Container having foldable lid
A storage container having a lid that can be removed from a corresponding container body, folded, and then placed within a cavity of the container body during storage of the storage container is provided. The lid of such a storage container may include one or more foldable portions that extend across a central portion. The foldable portions may include a hinge and/or a flexible material. The storage container may also be stackable. For example, a foldable lid may be placed in a first container body, when the foldable lid is in a folded configuration, and a second container body may be received by the first container body, such that the folded lid fits in a space defined between a base of the first container body and a base of a second container body.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/901,080 filed Feb. 13, 2007, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNOLOGY FIELDThe present invention relates to a storage container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a storage container having a foldable lid that is adapted to be stored with the storage container.
BACKGROUNDPlastic, fluid-tight and air-tight storage containers for food and other goods have become increasingly popular in today's everyday storage needs. As a result, many improvements have been made to such storage containers to address issues such as space savings and consumer confidence in a sealed container. A few issues remain, however, with storage containers that have not yet been adequately addressed.
For example, storage container bodies are typically manufactured with separate lids, and the lids and container bodies are stacked and stored separately for efficient use of space. This system causes consumers to expend time searching for matching lids. Furthermore, while shipping the containers from the manufacture to the retail stores, the containers and lids must either be stacked separately, which requires assembling at the destination retailer, or be shipped in the closed position, which is inefficient in terms of space.
Additionally, typical storage containers use a press-fit, friction-seal lid, which is not ideal for consumers. First, such a press-fit lid is not necessarily secure against spills or leaks. For example, if a consumer were to squeeze or roughly handle the storage container, the lid of the container may pop off, thereby spilling the contents of the container. Second, it may be difficult to seal and/or remove a press-fit lid from its container body. For example, while sealing a press-fit lid onto its container body, a consumer may be required to apply pressure to the entire rim of the container to get a proper seal. Furthermore, while removing the press-fit lid from its container body, the consumer may be required to use his or her fingernails to pry open and then remove the container lid, due to the amount of frictional force needed to keep a friction-sealed lid securely on the container body.
Therefore, there exists a need for further improvements to be made to the design and operation of storage containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA storage container having a lid that can be easily removed from the container body, folded, and then stored with the container body is provided. Such a storage container includes a container body and a corresponding lid for covering the container body. The container body includes a base and a sidewall extending up from the base to a rim. The rim defines an opening into the container body. The sidewall, the rim, and the opening define a cavity within the container body. The lid may include a central portion, an outer perimeter extending from the central portion, and a foldable portion extending across the central portion. The outer perimeter of the lid may be adapted to mate with the rim of the container body to thereby hold the lid to the container body. When the storage container is to be stored, the lid may be folded about the foldable portion to form a folded lid. The folded lid may fit through the opening and into the cavity of the container body to be stored within the container body so that the lid and container body can be stored together.
The lid may also include a latching mechanism disposed at each end of the foldable portion. The latching mechanism may help securely fasten the lid to the container body. The latching mechanism may also provide consumer confidence that the contents of the storage container will not spill or leak out of the container body. The latching mechanism may also allow the consumer to easily seal the lid onto the container body and/or remove the lid from the container body.
The lid may also include a skirt extending down from a bottom surface of the lid proximate to the outer perimeter. When the lid is securely fastened to the container body, the skirt may abut the sidewall of the container body. Such an arrangement may ensure that the contents of the storage container do not leak or spill out of the container body during use.
The skirt may include a protrusion that is adapted to engage a recess formed in the sidewall of the container body, when the lid is sealed onto the container body. This arrangement may further help secure the lid onto the container body.
The foldable portion may have multiple configurations. For example the foldable portion may include one or more living hinges, a flexible material, and/or one or more mechanical hinges.
A storage container system comprising multiple stackable containers for efficient storage of multiple containers is also provided. Such a storage container system may include a first container body, a foldable lid, and at least a second container body. The first container body may have a first base and a first sidewall extending up from the first base. The first sidewall may have a rim that defines an opening into the first container body. The foldable lid may be adapted to cover the opening of the first container body, when the lid is in an unfolded configuration. The second container body may have a second base and a second sidewall extending up from the second base. The second sidewall may have a rim that defines a second opening into the second container body. The foldable lid may be placed within the first container body, when the foldable lid is in a folded configuration. The second container body may then be received by the first container body such that the second container body is stacked on top of the first container body. A space is formed between the first base of the first container body and the second base of the second container body and the foldable lid may fit within the space.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments that proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The forgoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings exemplary constructions of the invention; however, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed. Included in the drawing are the following FIGs.
The present invention is directed to an improved storage container having a foldable lid. Such a container may have a lid that can be removed from a container body, folded and stored with the container body. By storing the lid with the container body, the consumer will no longer have the frustration of matching lids with container bodies nor will the consumer have to deal with the frustration of looking for misplaced lids.
The foldable lid may fold along a foldable portion. The foldable portion may include one or more mechanical hinges, one or more living hinges, and/or one or more areas that include a flexible material for example.
The storage container may also include several features to help securely seal the lid to the container body. For example, the lid may include a latching mechanism.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The foldable portion 66, may include one or more living hinges, a flexible material, and/or one or more mechanical hinges. Referring back to
As shown in
Additionally,
When the storage container 10 is not being used a consumer may want to store the storage container 10. So that the consumer does not have to store the container body 14 and the lid 18 separately, the lid 18 may be removed, folded, and stored within the cavity 38 of the container body 14.
As shown in
When the lid 18 is folded it may have a folded lid length L′, a folded lid width W′, and a folded lid height H′. In order for the folded lid 150 to fit within the cavity 38 of the container body 14, the folded lid width W′ must be less than the container body width W.
As shown in
As shown, each latch mechanism 240 may include a portion 252 of the fold able portion 228 and two wings 256 extending out from the portion 252. Therefore, when the lid 218 is folded each wing 256 folds may fold as well. The wings 256 may also aid the consumer in unlatching the latch mechanism 240.
As shown in
Multiple embodiments of a lid that is adapted to fold about a foldable portion are envisioned. For example,
Lids according to the present invention may include multiple foldable portions. For example,
Lids according to the present invention may also include portions that may be written on. For example, as shown in
Lids according to the present invention may also include locking mechanisms to ensure that the latches do not accidentally open. As shown in
It should be understood that the features described for the container lid and the features described for the container body may be reversed. That is, the storage container may have a substantially flat lid-like base and a container body-like lid to cover the lid-like base. In this embodiment, the container body-like lid may include a latch mechanism and a foldable portion.
Claims
1. A storage container comprising:
- a container body comprising:
- a base;
- a sidewall extending up from the base to a rim;
- an opening into the container body defined by said rim;
- a cavity defined by said base, said sidewall, and said opening; and
- a lid for covering said container body opening, said lid comprising:
- a central portion;
- an outer perimeter extending from said central portion; and
- a foldable portion extending across the central portion,
- wherein (i) the outer perimeter of the lid is adapted to mate with the rim of the container body, to thereby hold the lid on the container body, (ii) the lid is adapted to fold about the foldable portion to form a folded lid, and (iii) the folded lid is adapted to fit through the opening and into said cavity of the container body to be stored within the container body.
2. The storage container of claim 1, wherein (i) said cavity further comprises a major dimension and a minor dimension, and (ii) said folded lid comprises at least one dimension that is less than said minor dimension of said cavity, thereby allowing said folded lid to fit within said cavity.
3. The storage container of claim 1, wherein (i) said cavity further comprises a major dimension and a minor dimension, (ii) said lid further comprises more than one foldable portion, (iii) said number of foldable portions is determined to ensure that at least one dimension of said folded lid is less than said minor dimension of said cavity.
4. The storage container of claim 1, wherein said foldable portion comprises a hinge.
5. The storage container of claim 1, wherein said foldable portion comprises at least two living hinges.
6. The storage container of claim 1, wherein said foldable portion comprises a single living hinge.
7. The storage container of claim 1, wherein said foldable portion comprises at least two mechanical hinges.
8. The storage container of claim 1, wherein said foldable portion comprises a single mechanical hinge.
9. The storage container of claim 1, wherein said foldable portion comprises a flexible material.
10. The storage container of claim 1, wherein (i) said lid further comprises a second foldable portion extending across said central portion, and (ii) said lid is adapted to fold about said foldable portion and said second foldable portion.
11. The storage container of claim 1, wherein said rim of said container body defines one or more of: a rectangle-shaped opening, a circular opening, and an elliptical-shaped opening.
12. The storage container of claim 1, wherein (i) said lid further comprises a skirt extending down from a bottom surface of said lid, proximate to said outer perimeter of said lid, and (ii) said skirt abuts said sidewall of said container body when said lid is covering said opening of said container body.
13. The storage container of claim 12, wherein said skirt exerts an outward pressure on said container sidewall when said lid is covering said opening of said container body.
14. The storage container of claim 12, further comprising a protrusion and a corresponding recess, wherein said protrusion mates with said corresponding recess when said lid is covering said opening of said container body.
15. The storage container of claim 14, wherein (i) said skirt includes the protrusion, (ii) said container sidewall includes the corresponding recess.
16. The storage container of claim 12, wherein (i) said container sidewall comprises a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a third sidewall, and a fourth sidewall, (ii) said second sidewall is opposite said first sidewall, (iii) said fourth sidewall is opposite said third sidewall, (iv) said skirt comprises a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, (v) said second side of said skirt is opposite said first side of said skirt and said fourth side of said skirt is opposite said third side of said skirt, (vi) said first sidewall includes a first recess, (vii) said second sidewall includes a second recess, (viii) said first side of said skirt includes a first protrusion, (ix) said second side of said skirt includes a second protrusion, and (x) said first protrusion mates with said first recess, and said second protrusion mates with said second recess when said lid is covering said opening of said container body.
17. The storage container of claim 1, wherein (i) said lid further comprises a latch and (ii) said latch is adapted to hold said lid onto said container body.
18. The storage container of claim 17, wherein said latch is located at each end of said foldable portion of said lid.
19. The storage container of claim 17, wherein (i) said latch comprises a protrusion, (ii) said rim of said container body includes a bottom surface, and (iii) said protrusion is adapted to abut said bottom surface of said rim to securely fasten said lid to said container body.
20. The storage container of claim 1, wherein (i) the outer perimeter of said lid smoothly merges with said rim of said container body when said lid is covering said opening of said container body, such that said outer perimeter does not protrude beyond said rim.
21. A lid for covering an opening of a respective container body, said lid comprising:
- a central portion;
- an outer perimeter extending around said central portion;
- an unfolded major dimension and an unfolded minor dimension; and
- a foldable portion extending transversely across the major dimension and dividing said central portion into two or more segments;
- wherein (i) said lid is adapted to fold along said foldable portion to form a folded lid having a folded major dimension and a folded minor dimension, and (ii) said folded minor dimension is less than said unfolded minor dimension.
22. The lid of claim 21, wherein said folded lid is adapted to attach to said respective container body.
23. The lid of claim 21, wherein, (i) said respective container body comprises a base, a sidewall extending up from said base to a rim, and an opening into said container body defined by said rim, (ii) a cavity is defined by said base, said sidewall, and said opening, and (iii) said folded lid fits through the opening and into said cavity of the container body to be stored within the container body.
24. The lid of claim 21, wherein said foldable portion comprises a hinge.
25. The lid of claim 21, wherein said foldable portion comprises at least two living hinges.
26. The lid of claim 21, wherein the foldable portion comprises a flexible material.
27. The lid of claim 21, wherein (i) said lid further comprises a second foldable portion extending transversely across said major dimension, and (ii) said lid is adapted to fold about said foldable portion and said second foldable portion.
28. The lid of claim 21, wherein said outer perimeter of said lid defines one or more of: a rectangle-shape, a circular-shape and an elliptical-shape.
29. The lid of claim 21, further comprising a skirt extending down from a bottom surface, proximate to said outer perimeter.
30. The lid of claim 29, further comprising a protrusion extending out from said skirt, wherein said protrusion is adapted to mate with a corresponding recess formed in a container body.
31. The lid of claim 21, further comprising a writable portion disposed on said central portion.
32. The lid of claim 21, further comprising a latch located at each end of said foldable portion.
33. A storage container system comprising multiple stackable containers for efficient storage of multiple containers, the storage container system comprising:
- a first container body having a first base, and a first sidewall extending up from the first base, the first sidewall having a rim defining a first opening into the first container body;
- a foldable lid adapted to cover the opening of the first container body when the foldable lid is in an unfolded configuration; and
- at least a second container body having a second base, and a second sidewall extending up from the second base, the second sidewall having a second rim defining a second opening into the second container body,
- wherein (i) the first container body is adapted to receive the second container body such that the second container body is stacked on top of the first container body and a space is formed between the first base of the first container body and the second base of the second container body, and (ii) the foldable lid is adapted to fit within the space when the foldable lid is in a folded configuration.
34. The storage container system of claim 33, wherein the first sidewall extends up from the first base at an angle.
35. The storage container system of claim 33, further comprising a second foldable lid adapted to cover the opening of the second container body in an unfolded configuration and to fit within the second container body in a folded configuration.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 12, 2008
Publication Date: Aug 14, 2008
Applicant: CGA Container, LLC (Baltimore, MD)
Inventors: Christopher G. Gallagher (Baltimore, MD), Daniel E. Green (Baltimore, MD)
Application Number: 12/069,774
International Classification: B65D 51/04 (20060101); B65D 25/00 (20060101); B65D 41/16 (20060101);