hinge section.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of molding the frame section is carried out by molding the frame section about a fusible ring, and further comprising the act of securing the top member to a container body having an upper opening by bonding the top member to an upper edge of the container body using the fusion ring.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of molding the closure member is carried out so that at least a portion of the closure member overlies the panel member adjacent the opening, and further comprising the act of providing release means between the panel member and the portion of the closure member that overlies the panel member for preventing adherence of the panel member to the closure member.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the panel member is defines a recess at a location spaced from the opening, and wherein the step of molding the closure member is carried out so as to form a tab member that overlies the recess, wherein the recess facilitates manual engagement with the tab member to enable a user to grasp the tab member to move the closure member between the open and closed positions.

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42. A method of making a container, comprising the acts of:

providing a container body having an interior and including an upper edge defining an upper opening and a lower edge defining a lower opening;

bonding a top member to the upper edge to enclose the upper opening, wherein the top member includes a top member opening to provide access to the interior of the container body; and

bonding a bottom member bonded to the lower edge to enclose the lower opening.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the top member includes a panel and wherein the top member opening comprises an opening in the panel, and wherein the top member further includes a frame adapted for use in securing the top member to the upper edge defined by the container body, wherein the s frame includes a peripheral outer area and wherein the panel member is located inwardly of the peripheral outer area, and wherein the act of bonding the top member to the upper edge to enclose the upper opening is carried out by bonding the peripheral outer area of the frame to the upper edge of the container body.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the act of providing a movable closure member carried by the top member, wherein the movable closure member is interconnected with the top member so as to provide movement of the closure member between an open position for exposing the panel opening, and a closed position in which the movable closure member overlies and closes the panel opening.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein acts of bonding the top member and bonding the bottom member to the upper and lower edges of the container body, respectively, are carried out using top and bottom fusion members carried by the top and bottom members, respectively, wherein the top and bottom fusion members are operable to bond with the upper edge and the lower edge, respectively, of the container body.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein each fusion member is contained within a channel defined by one of the top and bottom members, wherein the channel defined by the top member is configured to receive the upper edge of the container body and wherein the channel defined by the bottom member is configured to receive the lower edge of the container body.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the acts of bonding the top and bottom members to the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the container is carried out by forming each fusion member of an electromagnetically responsive polymeric material, and subjecting each fusion member to non-contact application of an electromagnetic field that heats the material of the fusion member to cause the fusion member to bond with the edge of the container body.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein the act of providing the container body is carried out by providing the container body in the form of a tubular member formed of deformable material.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising the act of forming the tubular member with a contoured wall that is shaped in a forming operation carried out prior to bonding the top member and the bottom member to the container body, wherein the forming operation includes placing the tubular member in a mold having a contoured interior, sealing the top and bottom openings of the tubular member and subjecting the wall of the tubular member to an outward force, wherein the outward force applied to the wall of the tubular member causes the wall of the tubular member to contact and conform to the contoured interior of the mold to form the contoured wall of the tubular member.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the acts of sealing the top and bottom openings of the tubular member are carried out by engaging top and bottom seal members with the top and bottom edges of the container body, respectively, and wherein the act of subjecting the interior of the tubular member to internal pressure is carried out by applying a pressurized gas to the interior of the tubular member through one of the top and bottom seal members.

51. The method of claim 42, wherein the act of providing the container body is carried out by providing the container body in the form of a tubular member having side wall structure defining one or more void areas to provide a thermal insulation feature to the container.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the act of providing a container body is carried out by providing a container body having an inner wall, an outer wall spaced from the inner wall, and a series of ribs that extend between and interconnect the inner and outer walls, wherein the one or more void areas of the side wall arrangement are defined by the inner wall, the outer wall and the ribs.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the act of providing a container body is carried out by providing an extrusion member that is formed to include a side wall having an open top and an open bottom through which the void areas are exposed, and further comprising the act of closing the open top and the open bottom of the side wall to seal the void areas, wherein the closed top and the closed bottom of the side wall define an upper rim and a lower rim, respectively, that enclose the void areas.

54. A method of making a container, comprising the acts of:

forming a container body by placing a deformable tubular member within a mold having one or more interior surfaces;

sealing the ends of the tubular member, and applying pressure to the interior of the tubular member to move the walls of the tubular member into contact with the one or more interior surfaces of the mold;

bonding a first end member to a first end of the container body, wherein the first end member includes a sealed opening; and

bonding a second end member to a second end of the container body.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the act of forming the container body is carried out by engaging first and second end seal members with the ends of the tubular member while the tubular member is contained within the mold, and applying fluid pressure to the interior of the tubular member through one of the first and second end seal members.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the act of bonding one of the first and second end members to the container body is carried out prior to forming the container body by placing the deformable tubular member within the mold, wherein the end member seals one of the ends of the tubular member and wherein the other end of the tubular member is sealed by one of the first and second end seal members.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the acts of bonding the first and second end members to the first and second ends, respectively, of the container body are carried out by embedding a peripheral fusion member within each of the first and second end members, wherein each fusion member is formed of an electromagnetically responsive material;

engaging the first and second ends of the tubular member with the first and second end members, respectively, such that each end of the tubular member is located adjacent the fusion member of one of the end members; and

subjecting the first and second end members to an electromagnetic field, wherein the electromagnetically responsive material of the fusion members is heated in response to the electromagnetic field to bond the first and second ends, respectively, of the tubular member to the material of the first and second end members, respectively.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the act of embedding the fusion member within each of the first and second end members is carried out by insert molding the fusion member into a peripheral edge portion of each end member.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the act of insert molding the fusion member into the peripheral edge portion of each end member is carried out simultaneously with insert molding a sealing panel member into the peripheral edge portion of each end member.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the fusion member defines one or more lateral passages, wherein the act of insert molding the fusion member into the peripheral edge portion of the end member includes injecting moldable material about the fusion member, wherein the lateral passages of the fusion member enable the moldable material to flow through the fusion member.

61. The method of claim 58, further comprising the act of providing one of the first and second end members with a sealing panel having an opening, wherein the opening is closed by a removable seal member.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the sealing panel includes a movable closure member carried by the end member, wherein the closure member is movable between an open position in which the opening of the sealing panel member is exposed, and a closed position in which the closure member overlies and closes the opening of the sealing panel member.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the movable closure member is formed in an insert molding operation along with the peripheral edge portion of the end member, wherein the movable closure member is formed in the open position.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the movable closure member in the open position overlies a portion of the sealing panel, and further comprising the act of placing a release composition between the movable closure member and the sealing panel to prevent adherence of the movable closure member to the sealing panel during molding of the movable closure member.

65. The method of claim 58, wherein the act of insert molding the fusion member into a peripheral edge portion of each end member is carried out by forming the peripheral edge portion of each end member with a channel and locating the fusion member such that the fusion member is adjacent the inner end defined by the channel, and wherein an end of the container body is engaged within the channel.

66. The method of claim 54, wherein the act of forming the container body is carried out by positioning a pliable tubular member between a series of opposed pairs of moving mold sections, and moving the mold sections together onto the pliable tubular member while advancing the mold sections along with the pliable tubular member.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising the act of positioning an internal mandrel within the pliable tubular member, and moving the pairs of mold sections together toward the internal mandrel onto the pliable tubular member to form the container body.