Container and Packaging Method for Vegetation Trimmer Line

Abstract

A substantially toroidal container for coiled vegetation trimmer line has a front shell and a rear shell capable of bonding at the center with heat and pressure, radio frequency, ultrasonic welding, adhesive, or attachment mechanisms. The bonding of the shells leaves a separation between the outer edges of the shells. The separation is nonlinear around the circumference of the container, so that a user can access the trimmer line, but the trimmer line cannot uncoil and spill out of the container. The separation is preferably defined by a series of offset uniform teeth on the outer edges of the shells. One or more teeth may be removed, providing a line aperture through which the end of the trimmer line extends out of the container. Male and female indices on each shell are used to align the teeth during packaging.

1 . A container for vegetation trimmer line, the container comprising:
 a) a front shell having an outer edge and an inner edge, the front shell comprising a front bonding surface substantially within the inner edge of the front shell; and   b) a rear shell having an outer edge, the rear shell comprising a rear bonding surface within the outer edge of the rear shell, the rear bonding surface attached to the front bonding surface so that the outer edge of the rear shell cooperates with the outer edge of the front shell to form a nonplanar separation between the outer edge of the rear shell and the outer edge of the front shell.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the outer edge of the front shell abuts the outer edge of the rear shell, giving the separation substantially no width. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein:
 a) the rear shell further comprises an inner edge; and 
 b) the rear bonding surface is substantially within the inner edge of the rear shell. 
 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3  wherein the front shell and rear shell form a substantially toroidal shape having an outer circumference defined by the outer edges of the shells and an inner circumference defined by the inner edges of the shells. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  wherein the separation extends entirely around the container at the outer circumference. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5  wherein the outer edge of the front shell abuts the outer edge of the rear shell, giving the separation substantially no width. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 5  wherein the separation has a substantially uniform width around the container. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 4  wherein the front bonding surface is a disc having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the substantially toroidal shape. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8  wherein the rear bonding surface is a disc having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the substantially toroidal shape. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9  wherein:
 a) the front shell further comprises a first index positioned on the front bonding surface; and 
 b) the rear shell further comprises a second index positioned on the rear bonding surface, such that the second index cooperates with the first index to align the front shell with the rear shell and create the nonplanar separation. 
 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the outer edge of the front shell and the outer edge of the rear shell each comprise a plurality of cooperating shapes, the cooperating shapes of the front shell being offset from the cooperating shapes of the rear shell. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11  wherein the cooperating shapes of the front shell and rear shell are rounded teeth, the teeth of the top shell fitting between the teeth of the rear shell to give the separation an undulating shape. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12  wherein the teeth of the front shell and the teeth of the rear shell have uniform size. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 11  further comprising a line aperture formed by omitting one or more of the cooperating shapes. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14  wherein the line aperture is formed in the rear shell. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 11  wherein the front shell and rear shell form a substantially toroidal shape having an outer circumference defined by the outer edges of the shells and an inner circumference defined by the inner edges of the shells. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the rear bonding surface is bonded to the front bonding surface. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 1  wherein:
 a) the front shell further comprises a first index positioned on the front bonding surface; and 
 b) the rear shell further comprises a second index positioned on the rear bonding surface, such that the second index aligns with the first index to create the offset of the cooperating shapes of the front shell from the cooperating shapes of the rear shell. 
 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the front shell further comprises one or more spacers positioned on the outer surface of the front shell and configured to prevent other articles from contacting the outer surface of the front shell. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 16  wherein the spacers have a flat top.