US2633986A - Package of triangular objects - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1953 C. w. VOGT PACKAGE OF TRIANGULAR OBJECTS Filed Jan. 28 1950 V INVEN TOR. cmR-E/vcE rm/0G7 Patented Apr. 7,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE F TRIANGULAR OBJECTS. Clarence W. Vogt, Norwalk, Conn.

Application January 28, 1950, Serial No. 141,107

1 Claim.

. which will remain in place without the necessity of adhering them is one objection. Further, such objects do not lend themselves to being wrapped on presently commercially available wrapping machines, and in addition the end folds which may be made are not considered as attractive in appearance as the end folds obtained with objects having a different cross section, such as. for example, square or rectangular objects. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a package for objects having a triangular cross section which will avoid the above objections.

Another object is to provide a wrapped package for objects having a triangular cross section which will accommodate two or more such objects assembled into a shape that may be more readily wrapped but in which the objects may retain their individuality within the package. By assembling such objects prior to wrapping, savings may be made in the amount of sheet material required'to provide adequate protection.

- Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detail description accompanied by the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of objects in position to be assembled for packaging;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the pair of objects shown in Fig. l suitably assembled for packaging;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled objects in partially wrapped condition;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the completed package embodying the present invention;

Fig. 5 isa sectional view of a modified form of a completed package embodying the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of another modified package containing an assembly of objects; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of a further modified form of completed package.

Whilethe present invention is applicable to a wide variety of objects having a triangular cross section, it is especially adapted to the packaging of plastic materials such as for example, lard, butter, margarine, icecream etc. A triangular' prismatic form is considered beneficial because it is distinctive in shape and has excellent display properties, due to its relatively large amount of surface compared to its volume. Further, it is relatively simple to measure and apportion fractions of the objects to obtain an amount desired for use. However, it is, as a practical matter, objectionable to wrap such objects in a triangular package. Individual triangularwrapped packages are harder to produce and cannot be made on present day conventional wrapping machines. The making of suitable end folds is difiicult and it is believed that the resultant package does not have as attractive an appearance nor provide as great protection for the contents as a wrapped package having a rectangular cross section. In addition, triangular packages are not as susceptible of being stacked compactly as other package forms.

Accordingly, it is proposed by the present invention to assemble two or more of such objects into a composite article having a square or rectangular cross section. In the case of plastic materials, it is generally found that they adhere to themselves and to surfaces which they contact. To maintain the individuality of each object and to facilitate the use of the objects in triangular cross section it is preferable that separating means be used adjacent surfaces of the objects when assembled into a composite article.

Figure 1 illustrates a pair of objects or masses lVI-l and M-2 which have been molded, extruded or otherwise formed to a triangular prismatic shape. Preferably, the triangular cross section of the objects is also a right triangle so that when the objects are assembled in the manner shown in the drawings a rectangular article is produced. To provide a composite or assembled article which may be readily packaged, the pair of objects may be positioned as shown with a suitable liner or insert I located between the objects. As shown in Fig. 2 the objects are in assembled position and have the hypotenuses of their right triangle cross sections juxtaposed to form a composite article with a rectangular or square cross section separated by the liner I. It may be seen that the width of the liner approximately corresponds to a diagonal of the resulting rectangle. However, the length of the liner is preferably longer than that of the objects, leaving end portions 2 of the liner projecting from the ends of the assembled objects. In this shape the assembled article forms a rectangular parallelepiped which may be readily enclosed within a suitable flexible sheet material wrapper to prcvidea completed package.

Fig. 3 shows the assembled article in partially wrapped condition. A section of sheet material or wrapper 3 has been formed or folded to a tubular configuration around the article. The ends or marginal edges 4 of the wrapper may be overlapped to provide a longitudinal seam of the finished package, and obviously this overlap or seam may be located at any desired point about the periphery of the composite article. The wrapper 3 may be provided with side edge portions 5 which extend beyond the ends of the article and beyond the end portions 2 of the liner to permit the formation of appropriate end folds for the finished package. The end portigns of the liner may be folded against the end faces of the composite article to permit formingthe end fold portions of the wrapper to a flat con.- figuration against the ends of the article and provide a package having fiat ends. Fig. 4 i-llus-. trates the package after completion of the end folds and it may be noted that the finishedpack age is conventional in appearance with other wrapped packages having a rectangular cross section.

If it is desired that the completed package disclose the presence of two triangular objects, it is contemplated that the wrapper 3 may be fabricated from a translucent or transparent sheet material to permit a view of the objects M-l and M 2. separated by the liner Alternatively, the

end fold portions 5 of the wrapper may be shortened or omitted and the ends of the package covered by suitable transparent or translucent caps or labels to show the separation between the objects making up the composite article.

When the objects M-l and, M-2 comprise a plastic material, it is contemplated that the completed package may be formed by successively depositing the objects into. a suitable wrapper. By

Way of illustration, the objects may be extruded from spaced nozzles or forming apertures with the first object having. one of its corner edges aligned with and placed in a complementary shaped portion of a suitable enwrapment. The deposition maybe completed by severing the object from the end face of the nozzle with the severing means being. wiped against a suitable portion of the wrapper. The second object may be extruded and deposited in position on top of the previously deposited object with the liner l disposed therebetween. Such second. object may also be severed or separated from the nozzle by a separating means which may be. wiped against the end portions 2 of the liner. After deposit of the two objects the wrapper may be enfolded about them to provide a completed package as illustrated in Fig. 4. Apparatus for metering, forming and depositing plastic masses which could be utilized to advantage in the production of the present. type of completed package is disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 123,575, filed October 26, 1 949, and entitled Apparatus for and Method of Producing Plastic Masses.

Fig. 5 showsa modified form of package forenclosing a composite article. In this form of the invention, the liner or insert H between the pair of objects may comprise an integral extension. or end portion of the wrapper [2. The overlap or longitudinal seam for the package may be obtained by extending the opposite end or edge 13 of the wrapper [2 so that it overlaps central portions of the wrapper. The liner or insert portion I l of the wrapper l 2 may be shorter than the balance of the wrapper so that itisfiush withv the ends of the objects or extends slightly beyond to provide end portions similar to the end portions 2 of the liner i in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 4. The portion I I may also be of equal width with the balance of the wrapper and when its ends are folded against the end faces of one of the objects, the portion Il may completely enclose the ends of that object prior to the formation of the end folds of the package. In effect, this results in one of the objects being completely enclosed before the normal end folds of the package are made. Accordingly, the consumer may open the package and remove one of the objects for use without disturbing the other Qbiect.

While the drawings illustrate a package disclosing only a pair of objects assembled to provide. a composite. article, it will be obvious that more than two objects of a triangular cross section may be assembled as pairs, or otherwise, to provide a finished package having a, rectangular or square cross section.

Figs. 6 and 7- illustrate modified forms of packages in which a plurality of triangular prismatic objects are assembled into a composite article and Wrapped to provide a rectangular prismatic package. In Fig. 6, four such objects M-l, M-2, M-3 and M- l are shown enclosed within a suitable wrapper 16, which is folded about the periphery of the composite article and provided with an overlap or seam as indicated at H. Portions l8 of a suitable liner maybe disposed between and separate juxtaposed faces of the objects lvf-fl, M-2, and similarly the objects M-3 and M-4. Between the portions t8, the liner may be provided with a reversely folded portion I9 disposed so that it; extends partially or completely between the adjacent faces of; the objects M-2 and M l. Such a package may be opened by separating the ends of the Wrapper at the overlap I1 and the objects M -l; and M-.3 are readily available for removal. Alternatively, the assembly may be separated into pairs of objects by cutting downwardly through the reversely folded portion I9 of the liner. Preferably, the liner portions are integrally connected and prefabricated tothe outline shown. The formedobjects maybe assembled with the liner and the wrapper and enfolded to complete a package in a conventional manner.

In the form of the invention shownin Fig. 7, four masses M-I, M-2 M-3 and M iare assembled in another fashion to provide a composite article suitably enclosed, bya wrapper 2 I. In this case the liner may be folded to zig-zag; outline, forming three angularly disposed portions or wings, 2'2, 23 and 24. The portion 2.2 is disposed between the contiguous faces of; the objects M-l and M-2, the portion 23 is disposed between contiguous facesof' the masses M-2 and M-3 and the portion 24 isdisposed between contiguous faces of the masses M-3 and Ma i; Again thelinermaybe fabricated and scored or; folded to facilitate its assembly with: the objects. The wrapper-2| may beenclosed around the composite article with its edges forming a suitable overlap or seam; indicated by the numeral 25, Following. the closing of; the.;wrapperaround the; rectangular composite article, the package may be completed by forming suitable endfolds.

In the forms of theinvention illustrated inthe drawings, the consumes is enabled to partially openthe-package and take all or any portion of oneof the objects with-outappreciably disturbing the other oneof the; objects, The presence of the nernsertma stains; he ndiv dua i r f, e h

. jects ma; be scored or of the objects and is of value in permitting partial severance of one of the objects, since it may be used as a backing while the object is being sliced or cut with a knife or the like.

Almost any desired flexible sheet material may be used as a wrapper, and the selection of the appropriate material will depend on the protective properties desired in the completed package. As described, it is believed desirable to utilize a transparent or translucent sheet material to disclose that the package contains a plurality of assembled objects. The liner or insert may comprise the same sheet material as the wrapper or may, if desired, be a slightly more rigid material having the strength and rigidity of a light cardboard, for example. It is also contemplated that for such commodities, the liner may comprise an edible wafer or the like. Generally, a flexible liner is deemed advantageous in order that it may be readily peeled from the commodity.

The triangular objects may be, in themselves, a collection of smaller pieces such as slices or patties. Further, if they are not subdivided, the obmarked for ease of subdivision. As another alternative, the surface of the wrapper may be appropriately ruled in the desired area, preferably on its exterior, to facilitate measuring the desired units for cutting.

Packages made in accordance with the present invention are very advantageous in that the assembled articles are more readily packaged by commercially available equipment. Savings in sheet material are also effected as compared to individual wrapping of the objects. The individual objects having a triangular prismatic form provide an excellent shape for display and merchandising. For the same amount of the commodity, the shape shown in the drawings will appear to be larger than if it were rectangular in cross section.

It will be appreciated that in the drawings, proportions have been exaggerated in some instances to provide a greater understanding of the invention.

It will be understood that the foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the invention is for the purpose of explanation and illustration, and numerous variations and modifications other than those which have been described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

A wrapped package which comprises two prismatic objects each having a triangular cross-section, said objects being placed in juxtaposition with their hypotenuses face to face to form a block having a rectangular cross section, a ply of sheet material interposed between the juxtaposed faces of said prismatic objects and having ends extending beyond the ends of said objects and folded against end faces of the objects, said block being enclosed by a wrapper to provide a rectangular package.

CLARENCE W. VOGT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,668,755 Bergmann May 8, 1928 1,737,950 Scotland Dec. 2, 1929 1,811,772 Willoughby June 23, 1931 2,008,837 Rumsey July 23, 1935 2,350,912 Marshall June 6, 1944

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