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US 4,615,464 AGranted
Molded container case with hinge and method for making same
AssigneeCustom-Pak, Inc.
InventorJames E. Byrns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeCustom-Pak, Inc.
InventorJames E. Byrns
Estimating the term…
A container case includes a cover, a base and a hinge which pivotally joins the cover and the base on a corresponding side of each. The cover, base and hinge are formed by blow molding. The cover and base are double-walled in construction and identical so that they can be formed from the same mold. Each of the cover and base includes cylindrically-shaped, hollow extensions which form portions of the hinge. When the case is assembled, alternate hinge portions of the cover and base are aligned end-to-end along a common axis and cooperatingly mate to form the full hinge. The hinge is drilled to form openings in the end surfaces of the mating hinge portions which communicate with the interior, hollow areas of the hinge portions to form a single bore through the entire axial length of the hinge. A polyethylene pin is received by the hinge bore to interlock the individual hinge portions. The container case is also provided with a slidable latch having a C-shaped polyethylene bracket which slides on rails or tracks formed on extensions of corresponding sides of the cover and base. The bracket is capable of sliding to overlap mating edge portions of the latch extensions to keep the container case closed.
A method for making a container case including a cover and a base, the cover having a substantially planar top wall and peripheral side walls extending from the top wall, the base having a substantially planar bottom wall and peripheral side walls extending from the bottom wall, each of the top wall, bottom wall, and peripheral side walls having an inner wall and an outer wall, each of the cover and the base having a plurality of separated hinge portions connected between the inner and the outer walls of a peripheral side wall, the inner and outer walls of the cover defining a first hollow space, the inner and outer walls of the base defining a second hollow space, comprising the steps of:
A container case including a cover and a base, the cover having a substantially planar top wall and peripheral side walls extending from the top wall, the base having a substantially planar bottom wall and peripheral side walls extending from the bottom wall, each of the top wall, bottom wall, and peripheral side walls having an inner wall and an outer wall, each of the cover and the base having a plurality of separated hinge portions connected between the inner and the outer walls of a peripheral side wall, the inner and outer walls of the cover defining a first hollow space, the inner and outer walls of the base defining a second hollow space, made by a process comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.