Patent Application
20060266750
This invention is directed to a container lid and, more particularly, to a lid adapted to selectively reattach with a container for resealing of the container.
Resealable containers are known in the art such as, by way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,337 and 5,617,968. Generally, these resealable containers utilize a lid having a projection mounted about a tear strip. The projection interacts with the container to maintain the lid on the container. A portion of the projection is removable with the tear strip as the opening of the lid is desired. A portion of the projection remains on the lid so that although the initial retention force is lessened, facilitating removal of the lid, the remaining projections facilitate reinstallation of the lid upon the container.
However, once the tear strip has been removed, these lids lose a significant amount of the retention force of the lid with the container. Although the lid is retained in place, the retention force is so substantially weakened that the integrity of the container system makes the pail appropriate for only the most gentle of uses. Accordingly, a resealable lid which maintains its sealed integrity is desired.
The lid includes a web. A skirt depends from the web. At least a first projection and a second projection spaced from each other extend from the skirt and are adapted to engage the container. A tear line for removing a portion of the skirt extends along the skirt. The first projection and second projection are connected by the skirt after removal of the portion.
For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference is made to
Lid 10 may be fabricated by injection molding and includes a centrally located web 14. Web 14 includes corners 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d. A vertical wall 16 is connected to a horizontal flange 18. An external skirt 20 depends from flange 18. Skirt 20, flange 18 and vertical wall 16 form a substantially U-shaped cavity adjacent web 14 for receiving therein an upper extremity of container 12.
A retaining member 30 is formed at the upper extremity of container 12. In a preferred embodiment, retaining member 30 is a detent or bead extending substantially around the circumference of container 12. The bead may be provided in segments if desired or necessary.
Skirt 20 includes a tear strip 42. The tear strip is that portion of skirt 20 on the opposite side of a tear line 44 from flange 18. Tear line 44 is formed as a weakened section of skirt 20 and may be formed either as a thinly molded portion of skirt 20, or may be formed as a score line or the like. Tear line 44 bifurcates skirt 20 into a remaining portion 70 and a tear strip 42.
A finger grip 50 is integrally formed with tear strip 42 and is connected by a frangible link 52 to an opposite end of tear strip 42. Finger grip 50 is located, as known in the art, at a first end of the tear strip. An opening may be provided adjacent finger grip 50 to allow finger grip 50 to be grasped while removing tear strip 42 as it separates from a remaining portion 70 of skirt 20. Remaining portion 70 is formed as tabs having thereon projections 74 in the form of detents which are engagable with the adjacent portions of retaining member 30. The remaining portions 70 are defined by tear line 44 of tear strip 42 as tear strip 42 is stripped or removed from skirt 20.
Because lid 10 is substantially square, skirt 20 is formed with corners 45 at each corner 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d of lid 10. Tear line 44 traces a path so that at least one corner 45a of skirt 20 is substantially entirely removed and at least one corner is not substantially removed. Tear line 44 traces a path which extends below each of projections 74 so that projections 74 remain with lid 10 after complete tearing of tear strip 42. At least one corner 45b of skirt 20 remains substantially affixed to lid 10. In this manner, a corner 15a of skirt 20 bridges a gap 58A between a first projection 74A and a second projection 74B. Optionally, in a preferred embodiment, a second corner 45c of skirt 20 bridges a gap 58B between a projection 74B and 74C. An optional projection 74D is provided on a portion 70 of skirt 20 which is not connected across a gap. It should be noted that projection 74C need not be connected projection 74D; however, at least two projections 74 adjacent to each other across a gap should be connected by a portion of skirt 20.
By bridging gap 54 with skirt 20, projections 50A, 50D by way of example are supported by each other in a direction towards web 14. In other words, skirt 20 maintains the integrity of the gripping force of the lid projections on the cover bead.
By removing at least one corner 45 of skirt 20, the overall gripping force of container 12 by lid 10 is lessened because at least projection 74D may be more easily deflected to release projection 74D from detent 32. Therefore, removal of lid 10 from operative engagement with container 12 is facilitated. Gripping of one of the tabs 70 and releasing it from operative engagement with bead 30 by disengaging projection 74 from bead 30 and lifting the cover up dislodges the lid from engagement with container 12.
However, when it is desired to replace lid 10 on container 12, detent tabs 74 snap in place immediately. Because of the action of skirt 20 connecting tabs 74A, 74B, they support each other in the direction of web 14 and maintain the integrity of the seal even after resealing.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as described in the claims.
