US3837560A - Expanded polystyrene partition structure and method of making thereof - Google Patents

Expanded polystyrene partition structure and method of making thereof Download PDF

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Publication number
US3837560A
US3837560A US00254749A US25474972A US3837560A US 3837560 A US3837560 A US 3837560A US 00254749 A US00254749 A US 00254749A US 25474972 A US25474972 A US 25474972A US 3837560 A US3837560 A US 3837560A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
partition
strip
expanded polystyrene
strips
block
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00254749A
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English (en)
Inventor
L Kuchuris
S Gembicki
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cutting Equipment Leasing Inc
Original Assignee
Cutting Equipment Leasing Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to BE792053D priority Critical patent/BE792053A/xx
Application filed by Cutting Equipment Leasing Inc filed Critical Cutting Equipment Leasing Inc
Priority to US00254749A priority patent/US3837560A/en
Priority to NL7215425A priority patent/NL7215425A/xx
Priority to GB5405772A priority patent/GB1407063A/en
Priority to IT54394/72A priority patent/IT973821B/it
Priority to DE2262704A priority patent/DE2262704A1/de
Priority to CA162,363A priority patent/CA990241A/en
Priority to AU52111/73A priority patent/AU476845B2/en
Priority to JP48024234A priority patent/JPS4927565A/ja
Priority to FR7317659A priority patent/FR2184904A1/fr
Priority to ES414892A priority patent/ES414892A1/es
Priority to US440256A priority patent/US3901962A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3837560A publication Critical patent/US3837560A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D3/00—Cutting work characterised by the nature of the cut made; Apparatus therefor
    • B26D3/006—Cutting work characterised by the nature of the cut made; Apparatus therefor specially adapted for cutting blocs of plastic material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
    • B65D5/42—Details of containers or of foldable or erectable container blanks
    • B65D5/44—Integral, inserted or attached portions forming internal or external fittings
    • B65D5/48—Partitions
    • B65D5/48024—Partitions inserted
    • B65D5/48026—Squaring or like elements, e.g. honeycomb element, i.e. at least four not aligned compartments
    • B65D5/48038—Strips crossing each other
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
    • Y10T428/24149—Honeycomb-like

Definitions

  • the planar faces of a partition strip have a relatively low density because of said surfaces being formed by saw cut from a block of expanded polystyrene, while the entire peripheral edge of the partition strip, including the interlocking slots, are formed by hot wire cutting to have a higher density on the surface thereof to provide greater physical strength for the partition strip.
  • Partition structures for shipping and storage containers are formed from corrugated paper material. Such structures are relatively expensive considering the cost of raw materials and labor in manufacture. Apart from the cost thereof, a less than satisfactory partition structure results because the paper material has many properties which are undesirable in the shipping and storing of material. The paper is subject to mold, staining, combustion, water damage and, once subject to crushing forces, does not have any memory to return to its original shape.
  • the partition strip formed of expanded polystyrene it is possible to provide a one-piece laminate, in effect, with the planar faces of the partition strip being formed by saw-cutting of the strip from a block of expanded polystyrene to have the faces with the same low density as that of the basic block from which they are formed, while the entire peripheral edge, including the interlocking slots formed in a partition strip, are subject to hot wire formation to provide melting of the surface of the partition strip along the entire edge.
  • This melting provides a relatively high density layer along the surface of the partition strip edge to provide added structural strength and also forms a tension surface to provide a prestressed beam effect for the partition strip.
  • the hot wire forming of the interlocking slots due to the melting of the surface polystyrene, also provides strength to the interlocking slots.
  • a block of expanded polystyrene has its top, bottom and sides and a plurality of interlocking slots shaped by hot wire cutting to form the higher density surface layer followed by saw cuts of successive partition strips along a line transverse to the length of the block to have the exposed planar faces of the partition strip of unmodified low density expanded polystyrene for cushioning contact with a product.
  • a general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved partition structure wherein interlocking partition strips are formed of expanded polystyrene.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a partition strip for interlocking relation with other such strips to form a partition structure usable in shipping or storage containers comprising a generally planar integral body of expanded polystyrene with the planar faces of said body having relatively low density for cushioning contact with the product and the edge of the strip having a higher density for adding structural strength to the strip.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide a partition structure for shipping and storage containers having a plurality of interfitting partition strips with interlocking slots wherein the partition strips are formed of a molded plastic material and with the partition strip having generally planar faces with relatively low density for cushioning contact with the product and the peripheral edge of the strip having a higher density for added structural strength.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a method of forming a partition strip and a partition strip resulting from said method wherein successive partition strips are sawed from a block of expanded polystyrene to have the planar faces thereof of the same density as the basic block of material and with the slots formed in the partition strip and the entire edge of the strip being preformed prior to sawing by hot wire cutting applied to the block with resulting melting of expanded polystyrene at the surfaces contacted by the hot wire to form a higher density surface layer in the partition strip.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool usable in forming the interlocking slots in a block of expanded polystyrene prior to formation of an individual partition strip;
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the saw-cutting of a partition strip from a block of expanded polystyrene
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a formed partition strip
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a partition structure showing a plurality of interlocked partition strips
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of a part of a partition strip showing the different density between the major part of the body of the partition strip and the edge thereof, with the latter being formed by hot wire cutting.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein a block 10 of expanded polystyrene is shown.
  • This block has a length extending from left to right as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, with a top 11 and a bottom (not shown) and with a front side 12 and rear side (not shown). One end is indicated at 15.
  • This block 10 has a height and width equal to the height and length, respectively, of a partition strip indicated generally at 20 in FIG. 3.
  • top 11, bottom and front side 12 and rear side of the block 10 are formed by hot wire cutting prior to the step of the method illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • a tool which is illustrative only, is provided for hot wire forming of a plurality of slots 21, 22, and 23 in the partition strip 20.
  • a plurality of hot wires 24, 25 and 26 are, as known in the art, electrically heated and suitably mounted in a vertically-movable frame, indicated generally at 30, whereby they may be lowered into the block to a desired depth to form the interlocking slots 21-23 by melting of the expanded polystyrene.
  • the block 10 is then moved relative to a saw-cut device, such as a band saw, indicated generally at 40, having a travelling blade 41, to cut successive partition strips 20 of the desired thickness from the block 10. This is accomplished by relative movement between the block and the blade along a line transverse to the length of the block with successive repositioning of the block and blade relative to each other for a succeeding cut.
  • the partition strip 20 is then complete and is as shown in FIG. 3.
  • a series of partition strips 20a are then positioned in spaced, parallel relation with their interlocking slots faced upwardly and are interfitted with an inverted series of parallel spaced partition strips 20b to form the partition structure illustrated in FIG. 4.
  • the entire peripheral edge of the partition strip 20 including a bottom edge 50, the front and rear edges 51 and 52, respectively, and the top edge 53 including the entire surface of the interlocking slots 21-23 are initially formed by hot wire cutting which results in melting of the expanded polystyrene.
  • This melting results in a relatively high density surface layer, as illustrated at 60 in FIG. 5, while the major part of the partition strip is of a low density and the same as that of the basic block 10 of expanded polystyrene and as indicated at 61 in FIG. 5.
  • the generally planar partition strip 20 has a pair of opposed planar faces, with one face 70 shown in FIG. 3 and with each of these faces being formed by the sawcut step of the method illustrated in FIG. 2.
  • the saw cut results in the formation of the partition strip from the block 10 without creating any dust and without any modification of the density of the planar surface whereby the density is the same as that of the basic block and is of a relatively low value. This results in soft" surfaces for the partition strips which can be in cushioning contact with a product in a shipping or storage container and when the partition strips are assembled into the partition grid structure illustrated in FIG. 4
  • the partition strips of expanded polystyrene are capable of meeting many different packaging requirements.
  • the basic block 10 can be selected to have a density in the range of 1 pound per cubic foot, or less, up to a density of 4 to 5 pounds per cubic foot. This results in planar faces for the partition strip which are relatively soft but which still have a memory to return to the initial shape after compression.
  • the surface layer density along the peripheral edge of the partition strip and in the slots 21-23 of the strip can then be controlled by the hot wire cutting process, with density variation being controlled by the temperature of the wire, the diameter of the wire, and the speed of travel of the wire relative to the block 10 in the formation of the slots as well as the initial shaping of the block 10.
  • the size of the slots 21-23 of the partition strip 20 can also be varied by control of the temperature, diameter, and speed of travel of the wires 24-26, shown in FIG. 1.
  • partition strips are provided of relatively low-cost basic material and minimal production cost wherein the partition strip, in effect, is an integral laminate with a high density peripheral edge surface to provide for handling strength and resistance to crushing of the partition strip, while the planar faces thereof are of low density to provide maximum cushioning effect in contact with products.
  • partition strips of expanded polystyrene have been found to perform satisfactorily wherein the density of the basic block 10 is approximately /2 pound per cubic foot and with the peripheral edge of the strip being formed by hot wire cutting to have a surface layer with a density of approximately 40 pounds per cubic foot.
  • a partition strip for interlocking relation with other such strips to form a partition structure usable in a shipping or storage container comprising a generally planar integral body of expanded polystyrene material with a series of slots extending for part of the height thereof for interlock with other partition strips, the generally planar faces of said body having a relative low density for cushioning contact with a product and the edges of said strip including the surfaces of said slots being partially melted in shaping thereof to have a substantially uniform higher density and being in tension for adding structural strength to the strip.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Perforating, Stamping-Out Or Severing By Means Other Than Cutting (AREA)
  • Buffer Packaging (AREA)
  • Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
  • Molding Of Porous Articles (AREA)
  • Cartons (AREA)
US00254749A 1972-05-18 1972-05-18 Expanded polystyrene partition structure and method of making thereof Expired - Lifetime US3837560A (en)

Priority Applications (12)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE792053D BE792053A (fr) 1972-05-18 Structure de cloisons en polystyrene expanse et son procede de fabrication
US00254749A US3837560A (en) 1972-05-18 1972-05-18 Expanded polystyrene partition structure and method of making thereof
NL7215425A NL7215425A (it) 1972-05-18 1972-11-15
GB5405772A GB1407063A (en) 1972-05-18 1972-11-22 Partition strips for containers
IT54394/72A IT973821B (it) 1972-05-18 1972-11-30 Struttura divisoria in materiale plastico espanso e relativo proce dimento di fabbricazione
DE2262704A DE2262704A1 (de) 1972-05-18 1972-12-21 Verfahren zur herstellung einer vorrichtung zur unterteilung von versandbehaeltern o. dgl
CA162,363A CA990241A (en) 1972-05-18 1973-01-30 Expanded polystyrene partition structure and method of making thereof
AU52111/73A AU476845B2 (en) 1972-05-18 1973-02-13 Expanded polystyrene partition structure and method of making thereof
JP48024234A JPS4927565A (it) 1972-05-18 1973-02-28
FR7317659A FR2184904A1 (it) 1972-05-18 1973-05-16
ES414892A ES414892A1 (es) 1972-05-18 1973-05-18 Procedimiento para formar una tira divisoria de poliestire-no expandido, utilizada en la formacion de una estructura divisoria para recipientes de transporte.
US440256A US3901962A (en) 1972-05-18 1974-02-06 Method of making expanded polystyrene partition structure

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00254749A US3837560A (en) 1972-05-18 1972-05-18 Expanded polystyrene partition structure and method of making thereof

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3837560A true US3837560A (en) 1974-09-24

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Family Applications (1)

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US00254749A Expired - Lifetime US3837560A (en) 1972-05-18 1972-05-18 Expanded polystyrene partition structure and method of making thereof

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US3837560A (it)
JP (1) JPS4927565A (it)
AU (1) AU476845B2 (it)
BE (1) BE792053A (it)
CA (1) CA990241A (it)
DE (1) DE2262704A1 (it)
ES (1) ES414892A1 (it)
FR (1) FR2184904A1 (it)
GB (1) GB1407063A (it)
IT (1) IT973821B (it)
NL (1) NL7215425A (it)

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4187975A (en) * 1978-06-21 1980-02-12 W. J. Bradford Paper Company Combination slotted partition spacer
US4195732A (en) * 1978-02-28 1980-04-01 Great Northern Corporation Supporting and spacing member for web material rolls
US4823956A (en) * 1986-08-13 1989-04-25 Donaldson Company, Inc. Composite container and its method of manufacture
US4824788A (en) * 1987-11-09 1989-04-25 Ferre Penelope J Humidity chamber for immunoperoxidase staining
US4955470A (en) * 1989-08-10 1990-09-11 Hamel Douglas M Personal utility container
US5069514A (en) * 1991-03-04 1991-12-03 Laura Sherman Panty hose storage device
GB2247878A (en) * 1990-09-15 1992-03-18 Willdaw Foam & Packaging Ltd Article protector
US5289941A (en) * 1992-11-10 1994-03-01 The American Team Reconfigurable article storage container
US5823726A (en) * 1997-04-03 1998-10-20 Damage Prevention Company Reinforced slotted void filler
US6088305A (en) * 1994-04-18 2000-07-11 Disc, Incorporated Frame assembly for data storage and retrieval system
US6209839B1 (en) 1999-06-11 2001-04-03 O'malley Joseph Plastic stacking support for roll stock
US6474613B2 (en) 1999-06-11 2002-11-05 O'malley Joseph High storage density roll stock stacking support
US20100147935A1 (en) * 2008-12-15 2010-06-17 Alliance Packaging, Llc Partitioned container and method of making same
USD883388S1 (en) * 2019-11-12 2020-05-05 James G. Jackson, III Transparent three-dimensional gaming grid
USD902719S1 (en) * 2017-10-18 2020-11-24 Michael D. Dwork Food container divider
USD903494S1 (en) * 2017-10-18 2020-12-01 Michael D. Dwork Food container divider
USD958647S1 (en) * 2017-10-13 2022-07-26 Michael D. Dwork Food container

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3310009C1 (de) * 1983-03-19 1984-06-28 Max 7713 Hüfingen Gut Gerät zur Erzeugung von Rillen in der Oberfläche von Bauelementen
GB2243572A (en) * 1990-04-26 1991-11-06 Louis Delwiche Cutting apparatus
US9213540B1 (en) * 2015-05-05 2015-12-15 Archive Solutions Providers Automated workflow management system for application and data retirement

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3190943A (en) * 1963-01-16 1965-06-22 Owens Illinois Glass Co Method of producing carton liners and partitions
GB1066615A (en) * 1965-04-28 1967-04-26 Evans Bellhouse Ltd A structural member
US3342365A (en) * 1966-09-23 1967-09-19 Haveg Industries Inc Welded containers
US3383027A (en) * 1966-01-03 1968-05-14 Owens Illinois Inc Unitary collapsible partition
US3404827A (en) * 1967-05-18 1968-10-08 Republic Packaging Corp Corner cushions
US3431164A (en) * 1964-06-02 1969-03-04 Monsanto Chemicals Foamed polyvinylaromatic resin products having elongated cells at right angles to a surface skin and their manufacture
US3564811A (en) * 1969-05-27 1971-02-23 Tainer Tech Corp Cushioning member for packing an article in a container
US3565243A (en) * 1969-01-14 1971-02-23 Tainer Tech Corp Cushioning member for packing an article in a container
US3667159A (en) * 1970-09-10 1972-06-06 George K Todd Seedling flat

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3190943A (en) * 1963-01-16 1965-06-22 Owens Illinois Glass Co Method of producing carton liners and partitions
US3431164A (en) * 1964-06-02 1969-03-04 Monsanto Chemicals Foamed polyvinylaromatic resin products having elongated cells at right angles to a surface skin and their manufacture
GB1066615A (en) * 1965-04-28 1967-04-26 Evans Bellhouse Ltd A structural member
US3383027A (en) * 1966-01-03 1968-05-14 Owens Illinois Inc Unitary collapsible partition
US3342365A (en) * 1966-09-23 1967-09-19 Haveg Industries Inc Welded containers
US3404827A (en) * 1967-05-18 1968-10-08 Republic Packaging Corp Corner cushions
US3565243A (en) * 1969-01-14 1971-02-23 Tainer Tech Corp Cushioning member for packing an article in a container
US3564811A (en) * 1969-05-27 1971-02-23 Tainer Tech Corp Cushioning member for packing an article in a container
US3667159A (en) * 1970-09-10 1972-06-06 George K Todd Seedling flat

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4195732A (en) * 1978-02-28 1980-04-01 Great Northern Corporation Supporting and spacing member for web material rolls
US4187975A (en) * 1978-06-21 1980-02-12 W. J. Bradford Paper Company Combination slotted partition spacer
US4823956A (en) * 1986-08-13 1989-04-25 Donaldson Company, Inc. Composite container and its method of manufacture
US4824788A (en) * 1987-11-09 1989-04-25 Ferre Penelope J Humidity chamber for immunoperoxidase staining
US4955470A (en) * 1989-08-10 1990-09-11 Hamel Douglas M Personal utility container
GB2247878A (en) * 1990-09-15 1992-03-18 Willdaw Foam & Packaging Ltd Article protector
US5215195A (en) * 1990-09-15 1993-06-01 Willdaw Foam & Packaging Limited Protectors
GB2247878B (en) * 1990-09-15 1994-12-14 Willdaw Foam & Packaging Ltd Protectors
US5069514A (en) * 1991-03-04 1991-12-03 Laura Sherman Panty hose storage device
US5289941A (en) * 1992-11-10 1994-03-01 The American Team Reconfigurable article storage container
US6088305A (en) * 1994-04-18 2000-07-11 Disc, Incorporated Frame assembly for data storage and retrieval system
US5823726A (en) * 1997-04-03 1998-10-20 Damage Prevention Company Reinforced slotted void filler
US6209839B1 (en) 1999-06-11 2001-04-03 O'malley Joseph Plastic stacking support for roll stock
US6322034B1 (en) 1999-06-11 2001-11-27 O'malley Joseph High storage density roll stock stacking support
US6474613B2 (en) 1999-06-11 2002-11-05 O'malley Joseph High storage density roll stock stacking support
US20100147935A1 (en) * 2008-12-15 2010-06-17 Alliance Packaging, Llc Partitioned container and method of making same
US8152051B2 (en) 2008-12-15 2012-04-10 Alliance Packaging, Llc Partitioned container and method of making same
US8905294B2 (en) 2008-12-15 2014-12-09 Alliance Packaging, Llc Partitioned container and method of making same
USD958647S1 (en) * 2017-10-13 2022-07-26 Michael D. Dwork Food container
USD902719S1 (en) * 2017-10-18 2020-11-24 Michael D. Dwork Food container divider
USD903494S1 (en) * 2017-10-18 2020-12-01 Michael D. Dwork Food container divider
USD883388S1 (en) * 2019-11-12 2020-05-05 James G. Jackson, III Transparent three-dimensional gaming grid

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU476845B2 (en) 1976-10-07
JPS4927565A (it) 1974-03-12
IT973821B (it) 1974-06-10
GB1407063A (en) 1975-09-24
ES414892A1 (es) 1976-02-01
CA990241A (en) 1976-06-01
AU5211173A (en) 1974-08-15
NL7215425A (it) 1973-11-20
BE792053A (fr) 1973-03-16
DE2262704A1 (de) 1973-11-29
FR2184904A1 (it) 1973-12-28

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