AU664198B2 - Container lid - Google Patents

Description

F" 664198

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT S F Ref: 221387

ORIGINAL

404444 4 4 o 9 I! I 0 0 i *oi a G a I S 0 4 a o r oo J l 6 Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL [31] Application No(s) PK8582 Arrow Plastics Pty Ltd 16 Redfern Street Wetherill Park New South Wales 2164

AUSTRALIA

Graham James Bendall and James Ernest Stafford Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Container Lid APPLICATION DETAILS [33] Country

AU

[32] Application Date 26 September 1991 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 1 i rr 2 Container Lid Technical Field The following invention relates to lids for containers and more particularly though not exclusively to a stackable combination of a container and lid particularly suitable for storage of frozen goods.

Background of the Invention There is a need for containers and combinations of a container and lid that are vertically stackable and horizontally stable in a stacked state. For storage of frozen contents there is also a need to provide adequate ventilation around, above and below lO vertically stacked containers.

0 4 I..Disclosure of the Invention In accordance with a firSt embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed herein a lid for a container having a base, the lid comprising: a container-covering portion adapted to cover an upper opening of the container, 4 t 4 t 15 an annular flange adapted to sealingly engage with an upper rim of the container, a recess adjacent to the annular flange, and a lug extending across the recess and providing a platform onto which a container stacked thereon may rest such that a space sufficient to allow a substantial flow of air is 4 o~ provided between the base of said container stacked thereon and the container-covering o, 1 20 portion of the lid, whereby heat transfer between the flow of air and the base of said container stacked thereon and said container covering portion of the lid is enabled.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed herein in combination, a container comprising: abase, Sa side-wall, an opening, and a rim of the side-wall surrounding the opening, and the lid of the first embodiment, the annular flange of the lid being sealingly engaged with said rim.

In accordance with a third embodiment of the invention, there is disc!r :,ed herein a method of facilitating heat transfer between air in a refrigerated space and goods stored within the space, comprising: stacking a plurality of combinations in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention one atop of another within the refrigerated space, the container of each combination having said goods stored therein.

In accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed herein a method of facilitating heat transfer between air in a 0' [N:\1ibll100269:DSS f- 3 -3refrigerated space and a plurality of combinations in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention, comprising: stacking said combinations one atop of another within the refrigerated space.

Typically, the means to allow vertical stacking comprises a lug extending across an annular recess adjacent to the annular flange, the lug providing a platform onto which a lower extension of the container side-wall may rest when stacked such that a space is provided between the base of the container and the container-covering portion of the lid.

Generally the annular recess forms a continuation of the flow passage.

Preferably, the lug is provided with a step adapted to engage with the lower extension of the container side-wall so as to provide means for ;establishing lateral stability between the container and lid therebelow.

15 Beneficially, an annular stacking ring extends from the underside of the lia away from the annular recess. The stacking ring is adapted to co-operate with the step of a lid therebelow when lids are to be stacked one above the other for storage or transportation purposes for example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRANINGS A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by .,way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. I is a schematic partial cross-sectional elevational view of a lid with a container stacked thereabove, Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of a lid, 25 Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional elevational view of a lid having a container stacked thereabove, and Fig. 4 is a schematic fragmentary perspective view of a lid.

O: BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring initially to Fig. 1, there is depicted a container or bucket 10 stacked above a lid 12 which would normally be sealingly located above another bucket or container Container 10 typically formed of Polypropylene, PVC or other thermoplastics material comprises an essentially cylindrical or preferably slightly downwardly, inwardly tapered wall 16. Container further comprises a base 15 as depicted.

Side-wall 16 extends below the horizontal level of base 15 to form a lower extension 23 of the side-wall.

The lid 12 which is typically formed of similar material as is L RLF/28901

I

ii 1j 1.i 4404*0I o 40 4 01 4904 00 *0 04 4 -4container 10, also depicted in Fig. 1 comprises a container-covering portion or plateau 25 having extending around its periphery an annular flange 17. Flange 17 houses an annular groove 18 which is typically adapted to sealingly snap engage over the rim of a container.

Extending in an annular fashion inwardly adjacent to annular flange 17 is an annular recess 24. Recess 24 extends radially between flange 27 and the container-covering portion or plateau 25 of the lid 12.

Also extending between annular flange 17 and plateau 25 is an interlock lug 11. Interlock lug 11, as best depicted in Fig. 4 comprises an outer wall portion 20 and an inner wall portion 21 formed integrally with an off-set platform portion 19 therebetween. A step 14 is provided between outer wall portion 20 and platform 19. It should be noted that the upper extremity 26 of flange 17 resides in a higher plane than does plateau 25. Although the upper edge of wall portion 20 may be downwardly sloped toward plateau 25, the height of step 14 generally corresponds to the difference between the level of plateau 25 and the upper extremity 26 of flange 17. The purpose of step 14 is to provide lateral location of container 10 above lid 12. Since typically 3 interlock lugs 11 are provided evenly spaced about the periphery of lid 12, three steps 14 will 20 prevent container 10 from sliding horizontally, and thus centrally maintaining container 10 with respect to lid 12.

Off-set platform 19 which extends circumferentially between wall portions 20 and 21 serves as a supporting base for the lower extension 23 of container 10 thereabove. Although it is not essential that off-set platform 19 be circumferentially off-set, it is desirable that it be so for the purpose of providing a rigid foundation for container 10 which is mounted thereon.

Since the mounting of lower extension 23 upon off-set platform 19 provides a fixed vertical gap between plateau 25 and base 15 of container 10, a flow passage 22 for cooling air is provided therebetween. As best depicted in Fig. 3 it can be seen that cooling air may pass radially across annular recess 24 through to flow passage 22 for the purpose of heat transfer between the cooling air and base 15 and plateau 25. The cooling air may then exit via annular recess 24 at a diametrically opposing location to its inlet or any other location about the periphery of the lid.

Extending below annular recess 24 is a stacking ring 13. Stacking ring 13 is important when stacking several lids 12 one atop of another.

PLWRQ()l Fr To this end, stacking ring 13 co-operates with step 14 to provide lateral stability and a centering effect for the vertically stacked lids.

In use, goods such as ice-cream for example are received by and stored within a plurality of containers 10. Lids 12 are sealingly snap engaged over containers 10 in a conventional manner. The containers with lids thereon and goods therein are then stacked one upon the other within a refrigerated space and accordingly, heat transfer is facilitated between the cool air of the refrigerated space and the goods stored within each container In a vertically stacked condition, step 14 cooperates with the lower extension 23 of wall 16 of container 10 upon lid 12 to provide lateral integrity of the stack.

As advantages of the present invention it can be seen that several containers 10 can be stacked one atop of another in a horizontally stable manner, thus maintaining a column of stacked containers suitably stable 4: for the purpose of transportation for example. As the invention herein is primarily directed to the storage and transportation of frozen :articles, the cooling air flow passage 22 between plateau 25 and base facilitates heat transfer between ti cool air of a refrigerator and the upper and lower surfaces of the container. Accordingly, more efficient cooling and shorter freezing times are available than with the use of conventional containers. A further advantage of the invention is that the stacking ring moulded into the underside of each lid allows the lids to be conveniently nested to thus center the lid via the interlock lug of a lid therebelow.

RLF/28901

Claims (11)

1. A lid for a container having a base, the lid comprising: a container-covering portion adapted to cover an upper opening of the container, an annular flange adapted to sealingly engage with an upper rim of the container, a recess adjacent to the annular flange, and a lug extending across the recess and providing a platform onto which a container stacked thereon may rest such that a space sufficient to allow a substantial flow of air is provided between the base of said container stacked thereon and the container-covering portion of the lid, whereby heat transfer between the flow of air and the base of said container stacked thereon and said container covering portion of the lid is enabled.

2. The lid of claim 1 wherein the platform is adapted to support a lower extension of the container side-wall. a f

3. The lid of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the annular recess forms a continuation t of the space for air flow.

4. The lid of any one of the preceding claims wherein the lug is provided with a step adapted to engage with the lower extension of the container side-wall so as to provide means for establishing lateral stability between the container and lid therebelow.

The lid of any one of the preceding claims wherein an annular stacking ring extends from the underside of the lid away from the annular recess. o: 20

6. In combination, a container comprising: at a base, a side-wall, an opening, and a rim of the side-wall surrounding the opening, and a lid in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, the annular flange of the o lid being sealingly engaged with said rim.

7. A method of facilitating heat transfer between air in a refrigerated space and goods stored within the space, comprising: stacking a plurality of combinations in accordance with claim 6 one atop of another within the refrigerated space, the container of each combination having goods stored therein.

8. A method of facilitating heat transfer between air in a [N:\Iib]00269:D 7E to[N:\Iibll269:DSS i- S- 7 refrigerated space and a plurality of combinations as claimed in claim 6, comprising: stacking said combinations one atop of another within the refrigerated space.

9. A lid for a container, the lid being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A combination of a container and lid, the combination being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of facilitating heat transfer between air in a refrigerated space and goods stored within the space, the metnod being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this TWENTY-THIRD day of SEPTEMBER 1992 ,0 Arrow Plastics Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON I RIF/RO91