CONTAINER HAVING CORNERS FOR SNAP FIT CLOSURE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to containers, more particularly to containers having a snap fit closure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Reliable take-out containers are important to ensure that food, for example, is presented in a form that a restaurant or food service operation desires. Restaurants and other service providers commonly use containers having lids that mash onto a base or do not secure properly, but such containers may come open if not closed properly and may result in potential spillage of its contents. Thus, a user is left to guess as to whether the container is closed.

Therefore, there is a need for a container that overcomes the disadvantages of these other containers and is easy to use for the user of the container. The container of the present invention addresses and overcomes these disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In various aspects of the invention, a container having two parts and having a snap fit closure for holding contents therein is described herein. The container may be configured to generate an audible noise as a snap fit closure is made between the two parts. This audible noise may provide the user feedback that the container is closed, preventing the user from having to take the time to otherwise inspect the container to ensure that it is closed. This audible noise is a surprising feature that occurs with various designs described herein, especially where materials such as molded fiber are utilized for each of the two parts.

Additionally, in various aspects of the invention, containers are provided with two parts, and the corners of one part may be shifted into openings of the other part to attach the two parts to each other. This approach provides a user-friendly approach and ensures an effective seal for the inner contents of the container.

In an aspect of the invention, a container for holding contents therein is provided. The container comprises a first part comprising a plurality of trim corners including a first corner and a second corner. The container also comprises a second part comprising a rim extending around its perimeter. The second part defines a first opening at the rim at a first rim corner, and the second part defines a second opening at the rim at a second rim corner. The first corner is configured to be received in the first opening and the second corner is configured to be received in the second opening thereby providing a snap fit closure between the first part and the second part.

In some aspects of the invention, the first part may be a base and the second part may be a lid. In some aspects of the invention, the first part may be a lid and the second part may be a base.

In some aspects of the invention, at least one of the first opening or the second opening may be provided in the form of a slot. In some aspects of the invention, the first opening, the second opening, or both may have an oblong shape, a circular shape, a semi-circular shape, a polygonal shape, an asymmetrical shape, or another geometrical shape.

In some aspects of the invention, the lid and/or the base may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, pulp, paper, fiber, metal, and a combination thereof. In some aspects of the invention, the fiber may be a molded fiber. In some aspects of the invention, the lid and/or the base may comprise a renewable, compostable, or recycled material.

Additionally, in some aspects of the invention, the corners first corner may be oversized relative to the first opening so that, when the first corner is received in the first opening, the first corner extends completely through the first opening. An audible sound may be generated upon receipt of the first corner in the first opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1A is a front view illustrating an assembled container with corners of the base received within openings at the corners of the lid, in accordance with some aspects of the invention discussed herein;

FIG. 1B is an exploded, perspective view illustrating the container of FIG. 1A where the lid is separated from the base, in accordance with some aspects of the invention discussed herein;

FIG. 1C is a perspective view illustrating the container of FIG. 1A where the corners of the base are received within the openings at the corners of the lid, in accordance with some aspects of the invention discussed herein;

FIG. 1D is an enhanced, perspective view illustrating the container of FIG. 1A where the corners of the base are received within the openings at the corners of the lid, in accordance with some aspects of the invention discussed herein;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view illustrating an example lid that may be used in an alternative container, in accordance with some aspects of the invention discussed herein;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view illustrating an example base that may be used in an alternative container, in accordance with some aspects of the invention discussed herein;

FIG. 2C is a perspective view illustrating the assembled container that includes the lid of FIG. 2A and the base of FIG. 2B, in accordance with some aspects of the invention discussed herein;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for assembling a container, in accordance with some aspects of the invention discussed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Example embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments are shown. Additionally, any connections or attachments may be direct or indirect connections or attachments unless specifically noted otherwise.

Further, the term “or” as used in this disclosure and the appended claims is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from the context, the phrase “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, the phrase “X employs A or B” is satisfied by any of the following instances: X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from the context to be directed to a singular form. Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take at least the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context dictates otherwise. The meanings identified below do not necessarily limit the terms, but merely provide illustrative examples for the terms. The meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” may include plural references, and the meaning of “in” may include “in,” “at,” and/or “on,” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.

In some aspects of the invention, a container may be provided with a lid and a base, with the lid having openings at corners of the lid that are configured to receive trim corners of the base. FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate this, with FIG. 1A providing a front view of an assembled container, with FIG. 1B providing an exploded, perspective view of the lid and base of the container, with FIG. 1C providing a perspective view of an assembled container, and with FIG. 1D illustrating an enhanced, perspective view of a trim corner being received within an opening of the lid.

In FIG. 1A, an assembled container 100 is illustrated with trim corners of the base 120 received within openings at the corners of the lid 102. As can be seen in FIGS. 1B and 1C, the lid 102 comprises a rim 104 extending around the top of the lid 102, and the rim 104 possesses a rectangular shape with four sides. The rim 104 comprises a first rim portion 104A at a first side, a second rim portion 104B at a second side, a third rim portion 104C at a third side, and a fourth rim portion 104D at a fourth side. Each of the rim portions are offset about ninety degrees from adjacent rim portions. For example the second rim portion 104B is offset about ninety degrees from the first rim portion 104A, and the second rim portion 104B is offset about ninety degrees from the third rim portion 104C.

The rim 104 comprises chamfered edges at corners 150, 152, 154, 156. A respective opening is positioned at each of the corners 150, 152, 154, 156 of the lid 102. An opening 106A is positioned at the corner 150 of the lid 102, and an opening 106B is positioned at the corner 152 of the lid 102. Similar openings may be positioned at the corner 154 and corner 156 of the lid 102. Openings 106A-106D each generally possess a rectangular shape, but the openings 106A-106D may possess other shapes such as an oblong shape, a circular shape, a semi-circular shape, a polygonal shape, an asymmetrical shape, or some other geometrical shape. The openings 106A-106D are sized so that they are configured to receive trim corners of the base 120 as noted herein. In some aspects of the invention, the openings 106A-106D may be provided in the form of slots.

The lid 102 also comprises a handle 128 extending outwardly from the remainder of the lid 102 at corner 156. The handle 128 is configured to assist the user in attaching the lid 102 to the base 120 or to separate the lid 102 from the base 120. Another similar handle may be positioned at other corners of lid 102, but the handle 128 may be the only handle provided on a lid. Alternatively, handles may be positioned at each of the corners 150, 152, 154, 156 of the lid 102, or handles may be omitted from a lid entirely.

The base 120 may be provided in the form of a tray. A trim 124 may extend around the perimeter of the top portion of the base 120, and the trim 124 may define four trim corners. These trim corners include trim corner 126A, which is positioned proximate to the corner 150 of lid 102 in FIG. 1B. The corners of trim 124 also include trim corner 126B, which is positioned proximate to the corner 156 of lid 102 in FIG. 1B. The corners of trim 124 also include trim corner 126C, which is positioned proximate to the corner 154 of lid 102 in FIG. 1B. The corners of trim 124 also include trim corner 126D, which is positioned proximate to the corner 152 of lid 102 in FIG. 1B. The trim corners 126A-126D of trim 124 are rounded corners, and the trim corners 126A-126D possess a radial curvature. However, the trim corners 126A-126D may possess other shapes. For example, the trim corners 126A-126D may possess a chamfered shape, a polygonal shape, a non-radially curved shape, etc.

The enhanced, perspective view of FIG. 1D allows further details of the attachment between the lid and the base to be seen. FIG. 1D focuses on the engagement between the trim corner 126B and the walls around opening 106B. As illustrated, portions of the trim corner 126B extend all the way through the opening 106B in FIG. 1D, but the trim corner 126B may extend only partially through the opening 106B in other embodiments. With the trim corner 126B received within the opening 106B and with other trim corners received in the other openings, the lid 102 may remain attached to the base 120. This attachment may form an effective seal to protect the inner contents of the container 100 and to prevent spillage of the inner contents from the container 100.

In FIG. 1D, the first rim portion 104A defines a surface 125A, the chamfered edge at corner 156 defines a surface 125B, and the second rim portion 104B defines a surface 125C. Each of the surfaces 125A-125C may extend substantially in the vertical direction when the container 100 is oriented in an upright manner as illustrated in FIG. 1D. The surface 125B may extend in a plane that is offset from the plane of the surface 125A by an angle of about forty five degrees, and the surface 125B may extend in a plane that is offset from the plane of the surface 125C by an angle of about forty five degrees.

As the lid 102 of FIGS. 1A-1D is attached to a base 120, the design may cause a noticeable sound to be made. Various features of the container 100 may help to cause the generation of this sound. For example, the footprint of the trim 124 of the base may be oversized at trim corners 126A-126D relative to the footprint of the rim of the lid 102. As such, when the lid 102 and the base 120 are attached, the trim corners 126A-126D may extend all the way through the openings of the lid 102. In some aspects of the invention, the trim corners 126A-126D may be configured to extend at into a corresponding opening at least 0.125 inches, at least 0.15 inches, at least 0.20 inches, at least at least 0.25 inches, at least 0.30 inches, at least 0.325 inches, at least 0.35 inches, at least 0.40 inches, at least 0.45 inches, or at least 0.50 inches. With the trim corners 126A-126D having larger sizes, the trim corners 126A-126D tend to deflect more as the lid 102 is attached to the base 120.

To assemble the container 100, two trim corners on one side of the base 120 may first be positioned in corresponding openings of the lid 102. Then, trim corners on the opposite side of the base 120 may be positioned in corresponding openings of the lid 102. When the final two trim corners shift into their corresponding openings, these trim corners shift rapidly from their deflected positions to the natural positions, and the interference between the trim corners and the walls of the lid 102 causes an audible sound. The generation of a noticeable sound during attachment of the lid 102 and the base 120 is beneficial to provide audible feedback to the user to confirm that the lid 102 and the base 120 are engaged properly, with trim corners appropriately received within openings. This audible feedback may alleviate the need for visual inspection or inspection in other ways. Once the container 100 is assembled, the trim 124 of the base 120 may abut the rim 104 of the lid 102 to form an effective seal between the lid 102 and the base 120, minimizing the risk of leakage of contents from the container 100.

In some aspects of the invention, alternative containers may be provided with openings positioned on the base, and the corners of the lid may be received in the openings to attach the lid to the base. FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate an example of the lid and base for this alternative container, with FIG. 2A illustrating the lid in isolation, with FIG. 2B illustrating the base in isolation, and with FIG. 2A illustrating the lid attached to the base to form the assembled container.

Looking first at FIG. 2A, the lid 202 is illustrated. The lid 202 generally possess a rectangular shape with four corners, including corner 250, corner 252, corner 254, and corner 256. The corners 250, 252, 254, 256 are each rounded with a curved shape. The curved shape has a radial curvature in the illustrated embodiment. However, the corners 250, 252, 254, 256 may each possess other shapes. For example the corners 250, 252, 254, 256 may each possess a chamfered shape, a polygonal shape, an asymmetrical shape, a parabolic shape, or some other shape. The lid 202 possesses a uniform cross sectional shape, but portions near the edges of the lid 202 may be enlarged relative to central portions of the lid 202 in other embodiments.

Details regarding the base 220 are illustrated in FIG. 2B. The base 220 comprises a rim 260 extending around the perimeter of the base 220 at the top of the base 220. The rim 260 generally possesses a rectangular shape with chamfered corners. This rim 260 includes a first rim portion 264A on a first side, a second rim portion 264B on a second side, a third rim portion 264C on a third side, and a fourth rim portion 264D on a fourth side. Each of the rim portions may be offset at an angle of about ninety degrees relative to adjacent rim portions. For example, the second rim portion 264B is offset about ninety degrees relative to the first rim portion 264A, and the second rim portion 264B is also offset about ninety degrees relative to the third rim portion 264C. Additionally, the rim 260 includes four corner rim portions, including a first corner rim portion 262A, a second corner rim portion 262B, a third corner rim portion 262C, and a fourth corner rim portion 262D. The corner rim portions 262A-262D may each be offset at an angle of about forty five degrees relative to adjacent rim portions. For example, the second corner rim portion 262B is offset about forty five degrees relative to the first rim portion 264A, and the second corner rim portion 262B is offset about forty five degree relative to the second rim portion 264B. However, the corner rim portions 262A-262D may be oriented in other ways. Each of the corner rim portions 262A-262D generally extend in a straight line, but the corner rim portions 262A-262D may extend in a curved line in other embodiments.

An opening is positioned on each of the corner rim portions 262A-262D. For example an opening 206A is positioned at the first corner rim portion 262A, an opening 206B is positioned at the second corner rim portion 262B, an opening 206C is positioned at the third corner rim portion 262C, and an opening 206D is positioned at the fourth corner rim portion 262D. The openings 206A-206D extend all the way through their respective corner rim portion in FIG. 2B, but the openings 206A-206D may only extend partially through the corner rim portions in other embodiments—where this is the case, the openings 206A-206D may be positioned on internal surfaces of the corner rim portions 262A-262D. The openings 206A-206D generally possess a rectangular shape, but the openings 206A-206D may possess an oblong shape, a circular shape, a semi-circular shape, a polygonal shape, an asymmetrical shape, or other geometrical shape. The openings 206A-206D may be provided in the form of slots.

The openings 206A-206D are configured to receive the corners 252, 254, 256, 258 therein to assist in retaining the lid 202 in position. For example, the assembled container 200 is illustrated in FIG. 2C with the lid 202 being attached to the base 220. Some portions of the corners 252, 254, 256, 258 extend all the way through openings 206A-206D and past the perimeter walls of the rim 260. However, the corners 252, 254, 256, 258 may extend a lesser amount in other embodiments.

As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the base 220 may comprise a lip 266 extending around the perimeter of the base 220 inside of the rim 260. When the lid 202 is assembled to the base 220 as illustrated in FIG. 2C, the lid 202 may rest on the lip 266. Thus, the lip 266 may assist in forming an effective seal for the container 200. However, the lip 266 may alternatively be omitted.

In FIGS. 1A-1D, 2A-2C, the lid and the base both comprise molded fiber material. However, the lid and the base may alternatively comprise other materials. For example, in some aspects of the invention, the lid and/or the base may comprise plastic material or some other material. Additionally or alternatively, the lid and/or the base may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, pulp, paper, fiber, metal, and a combination thereof. In some aspects of the invention, the lid and/or the base may comprise a renewable, compostable, or recycled material.

As the lid 202 of FIGS. 2A-2C is attached to a base 220, the design may cause a noticeable sound to be made. Various features of the container 200 may help to cause the generation of this sound. For example, the corners 250, 252, 254, 256 of the lid 202 may be oversized relative to the footprint of the rim 260 of the base 220. As such, when the lid 202 and the base 220 are attached, the corners 250, 252, 254, 256 may extend all the way through the openings 206A-206D of the base 220. In some aspects of the invention, the corners 250, 252, 254, 256 are configured to extend at into a corresponding opening at least 0.125 inches, at least 0.15 inches, at least 0.20 inches, at least at least 0.25 inches, at least 0.30 inches, at least 0.325 inches, at least 0.35 inches, at least 0.40 inches, at least 0.45 inches, or at least 0.50 inches. With corners 250, 252, 254, 256 having larger sizes, the corners 250, 252, 254, 256 tend to deflect more as the lid 202 is attached to the base 220.

To assemble the container 200, two corners on one side of the lid 202 may first be positioned in corresponding openings of the container 200. Then, corners on the opposite side of the lid 202 may be positioned in corresponding openings of the container 200. When the final two corners shift into their corresponding openings, trim corners shift rapidly from their deflected positions to the natural positions, and the interference between the corners and the walls of the base 220 causes an audible sound. The generation of a noticeable sound during attachment of the lid 202 and the base 220 is beneficial to provide audible feedback to the user to confirm that the lid 202 and the base 220 are engaged properly, with corners received within openings. This audible feedback may alleviate the need for visual inspection. To the extent others have used materials such as molded fiber material in the past for containers, the containers have failed to create an audible sound upon closing the container. However, in various aspects of the invention described herein, an audible sound may be generated when a container consisting of only molded fiber is closed.

In some aspects of the invention, once the container 200 is assembled, the rim 260 of the base 220 may abut the lid 202 to form an effective seal between the lid 202 and the base 220, minimizing the risk of leakage of contents from the container 200.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 300 for assembling a container. At operation 302, the base and the lid are aligned. The base and the lid may be aligned by positioning the lid relative to the base so that the sides of the lid are proximate to corresponding sides of the base.

At operation 304, corners are moved into openings on one side. By doing so, the position of the lid relative to the base may generally be fixed at the side of the lid where corners have been inserted, but the opposite side of the lid may be free to rotate.

At operation 306, the opposite side of the lid is moved closer towards the base. This opposite side of the lid may be pushed down until corners are received in openings on this side.

At operation 308, a user may ensure that the corners are received in each of the openings. In some aspects of the invention, the user may ensure that the corners are received in the openings by listening for a sound that occurs when corners are received in the openings. Additionally or alternatively, the user may ensure that corners are received in the openings by visually inspecting the openings, or a user may ensure that corners are engagingly received in the openings by feeling the openings to confirm that corners have been properly received therein.

The method 300 is merely provided as an example. Various operations of the method 300 may be performed in different orders. Some operations may be performed simultaneously—for example, operation 306 and operation 308 may partially overlap, with a user ensuring that tabs are received in the openings by listening for the sound of corners being received in the openings while applying a force to the base or the lid. Certain operations may be added to the method 300. Additionally, some of the operations may be omitted from the method 300 in some embodiments.

Many modifications and other embodiments set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these embodiments pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the embodiments are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated within the scope of the invention. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

CONTAINER HAVING CORNERS FOR SNAP FIT CLOSURE

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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Applications (1)