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:
Apr. 25, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 19, 1999
Keith Rea, Florence, SC (US);
Sonoco Development, Inc., Hartsville, SC (US);
Abstract
A container has a movable end closure for accommodating expansion or contraction of the product packaged therein. The container includes a hollow body portion with opposed open ends and an inside surface and an end closure positioned at each of the open ends of the hollow body portion and secured thereto for closing the container with product contained therein. One of the end closures is of a generally cup-shaped configuration and has a radially-extending central portion of generally the same configuration and dimensions as the inside surface of the body portion and an accordion-folded sidewalk extending axially from the central portion toward the body portion open end to define a free end area secured to the inside surface of the body portion at the open end. This end closure is positioned so that the central portion may axially move along the body portion inside surface toward or away from the body portion open end by contraction or expansion of the end closure accordion-folded side wall to increase or decrease the effective volume of space within the container.