Patents Assigned to WestRock Shared Services, LLC
  • Patent number: 9580201
    Abstract: A blank assembly includes a tray blank having a first end panel assembly, a first side panel assembly, a second end panel assembly, and a second side panel assembly in series. Each panel assembly includes a removable pad panel. The tray blank further includes a bottom panel extending from each panel assembly at a fold line. The blank assembly further includes a first side insert blank configured to couple to the first side panel assembly. The first side insert blank having a removable pad panel configured to at least partially align with the removable pad panel of the first side panel assembly. A second side insert blank is configured to couple to the second side panel assembly. The second side insert blank includes a removable pad panel configured to at least partially align with the removable pad panel of the second side panel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: James John Willman, Craig Frederick Minsky
  • Patent number: 9566756
    Abstract: A blank of sheet material for forming a container includes a plurality of side panels and a glue panel coupled together in series along a plurality of generally parallel fold lines. At least one of the generally parallel fold lines has an increased stiffness. The blank also includes a plurality of bottom panels. At least one of the bottom panels includes at least one bottom corner portion that extends adjacent to and beneath a free bottom edge of a corresponding one of the corner panels and the glue panel. The blank further includes a plurality of top panels. At least one of the top panels includes at least one top corner portion that extends adjacent to and above a free top edge of a corresponding one of the corner panels and the glue panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: David Joe Brundage
  • Patent number: 9505520
    Abstract: A slide and pour container blank and method of assembly. The initially assembled slide and pour container can be in a sealed state with no access to the interior of the container. A detachable cover can include a tear strip that is removed to provide access to a slidable door. The slidable door can be detached from its guide track and can slide within its guide track. The slidable door can open and block a passageway providing access to the interior of the container, such as to dispense contents of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Michael A. Baker
  • Patent number: 9483896
    Abstract: A system for controlling advancement of and access to product and for generating data associated with such advancement and access. Systems of this invention include a pusher system having a track, a pusher, and mechanisms for generating data relating to the movement of the pusher. Certain embodiments of the invention include a door assembly, which controls consumer access to product located behind the door assembly, a stop for limiting the forward progression of the pusher along the track, and mechanisms for generating data relating to when and/or for how long the door assembly is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lockwood, Roger K. Miller, Scott H. Stapleford, Gary N. Stapleford
  • Patent number: 9475604
    Abstract: A blank of sheet material for forming a container is provided. The blank includes a series of four generally rectangular panels connected along a plurality of substantially parallel fold lines. The panels include a first spaced-apart pair of panels and a second spaced-apart pair of panels. Each of the second spaced-apart pair of panels is connected to at least one panel of the first spaced-apart pair of panels. The blank also includes a corner panel extending from each side edge of each panel of the first pair of panels, and a lateral flap extending from each side edge of each panel of the second pair of panels, wherein each lateral flap has free side edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Charles Smith
  • Patent number: 9469432
    Abstract: A container formed from a blank and a method for constructing the container are described. The container includes a bottom wall, two end walls, each end wall including at least an end panel emanating from an end edge of the bottom wall, and two side walls, each side wall including at least a side panel emanating from a side edge of the bottom wall. The container further includes a reinforcing panel assembly emanating from a first end edge of a first side panel of a first side wall, including an outer reinforcing panel, an intermediate reinforcing panel, and an inner reinforcing panel, wherein the outer reinforcing panel is positioned in a substantially face-to-face relationship with the intermediate reinforcing panel, the intermediate reinforcing panel being coupled to a first end panel of a first end wall, and the inner reinforcing panel being in a face-to-face relationship with the first side panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Ray Aguirre
  • Patent number: 9469078
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a container comprises a hopper assembly configured to store a plurality of blanks. Each blank includes a bottom panel, a pair of opposing end panels, at least one stacking tab, at least one inner side panel, and at least one outer side panel. A transport mechanism is positioned below the hopper assembly and is configured to transport a blank of the plurality of blanks from a first position to a second position. A pair of opposing folding plows is positioned below the hopper assembly. The folding plows are configured to rotate the inner side panels and the stacking tabs of the blank as the blank is transported from the first position to the second position. At least one stacking tab bullet is coupled to each folding plow. Each stacking tab bullet is configured to move a respective stacking tab relative to a corresponding inner side panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: Amer Aganovic, Thomas Dean Graham
  • Patent number: 9452861
    Abstract: A blank of sheet material for forming a polygonal container is provided. The blank includes a bottom panel, two opposing side panels, and two opposing end panels. Each side panel extends from a side edge of the bottom panel, and each end panel extends from an end edge of the bottom panel. Each end panel includes at least one major stacking extension extending from a top edge thereof. The blank further includes a reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side edge of a first end panel of the two end panels. The reinforcing panel assembly includes an inner end panel having a minor stacking extension extending from a top edge thereof. The minor stacking extension is configured to align with a respective major stacking extension to form a stacking tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Charles Smith
  • Patent number: 9409669
    Abstract: A blank for forming a tray includes a bottom panel, end panels, and side panels. A first divider panel assembly is defined within the bottom panel and an end panel. The first divider panel assembly includes an upper panel defined within the end panel and an inner panel defined within the bottom panel. The upper panel is configured to be at an angle to the bottom panel, and the inner panel is configured to be at an angle to the end panel in an erected configuration. A second divider panel assembly is defined within the bottom panel and a side panel. The second divider panel assembly includes an upper panel defined within the side panel and an inner panel is defined within the bottom panel. The panels of the second divider panel assembly are configured similarly to the panels of the first divider panel assembly in the erected configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Dave Wayne Bahr
  • Patent number: 9409367
    Abstract: A blank delivery system for use in a machine for forming a container from a blank sheet of material is described herein. The blank delivery system includes a blank loading assembly that includes a plurality of blank hoppers. Each blank hopper is configured to hold a plurality of blanks for forming a different type of container. A blank transfer assembly is coupled to each blank hopper of the plurality of blank hoppers. The blank transfer assembly is configured to convey the blanks from each blank hopper to a container forming system of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Graham, Amer Aganovic, Claudio D'Alesio, Paul Andrew Spurlock
  • Patent number: 9382041
    Abstract: A shelf-ready shipper display system having a tray portion, a hood portion, and one or more zones of weakness that enable the hood portion to be separated from the tray portion so that the shipper display system can be converted from a shipping configuration to a display configuration. In certain embodiments, the shipper display system is made from a single blank. In some embodiments, the shipper display system includes a reinforcement panel that is also capable of being separated from the tray portion as the shipper display system is converted from the shipping configuration and to the display configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: David G. Couture
  • Patent number: 9359102
    Abstract: A blank of foldable sheet material is provided. The blank includes a bottom panel, a first bottom side panel and a second opposing bottom side panel extending from opposing side edges of the bottom panel, and a front panel extending from a front edge of the bottom panel. The front panel includes opposing side edges. The blank also includes a first and a second diagonal panel extending from a front edge of the first and second bottom side panels, respectively, and a third and a fourth diagonal panel extending from each side edge of the front panel. The third and fourth diagonal panels have a length greater than a length of the first and second diagonal panels. The blank includes a first and a second corner panel, wherein the first corner panel is hingedly connected to the first and third diagonal panels and the second corner panel is hingedly connected to the second and fourth diagonal panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Gayle Martinez
  • Patent number: 9296509
    Abstract: A plurality of cartons, preferably fabricated from paper, paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard, and particularly of tray or wrapper-style construction, are provided, having integral lid constructions, and outer overlap panels, operably associated with the at least one top panel, to enable articulation of the carton into a substantially completed structure, without interfering with the subsequent articulation of the at least one top panel to enable loading of the carton subsequent to articulation and affixation of the outer overlap panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Michael McLeod
  • Patent number: 9242758
    Abstract: A blank of sheet material for forming a polygonal container is provided. The blank includes two end panels, two side panels, and four corner panels connected in series along a plurality of fold lines. The blank further includes a plurality of bottom panels each extending from one panel of the end panels and the side panels. The plurality of bottom panels is configured to define a locking slot and a locking tab that is insertable into the locking slot to form a bottom wall of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: David Joe Brundage, Kenneth Charles Smith
  • Patent number: 9212842
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a carrier that is designed to hold a plurality of beverages, such as but not limited to cans or bottles. In some embodiments, the carrier is designed to also serve as a cooler. For example, the cans or bottles may be loaded into the carrier when the top is opened. Due to the shape and/or configuration of the carrier, the carrier has ample room for not only the beverages, but also ice when in the opened position. As such, the carrier is configured to be a one-time or multi-use cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Vasbinder, Jeffrey Scott James, Fred Foushee
  • Patent number: 9174407
    Abstract: A tray forming apparatus forms a blank into a tray having a double glued side wall construction for providing a desirable strength to the tray. A platen drives the blank through a forming rails which fold the blank into a partially formed tray having bottom, end and side walls, and inside corner supports formed about the platen. The platen is retracted prior to folding arms further extended portions of the partially formed tray. A compression plate and the folding arms are biased against adhesive portions of the tray for forming a fully formed tray having a double glued side wall construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Robert M. Herrin