Patents Assigned to WestRock Shared Services, LLC
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Patent number: 9580201Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 19, 2014Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventors: James John Willman, Craig Frederick Minsky
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Patent number: 9566756Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 17, 2014Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: David Joe Brundage
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Patent number: 9505520Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 27, 2015Date of Patent: November 29, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: Michael A. Baker
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Patent number: 9483896Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 7, 2015Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventors: Thomas A. Lockwood, Roger K. Miller, Scott H. Stapleford, Gary N. Stapleford
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Patent number: 9475604Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 2, 2015Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: Kenneth Charles Smith
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Patent number: 9469432Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 3, 2015Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: Ray Aguirre
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Patent number: 9469078Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventors: Amer Aganovic, Thomas Dean Graham
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Patent number: 9452861Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 23, 2015Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: Kenneth Charles Smith
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Patent number: 9409669Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 29, 2014Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: Dave Wayne Bahr
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Patent number: 9409367Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 4, 2011Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventors: Thomas Dean Graham, Amer Aganovic, Claudio D'Alesio, Paul Andrew Spurlock
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Patent number: 9382041Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 25, 2014Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: David G. Couture
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Patent number: 9359102Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 18, 2015Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: Gayle Martinez
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Patent number: 9296509Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 30, 2014Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: Michael McLeod
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Patent number: 9242758Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 8, 2015Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventors: David Joe Brundage, Kenneth Charles Smith
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Patent number: 9212842Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 18, 2014Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventors: Eric Vasbinder, Jeffrey Scott James, Fred Foushee
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Patent number: 9174407Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 6, 2013Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLCInventor: Robert M. Herrin