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:
Feb. 22, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1997
Scott J Felder, McHenry, IL (US);
Tenneco Packaging Inc., Lake Forest, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for forming thermoplastic containers having a male locking member. The apparatus includes a cavity defining a shape of the container, a stripper movable in a longitudinal direction relative to said cavity, and a retractable lock adjacent to an edge of the cavity. The retractable lock is movable in a transverse direction relative to the cavity between a retracted position and an unretracted position and movable in a longitudinal direction between a first position and a second position. The containers are formed through a process in which the apparatus is sequentially placed in a ready mode, lift mode, disengage mode, and back to the ready mode. In the ready mode, the retractable lock is placed in the unretracted position and first position in order to receive a sheet of plastic material and form a locking member thereon. In the lift mode, the retractable lock is moved in a longitudinal direction from the first position to the second position in order to lift the container from the cavity. In the disengage mode, the retractable lock is moved in a transverse direction from the unretracted position to the retracted position in order to disengage itself from the locking member.