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US 4,915,251 AGranted
Snaplock thermoformed container
AssigneeDolco Packaging Corporation
InventorJoe R. Payne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermoformed plastic carton constructed from two half sections which are integrally connected along one side by a hingable joint to allow the half sections to be folded upon each other. The carton further includes resiliently deflectable latches extending up from an edge of one carton half which mate with and become lodged in a receptacle formed in the other carton half section when the carton half sections are folded one upon another.
Claims20
A thermoplastic carton comprising::
- a cover section and a base section which are integrally connected by a hingable joint along a common side, said cover section and base section having a top wall and floor wall, respectively, each of said walls facing upward when said sections are in a fully open, side-by-side position, one of said sections being formed with at least one hook-shaped latch means which is resiliently movable in two opposing directions, said latch means having an extending portion which extends up from and is integral with a side edge of said section when said carton is in the fully open position, a jutting head which extends downward in the fully open position and a curved portion integrally connecting said extending portion and said jutting head, said other of said sections including at least one receptacle formed to receive said jutting head of said latch means when said jutting head is brought into engagement therewith, said latch means being formed to cam against and along a camming surface of said other section as said sections are folded upon one another whereby said latch means is moved in a first opposing direction away from said other section, and wherein said latch means will move in a second opposite direction when said jutting head reaches said receptacle upon which said jutting head becomes lodged in said receptacle.
A thermoformed thermoplastic carton comprising:
- a cover and base section which are each a substantially box-like structure having one open side, said cover and base being integrally connected along a common side with a hingable joint to allow said sections to be folded upn one another;
- at least two resiliently deflectable latches extending independently up from an edge of a side of said cover section positioned opposite said hingable joint, each of said latches having a jutting head positioned along said latch away from said edge of said side of said cover section;
- at least two receptacles formed in a side of said base section opposite said hingable joint which are each dimensioned and positioned to receive a jutting head of a properly aligned one of said latch means when said sections are folded upon one another;
- and
- release means associated with each of said latch means which are independently operable to dislodge said jutting head from said receptacle.
2 more elements
A thermoplastic carton comprising:
- a cover section and a base section each having inside portions which face each other when said sections are in a fully closed position;
- one of said sections being formed with at least one latch means which extends from said section in a first direction towards said other section when the sections are in the fully closed position;
- each of said latch means having a jutting head protruding in a second direction lateral to said first direction and having a thickness measured along said first direction greater than the thickness of the thermoplastic carton;
- and
- said other of said sections including at least one receptacle formed to receive said respective jutting head of said latch means when said jutting head is brought into engagement therewith.
2 more elements
A thermoplastic carton comprising:
- a cover section and a base section each having inside portions which face each other when said sections are in a fully closed position;
- one of said sections being formed wiith an outwardly extending rim, a portion of said rim being partially severed and molded to form a latch means which extends from said section in a first direction towards said other section when the two sections are in the fully closed position;
- each of said latch means having a jutting head protruding in a second direction lateral to said first direction and having a thickness measured along said first direction greater than the thickness of the thermoplastic carton;
- and
- said other of said sections having an outwardly extending peripheral shirt for receiving said rim when said sections are in the fully closed position and a receptacle formed to receive said jutting head of said latch means when said jutting head is brought into engagement therewith.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.