Package making – Means to open or erect receptacle – With cutting means
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-20
2004-09-21
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Package making
Means to open or erect receptacle
With cutting means
C030S294000, C407S029100, C407S029150, C414S412000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06792738
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pack wrapper opening system and more particularly to a system that removes the plastic wrapper from a package for access to the contents of the package.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most compact discs and cassettes are sold encased in a plastic wrapper. These plastic wrappers are often difficult to remove and tend to lead to frustration for those who are attempting to remove them. People often resort to using knives or other sharp objects to attempt to remove the wrappers. This sometimes results in damaging the package and also injury to themselves or others. What is needed is a device that will allow for the simple removal of these plastic wrappers so that the user can easily access the packages and the compact disc and cassettes that are stored within these packages.
The present invention solves these problems by providing a device that will allow for the easy removal of plastic wrappers from packages without the use of a knife or other sharp object.
The use of opening systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, opening systems heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of removing wrappers from packages are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,731 to Rungren discloses a hand held device used to cut shrink wrap packages such as compact disc cases and is comprised of a cutting blade and guide assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,381 to Gelardi discloses a device for cutting tape on products such as video cassette boxes comprised of an angled blade device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,624 to McCracken discloses a pack opening system comprised of an edge guide and channel.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a pack wrapper opening system for removing the plastic wrapper from a package for access to the contents of the package.
In this respect, the pack opening system according to the present invention departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of safely removing the plastic wrapper from a package for access to the contents of the package.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved pack wrapper opening system which can be used for removing the plastic wrapper from a package for access to the contents of the package. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of opening systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved pack wrapper opening system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To ascertain this, the present invention essentially employs a device having a horizontal panel having a generally rectangular configuration. The horizontal panel is defined by a planar upper surface, a planar lower surface, opposed short end walls, and opposed long side walls. A pair of vertical panels are secured to and extend upwardly from the horizontal panel. Each of the vertical panels have a generally rectangular configuration. The vertical panels are defined by planar inner and outer surfaces, short opposed end walls, and long opposed end walls. Lower end walls of the vertical panels are secured to the opposed long side walls of the horizontal panel to define a receiving channel to receive a package between the vertical panels. An abrasive sheet having a series of conically shaped projections is secured to the planar upper surface of the horizontal panel in between the pair of vertical panels.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order than the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved pack wrapper opening system which has all the advantages of the prior art opening systems and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved pack wrapper opening system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved pack wrapper opening system which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved pack wrapper opening system that employs a device which is susceptible to a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible to low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a pack wrapper opening system economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved pack wrapper opening system for removing the plastic wrapper from a package for access to the contents of the package.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved pack wrapper opening system including a horizontal panel having a planar upper surface and a planar lower surface. An abrasive sheet having a series of conically shaped projections formed therein is secured to the planar upper surface of the horizontal panel. The projections are specifically shaped to allow plastic wrapping to be removed from a package without injuring the hands of a user.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 94503 (1869-09-01), Nicholson
patent: 445712 (1891-02-01), Dallis
patent: 507071 (1893-10-01), Huff
patent: 721843 (1903-03-01), Stepzinski
patent: 1083297 (1914-01-01), Richardson
patent: 3791014 (1974-02-01), Perna
patent: 3875825 (1975-04-01), Buttafuoco
patent: 3887973 (1975-06-01), Coon
patent: 3914837 (1975-10-01), Coon
patent: 4423571 (1984-01-01), Selander et al.
patent: 4598447 (1986-07-01), Whyde
patent: 4941246 (1990-07-01), Finnegan
patent: 5016397 (1991-05-01), Higginbotham
patent: 5027519 (1991-07-01), De Vincentis
patent: 5197232 (1993-
Gerrity Stephen F.
Keschner Irving
LandOfFree
Pack wrapper opening system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pack wrapper opening system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pack wrapper opening system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3229860