Method of storing adhesive material with a container

Abstract

A foldable container and method of storing adhesive in which a single strip of adhesive material is attached to a single release liner featured on a side surface or a flap of the foldable container. The strips of adhesive material can be peeled off a surface of the container and applied to and used to seal the top and bottom surfaces of the container as needed. The container features one or more release liner(s) each with a single strip of adhesive material attached only to the release liner and not a surface of the container itself.

Claims

1. A method of storing adhesive material with packing material using a container having an interior, an exterior, a plurality of side surfaces and a plurality of flaps attached to said side surfaces, wherein at least two of the plurality of flaps are major flaps connected to two of the plurality of side surfaces, respectively, and the major flaps have a length about equal to a length of the two of the plurality of side surfaces, the method comprising: providing the container with at least one release liner featured on a plurality of adjacent side surfaces of the container, wherein the at least one release liner has a length longer than the length of the major flaps; and releasably attaching the entire length of a strip of adhesive material to the at least one release liner such that the strip of adhesive material can be placed anywhere on the container, wherein the strip of adhesive material is longer than the length of the major flaps.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one release liner is attached to a side surface of the foldable container.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one release liner is attached to a flap of the foldable container.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one release liner is attached to and extends partially across more than one of the side surfaces of the container.

5. The method of claim 1 where in the at least one release liner is attached to and extends partially across a side surface and a flap.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one release liner is attached to and extends entirely across more than one of the side surfaces of the container.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the container with at least two release liners and providing each release liner with a single strip of adhesive material.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least two release liners are different sizes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the foldable container prior to being sealed;

(2) FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the same container in closed, but unsealed state and demonstrating the removal of a strip of adhesive;

(3) FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the same container with the top sealed;

(4) FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the same container with the top and bottom sealed; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the method of sealing a foldable container featuring the second embodiment of the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIGS. 1-4 show a first version of the inventive foldable container 121 that includes two mid-ply release liners 125 attached to two side surfaces 122 of the container 121. Each release liner 125 has a single strip of adhesive material attached thereto. The method involves removing the strips of adhesive material 124 from the mid-ply release liner 125 and then placing each strip of adhesive material 124 over the folded flaps 123 that comprise the top and bottom of the sealed container 121. As a result, their initial placement does not dictate their final placement in any manner. A skilled artisan will realize that the mid-ply release liner 125 can be attached to any of the side surfaces 122 or the flaps 123 of the foldable container 121. Each foldable container 121 features a release liner 125 large enough to accommodate one strip of adhesive material 124. The strip(s) of adhesive material 124 can vary in size depending on the size of the release liners 125. Preferred embodiments of this foldable container 121 feature strips of adhesive material 124 that are five (5), six (6), seven (7), nine (9), ten and a half (10.5), twelve (12), thirteen (13) and fifteen (15) inches long. In addition, preferred embodiments of this foldable container 121 feature strips of adhesive material 124 that are two (2), three (3) and three and a half (3.5) inches wide. As shown in FIG. 5, the same container may feature different lengths of adhesive material 124.

(7) In this version of the foldable container 121, a single side surface 122 or flap 123 can feature a mid-ply release liner 125 with a single strip of adhesive material 124; each strip of adhesive material 124 ideally being separated from the adjacent strip(s) of adhesive material by approximately one-eighth (⅛) of an inch, i.e. 0.125 inches. Other variations on this embodiment include more than one side surface 122 or flap 123 featuring a release liner 125 with one strip of adhesive material 124 attached to each release liner. Further, any surface of the container 121, i.e. the minor flaps or the major flaps can feature a release liner 125 with a strip of adhesive material 124 attached.

(8) FIGS. 1-4 also show the steps in sealing a foldable container with this embodiment. FIGS. 1-4 shows a perspective view of a foldable container 121 showing two flaps 123 and side surfaces 122. The foldable container 121 in FIGS. 1-4 features two separate release liners 125 extending over each of the two visible side surfaces 122. First, the minor flaps 123 are folded down such that they are substantially perpendicular to the side surfaces 122 of the foldable container 121. The user then folds the major flaps 123 down over the minor flaps (not shown) such that they are substantially perpendicular to the side surfaces 122 of the foldable container 121. At this point, the user has a foldable container with a top 126 or bottom surface 127 ready to be sealed. This same process is used to close and form the opposing top or bottom surface of the foldable container 121.

(9) FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the presently disclosed container 121. In this embodiment, there are a plurality of release liners 125 featured on a single container 121. FIG. 5 shows a container 121 featuring six separate release liners 125 in two different sizes on a single container 121. Each strip of adhesive material 124 is attached to a single release liner 125. Some of the release liners 125 extend across more than one side surface of the container 121. As discussed above, other embodiments can feature one or more release liners 125 that extend across one of the flaps 123 and a side surface 122.

(10) FIG. 5 is a flow chart that demonstrates the method of storing adhesive with packaging material as well as how to use the adhesive to seal the container 121. FIG. 5 shows a foldable container 121 open at both ends. Once the flaps are folded down on top of each other, the container 121 has a top surface and a bottom surface. Next the user peels a strip of adhesive material 124 off one of the mid-ply release liners 125 located on the container 121. After removing the strip of adhesive material 124 from one of the flaps 123 of the foldable container 121, the strip of adhesive material 124 is placed or laid over the top surface of the foldable container 121. As discussed previously, there are advantages to placing the strip(s) of adhesive material 124 over the free edges of the flaps 123, but the strips of adhesive material 124 can be placed in virtually any orientation over the surface(s) of the foldable container 121 that the user desires to seal. For example, strips of adhesive material 124 can be laid over the portion of the container 121 where the flaps 123 and side surfaces 122 meet as shown in FIG. 5.

(11) If needed, the user the user removes a second strip of adhesive material 124 from another release liner 125 on the container 121. After removing the second strip of adhesive material 124 from the flap 123 of the foldable container 121, the strip of adhesive material 124 is placed or laid over a surface of the foldable container 121. As with previously described embodiments, each of the strips of adhesive material 124 can be placed such that they meet and form an overlapping portion 126 of adhesive material. This overlapping portion 133 often makes it easier to remove the strips of adhesive material 124 as it is easier to peel the adhesive material away from the back surface of the strip of adhesive material 124 than from the foldable container 121, especially when said container 121 is made of cardboard or other paper based material.

(12) The user then repeats these steps using the strips of adhesive material 124 attached to the release liner 125 located on the other flap 123 featuring the release liner 125 and strips of adhesive material 124 to seal the bottom surface of the container 121.

(13) While the above description details the preferred embodiments of the container, there are other embodiments that are anticipated by the Inventor. More specifically, the container can be any foldable container and need not be a cardboard box, nor does the container need to be a four-sided structure. In addition, just as the container need not have four side surfaces, it need not incorporate four to eight flaps. The container can have only one flap, no flap or even a separate lid. In addition, the strips of adhesive material do not have to be fixed to the side surfaces of the box in the locations shown in the figures. They could be placed anywhere on the side of the container regardless of whether they are positioned to overlap the free edges of the major flaps. In addition, each strip of adhesive material is generally made of packing tape, i.e., tape that is made of a polypropylene or polyester backing, but can be any number of adhesive materials including other types of tape like duct, electrical, acetate or masking tape.

(14) Furthermore, it is worth noting, sealing the top and bottom surfaces of the foldable container is accomplished through identical means—that is to say, the top surface of the foldable container and the bottom surface of the same container are sealed in the same manner using the same structures.

(15) The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, the ability to purchase packing materials in the exact proportions or quantities needed to fulfill the user's purposes. In addition, the container makes storing packaging materials together very simple and convenient. The disclosed container creates a simple to use, single piece container available for packing tangible property. It also makes for a simpler means of opening a sealed foldable container. Moreover, the embodiments disclosed in this application represent a significantly more efficient way of transporting foldable containers with adhesive materials attached to them, without the strips of adhesive material becoming snagged or hung up or accidentally removed from the container during transport.

(16) Reference throughout the specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout the specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

(17) The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.

(18) Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

(19) It is understood that the above described embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment, including the best mode, is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, if any, in conjunction with the foregoing description.

(20) While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.