Container And Closure

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a container formed of thermoform plastic material and a metallic closure, the closure being of a conventional construction and including a downwardly opening channel in part defined by an outermost peripheral wall terminating in a raw severed edge, the container having a body terminating at an upper end portion in a radially upwardly outwardly and downwardly directed wall, the latter of which joins a generally radially outwardly directed peripheral wall which underlies the free raw edge of the lid to prevent contact thereof with a person's hand. The peripheral wall includes as an integral extension thereof a tab for manually deflecting the lid upwardly to facilitate the removal thereof. Additionally, the outermost maximum diameter of the downwardly directed container wall portion is normally greater than the diameter of the innermost surface of the outermost lid wall whereby the downwardly directed portion of the body will be directed radially inwardly when the lid is in its seated position.

Description

A primary object of this invention is to provide a novel container preferably formed of thermoformed synthetic polymeric or copolymeric material, the container having a neck finish particularly adapted for frictional engagement with a downwardly opening channel of an associated lid, the container having a body terminating at an upper end portion in a generally outwardly and downwardly opening channel, the channel being defined by an upwardly outwardly and downwardly directed wall of the upper end portion, and the downwardly directed portion of the wall being joined to a generally radially outwardly peripheral wall adapted to underlie a free edge of an associated lid channel to prevent contact thereof with a person's hand, particularly if the free edge is raw severed metal, thus avoiding accidental or inadvertent damage thereto.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel container of the type aforesaid wherein tab means are provided forming an integral extension of the peripheral wall for manually deflecting the downwardly directed wall portion of the channel outwardly to facilitate the removal of an associated lid, and the downwardly directed wall portion of the body channel includes a plurality of spaced slots disposed about the periphery thereof to enhance the flexibility of the body channel.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel container of the type described wherein the tab means is in part defined by a pair of spaced weakening lines extending into the downwardly directed wall portion of the body channel.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a novel container of the type aforesaid in combination with a lid having an end panel terminating in a downwardly opening channel defined by an upwardly outwardly and downwardly directed wall, the lid being constructed from material more rigid than the material of the body, and the downwardly directed wall portion of the body channel having an exterior maximum diameter greater than the interior maximum diameter of the downwardly directed wall portion of the lid channel whereby the latter wall portion will deflect the former wall portion radially inwardly when the body channel is seated within the lid channel.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the acoompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container and lid constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates the lid position prior to being fully seated upon an upper end portion of the container.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged axial sectional view taken through the assembled lid and container of FIG. 1, and illustrates the manner in which a raw severed terminal edge of the lid channel is protected by an underlying radially outwardly directed peripheral wall of the container body.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the right-hand portion of FIG. 2, and illustrates the manner in which a tab of the container body is deflected upwardly to facilitate the removal of the lid.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of another container, and illustrates a modified tab for initiating the removal of an associated lid .

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a novel container constructed in accordance with this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10, and is preferably constructed from thermoformed, injection molded, blow molded, hot drawn, or similar forming processes utilizing polyethylene, polystyrene or similar polymeric or copolymeric material. The container 10 includes a bottom wall (not shown) and a generally tubular body 11 terminating at an upper end portion 12 in an outward and downwardly opening channel 13. The channel 13 is defined in general by an upwardly, outwardly and downwardly directed wall 14. The outermost wall portion is generally designated by the reference numeral 15 and includes an outermost surface 16 normally of a predetermined maximum diameter D2 (FIG. 2). The significance of the diameter D2 will be apparent hereinafter. The wall portion 15 is integrally joined by a radius portion 17 to a generally radially outwardly directed peripheral wall or flange 18 having a terminal edge 20, the latter of which has a minimum diamter D3 (FIG. 2) in the closed position and a somewhat greater diameter prior to the application of a lid 25, as is indicated in phantom outline in FIG. 2.

Integrally formed as an extension of the peripheral wall 18 is tab means 21 for facilitating the removal of the lid 25 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. The tab or tab means 21 is formed by a pair of generally parallel score lines, slots or similar lines of weakness 22, 23 formed in the peripheral wall 18 and extending upwardly through the juncture portion 17 and the downwardly directed wall portion 15. The terminal ends of the slots 22, 23 are designated by the reference numeral 24 in FIG. 3.

The lid 25 is of a conventional construction and is preferably formed of metallic material which is relatively more rigid than the material of the container 10. However, the lid 25 can be as well made from plastic or similar material but in keeping with one aspect of this invention, irrespective of the material from which the lid 25 is constructed, it must be more rigid than that of the container 10.

The lid 25 includes an end panel 26 terminating in a downwardly opening channel 27 in which may be housed a suitable sealing compound S. The channel 27 is defined by an upwardly outwardly and downwardly directed wall, generally designated by the reference numeral 28 with the downwardly directed outermost wall portion being designated by the reference numeral 30. The wall portion 30 includes an innermost surface 31 having a diameter D1 (FIG. 2) and terminates in a terminal edge 32 having a maximum diameter D4 (FIG. 2).

The diameters D1, D4 of the lid 25 remain relatively unchanged prior to and after the application of the lid 25 to the upper end portion 14 of the container 10. However, the diameters D2, D3 of the container 10 are reduced from the normal position (phantom outline in FIG. 2) upon the application of the lid 25 (solid lines in FIG. 2). Upon the application of the lid 25 to the upper end portion 14 of the container 10 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. 2 the smaller diameter D1 of the inner lid surface 31 of the wall 30 bears against the outer surface 16 of the wall 15 and bends or deflects the wall 15 inwardly from the phontom outline to the solid outline position in FIG. 2. Due to the "memory" of the plastic material from which the container 10 is constructed the forces set up in the wall 14 due to the inward deflection of the wall portion 15 continue to be directed radially outwardly and thus increase the frictional purchase between the surfaces 16, 31. It is to be remembered that the material of the lid 25 is more rigid than that of the container 10 and thus the wall 30 remains substantially unyielding and the frictional forces between the surfaces 16, 31 are maintained by the reboundable nature of the wall 14 until such time as the lid 25 is removed but even upon reapplication of the lid 25 to the container 10 like forces are created to again effect optimum frictional engagement between the lid and container.

It is also to be noted from FIG. 2 that due to the lesser diameter D4 of the edge 32 as compared to the diameter D3, the edge 32 is at all times in overlying relationship to the peripheral wall 18 when in the seated position shown in FIG. 2. The peripheral wall 18 thereby serves as a protector to prevent a person's hands from contacting the edge 32 and being damaged thereby, particularly if the lid 25 is formed from metallic material in which case the edge 32 would be relatively sharp as a result of the conventional blanking or punching operation.

When it is desired to remove the lid 25 from the container 10, manual pressure is applied to the tab 21 to deflect the same upwardly in the manner indicated by the unnumbered arrow of FIG. 3 during which time the outer surface 16 bears against the edge 32 causing the same to rise toward and to the unseated position (FIG. 3). It should be noted that during this opening operation the slots 22, 23 permit the tab 21 to be deflected as great as is necessary to unseat the lid by virtue of the fact of the slot end portions 24 terminating at or near the uppermost portion of the wall 14, as is best illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a container 40 illustrated therein is virtually identical to the container 10 of FIG. 1 except for the particular construction of a tab 41. Thus, the container 40 will not be described in detail except to note that an upper end portion 42 thereof corresponds identically to the end portion 12 of the container 10 and includes a downwardly directed wall 43 terminating in a radially outwardly directed peripheral wall or flange 44 which functions as a protector in the manner of the peripheral wall 18 of the container 10. Moreover, the upper end portion 42 includes a pair of slots 45, 46 to facilitate the upward hinging or pivoting of the tab 41 for removing a lid (not shown) from the container 40. However, as opposed to the radially outwardly directed normal position of the tab 21 of the container 10, the tab 41 forms an extension of the wall 43 in a downward direction. Apart from this difference, the containers 10, 40 are identical.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

I claim:

1. A container having a neck finish particularly adapted for frictional engagement with a downwardly opening channel of an associated lid, said container comprising a body terminating at an upper end portion in a generally outward and downward opening channel, said channel being defined by an upwardly outwardly and downwardly directed wall of said upper end portion, said downwardly directed portion of said will being joined to a generally radially outwardly directed peripheral wall adapted to underlie a free edge of an associated lid channel to prevent contact thereof with a person's hand, particularly if the free edge is raw severed metal, tab means forming an integral extension of said peripheral wall for manually deflecting at least a portion of the downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel outwardly to facilitate the removal of an associated lid, said tab means is in part defined by a pair of spaced weakening lines extending into said downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel, and said tab means is devoid of a weakening line between said pair of spaced weakening lines.

2. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said body including said channel and peripheral walls is constructed from thermoformed flexible synthetic polymeric material.

3. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel includes a plurality of spaced slots disposed about the periphery thereof to enhance the flexibility of said body channel.

4. The container as defined in claim 1 in combination with a lid having an end panel terminating in a downwardly opening channel defined by an upwardly outwardly and downwardly directed wall, said lid being constructed from material more rigid than the material of said body, and said downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel having an exterior maximum diameter greater than an interior maximum diameter of said downwardly directed wall portion of said lid channel whereby the latter wall portion will deflect the former wall portion radially inwardly when said body channel is seated within said lid channel.

5. The container as defined in claim 4 wherein said body including said channel and peripheral walls is constructed from thermoformed flexible synthetic polymeric material.

6. The container as defined in claim 4 wherein said downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel includes a plurality of spaced slots disposed about the periphery thereof to enhance the flexibility of said body channel.

7. A container having a neck finish particularly adapted for frictional engagement with a downwardly opening channel of an associated lid, said container comprising a body terminating at an upper end portion in a generally outwardly and downwardly opening channel, said channel being defined by an upwardly, outwardly and downwardly directed wall of said upper end portion, said downwardly directed portion of said wall being joined to a generally radially outwardly directed peripheral wall adapted to underlie a free edge of an associated lid channel to prevent contact thereof with a person's hand, particularly if the free edge is raw severed metal, tab means forming an integral extension of said downwardly directed wall portion for manually deflecting at least a portion of the downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel outwardly to facilitate the removal of an associated lid, said tab means is in part defined by a pair of spaced weakening lines extending into said downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel, and said tab means is devoid of a weakening line between said pair of spaced weakening lines.

8. The container as defined in claim 7 in combination with a lid having an end panel terminating in a downwardly opening channel defined by an upwardly outwardly and downwardly directed wall, said lid being constructed from material more rigid than the material of said body, and said downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel having an exterior maximum diameter greater than an interior maximum diameter of said downwardly directed wall portion of said lid channel whereby the latter wall portion will deflect the former wall portion radially inwardly when said body channel is seated within said lid channel.

9. The container as defined in claim 8 wherein said downwardly directed wall portion of said body channel includes a plurality of spaced slots disposed about the periphery thereof to enhance the flexibility of said body channel.