U.S. patent application number 11/880524 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-29 for plastic container with double lock lid and tear band.
This patent application is currently assigned to Letica Corporation. Invention is credited to Arthur Habitz, John Robert Selina.
Application Number | 20090026203 11/880524 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40294338 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090026203 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Selina; John Robert ; et
al. |
January 29, 2009 |
Plastic container with double lock lid and tear band
Abstract
An all plastic container comprising the combination of injection
molded pail and lid. The lid initially locks onto the container at
upper and lower locations and seals thereto by virtue of an
inverted U-shaped peripheral section with a segmented upper lock
and a relatively continuously lower lock at the bottom edge of the
lid skirt. The bottom lock can be torn away by way of a
circumferentially weakened area that forms the lower edge of the
skirt into a tear band. A starter tab is provided. Once the tear
band is removed the segmented upper locks securely hold the lid to
the pail. However, by lifting and flexing the lid at discrete
locations identified by indicia on the top deck of the lid, the lid
is relatively easily removed.
Inventors: |
Selina; John Robert;
(Brighton, MI) ; Habitz; Arthur; (Berkley,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & BASILE, P.C.
3001 WEST BIG BEAVER ROAD, SUITE 624
TROY
MI
48084
US
|
Assignee: |
Letica Corporation
Rochester
MI
|
Family ID: |
40294338 |
Appl. No.: |
11/880524 |
Filed: |
July 23, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/276 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00537
20130101; B65D 2543/00518 20130101; B65D 43/0256 20130101; B65D
2543/00694 20130101; B65D 2543/00833 20130101; B65D 2543/00027
20130101; B65D 2543/00555 20130101; B65D 2543/00796 20130101; B65D
2543/00092 20130101; B65D 2543/00629 20130101; B65D 2543/00731
20130101; B65D 2543/00296 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/276 |
International
Class: |
B65D 17/40 20060101
B65D017/40 |
Claims
1. A plastic container of the type including an open top pail and a
lid which sealingly fits on to the pail wherein the pail includes
an annular top rim and an annular external bead encircling the pail
below the rim; the lid comprising an inverted U-shaped peripheral
channel portion integral with a central deck portion; the inverted
U-shaped channel portion being adapted to receive the top rim
contactingly in sealing engagement therewith; and the channel being
formed by integral depending annular outer and inner rings, the
outer ring having formed on the inner surface thereof a plurality
of discrete spaced locking segments forming undercuts to receive
and lock on to the annular pail bead.
2. A plastic container of the type described in claim 1 further
including indicia carried on the top surface of the deck lid and
indicating the locations of said discrete locking segments.
3. A plastic container of the type described in claim 2 wherein the
deck is recessed relative to the inverted U-shape peripheral
channel portion.
4. A plastic container of the type described in claim 3 wherein the
inverted U-shaped peripheral channel portion is tapered to provide
a lead for stacking similar containers on top of the lid.
5. A plastic container of the type described in claim 1 wherein the
pail has formed on the outer surface thereof an additional radially
extending locking structure below said external bead and the outer
annular ring of the lid forms a depending skirt which lockingly
engages the second lower structure of the pail when the lid is
seated on the pail rim; and said outer ring having a
circumferential weakened area which forms a tear tab which permits
removal of the lower portion of said outer ring.
6. A plastic container combination of the type described in claim 1
wherein the pail and lid are formed of polypropylene.
7. A plastic container as described in claim 1 further including a
plurality of radical reinforcing ribs molded into the underside of
the lid and extending to and integrally with the annular inner
ring.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to plastic containers of the type
comprising a pail and a lid which sealingly fits onto the pail
without the need for a gasket and further wherein the container
combination has locking features which hold the lid onto the
pail.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Plastic containers comprising the combination of an open top
pail and a lock on lid or closure are well known and have been in
commercial use for shipping and merchandising various products in
the United States for many years. They have largely supplanted
metal containers in many areas including adhesives, food products
and paint. The pail and lid are typically injection molded of a
suitable polymeric material such as high density polyethylene or
polypropylene. The seal between the pail and the lid can be
achieved by providing a compressible O-ring gasket or by molding a
notch in the top of the pail rim flange and providing a
corresponding bead in the underside of the inverted U-shaped
channel of the lid which receives the rim bead of the pail. This
later structure is described in the published U.S. Application US
2002/0148846. Still another seal structure is illustrated in the
expired patent to Richard Landis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,833.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention provides a container comprising the
combination of an open top pail and a lid, both preferably made of
injection molded plastic such as polypropylene, wherein a good seal
is provided between the pail and the lid without the need for
either a gasket or special features such as rim beads and notches
in the top of the pail.
[0004] In general, this is achieved by providing a pail with a
flangeless top rim, and a lid having a narrow inverted U-shaped
peripheral channel defined by an inner annular ring which is
reinforced by radial ribs.
[0005] In addition, and in accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the invention, multiple locks are provided for securing the lid
to the pail wherein said multiple locks comprise an upper lock made
up of comprising a continuous bead on the outer wall of the
container immediately below the top edge and a plurality of widely
circumferentially spaced locking segments on the inside surface of
the inverted U-shaped channel formed by the lid to provide widely
spaced, discrete undercuts which receive the pail sidewall bead and
lock thereto. The second of the multiple locks is provided lower
down on the container sidewall and at the bottom of the outer skirt
of the lid. This second lower lock is preferably removable by
forming a circumferentially extending weakened area in the inside
of the lid skirt such that the portion of the skirt below the
weakened are can be torn away leaving only the upper lock in place.
This manipulation is typically carried out by the end user.
[0006] In the preferred from the upper lock is provided in two,
three or four discrete and circumferentially spaced areas and
indicia are carried on the top surface of the lid to show where the
locking segments are located and to direct the user to apply a
lifting force in that area to remove the lid from the container
once the tear band has been pulled away. In the illustrated
embodiment, there are three such indicia in the forms of arrows
with the legend "LIFT" molded into the top deck of the lid thereby
to eliminate the need for a printing function or the application of
a decal. However, both of these alternatives as well as other
alternatives, while not preferred, are useable in accordance with
the more detailed aspects of the present invention.
[0007] Other applications of the present invention will become
apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description
of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0008] The description herein makes reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts
throughout the several views, and wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an all plastic injection
molded container comprising a pail and lid embodying the
invention;
[0010] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the FIG. 1 container with
the lid removed;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inside surface of the lid from
the combination of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the outside or top surface of the
lid of FIG. 2;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a side view in section of an enlarged portion of
the lid and pail showing how the upper and lower locks are
formed;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view in section showing the upper and lower
locks engaged; and
[0015] FIG. 6 is a composite of side views in section showing how
containers stack on one another.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
[0016] Referring to the Figures there is shown an all plastic
container 10 comprising the combination of a tapered cylindrical
plastic pail 12 and an injection molded lock-on plastic lid 14. In
this illustrative embodiment the pail 12 and lid 14 are both
injection molded of polypropylene but other materials such as high
density polyethylene may be used as alternatives.
[0017] The pail 12, which in this instance is a 31/2 gallon pail
but can be made in a variety of other sizes, comprises a tapered
cylindrical side wall 16 extending upwardly to an enlarged diameter
collar 18 which is integral with the wall 16 and lies below the
upper rim portion 26 as best shown in FIG. 1A. The collar runs
circumferentially around the entirety of the pail 12 and has
diametrically opposite ear portions 20 which receive a wire bail 22
having a ferrule type plastic handle 24 mounted thereon.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 1A the upper rim portion 26 of the open top
container 12 is featureless; i.e., it has no notches, flanges or
beads at the upper end. However, approximately 1/2 to 1/4'' below
the upper rim portion 26 and on the outer surface of the side wall
16 is a bead 28 which is circumferentially continuous around the
pail 12 and forms part of an upper lock to be described.
Approximately 1'' below the bead 28 is a second radially outwardly
extending bead 30 which is preferably notched at six or eight
evenly spaced locations and is integral and contiguous with the
radially outstanding collar 18. Reinforcing ribs 32 are provided at
circumferential intervals of about 11/8'' around the pail.
[0019] Looking at the lid 14, it comprises an inverted U-shaped
peripheral channel portion 34 defining a downwardly opening and
radially narrow, internal channel 36 which snugly and sealingly
receives the top rim portion 26 of the pail 12 therein. The
inverted U-shaped channel peripheral portion 34 comprises an outer
wall 38 and a downwardly extending annular inner wall 40 having
circumferentially spaced reinforcing ribs 42 as shown in FIGS. 2
and 4. The lid has a recessed deck 44 with the tapered lead surface
46 from the peripheral channel portion 34 to make it easier to
stack one of the containers on top of another of like size and
design.
[0020] In accordance with the invention, an upper lock comprises
the combination of the bead 28 on the pail side wall 16 and three
evenly circumferentially spaced locking segments 48 forming
undercuts 50 on the inside surface of the outer skirt 52 of the
lid. When the lid 14 is firmly attached to and seated on the pail
12 the bead 28 fits within the undercuts 50 of the three locking
segments 48 to hold the lid 14 on the pail 12.
[0021] Further in accordance with the invention, indicia 58
comprising the combination of outwardly directed arrows and the
legend "LIFT" are molded into the top surface of the deck 44 to
indicate exactly where the locking segments 48 are located such
that a user of the pail may apply a lifting force in this area
after the removal of the tear band 52 has been achieved as
hereinafter described. Similar equivalent legends may be used.
[0022] The lower skirt portion of the lid 14 comprises the
depending skirt 52 terminating an undercut 54 which fits over and
receives the bead 30 on the lower locking collar portion 18 of the
pail side wall 16 when the lid 14 is placed on pail 12 and firmly
seated. However, a circumferentially extending weakened area
provided by a notch 56 allows the lower portion of the skirt 52 to
be torn away. A starter tab 60 is provided as shown in FIG. 1A in a
cut-out area 62 for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the
tear band formed by the skirt 52 so as to eliminate the lower lock
30, 54.
[0023] In operation, the pail 12 and lid 14 are typically injection
molded at a suitable plant site. Once they are shipped to the
customer, the container 10 is filled with product (not shown) and
the lid 14 is seated on the container 12 such that the upper rim
portion 26 of the container side wall extends fully and
contactingly into the channel 36 and is sealed by the tight fit
therein. There is a contact seal on both sides of the sidewall 16.
The upper lock 28, 50 snaps into place and the lower lock 30, 54
also snaps into place to securely hold the sealed lid 14 on the
container 12. Similar containers 10 can be stacked and shipped in
the product filled condition without fear of leakage or the
ingestion of unwanted air into the interior of the container
10.
[0024] When the user is ready to gain access to the product, the
starter tab 60 is broken away from the lid portion 52 and the tear
band portion of skirt 52 is removed. This eliminates the lower lock
30, 54 and also provides evidence that the container 10 has been
opened. Once the tear band portion of skirt 52 and the lower lock
30, 54, have been removed, the only locks holding the lid 14 to the
pail 12 are the upper three locks 28, 50. These locks are
relatively easily overcome without the use of tools by lifting the
revealed edge of the lid 14 immediately adjacent the indicia arrows
58. The polypropylene pail and lid combination is sufficiently
flexible to permit the lid rim channel sidewall 38 to be flexed
outwardly in this overcomes the lock and permits the lid 14 to be
removed from the pail 12. It also permits the lid 14 to be
relocated and relocked onto the pail 12 using the three 120.degree.
spaced locks 28, 50.
[0025] While the invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be
limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is
intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements
included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which
scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to
encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is
permitted under the law.
* * * * *