US20080017639A1

US20080017639A1 - Plastic container

Info

Publication number: US20080017639A1
Application number: US11/458,132
Authority: US
Inventors: Jui-Liang Wu; Tien-Jen Lo
Original assignee: A and T Unlimit Ltd; Tzeng Shyng Ind Corp
Current assignee: TZENG SHYNG INDUSTRIES CORP; A and T Unlimit Ltd; Tzeng Shyng Ind Corp
Priority date: 2006-07-18
Filing date: 2006-07-18
Publication date: 2008-01-24

Abstract

A plastic container includes a molded multi-layered structure defining an inner space therein and including a first molded layer surrounding the inner space and having an outer surface and an outer protrusion protruding outwardly from the outer surface, and a second molded layer surrounding and covering the outer surface of the first molded layer and formed with an outer through-hole. The outer protrusion of the first molded layer fills and seals the outer through-hole in the second molded layer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a container, more particularly to a plastic container having a molded multi-layered structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional plastic containers made from melamine normally have only one color and a simple structure. As a consequence, the conventional plastic containers are not attractive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a container that can overcome the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.
A plastic container according to the present invention comprises a molded multi-layered structure defining an inner space therein and including a first molded layer surrounding the inner space and having an outer surface and an outer protrusion protruding outwardly from the outer surface, and a second molded layer surrounding and covering the outer surface of the first molded layer and formed with an outer through-hole. The outer protrusion of the first molded layer fills and seals the outer through-hole in the second molded layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a plastic container according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an assembled sectional view of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of a plastic container according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an assembled sectional view of the second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of a plastic container according to the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is an assembled sectional view of the third preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted here in that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the first preferred embodiment of a plastic container according to the present invention is shown to include: a molded multi-layered structure 10 defining an inner space 5 therein and including a first molded layer 3 surrounding the inner space 5 and having an outer surface 31 and at least one outer protrusion 32 protruding outwardly from the outer surface 31, and a second molded layer 2 surrounding and covering the outer surface 31 of the first molded layer 3 and formed with at least one outer through-hole 22. The outer protrusion 32 of the first molded layer 3 fills and seals the corresponding outer through-hole 22 in the second molded layer 2. In this embodiment, the plastic container is in the form of a cup, and is made from melamine. The first and second molded layers 3, 2 are different in color. However, the colors, the shape, and the materials for the plastic container are not limited to what is disclosed herein.
In this embodiment, the molded multi-layered structure 10 further includes a third molded layer 4 surrounding the inner space 5, having an outer surface 41, and formed with at least one inner through-hole 42. The first molded layer 3 surrounds and covers the outer surface 41 of the third molded layer 4, and further has an inner surface 30 opposite to the outer surface 31, and at least one inner protrusion 33 that protrudes inwardly from the inner surface 30 and that fills and seals the corresponding inner through-hole 42 in the third molded layer 4.
In this embodiment, the outer and inner through- holes 22, 32, the outer protrusion 32, and the inner protrusion 33 have a flower shape, and the outer and inner through- holes 22, 42 are formed by male dies of the mold. The color of the third molded layer 4 is different from those of the first and second molded layers 3, 2.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the second preferred embodiment of a plastic container according to this invention differs from the previous embodiment in that the third molded layer 4 has a core protrusion 43 that protrudes outwardly from the outer surface 41 of the third molded layer 4, and that the first molded layer 3 is further formed with a core through-hole 34 extending from the inner surface 30 of the first molded layer 3 through the outer protrusion 32. The core protrusion 43 of the third molded layer 4 fills and seals the core through-hole 34 in the first molded layer 3, and preferably has a color different from that of the outer protrusion 32. As such, the outer protrusion 32 and the core protrusion 43 cooperatively resemble a figure of a flower. Note that the inner protrusion 33 and the inner through-hole 42 included in the previous embodiment are dispensed with in this embodiment.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the third preferred embodiment of a plastic container according to this invention differs from the first preferred embodiment in that the third molded layer 4 further has an outer protrusion 45 that protrudes outwardly from the outer surface 41 of the third molded layer 4, that the first molded layer 3 is formed with a first through-hole 34, and that the second molded layer 2 is further formed with a second through-hole 24 that is aligned with the first through-hole 34 in the first molded layer 3. The outer protrusion 44 of the third molded layer 4 fills and seals the first through-hole 34 in the first molded layer 3 and the second through-hole 24 in the second molded layer 2. The outer protrusions 32, 45 of the first and third molded layers 3, 4 are different in color so as to form the plastic container with an appearance having figures of different colored flowers.
With the multi-layered structure 10 of the plastic container of this invention, the appearance of the plastic container can be considerably enhanced.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A plastic container comprising:

a molded multi-layered structure defining an inner space therein and including

a first molded layer surrounding said inner space and having an outer surface and an outer protrusion protruding outwardly from said outer surface, and

a second molded layer surrounding and covering said outer surface of said first molded layer and formed with an outer through-hole;

wherein said outer protrusion of said first molded layer fills and seals said outer through-hole in said second molded layer.

2. The plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said molded multi-layered structure further includes a third molded layer surrounding said inner space, having an outer surface, and formed with an inner through-hole, said first molded layer surrounding and covering said outer surface of said third molded layer and further having an inner surface opposite to said outer surface, and an inner protrusion that protrudes inwardly from said inner surface and that fills and seals said inner through-hole in said third molded layer.

3. The plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said molded multi-layered structure further includes a third molded layer surrounding said inner space and having an outer surface and a core protrusion that protrudes outwardly from said outer surface of said third molded layer, said first molded layer further having an inner surface opposite to said outer surface of said first molded layer and being formed with a core through-hole extending from said inner surface of said first molded layer through said outer protrusion, said core protrusion of said third molded layer filling and sealing said core through-hole in said first molded layer.

4. The plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said molded multi-layered structure further includes a third molded layer surrounding said inner space and having an outer surface and an outer protrusion that protrudes outwardly from said outer surface of said third molded layer, said first molded layer being formed with a first through-hole, said second molded layer being further formed with a second through-hole that is aligned with said first through-hole in said first molded layer, said outer protrusion of said third molded layer filling and sealing said first through-hole in said first molded layer and said second through-hole in said second molded layer.

5. The plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second molded layers are different in color.