Clamshell (container)

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Raspberries in a plastic clamshell package

Clamshell pack of screws

Paperboard clamshell for fast food

A clamshell is a one-piece container consisting of two halves joined by a hinge area which allows the structure to come together to close. Clamshells are often made of a shaped plastic material, in a way that is similar to a blister pack. The name of the clamshell is taken from the shell of a clam, which it resembles both in form and function.

Construction

Clamshell containers can be made of a variety of plastics such as polystyrene, polyester, PVC, foam sheets, etc. The material can by made by thermoforming or can be injection molded into the desired shapes. A single piece of material is used for the top and bottom with a "living hinge" that is integral with the material, rather than added separately.

Folding cartons made of paperboard or molded pulp can also be of a clamshell shape. It can also be made of cellulose fiber such as sugarcane-bagasse,^[1] wheatstraw, wood pulp, etc.

Closing

Clamshells can use a variety of means of closing or sealing. Some have self-locking tabs, snaps, or have a friction fit. Others use adhesive, pressure-sensitive tape, labels, staples, or are heat sealed.

When plastic clamshell containers are securely heat sealed, they are tamper resistant and deter package pilferage. These security packages are intentionally difficult to open, sometimes requiring customers to use scissors or a knife to open. This can be frustrating to the point of wrap rage.^[2]

Notes

↑ Sugarcane-bagasse clamshell box
↑ Clifford, Stephanie (June 2, 2011). "Clamshell packaging is being tossed". The Bulletin (Bend, OR). New York Times News Service. Retrieved June 6, 2011.

References

Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, 2002, ISBN 1-930268-25-4
Yam, K. L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009, ISBN 978-0-470-08704-6

v t e Packaging

General topics	Active packaging Child-resistant packaging Food packaging Package pilferage Package testing Packaging engineering Pharmaceutical packaging Shelf life Tamper-evident Tamper resistance Wrap rage

Containers	Aerosol spray Aluminium bottle Aluminum can Ampoule Antistatic bag Bag-in-box Barrel Biodegradable bag Blister pack Bottle Box Bulk box Carboy Carton Chub Clamshell Corrugated box design Crate Drum Envelope Flexible intermediate bulk container Foam food container Folding carton Insulated shipping container Intermediate bulk container Jar Juicebox Keg Multi-pack Padded mailer Pail Plastic bag Plastic bottle Popcorn bag Retort pouch Sachet Self-heating can Self-heating food packaging Shipping container Skin pack Spray bottle Tin can Tube Unit load Wooden box

Materials and components	Adhesive Aluminium foil BoPET Bubble wrap Cellophane Closure Coated paper Corrugated fiberboard Corrugated plastic Cushioning Desiccant Foam peanut Glass Hot-melt adhesive Label Linear low-density polyethylene Liquid packaging board Low-density polyethylene Metallised film Modified atmosphere Molded pulp Nonwoven fabric Overwrap Oxygen scavenger Packaging gas Pallet Paper Paper pallet Paperboard Plastic film Plastic pallet Plastic wrap Polyester Polyethylene Polypropylene Pressure-sensitive tape Screw cap Screw cap (wine) Security printing Security seal Shock and vibration data logger Shrink wrap Slip sheet Strapping Stretch wrap Susceptor Temperature data logger Time temperature indicator Tinplate Velostat

Processes	Aseptic processing Authentication Automatic identification and data capture Blow fill seal Blow molding Calendering Canning Containerization Curtain Coating Die cutting Electronic article surveillance Extrusion Extrusion coating Graphic design HACCP Hermetic seal Induction sealing Injection molding Molding Papermaking Plastic welding Plastics extrusion Printing Quality assurance Radio-frequency identification Track and trace Vacuum forming Ultrasonic welding Verification and validation

Machinery	Barcode printer Barcode reader Bottling line Can seamer Cartoning machine Check weigher Conveyor system Extended core stretch wrapper Filler Heat gun Heat sealer Industrial robot Injection molding machine Lineshaft roller conveyor Logistics automation Material handling equipment Mechanical brake stretch wrapper Multihead weigher Orbital stretch wrapping Palletizer Rotary wheel blow molding systems Shrink tunnel Staple gun Tape dispenser Turntable stretch wrapper Vertical form fill sealing machine

Environment, post-use	Biodegradation Environmental engineering Glass recycling Industrial ecology Life-cycle assessment Litter Paper recycling Plastic recycling Recycling Reuse Source reduction Sustainable packaging Waste management

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Clamshell (container)

Construction

Closing

See also

Notes

References