CA2409805A1 - Container - Google Patents

Description

CONTAINER
Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to a container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container for containing and distributing substances, such as spices and the like.
Background of the invention:
Known in the art are various containers used for containing and distributing substances, such as spices and the like. Indeed, presently in the market there are different spice containers which have essentially the same functions, namely:
the preservation of spices and the stocking thereof for use, namely, in culinary applications.
Also known in the art are the various shapes and formats in which these different containers are presented: some are made of glass or plastic and some consist of bags or envelopes of different sizes.
Known in the art, there is the conventional cylindrical "glass container"
which is generally clear and transparent, and is typically provided with a distributing cap and a cover. The disadvantages of this type of container are the following: it is not stackable; it is made out of glass and thus is easily breakable; it has a round shape, which renders the manipulating of the container difficult; and it is generally heavier than the other spice containers available in the market. Another disadvantage related to this type of container is that the consumer must "take off' the distributing cap in order to remove the seal, and then put the distributing cap back-on again and this, without damaging the latter. The risks of wastage, the risks of breaking the container if dropped and/or the risks of loss of spices increase with the handling of the container that the consumer must carry out in

2 order to use the product. Furthermore, "glass containers" stored one next to the other, in a cupboard for example, render the spotting of the various types of spices difficult and also occupy a lot of space in the cupboard itself, because the containers cannot be stacked onto one another, which is very disadvantageous for obvious reasons.
Also known in the art is the conventional cylindrical "plastic container"
which presents essentially the same disadvantages as the above-mentioned "glass container", namely: it is non-stackable; it has a round shape; it requires a particular handling of the container; and it renders the spotting of the various types of desired spices difficult, in a cupboard for example.
Also known in the art is the "plastic bag" container. This type of container is disadvantageous because it generally comes with a ZipIocTM closing means which, according to many consumers, has been known to seldom close properly and thus leads to a loss of freshness of the product inside the bag and also makes the cupboard become sprinkled with unwanted spices. Also, when using the "plastic bag", a consumer will often have to decant it into another suitable container in order to be able to have better access to the product. Moreover, the above-mentioned type of closing means does not provide to a user the choice of a specific desired quantity, because with only one choice of opening (which is generally too big), one must resort to the use of measuring spoons. Similarly to the conventional glass and/or plastic containers, a consumer must manipulate the bag, namely with scissors, in order to have access to the product contained inside the bag. Disadvantages of this type of handling may lead namely to the cutting/damage of the closing means by mistake or simply the tearing the bag.
Furthermore, storing this type of container which has no stable base and has a heterogeneous shape, in a cupboard for example, renders the access and the visibility to the spices very difficult, as well as takes up a lot of space, which is very undesirable. Indeed, "plastic bag" containers are not easily "stackable"
onto one another, which is also very disadvantageous.

3 Also known in the art, there is the "cellophane bag", which further to the great risk of tearing due to the fragility of its constituent material, also presents the same disadvantages as those of the plastic bag containers.
Hence, in light of the aforementioned, there is a need for an improved container for containing and distributing substances, such as spices and the like, which, by virtue of its design and components, would be able to overcome some of the aforementioned problems.
Summary of the invention:
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved container for containing and distributing substances, such as spices and the like, which satisfies some of the above-mentioned needs and which is thus an improvement over other such containers known in the prior art.
In accordance with the present invention, the above object is achieved, as will be easily understood, with a container such as the one briefly described herein and such as the one exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is also provided the method for employing the above-mentioned container.
The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings:
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the container according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the container being shown with a security seal.

4 Figure 2 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 1, the container being shown now with its security seal removed.
Figure 3 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 2, the container being shown now with its cap in a first opening position.
Figure 4 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 3, the container being shown now with its cap in a second opening position.
Figure 5 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 4, the container being shown now with its cap in a third opening position.
Figure 6 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 5, the container being shown now with its cap in a fourth opening position.
Figure 7 is a side perspective view of the container shown in Figure 1.
Figure 8 is a partial bottom perspective view of the container shown in Figure 1.
Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the container shown in Figure 1.
Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of another portion of the container shown in Figure 1.
Figure 11 is a top perspective view of the base of the container shown in Figure 1.
Figure 12 is a top perspective view of the cover of the container shown in Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a top perspective view of the cap of the container shown in Figure 1, said cap being shown provided with a security seal.
Figure 14 is a partial top plan view of what is shown in Figure 5.

5 Figure 15 is a partial perspective view of the cover clip of the container shown in Figure 1.
Detailed description of a areferred embodiment of the invention:
In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar elements. The embodiments shown in the figures are preferred.
Moreover, although the present invention was primarily designed for use with spices and the like, it may be used with other types of substances andlor objects and for other applications in other' fields, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
For this reason, expressions such as "spice", "food", "culinary", "cupboard", etc., used herein should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention and includes all other kinds of items and applications with which the present invention could be used and may be useful.
Moreover, in the context of the present invention, the expressions "cover", "lid", "cap", "plug", and any other equivalent expression known in the art will be used interchangeably. Furthermore, the same applies for any other mutually equivalent expressions, such as "orifice" and "opening", as well as "seal" and "airtightness"
for example, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art.
In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises various components, such as a security seal, notches, clips, recesses, a groove, rails, etc., and although the preferred embodiment of the cantainer 1 and of its components as shown consists of certain geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated herein,

6 not all of these components and geometries are essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense, i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art, that other suitable components and cooperations thereinbetween, as well as other suitable geometrical configurations may be used for the container 1 and corresponding parts according to the present invention, as briefly explained herein, without departing from the scope of the invention.
Broadly described, the present invention relates to a container 1 for containing and distributing substances, such as spices and the like.
As better shown in the accompanying drawings, the container 1 according to the present invention preferably comprises a base 3 into which is contained the substance to be contained, such as spices and the like for example, and the container 1 also preferably camprises a cover 5 which is operatively mounted onto an upper edge 7 of the base 3 for providing a substantially airtight seal inside the container 1, so as to preferably ensure the freshness of the substance contained inside the container 1. The cover 5 preferably comprises at least one opening 9 which gives access to the inside of the container 1 and also comprises a cap 11 which is preferably intended to selectively open and close the opening 9 of the container 1.
As better shown in the accompanying drawings, the cap 11 is preferably devised to slide within a corresponding recessed groove 13 provided on the cover 5 and is preferably devised to selectively open and close the opening 9 of the container 1 in a substantially airtight manner. As shown in the accompanying drawings, the cap 11 preferably comprises a pair of recesses 15 which define a handle 17 for facilitating the opening and the closing of the cap 11 by the users, by simply applying a slight force onto the handle by means of a finger. Preferably also, the cap 11 is located within the groove 13 of the cover 5 so as to be substantially flush with the remaining portion of the cover 5. Preferably also, the cover 5 is provided with a raised rim 19 which enables, among other advantages, for

7 another similar container 1 to be stacked in a stable manner onto the cover 5.
Preferably also, the portion of the rim 19 of the cover 5 adjacent to the opening 9 where distribution of the spices are made is deprived of such raised rim 19, so as to facilitate distribution of spices from the opening 9 onto a given product.
It is worth mentioning here that although the rim 19 provides substantial advantages to the present invention, namely for stacking purposes, it is not an essential feature of the invention. Moreover, although such raised rim 19 is absent in the vicinity of the opening 9 of the cover 5, it is worth mentioning that according to another embodiment of the invention, such a raised rim 19 may extend all along the entire periphery of the cover 5.
As better shown in Figure 1, the cap 11 is preferably provided with a security seal which preferably consists of a security tab 21 having a projection 23 inserted into a corresponding notch 25 of the groove 13 of the cover 5, as better shown in Figure 9. This preferred security seal is preferably intended to ensure to a user of the container 1 that the cap 11 has not been previously opened. Indeed, prior to the first use of the container 1, a user simply has to "break-off' the security tab 21 from the cap 11 so as to be able to slide the cap 11 along the groove 13 of the cover 5. Although the cap 11 may be operated simply between an opened and a closed configuration, the cap 11 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention is preferably devised to be positioned and secured at five (5) different locations within the groove 13 of the cover 5, as will be explained hereinbelow.
Preferably also, for each of said configurations, the cap 11 is preferably provided with interlocking means 27 which interact with a side edge of the groove 13 of the cover 5 so as to position and secure the cap 11 for each such given position.
These interlocking means preferably consist of a corresponding clip 29 provided on the cap 11 which is removably and selectively inserted into corresponding notches 31 provided along the side rim of the groove 13 of the cover 5, as better shown in Figure 14. It is worth mentioning, that other suitable interlocking means 27 may be provided for positioning and securing the cap 11 along predetermined positions of the groove 13, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.

The container 1 is preferably made of a transparent and polymeric material, although other suitable materials and translucences may be used for the fabrication of the container 1 and of its components, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art.
The cover 5 is preferably secured onto the base 3 by suitable sealing means, such as by electrosound techniques, or by other suitable means, so as to ensure an adequate sealing and resulting freshness inside the container 1, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
Preferably, the container 1 has a rectangular shape so as to be easily stackable and thus enable a consumer to store the containers 1 while minimizing the space required for such storing, in a cupboard for example. The manner in which a label is applied to the container 1, preferably on the top cover 5 and/or on a side wall of the base 3, enables consumers to read easily the name of the product which is being searched, even when the containers 1 are stacked onto one another.
Preferably, as aforementioned, the cap 11 offers five (5) positioning selections for obtaining the desired quantity of spices, among which there is an opening for sprinkling salts or granulates, an opening for seasonings and, a greater opening for applying herbs. The cover 5 is protected by a protective tab 21 which is easy to remove.
Indeed, the cap 11 and cover 5 assembly enable the possibility of five (5) choices of openings, as shown in Figures 2 to 6. This is achievable by simply sliding the cap 11 so as to be positioned at the desired locations/openings, contrary to the other containers known in the art which typically only offer one (1 ) to three (3) choices of openings (closed/grid/opened).
The container 1 is easily stackable, by taking for example a normal height of a cupboard, the container 1 according to the present invention enables the possibility of stacking several cantainers 1 (e.g. ten (10) containers 1) therein depending on the shape and size of the containers 1.
Furthermore, the design and the positioning of the cap 11 on the cover 5 enables to better see the product inside the container 1.
As better shown in Figure 10, the plastic container 1, which is preferably transparent, enables to contain the product, with an edge 17 for supporting and sealing the cover 5.
Referring now generally to Figures 1-15, there is shown how the cover 5 is devised to provide an airtight seal and protect the matter inside the container 1.
The upper rim 19 of the cover 5 which is raised from the cover 5, prevents the containers 1 from sliding when stacked onto each other. The cover 5 also is intended to support the cap 11. The portion of the cover 5 having no rim 19 is intended to allow the spices to slide during the use of the container. The inferior rims) 33 of the cover 5 are intended to stabilize the latter onto the base 3 so as to facilitate the sealing between the cover 5 and the base 3. In the recessed portion of the cover 5, as better shown in Figure 14, there is located the preferred five (5) stoppage points, as better shown in Figure 15, providing the five (5) choices of openings. In the same portion, there is located a small projection 23, as better shown in Figure 9, serving to trigger the security notch of the tab 21.
Preferably, two (2) rails 35 support the cap 11 so as to enable it to slide suitably with the groove 13.
Referring now to Figure 10, there is shown the cap 11, of rectangular shape preferably, providing an airtight seal to the orifice 9 of the cover 5.
Furthermore, the cap 11 with its specific and reviewed design, provides to the consumers choices of openings. At the end thereof, a clip 29, as better shown in Figures and 14, enables the cap 11 to be secured by simply sliding the clip 29 onto the corresponding stoppage notches 31, so as to allow preferably five (5) different positionings. On the cap 11, there is also preferably two (2) rails 35, as better shown in Figure 13, that are associated with corresponding slits on the groove of the cover 5. The latter are intended to allow the cap to slide in a suitable manner, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
5 On top of the cap 11, in its extremity, there is preferably a tab 21 intended for providing the air-tightness of the product. Close to the latter, a sloping system enables to close the opening thus impeding the accumulation of matter. The tab 21, preferably located at the extremity of the cap 11, as better shown in Figure 13, is intended as a security "valve". On the bottom of the cap 11, there is 10 preferably a projection 23 that is inserted into a corresponding notch 25 of the cover 5, as better shown in Figure 9. The safety seal protects the consumer by ensuring him that the container has never been opened in store. In order to be able to use the product, one must raise the tab 21 and "break off' the seal.
Preferably, on top of the cap 11, two (2) recessed cavities 15, as better shown in Figure 13, are intended to facilitate the manipulation with the fingers during the choice of opening.
Many modifications could be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. Indeed, one may use the snap method instead of the sealing method for properly closing the cover 5 onto the base 3.
Moreover, the shape and sizes of the orifice 9 may be adjusted. Moreover, the color of the container 1 and of the cap 11 may be altered. Moreover, the dimension of the container 1 itself may be different. Moreover, a system of perforation (e.g. a grid) may be incorporated in the system. Moreover, the position of the clip 29 may be altered. Finally, the superior and/or inferior rims 19, 33 of the container 1 may be altered.
As may now be appreciated, the present invention is a substantial improvement over the prior art in that by virtue of its design and components, the container 1 according to the present invention, presents the following advantages: a) facilitates the handling of the product by way of its shape and facilitates its stocking, as well as ensures an airtight container preserving thus the freshness of the spices contained therein; b) by way of its new design is more attractive for the consumer, in store as well as in the home; c) it has also been conceived for the travelling consumer by offering a stocking facility namely in a trailer, at the chalet and/or while camping; d) the unique container does not require such a rigorous handling thereof (e.g. distributing cap to handle or scissors to be used) as in the case with a conventional containers or bags; e) the choice for the plastic material as a constituent material of the container renders it less heavy and transparent; f) the container 1 provides to the user the opportunity to use it in its original form without having to decant it into another container; g) being devised to be closed in an airtight manner, the container 1 assures a product of greater freshness; h) the secured container 1 gives the opportunity to be used and handled without any danger to a young person or an older person; i) the container 1 renders the visibility and the accessibility of the product to be spotted more easily in commercial establishments as well as at home; and j) the container 1 is available in different formats and proposes to the consumer the choice of buying the desired quantity according to his particular needs.
Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as apparent to a person skilled in the art.

Claims