US 10,308,396 B2Granted

Method of producing a packaging container with a closure and release mechanism

OwnerJay Baker, Jessup Bakerinventors

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for manufacturing a container with a closure-release mechanism. The process in particular relates to thermoforming a plastic sheet to form a container with a clam shell locking system in order to facilitate a secure closure and easy opening packaging container. The clam shell locking arrangement comprises a post which is secured in an aperture when the container is in closed state. The post is a projection or protrusion in a vertical or nearly vertical sidewall of the cover of the thermoformed package and fits securely into the aperture, which is a cut-out made in the outer, and optionally also the inner, wall segments of the vertical or nearly vertical surfaces of the base section of the thermoplastic containers.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method for thermoforming a packaging container having a base section and a cover section connected by a hinged portion, said packaging container having a closure and release mechanism including an inner aperture formed within an inner wall segment of a base section and an outer aperture formed within an outer wall segment of the base section aligned with the inner aperture, a projection extending inwardly from a side wall portion of the cover section for engaging at least the outer aperture of the base section, said closure and release mechanism retaining the cover section over the base section and securing the packaging container in a closed position and wherein the projection is released from the outer aperture by depressing a deformable flange and applying inward force to the outer wall segment of the base section, thereby opening the packaging container, said method comprising:

A. heating a sheet of thermoplastic material to form a heated flexible sheet;
B. transferring the heated flexible sheet to a mold having:
a pre-formed shape of a base section having a bottom surface and spaced apart inner and outer wall segments, said outer wall segment having a depression formed therein,
a pre-formed shape of a cover section having a top surface and a side wall portion with an inwardly protruding section formed therein, and
a channel positioned between the base section and the cover section for forming a hinge joint of the packaging container;
C. forming a projection in the cover section of the packaging container by
actuating a pin assembly including a spring and a pin, wherein an inlet of pressurized air compresses the spring to move the pin out of the pin assembly to an extended position into the heated flexible sheet to form the projection in the heated flexible sheet and the release of pressurized air causes the spring to return and retract the pin into the pin assembly;
cooling the heated flexible sheet to form a cooled shaped sheet that is rigid enough to be removed from the mold without losing the shape of the mold;
retracting the pin into the pin assembly and removing the cooled shaped sheet from the mold;
and
D. positioning the cooled shaped sheet to a punching station and actuating a lever arm to drive to punch the inner and outer apertures in the inner and outer wall segments of the base section.

8 more elements

In a method for thermoforming a packaging container having a base section and a cover section connected by a hinged portion, said packaging container having a closure and release mechanism including an inner aperture formed within an inner wall segment of a base section and an outer aperture formed within an outer wall segment of the base section aligned with the inner aperture, a projection extending inwardly from a side wall portion of the cover section for engaging at least the outer aperture of the base section, said closure and release mechanism retaining the cover section over the base section and securing the packaging container in a closed position and wherein the projection is released from the outer aperture by depressing a deformable flange and applying inward force to the outer wall segment of the base section, thereby opening the packaging container, a method of forming said closure and release mechanism comprising:

forming a projection in the cover section of the packaging container by actuating a pin assembly including a spring and a pin, wherein an inlet of pressurized air compresses the spring to move the pin out of the pin assembly to an extended position into a heated flexible sheet to form the projection in the heated flexible sheet and the release of pressurized air causes the spring to return and retract the pin into the pin assembly;
cooling the heated flexible sheet to form a cooled shaped sheet that is rigid enough to be removed from the mold without losing the shape of the mold;
retracting the pin into the pin assembly and removing the cooled shaped sheet from the mold;
and
positioning the cooled shaped sheet to a punching station and actuating a lever arm to drive to punch the inner and outer apertures in the inner and outer wall segments of the base section.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/943,405Filed 2 Apr 2018 · continuation in part
Priority: 15 Mar 2013
Published: US 2018/0222633 A19 Aug 2018
Granted: 4 Jun 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

B65D 25/10
Internal fittings: devices to locate articles in containers
B29C 51/00
Shaping by thermoforming , i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after
B29C 51/20
Thermoforming apparatus: having movable moulds or mould parts
B65D 1/34
Rigid or semi-rigid containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous…:…

Family

Application13/844,669Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Mar 2013
Application14/693,293Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Apr 2015
Application14/693,270Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Apr 2015
Application15/447,463Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 2 Mar 2017
Application15/484,074Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 10 Apr 2017
US 2018/0222633 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Aug 2018
US 9,932,156 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 9,932,154 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 9,617,036 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 9,617,039 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 9,045,256 B2Parent of this continuation
Application14/693,270Parent of this continuation
US 2014/0262878 A1Published application
US 2015/0225139 A1Published application
US 2015/0225140 A1Published application
US 2017/0210522 A1Published application
US 2017/0240320 A1Published application
US 10,308,396 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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