Ship flat blow-molded tunnel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11897183-B2
Application number	US-201916588701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2019
Priority date	Jul 28, 2016
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

In one example, a structure includes a flexible plastic body having a first end and a second end, as well as a first side and a second side disposed opposite each other. The first side includes a first group of segments, and the second side includes a second group of segments. The structure also includes a group of living hinges integral with the body, and one of the living hinges is positioned between segments, and the living hinges enable the flexible plastic body to alternatively assume a flat state, or another state in which the body is not flat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure, comprising:
a flexible plastic body having a first end and a second end, as well as a first side and a second side disposed opposite each other, the first side comprising a first plurality of segments that includes two non-adjacent segments and an intervening segment disposed between the two non-adjacent segments, and the intervening segment having a curved configuration, and the second side comprising a second plurality of segments, and the flexible body has a length that is greater than a width of the flexible body; and
a plurality of living hinges integral with the flexible plastic body, and one of the living hinges is positioned between, and connects, two of the segments, that are positioned either on the first side or the second side, such that the flexible plastic body extends unbroken between those two segments, and the living hinges enable the flexible plastic body to alternatively assume a flat state in which the living hinges are positioned transverse to a lengthwise edge of the flexible plastic body, or another state in which the flexible plastic body is not flat.

2. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the segments and living hinges extend along a majority of the width of the flexible plastic body.

3. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein the structure is in the form of a unified, single piece structure.

4. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the living hinges comprises a respective tack-off.

5. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flexible plastic body comprises multiple discrete portions that are releasably connectible to each other.

6. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein one or more segments on the first side extend in a first direction, and one or more segments on the second side extend in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

7. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the segments are hollow.

8. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein on the first side of the flexible plastic body, a living hinge is disposed between each two successive segments.

9. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flexible plastic body defines an opening that extends through one, or both, of a segment and a living hinge.

10. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the segments terminates short of an edge of the flexible plastic body.

11. The structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein the segments are integral elements of the flexible plastic body.

12. A structure, comprising:
a flexible plastic body having a first end and a second end, as well as a first side and a second side disposed opposite each other, the first side comprising a first hollow integral segment and a second hollow integral segment that are consecutively arranged with respect to each other, and the second side comprising a plurality of integral segments; and
a plurality of living hinges, including a living hinge integral with the flexible plastic body and interposed between the first hollow integral segment and the second hollow integral segment such that no open space exists between the first integral segment and the second integral segment, and
wherein one of the hollow integral segments is in the form of a box beam having a generally rectangular cross-section that imparts rigidity to a non-flexible portion of the flexible plastic body, and the flexible plastic body, in its entirety, assumes a curved configuration when the flexible plastic body is bent around the living hinges in the plurality of living hinges.

13. The structure as recited in claim 12 , wherein the structure is in the form of a unified, single piece structure.

14. The structure as recited in claim 12 , wherein respective interiors of the first hollow integral segment and the second hollow integral segment are in communication with each other.

15. The structure as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first hollow integral segment and the second hollow integral segment have different respective configurations.

16. The structure as recited in claim 12 , wherein two segments in the plurality of segments have different respective configurations.

17. The structure as recited in claim 12 , wherein an overall volume defined by the structure when the structure is in the curved configuration is larger than a volume occupied by the structure when the structure is in a flat state.

18. The structure as recited in claim 12 , wherein the structure is reversibly manipulatable from a flat state to the curved configuration, and from the curved configuration to the flat state.

19. An apparatus, comprising:
a container; and
a plurality of structures disposed in the container, two or more of the structures being disposed in a flat state and being stacked on one top of the other, and each of the stacked structures comprises:
a flexible plastic body having a first end and a second end, as well as a first side and a second side disposed opposite each other, the first side comprising a first plurality of integral segments that are each hollow, and the second side comprising a second plurality of integral segments; and
a plurality of living hinges integral with the flexible plastic body, and one of the living hinges is positioned between, and connects, two of the segments, that are positioned either on the first side or the second side, such that the flexible plastic body extends unbroken between those two segments, and the living hinges enable the flexible plastic body to alternatively assume a flat state, or a state in which the flexible plastic body is not flat, in its entirety, forms a curved configuration.

Assignees

• Lifetime Prod Inc

Inventors

• Astle Robert A
• Green Danny
• Kearl Jacob
• Olsen Eric

Classifications

• B29C59/021 Primary

  of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles, beams · CPC title

• B29C49/0031

  Making articles having hollow walls · CPC title

• B32B1/08

  Tubular products · CPC title

• B32B3/20

  of hollow pieces, e.g. tubes; of pieces with channels or cavities · CPC title

• B65D1/40

  Details of walls (other container details B65D23/00, B65D25/00) · CPC title