Container Attachment

Abstract

An overcap for releasable engagement with an end of a container having an improved rigid structure with ribs for centrally spacing an auxiliary item within same. Also an improved combination package is described comprising the overcap, the container to which it is releasably engaged, and an auxiliary item placed within a separate envelope with ribs to space the item centrally of the overcap.

Description

This invention relates generally to an improvement in the packaging art. More specifically the present invention is directed to an improved overcap for use with the container having a peripheral wall and at least one end; and a combination package comprising such an overcap, a container, and an auxiliary item held therebetween.

The use of overcaps with containers is known in the packaging art. Indeed the use of such overcaps to enclose auxiliary items is shown in U. S. Pat. No. 2,604,976 to Sarg and in U. S. Pat. No. 3,417,895 to Penton. In the former patent the overcap is of complex multi-part design and includes the top closure for the main container. In the latter patent an overcap is shown for use with a cylindrical can or the like which is separately closed by an end piece. According to the latter an overcap may have molded therein an auxiliary item, such as food ingredient, which can be used with the product contained in the main container.

There is a need however for an overcap structure that may be formed in a single piece, as by molding, that provides a rigid structure to shield the contents therein and still be easily releasable and completely separate from a major container. Additionally there is a need for such an overcap of a structure to contain an auxiliary item in such a way that the latter is completely unsecured to the overcap and yet firmly held so as not to be subject to damage by shaking or moving within the space provided by the overcap, and also not subject to being pinched or otherwise damaged by positioning of the overcap on the major container.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved overcap of rigid construction, even when manufactured from thin plastic material, which may be releasably attached to a container so as to secure an auxiliary item between the container and the overcap.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved combination package of a container, a releasable overcap, and an auxiliary item held at an end of the container and centrally within the overcap.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved combination package of a container, a releasable overcap, and an auxiliary item contained in an envelope firmly held centrally of an end of the container and within the overcap.

In general the present invention is a cup-shaped over-cap adapted to be pressed upon one end of a container, such as a can, having a top panel congruent to the container and a side wall joined to the top panel and having reinforcing ribs running perpendicular to the top panel to provide rigidity and to define the space to be maintained at the end of the container.

The overcap when pressed upon an end of a container forms a combined package wherein an auxiliary item is centrally spaced between the container end, the overcap top panel, and within the space defined by the reinforcing ribs. Preferably the auxiliary item is separately held in an envelope that is secured to the center of a backing member which is, in turn, congruent with the end of the container and is held between the container and the reinforcing ribs of the overcap.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the combined package of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a preferred overcap of the present invention:

FIG. 3 is a side view of the overcap shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the preferred mounting of an auxiliary item for the combined package shown in FIG. 1.

The preferred form of the present invention was devised to package pre-mixed dry ingredients for a sauce or glaze formula to be used with a canned meat item, such as ham, packed within a cylindrical container. However it will be apparent that the invention is applicable to the packaging of a large number of items, including both foods and non-foods, which, by necessity or preference, need to be associated with some other item package within a container. It will also be apparent that the container, while preferably cylindrical, could be of substantially any shape such as cubical, rectangular form, elliptical, pear-shaped, etc. For instance the present invention can readily be adapted to package gravy mixes, condiments, jams, jellies and the like, in combination with virtually any shape container wherein another food ingredient is packaged. Similarly the invention can be adapted to the packaging of paint pigments in combination with a liquid paint base; and even to package such things as costume jewelry or other clothing accessories in combination with sweaters or other items of clothing.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings it will be seen that a cup-shaped overcap generally 10 is adapted to hold upon a cylindrical container generally 12 a blister package generally 14.

The container generally 12 is of the usual type having a peripheral wall 16, ends 18 and chimes 20 formed at the juncture of each end 18 and the peripheral wall 16. In containers of this type the chime 20 conveniently forms a slight ledge to which the overcap generally 10 may be conveniently gripped.

The overcap generally 10, which is seen in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, comprises a top panel 24 which should be substantially congruent, that is, of the same shape and size, to the end 18 of the container generally 12. A circumferential side wall 26 surrounds the top panel 24 of the overcap generally 10 and extends downwardly therefrom to terminate in a peripheral skirt 28 which is congruent to the side wall 26 but of slightly greater diameter or other cross-dimension. A circumferential lip 30 is formed to extend slightly inwardly between the side wall 26 and skirt 28. Lip 30 is intended to be snapped over the chime 20 encircling the end of the container generally 12.

As also may be noted in the FIGURES a plurality of reinforcing ribs 32 are formed in the overcap side wall 26 between the top panel 24 and the lip 30. Preferably the reinforcing ribs 32 terminate slightly above the lip 30 at inwardly formed rib seats 34. It will be noted in the FIGURES that the reinforcing ribs 32 are of uniform dimension and extend inwardly of the side wall 26 a significant distance. In practice it has been found advantageous for these ribs to extend inwardly approximately 3/16 inch which is sufficient to define an inner space within which an auxiliary item may be maintained free from direct contact with the side wall 26.

It is also preferred to reinforce the top panel 24 by forming therein an outer margin 36. This may be done by either raising or depressing the central portion of the top panel 24 within the reinforcing margin 36 although the latter is preferred so as to provide a protected area to which a label or other indicia may be affixed. The combined effect of the reinforcing ribs 32 and the side wall 26 and the reinforcing margin 36 on the top panel 24 is to provide an overcap structure of sufficient rigidity to permit the vertical stacking of a plurality of assembled packages.

The side reinforcing ribs 32 also cooperate in a unique manner with a preferred form of blister pack generally 14 within which the auxiliary item is to be maintained. The blister pack generally 14 comprises a film cover or envelope 40 secured to a flat backing member 42 with the auxiliary item or contents 44 contained in the envelope or between the film and the backing member. In the specific embodiment of the invention devised for use with a canned ham product the blister pack generally 14 contains dry granular solids used in preparing a sugar-type glaze. The backing member 42 must be formed of a flat material such as paper, plastic, or thin metal film and is shaped so that its maximum dimensions conform with the end 18 of the container generally 12 whereby the backing member 42 will be held centrally thereon. Preferably the backing member 42 is made congruent with the end 18 so as to fit within the chime 20 of the container generally 12. Also it is critical that the film cover or envelope 40 be secured to the backing member 42 centrally thereof so as to leave a circumferential flange 46 that is at least equal to the depth of the reinforcing ribs 32 in the side wall 26 of the overcap generally 10. Thus it will be apparent that when the blister pack generally 14 is placed upon an end 18 of the container 12, the overcap may then be snapped onto the container generally 12 without pinching or other interference with the envelope 40 and the circumferential flange 46 will be held securely between the container end 18 and a plurality of the rib seats 34.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. An improved combination package comprising: a container having a peripheral wall and at least one end joined thereto; an overcap grippingly engaged to said container at said end by a lip formed in a side wall of said overcap, said overcap having a top panel congruent to said container end joined to said side wall and spaced from said end by a plurality of spaced reinforcing ribs formed inwardly in said side wall and extending from said top panel toward said lip and terminating at inwardly displaced seats which abut the end of said container so as to overlap circumferential portions of said end; and an auxiliary item between said container end and said top panel and within the area surrounded by said reinforcing ribs, said auxiliary item being held within an envelope shaped to conform to the space between said container end and said top panel and within the area defined by said reinforcing ribs, and being centrally mounted on a backing member having a maximum dimension substantially the same as said container end leaving an outer circumferential flange on said backing member that extends between said end and said seats of at least some of said ribs.

2. A combination package of claim 1 wherein the top panel of said overcap includes a reinforcing margin at the circumferential edge thereof.

3. A combination package of claim 1 wherein a peripheral skirt extends beyond said lip of said overcap opposite said side wall and overlays a portion of said peripheral wall of said container.

4. A combination package of claim 3 wherein the lip and skirt grip and overlay a portion of a can having a chime formed at the juncture of the end and peripheral wall thereof.