Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6666348
-
Patent Number
6,666,348
-
Date Filed
Friday, December 28, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 23, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Young; Lee
- Merek; Joseph C
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 220 421
- 220 324
- 220 326
- 220 784
- 220 786
- 220 788
- 220 671
- 220 676
- 220 608
- 220 623
- 220 913
- 220 315
- 220 323
- 220 670
- 220 674
- 220 675
- 220 669
- 220 797
- 220 798
- 292 44
- 292 50
- 292 285
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
The container assembly is adapted for high speed packaging of perishable items. The container is formed with ribbed walls to add rigidity to the structure. The reinforcing ribs are perforated to allow air to circulate through the packaged goods. The ribs are shaped to maintain the perforations open during stacking and shipping. The mouth of the container has a peripheral flange. The flange has integral hinged closures for securing a separate top.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to containers for perishable items such as fruit and vegetables and, in particular, to a container designed to facilitate high speed packaging and maintain packaged items in a protected, vented structure during shipping and storage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the more important aspects in the food industry is packaging of perishable items for delivery to market. The packaging must be accomplished with speed and must protect the packaged goods for a significant period of time for delivery. Saving man hours in packaging and reducing spoilage of perishable goods both contribute directly to profitability in the industry.
With regard to packaging of perishable items, the conventional method is to fill individual containers either by hand or mechanically. After the containers are filled a closure or top must be applied to the containers in such a manner that the closure or top will not be dislodged in normal shipping conditions. This application and sealing of the top or closure is a labor intensive operation.
With regard to the package itself, plastic materials have generally replaced the use of natural fibers and materials. The old baskets and sacks had both strength and porosity sufficient to maintain the integrity of the package and provide ventilation to the items inside. However, these older materials have been replaced, in large part, by plastic bags and plastic boxes. To provide adequate ventilation to the interior of the these molded or extruded plastic containers requires some form of perforation of the walls of the containers. The amount of perforation is restricted in these plastic containers because the perforations reduce the strength of the material. With a small number of perforations, the possibility of ventilation becoming blocked increases. Without proper ventilation, the perishable goods inside the package quickly become damaged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Disclosed is a container assembly adapted for high speed packaging of perishable items. The container is formed with perforate ribbed walls to add rigidity and allow air to circulate through the package. The ribs are shaped to maintain the perforations open during stacking and shipping. The mouth of the container has a peripheral flange. The flange has living or integral hinged closures for securing a separate top.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a container which may be filled and securely closed with a minimum amount of labor.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a plastic container with perforations providing adequate ventilation for perishable goods.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a container shaped to prevent the perforations from being closed during shipment.
Another object of the invention is to provide a the container with a mouth structure which permits high speed registration of a separate closure therewith.
It is a further object of invention to provide the mouth structure with hinged fasteners which may be mechanically closed to secure the closure to the container.
Objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1
is a perspective of one embodiment of the invention with a top in place;
FIG. 2
is a plan view of the bottom of the container;
FIG. 3
is a plan view showing the interior of the container;
FIG. 4
is a cross section of the hinge structure;
FIG. 5
is a plan view of one embodiment of a top;
FIG. 6
is a perspective showing the interior of another embodiment of the container with another top;
FIG. 7
is a perspective of the embodiment of
FIG. 6
with another top in place; and
FIG. 8
is a cross section on line
8
—
8
of FIG.
7
.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
shows a plan view of the container
10
with side walls
11
, end walls
13
and a separate top
12
. The container
10
has a bottom
25
shown in FIG.
2
. The container is made of any conventional plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl or the like. The container is self supporting in that it will stand alone when empty. The side walls and end walls of the container have reinforcing ribs
16
extending from the top to the bottom of the walls. The ribs curve around the bottom of the side walls and end walls and form supporting surfaces
26
for the container. The bottom
25
of the container is recessed within the confines of the supporting surfaces
26
.
The ribs
16
, shown in
FIGS. 1-3
, have a greater depth
27
toward to top of the container
11
and a lesser depth
28
toward the bottom. Each rib has a shoulder
17
tapering inwardly and downwardly. Each shoulder
17
contains an opening
18
. The opening
18
extends upwardly as a slit in the rib. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the slit terminates at
19
. The openings
18
provide ventilation to the interior of the container when it is sealed with top
12
. The shoulder
17
provides protection for the opening
18
assuring ventilation even if the side walls and end walls are blocked. The mouth of the container
11
has a flange
24
extending outwardly about the periphery of the container. Flange
24
has a vertical extension
15
formed about the outer edge. The planar flange
24
also includes integrally formed hinged fasteners disposed above the side walls
11
. The hinged fasteners
14
are movable from the open to closed position due to the flexibility and resilience of the plastic material from which the container is constructed. Also formed in the planar flange
24
are recesses
23
disposed to receive the pin
21
carried by the fastener
14
. The fastener
14
is secured through friction forces, such as complimentary wedges shapes, between the pins
21
and the recesses
23
.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, the pin
21
and the recess
23
are shaped to provide a snap fit. The separate top
12
shown in
FIG. 5
has an apertures
20
. The top may be made of paper, cardboard, plastic or foil. The apertures
20
are placed in the top
12
to accommodate the pins
21
. The periphery of the top
12
closely approximates the shape formed by the upstanding edge
15
of the flange
24
.
The container
30
, shown in
FIG. 6
, has the general shape of the container of FIG.
1
. The sides
31
and end walls
32
are formed with reinforcing ribs
33
extending from near the top of the container to the bottom. The ribs
33
continue around the bottom of the wall and form supporting surfaces
34
for the container. The bottom
35
is recessed within the supporting surfaces. The ribs
33
are formed with a generally constant depth throughout the length. Some of the ribs have ventilating apertures
36
in the form of elongated slits. The upper end of the ribs terminate in the side and end walls below the mouth of the container.
The mouth of the container
30
is formed with a raised circumferential shoulder
37
and a lower integral planar peripheral flange
38
extending outwardly beyond the sides and end walls generally parallel to the bottom
35
. The flange overhangs the upper ends of the reinforcing ribs
33
. The overhanging flange
38
prevents the apertures in the ribs from being blocked. The peripheral flange
38
has opposed recesses formed adjacent outward extensions
40
which carry pins
41
. Because of the flexibility and resilience of the plastic material from which the container is made, the extensions
40
may be folded inwardly in the nature of a hinge. The pins
41
are received in the recesses in a snap fit, as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 8
. The flange
38
has vertical extensions
42
located above the side walls and vertical extensions
43
located above the end walls.
The top
44
, shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8
, is formed as a concave-convex enclosure having an opening approximating the exterior dimensions of the shoulder
37
and having a peripheral planar flange
45
. The flange
45
has opposed apertures
46
. When the top is registered with the container, the flange
38
and flange
45
are superposed and the peripheral edges of the flange
45
contact the vertical extensions
42
and
43
. When the top
44
is fastened to the container
30
, the pins
41
extend through the apertures
46
into recesses
39
.
In the high speed packaging operation, the containers of this invention may be filled and the tops may be fastened without manual labor. Because of the flexibility and resilience of the fasteners, they may be hinged and secured mechanically.
It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.
Claims
- 1. A container having a closed bottom, an open mouth, and contiguous walls extending between said closed bottom and said open mouth, said walls having ribs extending between said closed bottom and said open mouth, said ribs formed with an elongated slot throughout a major portion of their length, said open mouth has a planar flange about the periphery, said flange extending outwardly beyond said ribs, said flange terminating with a vertical extension, said planar flange contains at least two opposed integral fasteners located approximately 180 degrees from each other about the periphery of said flange, said fasteners composed of a recess and an adjacent planar hinge portion of said flange, said hinge portion carrying a pin which forms a friction fit in said recess wherein a top is secured to said container, said top having a planar surface in contact with said planar flange of said container, said planar surface having at least two apertures located 180 degrees from each other about said planar surface, said apertures aligned with each of said recesses of said fasteners.
- 2. A container of claim 1 wherein said closed bottom is recessed and said ribs form supporting surfaces.
- 3. A container of claim 1 wherein said vertical extension is continuous about said periphery of said flange.
- 4. A container of claim 1 wherein said vertical extension is discontinuous about said periphery of said flange.
- 5. A container of claim 4 wherein a continuous raised shoulder is formed between said mouth and said planar flange.
- 6. A container of claim 1 wherein said friction fit is formed as a snap fit.
- 7. A container of claim 1 wherein said top is planar.
- 8. A container of claim 1 wherein said top is concave-convex and has a planar flange.
- 9. A container having a closed bottom, an open mouth, and contiguous walls extending between said closed bottom and said open mouth, said walls having ribs extending between said closed bottom and said open mouth, said ribs formed with an elongated slot throughout a major portion of their length wherein said ribs have a greater depth near said open mouth and a lessor depth near said closed bottom, said ribs having a sloped shoulder connecting said lesser depth and said greater depth, one end of said elongated slot located in said sloped shoulder.
- 10. A container of claim 1 wherein said ribs have a greater depth near said open mouth and a lesser depth near said closed bottom, said ribs having a sloped shoulder connecting said lesser depth and said greater depth, one end of said elongated slot located in said sloped shoulder.
- 11. A container of claim 9 wherein said ribs terminate short of said open mouth.
- 12. A container of claim 5 wherein said ribs terminate short of said open mouth.
- 13. A container of claim 1 wherein said ribs terminate short of said open mouth.
US Referenced Citations (20)