US2993636A - Container and cover - Google Patents

Description

E. T. ALDINGTON CONTAINER AND COVER July 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. '7, 1955 E. T. ALDINGTON CONTAINER AND COVER July 25, 1961 Filed Nov. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Qfice 2,993,636 Patented July 25, 1961 2,993,636 CONTAINER AND COVER Elmer T. Aldington, Bethlehem, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 7, 1955, Ser. No. 545,332 8 Claims. (Cl. 22943) This invention relates to improvements in a container and cover, and more particularly to a paper container of the s'o-called heavy-duty type frequently used for the packaging of various foodstuffs, the container having secured thereto a cover in a new and novel manner and by a new and novel method, all as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of containers and covers have been provided for the packaging of different foodstuffs, including foodstuffs maintained in a cold or frozen condition, such as ice cream, jello, various vegetables, and the like. Insofar as I am aware, these formerly known containers were provided with covers in such a manner that if handled relatively carelessly during transporting and storing, the cover would become somewhat loosened, and objectionable leakage result. Also, it was extremely difficult with containers and covers of the type known heretofore to establish a positive seal between the container and cover in a desirably economi cal manner and maintain reuse value.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a combination of a container and cover therefor so constructed economically as to effect an adequate seal between the container and cover, and in a manner to withstand considerable rough handling in transportation and storage without danger of leakage developing.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a container and cover secured thereto in such manner as to present a strong rigid construction permitting free and easy stacking of the containers one upon the other and a considerable amount of rough handling without danger of leakage.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a container and cover thereon, wherein a rim bead on the container is forcefully jammed or compressed into a groove in the cover to unite the parts.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a container and cover therefore, wherein the container is provided with an outwardly turned rim bead around the mouth thereof, and the cover is provided with a downwardly opening groove therein, the construction being such that the bead of the container will not freely enter the groove of the cover, but is forcefully jammed or crushed into that groove in order to unite the parts.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a paper container having an outwardly turned rim bead around the mouth thereof, and a rigid cover having a downwardly opening groove therein with means affording a partial restriction at the entrance to the groove, the bead of the container being forcefully jammed into the groove of the cover to at least partially overlie the restricting means at the groove entrance.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a paper container having a hollow outwardly rolled rim bead around the mouth thereof and a rigid cover having a downwardly opening groove therein with means partially restricting the entrance to the groove, the bead on the container initially having a shape such that it is too large to easily pass by the restricting means into the groove, but the head on the container being compressed forcefully into the groove so that it expands laterally above the restricting means when inside the groove.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a container with a cover attached thereto, embodying principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary central vertical sectional view of the structure of FIG. 1, illustrating the initial shape of the container bead in dotted lines;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, somewhat diagrammatic showing in central vertical section, with parts in elevation, of die mechanism for applying the cover to the container, the mechanism being shown in an initial stage of operation;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of the structure of FIG. 3 illustrating the final operation of the die means just before separation to release the container and cover attached thereto; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating a slightly diiferent form of construction, wherein a gasketing material is used.

As shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment of the instant invention, there is shown a container 1 of the so-called heavyduty type which has a substantially flat bottom and which is generally frusto-conical in shape. This container is preferably made out of relatively heavy paper stock, which is coated, impregnated, or otherwise treated with a suitable wax or equivalent substance to render the same liquid proof without contaminating or adding any unwelcome taste to the contents of the container.

As seen in FIGURE 1, a cover is attached to the top of the container in a firm and secure manner, the cover being generally designated by the numeral 2. As will be more apparent hereinafter, the seal is such that when the cover is removed some pressure must be applied, and the cover cannot be replaced on the container in the same manner it was before removal.

Now in reference more particularly to FIGURE 2, it will be seen that the cover is preferably made of stiff material in comparison with the paper of the container. The cover may very satisfactorily be made of metal, such as sheet metal stamped into the desired shape. Obviously, any form of decoration or written matter, such as advertising and product identification, may be placed on the external surface of the cover to be visible to the prospective customer.

The cover embodies a substantially flat central portion or diaphragm 3 surrounded by an upstanding wall 4 for telescopic association with the container 1. This wall 4 merges into a laterally extending portion 5 which in turn merges into a depending skirt or outer wall 6 provided with an inwardly turned bead like formation 7, or any equivalent formation partially restricting entrance to the downwardly opening groove between the walls 4 and 6. This downwardly opening groove between the walls 4 and '6 is for the purpose of receiving a rim bead on the container to be later described. The cover, as above set forth, is preferably rigid and unyielding with respect to the container when the container is capped.

Now with reference to the same figure, it will be seen that the container 1 may be provided with the usual beadlike formation 8 spaced below the mouth of the container, which normally functions as a seat for a cover, so covers of other kinds might be utilized with the same container. In the instance of the present invention, however, this seat does have the function of providing a flexible or takeup connection between the portion of the container expanded by insertion of the cover and the main body pot tion of the container below the formation 8. This not only prevents distortion of the main body portion when the lid is forced in place, but also prevents possible disruption of any coating or equivalent applied to the'container.

The upper portion of the container is provided with an outwardly rolled rim bead generally indicated by numeral 9, and this rim bead is preferably hollow. When the rim bead is attached to the cover, it is distorted from its original shape, and that original shape is indicated by dotted lines. It will be seen that immediately above the seat 8, the container wall, prior to attachment of the cover, extends inwardly as indicated at 10 to define an annular region of less diameter than the cover. Above that point 10 the wall flares outwardly at a greater angle than the body part below the formation 9 terminating in a curve at 11, merging into an outwardly and downwardly inclined portion 12 which in turn merges into an inwardly curvate laterally extending portion 13. At the junction 14 between the parts 12 and 13 of the rim bead, the container bead had an original diameter greater than the inside diameter of the restricting element 7 on the cover. Thus, it will be seen that the container and cover are originally so constructed that the rim bead on the container will not enter the groove in the cover in any easy manner but actually must be forced into that groove.

With the use of suitable apparatus, one example of which is more fully disclosed hereinafter, the container rim bead is jammed or crushed into the cover groove. This results in a compression and distortion of the rim bead to substantially the full line position of FIG. 2. It will be seen that portion 10 of the upper margin of the container is forced outwardly so that there is a sealing contact between the container wall and the cover wall 4 at the annular area 15. The junction point 14 of the container rim bead is pushed past the restricting element 7, and the entire rim bead crushed into the groove so that the rim bead overlies the restricting element 7, and thus other sealing points are established at the locations 16, 17 and 18, the first with the lateral portion of the cover, the point or annular region 17 with the cover skirt 6, and the' annular region 18 with the restriction element 7 at the top thereof. The sealing at the annular region 16 is enhanced also by the expansion of the container wall above the formation 8.

It will be noted that the cover is firmly secured to the container after the compression of the container rim bead into the groove, and the cover must be forcefully removed in which operation the rim bead is again distorted or bent out of shape so that the cover cannot be replaced in the manner it was prior to removal.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 I have illustrated one form of apparatus that is satisfactory for capping the container with the cover 2. This apparatus briefly includes a housing 19 having a center support 20 in which a piston 21 is reciprocable. At the top thereof the piston carries a limiting plate 22 which abuts the rim around the open top of the housing when urged upwardly by a spring 23. On top of the limiting plate 22 is a container holding plate 24 having an elevated central portion to seat within the bottom flange of the container as seen in FIGURE 3.

The open top of the housing is defined by an annular rim 25 having an annular groove 26 therein with an annular elevation 27 on the inside of the groove.

The upper or punch dye comprises any suitable form of plunger 28, carrying a housing 2 on the underside of which is a die plate 30 shaped to fit within the cover 2, and provided with an annular groove 31 to receive the groove defining portion of the cover. Inside the housing 29 above the plate 30 is a suitable heating element, which may well be an electrical element energized by a pair of conductors 33 that may be connected to any suitable source of electrical power in a known manner.

In capping the container, the container 1 is first seated on the platform or plate 24 as seen in FIGURE 3, and the cover disposed loosely on top of the container. Then the upper die is lowered, forcing the container down into the housing 19 against the action of the spring 23 until the rim bead on the container is engaged by the annular projection 27. Further movement of the punch die causes a crushing or compresssion of the container rim bead, forcing it inside the cover groove above the restricting element, as seen in FIGURE 4 giving the container rim bead the shape and union with the cover as shown best in FIGURE 2.

contemporaneously with the jamming of the container rim bead into the cover groove the heating element 32 may be energized, thus heating the plate 30 and consequently the container cover 2. This heating results in a melting of the wax or equivalent material carried by the container at the rim bead, which wax will again harden upon removal of the punch die and provide a more complete seal between the container and the cover, bonding the two together. Obviously, the heating unit may or may not be used as is desirable in the particular instance, and depending to some extent upon the commodity in the container.

In FIGURE 5 I have shown how gasketing material may be used with the instant invention, if so desired. In this regard substantially any suitable substance may be used such as amorphous wax, latex or synthetic rubber substances, resin dispersions, compounds of two or more of the same, and various other materials.

The gasketing material, indicated at 35, may be smeared on the rim bead of the cup or preferably applied in the groove of the cover, along the outside of the wall 4 in the container contacting region, or both. In most cases an application of the gasketing material in the cover groove is satisfactory to insure a positive hermetic seal. When the cover is forced on the container the disposition of the material 35 would be substantially as shown in FIGURE 5 with the open areas substantially filled and a light film of the material between the container bead and the cover at the contact or sealing areas 15, 16 and 17.

The application of heat at the time of application of the cover may or may not be used with the gasketing material, depending upon the particular material used.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a container and cover tightly joined together by the forceful compression of a container rim into a cover groove in which the container rim will not initially enter without the aid of force, thus providing an effective and tight closure with adequate sealing. When so joined to gather, the covered container will withstand considerable rough handling without danger of leakage, and the containers may be easily stacked one upon the other to any definite height.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be made to the described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a paper container having a readily deformable hollow outwardly turned rim head around the mouth end, a relatively rigid and unyielding cover on said container, said cover having an annular rim formation embodying an inner wall and an annular depending skirt spaced from but connected to said inner wall defining a downwardly opening annular groove receiving the rim bead of the container, the container rim bead being initially too large to fit in said groove, and said container rim bead being permanently crushed and distorted out of its original shape into said groove to secure the cover on the container.

2. In combination, a paper container having a readily deformable hollow outwardly turned rim bead around the mouth end, a relatively rigid and unyielding cover on said container, said cover having an annular rim formation embodying an inner wall and an annular depending skirt spaced from but connected to said inner wall defing a d nwardly opening annular groove receiving the.

rim bead of the container, said skirt terminating in an inwardly rolled edge portion, the container rim bead being initially too large to enter said cover groove past said rolled edge portion, and said container rim bead being crushed out of its Original shape and into said groove to overlie said rolled edge portion on the cover skirt.

3. In combination, a paper container having readily deformable outwardly turned rim bead around the mouth thereof, and a stiff and unyielding cover on said container having a downwardly opening groove one wall of which carries an inwardly projecting part adjacent the entrance to the groove which partially restricts the entrance to an extent preventing free entrance into the groove of the container rim bead, and said rim bead being permanently crushed out of its original shape and jammed into said groove at least partially beyond said projecting part.

4. In combination, a paper container having a readily deformable hollow outwardly turned bead formation around the mouth thereof, and a stiif unyielding cover having a downwardly opening groove therein receiving said bead formation, means partially restricting said groove adjacent the entrance thereto to an extent preventing easy entrance of said bead formation, and said bead formation being crushed out of its original shape and at least partially flattened into said groove to overlie said means.

5. In combination, a paper container having a readily deformable hollow rim bead around the mouth thereof including an outwardly and downwardly sloping part terminating in an underturned inwardly extending part, and a rigid relatively unyielding cover having a downwardly opening groove therein with means partially restricting entrance to the groove to a less diameter than the junction between said parts of said container rim bead, and said rim bead being partially crushed and flattened into said groove until said junction overlies the restricting means.

6. In combination, a paper container having an upright body terminating in a readily deformable rim bead around an open mouth, said body having a hollow annular beadlike formation below said rim bead and an outwardly flaring wall portion above said formation, a relatively rigid cover on said container having a depending central part defined by a wall of less taper than said flaring wall portion of the container and of greater diameter than a portion of said flaring Wall portion, and a relatively unyielding formation on said cover defining a downwardly opening groove around the upper part of said cover wall receiving the container rim bead, whereby when the cover is forced on the container the flaring wall portion is expanded by the cover to insure sealing engagement without distortion of the container wall below said bead-like formation.

7. In combination, a flexible container having a par"- tially coiled bead portion surrounding the mouth of said container, and a rigid and unyielding cover seated upon said container having an annular rim portion in spaced three-point contact with said bead portion along the top, outer side and bottom of said head portion, said head portion being constructed of a readily deformable material and prior to seating of said cover including an outwardly and downwardly extending wall section and arcuate end wall section, the juncture of said wall sections being of lesser outer diameter than the inner diameter of the container bead portion so that said bead portion is partially collapsed and coiled within the cover rim portion during seating of the cover to prevent accidental dislodgment of said cover.

8. In combination, a flexible container having an outwardly flaring neck portion and an integral readily deformable tubular bead portion at the upper end of said neck portion and comprising generally parallel top and bottom wall sections, a connecting outer side wall section, a curved inner side wall section and an upwardly and outwardly extending wall segment integral with said bottom wall section and bearing against said curved inner side wall section to provide a semi-coiled bead portion; and a relatively rigid and unyielding cover seated upon said container and having a body portion generally conforming to said neck portion of the container and an annular rim portion comprised of a generally flat top wall section and connecting generally flat outer side wall section engageable with the top wall and outer side wall sections, respectively, of said container, said rim portion having a curved end Wall section integral with said rim outer side wall section bearing against said bottom wall section of the container to prevent dislodgment of the cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,795,489 Hothersall Mar. 10, 1931 2,169,804 Kniesche Aug. 15, 1939 2,181,545 Boothby et al Nov. 28, 1939 2,233,489 Reifsnyder Mar. 4, 1941 2,306,973 Mysels Dec. 29, 1942 2,358,889 Thomas Sept. 26, 1944 2,405,823 Gaylord Aug. 13, 1946 2,406,894 OBrien Sept. 3, 1946 2,409,788 Osborne Oct. 22, 1946 2,434,377 Watson Jan. 13, 1948 2,493,086 Reifsnyder Jan. 3, 1950 2,721,686 Reifsnyder Oct. 25, 1955 2,746,669 Moore May 22, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 129,909 Sweden Aug. 2, 1947 477,888 Canada Oct. 16, 1951

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