Patent Application
20190119017
The subject invention is directed to containers and packaging, and more particularly, to containers and packaging that incorporate features that ensure that the containers stay closed when they are intended to be in the closed position, deter unauthorized tampering, and/or clearly indicate whether unauthorized tampering has occurred.
Disposable containers for packaging, distributing, displaying or otherwise housing consumer items, are becoming increasingly important. The advent of plastics resulted in many products being wrapped or packaged in plastic, both in the form of flexible plastic bags and rigid plastic containers. The use of plastics in the modern-day convenience food industry has significantly improved the “shelf life” of perishable products, allowing both merchants and their customers to store the products for longer periods of time, resulting in substantial savings.
It has been found that consumers like recloseable packages, particularly for comestible products, especially in circumstances where more than one serving of a comestible product is contained therein, in order to reduce drying out or other deterioration of the comestible food product. In addition, consumers prefer to visually inspect the product within such containers prior to purchase. Thus, fabricating containers from clear see-through plastics is desirable. In addition to the aforementioned consumer design preferences, it is desirable to fabricate containers that include features which ensure that the containers stay closed when they are intended to be in the closed position, deter unauthorized tampering, and/or clearly indicate whether unauthorized tampering has occurred.
Thus, there is a need for containers having design elements, such as recloseability features which are reliable and easy to operate, along with resistant features that deter unauthorized or unwanted opening of the container. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a container that meets these needs.
The subject disclosure relates to a container that includes a base and a lid. The base has a bottom and a peripheral wall extending upward from the bottom. The peripheral wall terminates in a sealing flange extending outward from the peripheral wall of the base. The sealing flange includes a rail and a rim defining a groove therebetween. The lid has an upper surface. The upper surface of the lid terminates in a downwardly extending peripheral shoulder and an outwardly extending peripheral flange positioned outward from the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder. The outwardly extending peripheral flange of the lid abuts the rim when the container is closed. The rim extends beyond an outer edge of the outwardly extending peripheral flange of the lid substantially around the perimeter of the container. At least one surface of the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder engages at least one surface of the groove at a seal interface to form a non-permanent press-fit seal between the base and the lid when the container is closed. The rail impedes the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder from moving in a direction away from the seal interface to deter unauthorized opening of the container when the container is closed.
In accordance with some embodiments, the at least one surface of the groove is an outer side surface of the groove, and the at least one surface of the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder is an outwardly facing surface of the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder. The rim can impede the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder from moving in an outward direction and the rail can impede the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder from moving in an inward direction when the container is closed. It is contemplated that the at least one surface of the groove can be an undercut surface on its outer periphery. The rail, the rim and the groove can extend around the entire perimeter of the base. The downwardly extending peripheral shoulder can extend around the entire perimeter of the lid. In some embodiments, the at least one surface of the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder can be an outwardly tapered shoulder surface.
In accordance with some embodiments, the upper surface of the lid includes a top wall and at least one peripheral wall extending downwardly from the top wall. The peripheral wall can be positioned between the top wall and the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder. At least a portion of the upper surface of the lid can be raised with respect to the outwardly extending peripheral flange. At least a portion of the downwardly extending peripheral shoulder of the lid can be recessed with respect to the outwardly extending peripheral flange.
In accordance with some embodiments, the rim includes an upwardly projecting bead extending substantially about the perimeter of the base. The upwardly projecting bead can surround an outer edge of the outwardly extending peripheral flange of the lid substantially about the perimeter of the base when the container is closed.
It is contemplated that the container can include a tamper-evident hinge joining the lid with the base. The tamper-evident hinge can include a frangible section. The frangible section can include at least one line of weakness. It is contemplated that the lid and the base can be thermoformed from a single sheet of plastic.
In accordance with another aspect, a method of forming a container includes providing a sheet of plastic material that is at least partially transparent and forming a lid from a portion of the sheet of plastic material. The lid can be similar to the lid described above. The method includes forming a base from a portion of the sheet of plastic material. The base can be similar to the base described above.
In accordance with some embodiments, the method includes forming a hinge from a portion of the sheet joining the lid with the base, wherein the lid, the base, and the hinge are unitarily formed from the sheet of plastic material.
It should be appreciated that the present invention can be implemented and utilized in numerous ways, including without limitation as a process, an apparatus, a system, a device, and a method for applications now known and later developed. These and other unique features of the system disclosed herein will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosed system appertains will more readily understand how to make and use the same, reference may be had to the drawings wherein:
It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment
Disclosed herein are detailed descriptions of specific embodiments of containers for protecting baked goods during shipment and methods of constructing the same. It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the way in which certain aspects of the invention can be implemented and do not represent an exhaustive list of all of the ways the invention may be embodied. Indeed, it will be understood that the systems, devices and methods described herein may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Moreover, the figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components.
Well-known components, materials or methods are not necessarily described in great detail in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure. Any specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the invention.
Unless otherwise apparent, or stated, directional references, such as “right,” “left,” “upper,” “lower,” “outward,” “inward,” etc., are intended to be relative to the orientation of a particular embodiment of the invention as shown in the first numbered view of that embodiment. In addition, a given reference numeral indicates the same or similar structure when it appears in different figures and like reference numerals identify similar structural elements and/or features of the subject invention.
The present disclosure now will be described more fully, but not all embodiments of the disclosure are necessarily shown. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof.
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In accordance with another aspect, a method of forming a container, e.g. the container 100, includes providing a sheet of plastic material that is at least partially transparent and forming a lid, e.g. the lid 102, from a portion of the sheet of plastic material. The lid can be similar to the lid 102 described above. The method includes forming a base, e.g. the base 106, from a portion of the sheet of plastic material. The base can be similar to the base 106 described above. In embodiments where the container has a hinge, the method includes forming a hinge from a portion of the sheet joining the lid 102 with the base 106, wherein the lid 102, the base 106, and the hinge are unitarily formed from the sheet of plastic material. It is contemplated that the method can include forming a hinge, e.g. the hinge 128, with a frangible portion, e.g. score lines as described above. It is contemplated that the lid and the base can be thermoformed from a single sheet of plastic.
It should be readily understood that a container 100 constructed in accordance with the present invention, which is preferably a plastic container used for carrying edible items, can be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be formed from resins or plastic materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene terephthalate (“PETE”), as well as other suitable materials or combinations thereof. The forming process can also vary to include methods such as thermo-forming, injection molding or blow molding. The container can be transparent or translucent, and may be colored in either instance. Also, vents can be provided in the container to promote airflow therethrough, if appropriate based on the intended contents of the container. Preferably, container is formed from a roll of PETE subjected to a vacuum and pressure mold with plug assist.
