US3029008A - Composite container for shipping and packaging - Google Patents

Description

April 10, 1962 Y H. MEMBRINO COMPOSITE CONTAINER FOR SHIPPING AND PACKAGING Filed May 29, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FlGiL INVENTOR. HERMAN MEMBRINO ATTORNEYS April 10, 1962 H. MEMBRINO 3,029,008

COMPOSITE CONTAINER FOR SHIPPING AND PACKAGING Filed May 29, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HERMAN MEMBRINO ATTORNEYS April 10, 1962 H. MEMBRINO COMPOSITE CONTAINER FOR SHIPPING AND PACKAGING Filed May 29, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7

FIG. 8

INVENTOR. HERMAN ME MBRI NO gt v FIG. IO

7 ATTOR EYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,029,008 Patented Apr. 10, 1962 7 3,029,008 COMPOSITE CONTAKNER FOR SHIPPING AND PACKAGING Herman Memhrino, Springfield Road, Broomall, Pa- Filed May 29, N58, Ser. No. 738,784 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-14) My invention relates to containers for shipment and/ or packaging of liquids, powders and granulars such as paints, oils, grease, sugars, starches, food and chemical products, and more particularly relates to a composite container of a carton and liner combination for the purpose of making the combination liquid-proof, dust-proof, moisture-proof, and vapor-proof.

My invention may be applied to steel shipping drums, fiber containers, cartons and plastic vessels wherein a flexible liner of plastic material such as polyethylene is incorporated as an integral part of an encapsulating casing. I

In the past composite shipping containers have been fabricated wherein an outer body or casing constructed of reinforced paper board, fiberboard, cardboard, etc. had therein enclosed an inner, impervious plastic or foil liner which was removable. While the prior art constructions permitted reusing of the outer container by substituting therein a new inner liner, dificulties constantly arose in properly placing the liner into the casing because of wrinkles, creases and air pockets in the liner itself and in the abutting planes and points of the liner with its casing particularly at corners. Moreover, it was necessary to store the collapsed casings and liners separately at a great sacrifice of space. In addition there was no convenient manner in which the casing could be immediately opened and provide means for simultaneously filling the inner liner in the packaging plant. Lastly, increased labor costs resulted in separately filling the liner with material and subsequently or prior thereto encapsulating the liner within the casing.

It therefore is an object of my invention to provide a composite container wherein a liner is integrally combined within a casing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method for securing a flexible plastic liner within a casing whereby collapsing of the casing will collapse the liner therein as a conveniently storable package.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method for securing a flexible plastic liner within a casing whereby opening of the casing will immediately open the liner preparatory to filling the liner with material at the packaging plant.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cmposite container wherein a plastic liner i integrally secured within a casing and securing of the inner liner is easily ailorded without wrinldes, creases or air pockets.

Another object of my invention is to provide a composite container which is liquid-proof, dust-proof, moisture-proof and vapor-proof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a composite container which may be employed for shipping liquids, powders, granulars, including all food and most chemical products.

Another object of my invention is to construct a composite container which is adapted for fabrication using high production methods.

Another object of my invention is to provide a com posite container wherein a flexible plastic liner is secured to an outer casing whereby the composite container may be handled as an integral unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a composite container having a flexible plastic liner secured within a casing whereby the casing may be further encapsulated within an outer shipping container of circular, rectangular, triangular, square or polygonal cross section.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a composite container embodying my invention about to be placed within an external shipping container of rectangular configuration.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the composite container in collapsed position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the composite container in rectangular configuration and arranged in liquid carrying position with a pouring spout.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the composite container about to be placed within an external shipping container of circular configuration,

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the composite container in polygonal configuration.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the outer casing before assembly thereto of the inner liner.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the inner liner being incorporated upon the outer casing. I

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the composite container in assembled collapsed position.

FIG. 10 is a bottom sectional view of the composite container in opened position.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show a composite container comprising a flexible inner liner, generally designated as A, and adhesively secured thereto, an outer casing generally designated as B,

The inner liner A is of a flexible plastic material such as polyethylene, Pliolilm, metallic foil or aluminum, tin and the like. When the inner liner is of polyethylene, thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic material it is generally made as a continuous tube whereby appropriate lengths of the tube may be cut and inserted Within the casing B and the tubing heat sealed at the bottom portion along a line 12 and correspondingly heat sealed at the upper portion along a line 14 as shown in FIG. 3.

The casing B may be of fiberboard, cardboard or corrugated carton sheet and may be adhesively secured solely as a sleeve B1 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 whereby the sleeve acts merely as a stiifener for the inner liner A and is adapted for subsequent insertion of the composite container into an outer rectangular container C1 (see FIG. 1) or a circular outer container or drum C2 (see FIG. 4). The inner liner A also may be adhesively secured within a carton B having top and bottom flaps as shown in FIG. 3. When the inner liner A is secured either within the sleeve B1 or the carton B, the manner of integrating the composite container is substantially the same as will be more fully described immediately hereinafter.

It is to be observed that the upper portion 14A may be retained in closed condition without a heat seal entirely, or a partial heat seal may be effected to enable filling of the container or for pouring the contents therefrom.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, I show a fiat casing blank B1 having a pair of side walls 20 and 22 spaced from each other by contiguous end walls 28 and 30. A fold line 29 scored in the blank separates the half end wall 28 from the half end wall 30 and a fold line 25 correspondingly separates the half end wall 24 from the half end wall 26. A corner fold line 31 is scored in the blank intermediate side Wall 20 and half end wall 36 whereas a corner line 21 is scored in the blank intermediate the side wall 29 and the half end wall 24. A third corner line 23 is scored intermediate the half end Wall 26 and the side wall 22. A tab 32 is hingediy secured to the hall end wall 28 by a fourth corner line 27.

The liner A is folded fiat and adhesively placed on the blank so that the fold lines of the liner register with the fold lines 25 and 29 respectively as shown in PEG. 8 whereby bottom and to portions 12A and 14A project beyond the lateral edges of the sleeve blank B1 substantially equidistant. The sleeve blank B1 is then folded along lines 25 and 29 and adhesively secured to the opposite side of the creased flattened tube A when the tab 32 overlaps the contiguous edge of the side wall 22. The tab 32 is also cemented to the contiguous edge of the side wall 22 to permit the sleeve casing B1 to encapsulate as a ring the inner liner A, as shown in FIG. 9. This construction permits the formation of a rectangular carton such as a pack of cigarettes when the casing sleeve B1 is Opened along the four corner lines 21, 23, 27 and 31 respectively (see FIG. 10). Collapsing of the casing B1 along lines 25 and 29 which define the lateral edges provides a fiat package such as is shown in FIG. 9. The inner liner A may be secured to the sleeve casing B1 by adhesive, heat sealing or cementing whereby the side and end Walls of the casing are completely in superimposed planar abutment over the entire area with the adjacent outer surface of the inner liner A. It is also to be observed that top and bottom flaps may be hinged to the lateral edges respective of the side and end walls of the sleeve to provide a complete outer carton (see FIG, 3). The top and bottom flaps are not directly secured to the inner lining A.

In either the sleeve modification B1 or the composite carton B, the projecting bottom and top portions 12A and 14A when folded downwardly have triangular creases 12B and 14B projecting respectively over the side Walls in fiat abutment therewith. These triangular corners may be turned upwardly and downwardly on the outside of the sleeve or may be turned down and under the bottom of the liner as may be practical in the particular application. It is to be further observed that opening the carton B or sleeve B1 into a rectangular configuration will likewise draw the inner liner into the same configuration preparatory to filling the inner liner for packaging. When the sleeve B1 is inserted into a rectangular outer container C1 as shown in FIG. 1, a perfectly aligned shipping container is provided with a flexible plastic liner, liquid tight, wrinkle free and exclusive of any air pockets so that the inner liner may receive and discharge its contents with uniform fiow and capacity.

By scoring a fold line A in the central portion of the side Wall 20 and by scoring a fold line 22A in the side wall 22 an octagon annulus is formed as a sleeve about the inner liner A to enable the configuration of the sleeve to approach the circumference of a circle whereby the composite container may be inserted within a complementary circle drum C2 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. It is also to be observed that the sleeve B1 may be of semi-flexible material having two semi-circular sections which may be collapsed flat against each other intermediate exterior folds or expanded into a circular configuration for second complementary insertion within the circular drum C2 (not shown).

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative, rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim:

A composite, variably-shaped, collapsible container assembly comprising a flexible, collapsible liner movable from a flat collapsed position into a tubular open position, said liner having one strai ht open end and one straight closed end, said closed end including a straight line seal parallel with said open end, a collapsible sleeve encircling said liner and adhered thereto in face-to-face contact, said sleeve comprising a generally rectangular sheet including at least four panels hinged to each other by corresponding parallel fold lines extending transversely of said sheet in the same direction as the direction between the open and closed ends of said liner, said panels being hingedly movable about said fold lines from a flat collapsed position to a polygonal open position, at least two opposed panels being each provided with an intermediate fold line parallel with said first mentioned fold lines when said sleeve is in its sheet form, the open end of said liner extending beyond said sleeve in one direction while the closed end of said liner extends beyond said sleeve in the opposite direction, the line seal on said closed end extending between the longitudinal planes of two opposed intermediate fold lines and forming oppositely positioned ears on the liner, said ears extending laterally beyond the corresponding portions of the sleeve and being overfolded upon and adhered to the outer surface of said sleeve, said liner being movable into and out of its tubular open position simultaneously with the hinged movement of said sleeve around said first mentioned fold lines into and out of its polygonal position, and said liner being movable into and out of its collapsed position simultaneously with the hinged movement around said intermediate fold lines of the adjacent portions of said sleeve into and out of its collapsed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 2,342,158 Moore Feb. 22, 1944 2,396,565 Gardner Mar. 12, 1946 2,438,981 Waters Apr, 6, 1948 2,536,529 Bergstein Jan. 2, 1951 2,879,933 Bergstein et al Mar. 31, 1959

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