U.S. patent application number 16/847542 was filed with the patent office on 2020-10-29 for multi-use child protective packaging container with purge and humidity control.
This patent application is currently assigned to The Kanvas Company Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is The Kanvas Company Inc.. Invention is credited to Joseph Gordon Doyle, Andy Fathollahi, Alexander Wayne Gordon.
Application Number | 20200339316 16/847542 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004808082 |
Filed Date | 2020-10-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200339316 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Doyle; Joseph Gordon ; et
al. |
October 29, 2020 |
MULTI-USE CHILD PROTECTIVE PACKAGING CONTAINER WITH PURGE AND
HUMIDITY CONTROL
Abstract
Disclosed herein are multi-use child resistant packaging
containers that are capable of protecting children from accessing
the contents inside while also controlling the environment of the
storage compartment wherein the contents reside. The containers are
capable of being used to package goods, including perishable goods,
and include valves and/or seals that facilitate purging of the
oxygen and other gas from the container storage compartment after
the contents have been sealed within the container by either the
packager and/or end-user thereby extending shelf-life and
freshness. Humidity control packet inserts housed within the lid
and separated by a physical barrier from the storage compartment to
mitigate against contamination and/or adulteration of the contents
are disclosed. The humidity control inserts may be employed with or
without a lid that includes the valves and/or seals that facilitate
purging of the storage compartment. The packaging containers are
particularly well suited for small and medium batch packaging of
bio-degradable material that may be stored for extended periods of
time prior to use and then repeatedly accessed over time by an
end-user or consumer.
Inventors: |
Doyle; Joseph Gordon;
(Fountain Valley, CA) ; Fathollahi; Andy; (Newport
Beach, CA) ; Gordon; Alexander Wayne; (Irvine,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
The Kanvas Company Inc. |
Newport Beach |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
The Kanvas Company Inc.
Newport Beach
CA
|
Family ID: |
1000004808082 |
Appl. No.: |
16/847542 |
Filed: |
April 13, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62838785 |
Apr 25, 2019 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 41/02 20130101;
B65D 50/00 20130101; B65D 81/18 20130101; B65D 51/16 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 50/00 20060101
B65D050/00; B65D 51/16 20060101 B65D051/16; B65D 81/18 20060101
B65D081/18; B65D 41/02 20060101 B65D041/02 |
Claims
1. A multi-use child resistant container comprising: a threaded
receptacle defining a storage compartment; a threaded lid adapted
to being screwed onto and sealing said threaded receptacle, said
lid comprising an outer cap and an inner seal coupled and housed
within said outer cap, said outer cap when in a first position
being both rotatable and axially movable relative to the inner seal
and when in a second position being fixed and locked in position
relative to said inner; the inner seal including a first one-way
purge valve accessible through said outer cap and a second one-way
relief valve, the first one-way purge valve adapted to facilitate
the flow of pressurized purging gas into the storage compartment
when the lid is attached to the receptacle and the second one-way
relief valve adapted to facilitate the flow of container gas out of
the storage compartment when the lid is attached to the receptacle;
a humidity packet insert comprising a desiccant mounted within a
housing defined by the inner seal and configured to come into
contact with gas contained in the storage compartment; and a purge
line configured to be inserted into the lid and communicate
pressurized purging gas into said storage compartment through said
first one-way purge valve when the lid is attached to the
receptacle.
2. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the
first one-way purge valve is an umbrella type one-way purge
valve.
3. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the
second one-way relief valve is a duckbill type one-way relief
valve.
4. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the
humidity packet insert further comprising a permeable layer
configured to allow the container gas flow into the desiccant and
thereby absorb moisture contained in the container.
5. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the
humidity packet insert further comprising a peel-away humidity
control packet sealant layer configured to seal the desiccant from
external exposure.
6. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 1 further
comprising a protective sheet positioned between said humidity
packet insert and said storage compartment, said protective sheet
comprising a plurality of apertures adapted to facilitate gas flow
into and out of the storage compartment while providing a physical
barrier between said humidity packet insert and said storage
compartment.
7. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 6, wherein the
lid and humidity packet insert are shipped to a packager in a
concealed vacuum-packed bag without a sealant layer and only with
the protective sheet to prevent degradation of the life of the
desiccant.
8. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the
humidity packet insert is included during packaging of the
multi-use child resistant container.
9. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the
humidity packet insert is provided to an end-user as part of a
kit.
10. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 1, wherein the
purge line is a needle.
11. A multi-use child resistant container comprising: a threaded
receptacle defining a storage compartment; a threaded lid adapted
to being screwed onto and sealing said threaded receptacle, said
lid comprising an outer cap and an inner seal coupled and housed
within said outer cap, said outer cap when in a first position
being both rotatable and axially movable relative to the inner seal
and when in a second position being fixed and locked in position
relative to said inner; the inner seal including a first one-way
purge valve accessible through said outer cap and a second one-way
relief valve, the first one-way purge valve adapted to facilitate
the flow of a first pressurized gas composition into the storage
compartment when the lid is attached to the receptacle and the
second one-way relief valve adapted to facilitate the flow of a
second pressurized gas composition out of the storage compartment
when the lid is attached to the receptacle; and a purge line
configured to be inserted into the lid and communicate the first
pressurized gas composition into said storage compartment through
said first one-way purge valve when the lid is attached to the
receptacle.
12. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 11, wherein
the first one-way purge valve is an umbrella type one-way purge
valve.
13. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 11, wherein
the second one-way relief valve is a duckbill type one-way relief
valve.
14. The multi-use child resistant container of claim 11, wherein
the purge line is a needle.
15. A method of preserving perishable materials inside a multi-use
child resistant container comprising: providing a storage
compartment having a threaded receptacle; providing a threaded lid
adapted to being screwed onto and sealing said threaded receptacle,
said lid comprising an outer cap and an inner seal coupled and
housed within said outer cap, said outer cap when in a first
position being both rotatable and axially movable relative to the
inner seal and when in a second position being fixed and locked in
position relative to said inner; providing a first one-way purge
valve accessible through said outer cap and a second one-way relief
valve in the inner seal, the first one-way purge valve adapted to
facilitate the flow of pressurized purging gas into the storage
compartment when the lid is attached to the receptacle and the
second one-way relief valve adapted to facilitate the flow of
container gas out of the storage compartment when the lid is
attached to the receptacle; providing a humidity packet insert
comprising a desiccant mounted within a housing defined by the
inner seal and configured to come into contact with gas contained
in the storage compartment; and providing a purge line configured
to be inserted into the lid and communicate pressurized purging gas
into said storage compartment through said first one-way purge
valve when the lid is attached to the receptacle.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising: opening the humidity
packet insert packaged into the lid by an end user.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the opening the humidity packet
insert packaged into the lid is by peeling away the sealant
layer.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising: replacing the
humidity packet insert with a new humidity packet insert by the end
user.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising: inserting the
humidity packet insert into the lid by the end user.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising: purging the storage
compartment by the end user to effectuate both an oxygen deprived
and humidity controlled storage compartment after each use.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims benefit of and priority to
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/838,785, filed Apr. 25,
2019, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The technical field of the subject matter disclosed herein
relates to packaging containers, and in particular to multi-use
containers with child protective or resistant lids that are capable
of extending the shelf-life and enhancing the freshness of
perishable bio-degradable materials contained therein and to
systems and methods for making and using such containers.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Multi-use child resistant containers, such as, but not
limited to, plastic containers with multi-use child resistant caps
or lids are commonly used to store and protect various materials,
including prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical
products that are susceptible to being perishable or otherwise
adulterated. Conventional approaches to preserve perishable
material typically involves inclusion of a humidity stabilization
packet comprising a drying agent (commonly referred to as a
"desiccant") in the container with the contents thereof. However,
the inclusion of such desiccants can result in contamination or
adulteration through undesirable contact.
[0004] Other conventional approaches have sought to remove or
decrease oxygen levels in the gaseous atmosphere inside the
container to extend the shelf-life of perishable material contents
by depriving oxygen required for metabolic activity. Such
conventional approaches, for example, are commonly employed in
canning of animal, fungi, fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based
products. While effective in greatly extending shelf-life, the
canning process typically requires a large investment in production
line machinery and has numerous design limitations that make the
process impractical or otherwise unsuitable for implementation of a
multi-use child protective or resistant container and/or for small
to mid-size businesses and packaging operations. Also, canning is
typically employs metal or metal coated containers, which can alter
the taste of the packaged contents.
SUMMARY
[0005] Consistent with the foregoing, described herein are
packaging containers, systems, and methods that are capable of
mitigating against child access while also preserving
bio-degradable or perishable contents stored therein thereby
extending the shelf-life and freshness the container contents. The
packaging containers, systems, and methods disclosed herein are
particularly well suited for small and medium batch packaging of
bio-degradable material that may (depending on production and
demand) be stored for extended periods of time prior to use and
then repeatedly accessed over time by the end-user after being
sold/distributed thereto.
[0006] Aspects of the current subject matter relate to child
resistant/protective lids and containers that are capable of
facilitating the (a) purging of oxygen and other gas from the
container's storage compartment during packaging and subsequent use
and/or (b) maintaining, drying, or otherwise controlling the
humidity of the storage compartment while mitigating contamination
or adulteration of the contents stored therein.
[0007] Particular aspects of the current subject matter are
directed to the various structural components of the container and
its rotatable child resistant/protective re-useable lid described
herein including, but no limited to, the outer cap and inner seal
components of the lid, their design and interaction with one
another and other components, and the valves, seals, apertures,
humidity packet inserts, and mechanisms that facilitate operation,
use, and the manufacture container and constituent components
thereof.
[0008] Additional details regarding the various aspects of the
subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying
drawings and further described below and/or are otherwise apparent
therefrom. It should be understood that the descriptions and
illustrations herein, while illustrative of various aspects of the
disclosed subject matter, it is the claims that are intended to
define the appropriate scope of the protected subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification illustrate certain aspects
of the subject matter disclosed herein and together with the
description, help explain aspects associated with the disclosed
implementations. When practical, the same or similar reference
numbers denote the same or similar structures, features, or
elements.
[0010] FIG. 1A illustrates a side view of a re-usable container
comprising a multi-use child resistant screw cap or lid attached to
the container receptacle in accordance with the disclosed subject
matter.
[0011] FIG. 1B is cross-sectional view of the container illustrated
in FIG. 1A taken along line 1B-1B depicting in more detail an
implementation of the container.
[0012] FIG. 2A is a top perspective view of the lid depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B.
[0013] FIG. 2B is an exploded side view of the lid depicted in
FIGS. 1A-1B with the lid purge access plug, outer cap, and inner
seal components thereof being separated from one another.
[0014] FIG. 2C is the same as FIG. 2B with the addition of
dashed-lines illustrating in shadow the internal screw threads of
the of the inner seal component and the teeth on the internal
surface of the outer cap component of the lid depicted in FIGS.
1A-1B.
[0015] FIG. 2D is a bottom plan view of the lid depicted in FIG.
2A, which illustrates the protective sheet component and the
apertures contained therein that facilitate the exchange and flow
of gas from the container and between the container receptacle and
lid.
[0016] FIG. 3A is a side view of the re-usable container
illustrated in FIG. 1A, with the lid purge access plug component
removed and a purge needle depicted extending through the container
lid into the container receptacle to facilitate purging of oxygen
and atmospheric gas from the container.
[0017] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the container
illustrated in FIG. 3A taken along line 3B-3B further illustrating
the purge needle extending, through a self-healing membrane and a
center aperture of the protective sheet, into the container
receptacle.
[0018] FIG. 3C is a partial view of the cross-section illustration
of FIG. 3B depicting in greater detail the needle extending through
the lid and an adjacent one-way relief valve that facilitates
removal of oxygen and other gas from the container receptacle.
[0019] FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3C
illustrating an alternative lid implementation, wherein the
self-healing membrane is replaced with a second one-way purge valve
that is adapted to allow gas to flow into the container receptacle
through the purge tube.
[0020] FIG. 4A is the cross-sectional view of the container
depicted in FIG. 3B further illustrating, via directional
flow-lines, the flow of gas through the lid into the container and
from the container through the one-way relief valve in the lid to
the external atmosphere.
[0021] FIG. 4B is a partial view of the cross-section illustration
of FIG. 4B depicting in greater detail the areas surrounding the
purge needle and an adjacent one-way relief valve and, via
directional flow-lines, the flow of gas there-through. FIGS. 4A-4B
are also representative of the flow of gas for the alternative lid
implementation illustrated in FIG. 3D, wherein a purge tube is
substituted for the purge needle and a one-way purge valve is
substituted for the self-healing membrane.
[0022] FIG. 5A illustrates a side view of another implementation of
a re-usable container comprising a multi-use child resistant screw
cap or lid attached to the container receptacle in accordance with
the disclosed subject matter, wherein the container includes a
moisture or humidity control packet or insert housed in the lid and
physically separated from the storage compartment.
[0023] FIG. 5B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the container
illustrated in FIG. 5A taken along line 5B-5B.
[0024] FIGS. 6A and 6B are bottom and side views, respectively, of
the lid illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5B.
[0025] FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view of the container lid
illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5B, taken along line 6C-6C of FIG. 6B.
[0026] FIG. 7A is a standalone top-side perspective view of the
humidity packet or insert component illustrated in the embodiment
depicted in FIGS. 5A-5B.
[0027] FIG. 7B is an exploded side view of the lid depicted in
FIGS. 5A-5B, with the outer cap, inner seal, and the component
layers of the humidity control packet insert being exploded from
one another.
[0028] FIG. 7C is the cross-sectional view of the container
depicted in FIG. 5B further illustrating the flow of gas through
the humidity control packet insert residing in the lid of the
container.
[0029] FIG. 8 is a perspective exploded view of the container lid
illustrated in FIGS. 1A-4B and 9A-9C, with a modified
implementation of the humidity control packet insert that includes
an annular configuration defined by a center aperture therein to
facilitate purging of the storage compartment and the insertion of
the purge needle and/or gas passageway there-through.
[0030] FIGS. 9A-9C are cross-sectional views of an alternative
implementation of a multi-use child resistant screw cap or lid,
such as previously illustrated, wherein the one-way relief and
purge valves are illustrated as umbrella and duckbill type one-way
valves, respectively. FIG. 9A depicts the valves fully closed. FIG.
9B depicts the valves fully open with a purge tube facilitating gas
flow into the container through the purge valve to force the
container gas out through the relief valve. FIG. 9C is a more
detailed partial view of the encircled-region of FIG. 9B depicting
in greater detail the areas surrounding the purge tube and the
purge and relief valves with directional gas flow-lines
illustrating the flow of gas through the valves during the
container purging process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects
of the subject matter disclosed herein and together with the
description help explain the disclosed implementations.
[0032] FIG. 1A illustrates a side view of a re-usable container 100
comprising a multi-use child resistant and protective screw cap or
lid 200 attached to the container receptacle 300 in accordance with
the disclosed subject matter. The container receptacle 300 is
generally comprised of a walled structure that extends from a
bottom section to an upper section and defines a storage
compartment therein. The bottom section of the container receptacle
300 is closed. The upper section includes a passageway or opening,
which is sufficiently dimensioned to allow the storage compartment
contents to be transferred in and out therefrom when the lid 200 is
detached and removed from the container receptacle 300. When
attached, the child resistant/protective lid 200 is adapted to seal
the storage compartment from the external atmosphere and thereby
protect the contents of the storage compartment in a controlled
environment.
[0033] Generally, FIGS. 1A-4B illustrate a container 100 that
includes a child resistant/protective lid 200 adapted to facilitate
the purging or displacement of oxygen from the storage compartment
via a purge line, such as a needle 400 or purge tube 400', which
can be inserted into the container 100 through the child
resistant/protective lid 200. FIGS. 9A-9C illustrates a particular
implementation of a multi-use child resistant screw cap or lid,
such as previously illustrated in FIGS. 1A-4B, wherein the one-way
relief and purge valves are umbrella and duckbill type one-way
valves, respectively. FIGS. 5A-7C illustrates another container
100' implementation that includes a humidity packet or insert 600
that is configured to be removably retained in the child protective
lid 200' and physically separated from the container receptacle 300
via a protective sheet 227. FIG. 8 illustrates a container that
includes the child resistant/protective lid 200 (illustrated in
FIG. 1A-4B or 9A-9C) adapted for purging the storage compartment in
combination with a modified configuration of the humidity packet
insert 600' adapted to be retained therein to facilitate both
purging of container oxygen and gas through the humidity packet
insert 600' as well as moisture control of the storage compartment
by the humidity packet insert 600'. Each is discussed in more
detail below.
[0034] As illustrated in the various cross-sectional and detailed
views depicted in FIGS. 1B-4B and 9A-9C, the lid 200 can be
comprised of a cup-shaped outer cap 210 that is mechanically
coupled to an inner seal component 220 that is retentively housed
within the outer cap 210. The inner seal component 220 can be
comprised of a walled structure, which has a generally cylindrical
stepped-shape configuration that extends from a closed-end section
to an open-end section. The open-end section being configured to
face and engage the container receptacle 300 when attached thereto.
The diameter of the closed-end section is less than the diameter of
the open-end section with the transition there-between being
defined by a radially extending stepped-wall that supports the
protective sheet 227. The protective sheet 227 may be adhered
directly or indirectly to the stepped-wall or otherwise
mechanically attached or bonded thereto.
[0035] The open-end section of the inner seal component 220
includes an outer perimeter lip 221 that is configured to be seated
on an upper surface of an inwardly extending circumferential lip or
ledge 211 of the outer cap 210, when the outer cap 210 is in the
decompressed position. The interaction between the inwardly
extending circumferential lip 211 of the outer cap 210 and the
outwardly extending circumferential lip 221 of the inner seal
component 220 facilitates the mechanical coupling of the two
components while allowing the outer cap 210 to move axially up and
down relative to the inner seal component 220. The inner seal
component 220 is thus held captive by and housed in the outer cap
210 such that the two components are adapted to move axially
relative to one another. The outer cap and inner seal components
may thus be formed as separate components and then snapped or
coupled together, such that the circumferential lip 211 of the
outer cap effectively functions as a retaining ring.
[0036] The inner seal component 220 includes circumferential
threads 223 defined on the internal surface of the open-end
section. The threads 223 are adapted to engage corresponding
threads 313 defined on the outer perimeter surface of the upper
section of the container receptacle 300. The lid 200 is thus
attached to the receptacle 300 by screwing the lid 200 onto the
upper section of receptacle 300 via threads 223 and 313.
[0037] The outer surface of the closed-end section of the inner
seal component 220 and the opposing inner surface of the outer cap
210 are comprised of opposing sets of teeth 222, 212, respectively.
The opposing sets of teeth 222, 212 are arranged in an annular
configuration and adapted to engage with one another when the outer
cap 210 is pushed down or compressed onto the inner seal 220 and
rotated. Thus, to open a closed container 100, the user must both
push down on the outer cap 210 so that the teeth 212 on the inside
of the outer cap 210 engage the opposing teeth 222 on the outer
surface of inner seal component 220 and while pushing down rotate
the outer cap 210 (counterclockwise) thereby unscrewing the
circumferential threads 223 on the inner seal component from the
circumferential threads 313 on the container receptacle 300. The
combination and complexity of the motor skills involved to perform
this activity is difficult for young children and is thereby
capable of satisfying child safety packaging requirements.
[0038] The closed-end section of the inner seal component 220
further includes a one-way relief valve 224 (best illustrated in
FIGS. 3C, 3D and 4A-4B). The one-way relief valve 224 is adapted to
opening under pressure to allow gas to flow out of the storage
compartment when the pressure in the storage compartment is
sufficiently greater than the pressure external thereto. For
example, the valve 224 may require a pressure differential of 10
psi to open. In addition, the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1B,
3B and 3C, the closed-end section of the inner seal 220 includes a
centrally positioned self-healing membrane 225.
[0039] In another implementation illustrated in FIG. 3D, the
self-healing membrane 225 can be replaced with a one-way purge
valve 226. The one-way purge valve 226 is adapted to allow gas to
flow through the lid 200 and into the storage compartment of the
receptacle 300 when the valve 226 is subject to sufficient external
pressure. As illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9C, the one-way relief and
purge valves 224, 226 (illustrated in FIG. 3D) respectively are
illustrated as umbrella and duckbill type one-way valves, 224a,
226a respectively. These designs are representatives examples of
the various and numerous one-way valve designs that may implement
one-way gas flow. FIG. 9A depicts the valves 224a, 226a fully
closed, whereas FIG. 9B depicts the valves 224a, 226a fully open
with a purge tube 400' in communication with the purge valve 226a
to facilitate gas flow into the container 100 in connection with
purging process.
[0040] As best illustrated FIGS. 1B, 2A-2C, 3B-3D and 9A-9C, the
outer cap 210 includes a purge aperture 215 that is centrally
positioned and axially aligned with the self-healing membrane 225
(illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 3B-3C), the one-way purge valve 226
(illustrated in FIG. 3D) and the duckbill type one way valve 226a
(illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9C). A purge access plug 216 dimensioned
to fit over the outer cap 210 and into the purge aperture 215 may
be provided to conceal and further protect the internal components
of the lid 200 while providing access to the self-healing membrane
225 and/or one-way purge valves 226, 226a to facilitate purging of
the storage compartment as described in more detail below.
[0041] As best illustrated in FIGS. 2D, 3C, 3D, 4B and 9A-9C a
protective sheet 227 can be provided in between the inner seal
component 220 and the opening of the upper section of the container
receptacle 300. The protective sheet 227 is adapted to protect and
maintain separation barrier between the storage compartment
(including the contents therein) and the lid 200 and to further
facilitate a tight and preferably air-tight seal between the lid
200 and the container receptacle 300. The protective sheet 227
includes a center opening 228 and a plurality of additional
adjacent apertures 229 that facilitate movement of gas. The
protective sheet 227 may be constructed using any suitable material
consistent with its intended function. In one implementation the
protective sheet 227 is constructed as a three-ply foam liner
comprising a relatively soft polyethylene core sandwiched between
two layers of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film. The apertures
228, 229 in the protective sheet 227 may be dimensioned
sufficiently small such that the perishable material is precluded
or otherwise restricted from contact with the separated multi-use
child protective lid 200, yet sufficiently numerous and large in
dimension to allow for sufficient gas flow as further described
below.
[0042] The container lid 200, and its constituent elements, may be
formed of any suitable material including metal, glass, plastic,
and/or wood. The valve and seal components 224, 224a, 225, 226,
226a may be mounted and/or molded-into the inner seal 220 component
of the lid 200. Similarly, the container receptacle 300 may be
formed of any suitable material including metal, glass, plastic,
and/or wood. Lid and receptacle threads 223, 313 and other
component elements may be mounted and/or molded into their
respective component. In one implementation, the receptacle 300 can
be made of clear glass or glass-like substance and the lid 200 can
be formed of molded plastic.
[0043] It should be understood, that each component of the
containers described herein may be manufactured or made by various
methods and/or materials and the descriptions herein should not be
limiting, but rather are provided by way of example. Thus, for
example, the purge access plug, outer cap and inner seal may be
made of a mostly rigid plastic that can be injection molded. The
relief valve may be comprised of a combination of rigid plastic and
flexible material, such as but not limited to silicone or rubber.
The self-healing membrane may be comprised of silicone or elastic
material which can stretch and contract in a sufficiently elastic
manner to effectuate the desired seal of the storage compartment.
The relief valve and self-healing membrane may be inserted into the
injection molding tool for the inner seal prior to plastic
injection such that molten plastic creates an air tight seal around
the relief valve and/or self-healing membrane. While the valves
and/or self-healing membrane components described herein may be
mold-into the lid it should be understood that those components may
be glued, press-fit or otherwise mechanically attached or bonded to
the lid in a suitable manner.
[0044] As best illustrated in FIGS. 3A-4B and 9B-9C, a purge needle
400 or purge tube 400' (for the implementations illustrated in
FIGS. 3D and 9B-9C) can be employed to facilitate the insertion of
gas, such as nitrogen thereby purging from the storage compartment
oxygen and other gas that would otherwise be contained therein. In
operation, the container lid 200 and corresponding container
receptacle 300 are manufactured and provided to the packager of the
goods (e.g., the perishable material contents). The packager
inserts the goods into the storage compartment of the container 100
and then secures the lid 200 to the receptacle 300 by screwing the
lid 200 clockwise onto the threads 313 of the receptacle 300. A
purge needle 400 or purge tube 400' can be inserted through the
outer cap aperture 215. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.
3B-3C and 4A-4C, the purge needle 400 can be inserted through the
self-healing membrane 225 and through center aperture 228 of the
protective sheet 227.
[0045] As illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4B, purge gas (e.g., nitrogen or
other suitable gas) can be injected through the needle 400 into the
storage compartment of the receptacle 300 thereby increasing the
pressure therein and purging or forcing the oxygen and other gas
surrounding the goods to flow through the one way relief valve 224
(which is adapted to open under appropriate pressure) external the
storage compartment. Once sufficiently purged the needle 400 is
removed and the purge access plug 216 can be inserted into the
aperture 215 of the outer cap 210. While a purge access plug 216 is
described, it is not required and the aperture 215 may be covered
by other means, such as a brand sticker or not covered at all.
[0046] The implementations illustrated in FIGS. 3D and 9A-9C
operate in a similar fashion, however, rather than a needle 400, a
purge tube 400' may be used to communicate pressurized purge gas
through the one-way purge valve 226, 226', the gas travels through
the protective sheet 227 and forces the oxygen and other gas to be
pressurized and pushed out through the one way relief valve 224,
224'.
[0047] Once the initial packaging and purging is complete, the
purged container 100, with the goods therein, can be shipped or
distributed to an end consumer or user. Upon opening the container
100 to access the goods therein, the storage compartment is exposed
to the atmosphere and hence is no longer purged of oxygen and
atmospheric gas. After the end-user removes the goods in the
container, the end-user can re-secure the lid to the receptacle by
screwing the lid back on and thereby enclosing whatever remains of
the goods in the container. A home kit can be provided to the
end-user/consumer that includes a purge line (e.g., the needle 400
or purge tube 400') and purge gas (e.g., nitrogen) so that the
end-user/consumer can perform substantially the same purging steps
described above as performed by the packager. Thus, after end-user
access to the goods occurs, the remaining goods can be continued to
be stored in an oxygen purged container thereby extending
shelf-life and freshness for the next use event.
[0048] Illustrated in FIGS. 5A-7C is a container 100' comprising a
receptacle 300 and a re-useable child protective/resistant screw
cap or lid 200' attached to said container receptacle 300 in
accordance with the disclosed subject matter as previously
described above, however, in this embodiment the container 100'
includes a moisture or humidity control packet or insert 600 that
can be housed in the compartment defined by the closed-end section
of the inner seal 220' of the lid 200' and physically separated
from the storage compartment by the protective sheet 227
barrier.
[0049] As best illustrated in FIG. 7B, the humidity control packet
insert 600 can be comprised of five layered components. The top
component is an adhesive peel away layer 601. The second component
is a non-permeable layer 602, the top surface of which includes
adhesive that is exposed once the adhesive peel away layer 601 is
removed. The adhesive is adapted to be adhered directly or
indirectly to the stepped-wall transition of the inner seal 220'
component thereby facilitating the securement of the humidity
control packet insert 600 to the inner seal 220' component. It
should be understood, that the humidity control packet insert 600
may be secured to the lid 200' and particularly the inner seal 220'
thereof in an suitable manner including for example mechanical
attachment or chemical or other bonding.
[0050] The next illustrated layer is a suitable humidity control
drying agent or desiccant 603, such a composition comprising one or
more of the following montmorillonite clay, silica, synthetic
zeolite or aluminosilicate, calcium oxide, calcium sulfate, salt
(or mixture of salt and water) or other suitable drying agent
material or composition.
[0051] The next component layer is a permeable layer 604 that
allows, as illustrated in FIG. 7C, container gas or air flow into
the desiccant 603 and thereby absorb moisture contained the gaseous
space in the container surrounding the goods.
[0052] The bottom outer most layer is a peel-away humidity control
packet sealant layer 605, which seals the desiccant 603 from
external exposure when peeled away or partially peeled-away. The
sealant layer 605 includes a release tab 606 (best illustrated in
FIGS. 6A and 6C that can be grasped by the user to assist the user
in peeling away the sealant layer 605 to allow the desiccant 603 to
be exposed to the container air/gas and thereby can remove, add, or
sustain moisture/humidity levels in the storage compartment. Once
the sealant layer 605 is peeled away the protective sheet 227 may
be adhered over the permeable layer 604 or alternatively the
permeable layer 604 may be formed as a protective sheet 227 to
provide the barrier functionality previously described. While a
sealant layer 605 is disclosed, it is contemplated that the lids
with a humidity packet insert may be shipped to the packager in a
concealed vacuum-packed bag without the sealant layer 605 and only
a protective sheet 227, such that the life of the desiccant is not
degraded. This could simplify the packaging process as the packager
could simply insert the goods into the container receptacle and
screw-on the lid without need to either remove the sealant layer or
position the protective sheet 227.
[0053] Although the lid 200' of the container 100' illustrated in
FIGS. 5A-7C, is depicted without a purge aperture 215 or the valve
and seal components 224, 224a, 225, 226, 226a described in the
context of the implementations illustrated in FIGS. 1A-4B and
9A-9C, as illustrated in FIG. 8, it should be understood that such
components may be combined with a humidity control packet insert
600 so that the container is capable of implementing a controlled
storage compartment that is both purged of oxygen and other
atmospheric gas and capable of controlling the humidity of the
storage compartment via dehydration or hydration thereof. In this
regard, FIG. 8 illustrates the lid 200 as previously described in
connection with FIGS. 1A-4B and 9A-9C in combination with a
humidity control packet insert 600' that has been modified to
include a center aperture 651 to facilitate the purging process
previously described.
[0054] The humidity control packet insert 600 may be included
during packaging or provided to the end-user as part of a kit with
or without the purge tube or needle and gas. Upon opening the
container to access the contents, the end user could (a) open the
humidity packet insert packaged into the lid by peeling away the
sealant layer 605, (b) replace the humidity packet insert with a
new humidity packet insert, or (c) insert a humidity packet insert
into the lid for the first time. After reattaching the lid to the
receptacle, the end user may then purge the storage compartment as
previously described to effectuate both an oxygen deprived and
humidity controlled storage compartment after each use.
[0055] Although various aspects are herein disclosed in the context
of certain preferred embodiments, implementations, and examples, it
will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present
invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to
other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the inventive aspects
and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition,
while a number of variations of the aspects have been noted, other
modifications, which are within their scope, will be readily
apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure.
It should be also understood that the scope this disclosure
includes the various combinations or sub-combinations of the
specific features and aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein,
such that the various features, modes of implementation and
operation, and aspects of the disclosed subject matter may be
combined with or substituted for one another. Structural and
logical substitutions and changes may be made that fall within the
scope of this disclosure, which is intended to cover any
adaptations and variations of the particular implemented described
herein and combination of the various features and component
elements thereof. The foregoing and various features,
constructions, configurations, and aspects, together with those set
forth in the claims and summarized above or otherwise disclosed
herein, including the drawings, may alone or in any combination
form claims for a case device, apparatus, system, method of
manufacture, and/or use without limitation. Thus, it is intended
that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not
be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments or
implementations described above, but should be determined only by a
fair reading of the claims.
* * * * *