US3886247A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for converting nestable plastic containers into non-nestable container products
Assignee: Dart Container Corp
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Filing: 1973-01-22
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Granted: 1975-05-27
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Expires: 1993-01-22
Abstract
Abstract Method for converting, by reshaping, thin-walled nestable plastic containers into non-nestable container products wherein the nestable container is telescopically mounted on and releasably locked to a complementary male mold member, the nestable container thereafter being heated to a predetermined temperature to permit ready deformation thereof, and subsequently expanded against the non-nestable inner wall configuration of a mold cavity by differential fluid pressure to form non-nestable container products. In order to mold uniform container products by a continuous molding operation, the nestable plastic container is held in fixed relation relative to the male mold member in the vicinity of its open mouth where the container is insulated from heat.
Inventors
- 👤 Bryant Edwards
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 04:00
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D1/00; B65D1/22; B65D1/26; B65D21/00; B65D21/02; B65D21/0233; B29; B29C; B29C2949/00; B29C2949/07; B29C2949/0715; B29C2949/072; B29C2949/076; B29C2949/0768; B29C2949/077; B29C49/00; B29C49/02; B29C49/06; B29C49/42; B29C49/4205; B29C49/42051; B29C49/42055; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/712; B29L2031/7158; B29L2031/716; B65D2543/00; B65D2543/00009; B65D2543/00018; B65D2543/00064; B65D2543/00074; B65D2543/00092; B65D2543/00259; B65D2543/00296; B65D2543/00342; B65D2543/00398; B65D2543/00407; B65D2543/00416; B65D2543/00444; B65D2543/00481; B65D2543/0049; B65D2543/00509; B65D2543/00537; B65D2543/00546; B65D2543/00555; B65D2543/00592; B65D2543/00601; B65D2543/00611; B65D2543/0062; B65D2543/00675; B65D2543/00685; B65D2543/00712; B65D2543/00722; B65D2543/00731; B65D2543/00787; B65D2543/00796
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
In a process for making a plurality of open-ended nonnestable containers, the steps of forming a plurality of openended nestable preform containers of a thermoplastic material and havinG a stacking means configuration in the side wall of each of said preform containers substantially adjacent the open end of each of said preform containers for preventing jamming of a nested stack of said preform containers, transporting said plurality of said preform containers at ambient temperatures in a nested stack to a remote site, providing a complementary shaped male mold with means for cooperating with the stacking means of one of said preform containers to releasably hold said one of said preform containers when said one of said preform containers is tamped thereon, denesting one of said preform containers from said nested stack and tamping said one of said preform containers on said male mold, heating said one of said preform containers below the stacking means from ambient temperatures to molding temperatures, providing a female blow mold with a non-nestable container configuration, inserting said male mold with said one of said preform containers thereon into said female blow mold after said one of said preform containers has been heated to said blowing temperatures, and blowing said one of said preform containers below said stacking means into said non-nestable container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
In a process for making a plurality of open-ended nonnestable containers, the steps of forming a plurality of openended nestable preform containers of a thermoplastic material and havinG a stacking means configuration in the side wall of each of said preform containers substantially adjacent the open end of each of said preform containers for preventing jamming of a nested stack of said preform containers, transporting said plurality of said preform containers at ambient temperatures in a nested stack to a remote site, providing a complementary shaped male mold with means for cooperating with the stacking means of one of said preform containers to releasably hold said one of said preform containers when said one of said preform containers is tamped thereon, denesting one of said preform containers from said nested stack and tamping said one of said preform containers on said male mold, heating said one of said preform containers below the stacking means from ambient temperatures to molding temperatures, providing a female blow mold with a non-nestable container configuration, inserting said male mold with said one of said preform containers thereon into said female blow mold after said one of said preform containers has been heated to said blowing temperatures, and blowing said one of said preform containers below said stacking means into said non-nestable container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
114 words
In a process for making a plurality of non-nestable containers as defined in claim 1, the further step of providing a projection on the inner wall of said female blow mold with said projection being intersected by the axis of the non-nestable container configuration and of a height to cooperate with the bottom center of said one of said preform containers on said male mold when said male mold with said one of said preform containers thereon is inserted in said female blow mold to hold said bottom center of said one of said preform containers against radial shifting during the blowing step of said one of said preform containers into said non-nestable container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
304 words
In a process for making a plurality of open-ended non-nestable containers comprising, forming a plurality of open-ended nestable preform containers of a thermoplastic material with each of said nestable preform containers having a stacking means of an upper internal shoulder and a lower external shoulder interconnected by an intermediate wall section, forming the stacking means in the side wall of each of said preform containers substantially adjacent the open end of each of said preform containers for preventing jamming of a stack of said preform containers, transporting said plurality of preform containers at ambient temperatures in a nested stack to a remote site, providing at said remote site a male mold member with a section capable of lockingly cooperating with the upper internal shoulder and a portion of the intermediate wall section of one of said preform containers when said one of said preform containers is applied over said male mold member, denesting one of said preform containers from said nested stack and applying said one of said preform containers over said male mold member with said section thereof lockingly cooperating with said upper internal shoulder and a portion of the intermediate wall section of said one of said preform containers, heating said male mold to heat said one of said preform containers below said upper internal shoulder from ambient temperatures to molding temperatures, providing a female blow mold at said remote site with a non-nestable container configuration and including a configuration absent of said lower external shoulder of said stacking means, inserting said male mold with said one of said preform containers thereon in said female blow mold after said one of said preform containers has been heated to said molding temperatures, and blowing said one of said preform containers into said non-nestable container absent said lower external shoulder of said stacking means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
304 words
In a process for making a plurality of open-ended non-nestable containers comprising, forming a plurality of open-ended nestable preform containers of a thermoplastic material with each of said nestable preform containers having a stacking means of an upper internal shoulder and a lower external shoulder interconnected by an intermediate wall section, forming the stacking means in the side wall of each of said preform containers substantially adjacent the open end of each of said preform containers for preventing jamming of a stack of said preform containers, transporting said plurality of preform containers at ambient temperatures in a nested stack to a remote site, providing at said remote site a male mold member with a section capable of lockingly cooperating with the upper internal shoulder and a portion of the intermediate wall section of one of said preform containers when said one of said preform containers is applied over said male mold member, denesting one of said preform containers from said nested stack and applying said one of said preform containers over said male mold member with said section thereof lockingly cooperating with said upper internal shoulder and a portion of the intermediate wall section of said one of said preform containers, heating said male mold to heat said one of said preform containers below said upper internal shoulder from ambient temperatures to molding temperatures, providing a female blow mold at said remote site with a non-nestable container configuration and including a configuration absent of said lower external shoulder of said stacking means, inserting said male mold with said one of said preform containers thereon in said female blow mold after said one of said preform containers has been heated to said molding temperatures, and blowing said one of said preform containers into said non-nestable container absent said lower external shoulder of said stacking means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
303 words
In a process for making a plurality of open-ended non-nestable containers with a lid seat in the rim portion at the open end of each of said non-nestable containers comprising, forming a plurality of open-ended nestable pReform containers of a thermoplastic material and having stacking means in the rim portion adjacent the open end of each of said preform containers for preventing jamming of a stack of said preform containers, transporting said plurality of said preform containers at ambient temperatures in a nested stack to a remote site, providing at said remote site a complementary shaped male mold with means for engaging said stacking means of one of said preform containers to releasably hold said one preform container when said one preform container is tamped thereon, denesting said one preform container from said nested stack and tamping said one preform container on said male mold, heating said one preform container including an axial portion of said stacking means and excluding the remaining axial portion of said stacking means from ambient temperatures to molding temperatures, providing at said remote site a female blow mold with a non-nestable container configuration and with a further configuration which will reform said axial portion of said stacking means of said one preform container to form a lid seat with said remaining axial portion of said stacking means upon blowing of said one preform container, inserting said male mold with said one preform container thereon into said female blow mold after said one preform container excepting said remaining axial portion of said stacking means has been heated to said molding temperatures, blowing said one preform container into said non-nestable container with a lid seat, denesting another one of said preform containers from said nested stack and repeating the foregoing steps following the step of denesting said one preform container.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
303 words
In a process for making a plurality of open-ended non-nestable containers with a lid seat in the rim portion at the open end of each of said non-nestable containers comprising, forming a plurality of open-ended nestable pReform containers of a thermoplastic material and having stacking means in the rim portion adjacent the open end of each of said preform containers for preventing jamming of a stack of said preform containers, transporting said plurality of said preform containers at ambient temperatures in a nested stack to a remote site, providing at said remote site a complementary shaped male mold with means for engaging said stacking means of one of said preform containers to releasably hold said one preform container when said one preform container is tamped thereon, denesting said one preform container from said nested stack and tamping said one preform container on said male mold, heating said one preform container including an axial portion of said stacking means and excluding the remaining axial portion of said stacking means from ambient temperatures to molding temperatures, providing at said remote site a female blow mold with a non-nestable container configuration and with a further configuration which will reform said axial portion of said stacking means of said one preform container to form a lid seat with said remaining axial portion of said stacking means upon blowing of said one preform container, inserting said male mold with said one preform container thereon into said female blow mold after said one preform container excepting said remaining axial portion of said stacking means has been heated to said molding temperatures, blowing said one preform container into said non-nestable container with a lid seat, denesting another one of said preform containers from said nested stack and repeating the foregoing steps following the step of denesting said one preform container.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
444 words
The method of converting a stack of substantially thin wall nestable plastic containers into a plurality of non-nestable containers comprising the steps of: preforming a plurality of open-mouthed thin wall nestable plastic containers with an outwardly bowed bottom wall and with a stacking ring in the side wall to prevent jamming of adjacent containers in the stack, transporting said plurality of nestable containers at ambient temperatures in a nested stack to a remote site, horizontally supporting said plurality of nestable containers in said nested stack in axial alignment with a first complementary configured male mold member and with the open-mouthed end of the stack adjacent to said male mold member, separating and moving the lead nestable container from the stack onto said first complementary configured male mold member and with said stacking ring of said nestable container in a releasably held engagement on said complimentary configured male mold member, moving said first complementary configured male mold member with said leading nestable container thereon through the arc of a circle aligned in a vertical plane upwardly and away from said horizontally supported nested stack of nestable containers, moving successive complementary configured male mold members along said arc of a circle into axial alignment with said horizontally supported nested stack, incrementally advancing said horizontally supported nested stack, incrementally advancing said horizontally supported nested stack of nestable containers adjacent to successive complementary configured male mold members moved in axial alignment therewith and successively applying nestable containers from said horizontally supported nested stack and onto said successive complementary configured male mold members, internally heating said complementary configured male mold members to conductively heat said nestable containers thereon, providing a single female mold member with an internal configuration complementary to said non-nestable containers and with an upwardly bowed bottom wall and in axial alignment with each of said complementary configured male mold members when each of said complementary configured male mold members is moved to the vertically downward position on said arc of a circle, sufficiently heating said complementary configured malE mold members to conductively heat said nestable containers thereon from ambient temperatures to molding temperatures during the period of time said complementary configured male mold members are moved along said arc of a circle from said position in axial alignment with said horizontally supported stack of nestable containers to said vertically downward position, forming by air pressure differential each of said nestable containers into said non-nestable containers in said single female mold member, and thereafter successively removing said pressure-formed non-nestable containers from said successive complementary configured male mold members prior to movement of said male mold members to the position of said horizontally supported stack of nestable containers.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
444 words
The method of converting a stack of substantially thin wall nestable plastic containers into a plurality of non-nestable containers comprising the steps of: preforming a plurality of open-mouthed thin wall nestable plastic containers with an outwardly bowed bottom wall and with a stacking ring in the side wall to prevent jamming of adjacent containers in the stack, transporting said plurality of nestable containers at ambient temperatures in a nested stack to a remote site, horizontally supporting said plurality of nestable containers in said nested stack in axial alignment with a first complementary configured male mold member and with the open-mouthed end of the stack adjacent to said male mold member, separating and moving the lead nestable container from the stack onto said first complementary configured male mold member and with said stacking ring of said nestable container in a releasably held engagement on said complimentary configured male mold member, moving said first complementary configured male mold member with said leading nestable container thereon through the arc of a circle aligned in a vertical plane upwardly and away from said horizontally supported nested stack of nestable containers, moving successive complementary configured male mold members along said arc of a circle into axial alignment with said horizontally supported nested stack, incrementally advancing said horizontally supported nested stack, incrementally advancing said horizontally supported nested stack of nestable containers adjacent to successive complementary configured male mold members moved in axial alignment therewith and successively applying nestable containers from said horizontally supported nested stack and onto said successive complementary configured male mold members, internally heating said complementary configured male mold members to conductively heat said nestable containers thereon, providing a single female mold member with an internal configuration complementary to said non-nestable containers and with an upwardly bowed bottom wall and in axial alignment with each of said complementary configured male mold members when each of said complementary configured male mold members is moved to the vertically downward position on said arc of a circle, sufficiently heating said complementary configured malE mold members to conductively heat said nestable containers thereon from ambient temperatures to molding temperatures during the period of time said complementary configured male mold members are moved along said arc of a circle from said position in axial alignment with said horizontally supported stack of nestable containers to said vertically downward position, forming by air pressure differential each of said nestable containers into said non-nestable containers in said single female mold member, and thereafter successively removing said pressure-formed non-nestable containers from said successive complementary configured male mold members prior to movement of said male mold members to the position of said horizontally supported stack of nestable containers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as defined in claim 5, and the further step of frictionally holding and air sealing said non-nestable containers on said complementary configured male mold members within the internal rim portion of said nestable containers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |