Patents Assigned to Sonoco Products Company
  • Patent number: 5562580
    Abstract: The invention provides self-opening polyethylene film bag stacks which do not require a separate adhesive layer between adjacent bags. The self-opening bag stack according to the invention preferably include a plurality of stacked t-shirt type high density polyethylene film bags releasably adhered together. At least an upper portion of the outer surface of the front and rear walls of each of the bags in the bag stack has been corona treated and at least one localized compressed area extends transversely through the bag stack in the upper portion of the bags such that the stack has a decreased thickness in the localized compressed area and so that adjacent outer wall corona treated surfaces defined by the localized compressed area are releasably adhered together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: M. Wayne Beasley, Wade D. Fletcher, Harry B. Wilfong, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5560521
    Abstract: A caulk cartridge of recyclable material including an end panel with an integral nozzle. Interior projections integral with the end panel define a cylindrical extension about the open base end of the nozzle and, upon being subjected to the force of the piston-driven plunger thereagainst, inwardly deform and fracture the end panel, breaking away the nozzle, and residue therein, from the end panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: David E. Boring, Norwood C. Bizzell
  • Patent number: 5556365
    Abstract: An easy-open container has a spirally-wound paperboard bodywall layer, interior barrier liner layer and outer label layer forming as easy-open seam extending spirally between the ends of the container. Easy-opening of the container is enhanced by the provision of pull tabs formed by superimposed and bonded longitudinal edge portions of the bodywall layer and label layer and an easy-open panel formed by diverging lines of score cuts formed in the bodywall layer to initiate and aid in easy-opening of the container along the spiral seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, William C. Suski, Calvin G. Hill, James W. Lowry, Rodney W. Roberts
  • Patent number: 5547451
    Abstract: An easy-open container has a spirally-wound paperboard bodywall layer, interior barrier liner layer and outer label layer forming an easy-open seam extending spirally between the ends of the container. A feature is provided for directionally-orienting tearing of the label layer to remove either the entire label layer or just that portion of the label layer which is in bridging relationship to the easy-open spiral seam to allow opening of the container along the spiral seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, Calvin G. Hill, Richard M. Lowman, Jr., William C. Suski, Rodney W. Roberts, James W. Lowry
  • Patent number: 5543107
    Abstract: A closed one-piece plastic drum having an integral handling ring at a head end is formed in a blow mold having mold halves and an articulating mold section. While the mold is open and the articulating section is spaced from the mold halves, a heated plastic parison is placed in the open mold and blown at a first blowing pressure (30-60 psi) to completely expand the parison into the shape of the inside surface of the mold and fill the open articulating section. This blow molding step forms an open handling ring as well as the drum body. A second blowing operation at a second lower pressure (15-40 psi) is then performed to stabilize the expanded parison inside the mold. The mold articulating section is closed during the second blowing operation in first and second sequences. In each sequence, the articulating section is moved over a different distance and at a different speed while compressing the blow-molded open handling ring into a solid handling ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: John H. Malik, John J. Mikula, Robert A. Julien
  • Patent number: 5505395
    Abstract: A multi-grade spirally wound paperboard winding core of enhanced resistance to inside diameter deformation includes a plurality of structural paperboard layers having at least two predetermined densities including a lower density and a higher density wherein the lower density is at least about 3% less than the higher density. The cylindrical bodywall is defined in radial cross section by at least one centrally located paperboard layer disposed between at least one radially inwardly located structural paperboard layer and at least one radially outwardly located structural paperboard layer. The centrally located paperboard layer is formed from the lower density paperboard and the inwardly and outwardly located structural paperboard layer are formed from higher density paperboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Yanping Qiu, Terry D. Gerhardt
  • Patent number: 5495087
    Abstract: The invention provides textile cores having improved start-up grooves. In a preferred embodiment the start-up groove has a generally V shaped cross-section and at least one longitudinal portion of the groove, preferably the trailing portion of the groove, has at least one compound angle sidewall defined in longitudinal cross-section by a plurality of alternating, substantially rectangular tongue and notch sections extending along the sidewall. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, improved grooving blades for textile cores are formed using an electric discharge machining (EDM) process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: Tony F. Rummage
  • Patent number: 5494215
    Abstract: An easy-open container has a spirally-wound paperboard bodywall layer, interior barrier liner layer and outer label layer forming an easy-open seam extending spirally between the ends of the container. A feature is provided for directionally-orienting tearing of the label layer to remove either the entire label layer or just that portion of the label layer which is in bridging relationship to the easy-open spiral seam to allow opening of the container along the spiral seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, Calvin G. Hill, Richard M. Lowman, Jr., William C. Suski, Rodney W. Roberts, James W. Lowry
  • Patent number: 5487506
    Abstract: An easy-open container has a spirally-wound bodywall layer, interior barrier liner layer and outer label layer forming an easy-open seam extending spirally between the ends of the container and which is provided with an improved reinforcing and tear strip extending along the easy-open spiral seam. This reinforcing and tear strip is formed by overlapped edge portions of the label layer extending through and out of the spiral seam of the container and being folded-over onto the outside of the bodywall layer and under the label layer. Low strength bonding is provided between the overlapped label layer edge portions and high strength bonding is positioned between the superimposed label layer and folded-over a liner layer edge portion and between the superimposed label layer and bodywall layer for allowing easy starting and stripping of the reinforcing and tear strip along the spiral easy-open seam without the necessity of removing the entire label layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, Calvin G. Hill, Richard M. Lowman, Jr., William C. Suski, Rodney W. Roberts, James W. Lowry
  • Patent number: 5482205
    Abstract: An easy-open container has a spirally-wound paperboard bodywall layer, interior barrier liner layer and outer label layer forming as easy-open seam extending spirally between the ends of the container. Easy-opening of the container is enhanced by the provision of pull tabs formed by superimposed and bonded longitudinal edge portions of the bodywall layer and label layer and an easy-open panel formed by diverging lines of score cuts formed in the bodywall layer to initiate and aid in easy-opening of the container along the spiral seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, William C. Suski, Calvin G. Hill, James W. Lowry, Rodney W. Roberts
  • Patent number: 5476213
    Abstract: A container is provided which includes a tubular-shaped body member and a generally cup-shaped end member positioned within the body member and wherein the body member includes a generally inwardly-curled U-shaped cross-sectional configured end which receives an outwardly extending flange portion of the cup-shaped end member. The end member and the body member of the container include barrier liner layers wherein barrier liner layer of the tubular body member is positioned on the inside thereof and the barrier liner layer of the cup-shaped end member is positioned on the inside of the cup-shaped member so that these barrier liner layers are in face-to-face position on the inside of the cup-shaped end member. A bond is created between these face-to-face positioned barrier liner layers only to cooperate therewith to seal the one end of the container against leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: William C. Suski
  • Patent number: 5472154
    Abstract: The invention provides spirally wound paperboard cores for winding of textiles and other materials and which have enhanced high speed winding capability. The spirally wound paperboard plies forming the body wall of the paperboard core have a predetermined spiral winding angle with respect to the axis of the cylindrical body wall of greater than 71 degrees. In winding cores having a relatively large ID of between about 4.8 in. (120 mm) and 6 in. (150 mm), the paperboard plies forming the spirally wound cores have a winding angle of greater than 74 degrees. In winding cores having a lower ID of less than 4.8 inches (120 mm), all of the paperboard plies have a width of 3.5 in. (89 mm) or less and a spiral winding angle of greater than 71 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Yanping Qiu, Terry D. Gerhardt, Tony F. Rummage, Clifford A. Bellum, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5469619
    Abstract: A tubular core assembly for winding or unwinding sheet material, such as newsprint or Rotogravure Print, wherein the opposed ends of an elongate cylindrical core are provided with inside diameter-reducing annular core insert members. The inside diameter-reducing annular core insert members are secured by a mechanical interlocking member to a central core body formed by multiple wraps of a paperboard material. The mechanical interlocking member includes at least one radially interlocking member secured to and extending member and the annular core insert member. Because of the mechanical interlocking relationship between the inside diameter-reducing annular core insert members and the central core body member, the inside diameter-reducing annular core insert members are secured to the central core body member in positive locking relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: Lawrence E. Renck
  • Patent number: 5461889
    Abstract: A plastic spacer ring for spacing apart and sealing plastic dye tubes during yarn package dyeing. Each plastic spacer ring has an annular groove on both its upper and lower surface for receiving an end face of a dye tube. Each groove has an open top and a closed bottom with the width of the open top greater than, and the width at the closed bottom less than the predetermined wall thickness of the plastic dye tube body. This construction provides tangential contact between the end faces of the plastic dye tubes on both side walls of the annular groove, which in turn, provides two seals substantially continuously about the circumference of the end face of the dye tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Samuel F. Adams, Hans-Peter Bolz
  • Patent number: 5449087
    Abstract: An integrally molded plastic drum having a cylindrical body, a top wall, and a bottom wall is provided. The bottom wall has a central recessed portion and an annular generally flat horizontal bottom wall portion surrounding the central recessed portion. The annular bottom wall portion has a first recess, a second recess, and a discrete hand engageable lifting indentation therein. The central recessed portion, first and second recesses, and the discrete lifting indentation collectively contain the molding parting line extending across the bottom wall of the drum. The top wall of the drum has a central concave portion which serves as a collection well in the event of spillage and also serves to facilitate the drainage of the drum when the drum is inverted. The top wall defines a pair of spaced apart bungholes therein. The bungholes are positioned in a diametrically opposing relation, with one of the bungholes serving as a filling spout and the other bunghole serving as a pouring spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: John J. Mikula, John H. Malik
  • Patent number: 5441208
    Abstract: A textile core for winding a package of yarn. The textile core includes a tubular body having opposed ends and a bodywall formed of a paperboard material. To prevent slippage of a transfer bunch or tail formed on the core during winding processes, a plurality of spaced, discreet perforations are provided on the exterior periphery of the tubular body adjacent at least one end thereof. The perforations extend substantially around the circumferential periphery of the tubular body, and extend radially into the bodywall for only a portion of the thickness thereof. A projection adjacent each perforation is also provided, extending radially outwardly from the bodywall and formed of paperboard material removed from the adjacent perforation. The projections are capable of frictionally engaging at least one yarn winding formed on the top thereof and thus prevent slippage of the transfer tail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Fred S. Millen, John F. Auten, Jack W. Segars
  • Patent number: 5431619
    Abstract: The invention provides a process and apparatus for forming an outwardly rolled lip on a cylindrical container body. The apparatus of the invention includes a mandrel having a cylindrical shaped portion and a lip forming annular cavity positioned coaxially with, and axially spaced from the cylindrical portion of the mandrel. The annular cavity has a generally semi-circular cross-section including an open mouth and a closed bottom extending outwardly of the mandrel. The mandrel additionally includes a radially tapered portion between the cylindrical portion and the lip forming die. The radially tapered portion tapers radially outwardly in the direction towards the lip forming die. An axial forcing means forces a cylindrical container body axially along the mandrel towards the lip forming die to thereby stretch the open end before the end is forced into the cavity and rolled outwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: John E. Bacon, William C. Suski
  • Patent number: 5393010
    Abstract: A tubular core assembly for winding or unwinding of sheet material, such as newsprint or Rotogravure Print, is provided wherein the opposed ends of an elongate cylindrical core are provided with inside diameter-reducing annular end members. The inside diameter-reducing annular end members are mechanically interlocked with a central core body which is preferably formed by multiple wraps of a paperboard material. Mechanical interlocking is accomplished by a plurality of axial grooves in the bodywall of the central core body member and a plurality of axially extending tongue members on the annular end members which are received in the grooves of the central core body member in interlocking relationship therewith. Because of the mechanical interlocking relationship between the inside diameter-reducing annular end members and the central core body member, the inside diameter-reducing annular end members are secured to the central core body member in positive circumferential and axial locking relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: Lawrence E. Renck
  • Patent number: D359150
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: John H. Malik, Patrick E. Irwin, Floy C. Jones, William C. Fields
  • Patent number: D359830
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: John J. Mikula, John H. Malik