Method of making one-piece lidded containers and containers made by the same

Abstract

Methods of making one-piece lidded containers are described along with containers made by such methods. In one embodiment, the method entails providing a first length of thermoplastic material and a second length of thermoplastic material where a portion of the two lengths of thermoplastic material are brought into an overlapping or abutting orientation to provide a juncture of thermoplastic material. The juncture of thermoplastic material is subsequently secured. The one-piece lidded container is completed by forming a first container and a corresponding lid on the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material. Other embodiments are also described.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of making a one-piece lidded container, which comprises: 
 providing a first length of thermoplastic material and a second length of thermoplastic material;    positioning the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material to provide a juncture of thermoplastic material;    securing the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material to each other at the juncture; and    forming at least a first container and at least a corresponding lid on the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the juncture of thermoplastic material is an overlap of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the juncture of thermoplastic material is a juxtapositioned abutment of the first and second lengths of the thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second lengths are secured along the abutment.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second lengths are secured with a joining strip in substantially the same direction as and adjacent to the abutment of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of oriented thermoplastic materials, non-oriented thermoplastic materials, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the oriented thermoplastic material is oriented polystyrene.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , where the non-oriented thermoplastic material is polyethylene terephthalate or polystyrene.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material are of dissimilar properties.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the dissimilar properties are dissimilar thicknesses.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the dissimilar properties are dissimilar barrier characteristics.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the dissimilar properties are dissimilar compositions.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the dissimilar properties are different colors.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first length of thermoplastic material is opaque and the second length of thermoplastic material is clear.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the corresponding lid is a dome structure.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the overlap of thermoplastic material is positioned between the container and corresponding lid.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the overlap of thermoplastic material is contained within the container or the corresponding lid.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material are each of a single-layer of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container and corresponding lid are formed by thermoforming.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material is secured by sealing.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein sealing is by ultrasonic welding.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein thermoplastic material is secured with a sealant or an adhesive.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein first and second lengths of thermoplastic material are of dissimilar properties and are secured with a sealant or an adhesive compatible to both.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , which further comprises providing a hinge means between the first container and the corresponding lid.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the juncture is an overlap of thermoplastic material and the hinge means is provided within the overlap.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the hinge means is provided by folding the thermoplastic material at a position between the container and the corresponding lid in a direction substantially the same as the juncture.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the thermoplastic material is folded at the overlap is positioned between the container and the corresponding lid.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , which further comprises scoring the overlap to facilitate folding of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         29 . A method of making one-piece lidded containers, which comprises: 
 providing a first, a second and a third length of thermoplastic material;    positioning a portion of the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material to provide a first juncture of thermoplastic material;    positioning a portion of the second and third lengths of thermoplastic material to provide a second juncture of thermoplastic material opposite from the first juncture;    securing the thermoplastic material of the first and second junctures;    forming at least a first container and at least a second container on the first and third lengths of thermoplastic material;    forming at least a first corresponding lid and at least a second corresponding lid on the second length of thermoplastic material; and    severing the second length of thermoplastic material between the first and second corresponding lids to provide the one-piece lidded containers.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the junctures of thermoplastic material are overlaps of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the junctures of thermoplastic material are juxtapositioned abutments of the first, second, and third lengths of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first, second, and thirds lengths are secured along the abutments.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first, second, and third lengths are secured with joining strips in substantially the same direction as and adjacent to the abutments of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of oriented thermoplastic materials, non-oriented thermoplastic materials, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the oriented thermoplastic material is oriented polystyrene.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , where the non-oriented thermoplastic material is polyethylene terephthalate or polystyrene.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the corresponding lids are a dome structure.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the first and second containers are formed at a position other than the first and second junctures.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the first corresponding lid and the second corresponding lid are formed on the second length of thermoplastic materials at a position other than the first and second junctures.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the overlaps of thermoplastic material are positioned between the containers and corresponding lids.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the overlaps of thermoplastic material are contained within the containers or corresponding lids.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the first, second and third lengths of thermoplastic material are each of a single-layer of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the containers and corresponding lids are formed by thermoforming.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein at least one of the lengths of thermoplastic material has different properties.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein one of the different properties is a different color.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the first and thirds lengths of thermoplastic material are opaque and the second length of thermoplastic material is clear.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein one of the different properties is a differing thickness.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein one of the different properties is differing barrier characteristics.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein one of the different properties is a differing composition.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the junctures of thermoplastic material are secured by sealing.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein sealing is by ultrasonic welding.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein thermoplastic material is secured with a sealant or an adhesive.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the lengths of thermoplastic material has dissimilar properties and the lengths of thermoplastic materials are secured with a sealant or an adhesive compatible therewith.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the first corresponding lid is positioned proximal to the first container and the second corresponding lid is positioned proximal to the second container.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 29 , which further comprises providing a hinge means between the containers and the corresponding lids.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the junctures are overlaps of thermoplastic material and the hinge means are provided within the overlaps.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the hinge means are provided by folding the thermoplastic material at a position between the containers and the corresponding lids in a direction substantially the same as the junctures.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the thermoplastic material is folded at the overlaps positioned between the containers and the corresponding lids.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , which further comprises scoring the overlaps to facilitate folding of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 29 , which further comprises securing fourth and fifth lengths of thermoplastic material to the first and third lengths of thermoplastic material; and forming additional containers and corresponding lids on the lengths of thermoplastic material to provide additional one-piece containers.  
     
     
         61 . A method of making at least one one-piece lidded container, which comprises: 
 providing a first length of thermoplastic material and a second length of thermoplastic material;    forming at least a first container and at least a corresponding lid on the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material;    positioning a portion of the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material to provide a juncture of thermoplastic material and allowing alignment of the container and corresponding lid to provide closure in an axially opposing orientation; and    securing the thermoplastic material at the juncture to form the one-piece lidded container.    
     
     
         62 . A method of making one-piece lidded containers, which comprises: 
 providing a first, a second and a third length of thermoplastic material;    forming at least a first container and at least a second container on the first and third lengths of thermoplastic material;    forming at least a first corresponding lid and at least a second corresponding lid on the second length of thermoplastic material;    positioning a portion of the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material to provide a first juncture of thermoplastic material and allowing alignment of the first container and the first corresponding lid in an axially opposing orientation;    positioning a portion of the second and third lengths of thermoplastic material to provide a second juncture of thermoplastic material opposite from the first juncture and allows alignment of the second container and the second corresponding lid in an axially opposing orientation;    securing the thermoplastic material of the first and second junctures, respectively; and    severing the second length of thermoplastic material between the first and second corresponding lid to provide the one-piece lidded containers.    
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of containers and a plurality of corresponding lids are formed on the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein a plurality of containers and a plurality of corresponding lids are formed on the first, second, and third lengths of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein a plurality of containers and a plurality of corresponding lids are formed on the first, second and third lengths of thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         66 . A one-piece lidded container comprising: 
 a bottom tray having a container structure;    a top corresponding lid;    a secured juncture formed from the bottom tray and top lid thereby allowing alignment of the bottom tray and top lid in an axially opposing orientation.    
     
     
         67 . A one-piece lidded container prepared by the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         68 . A one-piece lidded container prepared by the method of  claim 29 .  
     
     
         69 . A one-piece lidded container prepared by the method of  claim 61 .  
     
     
         70 . A one-piece lidded container prepared by the method of  claim 62.