Patents Examined by Gary E. Elkins
  • Patent number: 7325720
    Abstract: A package formed from a cardboard blank having crease lines and wall panels, bottom flaps forming a bottom of the package and top flaps, namely short-side flaps and long-side flaps, folded and heat sealed together to form the top of the package. One of the long-side flaps has at its free end a seal tab, which is provided with a heat seal adhesive and is sealed against the opposite long-side flap. The seal tab has a smaller length than the width of the package for enabling it to be brought down into the top of the package for re-closing thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Forpacknings/AB Nord-Emballage
    Inventors: Ulf Jeppsson, Niilo Poyhonen
  • Patent number: 7281650
    Abstract: A beverage cup that is constructed to be inexpensive and disposable with the beverage cup having an anti-slip exterior surface. The anti-slip exterior surface can be constructed of a foam coating or constructed by placing a mass of small holes through a corrugated layer producing a chad around each hole that extends in an outward direction from the beverage cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Inventor: Michael Milan
  • Patent number: 7261231
    Abstract: A folded food carton is formed from a matable, lay flat blank for retaining, transporting and serving hot food such as pizza. The blank includes an arrangement of end panels, side panels and cover panels foldable relative to a bottom panel such that, in the erected carton, the cover panels overlap and are interlocked with the side panels by means of offset locking tabs. The end panels slant upwardly and inwardly from the bottom panel to add rigidity and save material for the carton. The side panels flare upwardly and outwardly from the bottom panel and extend above the cover panels to enhance stackability and prevent shifting of stacked cartons one on top of the other. Several methods of packaging pizza in the folded carton are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: Wayne H. Kuhn, Frank Pizzitola
  • Patent number: 7261232
    Abstract: The invention relates to a folded box comprising two principal wall sections (5, 9), which are joined on one side and can be interconnected on the opposing side, for example by means of a flap (39), to form a substantially tubular body, whose ends can be sealed. To reduce production costs, a lateral wall section (11, 12), with ends that taper to a point, is configured in at least one of the two principal wall sections (5, 9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Inventor: Joachim Schropp
  • Patent number: 7258265
    Abstract: A display carton including a corrugated board assembly having an initial flat unassembled state and an assembled state and a clear front wall having an initial flat unassembled state and an assembled state. The corrugated board assembly is structured and arranged in its assembled state to receive and retain the clear front wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Design Display Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathon Loew
  • Patent number: 7255261
    Abstract: A storage container that is foldable between a first, second and third position, and having a generally planar base, a pair of opposing end panels, and a pair of opposing side panels. In the first position, the side panels and end panels are folded to form a generally planar shape. When formed into the second position, the end and side panels are folded generally perpendicular to the base to form an open container shape. In the third position, the base panels, side panels and end panels are folded to form a closed box shape. The base includes a bottom portion located between a pair of base panels. The end panels are foldably connected to the base panels. The side panels are foldably connected to the base and the end panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventor: Olivier Denys André Mesly
  • Patent number: 7249703
    Abstract: Foldout tabs for assisting with the removal of contents from a carton. When extended, the foldout tabs provide a leverage point on which a user may place one or both feet so that while pulling the contents from within the carton, the carton does not exhibit its normal tendency to follow the contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Gateway Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Leapman
  • Patent number: 7246737
    Abstract: The box, which can be made from a single sheet or from five separate pieces which are fastened to one another to form the box, is such that at the front ends, extensions project with transverse folding lines to form corner reinforcements. The extensions that form these reinforcements present four folding lines that define the sectors, which form an initial sector which is attached to the inner face of the side, a second sector with a diagonal disposition, a third sector which is attached on the inside of the front, a fourth sector which lies at right angles to the diagonal sector, and a last sector which is attached to one of the two halves of the inner face of the diagonal sector. At their upper edge the sectors present flanges which form projections perpendicular to one another, for positioning in matched opposing notches when the boxes are stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Videcart, S.A.
    Inventor: Pedro Teixidor Casanovas
  • Patent number: 7234629
    Abstract: A packaging box includes a box and a cover. The box and the cover respectively have a plurality of concave folding lines in order for the packaging box to be collapsed and even recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Arcadyan Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Chin-Shu Ho
  • Patent number: 7234630
    Abstract: Disclosed is a folding collapsible storage container, which has a container body with vertical folding lines in the four corners and two opposite short sides thereof, a stiff partition plate fixedly fastened to the container body set between the vertical folding lines in the two opposite short sides of the container body, flexible spacer members connected between the partition plate and two opposite long sides of the container body, and a hard bottom board detachably mounted in the flexible bottom panel of the container body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Inventor: Wen-Tsan Wang
  • Patent number: 7234632
    Abstract: A rigid carton type wrapper (1; 80; 86) for packets (2) of cigarettes is fashioned as a box-like container (8) with a hinged lid (10) erected from a flat blank (42; 81; 99) presenting a main portion (43), and an appendage (44) extending from the main portion (43) parallel with a longitudinal axis (L?) of the blank; the appendage (44), which appears U-shaped and functions as a frame (27) projecting from an open end (9) of the container (8), is folded double into contact with the main portion (43) to bring the frame (27) into position relative to container (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: G.D S.p.A.
    Inventors: Fiorenzo Draghetti, Silvano Boriani
  • Patent number: 7232055
    Abstract: An apparatus for containing a food and beverage includes a substantially flat stock, for example, cardboard or fiberboard that is folded into a three-dimensional apparatus. When formed, the apparatus includes a first compartment for holding a food and a beverage extension section adapted for holding a beverage. Certain of the sections include panels that interlock. A reinforcing member is provided to add strength to the beverage extension portion. A pair of thumbholes are provided in two of the sections and a pair of slots are provided for securing a pair of eating utensils, for example, a fork and spoon. The unused thumbhole is adapted to receive a napkin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Inventor: Edmond Heng Lim
  • Patent number: 7229003
    Abstract: A reinforced bulk materials container having a first wall-forming blank scored to provide main panels foldably joined together at a plurality of corners with each main panel having a foldably joined bottom flap. A wear reducing member attaches along the score for the bottom flaps and overlaps lateral portions of the flaps and the panels. A second wall-forming blank of corrugated paperboard defining panels laminates to the first wall-forming blank and includes members fixedly attached about a perimeter of each panel and a filler pad within the perimeter defined by the members. The wear reducing member resists the bottom edges of the container from wearing through caused movement of the container on rough surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: North American Container Corp.
    Inventors: John M. Grigsby, Jr., Jeffrey C. Banks
  • Patent number: 7229001
    Abstract: Disclosed is a folding collapsible rectangular storage box in which the rectangular box body has a flexible bottom panel, two short upright peripheral panels and two long upright peripheral panels perpendicularly extending upward from the four sides of said rectangular bottom panel, the two long upright peripheral panels having a respective vertically extending folding line arranged in a diagonal manner so that the box body can be folded into a flat manner by pushing the two long upright peripheral panels toward each other and then respectively turning the two short upright peripheral panels toward the attached two long upright peripheral panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Inventor: Wen-Tsan Wang
  • Patent number: 7229002
    Abstract: Structures and processes for packaging produce in a manner that resists contamination due to dust, debris, and sunlight. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, fresh produce may be placed in a produce container having tabs extending from the top of the produce container walls. The tabs may preferably comprise a hook end. A produce container cover, preferably made from fiberboard or some other suitably lightweight material, comprising tab slots in locations complementary to the tabs of the produce container may be placed on the produce container as a cover. The tab slots of the produce container cover are configured to create a locking effect with the hook end of the tabs located on the produce container. This prevents the produce container cover from inadvertently being displaced during shipping and handling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: RTS Packaging, LLC
    Inventors: William B. Burch, Jr., John N. Atwood
  • Patent number: 7225970
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide a blank of foldable material that configured to form a container. When formed, the container is completely self-locking. Additionally, when the blank is formed with any number of known liquid-proof sheet material or coatings, the container provides a leak/sift proof structure. Also, the container provides for all inside surfaces to be smooth, flat and interrupted surfaces. Further, as the hand hold cutouts are covered by end panels, the container retards hot or cold inside temperature degradation, which make the container ideal for use as a low-cost cooler or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Philips
  • Patent number: 7222777
    Abstract: The wrap-around carrier of the invention includes opposed side panels hingedly connected to a top panel and to a pair of bottom flaps. An end retention structure is connected to at least one of the side panels and to the adjacent one of the bottom flaps. The end retention structure includes an anchor panel hingedly connected to an end edge of the one side panel and disposed in a face-contacting relationship with the inside surface of the one side panel, a gusset panel hingedly connected to the anchor panel and extending toward the adjacent end opening of the carrier, and an end panel hingedly connected to the gusset panel and disposed to engage the adjacent end article packaged in the carrier to prevent it from dislodging form the carrier. The end retention structure further includes a relief panel that hingedly interconnects the end panel with the one bottom flap. The relief panel is disposed in the plane of the one bottom flap when the carrier is in an erected condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Garnier
  • Patent number: 7222763
    Abstract: A ride ready vehicle-mounted bicycle carrier includes a pair of spaced apart wheel supports and a stabilizing member which is engageable with the bicycle, preferably with one of the bicycle wheels, at a location above the wheel supports. One of the wheel supports is in the form of a pair of spaced apart wheel engagement members which are pivotably mounted to a structural member associated with the carrier, and which are configured to grip the wheel so as to provide initial support for the bicycle on the carrier. The stabilizing member is in the form of a clamp arm mechanism having a base mounted to the structural member and an extendible and retractable arm having a wheel-engaging portion at its outer end, which can be moved into and out of engagement with the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Inventor: Fabio Pedrini
  • Patent number: 7222778
    Abstract: A multifunctional device for supporting a lid of a container in order to protect an item stored within the container is provided. The support device includes a generally planar upper member. The support device also includes at least one leg member detachably connected to the upper member by a connecting member and projecting from a surface of the upper member. The upper member and leg member have a first function as a lid support when the leg member and upper member are attached. Further, either one of the upper member or the leg member have a second function different from the first function when the leg member is detached from the upper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Inventors: Ronald Brian Smith, Daniel Nett
  • Patent number: 7219830
    Abstract: A triangular ice cream carton having indicia for serving proportional slices of ice cream. The ice cream container includes a repositionable triangular insert to protect the sliced end of ice cream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Inventor: Duane E. West