Plastic spice container and methods of manufacturing same
AssigneeJ.L. Clark, Inc.
InventorsEdward P. Cronin, George Solowiejko
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spice container and method of making same is provided. The spice container includes a plastic container body and a plastic lid ultrasonically welded to an open end of the container body. The method of making the spice container includes molding the container body from plastic as a one-piece construction. However, during molding, prior to cooling, the container body has a rectangular outer periphery proximate a closed end and an outer periphery at an opposite end having at least one side that bows radially outward. After molding and after cooling, the outer periphery proximate the opposite end has a generally rectangular shape as the bowed side cools and shrinks to a generally straight side.
Claims20
A plastic container comprising:
- a container body having a bottom and an annular sidewall extending from the bottom, the annular sidewall having an open end being opposite the bottom;
- and
- a container lid attached to the container body, the container lid being permanently attached to the container body such that removal of the lid requires damaging one of the container lid or the container body.
The plastic container of claim 3, wherein the annular sidewall includes a radially inward extending portion forming an axial undercut, the container lid having a cooperating radially outward extending structure.
The plastic container of claim 9, wherein the four sides are substantially planar and free of warping.
A method of forming a spice container having a container lid attached to a container body, the container body having a bottom and an annular sidewall extending from the bottom, the annular sidewall having a generally rectangular outer periphery defined by outer surfaces of a pair of parallel sides comprising the step(s) of:
- molding the container body from a plastic material including forming the bottom and the annular sidewall into a one-piece construction, during molding the annular sidewall defines a substantially rectangular outer periphery proximate the bottom and at least one side that is bowed outward proximate an end opposite the bottom;
- and
- wherein after the container body has been attached to the container lid, the end opposite the bottom has a generally rectangular outer periphery such that the bowed side is substantially straight.
A method of forming a spice container comprising the steps of:
- providing a plastic spice container body;
- providing a plastic spice container lid and placing the plastic spice container lid on the plastic spice container body;
- ultrasonically welding the plastic spice container body to the plastic spice container lid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.