IL26136A - Multiple use container - Google Patents

Description

A multiple use container REXALL DRUS AND (MIMICAL COMPANY C. 24915 This invention relate s to a container and more particularly to a containe r which exhibits a moisture-proof periphe ral seal and which is particularly adapted for the se rving and storage of cake s and the like .

. Containers of this general type are well known as evidenced by as signee ' s prior U. S. Patent 2, 765, 831 to Tupper entitled "Food Storer and Dispenser" , is sued October 9, 1956. Food storage containe rs sealed in accordance with the structure set out in this Tupper patent are generally satisfactory but are , however, unde sir ably subject to dislodgment of the sealing closure from the base portion thereof upon rough handling. A further disadvantage of prior art structure s of this type is their inherent difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory moisture -proof seal along relatively long and straight sides .

The construction of the pre sent invention overcome s this above stated difficulty and further enhance s the sealing effect between the base and closure portions of the container by providing a double pe ripheral seal comprised of a first sealing effect which is accomplished by a wedging action and a second sealing effect ma de pos sible through the coaction of an upstanding rib with a downwardly proj ecting U - shaped rim which second seal further se rves to hold the first wedged seal in place when the container is subject to rough handling such as occasioned by the dropping or the bumping of such in use .

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container having base and closure portions which have alternate use when the base portion of such is placed in both upright and inverted positions and by the provision of carrie r harne s s means coacting with handle portions of the container base whe rein such container may be conveniently transported while the base portion of such is in eithe r its upright or inverted position.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of novel handle means which is equally convenient to grasp in trans porting the base portion of the container while such is either in its upright or inverted position.

With the above, and other objects in view which will hereinafte r appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly unde rstood by reference to the following detailed de scription, the appended claims , and the seve ral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings .

In the drawings : Figure 1 is a perspective view of the base and closure portions of the container of the pre sent invention, the closure portion having been removed and placed in position for sealing contact with the base portion for increased clarity; Figure 2 is a bottom view of the base portion of the containe r of the pre sent invention and shows in particular the several partitions useful in separating different foodstuffs and the like when the base is utilized in its inverted position; Figure 3 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 3 -3 of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a partial sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 3 of the drawings but wherein the closure portion of the containe r has been placed in sealing contact with the base portion the reof in its upright position; Figure 5 is also a partial sectional view such as that shown in Figure 4 of the drawings but with the base in its inve rted position; Figure 6 is a partial perspective view on an enlarged scale of the base handle and harne s s of the pre sent invention while the base is in an upright position; Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 of the drawings but whei the base is placed in an inverted position; Figure 8 is a sectional view through line 8 -8 of Figure 6; and Figure 9 is a sectional view through line 9 -9 of Figure 7.

Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 through 4 thereof, the container 10 is shown and comprised of a base section 1 1 and a closure portion 1 2. The base 1 1 is preferably formed of a relatively stiff and rigid material such as high-density polyethylene or polypropylene . The base 1 1 is also generally rectangu lar in shape and thus presents side s having relatively long edge s for presentation in moisture -proof sealing contact with corresponding side s of the closure. Containe rs of this type pre senting such relatively long uninterrupted edges for sealing contact have in the past been extremely difficult to provide with effective sealing means .

This is due in part to the tendency of respective contacting portions of the closure and base of previous seal constructions hitherto known, to separate particularly at the mid-point of such relatively long straight side portions because of the difficulty of maintaining contacting pres sure s thereupon in such areas . The device of the present invention overcome s such tendency by providing a main sealing effe ct which is constantly under stre s s and thus has reduced tendency to give way along such relatively straight side portions .

The base 1 1 is provided with an uninterrupted top surface 13 which is preferably pebbled so as to increase the friction between the surface of cakes and the like supported thereupon and such supporting surface . A downwardly and prefe rably outwardly directed side wall 14 projects from the periphery of the supporting surface 1 3 in such a manne r so as to partially provide the base 1 1 with a periphe ral upwardly opening U -shaped rim 1 5. The configuration of such U-shaped rim 1 5 is complemented by an outer side wall 16 terminating in a free edge 1 7 and a base wall 18 interconnected between side walls 14 and 16. The rim 1 5 alternatively may be of a V-shape, it being particularly important that such be adapted to wedgingly receive a complementary section of closure 12 as will be hereinafte r more clearly set out.

The base 1 1 is further provided with a downwardly and slightly outwardly projecting secondary wall 19 which extends from the rim 1 5 thereof and in generally opposed relationship to the outer side wall 16 thereof. Approximately inte rmediate the walls 19 and 16 and preferably in gene rally opposed relationship to the connecting wall 18, the re is provided an outwardly and downwardly extending flange 20 which provide s one means by which the base 1 1 may be conveniently engaged by one ' s finge rs and thus serve as means for transport of such as well as serving to increase the rigidity of the rim 1 5 and the secondary wall 19. Each end of the base 1 1 is further provided with an upwardly and outwardly projecting handle 21 having an upper surface pre senting a gene rally planar configuration and which preferably is formed as an extension from flange 20.

The closure 12 is generally of a configuration and dimension similar to that of the base 1 1 and is further provided with a peripheral rim portion 22 having a first inne r and upwardly directed U - shaped section 23 and an oute r downwardly directed second U -shaped section 24. The first U -shaped section 23 is comprised of inne r side wall 25 and an intermediate side wall 26 integrally connected the reto by connecting wall 27 while the second U - shaped se ction 24 share s intermediate side wall 26 as its inner boundary and is further composed of oute r side wall 28 spaced the refrom and generally parallel thereto and integrally connected therewith by means of upper connecting wall 29. The closure is preferably formed of a relatively soft and deformable plastic such as low-density polyethylene so as to better sealingly engage the base 1 1 as will be more apparent.

It may thus be noted from Figure 3 of the drawings in particular that the initial upper lateral dimension of the first U -shaped section 23 of the closure 12 is of a conside rably large r extent than the uppe r lateral dimension of the entrance 30 of the rim 1 5. Accordingly, as shown by the dotted line s in Figure 3 the intermediate wall 26 is inwardly urged when the closure and base are placed in sealing engagement with each other. This inward urging of the intermediate wall in effect wedge s the first U-shaped section 23 within the peripheral rim 1 5 of the base 1 1 and thus forms sealing contact therewith respectively between the inner surface of the inner side wall 25 and the outer surface of the inne r side wall 14 and between the inne r surface of the oute r side wall 16 and the outer surface of inte rmediate side wall 26. This action thus forms a resultant wedging action between the first section 23 and the rim 1 5 so as to as sure a live seal therebetween even within the mid-points of the relatively long straight sides of the base and closure .

A second seal is also formed between the base and closure by means of the inte raction of the closure second downwardly U- shaped section 24 and the oute r side wall 16 of the rim 1 5 including the free edge 1 7 thereof and in this manner not only additionally insure s that the contents within the container are effectively sealed from the atmosphere but more important se rve s to maintain the initial sealing action caused by the wedging effect in proper location by preventing the upward movement of the second U-shaped section 24 which would tend to dislodge the wedged first U -shaped section 23 from the rim 1 5 Such positioning effect is brought about by the inward lateral force transmitted to the oute r side wall 28 and against the outer surface of the side wall 16 through the connecting wall 29, noting that the outward and upward positioning of the base outer side wall 16 place s the free edge 1 7 thereof laterally outwardly offset from lowe r portions of the closure outer side wall 28. Thus , the upward rise of the outer or second U- shaped section 24 of the closure 1 2 is to a great extent prevented should the container 10 be subject to accidental rough contact with other objects or should the container be dropped.

Turning now to Figure 2 of the drawings it should be particularly noted therein that there is provided on the bottom side of the base 1 1 a series of partitions 35 forming a number of compartments 36 for receipt of foodstuffs such as hors d' oeuvre s or the like when the base of the pre sent invention is utilized in its inve rted position. In such inverted position, the base not only may be utilized as a serving tray but may further be utilized as a container wherein the closure 12 is adapted to sealingly engage secondary peripheral wall 19 in the manner as particularly shown in Figure 5 of the drawings . In this regard, it should be noted that the longitudinal distance of the second U- shaped section 24 of the closure is approximately equal to the longi tudinal dimension of the secondary wall 19 wherein such is of a materially les s depth than the height of the base outer side wall 16. In this manner then, sealing contact not only between the outer surface of the secondary wall 19 and the inner surface s of the second U-shaped section 24 is accomplished but furthermore, the interconnecting wall 27 is placed in abutting contact with the connecting wall 18 of the rim 1 5 so as to form a secondary seal when the containe r of the present invention is utilized in its inverted position in conjunction with the closure .

The outer second U-shaped section 24 is further provided with a terminal flange 31 formed as an extension of the oute r side wall 28 for convenience in removal of the closure from the base both in its upright and inverted positions . It should be further noted that such flange 31 is constructed so as to remain inwardly offset from the flange 20 so as to be further protected from dislodgment should the container be subject to rough handling or droppage.

Turning now to Figures 6 through 9 of the drawings, the structure of the carrying means of the present invention is more clearly set out. Each of the handles 21 when the base 1 1 is in upright position are constructed so as to outwardly and slightly upwardly extend from the flange 20. The handles 21 are generally of an equal thickne s s throughout their extent as such configuration is particularly adapted to the injection molding proce ss by which the container of the present invention is formed although not limited the reto, and accordingly, a periph eral ledge 40 has been provided thereon with which the fingers of the use r may be placed in secure contact for transport as be st shown in Figure 8 of the drawings . Figure 9 of the drawings shows the relationship of the finger of the use r shown in phantom with the uninterrupted top portion 41 of the handle 21 when the base 1 1 is utilized in inverted position. Thus, by upwardly and outwardly orientating the handle s 21 when the base is in upright position, the top surface 41 which will be lowe rmost in the inverted position of the base pre sents an undercut area for ease in grasping by the use r. In this manner then, the multiple use of the container base both in upright and inverted positions is facilitated.

A harne s s 45 may also be utilized to transport the container of the present invention. Such harne ss comprise s a bail section 46 having handle engaging loops 47 at either end the reof. The handles 21 are further provided with insets 48 at eithe r side the reof for receipt of the loops 47 of the harnes s 45. Accordingly, a novel harnes s supporting arrangement which provide s for transport of the base of the present container in both its upright and inverted position is achieved. The harnes s 45 is preferably formulated of a relatively soft and deformable plastic such as low-density polyethylene while as afore mentioned the handle s Zl which are part of the base 1 1 are relatively stiff and inflexible. Accordingly, a higher degree of frictional contact is afforded between the harne ss loop 47 and the respective handle s Z l with which it engages .

Upon reviewing a description of the various aspects of the invention, it may be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the de sired objects . However, attention is directed to the fact that othe r variations may be made in the example containe r disclosed herein without department from the spirit and scope of the invention such as by the alternate formation of the closure portion of the pre sent invention of a relatively stiff and inflexible material, while forming the base portion thereof from the flexible and deformable material. Accordingly, it should therefore be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically described but within the scope of the appended claims .

I CLAIM: 26136/2

Claims (1)

1. A container comprising a base component and a closure component, one of said components being formed of a relatively deformable and resilient plastic material, said, base having an upwardly directed generally U-shaped peripheral rim, defined by spaced inner and outer side walls, said closure having a downwardly directed U-shaped peripheral groove defined by spaced inner and outer closure side walls and a connecting wall, for engagement with an outwardly inclined rim on said base characterized in that said outer side wall is outwardly directed so that said U-shaped peripheral rim represents an entrance opening of upwardly increasing width and so that said outer side wall forms said outwardly inclined rim, said cover having an upwardly directed U-shaped closure section having spaced inner and outer side walls and a connecting wall, said upwardly directed closure section being integrally connected to said downwardly directed closure section by means of a common wall consisting respectively of said downwardly directed section inner wall and said upwardly directed section outer wall, said upwardly directed U-shaped closure section being received by said base U-shaped rim and being resiliently deformably wedged in said base U-shaped rim. For the Applicants DRo REINHOLD COHN AND PARTNERS