Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A package for packaging a plurality of articles in a fixed orientation with respect to each other comprising: a rigid blank having first and second sides, said rigid blank being a T-shaped member including a base wall and a divider wall which define an article support member on each side of said divider wall; each article support member including an adhesive strip on the divider wall of each of said article support members; a row of articles disposed on one of said article support members and another row of articles disposed on the other of said article support members so that said articles adhere to the adhesive strip on each side of said divider wall and are thereby held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other, said rows of articles on either side of said divider wall being supported by the base wall of each of said article support members; and a wrapping film covering the four sidewalls of the package, with at least one end wall being exposed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
A package for packaging a plurality of articles in a fixed orientation with respect to each other comprising: a rigid blank having first and second sides, said rigid blank being a T-shaped member including a base wall and a divider wall which define an article support member on each side of said divider wall; each article support member including an adhesive strip on the divider wall of each of said article support members; a row of articles disposed on one of said article support members and another row of articles disposed on the other of said article support members so that said articles adhere to the adhesive strip on each side of said divider wall and are thereby held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other, said rows of articles on either side of said divider wall being supported by the base wall of each of said article support members; and a wrapping film covering the four sidewalls of the package, with at least one end wall being exposed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The package of claim 1 wherein said T-shaped member further includes a peripheral section on each side of said base wall extending in a direction substantially parallel to said divider wall and engaging the side walls of said articles so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The package of claim 2 wherein each of said peripheral sections includes an adhesive film for adhering said peripheral sections to the side walls of said articles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The package of claim 2 wherein each of said peripheral sections includes slits for allowing said peripheral sections to conform to and engage the side walls of irregular-shaped articles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The package of claim 1 wherein adhesive film is on the base wall of each of said article support members for adhering to said articles.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
226 words
A method of packaging a plurality of articles comprising the steps of: supplying rigid stock material having first and second sides; applying at least two adhesive strips to said stock material; forming first and second lines of weakness in said stock material at spaced-apart locations; cutting a portion of said stock material to form a blank; folding said blank about said first and second lines of weakness to form a T-shaped member including a base wall and a divider wall which define an article support member on each side of said divider wall, each article support member including at least one of said adhesive strips on the divider wall of each of said article support members; depositing a row of articles on the article support member on the first side of said blank and depositing another row of articles on the article support member on the second side of said blank to adhere said articles to said adhesive strips on said divider wall and to support said articles on the base wall of each of said article support members so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other; and applying a wrapping film to said oriented articles to cover the four sidewalls of the package, leaving at least one of the end walls of the package exposed for further processing.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
226 words
A method of packaging a plurality of articles comprising the steps of: supplying rigid stock material having first and second sides; applying at least two adhesive strips to said stock material; forming first and second lines of weakness in said stock material at spaced-apart locations; cutting a portion of said stock material to form a blank; folding said blank about said first and second lines of weakness to form a T-shaped member including a base wall and a divider wall which define an article support member on each side of said divider wall, each article support member including at least one of said adhesive strips on the divider wall of each of said article support members; depositing a row of articles on the article support member on the first side of said blank and depositing another row of articles on the article support member on the second side of said blank to adhere said articles to said adhesive strips on said divider wall and to support said articles on the base wall of each of said article support members so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other; and applying a wrapping film to said oriented articles to cover the four sidewalls of the package, leaving at least one of the end walls of the package exposed for further processing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of folding said blank to form a T-shaped member includes the following steps: folding said blank at approximately a 90° angle along each of said first and second lines of weakness to form a blank having an offset section and a bent section extending in a direction perpendicular to said offset section; applying adhesive to one side of said blank; and adhering the offset section of said blank to the bent section of said blank to form said T-shaped member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of forming said first and second lines of weakness includes the step of scoring the first and second sides of said stock at spaced-apart locations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of folding said blank into a T-shaped member includes the step of forming a peripheral foldable section on each side of said base wall.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 9 further including the step of folding said peripheral sections of said blank to engage the side walls of said articles so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 10 further including the step of applying an adhesive film to each of said peripheral sections for adhering said peripheral sections to the side walls of said articles.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 11 further including the step of forming slits in said peripheral sections so that said peripheral sections conform to and engage the side walls of irregular-shaped articles.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
189 words
A method of packaging a plurality of articles comprising the steps of: supplying paperboard stock having first and second sides; applying adhesive film to the first and second sides of said paperboard stock; forming first and second lines of weakness in said paperboard stock at spaced-apart locations; cutting a portion of said paperboard stock to form a blank; folding said blank about said first second lines of weakness to form a T-shaped member including a base and a divider which define an article support member on each side of said divider, each article support member including said adhesive film; depositing a row of articles on one of said article support members and depositing another row of articles on the other of said article support members to adhere said articles to the adhesive film on each of said article support members so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other; and applying a wrapping film to said oriented articles to cover the four side walls of the package and leaving at least said base or one end of said articles exposed for further processing.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
189 words
A method of packaging a plurality of articles comprising the steps of: supplying paperboard stock having first and second sides; applying adhesive film to the first and second sides of said paperboard stock; forming first and second lines of weakness in said paperboard stock at spaced-apart locations; cutting a portion of said paperboard stock to form a blank; folding said blank about said first second lines of weakness to form a T-shaped member including a base and a divider which define an article support member on each side of said divider, each article support member including said adhesive film; depositing a row of articles on one of said article support members and depositing another row of articles on the other of said article support members to adhere said articles to the adhesive film on each of said article support members so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other; and applying a wrapping film to said oriented articles to cover the four side walls of the package and leaving at least said base or one end of said articles exposed for further processing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the step of folding said blank to form a T-shaped member includes the steps of: folding said blank at approximately a 90° angle along each of said first and second lines of weakness to form a blank having an offset section and a bent section extending in a direction perpendicular to said offset section; applying adhesive to one side of said blank; and adhering the offset section of said blank to the bent section of said blank to form said T-shaped member.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
156 words
The method of packaging a plurality of articles comprising the steps of: supplying paperboard stock having first and second sides; applying at least two spaced-apart films of adhesive to a first side of said paperboard stock; forming a plurality of spaced-apart lines of weakness in said paperboard stock; cutting a portion of said paperboard stock to form a blank; folding said blank about said lines of weakness to form a T-shaped member including a base, a divider, and a peripheral foldable section formed on each side of said base, with at least one adhesive film being on each side of said divider; and depositing a row of articles on the first side of said divider and depositing another row of articles on the second side of said divider to adhere said articles to said adhesive films and to engage said base so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
156 words
The method of packaging a plurality of articles comprising the steps of: supplying paperboard stock having first and second sides; applying at least two spaced-apart films of adhesive to a first side of said paperboard stock; forming a plurality of spaced-apart lines of weakness in said paperboard stock; cutting a portion of said paperboard stock to form a blank; folding said blank about said lines of weakness to form a T-shaped member including a base, a divider, and a peripheral foldable section formed on each side of said base, with at least one adhesive film being on each side of said divider; and depositing a row of articles on the first side of said divider and depositing another row of articles on the second side of said divider to adhere said articles to said adhesive films and to engage said base so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 15 further including the step of applying a wrapping film to said oriented articles to cover the four side walls of the package and leaving at least said base or one end of said articles exposed for further processing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the step of applying adhesive film to said paperboard stock includes the step of applying adhesive film to each of said peripheral sections and applying adhesive film to the base on each side of said divider.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 17 further including the step of folding said peripheral sections on said blank to engage the side walls of said articles so that said adhesive films on said peripheral sections adhere to the side walls of said articles to hold said articles in a fixed orientation with respect to each other.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 18 further including the step of forming slits in said peripheral sections for allowing said peripheral sections to conform to and engage the side walls of irregular-shaped articles.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
206 words
Apparatus for packaging a plurality of articles in a fixed orientation with respect to each other comprising: means for supplying paperboard stock having first and second sides; means for applying adhesive to said paperboard stock; means for forming first and secnd lines of weakness in said paperboard stock at spaced-apart locations; means for cutting a portion of said paperboard stock to form a blank; means for folding said blank about said first and second lines of weakness to form a T-shaped member including a base and a divider which deine an article support member on each side of said divider, with each of said article support members including said adhesive; means for depositing a row of articles in one of said article support members and means for depositing another row of articles in the other of said article support members to adhere said articles to the adhesive in each of said article support members so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other; and means for applying a wrapping film to said oriented articles to cover the four side walls of the package so that at least one of the end walls of said package is exposed for further processing.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
206 words
Apparatus for packaging a plurality of articles in a fixed orientation with respect to each other comprising: means for supplying paperboard stock having first and second sides; means for applying adhesive to said paperboard stock; means for forming first and secnd lines of weakness in said paperboard stock at spaced-apart locations; means for cutting a portion of said paperboard stock to form a blank; means for folding said blank about said first and second lines of weakness to form a T-shaped member including a base and a divider which deine an article support member on each side of said divider, with each of said article support members including said adhesive; means for depositing a row of articles in one of said article support members and means for depositing another row of articles in the other of said article support members to adhere said articles to the adhesive in each of said article support members so that said articles are held in a fixed orientation with respect to each other; and means for applying a wrapping film to said oriented articles to cover the four side walls of the package so that at least one of the end walls of said package is exposed for further processing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 20 further including means for forming a peripheral outer section on each side of said base and means for folding said peripheral sections to engage the side walls of said articles.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said adhesive-applying means apply adhesive to each of said peripheral sections so that said peripheral sections adhere to the side walls of said articles.