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US 7,021,524 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for packing perishable foods
OwnerJohn W. Becker, Tomas Toroinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for packaging perishable goods comprises an inner insulating container that is quickly and easily formed from a flat sheet of metalized bubble pack material to a finished state that very closely approximates the size and dimensions of the carton. The constructed inner container can be quickly collapsed and reconstructed to improve the stackability and diminish the amount of space required to store the containers prior to use.
Claims50
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- and
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom, collapsible opposing first and second sidewalls and front and back walls, each constructed of a flexible insulating material having one metalized surface, said first and second sidewalls and said front and back walls forming an integral moisture proof seal with said bottom and each other;
- (b) an integral foldable first side flap extending above said first sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (c) an integral foldable second side flap extending above said second sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (d) an integral foldable front flap extending above said front wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said front flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (e) an integral foldable back flap extending above said back wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said back flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- and
- (f) a top formed from said first and second side flaps and said front and back flaps wherein said first and second flaps are folded and adjacent each other;
- wherein the height of said first and second sidewalls and said front and back walls is adjustable.
8 more elements
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- and
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom, a first and second collapsible opposing sidewalls extending from said bottom, each constructed of a flexible insulating material having one metalized outer surface, said first and second sidewalls forming an integral moisture proof seal with said bottom and each other;
- (b) an integral foldable first side flap extending above said first sidewall and having first and second side edges and a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (c) an integral foldable second side flap extending above said second sidewall and having first and second side edges and a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- and
- (d) a top formed from said first and second side flaps wherein said first;
- second side flaps are folded and adjacent each other;
- wherein said height of said first and second sidewalls and said first and second flaps is selectively adjustable and said first and second sidewalls are movable from a first open position substantially perpendicular to said bottom to a second folded position substantially parallel to said bottom of said inner container assembly.
7 more elements
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- and
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom, collapsible opposing first and second sidewalls and front and back walls, each constructed of first and second layers of flexible insulating material, having one metalized outer surface, said first and second sidewalls and said front and back walls forming an integral moisture proof seal with said bottom and each other;
- (b) an integral foldable first side flap extending above said first sidewall, said first side flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (c) an integral foldable second side flap extending above said second sidewall, said second side flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (d) an integral foldable front flap extending above said front wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said front flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (e) an integral foldable back flap extending above said back wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said back flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- and
- (f) a top formed from said first and second side flaps and said front and back flaps wherein said first and second side flaps are folded and adjacent each other;
- wherein said height of said first and second sidewalls, said front and back walls, said side flaps and said front and back flaps is selectively adjustable.
8 more elements
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom, collapsible opposing first and second sidewalls and front and back walls, each constructed of a flexible insulating material having one metalized surface, said first and second sidewalls and said front and back walls forming an integral moisture proof seal with said bottom and each other;
- (b) an integral foldable first side flap extending above said first sidewall and having opposing edges;
- (c) an integral foldable second side flap extending above said second sidewall and having opposing edges;
- (d) an integral foldable front flap extending above said front wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps;
- and
- (e) an integral foldable back flap extending above said back wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps;
- wherein the height of first and second sidewalls, said front and back walls and said first, second, front and back flaps is selectively adjustable between a first position that is greater than or substantially the same height as said outer container to a second position that is less than the height of said outer container;
- and
- a top formed from said first and second side flaps and said front and back flaps wherein said first and second side flaps are folded and adjacent each other.
8 more elements
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- and
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom and a collapsible sidewall extending upwardly from the entire periphery of said bottom and having a top edge, said bottom and said sidewall each constructed of a flexible insulating material having an outer metalized surface, said sidewall forming an integral moisture proof seal with and along said entire periphery of said bottom;
- (b) an integral first foldable side flap extending above said entire top edge of sidewall, said flap further having a substantially continuous height along its entire length;
- and
- (c) a top formed from said flap that completely closes said inner container;
- wherein the height of said sidewall and said flap is selectively adjustable.
5 more elements
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- and
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom, collapsible opposing first and second sidewalls and front and back walls, each constructed of a flexible insulating material having one metalized surface, said first and second sidewalls and said front and back walls forming an integral moisture proof seal with said bottom and each other;
- (b) an integral foldable first side flap extending above said first sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (c) an integral foldable second side flap extending above said second sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (d) an integral foldable front flap extending above said front wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said front flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (e) an integral foldable back flap extending above said back wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said back flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- and
- (f) a selectively reclosable top formed from said first and second side flaps and said front and back flaps wherein said first and second flaps are folded and adjacent each other.
7 more elements
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- and
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom, collapsible opposing first and second sidewalls and front and back walls, each constructed of a flexible insulating material having one metalized surface, said first and second sidewalls and said front and back walls forming an integral moisture proof seal with said bottom and each other;
- (b) an integral foldable first side flap extending above said first sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (c) an integral foldable second side flap extending above said second sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (d) an integral foldable front flap extending above said front wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said front flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (e) an integral foldable back flap extending above said back wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said back flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- and
- (f) a top formed from said first and second side flaps and said front and back flaps wherein said first and second flaps are folded and adjacent each other and said front and back flaps do not overlap each other;
- wherein said inner container is not adhered to said outer container when it is inserted therein.
8 more elements
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- and
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom, collapsible opposing first and second sidewalls and front and back walls, each constructed of a flexible insulating material having one metalized surface, said first and second sidewalls and said front and back walls forming an integral moisture proof seal with said bottom and each other;
- (b) an integral foldable first side flap extending above said first sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (c) an integral foldable second side flap extending above said second sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (d) an integral foldable front flap extending above said front wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said front flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (e) an integral foldable back flap extending above said back wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said back flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- and
- (f) a top formed from said first and second side flaps and said front and back flaps wherein said first and second flaps are folded and adjacent each other.
7 more elements
A container for perishable goods comprising:
- an outer container;
- and
- an inner container removably inserted in said outer container comprising:
- (a) a bottom, collapsible opposing first and second sidewalls and front and back walls, each constructed of a flexible insulating material having one metalized surface, said first and second sidewalls and said front and back walls forming an integral moisture proof seal with said bottom and each other;
- (b) an integral first foldable first side flap extending above said first sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (c) an integral foldable second side flap extending above said second sidewall and having opposing edges, said flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (d) an integral foldable front flap extending above said front wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said front flap comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- (e) an integral foldable back flap extending above said back wall and integral with the edges of both said first and second side flaps, said back flap further comprising a top edge that is substantially straight along its entire length;
- and
- (f) a top formed from said first and second side flaps and said front and back flaps wherein said first and second flaps are folded and adjacent each other;
- wherein said top is movable from a first open position to a second closed position and thereafter back to said first open position without forming a moisture proof seal at said top.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.