Container having single-cycle hinge and use thereof
AssigneeDe Ster NV
InventorsTerry Steven Bagwell, W. John Squire
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plastic container has a base and a lid hinged together by a hinge. The hinge has a series of relatively thick sections joined together by a series of relatively thin sections. The thin sections are sufficiently thin to be severed upon an initial folding of the hinge. The thick sections are sufficiently thick to remain at least partially intact during the initial folding. The container may be filled with product and closed with the hinge becoming partially severed and weakened and may be later opened with the hinge becoming completely severed to separate the base and the lid.
Claims19
A plastic container having a base and a lid hinged together by a hinge that has a series of relatively thick sections joined together by a series of relatively thin sections, said thin sections being sufficiently thin to be severed upon an initial folding of said hinge and said thick sections being sufficiently thick to remain at least partially intact during the initial folding whereby the container may be filled with product and closed with the hinge becoming partially severed and weakened and may be later opened with the hinge becoming completely severed to separate the base and the lid.
A method of packaging and unpackaging products which comprises the steps of placing a product in the base of an open plastic container having a lid and a base joined by a hinge that has a series of relatively thick sections joined together by a series of relatively thin sections, said thin sections being sufficiently thin to be severed upon an initial folding of said hinge and said thick sections being sufficiently thick to remain at least partially intact during the initial folding, closing the lid onto the base and partially fracturing the hinge, and subsequently re-opening the container and completely fracturing the hinge thereby providing access to the product in the base with the lid unattached.
A hinge formed in a sheet of thermoplastic material, said sheet having a base portion and a lid portion and said hinge having a series of relatively thick sections and a series of relatively thin sections, said thin sections being sufficiently thin to be severed upon an initial folding of said hinge and said thick sections being sufficiently thick to remain at least partially intact during the initial folding whereby the base portion may be folded upon the lid portion to partially sever and weaken the hinge and may be later unfolded to fracture the hinge and thereby separate the base portion of the sheet from the lid portion of the sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.