US3389825A

US3389825A - Container assembly

Info

Publication number: US3389825A
Application number: US498703A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carlton L Whiteford
Original assignee: Poly-Pak Corp of America
Current assignee: Poly-Pak Corp of America
Priority date: 1965-10-20
Filing date: 1965-10-20
Publication date: 1968-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1985-06-25

Description

June 25, 1968 c. L. wHn'EFoRD 3,389,825

CONTAINER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 20, 1965 l b ['11111/1 I l'll'lIlI/l' 1111111 INVENTOR CARLTON L. WHITEFORD ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,389,825 CONTAINER ASSEMBLY Carlton L. Whiteford, New Canaan, Conn., assignor to Poly-Pak Corporation of America, Springdale, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 498,703 17 Claims. (Cl. 22B-23.4)

ABSTRACT F THE DSCLOSURE There is disclosed a package assembly wherein two layers of ytray members are assembled in bottom-to-bottom relationship so as to provide a plurality of pairs which may be disassembled to provide unit packages. Cover members extend over the open ends of the aligned tray members of each layer and are engaged therewith to maintain the tray members in assembly and are severable between the adjacent tray members of the layer. Means are provided for detachably securing the bottom wall portions of each pair of trays in the desired aligned bottomto-bottom relationship.

The present invention rela-tes to packaging, and, more particularly, to a novel assembly of a plurality of packages.

In marketing many goods, particularly consumable and perishable goods, it is often highly desirable to package the goods in small segregated quantities of an amount likely to lbe consumed at a single time. Such an arrangement results in great convenience in meting out the goods and eliminates the problem of storing open, partly-filled containers. To this end, many packaging assemblies have been proposed, the bulk of which generally utilize a container receiving a plurality of individual packages.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and attractive assembly of a plurality of packages from which individual packages may be conveniently removed for providing a measured amount of goods. It is also an object to provide such an assembly wherein the components of the several packages may be conveniently and relatively economically formed from synthetic plastic material and quickly and easily assembled.

Another object is to provide such a package assembly wherein each package may serve as the container from which the goods therein are ultimately consumed.

Still another object is to provide such a package assembly wherein the packages have means thereon for limiting movement relative to a surface upon which they are placed to facilitate use as the container from which the goods are directly consumed.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following detailed description and claims and the attached drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a package assembly embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof to an enlarged scale along the line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an individual tray member of the assembly of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 of a pair of tray members spaced apart from each other for clarity of illustration.

It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may be readily attained in a package assembly including a plurality of pairs of tray members, wherein each tray member has a bottom wall portion and side wall portions extending about the periphery of the bottom wall portion and extending upwardly therefrom to provide an open end. The tray members of each pair have their bottom wall portions adjacent each other and the pairs of 3,389,825 Patented June 25, 1968 ICE tray members are disposed in aligned, generally parallel relationship. Means are provided for detachably securing the bottom wall portions of each pair in bottom-to-bottom generally vertically aligned relationship. The tray assembly includes a pair of cover members extending over the open ends of the pairs of aligned tray members and engaged therewith to maintain the pairs of tray members in alignment and are severable between adjacent tray members to permit ready removal of individual tray members from the assembly and desirably to provide a cover for the individual tray member when removed from the assembly.

The cover members may be fabricated from relatively exible sheet material since the assemblage combines to provide relative rigidity but the rigidity of the assembly may be enhanced by use of less liexible sheet material for the cover members.

Various means may -be employed for sealing and engaging the cover members to the tray members including mechanical interengagement, static attraction, frictional engagement, interposed adhesives, solvent sealing, and heat sealing. Generally, the cover members and tray members are sealed about the periphery of the tray members by adhesion, and mechanical interengagement may be coupled therewith for optimum effectiveness. A highly effective and rigidified assembly is provided wherein the side wall portions of the tray members have rim portions extending about the periphery of the open end and the cover members have rib portions configured and dimensioned to seat and engage frictionally the rim portions, thereby maintaining the pairs of tray members in alignment. To provide rmer engagement and a sturdier assembly, the rib portions of the cover members also extend between the pairs of tray members and seat and engage the opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the rim portion has a laterally extending shelf portion and a depending lip portion cooperating with the side wall portion adjacent thereto to define an inverted generally U-shaped cross section. The cover members have body wall portions which lit inwardly of the open ends of the tray members and rib portions projecting thereabove of inverted, generally U-shaped cross section which seat snugly the rib portions. Although a separate rib portion might be provided to seat each of the opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members, ease of fabrication and enhanced rigidity of assembly are provided Iby having a rib portion extending between adjacent trays of greater width than that about the periphery of the assembly so as to receive and seat snugly the opposed rim portions with but a minor spacing therebetween to facilitate severing of the cover member thereat.

To facilitate severing the cover member between adjacent tray members, the material thereof is desirably weakened as by score lines, perforations or the like.

Although mechanical interengagement may be employed as the means for detachably securing together the bottom wall portions of each pair, the use of adhesives is particularly advantageous, especially when the adhesive has portions which adhere preferentially to one of the tray members and other portions of which adhere preferentially to the other tray member. Thus, upon separation of the tray members, each detached tray member has adhesive on the bottom surface thereof for skid-and-spill-resistant placement upon planar supporting surfaces such as tables and oors.

Such preferential adhesion conveniently may be provided by use of surface-treated polyolens for the tray members and application to non-aligned portions of the bottom wall portions of an adhesive including a relatively volatile component tending to produce enhanced adhesion which is substantially expelled prior to assembly. Water 3 latex adhesive emulsions are satisfactory for this purpose.

Although other techniques such as injection and compression molding may be employed for fabricating the tray and cover members, the members are readily adapted to thermoforming from thermoplastic sheet material, thus enabling low-cost and facile operation. Exemplary of suitable thermoplastic sheet materials are linear polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, high-impact styrene and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer.

Referring now in detail to the attached drawing, FIG- URE l illustrates a package assembly embodying the present invention and including three pairs of tray members, each tray member being generally designated by the numeral 2, sealed and maintained in laterally assembled relationship by a pair of cover members generally designated by the numeral 4. As seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, adhesive 7, 9 detachably secures the tray members 2 of each pair in bottom-to-bottorn assembly. As best seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, each tray member 2 is seen to have a generally planar bottom wall portion 8 and side wall portions 10 which extend about the periphery of the bottom wall portion 8 and extend generally upwardly therefrom to provide an open end. To enhance the rigidity of the side wall portions 8, generally vertical corrugations are provided therein. Extending about the periphery of the side wall portions 10 at the open end thereof is an outwardly projecting rim portion defined by a laterally extending shelf portion 12 and a lip or skirt portion 14 which depends from the outer edge thereof. In this manner the rim portion cooperates with the adjacent portion of the side wall portion 10 to define an inverted, generally U-shaped cross section. To lend rigidity to the rim portion which in turn rigidifies the side wall portion 8, a stitfening flange 16 extends outwardly from the free edge of the skirt portion 14.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, wherein the pair of tray members 2 are illustrated as spaced apart from the bottom-to-bottom relationship seen in FIGURE 2, the adjacent surfaces of the bottom wall portion 8 of the tray members 2 in the pair are provided with stripes of adhesive '7, 9. The adhesive stripes on one tray member 2 are offset with respect to the stripes 9 on the other tray member 2 and contact only the bottom surface of the other tray member 2 rather than the adhesive on the other when the two tray members 2 are assembled. As previously indicated, the

adhesive stripes

7, 9 desirably adhere preferentially or more strongly to one of the tray members 2 than to the other. Thus, when the tray members 2 are detached from each other, the bottom surface of each will retain some adhesive material thereon for skidresistant placement on tables or fioors.

The cover members 4 have planar body wall portions 20 which fit inwardly of the open ends of the tray members 2 and a raised peripheral rib portion 22 of inverted,

generally U-shaped cross section and the outer lip or skirt portion 24 is stiffened by the outwardly projecting flange portion 26. The U-shaped peripheral rib portion 22 is configured and dimensioned to receive snugly those portions of the tray member rim portions which are adjacent the periphery of the tray assembly and the stiffened skirt 24 abuts against the stiffening flange 16 and resiliently bears against the skirt portion 14 with suicient force to engage frictionally therewith, thereby locking the tray members 2 in lateral alignment.

The cover member 4 is further provided with raised transverse rib portions of inverted generally U-shaped configuration extending between the peripheral rib portions 22 along opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members 2. A weakening line 32 extends along each transverse rib portion 30 at which the cover member 4 may be readily severed to permit convenient removal of each tray member 2 from the assembly with a portion of cover member 4 sealed thcreover. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the transverse rib portion 30 is configured and dimensioned to receive both of the opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members 2 with a smallspacing between adjacent lip portions 18. This spacing permits limited flexibility at the transverse rib portion 30 to facilitate separation of the cover member 4 at the weakening line 32.

The cover members 4 are desirably sealed to the tray members 2 at the cooperating horizontal surfaces of the shelf portions 12 and

rib portions

22, 30 by some form of adhesion.

The planar body wall portions 20 of the cover member 4 between the raised rib portions may bear decorative material or advertising matter such as appears on the cover member 4 in FIGURE 1 and indicated by the numeral 34.

The peripheral and

transverse ribs

22, 30 rigidify the cover members 4 and maintain the tray members 2 in vertical and horizontal alignment as well as provide an appearance of substantial thickness.

In this manner, the pair of cover members 4 and the adhesive'

stripes

7, 9 secure the plurality of pairs of tray members 2 into a relatively rigid assembly of individually removable covered tray members.

In removing a tray member 2 from the assembly, the cover member 4 overlying the tray member 2 to be removed is severed along the weakening line 32 and may then be detached from the other tray member 2 forming its pair. In this manner, it can be seen that the portion of the cover member 4 overlying the removed tray member 2 is still assembled thereto by the engagement of the Aperipheral rib portion 22 of the cover member 4 about the rim portion of the tray member 2. This cover member portion may readily be removed from the tray member 2 by engaging the ange 26 thereof and springing it outwardly from the skirt portion 14 sufiiciently to permit the peeling of the cover member 4 therefrom.

The tray member 2 may then be placed on a supporting surface such as a table or tioor, and the adhesive stripes on the bottom Wall portion S restrain the tray member 2 from sliding or tipping. Thus, the adhesive renders the tray members particularly adaptable for feeding infants and animals, and for use in moving vehicles. The emptied tray member may be thrown away thus eliminating the need for washing, or the cover portion may be replaced upon the tray member for storage and unused contents.

Depending upon the degree of rigidity desired, the tray members may be conveniently and economically thermoformed from thermoplastic sheet material of about 8-25 mils in thickness and preferably about 10-20 mils. Similarly, the cover members may be sheet material of about 2-15 mils merely adhered to the planar surfaces of the tray members or they may be thermoformed from sheet material of about 2-25 mils. From the standpoint of economy, a thermoformed cover of about 2-5 mils is quite satisfactory although thicker sheet material may desirably be employed for additional rigidity.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides an extremely useful and attractive package assembly of a plurality of trays from which individually covered trays may be readily removed for providing conveniently a measured amount of goods. The components may be easily and economically thermoformed of synthetic thermoplastic sheet material and may be quickly and easily assembled. The individual tray member may be used as the container from which the goods are consumed or as a resealable container for unused contents therein. In accordance with the preferred aspect, the individual tray members also provide means for limiting movement relative to a surface upon which they may be placed so as to facilitate their use as a serving container.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A package assembly comprising two layers each containing a piurality of tray members, each of said ltray members having a bottom Wall portion and side wall portions extend-ing about lthe periphery of said bottom wall portion to provide an open end, the tray members of one layer having their bottom wall portions adjacent the bottom wall portions of the other layer to provide pairs of tray members in aligned generally parallel relationship; means detachably securing the bottom wall vportions of each pair in bottom-to-bottom relationship; and a cover member extending over the open ends of the aligned tray members of each layer and engaged therewith to maintain said pairs of tray members in alignment, said cover members being severable between adjacent tray members to permit ready removal of individual tray members from the assembly.

2. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein the side wall portions of said tray members have rim portions extend-ing outwardly about the periphery of said open ends and wherein said cover members have rib portions configured and dimensioned to seat and engage frictionally said rim portions and thereby to maintain said pairs of tray members in alignment.

3. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein said rib portions of said cover members extend 'between the pairs of tray members and seat and engage the opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members.

4. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein said cover members have weakening lines therein extending between adjacent tray members.

5. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein said means detachably securing the bottom wall portions of said tray members is an adhesive, portions of said adhesive preferentially adhering to one of the tray members and other portions of said adhesive preferentially :adhering to the other of the tray members to provide each detached tray member with an adhesive portion on the bottom thereof for skid-and-spill resistant placement on a supporting planar surface.

l6. The package assembly of claim 5 wherein said tray members yare fabricated from polyolen material having the outer surface of said bottom wall portions surfacetreated and wherein said adhesive is applied to non-aligned portions of said tray members of each pair and includes a relatively volatile component tending to produce enhanced adhesion to the tray member.

7. The paackage assembly of claim 1 wherein said tray members and said cover members are thermoformed from synthetic thermoplastic material.

8. The package assembly of claim 2 wherein said rim portions of said tray members Ihave a laterally extending shelf portion and a depending lip portion cooperating with the adjacent side wall portion of the tray member to define a generally U-shaped cross section and wherein said rib portions of said cover members are generally U-shaped to seat snugly said rim portions.

9. The package assembly of claim 8 wherein said cover members have rib portions extending between adjacent pairs of tray members of greater width than the rib portions extending about the periphery of the assembly and dimensioned to receive and seat snugly the opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members.

10. The package assembly of claim 1 wherein said cover members 'are fabricated from relatively rigid synthetic plast-ic sheet material.

11. A package assembly comprising two layers each containing a plurality of tray members integrally thermoformed from synthetic thermoplastic sheet material, each of said tray members having a bottom wall portion and side wall portions extending about the periphery of said bottom wall portion and providing an open end, said side wall portions having a rim portion extending outwardly about the open end thereof, the tray members of one layer having their bottom wall portions adjacent the bottom wall portions of the other layer to provide pairs of tray members in aligned generally parallel relationship; adhesive detachably securing the bottom wall portions of each pair of tray mem-bers in bottom-to-bottom relationship; and a cover member integrally thermoformed from synthetic thermoplastic sheet material extending over the open ends of the aligned tray members of each layer and engaged therewith to maintain said pairs of tray members in alignment, said cover members having a rib portion configured and dimensioned to seat and engage said r-im portions, said` cover members being severable between adjacent tray members to permit ready removal of individual tray members from the assembly.

12. The package assembly of claim 11 wherein said rim portions of said tray members have a laterally extending shelf portion and a depending lip portion cooperating with the ladjacent side wall portion of the tray member to define a generally U-shaped cross section and wherein said rib portions of said cover members are generally U-shaped to seat snugly said rim portions.

13. The package assembly of claim 12 wherein said cover members have rib portions extending between adjacent pairs of tray members of greater width than the rib portions extending about the periphery of the assembly and dimensioned to receive and seat snugly the opposed rim portions of adjacent tray members.

'14. The package assembly of claim 11 wherein portions of said adhesive preferentially adhere to one of the tray members and other portions of said adhesive preferentially adhere to the other of the tray members to provide each detached tray member with an adhesive portion on the Vbottom thereof for skid-and-spill resistant placement on a supporting planar surface.

15. A package assembly comprising two layers each containing a plurality of tray members integrally thermoformed from synthetic thermoplastic sheet material, each of said tray members having a bottom wall portion and side wall portions extending about the periphery of said bottom wall portion to provide an open end, the tray members of one layer having their bottom wall portions adjacent the bottom wall por-tions of the other layer to provide pairs of tray members in aligned generally parallel relationship, the side wall portions of said tray members having a rim extending about the open end thereof with a laterally extending shelf portion and a depending lip portion cooperating with the adjacent side wall portion of the tray member to dei-lne a generally U-shaped cross section; ad'hesive detachably securing the bottom wall portions of each pair of tray members in bottom-to-bottom relationship, portions of said adhesive preferentially adhering to one of the tray members and other portions of said adhesive preferentially Iadhering to the other of the tray members to provide each detached tray member with an adhesive portion on the bottom surface thereof for skid-and-spill resistant placement on a supporting planar surface; and `a cover member integrally thermoformed from synthetic thermoplastic sheet material extending over the open ends of the aligned tray members of each layer and engaged therewith to maintain said pairs of tray members in alignment, said cover members having a rib of generally U-shape-d configuration extending about the periphery thereof and between adjacent pairs of tray members, the portion of said rib extending about the periphery of said package assembly being dimensioned to receive and seat the cooperating rim of said tray members and the portion of said rib extending between adjacent pairs of tray members being of greater width than the -rib portion extending about the periphery of the assembly and dimensioned to receive and seat snugly the opposed rims of adjacent tray members, said cover members being severable between adjacent tray members to permit ready removal of individual tray tnembers from the assembly.

16. The package assembly of claim 15 wherein said cover members have weakening lines the-rein extending between adjacent tray members.

17. The package assembly of claim 15 wherein portions of said adhesive preferentially adhere to one of the tray members and other portions of said adhesive preferentially adhere to the other of the tray members to provide each detached tray member with an adhesive portion on the bottom thereof for skd-and-spill resistan'g 3,104,776 9/1963 Bostrom 220-72 placement on a supporting planar surface. I 3,113,673 12/1963 Stein 206 65 References Cited 3,223,233 12/1965 Becker et ai 20s-65 UNITED STATES PATENTS A 5 'HHERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 3,021,001 2/1962 Donofrio 220-23.4

3,092,501 6/1963 Beck et al' JAMES B. MARBERT, Exll'le.