Abstract: The present invention is a method and means for making a carrying case from two open topped boxes from sandwich wall construction, where one box will be lid and the other a base. Living hinges connect a floor section to four sidewalls ensuring accurate vertical alignment of the sidewalls with each other and with the floor section.

Abstract: One or more sheet material layers in a multi-layer laminated structure is reinforced by adhesive bridges that extend through openings in the layer and tie together the layers on either side of the reinforced layer. A plurality of openings are provided in the layer or layers to be reinforced. The openings are spaced apart and distributed over the surface of the layer. Accordingly, when the layer is incorporated into a multi-layer structure, the adhesive applied to the layer, or to the layers on either side thereof, is forced through the openings so that a continuous adhesive connection is formed between the layers on opposite sides of the reinforced layer via the adhesive bridges that extend through the openings.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new machine for forming containers of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,939 without the use of glue or nails. The machine utilizes a mandrel movably mounted on a path for oscillation between retracted and extended positions. As the mandrel cycles forward, it first receives two synthetic sidewalls and then a deformable body panel of the container to be formed. Then a set of moveable upper and lower rockers containing unique pressure mechanisms press tabs on the horizontally oriented portion of the wrap into corresponding locking slots on the ends of the sidewalls. When the mandrel is fully extended, pressure is applied to the tabs on the vertically oriented middle section of the wrap using a pair of hinge-mounted pressure plates fitted with unique biased brackets. The resulting container is removed from the machine, which is then ready to begin another cycle.

Abstract: A cup for indicating temperature of contents thereof and a method of making. The cup includes a body that is cup-shaped and a temperature sensitive strip that is disposed on the body and indicates the temperature of the contents thereof. The body includes an outer cup and an inner cup that is disposed in, and is in intimate contact with, the outer cup. The temperature sensitive strip has a shape and is removably adhered on the longitudinal wall of the inner cup, just above the base thereof. The outer cup has a bore that has a shape, a pair of vertical edges, and extends through the longitudinal wall thereof, just above the base thereof. The shape of the bore matches the shape of the temperature sensitive strip so as to allow the temperature sensitive strip to be viewed through the bore.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new machine for forming strong, durable and recyclable containers of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,939 without the use of glue or nails which are ready to be loaded, closed, stacked and shipped. The machine utilizes a mandrel movably mounted on a path between retracted and extended positions. As the mandrel cycles forward, it first receives two synthetic sidewalls of the container to be formed, which are firmly compressed against the sides of the mandrel as it moves forward. The mandrel next encounters the body panel or wrap of the container to be formed, said wrap including a plurality of tabs along the edges of its two longer sides which correspond to locking slots on the sidewalls. As the mandrel moves forward, it pushes into the middle of the wrap whereupon a set of plows and shoes bend the upper and lower portions of the wrap into a more horizontal orientation, leaving the middle of the wrap in a vertical position.

Abstract: An insulated container comprises a sidewall formed with an outer layer, an inner layer, and a fluted layer located between the outer and inner layers. The fluted layer includes elongated flutes extending in a substantially lateral direction around the container. The inner layer comprises a paper layer arranged with its machine direction extending substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the flutes extend. The outer layer comprises paper that is capable of stretching sufficiently to accommodate an outer circumference of the container. Additional insulated containers and sidewalls having laterally extending flutes and methods therefor are further provided.

Abstract: A method of forming a paper container uses a three ply corrugated material having at least one inner or outer sheet of paper that may be stretched or compressed circumferentially to permit subsequent rolling of the corrugated material about a mandrel. A flattening of the upper and lower edges of the corrugated material permit rolling and seaming operations to be used to assemble the bottom to the cup and to form a lip in the upper edge.

Abstract: An improved method for packaging perishable goods comprises an inner insulating container that is quickly and easily formed from a flat sheet of metalized bubble pack material to a finished state that very closely approximates the size and dimensions of the carton. The constructed inner container can be quickly collapsed and reconstructed to improve the stackability and diminish the amount of space required to store the containers prior to use.

Abstract: An improved fruit and product container has a bottom and two side walls formed of a common piece of corrugated cardboard and two end walls formed of laminated paperboard attached to the bottom and side walls so as to define a box. The two laminated paperboard end walls enhance the stacking strength and moisture resistance of the container. Optionally, a top removably attaches to stacking alignment tabs extending upwardly from the end walls.

Abstract: A carton blank having an integral liner, an erected carton made from the blank and a process for making the carton blank. The integral liner includes portions excised therefrom to reduce paperboard resource and refuse. The blanks are preferably made by cutting two reverse-oriented blanks and mating liners from a single web of paperboard.

Abstract: A stabilized flexible container for receiving flowable materials includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a perimeter wall formed from four double layered side walls seamed together along adjacent side edges. The exterior layer of the double layered side walls is greater in length than the interior layer and is folded inwardly upon itself and stitched along the side edges to form a pocket in a space between the interior and exterior layers of the double layered side wall with the side edges of the exterior layer in the pocket region being free from the seam connecting the adjacent side walls. The interior layers of the side walls are seamed together in the pocket region and are seamed along their bottom edges to the perimeter of the bottom wall. Rigid panels are inserted into the space between the interior and exterior layers of the side walls and are secured in the pocket to prevent the rigid panels from slipping out of the side walls.

Abstract: A multiple-ply anti-static paperboard having a layer of high-carbon content fiberboard sandwiched between two plies of anti-static material, the anti-static material being an anti-static plastic or low-carbon content paperboard. Dividers and pads made of such multiple-ply paperboard are used to form a plurality of walled cells within a container, each of the cells completely enclosing a packaged article susceptible to electrostatic discharge. The conductive layer forms a Faraday cage to electrostatically shield the packaged article, and the anti-static layer prevents conductive dust from contacting and adversely affecting the packaged article, as well as protecting the packaged article against the generation of static electricity internally of the container.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for nesting a carton bottom with an open-sided carton top includes a work surface having a first end and a discharge end, and feed stations along the work surface for feeding the carton bottom and top onto the work surface. A conveyor and dog arrangement engages the carton bottom near one feed station and moves the carton bottom in a first direction along the work surface toward the discharge end, with a pair of pivoted flaps along the direction of travel for centering and guiding the carton bottom into a nesting arrangement with the carton top as the carton bottom moves along the direction of travel.

Abstract: A one-piece paperboard container and closure member telescopically opens and closes and, in the process of opening, reveals hidden matter printed on the container body portion, the closure member automatically frictionally locking onto the container body portion in the closed position. A single paperboard blank has a first and second set of four serially connected rectangular panels, a corresponding set of connecting strips connecting the first and second set of panels and cooperating therewith to provide a top for the closure member and to provide telescopic movement of the closure member relative to the container body portion, a series of proportionately sized V-cuts between each of the first set of panels, just below and adjacent to the strips, and two pairs of converging cut score lines and a central perforated score line at non-adjacent corners of the constructed container body portion, the converging cut score lines having a predetermined height less than the height of the closure member.

Abstract: Multi-layered corrugated containers having at least one flat side, have at least one foldable flap attached at the fold line to the flat side. In the past the fold line has been scored or crushed after the box is formed, and this represents an additional manufacturing step. The container includes a multi-layered sleeve with at least one flap on one end of the sleeve and a fold line separating the flap from the sleeve, the fold line having a strip with no corrugations therein permitting the flap to be bent about the fold line.

Abstract: A machine for forming a corrugated package from sheet material including a rotatable corrugation head having a fluted periphery and a front face; corrugating means and sealing means movable into association with the head for corrugating an inner sheet material and sealing two plys of material together, respectively; means for feeding an inner sheet having a selected length and width to the head adjacent said corrugating means and means for feeding an outer sheet having a selected length and width to the head adjacent the sealing means; means for moving a bottom wall member having a selected shape into engagement with the front face of the head and associated with the first and second sheets to form the bottom wall of the package; and means to control the operation of said machine so that the rotation of said head and the function of the above-described components are coordinated to form a corrugated side wall of the package from two sheets simultaneously with the joinder of said side wall with the bottom wall