Special receptacle or package – For a building component
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-08-21
Thomas, Alexander S. (Department: 1772)
Special receptacle or package
For a building component
C206S453000, C206S586000, C428S043000, C428S119000, C428S124000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276526
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of fenestration products such as windows and doors. In particular, the invention is concerned with an edge protector made from corrugated paperboard configured to present a circumscribing flange extending outwardly from the product edge to protect the product edge and adjacent cladding during shipment.
BACKGROUND
A fenestration product such as a door or window includes a pane surrounded by frame members. The exterior or front face of the product includes metal cladding covering those portions of the frame members adjacent the outboard edge of the product and covering a portion of the side walls of the frame members. The cladding is typically composed of aluminum, protects the frame members from exposure to the elements and enhances the aesthetic appearance of the product.
During shipment of the fenestration product, the cladding may be subject to dents and scratches. In order to prevent such damage, the prior art teaches to cover the cladding with two or three layers of corrugated paperboard strapped against the front face and side walls of the cladding. But even with these layers of protection, damage may still occur during shipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the prior art problem discussed above and provides a distinct advance in the state of the art. In particular, the edge protector hereof provides a simple, relatively low-cost, yet effective means of protecting fenestration products during shipment.
The preferred edge protector in accordance with the present invention is integrally formed of a single strip of corrugated paperboard that has been perforated, slit, folded, glued and scored in a particular manner. In its finished form, the protector is generally transversely L-shaped overall, having a pair of intersecting right-angle legs that define a front or face flap for covering a marginal portion of the metal cladding on the front face of the product and a side flap for covering a marginal portion of the metal cladding on the side of the product. In addition, the protector has a relatively narrow, stiff spacer flange generally in the same plane as the side flap but extending in the opposite lateral direction for spacing foreign objects away from the edge of the product. The spacer flange is transversely relatively short and stubby, so as to possess greater column strength than would otherwise be the case when spacing the front face of the product away from foreign objects. To further aid in producing inherent rigidity, the spacer flange is comprised of a double layer of the paperboard, while each of the face and side flaps is comprised of only a single layer of material. The two layers of the flange are bonded together with a suitable adhesive.
At a corner of the product, the protector is bent up 90° out of its flat plane along a transverse bend line so as to wrap around the corner without necessitating the use of a new piece of the protector. To facilitate bending of the protector around the corner, the face flap of the protector is comprised of a longitudinal series of alternating tear-out and non-tear-out tabs. By manually removing the appropriate tear-out tab aligned with the corner of the product, the face flap is presented with an open notch at that location which offers no resistance to bending. A metal strapping band or the like may be tightly wrapped around the entire protector when it is in place on the product so as to detachably secure the protector to the product.
In fabricating the protector, the single flat strip of corrugated paperboard is initially passed longitudinally through perforating and scoring dies that perform a number of different operations on the strip. One operation is the formation of a longitudinally extending, primary line of weakness located generally centrally of the strip but closer to one lateral extremity than the other. This line of weakness becomes the hinge line about which one longitudinally extending side margin of the strip is later folded over on top of the main body of the strip to produce the two layers of the protector in those areas where two layers are desired.
A secondary line of weakness is produced in the strip parallel to but spaced a short distance from the primary line of weakness toward the one lateral extremity of the strip. A ribbon of adhesive is applied to the region between the two lines of weakness so that, when the side margin of the strip is folded over onto the main body of the strip along the primary line of weakness, the superimposed layers bond together to the extent of the width of the adhesive ribbon to form the stubby spacer flange. The remaining, unadhered part of the folded-over portion serves as the face flap when it is later bent up out of the plane of the flange along the secondary line of weakness just before the protector is installed on the product.
Prior to the top layer being folded over, the strip is provided with a longitudinally extending series of transverse tear lines extending from the secondary line of weakness out to the one lateral extremity of the strip. Such tear lines define the fore-and-aft extremities of the corner tear-out tabs in the face flap of the protector. After the strip is folded along the primary line of weakness, the folded strip may be passed between a pair of crush rollers to form a light crush score along the full length of the strip that passes across all of the tear-out tabs. The crush score facilitates removal of the appropriate tear-out tab during installation of the protector without adversely affecting the covering and protecting qualities of the face and side flaps.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1675147 (1928-06-01), Walter
patent: 2742146 (1956-04-01), Lester, Jr.
patent: 2757854 (1956-08-01), Wall
patent: 2878982 (1959-03-01), Gariepy
patent: 2929495 (1960-03-01), Simonsen
patent: 3095970 (1963-07-01), Gaulke
patent: 4162729 (1979-07-01), Kaiser et al.
patent: 4399915 (1983-08-01), Sorenson
patent: 4583639 (1986-04-01), Fedick et al.
patent: 4700844 (1987-10-01), Griffith
patent: 4884687 (1989-12-01), Steves
patent: 5255727 (1993-10-01), Saruwatari et al.
Hrdlicka Fred L.
Miller Scot C.
Wetter Jeffrey S.
Hovey Williams Timmons & Collins
Pella Corporation
Thomas Alexander S.
LandOfFree
Flanged edge protector for window unit does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Flanged edge protector for window unit, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Flanged edge protector for window unit will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2551778