Claims
- 1. In a lidded container including a receptacle portion with a brim provided with a plurality of lateral, substantially straight brim wall segments extending between a plurality of corners which link the brim lateral wall segments and a lid adapted to engage the brim, wherein the lid likewise includes a plurality of lateral, substantially straight lid wall segments extending between a plurality of lid corners, the improvement comprising a plurality of medial sealing beads disposed on the substantially straight lateral brim wall segments or the substantially straight lateral lid wall segments, the medial sealing beads being characterized in that:
(i) the medial sealing beads project away from their respective walls a maximum distance at a central portion thereof between and distal to adjacent corners with lesser projections away from their lateral walls at their end portions proximate to the corners; and (ii) the medial sealing beads extend over the major portion of the length of the lateral wall segment upon which they are disposed.
- 2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the medial sealing beads terminate at or prior to the corners at either end of the wall segment.
- 3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the brim of the receptacle portion is U-shaped and the lid is provided with a corresponding U-shaped channel.
- 4. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of medial sealing beads extends over substantially the entire distance between adjacent rounded corners.
- 5. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of medial sealing beads defines an arched line between adjacent rounded corners.
- 6. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the medial sealing beads blend with the rounded corners at end portions of the medial sealing beads.
- 7. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the medial sealing beads are tangent with adjacent rounded corners at their end portions.
- 8. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the medial sealing beads have an arched profile away from the lateral walls upon which they are disposed.
- 9. A lidded container comprising:
(a) a receptacle portion having
(i) a bottom; (ii) a side wall defining; (iii) an upper aperture; (b) the receptacle portion being further provided with a brim extending around the upper aperture, the brim including:
(i) a plurality of rounded corner brim portions; and (ii) a plurality of lateral brim walls extending between the rounded brim corner portions, the walls being configured such that the surfaces are substantially linear along a direction between adjacent brim corners interconnected thereby; (c) a lid adapted to engage the brim and together with the receptacle portion and brim define a sealed container, the lid being suitably provided with:
(i) a plurality of lid rounded corner portions; and (ii) a plurality of lateral lid walls extending between the rounded corner portions wherein the lid rounded corner portions and the lid lateral walls are configured to engage corresponding brim corner portions and the lateral brim walls thereof, the lateral lid walls being configured such that their surfaces are substantially linear between adjacent lid corner portions interconnected thereby; and (d) a plurality of medial sealing beads disposed on lateral walls selected from lateral brim walls and lateral lid walls, the sealing beads being characterized in that:
(i) the medial sealing beads project away from their respective lateral walls a maximum distance at a central portion thereof between and distal to adjacent corners with lesser projections away from their lateral walls at their end portions proximate adjacent corners; and (ii) the medial sealing beads extend over the major portion of the length of the lateral wall between adjacent corners upon which they are disposed.
- 10. The lidded container according to claim 9, thermoformed from a thermoplastic material.
- 11. The lidded container according to claim 9, made from a thermoplastic composition comprising a polystyrene polymer composition.
- 12. The lidded container according to claim 11, wherein the polystyrene polymer composition comprises high impact polystyrene.
- 13. The lidded container according to claim 11, wherein the polystyrene polymer composition comprises rubberized polystyrene.
- 14. The lidded container according to claim 11, wherein the polystyrene polymer composition is oriented polystyrene.
- 15. The lidded container according to claim 9, made from a thermoplastic composition comprising a polyolefin polymer.
- 16. The lidded container according to claim 15, wherein the polyolefin polymer is polypropylene.
- 17. The lidded container according to claim 15, wherein the polyolefin polymer is polyethylene.
- 18. The lidded container according to claim 9, made from a thermoplastic composition comprising polyethylene terephthalate.
- 19. The lidded container according to claim 9, made by way of injection molding.
- 20. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the container has a fill volume of from about 1 to about 8 fluid ounces.
- 21. The lidded container according to claim 20, wherein the container has a fill volume of from about 1 to about 4 fluid ounces.
- 22. The lidded container according to claim 20, wherein the container has a fill volume of about 2 fluid ounces.
- 23. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the brim is U-shaped and the lid is provided with a corresponding U-shaped channel.
- 24. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of medial sealing beads extends over substantially the entire distance between rounded corners.
- 25. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of medial sealing beads defines an arched line between adjacent rounded corners.
- 26. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the medial sealing beads blend with the rounded corners at ends of the medial sealing beads.
- 27. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the medial sealing beads are tangent with rounded corners at their end portions.
- 28. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the medial sealing beads have an arched profile away from the lateral walls upon which they are disposed.
- 29. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the lateral walls upon which the sealing beads are disposed have an upper portion and lower portion and the medial sealing beads are located proximate to the upper portions of the lateral walls upon which they are disposed.
- 30. The lidded container according to claim 29, wherein the lateral walls upon which the medial sealing beads are disposed have a top and bottom defining a height and the medial sealing beads are disposed at the upper portion of its lateral wall at substantially two-thirds the height of the lateral wall.
- 31. The lidded container according to claim 9, wherein the medial sealing beads have a maximum projection away from the lateral wall at substantially the center line of the lateral wall.
- 32. A thermoformed disposable lidded container comprising:
(a) a substantially rectangular receptacle portion with:
(i) a bottom; and (ii) a sidewall defining; (iii) an upper aperture; (b) the receptacle portion being further provided with a generally rectangular brim extending around the upper aperture, the brim including;
(i) a U-shaped profile portion defining; (ii) a plurality of rounded corner brim portions; and (iii) a plurality of outer lateral brim walls extending between the rounded brim corner portions, the outer brim walls being configured such that their surfaces are substantially linear along the direction between adjacent brim corner portions interconnected thereby; (c) a lid having:
(i) a rectangular sealing channel with rounded corners adapted to fit over the brim thereby forming a sealed container with the receptacle portion; (d) wherein outer lateral brim walls are provided with a plurality of medial sealing beads characterized in that:
(i) the medial sealing beads project away from the respective outer lateral brim walls a maximum distance at a central portion thereof between and distal to the corners with lesser projections away from the outer lateral brim wall at its end portions proximate to the corners; and (ii) the medial sealing beads extend over the major portion of the length of the outer lateral brim walls upon which it is disposed between adjacent corners.
- 33. The lidded container according to claim 32, wherein each outer lateral brim wall is provided with a medial sealing bead characterized in that:
(i) the medial sealing beads project away from the respective outer lateral brim walls a maximum distance at a central portion thereof between and distal to the corners, with lesser projections away from the outer lateral brim wall at its end portions proximate to the corners; and (ii) the medial sealing beads extend over the major portion of the length of the outer lateral brim wall upon which it is disposed between adjacent corners.
- 34. The lidded container according to claim 32, wherein the lid is hinged to the receptacle.
- 35. The lidded container according to claim 32, wherein the outer lateral walls of the brim have a substantially planar surface.
- 36. An integrally formed ensemble of interconnected separable containers and associated lids comprising:
(a) a plurality of containers arranged in an array, each container comprising a cup and a lid hingedly adjoined thereto, the containers being separably joined to the ensemble and each of the containers having an upper cup aperture, a cup sidewall and cup bottom and further including a generally rectangular cup brim about its upper cup aperture including four lateral sealing walls interconnected by four rounded corners; (b) the containers thus including a plurality of lids each of which is hinged to its associated cup; (c) each of said plurality of lids being adapted to cooperate with the sealing walls of its associated cup brim upon pivotable motion of the lid about its hinge to form a sealed container wherein the lateral sealing walls of the brim are each provided with a medial sealing bead characterized in that:
(i) the medial sealing beads project away from the respective outer lateral brim walls a maximum distance at central portions thereof between and distal to the corners, with lesser projections away from the outer lateral brim walls at their end portions proximate to the corners; and (ii) the medial sealing beads extend over the major portion of the length of the outer lateral brim wall upon which it is disposed between adjacent corners.
- 37. The integrally formed ensemble according to claim 36, wherein the lids are generally co-planar with the upper cup aperture of their associated cups.
- 38. The integrally formed ensemble according to claim 36, wherein the containers are separably joined by tearable portions that are perforated.
- 39. The integrally formed ensemble according to claim 36, wherein the lids are hinged to the associated cups by way of perforate scored hinged portions of the ensemble.
- 40. The integrally formed ensemble according to claim 36, wherein the containers are separately joined by tearable portions that are scored.
- 41. The integrally formed ensemble according to claim 36, wherein each container has a fill volume of from about 1 to about 8 fluid ounces.
- 42. The integrally formed ensemble according to claim 36, wherein each container has a fill volume of from about 1 to about 4 fluid ounces.
- 43. The integrally formed ensemble according to claim 36, wherein each container has a fill volume of about 2 fluid ounces.
- 44. The integrally formed ensemble according to claim 36, wherein each lid has a generally planar configuration.
- 45. An integrally formed ensemble of interconnected separable containers and associated lids comprising:
(a) a first plurality of containers arranged in a first linear array each container comprising a cup and a lid hingedly adjoined thereto, said containers being separably adjoined to each other by a first plurality of tear portions, each of said first plurality of containers having an upper cup aperture, a cup sidewall and a cup bottom and further including a generally rectangular cup brim with four lateral sealing walls interconnected by four rounded corners wherein the lateral sealing walls of the cup brim are each provided with a medial sealing bead characterized in that:
(i) the medial sealing beads project away from the respective outer lateral brim walls a maximum distance at a central portion thereof between and distal to the corners, with lesser projection away from the outer lateral brim wall at their end portions proximate to the corners; and (ii) the medial sealing beads extend over the major portion of the length of the outer lateral brim wall upon which it is disposed between adjacent corners; (b) a second plurality of containers arranged in a second linear array each container comprising a cup and a lid hingedly adjoined thereto, said containers being separably adjoined to each other by a second plurality of tear portions, each of said second plurality of containers having an upper cup aperture, a cup sidewall and a cup bottom and further including a generally rectangular cup brim with four lateral sealing walls interconnected by four rounded corners wherein the lateral sealing walls of the cup brim are each provided with a medial sealing bead characterized in that:
(i) the medial sealing beads project away from the respective outer lateral brim walls a maximum distance at a central portion thereof between and distal to the corners, with lesser projections away from the outer lateral brim wall at its end portions proximate to the corners; and (ii) the medial sealing beads extend over the major portion of the length of the outer lateral brim wall upon which they are disposed between adjacent corners; (c) wherein said first linear array of said first plurality of containers is secured to the second linear array of said second plurality of containers by a third plurality of tear portions arranged along a medial axis between said first linear array of said first plurality of containers and said second linear array of said second plurality of containers; (d) there thus being provided a first plurality of lids hinged to said first plurality of cups, said first plurality of lids being arranged in a third linear array generally parallel to the medial axis between the container arrays, said third linear array of said first plurality of lids being generally disposed and hinged along the sides of the first plurality of containers opposite to the sides adjacent the medial axis between said first linear array of said first plurality of containers and said second linear array of said second plurality of containers, said first plurality of lids being adapted to cooperate with the sealing walls of the associated cup brim of the first plurality of containers to provide sealed cup, lid assemblies upon pivotable motion of the lid about its hinge and securing the lid to its associated cup brim of the first plurality of containers; and (e) there being thus further provided a second plurality of lids hinged to said second plurality of containers said second plurality of lids being arranged in a fourth linear array generally parallel to the medial axis between the container arrays, said fourth linear array of said second plurality of lids being generally disposed along the sides of the second plurality of containers opposite to the side adjacent the medial axis between said first linear array of said first plurality of containers and the second linear array of said second plurality of containers; each of said second plurality of lids being adapted to cooperate with the sealing walls of its associated cup brim of the second plurality of containers to provide sealed cup, lid assemblies upon pivotable motion of the lid about its hinge and securing the lid to its associated cup brim of the second plurality of containers, the third linear array of said first plurality of lids and the fourth linear array of said second plurality of lids being thus generally distally and symmetrically disposed with respect to the medial axis between the first linear array of said first plurality of containers and a second array of said second plurality of containers.
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY
[0001] This non-provisional application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,207 entitled “Separable Containers Arranged in Arrays With Integrally Formed Lids”, filed on Jun. 6, 2003, the priority of which is claimed. This application also claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/389,533, filed Jun. 18, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60389533 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
10456207 |
Jun 2003 |
US |
Child |
10751786 |
Jan 2004 |
US |