US2474120A - Package - Google Patents

Description

June 21, 1949.

H. RUMSEY, JR

PACKAGE Filed ed. i, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HERBERT RUMSEY JR.

ATFORNEYS BY 1 g j June 21, 1949. UM JR 2,474,120

PACKAGE Filed Oct. 1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 24 INVENTOR.

.. a .l HERBERT RUMSEY JR.

f 12 17 w dim I ATTORNEYS Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE Herbert Rumsey, In, RochesteiaN'. Y. Application October 1, 194-6; seriatno. 700,398

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a functionally and structurally improved package, and also teaches methods of manufacturing the same.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel container of relatively inexpensive construction which can be so made as to protect the ,contents thereof from moisture and air and which may in fact maintain the contents under conditions of partial vacuum.

A further object is the provision or a package of this type which is flexible in nature and can be relatively tightly compacted when empty thereby overcoming the problem of bull; and space encountered in shipping and storing rigid containers such as jars and the like.

A still further object is that of furnishing a package which can be readily filled with material and closed and sealed by the packer and which can be repeatedly opened and closed in a convenient manner by the user.

An additional object is that of teaching novel methods of manufacturing containers constructed to embody the improvements hereintraversed;

Among other objects is the provision of a package of the above character which presents an attractive and modern appearance and which can be readily and economically manufactured by quantity production methods used as a commer'- cial package. 7

With these and other objects in'mind, reference is had to the attached drawings illustrating practical embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a package embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the up er portion of the package showing it in partially open position;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a mandrel and ring which may be used in making my package;

Fig. 5 illustrates a step in one method of making the package and shows the mandrel and ring assembly having flexible sheet material "wound around it;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the completed envelope;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the upper end of the package after it has been filled showing the manner in which the air may be evacuated therefrom; 4

Fig. 8 is an elevational. View of the lower end of an alternative form of package; and

Fig; 9 is a sectional view in the directi'on of the arrows on the line 8-9 oi Fig. 8.-

My improved package comprises a flexible envelope presenting an iinperforate end and side walls; The opposite end isreleasably closed by twisting the envelope around. its longitudinal axis adjacent the opening so as to provide a pair of diaphragms H and [2 connected by an intermediate twisted portion 13. The envelope may be made of any type of flexible sheet material. I prefer, however, to employ a material such as Pliofilni' or vinyl resin which is substantially impervious to air ahd moisture and which is thermopl'astio so that it can be heat sealed.

Referring now to the first form of my invention it will be seen that the envelope H! in its unfilled condition is-s'h'oWn in Fig. 6 and in its filled condition is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and'tlu The envelope is preferably made of a single sheet or the flexible material of the general type as ref'e-ried to above. This is folded upon. itself to provide the envelope, is heat sealed along its longitudinal edge as shown at [4 and also heat sealed at one end as shown at l5; Theopposite end of the; unfilled envelope is open and unsealed as shown i'n- Fig. 6. Extending around the opening in the first form of my invention is a rigid ring 15- which may be made of cardboard, fibre, or the like and is adhesively secured in position around the inside of the open end. In use the material to be packaged is placed in the envelope so- "as to partially fill the same, leaving a sufficie'nt portion of the envelope adjacent the openmg unfilled so that it may be twisted in the manner previously indicated. As will be understood during such filling the ring IE will maintain the mouth of the envelope in distended condition. Therefore, the entry of material through this month will be facilitated;

\Vhn the envelope has been thus filled a rigid disk l"-l may be inserted over the contents in the manner shown. Thereafter the air inside the envelo e may be evacuated or partially evacuated in any suitable manner as for instance shown inF'ig. 7- by placing a hood 18 connected by a tube l3: to a vacuum pump over the open end or the envelope: To facilitate the evacuation of the air the disk Il may have one or more perforesees (not shown) formed therein. The evacuation of the air causes the unfilled neck portion: the envelope to collapse or partially collapse in the manner shown in Fig. 7-. While the envelope is still applied to the vacuum hood the neck portion thereof is twisted aroundit's lbn'gitudin'al ax-is in the manner shown in Fig. 3

until the envelope is tightly closed thus providing a pair of diaphragms H and I2 connected by an intermediate twist portion 13. The closure serves as an effective seal to prevent leakage of air or moisture at this point. The package may be held in closed position by a pair of adhesive tabs formed of cellulose tape or the like which extend between the body portion of the container and the ring portion surrounding the outer diaphragm.

The envelope I!) may be made in any desired manner. One convenient method is illustrated in Figs. 4.- and 5 wherein I show a mandrel 2| having a cylindrical body portion, a handle 22 at one end and projecting tabs or prongs 23 at the opposite end. The prongs or tabs 23 are spaced inwardly from the outer diameter of the mandrel and are adapted to frictionally engage the ring 86 whose external diameter conforms with the external diameter of the mandrel. suitable adhesive is preferably applied to the outer surface of the ring l6 which in turn is placed in position on the prongs 23. A sheet of flexible material of substantially the same length as the mandrel and of slightly larger circumference is then wound around the ring and mandrel assembly in the manner shown in Fig. 5. The marginally overlapping edges are then heat sealed as shown at M. The winding of the sheet material about the mandrel can be conveniently accomplished by simply rolling the mandrel and ring assembly over the sheet material. The adhesive on the ring causes the sheet material to adhere thereto and to wind around the mandrel. When the material has thus been wound around the mandrel and heat sealed around its longitudinal edges, the ring l5 and sheet material are withdrawafromthe mandrel and the end opposite the ring it is heat sealed as shown at l5, producing the envelope illustrated in Fig. 6. The envelope can then be filled and used in the manner previously described.

In certain instances I have found that it is not necessary or desirable to use the ring H5 in the finished package. In those instances the ring it used in connection with the mandrel in making the envelope may be made of metal and may be coated with a tacky substance such as Pliowax. When the envelope has been completed and filled, the ring it can then be withdrawn therefrom. This form of package is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 and it will be seen that the outer marginal edges 24 of diaphragm H are folded backwardly over the outer surface of the body of the package and held in position by means of the adhesive tabs 20.

The alternative form of package shown in Figs. 8 and 9 can be filled and used in the manner similar to the first type of package. I have previousl described the manner in which the air inside the envelope may be evacuated or partially evacuated. In addition to or instead of evacuating the air an inert gas such as carbon dioxide may be introduced into the envelope through the hood arrangement shown in Fig. 7. My package may be used for packaging many different types of material such as food products and is particularly suitable for use with frozen food products. When used with frozen food products it is desirable to evacuate the air from the envelope and at times also to introduce carbon dioxide into the envelope. This serves to protect the contents from discoloration or oxidation or bacterial action. It will thus be seen that my package is relatively inexpensive and can be made also serves to protect the contents from deteriora- The broad ring tion in quality or appearance. and diaphragm portion serves as a convenient base for supporting the package as shown in.

Figs. 1 and 2. When it is desired to use a portion of the contents the package is inverted so that the diaphragm portion faces upwardly the adhesive strips 20 are partially removed and the outer diaphragm I I is rotated to untwist the portion I 3 and thereby open the package. When the desired quantit of contents has been removed the package can be readily closed and sealed by rotating the ring [6 relative to the body of the package thereby forming the diaphragms H and l 2 and the intermediate twisted portion 13. Adhesive strips 20 may again be replaced and the package is once again sealed.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically aforenoted, are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts may be resorted to and the steps of the method may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the claims.

I claim:

l. A container comprising a tubular envelope closed at one end and having an opening at its other end and provided with imperforate walls made of flexible sheet material, contents material disposed in the closed end and partially filling the envelope, a relatively broad flat disk disposed transversely of the envelope at the end of the contents material, said envelope being twisted around its longitudinal axis between the open end and said disk so as to provide a pair of diaphragms with a twisted portion therebetween, the inner diaphragm being stretched relatively tautly over said disk and said disk serving to keep the contents from contact with said inner diaphragm and the outer diaphragm being disposed in close proximity to the inner diaphragm, and means for retaining said outer diaphragm against rotation with respect to the remainder of the envelope.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 in which a relatively stiff collar is provided around the periphery of the outer diaphragm at the open end of the envelope said collar being at least as wide as the remainder of the container and serving as a base on which the container may rest.

3. A container as set forth in claim 1 in which the air has been substantially evacuated from the envelope.

HERBERT RUMSEY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,922,171 McMahon Aug. 15, 1933 2,156,466 Vogt May 2, 1939 2,114,625 Bergstein Apr. 19, 1938 2,135,132 Boehmer Nov. 1, 1938 2,352,503 Walton June 27, 1944 2,368,624 Walton Feb. 6, 1945

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