Packaging tray and method of manufacture
AssigneeTekni-Plex, Inc.
InventorsBabu Kuruvilla, Joe Labadie, Roger Lichtle, Mark A. Bergeron, Rafael Rivera, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Thermoplastic packaging trays are provided that are filled with a product and wrapped in film, and methods of producing the tray with a peripheral edge region that avoids tearing of the overwrap film. In various embodiments, the tray has a beaded, a flat, or a combined beaded and flat peripheral edge.
Claims18
A method of producing a plastic packaging tray, the tray having a cold compressed flat peripheral edge region comprising a fold line at its outermost periphery and mating engaged upper and lower flange surfaces disposed inwardly from the outermost periphery of the tray and terminating in a terminal edge that is displaced out of a wrap path around the tray, the method comprising:
- providing a thermoformed plastic intermediate article having a thermoformed peripheral flange terminating in a terminal edge, the thermoformed peripheral flange of the intermediate article having opposing upper and lower flange surfaces, and forming an open bead disposed at an outermost periphery of the thermoformed article and a distal tail leg extending between the open bead and the terminal edge;
- cold pressing the peripheral flange of the thermoformed intermediate article by bringing an appropriately configured compressing tool into engagement with the terminal edge to displace the terminal edge, the compressing tool engaging the terminal edge of the leg to compress the open bead and distal tail leg and form a cold compressed flat peripheral edge region comprising a fold line at the outmost periphery and mating engaged upper and lower flange surfaces disposed inwardly from the outermost periphery of the tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.