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US5036997A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Stay-open towel dispensing container

Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products Inc
•
Filing: 1990-08-10
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Granted: 1991-08-06
•
Expires: 2010-08-10
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Abstract

Abstract At least one lug formed on the inside of the cover of a plastic container contacts a lip provided on the top back edge of the container bottom when the cover is opened to a predetermined position so that the cover is releasably held open.

Inventors

  • 👤 Timothy J. May
  • 👤 Robert Styer
  • 👤 Mark Ericson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 08:27
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D43/00; B65D43/14; B65D43/24

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 167 words
A stay-open container comprising: a. a cover having a top, a front wall, a rear wall, and sides; b. a top tongue integrally formed on the rear wall of the cover and extending outward; c. a bottom having a base, a front wall, a rear wall, and sides, the walls and the sides having a lip adapted to nest with the walls and the sides of the cover; d. a bottom tongue integrally formed on the lip of the rear wall of the bottom and extending outward, the bottom tongue being joined to the top tongue along a portion of the length of the tongue; and e. at least one lug formed in the top of the cover extending downward adjacent the rear wall of the cover and spaced from the side-to-side center of the container, the lug contacting the lip on the rear wall of the bottom when the cover is opened to a predetermined position to releasably hold the cover in the predetermined open position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 167 words
A stay-open container comprising: a. a cover having a top, a front wall, a rear wall, and sides; b. a top tongue integrally formed on the rear wall of the cover and extending outward; c. a bottom having a base, a front wall, a rear wall, and sides, the walls and the sides having a lip adapted to nest with the walls and the sides of the cover; d. a bottom tongue integrally formed on the lip of the rear wall of the bottom and extending outward, the bottom tongue being joined to the top tongue along a portion of the length of the tongue; and e. at least one lug formed in the top of the cover extending downward adjacent the rear wall of the cover and spaced from the side-to-side center of the container, the lug contacting the lip on the rear wall of the bottom when the cover is opened to a predetermined position to releasably hold the cover in the predetermined open position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
The container of claim 1 where the bottom tongue is joined to the top tongue at the center portion of the tongue up to about one inch from each edge of the tongue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The container of claim 1 where there are two lugs spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the joined together portion of the tongues.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
The container of claim 3 where the lug has a step formed near the bottom of the rear portion of the lug to contact the lip on the rear wall of the bottom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 169 words
A molded stay-open container comprising: a. a plastic cover with a top, a front wall, a rear wall and two sides; b. a top tongue integrally formed on the rear wall of the cover and extending outward; c. a plastic bottom with a base, a front wall, a rear wall, and two sides, the walls and the sides having a lip adapted to nest with the walls and the sides of the cover; d. a bottom tongue integrally formed on the lip of the rear wall of the bottom and extending outward, the bottom tongue being bonded to the top tongue along a portion of the tongue; and e. at least one lug formed in the top of the cover extending downward, spaced from the side-to-side center of the container and adjacent the rear wall of the cover, the lug contacting the lip on the rear wall of the bottom when the cover is opened to a predetermined position to releasably hold the cover in the predetermined open position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 169 words
A molded stay-open container comprising: a. a plastic cover with a top, a front wall, a rear wall and two sides; b. a top tongue integrally formed on the rear wall of the cover and extending outward; c. a plastic bottom with a base, a front wall, a rear wall, and two sides, the walls and the sides having a lip adapted to nest with the walls and the sides of the cover; d. a bottom tongue integrally formed on the lip of the rear wall of the bottom and extending outward, the bottom tongue being bonded to the top tongue along a portion of the tongue; and e. at least one lug formed in the top of the cover extending downward, spaced from the side-to-side center of the container and adjacent the rear wall of the cover, the lug contacting the lip on the rear wall of the bottom when the cover is opened to a predetermined position to releasably hold the cover in the predetermined open position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 33 words
The container of claim 5 where the bottom tongue is joined to the top tongue at the center portion of the tongue up to about one inch from each edge of the tongue.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 33 words
The container of claim 5 where the lug has a step formed near the bottom of the rear portion of the lug to contact the lip on the rear wall of the bottom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The container of claim 5 where there are two lugs spaced distance greater than the length of the joined together portion of the tongues.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 206 words
A molded plastic stay-open towel dispensing container comprising: a. a cover with a top, a front wall, a rear wall and two parallel sides; b. a top tongue integrally formed on the rear wall of the cover and extending outward; c. a bottom with a base, a front wall, a rear wall, and two parallel sides, the walls and the sides having a lip adapted to nest with the walls and the sides of the cover; d. a bottom tongue integrally formed on the lip of the rear wall of the bottom and extending outward, the bottom tongue being bonded to the top tongue along the length of the tongue not including about one inch from each edge of the tongue; and e. two lugs formed in the top of the cover adjacent the rear wall, extending downward, and spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the joined together portion of the tongues, the lugs having a step formed near the bottom of the rear portion of the lug so that the step contacts the lip on the rear wall of the bottom when the cover is opened to a predetermined position so as to releasably hold the cover in the predetermined open position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 206 words
A molded plastic stay-open towel dispensing container comprising: a. a cover with a top, a front wall, a rear wall and two parallel sides; b. a top tongue integrally formed on the rear wall of the cover and extending outward; c. a bottom with a base, a front wall, a rear wall, and two parallel sides, the walls and the sides having a lip adapted to nest with the walls and the sides of the cover; d. a bottom tongue integrally formed on the lip of the rear wall of the bottom and extending outward, the bottom tongue being bonded to the top tongue along the length of the tongue not including about one inch from each edge of the tongue; and e. two lugs formed in the top of the cover adjacent the rear wall, extending downward, and spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the joined together portion of the tongues, the lugs having a step formed near the bottom of the rear portion of the lug so that the step contacts the lip on the rear wall of the bottom when the cover is opened to a predetermined position so as to releasably hold the cover in the predetermined open position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
The container of claim 9 where the cover is held open at an angle of about approximately forty five degrees.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US4291818A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-08-05 1995-02-04 1995-08-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-08-05 1999-02-04 1999-08-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-08-05 2003-02-04 2003-08-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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