Patents by Inventor Thomas C. Steel

Thomas C. Steel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5135790
    Abstract: There is provided a tear tape opening system for packages constructed from a tearable substrate such as kraft paper, paperboard or corrugated board materials wherein the resulting tear line is substantially precisely defined with even tearing of the packaging material. The tear tape is adhered along an inside surface of the tearable substrate along the desired tear line of the package and the initiating segment thereof is defined by an opening tab formed at the initiation of the tear line in the package so that it may be grasped by the user to initiate opening. A system for guiding the tear along the desired tear line is provided by means of a guide tape or tapes which serves as an edge reinforcing for the tear lines produced by the tear tape being torn through the packaging material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: H. B. Fuller Company
    Inventors: Paul Kaplan, Thomas C. Steel
  • Patent number: 5098757
    Abstract: A tear tape opening system is provided for establishing an opening in a package or carton formed of corrugated board wherein the corrugated board consists of an outside liner, an inside liner and a corrugating medium thereinbetween, wherein the outside liner has outside and inside surfaces and the inside liner has outside and inside surfaces, and the inside surfaces of the outside and inside liners face the corrugating medium. The tear tape opening system according to the present invention includes a hot melt coated tear tape adhered to the outside surface of the inside liner along the desired line of opening and a hot melt coated tear guide tape, at least as wide as the tear tape, adhered to the inside surface of the outside liner along the desired line of opening so as to guide the tear formed by the tear tape and reinforce and stabilize at least one edge of the tear along the outside surface of the outside liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: H.B. Fuller Company
    Inventor: Thomas C. Steel
  • Patent number: 4966324
    Abstract: A carrying handle for a carton for packaging a plurality of cans and having interconnected top, bottom and side walls, and end closure panels, includes a transverse slit extending completely across one of the interconnected carton walls. The transverse slit has end projections extending into the two walls interconnected with the one of the carton walls. A transverse fold line extends completely across the one of the interconnected carton walls and is spaced from and disposed generally parallel to the transverse slit. The fold line had end projections extending into the two walls interconnected with the one of the carton walls which terminate adjacent to the corresponding end projection of the transverse slit. As a result, the transverse fold line and the transverse slit cooperatively define therebetween a foldable transverse handle flap struck from the one of the interconnected carton walls and the two walls interconnected therewith, foldably joined thereto via the fold line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1990
    Inventor: Thomas C. Steel
  • Patent number: 4723658
    Abstract: There is provided a carton and a blank therefor having top end flaps connected to the front, rear and side panels of the carton blank wherein a first top end flap connected to either the front or back panel of the carton blank is adapted to overlap a second top end flap disposed opposite to the first top end flap and which is connected to the remaining front or back panel of the carton blank. The first or overlapping top end flap is tightly adhesively connected to the second or underlying top end along the length of the outer edge of the first flap and the opening feature for the carton top is provided by a tear strip in the overlapping first end flap between the adhesion area thereof and the score or fold line connecting the flap to the connecting front or rear panel, as the case may be. The tear strip consists of a removable strip extending the length of the flap which cleanly and completely separates therefrom so that the first flap can be separated from the second flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Assignee: H. B. Fuller Company
    Inventor: Thomas C. Steel
  • Patent number: 3964671
    Abstract: A carton and a package especially adapted for use in marketing ingredients for a bakery product, the carton being formed from a single blank to provide, when opened up, a tubular container with end closure flaps which are adapted to be closed and sealed at one end to enable filling through the opposite end, after which the flaps at the filling end are closed and sealed, and the top wall forming panel being provided with spaced, parallel, cut scores forming tear lines so that outermost end flaps may be pulled loose and a substantial portion of the top wall panel may be separated on the tear lines and discarded with the end flaps, resulting in conversion of the container to an open top traY which may be used as a baking pan or baking tray for processing the ingredients in a conventional baking oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1976
    Assignee: Federal Paper Board Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas C. Steel