CONTAINER WITH LOCKING LID

Abstract

A container assembly comprises a container and a lid, with the lid and container including threads for threaded engagement of the lid to the container. One of the container and the lid includes a lock member and the other of the container and lid includes a receptacle, with the lock member engaging the receptacle to inhibit counter rotation of the lid relative to the container via threaded engagement of the lid from one starting orientation relative to the container, and where the lock member does not engage the receptacle when the lid is threaded to the container from another starting orientation relative to the container. In a particular embodiment the lid may be threaded onto the container from either of two 180 degree opposite starting orientations.

Description

The present application claims priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/659,117 filed Jun. 13, 2012, by Van M. Kassouni, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a container having a locking lid whereby contents placed in the container may be retained therein.

Containers are ubiquitously used to hold and transport items, including liquids. Containers with lids are used in numerous industries and applications, such as, for example in the retail field to retain food products, paints, or other consumer goods, and in the medical field to retain prescription and non-prescription medicines, as well as in industrial applications. In certain instances it is desirable to prevent a lid from falling off its associated container, with mechanisms such as clasps or buckles being provided as additional securing structures for this purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a container assembly comprising a container and a lid with a lock member engaging a receptacle upon threaded engagement of the lid with the container, whereby the lid is prevented from counter rotation relative to the container.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a container assembly comprises a container and a lid, with the lid and container including threads for threaded engagement of the lid to the container. One of the container and the lid includes a lock member and the other of the container and lid includes a receptacle, with the lock member engaging the receptacle to inhibit counter rotation of the lid relative to the container via threaded engagement of the lid from one starting orientation relative to the container, and where the lock member does not engage the receptacle when the lid is threaded to the container from another starting orientation relative to the container. In a particular embodiment the lid may be threaded onto the container from either of two 180 degree opposite starting orientations.

In particular embodiments, the lid includes an outwardly projecting lid flange and the container includes an outwardly projecting container flange, with one of the lock member and receptacle being located on the lid flange and the other of the lock member and receptacle being located on the container flange. The receptacle may comprise an aperture and the lock member may comprise a flexible arm or tab, with the flexible arm being biased toward a locking position such that the flexible arm engages and is partially received in the aperture when the lid is threaded onto the container.

In still further embodiments, more than one receptacle may be located on either the container or the lid, with the lock member selectively engaging with one of the receptacles via threaded engagement of the lid with the container. For example, two receptacles may be employed with the receptacles being oppositely disposed relative to each other.

In one particular embodiment, a container assembly comprises a container and a lid, with the container including a pair of external container threads located on a circumferential wall of the container and the lid including a pair of internal lid threads located on a circumferential wall of the lid. The lid further includes a radially outwardly projecting lid flange having at least one receptacle formed as an aperture in the lid flange and the container includes a radially outwardly projecting container flange having a flexible lock arm. The flexible lock arm engages with one of the receptacles on the lid flange when the lid is threaded onto the container such that the lid is inhibited from counter rotation relative to the container until the flexible lock arm is displaced from the receptacle.

Therefore, the container assembly of the present invention provides an effective means to secure a lid to a container to inhibit counter rotation of the lid relative to the container by merely threading the lid to the container without the need for additional operational steps or components such as clasps or buckles.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container assembly in accordance with the present invention showing a lid positioned above a container;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the container assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another side elevation view of the container assembly of FIG. 1 rotated approximately 90 degrees relative to the view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the container assembly of FIG. 1 rotated approximately 180 degrees relative to the view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the container assembly of FIG. 1 rotated approximately 270 degrees relative to the view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an interior perspective view of the lid of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an interior perspective view of the lid of FIG. 1 rotated approximately 180 degrees relative to the view of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a partial upper perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 showing a lock member;

FIG. 9 is a partial lower perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 showing the lock member of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of a container disclosing an alternative lock member; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another container assembly in accordance with the present invention showing a lid having a single receptacle positioned above a container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein the numbered elements in the following written description correspond to like-numbered elements in the figures. A container assembly 20 of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and comprises a container 22 and a lid 24, with container 22 including external threads 26 that cooperate with internal threads on lid 28 whereby lid 24 may be secured to container 22 via threaded engagement. Lid 24 further includes a pair of oppositely opposed receptacles 30a, 30b with container 22 including a lock member 32. Upon fully threading lid 24 to container 22 to close the container 22, one of receptacles 30a, 30b is rotated into alignment with lock member 32 such that lock member 32 engages with the selected receptacle, such that lid 24 engages with container 22 in a locking manner and lid 24 is inhibited from being rotated or unfastened from container 22. Lock member 32 may subsequently be disengaged from the selected one of receptacles 30a, 30b such that lid 24 may be unthreaded from container 22 to open the container 22. Accordingly, container assembly 20 provides a secure means of transporting items by inhibiting lid 24 from disengaging from container 22. The thread and locking configuration of the container assembly allows for the lid to be locked on the container via engagement of the lock member with a receptacle only when the lid is substantially or fully threaded or seated on the container, with the lock member and receptacles being disengaged or separated throughout the rotation of the lid along the thread or threads of the container until the lid is substantially or fully threaded or seated on the container, as discussed below. When configured with a single receptacle and dual threads, the container assembly provides a locking lid when the lid starts in one orientation at the container and a non-locking lid when the lid starts in a 180 degree different orientation at the container, as also discussed below.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, container 22 includes a body 34 comprising a cylindrical wall 36 and a bottom 38, where container 22 may be variously sized depending upon application or needs. For example, container 22 may be configured as a five gallon bucket, a quart container, or otherwise. Still further, body 34 may be alternatively shaped relative to the illustrated cylindrical structure. Container 22 further includes an upper cylindrical wall 40, with threads 26 disposed on the exterior surface of wall 40, and includes an outwardly projecting flange 42 located below threads 26 relative to upper rim 44 and opening 46 of container 22. In the illustrated embodiment, flange 42 is circumferentially disposed about the entire circumference of container 22. Optionally, a flange need not be circumferentially disposed and/or disposed about the entirety of a container.

As shown in FIGS. 2-5, threads 26 are right handed, external threads and include a first thread 48a and a second thread 48b, with each thread 48a, 48b being oppositely disposed relative to each other and extending slightly more than 180 degrees about the outer circumference of cylindrical wall 40. Thread 48a includes a front end 50a and a back end 52a, with thread 48b similarly including a front end 50b and a back end 52b. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, portions of threads 48a and 48b overlap with one another.

With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, lock member 32 is located on flange 42, with lock member 32 being positioned approximately 90 degrees, or equal distance, from the overlapping portions of threads 48a and 48b. Lock member 32 comprises a flexible arm or tab 54 extending from flange 42 with an aperture 56 disposed about arm 54. Arm 54 includes an upwardly extending projection 58 that, in the illustrated embodiment, is generally triangular in shape having a ramp surface 60 and a back surface 62. As will be described in more detail below, arm 54 is deflectable relative to flange 42 such that projection 58 may be selectively biased into one of receptacles 30a or 30b. Still further, and as shown in FIG. 9, a downwardly disposed member or leg 64 is disposed opposite of projection 58. In use, leg 64 may be grasped and pulled downwardly by a user to move projection 58 out of engagement with a receptacle 30a, 30b to enable lid 24 to be removed from container 22.

Container 22 also includes a pair of diametrically oppositely disposed tabs 66a, 66b for receiving a handle (not shown) that may be received within apertures 68a, 68b located on tabs 66a, 66b, respectively.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, lid 24 includes a circumferential wall 70 and a top wall 72, with threads 28 comprising internal, right handed threads located on the interior portion of circumferential wall 70. Lid 24 further includes an outwardly projecting flange 74, with receptacles 30a, 30b being disposed 180 degrees from each other on flange 74. In the illustrated embodiment, receptacles 30a, 30b are formed as apertures that are generally square or rectangular in shape, such that each receptacle 30a, 30b includes an edge 76a, 76b. Edges 76a, 76b engage with back surface 62 of projection 58 when lock member 32 is engaged in the associated one of receptacles 30a, 30b.

Lid threads 28 comprise a first thread 78a and a second thread 78b, with each thread 78a, 78b being oppositely disposed relative to each other and extending slightly more than 180 degrees about the inner circumference of cylindrical wall 70. Thread 78a includes a front end 80a and a back end 82a, with thread 78b similarly including a front end 80b and a back end 82b. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, portions of threads 78a and 78b overlap with one another, with receptacles 30a, 30b being positioned approximately 90 degrees, or equal distance, from the overlapping portions of threads 78a and 78b.

In the illustrated embodiment, external container threads 48a, 48b and internal lid threads 78a, 78b are sized with sufficient lead or pitch such that flange 74 of lid 24 is brought into proximity or contact with flange 42 of container 22 with reduced or minimal threading, and such that the lid 22 rotates along the threads less than 360 degrees, such as, for example, about 180 degrees. Moreover, due to the positioning of receptacles 30a, 30b relative to threads 78a, 78b and lock member 32 relative to threads 48a, 48b, a receptacle 30a or 30b will be oriented into alignment with lock member 32 when flange 74 of lid 24 is brought into proximity or contact with flange 42 of container 22, such as when the lid 24 is fully threaded onto the container 22. Still further, lid 24 will lock into engagement with container 22 regardless of the orientation with which lid 24 is initially placed onto container 22 due to the presence of two receptacles 30a, 30b and the ability of either one of threads 78a, 78b to engage with either one of threads 48a, 48b. It should be appreciated that a container assembly of the present invention may operate as intended with a different circumferential orientation of receptacles on the lid relative to the lid threads and a corresponding different circumferential orientation of the container lock member relative to the container threads, such that locking engagement will occur when the lock member is aligned with a receptacle when the lid flange substantially engages the container.

It should also be understood that a lower surface 84 (FIGS. 6 and 7) of flange 74 will come into contact with projection 58 of arm 54 of lock member 32 during rotation of lid 24 onto container 22, with surface 84 acting against ramp surface 60 to downwardly deflect arm member 54, whereby ramp surface 60 slides along surface 84 as lid 24 is rotated. Upon one of receptacles 30a or 30b being positioned into alignment with lock member 32, arm 54 will deflect upwardly to position projection 58 into the associated receptacle whereby back surface 62 of projection 58 will prevent counter rotation of lid 24 until arm 54 is moved out of the receptacle. Until one of receptacles 30a or 30b are so positioned into alignment with lock member 32, lid 24 is able to rotate freely on container 22—that is, lid 24 does not lock until lower surface 84 of lid 24 is substantially seated or closed relative to flange 42 of container 22.

Thus, the present invention provides a lid and container/bucket arrangement that allows for the lid to be placed on the container at any orientation and threaded onto the container and locked when substantially or fully threaded/seated. Lid 24 can start at any orientation relative to container 22, such as at orientations 180 degrees apart relative to each other, with lock member 32 still locking into a respective receptacle 30a or 30b. Optionally, and as discussed below, a lid may be provided with a single receptacle, whereby the lid will only lock into engagement with the container depending on the starting orientation of the lid relative to the container, and will not lock if started in a 180 degree opposite orientation.

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative lock member 132 that functionally operates in similar manner to lock member 32 discussed above. Lock member 132 is located on a flange 142 of a container 122, with lock member 132 comprising an arm or tab 154 extending from flange 142 with an aperture 156 disposed about arm member 154 where aperture 156 forms an opening 157 on flange 142. Arm 154 includes an upwardly extending generally triangular shaped projection 158 having a ramp surface 160 and a back surface 162. Arm 154 is deflectable relative to flange 142 such that projection 158 may be selectively biased into a receptacle on a lid, such as in a similar manner as discussed above. A tab or projection 164 extends outwardly from arm 154 at opening 157. In use, tab 164 may be depressed downwardly by a user to move projection 158 out of engagement with a receptacle to enable a lid to be removed from container 122.

Alternative arrangements of a container and lid may be employed and still function as intended within the scope of the present invention. For example, and such as shown in FIG. 11, a lid 124 may be provided having substantial similarity to lid 24 discussed above, but include a single receptacle 130, with lid 124 being configured for use on a container such as container 22 discussed above. In such an embodiment the lid 124 may be locked into engagement with container 22 when the lid is substantially or fully threaded or seated on the container if the lid 124 is initially oriented relative to the container 22 in one way at the start of the threaded engagement, but would not lock into engagement when substantially or fully threaded or seated if the lid 124 were oriented in a 180 degree opposite orientation relative to the container 22 at the start of the threaded engagement. That is, the lock member of the container 22 would engage with the receptacle 130 of lid 124 when the lid 124 is threaded into engagement from a particular starting orientation relative to the container 22, but if the starting orientation of the lid 124 is rotated 180 degrees relative to the container 22, the lock member of the container 22 would not engage the receptacle 130 of the lid 124.

In the above discussed embodiment, the container 22 includes a pair of container threads 48a, 48b and the lid 124 includes a pair of lid threads (not shown), with each of the lid threads engaging with respective ones of the container threads when the lid 124 is threaded onto the container 22. It should also be understood that the container threads that each of the lid threads engages depends on the starting orientation of the lid 124 relative to the container 22. Accordingly, for a container assembly with a lid 124 having a single receptacle 130, the lid 124 may be selectively oriented for locking engagement with the container 22 depending on the starting orientation of the lid 124 relative to the container 22. That is, a lock member of the container would either engage or not engage with the single receptacle 130 of the lid 124 depending on the orientation of which of the two lid threads engages with the two container threads.

Optionally, indicators or markings on the lid and/or container may also be provided to facilitate selective locking or non-locking engagement of the lid with the container by a user. For example, the lid and/or container may be provided with indicia, such as an arrow, line, and/or words or the like, for alignment of the lid to the container for selectively securing the lid to the container in either a locking or non-locking manner. As shown in FIG. 11, lid 124 may be provided with a pair of 180 degree opposed markings 200a, 200b that may be selectively aligned with a single marking 202 on the container 22. In such an embodiment, one of the markings 200a on the lid 124 may indicate the starting orientation of the lid relative to the container 22 such that, when indicator 200a is selectively initially aligned with the marking 202 on the container 22, the container assembly obtains a locking engagement of the lid 124 to the container 22 when the lid 124 is substantially or fully seated. Correspondingly, the other marking 200b on the lid 124 may be used to indicate the starting orientation of the lid 124 relative to the container 22 such that, when indicator 200b is selectively initially aligned with the marking 202 on the container 22, the container assembly obtains a non-locking engagement of the lid 124 to the container 22 when the lid 124 is substantially or fully seated. Alternatively, the lid may include a single marking with the container including a pair of opposed markings.

Although shown and/or described as having a single receptacle or aperture at one or both sides of the lid, it is envisioned that the lid may comprise two or more adjacent apertures at one or both sides of the like. In such an arrangement, the lid may be locked relative to the container at varying degrees of threading of the lid onto the container (with the last aperture or receptacle functioning to receive the lock member and lock the lid at the container when the lid is substantially or fully threaded or seated at the container). Optionally, multiple receptacles may be disposed along the flange to provide a locking arrangement at several degrees of threading of the lid onto the container. Optionally, a container assembly may include two or more lock members disposed at the container or lid to engage one or more receptacles at the other of the container or lid to provide a dual locking function or to provide locking of the lid at varying degrees of threading onto the container.

It should be further appreciated that embodiments or arrangements in which the lid threads comprised external threads and the container threads comprised internal threads may also be employed, as well as embodiments or arrangements in which one or more lock members are located on a lid and one or more receptacles are located on a container.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A container assembly comprising:

a container and a lid, one of said container or said lid including a first thread and a second thread, and the other of said container and said lid including a third thread, wherein either of said first thread or said second thread may be engaged with said third thread for threaded engagement of said lid with said container;

one of said container and said lid including a lock member and the other of said container and said lid including a receptacle;

wherein when said first thread is engaged with said third thread said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container with said lid rotating freely on said container until said lock member engages said receptacle, and wherein when said second thread is engaged with said third thread said lock member does not engage with said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container.

2. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the respective one of said container or said lid with said third thread further includes an additional thread whereby said container includes a first container thread and a second container thread and said lid includes a first lid thread and a second lid thread, and

wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said first container thread and said second lid thread engaging said second container thread, and

wherein said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said second container thread and said second lid thread engaging said first container thread.

3. The container assembly of claim 2, wherein said first container thread and said second container thread are each disposed about a circumferential wall of said container and extend at least approximately 180 degrees, and wherein said first lid thread and said second lid thread are each disposed about a circumferential wall of said lid and extend at least approximately 180 degrees.

4. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from one starting orientation, and said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from a 180 degree opposite starting orientation.

5. The container assembly of claim 4, wherein said lid includes a lid mark and said container includes a container mark, and wherein said lid mark and said container mark cooperate to designate a starting orientation of said lid relative to said container in which said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container.

6. The container assembly of claim 4, wherein said lid includes a lid mark and said container includes a container mark, and wherein said lid mark and said container mark cooperate to designate a starting orientation of said lid relative to said container in which said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container.

7. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein said lid includes an outwardly projecting lid flange and said container includes an outwardly projecting container flange, and wherein one of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said lid flange and the other of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said container flange.

8. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein said receptacle comprises an aperture and said lock member comprises a flexible arm, and wherein said flexible arm engages with said aperture to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container.

9. The container assembly of claim 8, wherein said flexible arm includes a projection, said projection engaging said aperture to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container.

10. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein one of said container or said lid includes external threads, and the other of said container and said lid includes internal threads.

11. A container assembly comprising:

a container and a lid, said container including a circumferential wall having a first container thread and a second container thread and said lid including a circumferential wall having a first lid thread and a second lid thread, wherein said first lid thread and said second lid thread selectively engage with respective ones of said first container thread and said second container thread via threaded engagement of said lid with said container;

one of said container and said lid including a lock member and the other of said container and said lid including a receptacle;

wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said first container thread and said second lid thread engaging said second container thread, and

wherein said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said second container thread and said second lid thread engaging said first container thread.

12. The container assembly of claim 11, wherein said first container thread and said second container thread each extend at least approximately 180 degrees about said circumferential wall of said container, and wherein said first lid thread and said second lid thread each extend at least approximately 180 degrees about said circumferential wall of said lid.

13. The container assembly of claim 11, wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from one starting orientation, and said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from a 180 degree opposite starting orientation.

14. The container assembly of claim 11, wherein said lid includes an outwardly projecting lid flange and said container includes an outwardly projecting container flange, and wherein one of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said lid flange and the other of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said container flange.

15. The container assembly of claim 11, wherein said receptacle comprises an aperture and said lock member comprises a flexible arm, and wherein said flexible arm engages with said aperture to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container.

16. The container assembly of claim 15, wherein said flexible arm includes a projection, said projection engaging said aperture to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container.

17. The container assembly of claim 11, wherein one of said first and second container threads or said first and second lid threads comprise external threads, and the other of said first and second container threads and said first and second lid threads comprise internal threads.

18. A container assembly comprising:

a container and a lid, said container including external threads on a circumferential wall comprising a first container thread and a second container thread and said lid including internal threads on a circumferential wall comprising a first lid thread and a second lid thread, wherein said first lid thread and said second lid thread selectively engage with respective ones of said first container thread and said second container thread via threaded engagement of said lid with said container;

one of said container and said lid including a lock member and the other of said container and said lid including a receptacle;

wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said first container thread and said second lid thread engaging said second container thread, and

wherein said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said second container thread and said second lid thread engaging said first container thread.

19. The container assembly of claim 18, wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from one starting orientation, and said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from a 180 degree opposite starting orientation.

20. The container assembly of claim 18, wherein said lid includes an outwardly projecting lid flange and said container includes an outwardly projecting container flange, and wherein one of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said lid flange and the other of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said container flange.