US2306973A

US2306973A - Container closure

Info

Publication number: US2306973A
Application number: US330421A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mysels George
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-04-18
Filing date: 1940-04-18
Publication date: 1942-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 1959-12-29

Description

Dec. 29, i942. G. Myst-:Ls

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed April 18, 1940 Fatented- Z9, l@

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GONTAINER CLOSUBE George Mysels, New York, N. Y.

Application April 18, 1940, Serial No. 330.421

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved closure for containers especially to a closure for paper containers or cups of the type commonly used in restaurants for holding beverages and other liquids and semi-solids, such as cereals and desserts, where such food and beverages are to be carried away from the restaurant for. consumption.

More p articularly, it is an object oi' the inven tion'tor provide a cover for paper cup containers having improved means for retaining the cover in position on the open top of the cup or container whereby the cover may be readily applied or removed to thereby obviate the risk of spilling the contents of the container while applying or removing the cover.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide an improved form of joint for retaining the cover in position on the container including a rim carried by the container for holding a beading of the cover in spaced relationship relatively to the wall of the container so that the beading may be readily grasped and drawn out of engagement with the rim for detachlng the cover.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawingl which illustrates preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of the preferred form of the invention and showing the cover in applied position,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane ofthe line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the container and showing .the cover positioned ready to be appliedthereto, and I Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modifled form of container and cover, shown detached and in perspective.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the diiierent views, I designates generally a container pref. erablyformed of paper or cardboard and which comprises a cylindrical side wall I I and a bottom I2. 'I'he side wall II at its lower end is turned inwardly upon itself to form an annular groove I3 for receiving an annular depending flange I4 of the bottom I2 for mounting the bottom in the cylindrical wall II.

The open upper end of the container or cup I 0 is provided with a rim, designated generally I5,

which is formed integral with the wall Il by folding the upper end of the wall outwardly and then inwardly upon itself a plurality of times to form the rim I5 which is substantially triangular in cross section, as seen in Figures 2 and 3. 'I'he rim I5 includes an upper surface I6 which is substantially flat and which extends downwardly and outwardly from the brim I1 of the container I Il. 'Ihe rim I5 also includes a substantiallyat under surface I8 forming a shoulder and which is disposed at an 'acute angle to thesurface I 6 and substantially at a right angle to cylindrical wall I I.

A cover for the container or cup I0, designated generally I9, includes la substantially ilai; t'op portion 20 which is adapted to cover the open top of the container I0 and to rest flush on the brim I1 thereof, and an annular flange 2i which projects outwardly and downwardly from the top portion 20 and which is provided at its free edge with an inturned rolled portion forming an annular beading 22.

As best seen-in Figure 3, the circumference of the inner edge of the beading 22 is less than the circumference of the widest portion of the rim I5 and greater than the circumference of its upper narrowest portion, so that when the cover I9 is placed over'the open top o f the container or cup In, beading 22 will rest on the ilat surface I8 intermediate of its upper and lower edges. The cover I9, which is of the same material as the container I0, is sufficiently yieldable so that when pressed downwardly its flange 2! will spread sufficiently to allow the beading 22 to i expand and slide over-the widest portion of the rim I5, and to then retract to engage beneath the outer portion of shoulder I8, as seen at Figure 2. As the cover I9 is pressed down on the container I 0 the surface I8- acts as a cam surface for the beading 22 for expanding it. and

when said beading is released to assume the position as seen in Figure-2, the ilange 2I will likewise be drawn inwardly to rest flush against the 'surface It, thereby latching the cover on the container I c for closing its open end. With the cover Il, in its applied position, as seen in Figure 2, the beading 22 engages beneath the outer portion of the shoulder I8 and is spaced from the cylindrical wall II, so that the cover I9 can be removed by placing the fingers against the. inner side of beading 22 and pulling outwardly thereon to detach a portion'of the beading from the rim I5, and to thereby readily release the cover by exerting only a lslight pressure thereon to obviate the danger of abruptly releasing the cover, as where excessive pressure is required for removing it, which would result in jarring the container I0 and splashing and spilling the contents thereof.

In Figure 4, a modified form of the invention is shown comprising a container 24 which may be rectangular in cross section, or of any other desired shape, and which is provided at its upper end with an integral exterior enlargement forming a continuous rim 25 having a rounded outer portion 26. Container I0 is adapted to be closed by a cover 21 of the same shape having a depending continuous marginal ilange provided at its lower free edge with an inwardly projecting enlargement forming a 'beading 28 which is rounded at its inner side, as seen at 29, for engaging the rounded portion- 26 to expand the ilange of cover 21 and permit the beading 28 to pass the rounded portion 26 of the rim 25 and to engage therebeneath for latching the cover 21 on the open upper end of the container 24.

Obviously the form of the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, may be constructed in various shapes without affecting the means for' latching the closure to the container and may be formed of other material of a more permanent character such as wood or metal.

Various modications and changes are contemplated a-nd may obviously be resorted to, as only preferred embodiments o'f the invention have been disclosed.

I claimv as my invention:

In a closure for paper containers, an annular walled paper container having an outwardly rolled open end, said outwardly rolled portion being turned inwardly upon itself a plurality of times to form a substantially triangular shaped rim having an outwardly and downwardly flared upper side, disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the container, and a substantially flat underside disposed at an acute angle to the upper side and substantially at a right angle to the side wall of the container to form a shoulder; a cover having an annular downwardly and outwardly flared annular ilange for engaging the upper surface of said rim, and said flange having an inturned annular bead at its lower end for engaging beneath the outerv GEORGE MYSELS.