FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to the forming of tubular containers. or packages by axially
inserting end caps as locking closures within the ends thereof, and more particularly
to a container or package in which the end caps are formed of similar but heavier
gauge sheet material than that forming the container or package tube.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] U.S. Patent 3,986,659 issued October 19, 1976, entitled "END CAPS FOR TUBULAR CONTAINERS",
and U.S. Patent 3,913,774 issued October 21, 1975, entitled "END CAPS FOR CONTAINERS",
relate to the packaging and tubular container art, wherein a tube having flexible
sidewalls and normally formed of a thermo-plastic materiai approximately 0.005 to
0.02 inches in thickness, is held to a preformed or desired shape, as for instance
a polygon, by rigid end caps. In the past, the rigid end caps have been coupled to
the ends of the tube, i.e., to the flexible sides thereof, by use of adhesives, tape,
staples and other fasteners. In the patents above, a flexible thermoplastic material
such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), oriented poly-styrene (OPS), or other flexible semi-rigid
sheet material forms the basic stock material for the sides of the container or package.
The sheets may be pre-extruded, extruded or calendared to a thickness of approximately
0.005 to 0.02 inches and adhesively joined along a longitudinal seam to form a tube.
Additionally, the sheets or tubes may be creased along a predetermined number of edges
form a container with a polygonal cross-section, such as rectangle. A resultant, creased
tubular stock manner may be then cut into desired lengths, depending upon the size
of the container to be fabricated, and perforations punched near the ends for permitting
mechanical interlocking between end caps borne thereby and the ends of the container
or package tube.
[0003] The end caps employed in the structures of the patents above are formed of a plastic
material as by molding to create rigid end members, providing strength and rigidity
to the entire container. The dimensions and shape of the end caps conform to the dimensions
and shapes of the flexible sides of the tube. The end caps include a base portion
substantially forming an end cover for the container tube and sidewalls. The end caps
also have engaging means for interlocking with the perforations within the two flexible
sides, i.e., projections extending outwardly of the sidewalls to achieve a positive
mechanical lock for holding the end caps to the container or package.
[0004] As such, the package or container of the reference patents is uniquely assembleable
by either hand or machine, since by mere insertion, the end cap locks to the tube
without the need for adhesives, tapes, staples or other fasteners and without any
secondary operation. Further, during the assembly process, the perforations and the
projecting, engaging means are virtually self-aligning, completing the package or
container when the end cap engaging means interlocks with the perforations.
[0005] While the tubular packages or containers, as set forth in the referred to patents,
are sufficiently rigid, and permit the ready completion of the package by manual or
machine projection of an end cap within the open end of the tube proper, and wherein
the end caps are automatically locked to the ends of the tube to achieve a relatively
rigid container or package, the requirement to mold the end cap and the mass of material
needed for the same, adds considerably to the overall costs of the container or package
thus formed.
[0006] It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved,
low cost end cap for a tubular container which is formed from identical or similar
plastic sheet material as the tube proper of the container or package.
[0007] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a low cost end cap for
a tubular container or package which automatically locks upon being axially insertable
into the end of the container or package tube, and which may be severed from a prefolded
flexible semi-rigid strip of thermo-plastic material such that end caps of differing
lengths may be formed from such basic stock material by simple severing the same transversely
to required end cap length.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is directed to an improved tubular package or container and
to an end cap employable as a component thereof, wherein the tubular package comprises
a tube of sheet material of polygon cross-section having axially open ends. An end
cap is carried by the tube at the open end for closing off that end. The improvement
resides in the end cap being a flexible, semi-rigid sheet having a central portion
spanning across the open end of the tubular section to close off the open end and
further including along opposite edges thereof at right angles to the central portion,
double layer folded back portions towards the central portion, centering at each side
thereof, parallel side walls defining a double layer slot for receiving the ends of
respective sidewalls of the tube. The end cap sheet is of a length such that the opposed
ends of the central portion abut the paired end walls of the tube at right angles
to the tube sidewalls.
[0009] Preferably, the tube end walls include aligned, coplanar perforations and the end
cap sheet includes integral projections or tabs along the opposed edges thereof, which
tabs project into respective perforations to lock the end cap to the end of the tube
and increase the rigidity of the connection between the end cap and the tube.
[0010] Preferably, the folded portions of the semi-rigid plastic sheet defining end cap
outer sidewalls are of the same height. Further, the sidewalls are bent after heat
softening the semi-rigid plastic sheet along the desired bend lines only to eliminate
the memory of the plastic sheet at those localized lines and then after bending, the
heat softened plastic is cooled to restore the memory at the crease lines. Thus, the
folded sheet portions strongly resist deformation. Bending at the crease between the
sidewalls of the end caps is preferably slightly in excess of 180° to close off the
gap between the end cap sidewalls at the open end of the slot opposite the crease.
This insures a frictional fit between the end cap sidewalls and the tube sidewalls
which are slid into the slots to opposite sides of the enc cap. The sheet material
forming the package tube and the end caps may be of the same thermo-plastic material,
with the end cap sheet material being preferably of heavier gauge than that of the
tube.
[0011] The above mentioned objects, features and advantages of the invention, together with
others inherent in the same, are attained by the embodiment illustrated in the drawings,
the same being merely a preferred exemplary form, and are described more particularly
as follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012]
Figure 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a package or container forming a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the package or container of Figure
1 with an end cap coupled to the package tube.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of alternative form of an end cap forming
a further embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a container or package indicated generally
at 10 comprised of three components; a central tubular section or central to be indicated
generally at 12 and a pair of end caps 14 at the top and bottom, thereof of identical
form, but inverted one relative to the other. Unlike the referred to patents, both
tube 12 and end caps 14 are preferably formed of thin plastic sheet material such
as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Further, the thin, flexible, plastic sheet material forming
the container or package tube 12 may be thinner than that forming the end claims 14.
[0014] Tube 12 is rectangular, having laterally opposed sidewalls 16, 18 and longitudinally
opposed end walls 20, 22. The tube 12 may be cut from preformed rectangular tubular
stock material by taking a flexible plastic sheet and bending it at right-angles to
form four corners as at 21 and overlapping the edge portions thereof to form a seam
as at 23. The overlapped edges of the sheet forming the tube stock material may be
joined or bonded by heat sealing, by adhesive application or the like to form seam
23.
[0015] Unlike the referred to patents in the present invention, there are no molded rigid
end caps or plugs nor are end caps 14 significantly heavier than the tubes 12 to which
they are joined. It should be noted that longitudinally opposed, aligned, coplanar
perforations 28, 30 are provided within the longitudinally opposed end walls 20, 22
of tube 12 adjacent the open ends thereof. In this respect, tube 12 has its top open
at 24, and it bottom open at 26.
[0016] The description to this point is essentially identical to the description given to
tube 12 in U.S. Patent 3,986,659. While the tube 12 is shown as being square in transverse
cross-section in Patent 3,986,659, the tube 12 in the illustrated embodiment is essentially
oblong with the sidewalls 16 and 18 being substantially longer than the width of end
walls 20, 22.
[0017] Referring to the end caps 14, these end caps are identical. The description in detail
of the lower end cap 14 suffices for both end caps. Each end cap 14 is formed with
a rectangular base or central portion 34 which has the same length and width corresponding
as the length and width of the interior of tube 22 so that base 34 closely fits to
the interior of the tube with the base or central portion 34 filling the tube top
and bottom openings 24, 26 when end caps 14 are applied thereto to close off the
open ends of tube 22. The end caps 14 are formed of flexible, semi-rigid thermo-plastic
sheet material of a gauge which is preferably somewhat heavier than that of a gauge
of the sheet material forming tube 12. Such sheet material for tube 12 and caps 14
may be similarly transparent or translucent, although the sheet material may be opaque
if desired.
[0018] In similar fashion to the formation of tube 12, there may be initially formed from
a plastic sheet, a generally U-shaped or channel form stock material strip of folded
plastic sheet material from which end caps of various lengths are severed. In this
respect, it is necessary to bend the sheet longitudinally along both sides of the
end cap center portion 34, first at right angles to form a vertical inner sidewall,
as at 36, and then at or in slight excess of 180°, forming reverse fold at crease
37 to create a vertical or near vertical, outer sidewall 38 ending at outer edges
at 42, 44, respectively. Figure 3 depicts an alternative form of end cap 14ʹ with
the bend or fold at crease 37 being in excess of 180°. In this embodiment, like elements
bear like numerical designations. The plastic sheet material or equivalent plastic
sheet material has a memory and resists bending. Bending is achieved by localized
heating of the end cap plastic sheet material along parallel lines to soften the material
at the desired fold or bend lines, then bending or folding the material and subsequently
cooling after bending or folding so that the initial memory is eliminated at the localized
lines, and a new memory created at the fold or crease lines. Thus, after folding,
and cooling, the end caps resist deformation. Further, by forming a fold at a slight
excess to 180° at crease 37, as in Figure 3, the outer edges 42, 44 of the outer sidewall
38 contact the inner sidewalls 36 to close off the slots 40 formed thereby adjacent
the outer edges 42, 44 of the end cap sidewalls 38. Slots 40 are at least narrower
than the thickness of the tube sidewalls 16, 18. Thus, double layers of the sheet
material form vertical slots 40 therebetween. Slots 40 function to slidably, and in
one case, frictionally receive the laterally spaced sidewalls 16, 18 of tube 12 when
the end caps 14 are assembled to the tube 12. Crease 37 of the end cap is adapted
to seat the edge of a respective tube sidewall 16, 18 within slot 40.
[0019] Further, in all embodiments, in cutting of the folded end cap stock material transversely
to a desired length equal internally to the length between tube end walls 20, 22,
preferably there are cut out, integral, longitudinally projecting tabs 50 at the center
of each end cap 14, the tabs 50 being in line with each other and of a width equal
to that of the opposed perforations 28, 30 within respective tube end walls 20 and
22. The perforations 28, 30 receive the tabs 50, when the end caps 14 are snapped
into engagement with the open ends of tube 12 and with the bases or central portion
34 of the end caps 14 filling the open ends 24, 26 of container or package tube 12.
[0020] It should be noted that the distance for perforations 28 and 30 from the bottom and
top ends of tube 12 are equal to the distance between the creases 37 of the rectangular
end caps and the tabs 50 integral with the end cap base portion 34 such that the lower
edges of tube sidewalls 16 and 18 are securely seated into the crease 37 defined by
the folded sidewalls 36, 38 of each end cap, to opposite sides thereof when tabs 50
snap into respective perforations 28, 30. The nature by which the assembly is completed
and by which a very rigid, stable coupling is achieved between the end cap and the
container or package tube 12 may be seen by reference to Figure 2.
[0021] It should be kept in mind that, while the preferred embodiments utilizes the tabs
50 penetrating the perforations 28, 30 within tube end walls 20, 22, respectively,
for mechanically locking the end caps 14 to the ends of tube 22, other means may be
provided for locking the end caps to the tube. Adhesives, tape, staples and other
fasteners or fastening materials may be employed to fix the end caps to the containers
in a more or less permanent form after the tube sidewalls 16, 18 are forced into slots
40 to opposite sides of the end cap. Figure 2 shows staples 52 locking end cap 14
to the bottom end of tube 12. In such instances, there is no need for the perforations
28 and 30 within the tube end walls 20, 22 at the top and bottom, nor for the tabs
50 to be formed at the ends of the end caps and projecting outwardly of base portions
34. Under these circumstances, once positioned, the end caps may be stapled to tube
22 by stapling directly through parallel laterally spaced sidewalls 36, 38 at the
end cap folded portion and through sidewalls 16, 18 of tube 12 projecting within slots
40 between the end cap sidewalls 36, 38, as per Figure 2.
[0022] In similar manner to the referred to patents, the package may be manually completed
by projecting base portion 34 of the end caps into the respective open ends 24, 26
of tube 12, while simultaneously causing the tube sidewalls 16, 18 to move into the
narrow slots 40 of the rectangular end caps. Tabs 50 flex or deflect as well as the
flexible tube walls to permit end cap penetration. Upon tabs 50 reaching the level
of opposed perforations 28, 30 of end walls 20, 22 of the tube, the tabs which may
flex during end cap base penetration into the interior of the tube 12 as well as tube
12, are released, realigning with base 34 and pass into the perforations 28, 30 to
project at right angles to the plane of the end walls 20, 22, thereby mechanically
locking the end caps to respective ends of tube 12 of the package 10. This locking
is achieved with the ends of sidewalls 38, 36 of the folded portion of the sheet material
abutting the interior surfaces of tube end walls 20, 22 to increase the rigidity of
the overall package 10. Assembly may be completed either manually or by automated
machinery with similar effects and the assembly in each case is achieved in an expeditious
and low cost manner.
[0023] It should be appreciated that it is the result of the end cap and plastic tube snap
coupling involving tabs 50 and slots 30 of the end cap center portion and tube, respectively,
along with the frictional engagement between the cap sidewalls 36, 38 and the flexible
tube sidewalls 16 that create a relatively rigid, stable package with the cap and
tube integrity maintained as a result thereof.
[0024] Further, with sidewalls 36, 38 of the end cap extending parallel to each other and
reverse bend at crease 37 at 180°, the semi-rigid plastic material sidewalls highly
resist flexing apart from crease 37 outwards, to maintain two sidewalls 16 captured
therebetween. This action and the presence of the mechanical interlock at tabs 50
and slots 30 at each end of the end cap, in itself creates a relatively rigid stable
end cap to tube coupled package or container.
[0025] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a
preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various changes in form and details may be ready therein without departing form the
spirit and scope of the invention.
[0026] The feactures disclosed in the foregoing description, in the following claims and/or
in the accompanying drawings may, both separately and in any combination thereof,
be material for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.
1. In a tubular package comprising:
an open ended, flexible plastic sheet material tube of rectangular cross-section
including laterally opposed sidewalls and longitudinaily opposed end walls,
an end cap carried by said tube at an open end thereof closing off said open
end,
the improvement wherein:
said end cap comprises a folded, flexible, semi-rigid plastic sheet of a heavier
gauge than that of said tube and including a rectangular central portion,
said end cap central portion being of rectangular configuration corresponding
to said tube, having a length generally equal to the longitudinal distance between
end walls of said tube and a width equal to the lateral distance between tube sidewalls,
and having at opposite sides, double folded flat sheet portions integral with said
central portion, forming inner sidewalls at right angles to the central portion, and
outer sidewalls folded back towards the central portion, having ends thereof extending
generally parallel to each other and being joined by a crease defining a double layer
slot generally equal to the thickness of said plastic sheet material tube sidewall,
said end cap central portion being positioned internally of said tube with said tube
sidewalls slidably inserted within solid slot,
the end walls of said flexible plastic tube adjacent said one open end carrying
said end cap including aligned, coplanar perforations, respectively, and wherein said
end cap central portion includes integral tabs sized to the perforations, projecting
outwardly of the ends of the end caps and being received by respective coplanar perforations
of said tube, such that the end cap automatically locks to the end of the flexible
plastic material tube and the fitted engagement between the tube sidewalls and the
double layer slot defining end cap sidewalls maintains the tabs within the perforations
of the flexible tube end walls and the tab and perforation couplings maintain the
tube sidewalls between said opposed folded end cap sidewalls to create a relatively
stable end cap closed package at low cost.
2. The tubular package as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer sidewalls are folded
back towards the centrai portion in excess of 180° to said inner sidewall, such that
the end of the outer sidewall tends to contact said inner sidewall, whereby said double
layer slot narrows toward its open end opposite said crease to less than the thickness
of the plastic sheet material tube sidewall, such that the end cap double layer slot
sidewalls tend to frictionally grip the tube sidewalls over the portion of the tube
sidewalls within said slot.
3. An end cap for a tubular package for closing off an end of a flexible plastic sheet
material tube of rectangular crosssection, said tube including laterally spaced sidewalls
and longitudinally spaced end walls, said end cap being constituted by a folded, flexible,
semi-rigid plastic sheet of heavier gauge plastic sheet material than that of said
tube and including a rectangular central portion of a length corresponding to the
distance between tube end walls, said central portion being of a width approximately
equal to the lateral distance between sidewalls of said tube, said end cap further
including double foided integral opposite sides forming double layer flat sidewalls
of plastic sheet material perpendicular to the plane of the central portion with said
end cap folded sidewalls joined by a crease remote from said central portion and forming
a narrow slot between said folded end cap sidewalls, with said slot being of a size
on the order of the thickness of the plastic tube sheet material, said crease functioning
to seat respective sidewalls of said tube when said sidewalls of said tube when the
sidewalls are slidably inserted within said double iayer sidewalls of said end cap
with said end cap central portion closing off the end of said tube, said tube including
perforations within the respective end walls of said tube adjacent an axial open end
thereof, said perforations being coplanar and aligned with each other, and wherein
the end cap sheet central portion includes integral tabs projecting outwardly of said
sheet central portion away from each other, being sized to the perforations for being
received thereby to mechanically lock the end cap to the tube such that the end cap
automatically locks to the end of the tube and maintain a fitted engagement between
the tube sidewalls and the double layer sidewalls of the end cap and the fitted engagement
of said tube sidewalls within the slot defined by said end cap sidewalls maintain
said tabs within said perforationsthe engagement between the tabs and the perforations
and to create a relatively stable end cap closed package at low cost.
4. The end cap as claimed in claim 3, wherein said narrow slot between said folded
end cap sidewalls narrows to a gap less than the thickness of the plastic tube sheet
material at the open end of said slot remote from said crease, such that the sidewall
of the tube is frictionally gripped by the double layer sidewalls of said end cap
over the portion of the tube sidewall inserted within the slot defined by said double
layer end cap sidewalls.