CONTAINER ENCLOSURE ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A container enclosure assembly is configured to enclose a container. The container enclosure assembly basically includes a lid body and a first sealing member. The lid body has an opening, an annular wall and an annular lip. The annular wall includes a threaded portion. The annular lip extends radially from the annular wall toward a center of the opening to define an annular sealing recess between the threaded portion and the annular lip. The sealing member is configured to be disposed in the annular sealing recess between the threaded portion and the annular lip.

Description

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to a container enclosure assembly. More specifically, the present invention relates to a container enclosure assembly having a pivoting cover and a sealing member.

Background Information

Generally, a container enclosure assembly can be used for enclosing various sizes of bottles, jars and containers. A container enclosure can include a threaded top portion configured to engage a threaded neck portion of a container. A container can further include a hinged cover or a lid to enclose the enclosure.

SUMMARY

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to various features of a container enclosure assembly. In one embodiment, a container enclosure assembly is provided having at least one sealing member to enclose a container.

In view of the state of the known technology and in accordance with the illustrated embodiment, a container enclosure assembly is configured to enclose a container. The container enclosure assembly includes a lid body and a first sealing member. The lid body has an opening, an annular wall and an annular lip. The annular wall includes a threaded portion. The annular lip extends radially from the annular wall toward a center of the opening to define an annular sealing recess between the threaded portion and the annular lip. The first sealing member is configured to be disposed in the annular sealing recess between the threaded portion and the annular lip.

Also other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the disclosed container enclosure assembly will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses one embodiment of the container enclosure assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a container enclosure assembly with the cover in a closed position in accordance with one illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 2 an elevational view of the container enclosure assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 with the cover in an open position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the container enclosure assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the container enclosure assembly as seen along section line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Selected embodiments will now be explained with reference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the pet products field and food storage field from this disclosure that the following descriptions of the embodiments are provided for illustration only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 to 3, a container enclosure assembly 10 is provided in accordance with an illustrated embodiment. The container enclosure assembly 10 comprises a lid body 12, a first sealing member 14. The container enclosure assembly 10 further comprises, a cover 18 and a second sealing member 20. The container enclosure assembly 10 is configured to be used with a container C as part of a container assembly. In other words, FIGS. 1 to 5 also illustrates a container assembly, which has the container enclosure assembly 10 and the container C.

The container enclosure assembly 10 of the illustrated embodiment enables a user to access contents stored in the container C with convenience by making it easy to open and close the cover 18. In one embodiment, the cover 18 can be opened and closed in one step. In particular, the cover 18 preferably encloses the container C via a detachable latching system with the lid body 12, such as a snap-fit connection, that enables the cover 18 to be opened and closed with convenience. The attachment between the cover 18 and the lid body 12 will be further discussed below. Preferably, as shown, the snap-fit connection is a cantilever snap-fit connection in which the cover 18 is pivotally attached to the lid body 12 between an open condition (FIG. 1) and a closed condition (FIG. 2) to provide access to the container C. While the cover 18 and the lid body 12 are illustrated as having a snap-fit connection, it will be apparent to those skilled in the pet products field from this disclosure that the cover 18 can be configured to be movably attached to the lid body 12 via a variety of mechanisms to provide easy and convenient access to the container contents.

The container enclosure assembly 10 is further provided such that the lid body 12 and the cover 18 sealingly enclose the container C. Preferably, the lid body 12 and the cover 18 enclose the container C to provide an airtight and watertight enclosure for the container C. This way, the contents of the container C can be easily accessed and stored away via a with convenience while the contents can remain freshly stored in the container C for an extended period of time.

The container C is an example of a container or storage vessel that can be used with the container enclosure assembly 10. The container C defines a storage cavity 22 configured to store contents. In particular, the container C can be configured to store foodstuffs and/or preferably liquids. As shown, the container C further has a neck 24 defining an access opening 24a to the storage cavity 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the container C is illustrated as a large mouth container. It will be apparent to those in the pet products field and food storage field that the container C can be of various sizes and shapes to store contents. For example, the container C can also be a bottle, a jar or other type of storage container, as needed and/or desired.

The container C is preferably made of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as plastic material. In particular, the container C can be formed from a thermoplastic material to store consumables such as foodstuffs and liquids of varying temperatures. Specifically, the container C can be manufactured from polypropylene or polyethylene polymers or copolymers. For example, the container C can be formed from plastics belonging to the polyolefin group, such as high-density polyethylene, more preferably from a polypropylene. Polypropylene is cost-effective and one of most commonly used plastics for molding many consumer products. Thus, the container C is preferably injection molded from polypropylene. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the pet products field from this disclosure that the container C can be manufactured from any type of rigid and/or semi-rigid material that can store foodstuffs. For example, the container C can alternatively be manufactured from container glass. Container glass includes a low content of magnesium oxide and sodium oxide content in comparison to flat glass. Container glass also includes a higher content of water-insoluble oxides than flat glass, such as silica, calcium oxide and aluminum oxide.

The neck 24 of the container C has a threaded portion 26. The threaded portion 26 of the neck 24 is configured to fixedly engage the lid body 12, as will be further discussed below. In the illustrated embodiment, the threaded portion 26 includes outer threads that are disposed on an outer surface 34 of the neck 24. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the neck 24 includes inner threads disposed on an inner surface 36 of the neck 24 to engage the lid body 12. The neck 24 can include as many threads of varying sizes and degrees as needed and/or desired to engage the lid body 12. The threaded portion 26 is conventional and will not be further discussed herein. The attachment between the lid body 12 and the container C will be further discussed below.

The lid body 12 will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The lid body 12 is preferably constructed of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Preferably, the lid body 12 is a one-piece member made of injection molded plastic. The lid body 12 can be constructed of the same material as the container C for the reasons discussed above. Preferably, the lid body 12 is constructed of a substantially rigid or semi-rigid material that can provide an amount of flexibility so that the lid body 12 can threadedly engage with the container C, as will be discussed below. In the illustrated embodiment, the lid body 12 is preferably injection molded from polypropylene.

The lid body 12 includes an annular wall 28. The annular wall 28 defines a peripheral rim 28a having a shape that corresponds to the shape of the neck 24 of the container C. The lid body 12 further includes an annular lip 30 that extends radially inward from the annular wall 28 towards a center of the lid body 12. The lid body 12 further includes an annular sealing recess 32, as best seen in FIG. 5. The annular sealing recess 32 is defined by a space disposed radially between the annular wall 28 and the annular lip 30.

The annular wall 28 has an outer surface 34 and an inner surface 36. The outer surface 34 includes a plurality of indentations 38 extending circumferentially about the annular wall 28 at a location that is adjacent to the peripheral rim 28a. The indentations 38 are configured to prevent flexing around the peripheral rim 28a. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid body 12 further includes a pair of protrusions 40 on the outer surface 34 at a location that is adjacent to the peripheral rim 28a. The protrusions 40 are separated by a receiving groove 42 that is configured to detachably receive the cover 18. Thus, the protrusions 40 are configured to detachably engage the cover 18, as will be further discussed. The outer surface 34 of the lid body 12 further includes a pair of outwardly extending flanges 44 each having a receiving hole 44a. The receiving holes 44a are a part of a mechanical bearing to pivotally attach the cover 18 to the lid body 12, as will be further discussed below.

The annular wall 28 has a threaded portion 46 disposed on the inner surface 36. The threaded portion 46 of the annular wall 28 engages the threaded portion 26 of the neck 24 of the container C. While the threaded portion 46 of the lid body 12 is illustrated as being inner threads and the threaded portion 26 of the container C is illustrated as being outer threads, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the configurations can be reversed, as needed and/or desired. For example, as stated above, the lid body 12 can include one or more threads disposed on the outer surface 34 that engage with the container C having one or more threads on an inside surface of the neck 24. The container C and the lid body 12 can also have different types of attachment means and structures as needed and/or desired. The threaded portions 26 and 46 are conventional and will not be further discussed herein.

The annular sealing recess 32 will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The annular sealing recess 32 is formed on the inner surface 36 of the lid body 12. As stated above, the annular sealing recess 32 includes the space disposed radially between the annular wall 28 and the annular lip 30. Alternatively, the annular sealing recess 32 is defined by the space disposed radially between the annular wall 28 and the annular lip 30. As shown, the annular sealing recess 32 is disposed on the inner surface 36 of the lid body 12 facing the opposite side of the peripheral rim 28a. The annular sealing recess 32 can receive the first sealing member 14, as will be further discussed below. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the annular sealing recess 32 extends circumferentially around the inner surface 36 of the lid body 12. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the lid body 12 can include a sealing recess that extends partially circumferentially around the inner surface 36 of the lid body 12 to receive a non-annular sealing member (not shown).

The annular lip 30 of the lid body 12 defines an opening 48 having a shape that preferably corresponds to the shape of the access opening 24a of the container C. The annular lip 30 includes a first flat surface 30a that extends radially inwardly from the inner surface 36 of the annular wall 28 toward the center of the lid body 12. The annular lip 30 further includes a bevel surface 30b that extends downwardly toward the center from the first flat surface 30a. The annular lip 30 further preferably includes a second flat surface 30c extending radially inward from the bevel surface 30b. The annular lip 30 defines a sealing surface configured to support the second sealing member 20, as will be further discussed below. While the annular lip 30 is illustrated as including the first flat surface 30a, the bevel surface 30b and the second flat surface 30c, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the annular lip 30 can have additional or fewer stepped, flat, horizontal, vertical, or tapering surfaces as needed and/or desired. For example, the annular lip 30 can be configured to include just the first flat surface 30a that can extend toward the center in varying degrees as needed and/or desired.

As stated above, the first sealing member 14 is configured to be disposed in the annular sealing recess 32 that is disposed radially between the threaded portion 46 of the lid body 12 and the annular lip 30. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first sealing member 14 is disposed vertically between the neck 24 of the container C and the annular sealing recess 32 when the container C and the lid body 12 are assembled. The first sealing member 14 is a mechanical seal that fills the space between two mating surfaces (i.e., the lid body 12 and the container C). The first sealing member 14 is an annular ring that is a flexible member. In particular, the first sealing member 14 can be configured as an O-ring or a gasket.

The first sealing member 14 is preferably constructed of any material that provides a degree of yielding or flexibility such that the first sealing member 14 can deform and tightly fill the annular sealing recess 32 and fill any slight irregularities. The first sealing member 14 is also constructed to withstand high compressive loads when the lid body 12 is attached to the container C. The first sealing member 14 can be constructed from a flat material such as a sheet of paper, rubber, silicone, metal, cork, felt, neoprene, nitrile rubber, fiberglass, polytetrafluoroethylene (otherwise known as PTFE or Teflon™) or a plastic polymer (such as polychlorotrifluoroethylene). Preferably, the first sealing member 14 is constructed of a thermo-rubber plastic or thermoplastic elastomer. The first sealing member 14 can be produced by extrusion, injection molding, pressure molding or transfer molding.

The first sealing member 14 can be fixed to the annular sealing recess 32 by a variety of methods. For example, the first sealing member 14 can be overmolded to the lid body 12. Alternatively, the first sealing member 14 can be held in the annular sealing recess 32 by friction forces such as by an interference fit or a press-fit connection. Further, the first sealing member 14 can be fixedly attached to the first lid body 12 by an adhesive.

The second sealing member 20 can be disposed on the annular lip 30 of the lid body 12. As shown, the second sealing member 20 is disposed vertically between the annular lip 30 and the cover 18 when the cover 18 and the lid body 12 are assembled. In other words, the second sealing member 20 is sandwiched between the annular lip 30 and the cover 18 in the assembled state.

The second sealing member 20 is a flexible member that is preferably constructed of the same material as the first sealing member 14. Therefore, the material of the second sealing member 20 will not be further discussed. As shown, the second sealing member 20 has a shape that corresponds to the annular lip 30. In particular, the second sealing member 20 includes a raised surface 50, a first flat surface 20a, a bevel surface 20b and second flat surface 20c. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, when assembled, the raised surface 50 of the second sealing member 20 abuts the annular wall 28 of the lid body 12. The first flat surface 20a of the second sealing member 20 abuts the first flat surface 30a of the annular lip 30. The bevel surface 20b of the second sealing member 20 abuts the bevel surface 30b of the annular lip 30. The second flat surface 20c of the second sealing member 20 abuts the second flat surface 30c of the annular lip 30. Preferably, the second sealing member 20 extends farther radially inward than the annular lip 30 extends. In this way, the second sealing member 20 seals a space between the cover 18 and the lid body 12 when the container enclosure assembly 10 is assembled. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the second sealing member 20 can be modified to include additional or fewer surfaces, that are vertical, horizontal, flat, beveled or tapering, to accommodate additional or fewer surfaces of the annular lip 30 as needed and/or desired.

The second sealing member 20 is disposed on the annular lip 30. The second sealing member 20 can be overmolded to the lid body 12. The second sealing member 20 can also be attached to the lid body 12 via an adhesive. While the second sealing member 20 is illustrated as being disposed on the lid body 12, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the second sealing member 20 can be fixedly attached to the cover 18 to provide a seal between the cover 18 and the lid body 12.

The cover 18 is hingedly attached to the lid body 12 to cover the access opening 24a of the container C and the opening 48 of the lid body 12. The cover 18 is preferably constructed of a rigid or semi-rigid material that provides an amount of flexure to enable the cover 18 to be opened easily by the user. The cover 18 is preferably injection molded from polypropylene. The cover 18 can be constructed of the same material as the lid body 12 and/or the container C. Thus, the material for the cover 18 will not be further discussed herein.

As shown, the cover 18 is configured to pivot about a hinge between an open position and a closed position to provide access to the storage cavity 22. As shown, the cover 18 has a substantially circular shape having a circumference that is smaller than the lid body 12. The cover 18 has an attachment portion 52 and an operating portion 54.

The attachment portion 52 is defined by a set of outwardly extending flanges having receiving holes 52a configured as a socket that receive a hinge pin 56. The attachment portion 52 is configured to engage the pair of flanges 44 of the lid body 12. The receiving holes 52a of the attachment portion 52 and the receiving holes 44a of the lid body 12 are configured to receive the hinge pin 56 so that the cover 18 is hingedly connected to the lid body 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge pin 56 is a rigid rod that can be constructed of metal or plastic. Preferably, the hinge pin 56 is made of steel.

In the illustrated embodiment, the lid body 12 and the cover 18 are connected by a barrel hinge. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the lid body 12 and the cover 18 can be pivotally attached via a variety of other conventional methods. For example, instead of a barrel hinge, the cover 18 and the lid body 12 can be connected by a thin, flexible sheet of plastic integrally attaching and extending between the cover 18 and the lid body 12.

In the illustrated embodiment, the operating portion 54 is a tab. The operating portion 54 is a handle for the user to operate in order to open and close the cover 18. The operating portion 54 further includes a downward extending flange 58 that interacts with the protrusions 40 of the lid body 12. The flange 58 includes a protrusion 58a that is configured to be received by the receiving groove 42 of the lid body 12 via a snap-fit connection.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the cover 18 includes a first flat surface 18a, a bevel surface 18b extending radially inward from the first flat surface 18a. The cover 18 further includes a second flat surface 18c extending radially inward from the bevel surface 18b. The cover 18 further includes a third flat surface 18d extending perpendicularly to the second flat surface 18c. As shown, the cover 18 has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the second sealing member 20. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the cover 18, the second sealing member 20 and the annular lip 30 can be configured to have varying numbers of surfaces that are flat, horizontal, vertical, stepped, tapering and beveled configured to correspond to one another when the container enclosure assembly 10 is assembled.

In understanding the scope of the present invention, the term “comprising” and its derivatives, as used herein, are intended to be open ended terms that specify the presence of the stated features, elements, components, groups, but do not exclude the presence of other unstated features, elements, components, or groups. The foregoing also applies to words having similar meanings such as the terms, “including”, “having” and their derivatives. Also, the terms “part,” “section,” “portion,” or “member” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single part or a plurality of parts unless otherwise stated.

As used herein, the following directional terms “vertical”, “radial”, “circumferential” as well as any other similar directional terms refer to those directions of a container enclosure assembly in an upright position. Accordingly, these directional terms, as utilized to describe the container enclosure assembly should be interpreted relative to a container enclosure assembly in an upright position on a horizontal surface.

Also it will be understood that although the terms “first” and “second” may be used herein to describe various components these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. Thus, for example, a first component discussed above could be termed a second component and vice-a-versa without departing from the teachings of the present invention. The term “attached” or “attaching”, as used herein, encompasses configurations in which an element is directly secured to another element by affixing the element directly to the other element; configurations in which the element is indirectly secured to the other element by affixing the element to the intermediate member(s) which in turn are affixed to the other element; and configurations in which one element is integral with another element, i.e. one element is essentially part of the other element.

While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, unless specifically stated otherwise, the size, shape, location or orientation of the various components can be changed as needed and/or desired so long as the changes do not substantially affect their intended function. Unless specifically stated otherwise, components that are shown directly connected or contacting each other can have intermediate structures disposed between them so long as the changes do not substantially affect their intended function. The functions of one element can be performed by two, and vice versa unless specifically stated otherwise. The structures and functions of one embodiment can be adopted in another embodiment. It is not necessary for all advantages to be present in a particular embodiment at the same time. Every feature which is unique from the prior art, alone or in combination with other features, also should be considered a separate description of further inventions by the applicant, including the structural and/or functional concepts embodied by such feature(s). Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments according to the present invention are provided for illustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A container enclosure assembly configured to enclose a container, the container enclosure assembly comprising:

a lid body having an opening, an annular wall including a threaded portion, and an annular lip, the annular lip extending radially from the annular wall towards a center of the opening to define an annular sealing recess between the threaded portion and the annular lip; and

a sealing member configured to be disposed in the annular sealing recess between the threaded portion of the lid body and the annular lip.

2. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the lid body is configured to engage the container, the first sealing member is disposed between the container and the annular sealing recess when the container and the lid body are assembled.

3. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 2, further comprising

a cover hingedly attached to the lid body to cover the opening, the cover being configured to pivot about a hinge between an open position and a closed position to provide access to the storage cavity.

4. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 3, wherein the sealing member is a first sealing member and the container enclosure assembly further comprises

a second sealing member that is configured to be disposed on the annular lip of the lid body, the second sealing member being disposed between the annular lip of the lid body and the cover when the cover and the lid body are assembled.

5. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the sealing member is a flexible annular ring.

6. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 4, wherein

the second sealing member is a flexible annular ring.

7. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the lid body is a one-piece member made of injection molded plastic.

8. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the first sealing member is fixed to the annular sealing member by a snap-fit connection.

9. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 4, wherein

the second sealing member has a shape that corresponds to a shape of the annular lip

10. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 9, wherein

the annular lip includes a first bevel surface and the second sealing member includes a second bevel surface configured to contact the first bevel surface of the annular lip.

11. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 10, wherein

the cover has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the second sealing member.

12. The container enclosure assembly according to claim 11, wherein

the cover includes a third bevel surface configured to contact the second bevel surface of the second sealing member.

13. A container assembly, comprising:

a lid body having an opening, an annular wall including a threaded portion, and an annular lip, the annular lip extending radially from the annular wall towards a center of the opening to define an annular sealing recess between the threaded portion and the annular lip;

a sealing member configured to be disposed in the annular sealing recess between the threaded portion of the lid body and the annular lip; and

a container, the first sealing member being disposed between the container and the annular sealing recess when the container and the lid body are assembled.

14. The container assembly according to claim 13, wherein

the container includes a neck, the neck has another threaded portion configured to engage the threaded portion of the lid body.

15. The container assembly according to claim 14, wherein

the first sealing member is disposed between the neck and the annular sealing recess when the container and the lid body are assembled.