Cougar Corners- Patent # 6,564,938

As with most of the patents Cougar owns, the starting point is defining a problem and then creating a solution for that problem. In the case of the Cougar Corner, it started with a project we were working on for a large sink manufacturer. This particular project involved designing a protective corner for a heavy cast iron sink. The sink weighed 150 lbs and the customer wanted to stop the damage that was occurring from the product being dropped on its edge during the distribution cycle.

We were constrained by the carton size, and the objective was to drop the sink on its edge from seven inches in the air without damaging the sink. We combined angleboard and honeycomb to solve the problem. The solid angleboard material spread the weight of the sink over the less dense honeycomb and provided the cushioning required. We successfully dropped the sink from 19 inches without damage. We refined the parts to achieve a lower drop height, and reduced the cost to make a workable program for the customer.

Tamper Evident Pizza Box - Pizza Safe Box™ (Patent Pending)

This is best idea I have ever had. While helping my daughter move into her new condo a few years ago, we decided to order Pizza from the local pizza shop and have the pizza delivered. This was a first for me, as I had never had pizza delivered before. We usually eat at the restaurant or pick it up ourselves. Well, when the pizza was delivered and I noticed that the pizza boxes were not secured in any way, I immediately started designing a TAMPER EVIDENT PIZZA BOX, also know as the PIZZA SAFE BOX.

After reviewing the task and setting down all of the criteria, we checked to determine if there were any standard features that could be used to secure the lid of the pizza box and provide the consumer with the ability to determine if any casual or malicious tampering had occurred. We discovered that certain corrugated companies had the ability to apply a tear tape to the die cut pizza carton. This tape, coupled with a perforated edge above and below this tape, allows the consumer to easily open the pizza box. In addition, we added a pressure sensitive adhesive to the same flap that allows the person making the pizza to seal the pizza box immediately after the pizza is placed inside. Once sealed, the consumer should be the person to open the carton. This will prevent the average delivery person from taking any liberties with the food inside. (insert photo Z1J6185.jpg)

Great Ideas Don’t Always Sell
To my amazement, after approaching every major, and some minor, pizza chains, we found there was a complete reluctance from these companies to raise this question with consumers. They seemed to think that it is better to leave the consumer unprotected. It is the hide-your-head-in-the-sand approach, and “let’s wait until something actually happens before we do something” theory. You would think the directors of these major companies would spend an additional $ .15 per carton to protect their customers from this potential.

It is Only A Matter of Time
As my boss, Mark Cottone, said when I presented the idea to him, “It is only a matter of time before this product sells.” So, despite the “head in the sand” attitude, this product will sell one day. Unfortunately, it will probably take something similar to the Tylenol incident to make this happen.

Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services, stated in an interview on national television that he is surprised that terrorists have not attacked our food supply. He could be correct in his thinking, and maybe home delivery pizza will be the target. It is probably the easiest segment of the food chain one could attack. Once a pizza leaves the pizza shop, who knows what possible tampering, whether casual or malicious, could occur in the 30-minute drive to the customer. If malicious, the results could be more disastrous than 9-11.

Cougar Rail Rad ("Cougar Pads") - Patent No. 4,854,792

The Cougar Pad was invented primarily for the aluminum industry to allow damage-free shipment of aluminum can stock via rail boxcar. The rail industry approached Cougar Package Designers because it had virtually lost all shipments of aluminum to truck lines. Although rail shipments were much more cost effective, the rail industry lost that advantage due to the fact that there was so much damage caused by the humping of rail cars in the yards and the rough tracks that are found throughout the country. The degree of damage ranged from having to pull off multiple layers of destroyed metal from the coil to a complete core collapse from severe impact.

The testing of the Cougar Pad consisted of many cross-country, electronically monitored shipments, and extensive testing at the Association of American Railroads (AAR) test lab in Pueblo, Colorado. The Cougar Pad is an AAR approved method of shipping Aluminum coils.

Cougar Pads have also been used in other cylindrical applications such as protecting large paper rolls, steel coils, and large drums containing newsprint inks. The Cougar Pad should be considered in any situation in which a large and heavy cylinder needs protection in shipment.