US 4,382,536 AGranted

Foam egg carton

AssigneeDolco Packaging Corporation

InventorWayne L. Congleton

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An egg carton made from expanded polystyrene with a nonexpanded skin on one side includes integrally formed cover and tray portions interconnected together by a pair of hinges adjacent opposite sides of a hingeband. The tray is divided into a plurality of cells by a plurality of partitions. At least some of the partitions have a top flap portion hinged to the top of the partition by the skin of the polystyrene. Each cell further has a pliant inside surface provided by one or more grooves in the interior cell walls. A post extending from the inside surface of the cover is formed opposite a tray support surface using a thermo molding method by which a protrusion in a top mold is inserted into a nonvented cavity of a bottom mold. A pair of integrally molded hinge posts extend above the hingeband a distance less than the width of the hingeband between hinges and seat into a groove in the hingeband when the top is in closure relationship to the tray.

A one-piece carton, integrally molded from a sheet of polystyrene material having an expanded foam layer and an integrally formed non-expanded polystyrene skin on one side of the foam layer for storing and shipping eggs comprising:

a bottom tray and a cover, each having a base and front, rear and end walls, interconnected to one another and to the base so that each forms an open substantially box-like structure;
hinge means connecting the tray and the cover along the top edges of the respective rear walls thereof;
egg-separating members in the interior of the tray comprising:
at least one longitudinal partition member, having a pair of contoured diverging longitudinal walls extending downwardly toward the tray base and located between the end walls of the tray, and
a plurality of transverse partition members, each with a pair of contoured diverging transverse walls extending downwardly toward the tray base, located between the front and rear walls of the tray and intersecting the longitudinal partition member for defining a plurality of cells in the tray, each cell having a concave egg contacting inner side wall extending upwardly from the tray base and defined by at least one section of one of the longitudinal walls and at least one section of one of the transverse walls intersecting the one longitudinal wall section, each intersection between one of the transverse walls and one of the longitudinal walls defining a concave transition region of the inner side wall, each contoured inner side wall of each cell being dimensioned to house therein a major portion of an egg in contacting relationship thereto said egg contacting inner side wall having at least one vertical concave expansion groove impressed therein for enabling radially outward displacement of said egg contacting side wall about its circumference to enlarge the circumference of the egg cell as an egg is inserted therein, whereby said egg cell can receive variably sized eggs.

2 more elements

Facts

Application

06/235,203Filed 17 Feb 1981

Granted

10 May 1983

Term ends

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Classification7 codes

B29C 53/06
Of plates or sheets: forming folding lines by pressing or scoring
B65D 85/324
For eggs: containers with compartments made of pressed material
B29C 37/0057
Moulding articles characterised by the shape of the surface, e.g. ribs, high polish: moulding single grooves or ribs, e.g. tear lines
B29L 2031/7168
Boxes, cartons, cases: egg-cartons

Abstract

Claims11