Patents Assigned to Sonoco Products Company
  • Patent number: 6391135
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing multi-ply tubular containers for food products is provided including the steps of applying an aqueous adhesive to a surface of a paperboard body ply and then heating the aqueous adhesive to evaporate part of the water content and render the adhesive substantially tacky. The body ply and a polymeric liner ply having a moisture barrier layer are then passed through a nip to adhere the liner ply to the body ply and are wrapped around a shaping mandrel to create the tubular container. Accordingly, an advantageous tubular container can be manufactured having a body ply formed of paperboard which is wrapped into a tubular shape to define an inner surface. The body ply defines a predetermined circumferential length before being wrapped which corresponds to one revolution of the body ply when wrapped in a tubular shape. A polymeric liner ply is adhered to the inner surface of the body ply and defines a circumferential length equal to that of the body ply prior to being wrapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, Glenda J. Cahill, W. Gerald Gainey, Alan D. Williams
  • Patent number: 6341720
    Abstract: A one-piece dispensing top has three separate dispensing ports. Each dispensing port is designed to dispense particulate foodstuffs from a container. One port is configured to allow removal of product with an utensil. A second port is configured to be used for pouring product and includes a spout, and a third port is configured for sifting product. Each dispensing port includes a closure flap for sealing. All three closure flaps are integrally joined to the dispensing top via living hinges. The closure flaps may be retained in the closed position by a friction or snap fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael Robert Schmit, James F. Kick, J. Mark Morrow
  • Patent number: 6196408
    Abstract: A release strip for tubular containers is provided and includes a tab portion. An elongate portion of the release strip is releasably adhered to an outer surface of the tubular body of the container with a first adhesive application. The tab portion extends laterally from the elongate portion and is separately releasably adhered to the tubular body with a second adhesive application to prevent the tab portion from being inadvertently snagged. In one preferred embodiment, the tab portion includes an opening therein having an advantageous shape including an arcuate section having at least a predetermined minimum radius of curvature and a substantially straight section opposite the arcuate section, thus allowing sufficient room for accommodating a consumer's finger while maintaining requisite ring strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Setty, William C. Suski, Eric P. Lubitz, Cossie J. McCorkle, Gene A. Herron, Richard M. Lowman
  • Patent number: 6059104
    Abstract: A corner support post having a first section of trapezoidal cross-section and a second section rectangular in cross-section. Both sections are formed by a single continuous wall structure with the rectangular section offset longitudinally and laterally from the smaller end of the first section with a right angular offset defined therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: Donald E. Widman
  • Patent number: 5881882
    Abstract: A pack of plastic bags which are preferably self-opening are adapted to be mounted on a support rack and leave no residue on the support rack when removed therefrom. The plastic bags include front and rear walls integrally joined at their sides and secured at their bottoms and defining an open mouth portion at the top of the walls. A detaching central tab is formed at the top of each of the walls and each has an aperture therein for mounting the central tabs on a tab retaining device on the rack. The tab of at least the rear wall has a structure to propagate a tear through the tab for detaching the tab from the rack while retaining sufficient strength in the portion of the tab above the mounting aperture to prevent premature tearing of the tab and detaching from the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Wade D. Fletcher, Harry B. Wilfong, Jr., Jeffrey S. Vance
  • Patent number: 5881898
    Abstract: An open top drum having a closed bottom, a sidewall extending upwardly from said bottom, and a chime portion for receiving a removable cover. The chime portion extends from the sidewall so as to define an open top and includes a substantially radial first chime wall, a substantially cylindrical second chime wall directed upwardly from an outer portion of the first chime wall, and an exterior circumferential rib circumscribing a lower portion of the second chime wall for added rigidity. The drum assembly may also include a cover having a peripheral chime receiving member, and a retaining ring having a first leg for engaging the cover and a second leg for engaging the first chime wall. The legs are joined by an intermediate band. The cover may include a circumferential flange that extends over a portion of the second chime wall but not over the rib. The rib fills a substantial portion of an area defined by the second leg, intermediate band, second chime wall and circumferential flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Patrick Irwin, William C. Fields
  • Patent number: 5875626
    Abstract: An adapter for rotatably supporting a tubular end of a yarn carrier in a take-up winding assembly of a yarn processing machine which accommodates the placement of a yarn transfer tail across an end surface of the yarn carrier between the yarn carrier and the adapter without breaking or cutting of the yarn transfer tail during winding of the yarn. The adapter includes a hub portion for extending axially into the tubular end of the yarn carrier to center the yarn carrier on the adapter and which has an outside surface with a cross-sectional diameter less than the diameter of an adjacent inside surface of the yarn carrier for defining a space therebetween to accommodate the placement of the yarn tail. An annular flange portion extends radially outwardly from the rear of the hub portion and has an inside surface for being positioned adjacent the end surface of the yarn carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: Fred Cromartie
  • Patent number: 5874016
    Abstract: A concrete column forming tube and method of making same for receiving poured concrete column therein to produce a concrete column is characterized by a smooth inside coated surface in the forming tube to eliminate spiral seam lines and other undesirable characteristics on the outside surface of the formed concrete column. The tube is formed from spirally-wound plies of paper adhered together and has a centrifugally-cast epoxy resin coating sprayed onto the inside surface of the spirally-wound tube while the tube is rotating to produce a smooth inside coated surface on the forming tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Bacon, Jr., Arnold B. Floyd, Jr., Troy W. Johnson, Jr., James R. Martin, Honor S. Bonds, John F. Whitehead, Wim van de Camp
  • Patent number: 5868349
    Abstract: "A reel or spool" for the winding or unwinding of cable, wire, or the like. The reel includes a hub having a cylindrical wall defining an outer barrel surface and an axial end wall suitable for the application of labels or other identification indicia. A flange extends radially from the outer barrel adjacent each end wall. The flanges have a plurality of integrally formed, radially extending ribs disposed on their outer surface. The connection between the ribs, the axial end wall and the barrel surface of the hub being within the radial extent of the cylindrical wall. In one form of the invention, the hub includes an inclined wall connecting the cylindrical wall, the axial end wall and the ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Victor J. DesRosiers, Joseph Ahrberg, James Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 5862936
    Abstract: A bung is provided for sealing an opening in a pressure vessel. The bung includes an annular body portion and a flange extending radially outwardly for one end of the body. In one embodiment the flange includes an inner inclined surface adjacent the annular body portion. In an alternate embodiment, the vessel includes an inclined or angled engagement surface adjacent the vessel opening. A gasket is provided between the flange of the bung and the engagement surface adjacent the vessel opening. The inclined surface of the bung and/or the vessel urges the gasket radially inwardly upon the bung being threaded into the pressure vessel opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Sonoco Products & Company
    Inventor: James E. Johanson
  • Patent number: 5857613
    Abstract: The invention provides spirally wound easy-open containers which comprise a spirally wound body wall having overlapped edges and which have capabilities and benefits associated with conventional butt jointed containers. The overlapped edges of the body wall define an easy-open seam extending helically between the ends of the container. A temporary adhesive between the overlapped edges of the body wall releasably adheres the overlapped edges of the body wall together and allows for opening of the container along the helical, easy-open seam. The easy-open containers provided according to the invention can be readily manufactured with only slight modifications to the conventional manufacturing process. Nevertheless, the easy-open containers of the invention can provide for material savings in container label construction and can allow for vacuum packaging of food products such as dough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, General Taylor, W. Gerald Gainey
  • Patent number: 5845779
    Abstract: A bag dispensing system is provided which includes a rack for supporting a pack of plastic bags in a generally vertical suspended position for successively removal of the bags by a user and including an elongate central tab retaining device having a predetermined width. Each of the bags in the pack have front and rear walls integrally joined at their sides and secured together at their bottoms and define an open mouth portion at the top of the walls. A detaching central tab is formed at the top of each of the bag walls and each has an aperture therein for mounting the tabs on the rack retaining device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Harry B. Wilfong, Jr., Wade D. Fletcher, Jeffrey S. Vance
  • Patent number: 5846619
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing multi-ply tubular containers for food products is provided including the steps of advancing a continuous body ply formed of paperboard towards a shaping mandrel and advancing a continuous polymeric liner ply adjacent to one surface of the paperboard body ply. The polymeric liner ply includes a moisture barrier layer and an adhesive layer defining one surface of the liner ply, wherein the adhesive layer includes a polymeric adhesive which is activated at a predetermined activation temperature. The body ply is heated to a temperature above the activation temperature of the adhesive, and the body ply and the liner ply are then passed in face-to-face contact through a nip to adhere the liner ply to the body ply. The body ply and liner ply are then wrapped around a shaping mandrel to create the tubular container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Glenda J. Cahill, W. Gerald Gainey
  • Patent number: 5833592
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for spirally winding a tube of enhanced spiral seam uniformity that is simple and reliable. The spirally wound tube is formed using a spiral pitch control surface that engages with an exterior or interior cylindrical surface of a spirally wound tube and constrains movement of the tube to a predetermined spiral rotation as it is formed on a cylindrical stationary mandrel. Preferably, the pitch control surface comprises a tube engaging surface positioned along at least one spirally aligned portion of the exterior portion of the tube forming mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: David Howard, Jean Paul Languillat, Johannes Wilhelmus van de Camp
  • Patent number: 5829669
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing multi-ply tubular containers for food products is provided including the steps of applying an aqueous adhesive to a surface of a paperboard body ply and then heating the aqueous adhesive to evaporate part of the water content and render the adhesive substantially tacky. The body ply and a polymeric liner ply having a moisture barrier layer are then passed through a nip to adhere the liner ply to the body ply and are wrapped around a shaping mandrel to create the tubular container. Accordingly, an advantageous tubular container can be manufactured having a body ply formed of paperboard which is wrapped into a tubular shape to define an inner surface. The body ply defines a predetermined circumferential length before being wrapped which corresponds to one revolution of the body ply when wrapped in a tubular shape. A polymeric liner ply is adhered to the inner surface of the body ply and defines a circumferential length equal to that of the body ply prior to being wrapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, Glenda J. Cahill, W. Gerald Gainey, Alan D. Williams
  • Patent number: 5804284
    Abstract: The invention provides a continuous paperboard sheet adapted to be slit longitudinally into a plurality of continuous paperboard plies, and to improved paperboard plies for forming single-layer, paperboard tubes. The paperboard sheet has a substantially constant width and includes a plurality of thick longitudinal sections and a plurality of thin longitudinal sections. The thick and thin sections are arranged in alternating relation across the width of the paperboard sheet. The sheet is slit longitudinally along the thin sections to provide a plurality of tube-forming paperboard plies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company, Inc.
    Inventors: George E. Lennon, Jerry S. Hall, Kevin R. Merritt, Henry L. King
  • Patent number: D446722
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: J. Mark Morrow
  • Patent number: D450584
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Schmit, James F. Kick, J. Mark Morrow
  • Patent number: D450586
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: James F. Kick
  • Patent number: D465732
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: James F. Kick