Containers with reduced material content

Abstract

A plastic injection molded container is provided with reduced material content. The plastic container may be a dental floss container but may be any type of container for storing any type of product. The plastic container is comprised of an open framework comprising at least one opening and at least one solid portion and defining an open container body, a flexible sheet overlying said at least one opening, and a bond bonding said flexible sheet exclusively to said at least one solid portion. In an embodiment, the flexible sheet is a label and the bond is an adhesive. The label may be provided with a clear opening for viewing the contents of the container.

1 . A container, comprising:
 an open framework comprising at least one opening and at least one solid portion and defining an open container body;   a flexible sheet overlying said at least one opening; and   a bond bonding said flexible sheet exclusively to said at least one solid portion.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said open framework is comprised of plastic. 
     
     
         3 . The container of claim I, wherein said bond is comprised of adhesive. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible sheet is a label. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said container is constructed with a U-shaped profile. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said container is a dental floss container. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one solid portion comprises two side walls defining a front wall of the container, and said at least one opening comprises two openings in the front wall of the container. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein said two opening are separated by a front reinforcing portion. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , further comprising a top reinforcing portion extending between the side walls and interconnecting with the front reinforcing portion. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a solid bottom wall. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a solid hinged top wall. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one solid portion comprises two side walls and said at least one opening is formed in one or both of the two side walls. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible sheet is comprised of a plurality of sheet portions each overlying one opening. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional clear opening in the flexible sheet defining a viewing window configured to view contents of the container. 
     
     
         15 . A method of constructing a container, comprising:
 providing an open framework comprising at least one opening and at least one solid portion and defining an open container body;   placing a flexible sheet overlying said at least one opening; and   bonding said flexible sheet exclusively to said at least one solid portion.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selecting said open framework to be comprised of plastic. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising using adhesive to bond said flexible sheet to said at least one solid portion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selecting a label as said flexible sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selecting the shape of the container to be a U-shaped profile. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said container is a dental floss container.