Container
The container covers stack together in two different ways. First, the covers can be stacked into an “aligned” stack. The aligned stack provides structural rigidity for bulk handling during manufacturing. Second, the covers can be stacked into a “locked” stack. The locked stack provides even more structural rigidity than does the aligned stack and is useful when storing unused covers. The container cover includes a first closure portion, an engagement portion, and an alignment portion. The base includes a second closure portion. The first closure portion of the cover is sealingly engageable with the second closure portion of the base to define a sealed storage area. The alignment portion of the cover is engageable with the alignment portion of a second cover to form an aligned cover stack. The engagement portion of the cover is engageable with the engagement portion of a second cover to form a locked cover stack.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/559,527, filed Nov. 14, 2006, which is a continuation in part of International Application No, PCT/US 06/06263, filed Feb. 22, 2006, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/655,830, filed Feb. 23, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to containers, and, more particularly, to containers whose covers align together when stacked in a first position and which can be locked together in a second position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONRigid, thermoplastic food containers are generally known. Users often accumulate a large number of these containers in different sizes and shapes. When not in use, the containers are often stored haphazardly into drawers. In this case, the unused containers take up a great deal of room, and finding a matching base and cover in a disarranged drawer may be difficult. To avoid this, some users stack the containers in cabinets. While the bases of the containers usually nest and therefore take up less room than in a disorganized drawer, it may still be difficult to match a base with a cover. In addition, the covers may not stack and the covers may tend to topple down. When the containers are in use to store food, the containers are often stacked one on top of another in cabinets or in a refrigerator. These stacks may be precarious, and their fall may cause food to spill from the containers. Many users would find it desirable if the containers, whether empty or in use, could be stored in a manner space efficient, less precarious, and more structurally rigid.
During large-scale manufacturing, the covers may be transported in bulk before being separated out for individual packaging. During bulk handling, manufacturers would find it desirable if the covers would form a stack stable enough to resist the vertical and lateral movements caused by forces typically encountered during manufacturing operations.
The present invention has as a general aim to provide containers that satisfy both users and manufacturers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing, the present invention provides containers whose covers can be stacked together in two different ways. First, the covers can be stacked into an “aligned” stack. The aligned stack provides enough structural rigidity for bulk handling during manufacturing. Second, the covers can be stacked into a “locked” stack. The locked stack provides even more structural rigidity than does the aligned stack and is useful when storing unused covers.
In some embodiments, the container cover includes a first closure portion, an engagement portion, and an alignment portion. The base includes a second closure portion. The first closure portion of the cover is sealingly engageable with the second closure portion of the base to define a substantially sealed, leak-proof, and re-sealable storage area for items such as food. The alignment portion of the cover is engageable with the alignment portion of a second cover to form an aligned cover stack. The engagement portion of the cover is engageable with the engagement portion of a second cover to form a locked cover stack.
The covers and bases can be economically constructed from relatively thin-gauge plastic so that the user can either wash them after use or dispose of them with the view that their purchase price allows them to be used as a consumable good. The container can be readily manufactured, for example, with conventional thermoforming equipment. The cover can be made from a semi-transparent material to ensure satisfactory visibility of the container's contents. The container can be suitable for refrigerator, freezer, microwave, and machine dishwasher use.
The features of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, provided herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Turning to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, a first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
The container cover 102 can include at least one gripping tab 106 to facilitate removal of the cover 102 from the container base 104. In some embodiments, the gripping tab 106 includes one or more cross-ribs or a textured surface to improve a user's grip on the tab 106.
The container cover 102 illustrated in
The engagement portion 200 of
The container cover 102 may have a central field 300, shown in
The container cover 102 of
The container base 104 of
The container base 104 of
In the embodiments of
The first closure portion 700 includes an inner wall 704, a retention bead 706, and an outer wall 708. The inner wall 704, the retention bead 706, and the outer wall 708 define a first sealing surface, which is part of the lower surface of the cover 102. The first closure portion 700 can include one or more locking ridges 710. The outer wall 708 extends between the retention bead 706 and a flange 712. The flange 712 can provide a convenient gripping surface to facilitate the removal of the cover 102 from the base 104.
As illustrated in
The first and second closure portions 700 and 702 can be configured to be slightly different in size to form an interference fit therebetween. The interference fit between the first and second closure portions 700 and 702 can provide a sealing engagement between the closure portions. As a result, when the two pieces are engaged, a positive seal can be formed between the first and second sealing surfaces around the perimeters of the base 104 and of the cover 102.
The engagement of the first and second closure portions 700 and 702 can be accompanied by an audible “snap” indicating that the container is securely closed.
In the example of
In the embodiment of
In
In the embodiment of
The container bases 104 and 1100 are shown nested in
The container covers 102 and 1102 of
The tab 106 (see
In the embodiment of
The embodiment of
A high-level abstraction of an exemplary manufacturing process usable for making containers according to the present invention is shown in
In parallel with the above steps, covers are made in a similar process (steps 2212 through 2218). In steps 2216 and 2218, the completed covers need not be locked together because an aligned cover stack is sufficiently rigid for bulk handing.
For packaging the completed bases and covers, an appropriate number of bases (steps 2208 and 2210) and covers (steps 2220 and 2222) are removed from their respective stacks. The bases and covers are stacked and combined with packaging materials (steps 2224 through 2228) to create an individual retail unit 2230 (which may include a number of bases and covers). The individual retail units are then packed together in bulk (step 2232) for shipment to retail outlets.
The container can be reusable, but it can also be constructed cheaply enough that consumers see it as a disposable item, with replacement covers and bases available separately for retail sale. The base and the cover can be fabricated by thermoforming a clarified polypropylene homopolymer material. In another embodiment, the container may be fabricated by thermoforming a clarified random copolymer polypropylene material. Other plastic materials which would be suitable for fabricating the container by thermoforming include PS (polystyrene), CPET (crystalline polyethylene terephthalate), APET (amorphous polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE (high density polyethylene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PC (polycarbonate), and foamed polypropylene. The material used can be generally transparent to allow a user to view the contents of the container.
The container may include a visual indication of closure between the container cover and the container base. The visual indication may be a color change in the area where the cover engages the base. In one embodiment, the closure portion on the cover may be a first color and the closure portion on the base may be a second color. When the closure portions are engaged, the first and second colors produce a third color which is visible to the user to indicate that the container is sealed.
The container may include a rough exterior surface to reduce slipping and to improve grasping by the user, especially if the user's hands are wet or greasy.
The container may include a self-venting feature. The pressure in the sealed container may increase when the sealed container and contents are heated in a microwave oven. Thus, the container cover may include a self-venting mechanism which opens when the pressure in the container exceeds a predetermined value.
The container may be divided to separate foods in the container. A divider may be integral with the container or may be a separate component. Either the base only may include a divider or both the base and the cover may each include a divider. The divider located in the cover may only partially engage the divider in the base so as to provide splash protection, or it may fully engage the divider in the base to provide varying degrees of inter-compartmental leak resistance.
The container may include a strip indicating the temperature of the container and its contents.
The gripping tab can include a relieved portion that provides less interference contact with the base during the removal or engagement of the cover while still providing an adequate closure portion to maintain proper sealing of the container. The relieved portions of the gripping tab permit venting by allowing a portion of the cover to be unsealed from the base while still maintaining a seal around the remaining perimeter of the container. This feature is useful in microwave cooking where the cover prevents food from splattering onto the inside surface of the microwave while still allowing the container to vent. By using the gripping tab, less force is required to remove the cover from the base. This lower opening force also reduces the possibility of container failure from stress and fatigue. The lower opening force can improve the ability of the user to maintain control over the container components while removing the cover from the base and thus to reduce the possibility of spilling the contents stored in the container.
The use of the terms “a,” “an,” “the,” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise indicated.
While the invention is described herein in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit the present invention to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is recognized that various changes and modifications to the described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description, and that such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Skilled artisans may employ such variations as appropriate, and the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention. Moreover, any combination of the above described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
Claims
1. A container comprising:
- a first cover comprising a first closure portion, an engagement portion, and an alignment portion, the first closure portion being sealingly engageable with a second closure portion of a base so that when the first and second closure portions are engaged with each other, the first cover and the base define a substantially sealed storage area, the engagement portion being engageable with the engagement portion of a second cover, and the alignment portion being engageable with the alignment portion of the second cover; and
- the base comprising a bottom, a peripheral sidewall extending from the bottom, an open top, and the second closure portion.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein the first cover and the base comprise thermoformed plastic.
3. The container of claim 1 wherein the first and second closure portions comprise locking rings, the locking rings of the first and second closure portions each comprising an inner wall, a retention bead, and an outer wall.
4. The container of claim 1 wherein the first closure portion of the first cover is engageable with the first closure portion of the second cover.
5. The container of claim 1 wherein the engagement portion comprises a rib and a detent groove and wherein the rib of the engagement portion of the first cover is engageable with the detent groove of the engagement portion of the second cover.
6. The container of claim 1 wherein the first cover comprises a gripping tab.
7. The container of claim 1 wherein the bottom, peripheral sidewall, and open top of the base define a cavity and wherein the base is partially insertable into the cavity of a second base.
8. The container of claim 1 wherein the alignment portion of the first cover comprises an element selected from the set consisting of: a flange, a protrusion, and a locking ring.
9. The container of claim 1 wherein the alignment portion of the first cover is located on the first closure portion.
10. The container of claim 1 wherein the alignment portion of the first cover is located on the engagement portion.
11. The container of claim 1 wherein the alignment portion of the first cover is engageable with a second alignment portion of the base.
12. A first cover for a container, the first cover comprising:
- a first closure portion;
- an engagement portion; and
- an alignment portion,
- wherein the first closure portion is sealingly engageable with a second closure portion of a base so that when the first and second closure portions are engaged with each other, the first cover and the base define a substantially sealed storage area, wherein the engagement portion is engageable with the engagement portion of a second cover, and wherein the alignment portion is engageable with the alignment portion of the second cover.
13. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the first cover comprises thermoformed plastic.
14. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the first closure portion comprises a locking ring, the locking ring of the first closure portion comprising an inner wall, a retention bead, and an outer wall.
15. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the first closure portion of the first cover is engageable with the first closure portion of the second cover.
16. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the engagement portion comprises a rib and a detent groove and wherein the rib of the engagement portion of the first cover is engageable with the detent groove of the engagement portion of the second cover.
17. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the first cover comprises a gripping tab.
18. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the alignment portion of the first cover comprises an element selected from the set consisting of: a flange, a protrusion, and a locking ring.
19. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the alignment portion of the first cover is located on the first closure portion.
20. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the alignment portion of the first cover is located on the engagement portion.
21. The first cover of claim 12 wherein the alignment portion of the first cover is engageable with a second alignment portion of the base.
22. A system of container covers, the system comprising:
- a first cover comprising a first closure portion, an engagement portion, and an alignment portion, wherein the first closure portion is sealingly engageable with a second closure portion of a base so that when the first and second closure portions are engaged with each other, the first cover and the base define a substantially sealed storage area, and wherein the engagement portion is engageable with the engagement portion of a second cover; and
- a second cover comprising a first closure portion, an engagement portion, and an alignment portion,
- wherein the alignment portion of the first cover is engageable with the alignment portion of the second cover.
23. The system of claim 22 wherein the first cover and the second cover each comprises thermoformed plastic.
24. The system of claim 22 wherein the first closure portion comprises a locking ring, the locking ring of the first closure portion comprising an inner wall, a retention bead, and an outer wall.
25. The system of claim 22 wherein the first closure portion of the first cover is engageable with the first closure portion of the second cover.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 24, 2007
Publication Date: Feb 21, 2008
Inventors: Edward Tucker (Yorkville, IL), Anand Ramanujam (Arlington Heights, IL), Lawerence Racana (Willowbrook, IL), Ares Marasligiller (Cincinnati, OH), Jason Phillips (Cincinnati, OH), Yashodhan Dhuru (Cincinnati, OH), Gordon Thomas (Mason, OH), Scott Zieker (Cincinnati, OH)
Application Number: 11/923,275
International Classification: B65D 51/00 (20060101);