U.S. patent application number 10/685893 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-21 for flexible lid with opposable tabs and unique cutback securing feature.
Invention is credited to Modrell, Candace Christine, Waldare, Barbra.
Application Number | 20050082300 10/685893 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34520683 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050082300 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Modrell, Candace Christine ;
et al. |
April 21, 2005 |
Flexible lid with opposable tabs and unique cutback securing
feature
Abstract
A flexible lid with opposable tabs constructed from a pliable
plastic or rubber compound. The lid incorporates a wall that
extends for the entire circumference of the lid that consists of an
angular cut back area which creates securing means for a container
of similar diameter. Opposable tabs are incorporate to ease in the
removal of the lid from a container for reuse. Tabs may also be
used to assist in securing and gripping the lid.
Inventors: |
Modrell, Candace Christine;
(Los Angeles, CA) ; Waldare, Barbra; (Los Angeles,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GRAFFITI PROMOTIONS, LLC
827 WINDSOR ROAD
ARNOLD
MD
21012
US
|
Family ID: |
34520683 |
Appl. No.: |
10/685893 |
Filed: |
October 15, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/630 ;
220/793 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00537
20130101; B65D 2543/00685 20130101; B65D 2543/0074 20130101; B65D
2543/00092 20130101; B65D 2543/00796 20130101; B65D 2543/00842
20130101; B65D 43/0212 20130101; B65D 2543/00296 20130101; B65D
2543/00629 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/630 ;
220/793 |
International
Class: |
B65D 041/18; B65D
025/24 |
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A base lid for a container comprising: a body having a bottom
wall and a side wall; said side wall having an interior surface and
exterior surface, the interior surface of the wall defining the
opening; and said body consisting of a tab positioned on the side
of the body.
2. The base lid of claims 1 further comprising: the defining
opening created by the body, side wall, and bottom defining a round
opening.
3. The base lid of claim 2 further comprising: an interior wall
with recessed and protruding areas.
4. The base lid of claim 3 further comprising: an interior wall
which becomes thicker at a linear rate from the opening toward the
bottom of the base lid the transitions to become thinner in an
exponential manner until a predetermined thickness is achieved and
then remains at a constant thickness until the base wall is
reached
5. The base lid of claim 4 further comprising: two tabs positioned
on opposing sides of the body.
6. The base lid of claim 5 further comprising: three or more tabs
positioned equally distant from each other along the perimeter of
the body.
7. The base lid of claim 5 further comprising: said tabs positioned
on opposing sides centered on the diameter of the round
opening.
8. The base lid claims 4, 5, 6, or 7 further comprising: said
linear rate creating an interior protrusion is between 10 degrees
and 20 degree.
9. The base lid of claim 8 further comprising: said liner rate is
15 degrees.
10. A base lid comprising: a body having a bottom wall and a side
wall; said side wall having an interior surface and exterior
surface, the interior surface of the wall defining the opening;
said body consisting of a tab positioned on the side of the body;
the defining opening created by the body, side wall, and bottom
defining a round opening; an interior wall with recessed and
protruding areas; said interior wall which becomes thicker at a
linear rate from the opening toward the bottom of the base lid the
transitions to become thinner in an exponential manner until a
predetermined thickness is achieved and then remains at a constant
thickness until the base wall is reached; said linear rate creating
an interior protrusion is between 10 degrees and 20 degrees.
11. The base lid of claim 10 further comprising: two tabs
positioned on opposing sides of the body.
12. The base lid of claim 10 further comprising: three or more tabs
positioned equally distant from each other along the perimeter of
the body.
13. The base lid of claim 11 further comprising: said tabs
positioned on opposing sides centered on the diameter of the round
opening.
14. The base lid of claim 10, 11, 12, or 13 further comprising:
said liner rate is 15 degrees.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable
SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM
[0003] Not Applicable
TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION
[0004] The present invention relates generally to a flexible lid
comprising opposable tabs to assist in securing and removing the
lid from a container. The lid is constructed from a pliable plastic
or rubber compound for use on metal containers to slow the
oxidation or rust process and to protect other surfaces from
damage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Previously, many types of container bases and lids have been
used to solve varying problems incorporating many different
designs. Such lids suffer from a number of short comings and while
some lids have been created to alter the base supports to assist in
better stacking possibilities or reduce the chance of the container
tipping over, other substantial problems have been ignored by the
prior art. One such problem is the use of metal containers that are
made from metals that are not resistant to moisture and water
resulting in rust or other oxidation processes that cause them to
deteriorate or damage the surfaces on which they are placed.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,696 issued to Tucker, et al. teaches as
plastic container lid utilizes a cut-back closure device that
maintains the lid in a secure position. The lid also includes
gripping tabs on opposable corners to facilitate the separation of
the lid from the container.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,031 issued to Lin on Jan. 28, 2003
teaches a removable docking station disposed on a coffee mug or
liquid container for increasing surface stability. This docking
station or base is connected through the use of a male and female
cavity system to provide an interlocking connection.
[0008] It is also well known that metal cans commonly used in
bathroom applications, for example shaving gel cans, are sometimes
coated with a chemical that seals the bottom portion of the can.
These coatings are typically only applied to the bottom of metal
cans and not other exposed portions. The coating acts as a
protectant and seals the metal, eliminating its exposure to air,
moisture, water, and other corrosive elements.
[0009] The method of coating cans has many practical and
engineering flaws. From an engineering standpoint, the metal cans
used in many household and commercial settings are frequently being
moved and having contact with other surfaces. This causes the metal
coating to become removed in many small areas due to scratching or
other abrasive conditions involved in typical use of a metal
container. When the coating is removed, even in small areas, the
metal is then exposed to the environment and will rust with
exposure to air, moisture, or water which damages the can and can
lead to damage to any surface the can may be resting on or come in
to contact with in the future.
[0010] As a practical issue, coating metal cans is inconsistently
used in the market place. For example, not all manufacturers of
shaving gels used or stored in a bathroom environment offer coated
metal cans. Additionally, the use of such coatings has not spread
to cleaning supplies that are often stored in bathroom
environments. Consumers are faced with confusion as to whether
their metal container they purchased will rust and if it will cause
damage to the surface where it is stored and any surfaces it may
come into contact with. The present invention provides a novel
solution to this problem. The present invention incorporates a lid
that seals the metal container from environmental forces such as
air, moisture, and water which may cause it to rust, while also
providing an easily identifiable and removable cover to protect the
bottom of a metal container, whether it is rusty or not, from the
surfaces on which it is placed or which it contacts.
SUMMARY
[0011] The present invention addresses the shortcoming in the prior
art with respect to metal containers that are most often used to
store cleaning chemicals, hair and body products, foods, and other
household and commercial goods. These metal containers often
contain a base or bottom portion that consists of exposed,
unprotected or treated metal. In a residential situation these
containers are often stored in bathrooms, kitchens, or under the
sink cabinets that are high moisture environments. When place in
this type of environment, these metal containers often rust and
cause either temporary or permanent damage to the surfaces on which
they are placed or those in which they may contact.
[0012] The present invention solves this problem by creating a lid
that is positioned on the bottom of a container. The lid is made
from a flexible plastic or rubber product that cannot rust. One
means of connecting the lid to the container is the compression or
tension force of placing the flexible lid over a container that is
slightly larger in size than the lid in its relaxed position.
Additionally, incorporated in to the walls of the lid is a cutback
feature that allows the lid to connect to the bottom of a container
that consists of a lip or rolled edge. The cutback area creates an
interlocking hold on the containers lip or bottom portion in
addition to the compression forces previously mentioned and
provides for an extra secure attachment to the container. To
facilitate removal and attachment of the lid opposable tabs are
provided to give the user a better hold on the lid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates the well-known design of a typical metal
container;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates the basic construction of the lid;
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the lid;
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the cutback
feature of the lid;
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates the fit of the lid around the base of a
metal container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates the current, well know, shape of many
metal containers typically used to store many personal cleaning
products such as shaving cream gel and other chemical cleaning
products. A typical metal container is a cylindrical in shape
consisting of side walls (100) and top portion (101) that may be
designed in a variety of way and include a dispensing means (102)
for removing the contents of the container. The container has a
side walls (100) that form a bottom portion (103). The bottom
portion begins as the side wall flares outward away from the side
wall to create a shoulder (104) at the end of the shoulder the
sidewall then returns to its regular path and continues for a short
distance creating a small side wall ridge (105) that then engages a
bottom surface (106) to form the bottom portion of the can
(103).
[0019] The present invention recognizes this bottom portion
configuration that is found on many metal household and commercial
containers. The present invention utilizes the shoulder portion of
the container by creating a lid that has an interior surface that
is constructed in such a manner as to be pliable enough to fit
around the container, but then retain is original shape which an
inverse design of the container's bottom portion in addition to
other features which allow for easier installation and removal of
the lid.
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a view of the lid (200) which shows the
basic construction typically comprising a bottom (201), opposable
tabs (202) and (203), and a wall (206) comprising an exterior wall
surface (204), and an interior wall surface (205). The present
invention is embodied in a round design, but can also be created in
other shapes such as oval, square, and rectangular. Accordingly, it
is intended to embrace all such alternative, modifications, and
variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.
[0021] Now referring to FIG. 3, a cross sectional view of the
invention is shown. The lid (200) is being viewed across its
maximum diameter (300) with respect to the tabs (301) and (302)
which are positioned at the exact opposite ends of the maximum
diameter (300) of a round lid (200) with a flat bottom (304). FIG.
2 also illustrates the cutback feature of the lid that may be
incorporated into the wall (303). The exterior surface (305) of the
wall is left unaltered and in a flat and perpendicular orientation
to the bottom (304) portion of the lid. The interior wall is (306)
is formed in such a manner that enable is to grip the bottom of a
container that consists of a lip or ridge.
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross sectional view of the cutback
feature that is incorporated into an embodiment of the present
invention. The lid (200) incorporates a tab (400), flat bottom
(304) and wall (303) that are positioned in a perpendicular
orientation with respect to the flat bottom (304). The exterior
wall (305) remains unchanged. The interior wall (306) does not
retain a constant thickness with nor run parallel to the form of
the exterior wall (305). The interior wall (306) is shaped in such
a manner that is creates various angles and cutback areas for use
as a securing mechanism to a container. The interior wall (306)
incorporates an angular slope (400) with respect to the exterior
wall (305). This slope runs from the opening of the lid (401)
toward the bottom (304) away from the exterior wall (305) to a
desired depth (402) effectively creating a cone shape for the upper
portion of the lid. When the angular slope (300) reaches the
desired lid depth (402).
[0023] Having establish the angular cone portion of the lid shape
required to ease insertion of a container into the lid, FIG. 4 also
illustrates the cut back portion that is incorporated into an
embodiment of the present invention incorporated to secure the lid
and the container together. The cutback portion is created by
drastically changing the angular slop of the interior wall (306) at
the desired depth (402) point. From the desired depth (402) the
interior wall (306) uses a small radial arc (403) to transition the
wall from a slope away from the exterior wall (305) into a slope
toward the exterior wall (305). This radial transition (403) is
incorporated to allow more flexibility and space for a user to
place the lid over a container before the lid is then pushed on and
snapped into place on the container. A typical metal container has
a rolled bottom portion which creates a lip as illustrated in FIG.
1, the radial transition creates a wider opening which can
accommodate the container's rolled lip and allows the lid to be
pushed and snapped into place much easier than a lid without the
radial transition.
[0024] With the radial transition (403) completed the interior wall
continues on a straight angular slop (404) toward the exterior wall
(305) and bottom of the lid until the next desired depth level
(405). Once the desired depth level (405) is reached the interior
wall (306) then transitions into it final segment (408) which
consists of an interior wall path that is parallel to the exterior
wall (305) and ends in another radial transition (406) from
interior wall (305) to interior lid bottom (407). The transition
from interior wall final segment (408) to interior bottom (407)
occurs at a point that is consistent with maintaining the desired
minimum wall thickness (409) for both the side wall (303) and
bottom (304).
[0025] Now referring to FIG. 5, the fit of the lid to a typical
metal container in the preferred embodiment is shown. The lid (500)
is placed over a container (501) by the user placing the container
against the lid and using the tabs (502 and 503) to flex and snap
the pliable lid around the bottom portion (103) of the container by
pushing the lid on to the container. The previously mentioned inner
surface of the lid (504) engages the bottom portion of the
container (103) in such a manner that the bottom portion of the
container (103) and the inner surface of the lid (504) have
interlocking surface regions that provide means for the lid
remaining in place on the bottom portion of the container until
addition force is applied to forcefullly remove the lid from the
bottom portion of the container.
[0026] In one embodiment the lid is constructed out of such
material that it is easily flexible which allows for the use of a
lid that may be slightly smaller or larger than the bottom portion
(103) of a container. This addition tension force assists the lid
in remaining on the container since once pressure used to expand
the lid is released the lid will attempt to retain the position of
its relaxed state and in the case of a lid that is slightly smaller
than the container, the pressure will hold the lid tightly to the
sidewalls and bottom portion of the container.
[0027] In an embodiment where a lid is produced which is slightly
bigger than a container the tension force will allow the lid to be
flexible so that it can fit over the bottom portion of container
more easily. Although the lid will be able to return to its natural
state and no tension force will exists to secure the lid to the
can, the unique interior surface design of the lid will provide
securing means.
[0028] Although the description above contains many specificities,
these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the
invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the
presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope
of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and
their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.
* * * * *