The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 17, 1981
Filed:
Sep. 07, 1979
Stephen W Amberg, Toledo, OH (US);
Owens-Illinois, Inc., Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
This invention relates to method and apparatus for making plastic tubular preforms for assemblying bottles or other containers into individual mutli-unit packages. The bottles for an integral multi-container package are arranged in a tightly-assembled group and the tubular preform is placed around the group. The tubular preform is formed from a lengthy sheet of flexible heat-shrinkable thermoplastic material which preferably is comprised of a composite foam and film laminate with the preform having a thermal fusion seal extending in an axial direction. The preform is flat-folded with a pair of axial pleated folds in diametrically opposite sides and then double-folded centrally for use in multiple unit packaging of like containers. The preforms has a primary orientation in a circumferential direction and a secondary orientation in an axial direction making it particularly useful when fully opened for heat shrinking around a group of like containers. This invention pertains to the method and apparatus for making such tubular preform which in heat-shrunken condition forms a tight package convenient for handling, shipment and use.