GB2600909A

GB2600909A - Container

Info

Publication number: GB2600909A
Application number: GB2013604.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Paul
Original assignee: Malcolm Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Malcolm Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2020-08-28
Filing date: 2020-08-28
Publication date: 2022-05-18
Also published as: GB202013604D0

Abstract

A container 10 has a base 20 and a lid 30, a ridge (60, fig. 4) extending around the periphery of the base and projecting upwardly, and a downwardly facing channel (70, fig. 5) extending peripherally around the lid. The ridge and channel are mutually engageable to provide closing of the container. In one independent claim, the lid has a skirt (80, fig. 4) extending downwardly around the inside of the channel and inside the ridge when the lid is closed. The skirt extends at least as far downwardly as the ridge does upwardly. In another independent claim, the ridge extends upwardly from its base and has a wedge-shaped cross section that is narrower at the base (64) and wider at the peak (66). The channel has a wedge-shaped cross-section defining a wider ceiling at the top and a narrower open mouth at the bottom. The channel can deform to enable the mouth to open to pass over the peak of the ridge and, thereafter, to provide a closing force pulling the channel downwardly on the ridge.

Description

CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a container for use in storing foodstuffs. Containers of this kind may, for exmple, be used as packaging for hot foodstuff, such as whole roasted chickens. One example of such a container is shown at hapslhArv,rystornann.corn/Plarrori-RO: isserie-Ch ick.en-Roaster-Cr) rita r I-14H F34. The container comprises a tray-like base, and a dome-shaped lid. The lid may be closed on the base by clipping a skirt on the lid over a rim on the base.

These containers suffer from a number of disadvantages. First, it has been found that, when used to hold hot foodstuffs, fluid vapour in the air within the container eventually condenses leaving excess liquid inside the container. Secondly, even whilst the air within the container remains hot, condensing vapour at the edges of the container can result in water or other fluids being forced out between the base and the lid resulting in spillages. This latter problem is exacerbated by the relatively high pressure wthin the container by comparison to the external pressure.

The present invention provides an alternative.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspecive view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is is side view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed on DD in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section of a detail of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 shows yet further detail of the image of Fig. 4.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, a container 10 has a bowl-shaped base 20 and a dome-shaped lid 30. Both the base 20 and the lid 30 are made of suitable plastics material and both have a number of grooves and ridges extending outwardly from the centre which provide structural strength. Upstanding platforms in the base 20 additionally provide supports upon which hot food, such as a whole roasted chicken, are supported whilst providing for the circulation of some air below it; whilst grooves and ridges in the base additionally provide for the flow of juices across the extent of the base thereby to avoid excess fluid accumulating locally. The lid 30 includes a number of spaced pin-sized apertures 50 which enable the venting of air and fluid vapour as a consequence of the pressure differential arising from the higher temperature inside the container than outside.

The base 20 and lid 30 are releasably engageable, to provide closing and opening of the lid 30 on the base 20. Referring specifically to Fig. 2, the base 20 and lid 30 engage at their periphery P. Details of the design of the periphery of both base 20 and lid 30 will now be described with additional reference to Fig. 4.

The base comprises a ridge 60 which extends around the periphery of the base 20. The ridge 60 extends upwardly from a flange 62 at its base. The flange 62 extends laterally outwardly from the base and extends peripherally all the way around the base 20. The ridge 60 has a wedge-shaped cross section and thus it is narrower at its base 64 and wider at its peak 66. To connect with the ridge 60, the lid 30 has a downwardly facing channel 70. The channel 70 is configured to engage with the ridge 60 to enable the lid 30 to be closed and to keep it closed on the base 20 and thus it is, generally, reciprocally shaped with respect to the ridge 60. More particularly, the channel 70 has a wedge shaped cross-section defining a ceiling 72 at the top and an open mouth 74 at its base. The mouth 74 is narrower than the ceiling 72 thereby enabling the channel 70 to cooperate with the ridge.

As mentioned previously, both the base 20 and the lid 30 are formed of plastics material which has an innate degree of deformability. This innate deformability in conjunction with the geometric configuration of the base 20 and lid 30 provides a degree of elasticity. This elasticity means that and the channel 70 is sufficiently resilient to enable outward deformation consequent opening of the mouth 74 during as it comes into initial engagement with the peak of the ridge 74 which thereby enables the mouth to open and accommodate the width of the ridge peak 66 as it passes over it. Once it has passed over the peak 66, the elastic resiliene of the mouth 74 causes it to try to close which, thereby acts to provide a closing force, pulling the channel 70 (and thereby the lid 30) downwards as a result of this wedging action of the walls of the channel 70 on ridge 60.

This configuration of closing mechanism, including an upwardly-projecing ridge 60, inhibits the unwanted flow of liquid out of the container via the point of closeure of base 20 and lid 30. This inhibiting action is further assisted by the provision of skirt 80, which extends around the periphery of the lid 30 inside the channel 70 and, when the lid 30 is closed on the base 20, it extends around the inside of the ridge 60. The skirt 80 depends downwardly and in so doing, causes any vapour that flows outwardly (i.e. quasi-radially) to have to descend to a lower level within the container. Consequently, hotter vapour is kept away from the opening leading to the connection of the ridge 60 and channel 70. According to an aspect of the present invention (but only this aspect of the invention) the dimensions of the skirt 80 are selected to act in this way are such that when measured from the base of the ridge, the skirt extends at least as far downwardly as the ridge does upwardly. This is illustrated in Fig. 4, where the offset between the base of the skirt 70 and the base 64 of the ridge 60, indicated is indicated as D1 and the offest between the base 64 of the ridge 60 and the peak 66 of the ridge is indicated as D2 and D1 is preferably equal or greater than D2.

In a modification, to provide yet further inhibition against fluid leakage, and referring now additionally to Fig. 5, the ridge further comprises a bead 102, which extends peripherally along the peak 66 of the ridge 60 and projects upwardly therefrom. The ceiling 72 is, preferably, formed with a domed cross-section 104 which accommodates the bead 102 of the channel so that when the container is closed and the ridge and channel are in mutual engagement, the bead 102 presses against the inside of the dome 104. In a preferred embodiment, the height of the bead 102 is greater than the height of the dome such that, when the container is closed the wedging action of ridge 60 on the channel 70 which pulls the dome 104 down on the bead 102 causes a slight deformation of the dome 104, or of the bead 102, or both dome 104 and bead 102. Such a deformation provides what is effectively a reslient biased closing against the unwanted leakage of fluid and vapour from the container.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A container having: a base and a lid which are releasably enageable with each other; a ridge which extends around the periphery of the base and projects upwardly; a downwardly facing channel extending peripherally around the lid wherein the ridge and channel are mutually engageable to provide closing of the container; the lid further comprising a downardlydepending skirt, extending around the inside of the channel and, thereby, inside the ridge when the lid is closed; wherein, when measured from the base of the ridge, the skirt extends at least as far downwardly as the ridge does upwardly.
A food container according to claim 1 further comprising an aperture which enables gas inside the container to bleed through.
3. A food container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ridge extends upwardly from a laterally extending flange at its base and the ridge has a wedge-shaped cross section which is narrower at the ridge base and wider at its peak.
4. A container according to claim 4 wherein: the channel has a wedge shaped cross-section defining a ceiling at the top and an open mouth at the bottom, the mouth being narrower than the ceiling thereby enabling the channel to cooperate with the ridge; and the channel is sufficiently resilient to enable outward deformation thereof during initial engagement with the ridge thereby to enable the mouth to open to pass over the peak of the ridge and, thereafter, to provide a closing force pulling the channel downwardly on the ridge as a result of the wedging action of the ridge on the channel.
5. A container according to claim 4 wherein: the ridge further comprises a bead, which extends peripherally along the peak of the ridge and projects upwardly therefrom; the ceiling of the channel has a dome shape, such that when the container is closed and the ridge and channel are in mutual engagement, the bead presses against the inside of the domed ceiling thereby to seal the container.
6. A container according to claim 5 wherein the height of the bead is greater than the height of the dome such that, when the container is closed the wedging action of ridge on the channel causes a slight deformation of the domed ceiling, thereby to assist in sealing the container.
7. A food container having: a base and a lid which are releasably enageable with each other; a ridge which extends around the periphery of the base and projects upwardly; a downwardly facing channel extending peripherally around the lid wherein the ridge and channel are mutually engageable to provide closing of the container; wherein the ridge extends upwardly from its base and has a wedge-shaped cross section which is narrower at its ridge base and wider at its peak; the channel has a wedge shaped cross-section defining a ceiling at the top and an open mouth at the bottom, the mouth being narrower than the ceiling thereby enabling the channel to cooperate with the ridge; wherein the channel is sufficiently resilient to enable outward deformation thereof during initial engagement with the ridge thereby to enable the mouth to open to pass over the peak of the ridge and, thereafter, to provide a closing force pulling the channel downwardly on the ridge as a result of the wedging action of the ridge on the channel.
8. A food container according to claim 7 further comprising an aperture which enables gas inside the container to bleed through.
9. A container according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein: the ridge further comprises a bead, which extends peripherally along the peak of the ridge and projects upwardly therefrom; the ceiling of the channel has a dome shape, such that when the container is closed and the ridge and channel are in mutual engagement, the bead presses against the inside of the domed ceiling thereby to seal the container.
10. A container according to claim 5 wherein the height of the bead is greater than the height of the dome such that, when the container is closed the wedging action of ridge on the channel causes a slight deformation of the domed ceiling, thereby to assist in sealing the container.