Abstract: A clamshell type container formed of a unitary blank of paperboard. The rear wall of the container includes a hinge line to permit opening and closing of the top cover. Buckling sometimes occurs at this hinge line upon cover opening. According to this invention four curved cut lines are provided in the common rear wall having the hinge line. The ends of these cut lines are pairwise contiguous and are spaced only slightly apart. The four pairs of contiguous cut line ends form the corners of an imaginary rectangle. Two opposite corners of the rectangle lie on the hinge line, while the remaining two opposite corners lie laterally of the hinge line on respective opposite sides thereof.

Abstract: A paperboard tray which resists warping is formed of a unitary blank, the blank having a polymer coating on its tray interior forming surface. The polymer coating is typically a heat resistant, non-stick, FDA approved polymer applied by extrusion coating. The upstanding sidewalls of the tray are joined to respective peripheral portions of the tray base through curved score lines on the tray interior surface. Curved cut lines on the exterior tray surface are each aligned with respective curved score lines on the tray interior surface, the cut lines extending 75 to 90 percent through the blank. The curved score lines and their complementary cut lines may be curved either convex outwardly or concavely inwardly with respect to the tray base.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making an embossed or dimpled combined board is disclosed. The combined board has two outer or facing layers or webs of paperboard which sandwich an embossed or dimpled middle paperboard layer or web. The middle web is embossed by passing it over two apertured vacuum drums. Embossments extending in one direction are vacuum formed on one surface of the middle web by the first vacuum drum, while embossments extending in the opposite direction are formed on the other surface of the middle web by the second vacuum drum. The embossments, i.e., concave and convex impressions, are located in a generally chess board pattern. The vacuum openings or apertures of the second drum are larger (larger average diameter) than those of the first drum, to thereby compensate for diminishing flexibility of the middle web due to drying as it passes sequentially over the first and second vacuum drums.

Abstract: A one piece container, particularly adapted for the packaging of grapes and fashioned of corrugated paperboard, exhibits three thicknesses of paperboard over the major extent of its end walls. Each of two top closure panels is provided with latching tongues for insertion into slots in respective upstanding ears at each end wall. The upstanding ears are adapted to fit in complementary recesses in the bottom of a similar container stacked thereon. Vertically extending channels are located at respective corners of the container for stacking strength.

Abstract: A container is provided with a pour spout fitment. The fitment carries a flange which secures the fitment to the container, the flange surrounding a dispensing opening in the container. The pour spout is normally externally closed by a screw cap threaded thereon. A frangible membrane normally spans and internally closes the dispensing opening. A hollow piercing insert is positioned within the pour spout lumen, the lower edge of the insert being serrated to define cutting teeth. The screw cap is removed and the piercing element pushed downwardly to thereby rupture the frangible membrane and permit dispensing from the container. The interior of the spout is provided with a plurality of axially spaced, inwardly extending ribs which cooperate with outwardly extending protrusions on the piercing insert to thus define a plurality of discrete axial locations of the piercing insert relative to the spout.

Abstract: A shipping tray fashioned from a unitary blank of corrugated paperboard or the like and which is particularly adapted for the packaging of strawberries. The tray is provided with a separable longitudinal divider, also fashioned from a unitary blank of corrugated paperboard. The end structures of the tray are so formed that each tray end presents a slanting surface, with the divider panel also exhibiting a pair of opposed slanting surfaces. The slant of all of these surfaces fairly conforms to the slant of a conventional strawberry tray, to thereby minimize looseness of the strawberry trays in the tray of this invention. The divider panel, not being integral with the tray, need not be used. However, if used, the divider is easily inserted and taken out manually. Upstanding tabs at the tray ends are adapted to be received and fit into complementary recesses in the tray bottom, so as to thereby assist in aligning the trays when they are vertically stacked.

Abstract: A paperboard container which displays particular utility for the packaging of fast food products is formed from a unitary blank of paperboard. The blank, typically, employs an automatic bottom, i.e., a bottom which is automatically formed upon opening the container from a folded or flattened configuration. The container is characterized by side webs between the top edges of the end panels and the top cover panel. Upon folding the top cover panel down to close the container, after being loaded with food, each side web forms a point or apex along its edge, this apex then tucked into a complementary slit in a respective end panel. Each side web is in frictional, surface to surface engagement with a respective end panel. Further, the top closure cover is provided with a friction latch cooperating with the front wall panel to thereby yield three points of frictional engagement to maintain the container in its closed position prior to being opened by the consumer.

Abstract: Photopolymeric printing plates are presented wherein and electrochemically etched and anodized, silicated aluminum substrate has a single photosensitive coating thereon composed of a photopolymerizable combination which includes a photopolymerizable pigment dispersion, a photosensitive lithographic diazonium resin, multifunctional acrylate oligomer, multifunctional acrylate monomer, photopolymerizable binder and photoinitiator to yield a non-tacky, mar resistant, easily developed durable plate. In a preferred embodiment, an additional aqueous, non-photosensitive overcoat is applied over the initial coating to retard oxygen inhibition.

Abstract: An eat-in paperboard container for frozen or refrigerated foodstuffs is provided with lateral flanges and triangular sections at its forward two corners. The package is opened by a tear strip which frees an edge of the top cover for lifting and access to the foodstuff. In use, the triangular sections rigidify the tray when the top cover is ripped up to open the container and when the consumer grasps one of the lateral flanges during eating out of the container.

Abstract: A unitary corrugated board insert for a bicycle shipping container. The insert is fashioned from a generally unitary blank of corrugated paperboard, with panels of the insert defined by vertically extending score or fold lines. One of the panels is provided on one of its surfaces with an adhesive. The insert is formed by folding the several panels about the fold lines so as to yield an insert in the general form of two vertically running channels or enclosures for parts which must be added by the consumer to complete the assembly of the bicycle. These two channels are joined by folding the blank and attaching its free left and right ends to that panel which has been provided with adhesive. The two channels store some of the components of the bicycle which must be added by the consumer to complete bicycle assembly.

Abstract: In a first embodiment, a flip top container of partially irregular hexagonal transverse cross section is formed from a unitary blank of paperboard or other stiff, foldable and resilient sheet material. In a second embodiment of the container, another unitary blank of paperboard is employed to form a cigarette container having the same partially irregular hexagonal transverse cross sectional shape, except that a panel having tongue which is reclosable after opening is employed in lieu of a flip top closure.

Abstract: A carton, typically of corrugated paperboard, is formed from a one-piece blank having major side wall bottom flaps and minor end wall bottom flaps arranged to be securely interlocked, for which purpose openings which comprise or include slits are provided preferably in the major side wall bottom flaps into which may be inserted tabs preferably on the corners of the minor end wall bottom flaps. The tabs are shaped so as to provide hooks which engage exposed edges of the slits to lock and prevent the tabs from being accidentally withdrawn after insertion, thus providing a carton with a locked bottom closure.

Abstract: A gas barrier folding carton formed from a unitary paperboard blank (10) having a gas impermeable polymer layer (52) such as EVOH, nylon, or foil extruded on or laminated to one surface of the blank, except for certain abhesive (56, 58) coated areas. Two opposite side edges of the blank are seamed to form a flattened tube (13) having top and bottom closure flaps (30, 34, 36, 38, 40). One of the major closure flaps (36) at each top and bottom container end is provided with spaced abhesive areas (58), with areas of the two minor closureflaps (34, 38) also provided with abhesive (56). Upon folding the closure flaps at each end, the folding sequence pulls the barrier film (52) away from the abhesive (56, 58) areas and subsequent heat sealing produces hermetic sealing of the carton. This process and carton construction may be employed with conventional gas purging of the container interior by an inert gas before final sealing.

Abstract: Photopolymeric printing plates are presented wherein an electrochemically etched and anodized, silicated aluminum substrate has a single photosensitive coating thereon composed of a photopolymerizable combination which includes a photopolymerizable pigment dispersion, a photosensitive lithographic diazonium resin, multifunctional acrylate oligomer, multifunctional acrylate monomer, photopolymerizable binder and photoinitiator to yield a non-tacky, mar resistant, easily developed durable plate. In a preferred embodiment, an additional aqueous, non-photosensitive overcoat is applied over the initial coating to retard oxygen inhibition.

Abstract: A fast food wrapper for hamburgers or the like is fashioned from a single square or diamond shaped sheet of paper, the food contacting surface of the blank coated with a food grade grease resistant composition. The blank is provided with a fold lines both parallel and orthogonal to an imaginary axis joining the top and bottom tips of the blank. These tips are provided with portions of latching elements. The side or lateral blank tips are folded towards the middle to form an expansion bellows along both of the sides and are adhesively tacked together. The bottom of the blank is folded upwardly and also adhesively tacked. In use, the hamburger is placed within the wrapper and the top of the wrapper folded over the hamburger and latched. The wrapper may be unfolded so as to function as a napkin or paper plate during eating.

Abstract: A paper bag particularly adapted for the packaging of carryout food items such as hamburgers and chicken. The bag is of a unitary construction and includes two inwardly folded bellows panels on its sides, each bellows joining respective sides of the bag. A fold line is positioned below the top, free edges of the side walls. A pair of spaced cuts is located substantially midway of respective fold lines, each cut of each pair extending from above to below its respective fold line, the individual cuts being spaced from each other along the fold line. Respective areas of the front and rear bag walls above the fold line carry indicia, such as printed indicia, to indicate the bag contents. After folding the top of the bag about the fold lines and against either side walls, one or the other indicia is visible to indicate the bag contents. The bag top is inhibited from opening after such folding by distorting the paper between the cuts to effect a latching action.

Abstract: A blank for a paperboard container is provided on one of its surfaces with a layer of food-contacting polymethylpentene. The container formed from the blank, as by bending the blank along fold lines, requires one or more overlapped joints such as the usual manufacturer's joint. To overcome the non-stick properties of the polymethylpentene layer, the layer is flame treated so that it will adhere to a conventional water based, FDA approved adhesive and thereby make possible the formation of a seam or other overlapped joint or joints. Flame treatment is restricted to portions of the area of the polymethylpentene layer that are involved in the formation of the overlapped joint or joints.

Abstract: An initially flat and unfolded sheet of corrugated paperboard is cut and scored to first serve as a tier sheet or separator between tiers or layers of products loaded on a pallet and then, when foldably connected integral parts of it are erected, as a tote box thereby comprising a dual function device.

Abstract: A flanged tray and preform for making it. The preform includes a cut and scored paperboard blank having a polygonal bottom forming base panel. Each edge of the base is foldably joined to a radially outwardly extending, regular trapezoidal sidewall forming panel. The radially outermost portion of each sidewall panel carries a horizontal flange forming flap. The preform also includes a thin plastic sheet adhered to one surface of the paperboard blank. The plastic sheet covers the blank and extends over radially extending gaps between the side edges of next adjacent sidewall panels. The preform is placed in a female die with the plastic film facing upwardly. A male die presses the preform downwardly to form it into a tray having a peripheral, horizontally extending flange. The step of permanently attaching the plastic film to the paperboard blank may be carried out concurrently with the step of deforming the blank in the die.

Abstract: A pour spout carton for extended shelf life paperboard containers, such as those of the gable top type. A first barrier layer lines the carton interior and and a second lines the carton exterior surface. A dispensing opening is formed, as by die cutting, in a panel of the carton. The two barrier layers span the dispensing opening, except for a concentric dispensing hole through them, with the two barrier layers sonically sealed together along an annular zone radially intermediate the dispensing opening and the dispensing hole. The pour spout carries a flange extending from the edge of the dispensing hole to a location radically beyond the dispensing opening, the flange sonically bonded to the outer barrier layer at three radially spaced, concentric zones. The spout screw cap is of a different polymer than the spout, to prevent bonding between the cap and spout.