Patent Grant
9511896
The present invention relates generally to packaging, for example containers for storing and dispensing consumable products. There are practical facets to packaging consumable products, namely keeping the products from being damaged during shipping, keeping the products fresh, and in certain instances providing a reusable package. Some consumable products are packaged in a plurality of solid pieces. If it is felt that only some of the pieces may be consumed in one sitting, the manufacturer may wish to provide a container having a lid removable from a housing.
Packaging is also important to the marketing of the product. As such, containers for products such as consumable products come in a variety of sizes, shapes and designs. In marketing the product, packaging can convey information besides taste whereby the consumer can thereby associate the product with its effect by simply viewing the product. Once the consumer has identified a desired brand, the consumer can typically choose a product based solely on the type of packaging.
Very often, in addition to the text of the packaging, the packaging attempts to visually convey a message about the product, the quality of the product, or the purpose of the product. For example, certain packages marketed towards children can include an array of vivid colors, easy to read descriptions, or interactive components to convey an amusing and fun message about the product. Also, certain packages marketed towards adults can include lush fabrics and materials to convey the luxury and quality associated with the product.
In this regard, it is desirable to create a container with an aesthetically pleasing and sophisticated look. It is also desirable to create a container having a secure threaded connection between parts. Conventional metal containers are aesthetically pleasing, but it can be difficult to manufacture threads for various metal components. Furthermore, metal containers with threaded connections can create undesirable scratching noises when opened and closed.
The present invention solves the deficiencies of the prior art.
The present invention provides a container for dispensing a plurality of consumable products. The container can include a plastic portion and a metal portion. The metal portion provides a sophisticated aesthetic to the container while the plastic portion simplifies the manufacturing process. The present invention also provides a container that can include a receptacle for housing a plurality of consumable products, a lid, and an assembly aligning the lid with respect to the receptacle. The assembly may enable indicia on the lid to line up with indicia on the receptacle.
The present invention provides in an embodiment, a container having a housing and a lid. The housing includes a connector and a receptacle having an interior contacting a plurality of solid consumable products. The connector is made from a non-metal material and has a first portion which extends into the interior of the housing. The receptacle is made from a metal material. The lid is coupled to the connector.
In an embodiment, the receptacle includes an inert coating covering a portion of the metal on the interior of the receptacle. The inert coating may cover about 50% to about 100% of the metal on the interior of the receptacle. The inert coating may be an FDA approved varnish.
In an embodiment, the non-metal material is plastic.
In an embodiment, a connection coupling the first portion of the connector to the receptacle prevents relative rotation between the connector and the receptacle.
In an embodiment, a connection coupling the first portion of the connector to the receptacle allows the first portion of the connector to snap into position to couple with the receptacle.
In an embodiment, a connection removably coupling the connector to the lid includes an outer thread on the connector and an inner thread on the lid.
In an embodiment, a connection coupling the first portion of the connector to the receptacle includes a projection on the first portion and a notch on the receptacle. When the first portion is extended into the interior, the projection corresponds with the notch to prevent relative rotation between the connector and the receptacle.
In an embodiment, a connection coupling the first portion of the connector to the receptacle includes at least one radially extending flange on the first portion and at least one bead on the receptacle. The flange and the bead allow the first portion to snap into position to couple with the receptacle.
In an embodiment, the plurality of solid consumable products is one of a plurality of confectionery products and a plurality of snack foods.
In a further embodiment, a container includes a lid and a housing. The lid has a single inner thread on an inner surface. The housing includes a receptacle and a connector. The receptacle defines an interior contacting a plurality of solid consumable products. The connector has an outer surface defining a single outer thread. The outer and inner threads form a threaded connection for coupling the lid to the housing.
In an embodiment, the lid comprises plastic.
In an embodiment, the receptacle comprises metal.
In an embodiment, the connector comprises plastic.
In an embodiment, a portion of the connector extends into the interior.
In an embodiment, a connection couples the receptacle to the connector.
In an embodiment, a connection prevents relative rotation between the connector and the receptacle.
In an embodiment, a top surface of the lid includes a first indicia. The outer surface of the housing includes a second indicia. The first indicia is oriented with respect to the inner thread and the second indicia is oriented with respect to the outer thread so that the first and second indicia are aligned with respect to one another when the lid is coupled to the housing.
In an embodiment, the plurality of solid consumable products is a plurality of confectionery products or snack foods.
In a further embodiment, a container includes a housing and a lid. The housing is constructed from a metal material and includes an opening and an interior contacting a plurality of solid consumable products. The lid covers the opening and includes a top surface defining a plane that is at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane so as to create a sloped surface.
In an embodiment, the housing includes an inert coating that covers a portion of the metal material on the interior of the housing. The inert coating may comprise an FDA approved varnish.
In an embodiment, the lid is constructed from a plastic material.
In an embodiment, the lid defines at least two openings having different sizes.
In a further embodiment, a method for assembling a container includes the steps of: (a) providing a lid, a connector, a receptacle and a connection for coupling the connector to the receptacle, where the lid is made from a non-metal material and includes an inner thread, the connector is made from a non-metal material and includes an outer thread, and the receptacle is made from a metal material and defines an interior contacting a plurality of solid consumable products; (b) coupling the connector to the receptacle; and (d) twisting the lid onto the connector so as to engage the inner and outer threads.
In an embodiment, the receptacle includes an inert coating that is applied to a portion of the metal material on the interior of the receptacle. The inert coating may comprise an FDA approved varnish.
In an embodiment, the connection prevents relative rotation between the connector and the receptacle.
In an embodiment, the connection allows the connector to snap into position to couple with the receptacle.
In an embodiment, the lid includes a single inner thread and the connector includes a single outer thread.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide an improved product container.
It is also an advantage of the present invention to provide consumable product container at least partially made of metal for a sophisticated aesthetic.
It is another an advantage of the present invention to provide a consumable product container that is simple to manufacture.
It is yet another advantage of the present invention to provide a consumable product container that is easy to open.
It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a consumable product container that allows for indicia to be furnished thereon.
Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures.
The present invention provides a consumable product container for housing a plurality of solid consumable products. Although in the embodiments illustrated the consumable products are illustrated as tablets of products, it will be understood that the products to be dispensed can be of any suitable shape and size. Examples of such shapes include pill, block, flat stick, pillow, round, rectangular, triangular, and any combination of same. In an embodiment, the products housed in the receptacle may be confectionery products, including such non-limiting examples as hard candies, gummy candies, mints, tablets, gum pellets, beads, liquid filled beads, chewy candy, chocolate, caramels, and gumballs. In another embodiment, the products may be snack foods, including such non-limiting examples as peanuts, nuts, pretzels, and salty snacks.
The products can alternatively be any other type of solid consumable product. For instance, the products can be cough drops or breath mints or other types of medical, consumable products. In an embodiment, the container may include combinations of products. It should also be appreciated that the container may house non-edible products of similar size and shape. The teachings of the present invention, however, are not dependent upon the products being any particular type as long as the products can fit within and be dispensed by the product container described herein.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
In an embodiment, the lid 60 may be configured as disclosed in commonly-owned co-pending patent application entitled “Two-Piece Container Lid Assembly”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/234,496, filed on Sep. 23, 2005 and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. For example, the lid 60 may generally be made from two pieces: a base and a hinged cover. The lid 60 may include a top surface 70 which defines a plane that is at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane so as to create a sloped surface. In an embodiment, the top surface 70 is sloped with respect to a horizontal plane at an angle between about 10° and about 15°, for example, at an angle of about 12°. The lid 60 can also include at least two openings of differing size for dispensing the consumable products therefrom.
It should be understood that the lid 60 is not limited to being any particular size or shape, as long as the consumable products can be dispensed by the lid described herein. For example, in an embodiment, the top surface 70 of the lid 60 may define a plane that is parallel to a horizontal plane so as to create a flat surface. In another embodiment, the lid 60 may define only one opening for dispensing the consumable products therefrom. Alternatively, the lid 60 may define two or more openings for dispensing the consumable products therefrom. In a further embodiment, the lid 60 may be a unitary piece or may generally be made from more than two pieces.
In addition to the lid 60, the container 10 also includes a housing 18 for housing the consumable products. The housing may include an inner surface 44 contacting the plurality of consumable products and a mouth 42 for providing access to the consumable products. A ridge 58 of the housing 18 may be provided at an opposite end of the housing 18 from the mouth 42. The housing 18 may be any suitable size or shape, including but not limited to cubic, rectangular, pyramidal, cylindrical, conical, spherical, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the housing 18 may graduate from one size or shape to another size or shape from the mouth 42 to the ridge 58. For example, in an embodiment, the housing 18 may generally be shaped as a cylinder towards the mouth 42 and as a rectangle towards the ridge 58. However, it will be appreciated that the housing 18 illustrated in the embodiments are not expressly limited to any particular size or shape as long as the products can be accessed from within the housing 18 described herein.
In an embodiment, the housing 18 may be of increased capacity, providing a large amount of consumable products to the consumer to help alleviate product outages. With the increased amount of products, a consumer may be encouraged to share the products with other consumers. The capacity of the housing 18 may also reduce the amount of overall packaging material required for the container 10 with respect to the amount of product provided therein. In this way, the container 10 may house a large amount of relatively small, solid consumable products at the same time. Similar solid consumable products may typically be packaged into smaller packaging relative to the container 10 of the present invention. In this regard, such small packages housing similar consumable products may be placed on impulse racks near the checkout counter at a store. Alternatively, the increased size of the container 10 of the present invention can afford similar solid consumable products with valuable shelf space within the aisles of the store. The entire container 10 may be disposed or reused.
The container 10 may be sized and shaped so as to be portable and ready for use in different environments. For example, the container may be suitable for use in a car, in an office or at home. In an embodiment, the container is sized and shaped to conveniently fit into a standard cup holder, such as the cup holder in a car. The housing 18 may also be sized so as to prevent the container from rattling inside the cup holder. In an embodiment, the housing 18 has an average diameter between about five centimeters and about seven centimeters. In an embodiment, a bottom of the housing 18 at the ridge 58 has a diameter between about five centimeters and about six centimeters, for example, about five and a half centimeters. In another embodiment, a top of the housing 18 at the mouth 42 has a diameter between about five and a half centimeters and about seven centimeters, for example, about six and a half centimeters. In a further embodiment, the housing 18 has a total height between about seven centimeters and about nine centimeters, for example, about eight centimeters.
The lid 60 may be coupled to the housing 18 by a connection. The connection may secure the container so that the container may not open when dropped or agitated. For example, the container may not undesirably open when dropped from at least thirty-six inches or when agitated inside a purse or bag. The container may be sufficiently rigid to prevent the container from deforming or opening when squeezed. Moreover, the connection also serves as a guide for ensuring proper alignment when assembling the container.
In an embodiment, the connection includes a set of threads between the lid 60 and the housing 18 so as to form a threaded connection between the lid 60 and the housing 18. The lid 60 may be twisted onto the housing 18 so as to engage the set of threads. The lid 60 may include an inner thread 66 on an inner surface 64 of the lid 60. In an embodiment, the inner thread 66 is located on the underside of the base of the lid 60. Similarly, the housing 18 may include an outer thread 30 or 48 on an outer surface of the housing 18. In an embodiment, an outer thread 48 may be included on an outer surface of a unitary housing 18, as shown in
As shown in
The container may be made from disposable materials. The present invention expressly includes the receptacle and lid being made of any suitable material including such non-limiting examples as plastic, metal, paper, and combinations thereof. More specifically, the housing 18 and lid 60 illustrated in the embodiments described below can be generally made of several materials such as a plastic material 34 and a metal material 54.
The plastic material 34 may be polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like, or combinations thereof. Parts of the container made from the plastic material 34 may be constructed using conventional molding processes, including such non-limiting examples as injection blow molding, extrusion blow molding, injection molding, and thermoforming. The plastic material 34 allows for an easier, more efficient manufacturing process since plastic can be molded into complex shapes (e.g. threads) within a limited number of manufacturing steps.
The metal material 54 may be tin, aluminum, steel, tempered steel, or the like, or combinations thereof. Parts of the container made from the metal material 54 may be constructed using conventional metal processes, including such non-limiting examples as punching, rolling, shaping and welding. The metal material 54 may include sheet metal. Forming sheet metal into complex shapes can involve a number of distinct processing steps. However, the metal material can provide a sophisticated aesthetic to the container 10.
In an embodiment, the metal material 54 may be coated with an inert coating 58 to prevent the metal material 54 from contacting consumable products contained within the receptacle 40. The inert coating 58 may be any coating that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use with consumable products. Specifically, the inert coating 58 may be an FDA approved varnish. Alternatively, the inert coating 58 may be any material that serves as an inert coating, thin film, inert layer, or the like, or combinations thereof, intermediate the metal material 54 and the consumable products. The inert coating 58 may have a thickness from about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm, or any value therebetween. Similarly, the inert coating 58 may have a thickness of about 0.5 mm.
The inert coating 58 may be applied to the metal material 54 prior to cutting or forming of the metal material 54 or may be applied to the metal material 54 after cutting and forming of the metal material 54. The inert coating 58 may be rolled onto the metal material 54, sprayed onto the metal material 54, applied to the metal material 54 via a waterfall technique, or may be applied to the metal material 54 by any other means of applying coatings, layers or thin films known in the art. The inert coating 58 may be applied to the metal material 54 on a side of the metal material 54 that will become the interior of the receptacle 40. Alternatively, the inert coating 58 may be applied to both sides of the metal material 54. The inert coating 58 may cover about 50% to about 100%, or any value therebetween, of the metal material 54 on the interior of the receptacle 40. Additionally, the inert coating 58 may cover about 75% of the metal material 54 on the interior of the receptacle 40. Similarly, the inert coating 58 may cover about 100% of the metal material 54 on the interior of the receptacle 40.
The lid 60 may involve several materials. For example, the entire lid 60 may be made from the plastic material 34. Alternatively, a first part of the lid (e.g. a base) may be made from the plastic material 34 while a second part of the lid (e.g. a cover) may be made from the metal material 54.
The housing 18 may involve several materials as well. For example, the housing 18 may be made from a unitary piece of the metal material 54, as shown in
In another embodiment, the housing can include the metal material 54 and a non-metal material. For example, the housing 18 can include a receptacle 40 made from the metal material 54 (e.g. tin) and an insertable connector 20 made from a non-metal material (e.g. plastic). As discussed above, the lid 60 can be made from any suitable material, including non-metal materials (e.g. plastic). When it is desirable to manufacture a housing from the metal material and a lid from a non-metal material, a connector 20 made from a similar non-metal material as the lid can extend into the receptacle and couple with the lid. In other words, a non-metal connector 20 can serve as an adapter between a metal housing and a non-metal lid.
Regardless of the materials used, the lid 20 may be coupled to the housing 18 by the threaded connection discussed above. In an embodiment, the threaded connection includes an outer thread 48 on a metal housing 18 and an inner thread 66 on a plastic lid 60. In another embodiment, the threaded connection includes an outer thread 30 on a plastic connector 20 and an inner thread 66 on a plastic lid 60. Providing a threaded connection between two plastic parts can reduce the noise or scratching between the threads when the lid 60 is twisted onto the housing 18. Furthermore, the plastic material can also lower the application force required for a consumer to twist the lid 60 onto the housing 18.
The second end 26 of the connector is located on an opposite side of the annular ring 22 from the first end 24. At least one flange 28 or a plurality of flanges 28 can be defined along a circumference of the first end 24. Individual flanges 28 can be spaced apart from one another by at least a length of one interstice 38. The flanges 28 are configured and arranged to resiliently deform in the radial direction so as to extend inwardly with respect to a center of the connector 20. As shown in
The flanges 28 may resiliently deform towards an interior of the connector and around the annular bead 46. When the annular bead 46 is located within the channel 29, the flanges 28 may spring back towards the wall of the receptacle 40. At the same time, the mouth 42 of the receptacle 40 may engage the ring 22 and the second end 26 may engage the inner surface of the lid 60. In an embodiment, the connector 20 has a maximum thickness of about three millimeters and the channel 29 extends up to about a millimeter therein. In this regard, the flanges 28 and the annular bead 46 can provide a snap-fit connection between the connector 20 and the receptacle 40 such that the first end 24 of the connector snaps into position to couple with the receptacle 40. This snap-fit connection can permanently couple the connector 20 to the receptacle 40.
The housing 18 may include an alignment assembly 80 for aligning the connector 20 with respect to the receptacle 40. For example, as shown in
As shown in
The alignment assembly 80 may also prevent relative rotation between the connector 20 and the receptacle 40. More specifically, portions of the annular bead 46 along the receptacle which directly surround the notch 50 will engage each side of the rigid projection 32 such that the projection cannot rotate with respect to the annular bead 46. This ensures that the projection 32 remains within the notch 50. In this regard, the alignment assembly 80 prevents the connector 20 from rotating with respect to the receptacle 40 after the housing 18 is assembled. This way, the housing 18 may function as a cohesive unit when the lid 60 is twisted onto the housing 18 via the threaded connection.
It shall be understood that the alignment assembly 80 may include more than one alignment flange 36 and/or rigid projection 32 on the connector 20 and more than one notch on the receptacle, as long as the number of projections 32 match the number of notches 50. It shall also be understood that the alignment assembly can include notches 50 and projections 32 of any size or shape as long as the alignment assembly 80 prevents relative rotation between the connector 20 and the receptacle 40.
As illustrated in
In an embodiment, the first indicia 68 may be located on a top surface 70 of the lid 60. In another embodiment, the second indicia 56 may be located on a front wall of the housing 18. In a further embodiment, the alignment assembly 80 and the single threaded connection cooperate to ensure that the first indicia 68 must be positioned directly over the second indicia 56 such that both indicia 68, 56 can be easily read by a consumer from a front view of the container 10. For example, the alignment assembly 80 may prevent relative rotation between the connector 20 and the receptacle 40 such that the second indicia 56 must remain in a fixed spot on the housing 18 after the housing 18 is assembled.
In an embodiment, a long single thread may be provided on an inner surface of the lid and a long single thread may be provided on an outer surface of the housing. A set of long single threads between the lid 60 and the housing 18 can ensure that there is: (a) only one starting point at which the lid may begin to twist around the housing 18 (i.e. where the inner and outer threads meet), and (b) only one ending point at which the lid stops twisting with respect to the housing 18 (i.e. where the inner and outer threads end). This way, the first and second indicia 68 and 56 may be positioned with respect to the inner and outer threads 66 and 30, 48 respectively in a specific orientation. This orientation can ensure that when the lid 60 stops twisting around the housing 18, the first and second indicia 68 and 56 will be appropriately positioned with respect to one another. Therefore, the alignment assembly 80 and the set of single threads can promote graphic alignment of the first indicia 68 with respect to the second indicia 56 each time the lid 60 is twisted onto the housing 18.
The indicia 68, 56 may include logos, advertisements, branding information, nutritional information, product information, manufacturer information, or the like, or combinations thereof. The indicia may also be provided on the container 10 in various manners. In an embodiment, the indicia may be printed onto portions of the container. For example, the indicia may be printed on metal, plastic or paperboard portions of the container. In another embodiment, the indicia may be embossed or punched into a metal material 54 of the container 10. In a further embodiment, the indicia may be textured or molded into a plastic material 34 of the container 10. In a further embodiment, the indicia may be printed on a pressure sensitive material (e.g. sticker) and applied to an outer surface of the container 10.
In an embodiment, the lid may define at least two openings of differing size: a major opening and a minor opening. The presence of both a major opening and a minor opening allows differing quantities of products to be removed from the container in different ways. For example, a consumer can open the major opening to access a large amount of products in a container interior. The major opening provides easy reach-in access to the consumable products, and, therefore, easy removal of a large number of consumable products at once. Alternatively, a consumer can open the minor opening to access a small amount of products in the interior. The minor opening may be located on a side of the base of the lid. The minor opening can be sized to allow for dispensing of individual or a small number of products.
As discussed above, the top surface 70 of the lid 60 may define a plane that is at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane so as to create a sloped surface. The sloped top surface may provide better viewing for a first indicia 68. That is, a first indicia 68 can be applied to a sloped top surface 70 for increased visibility to a consumer from a front view of the container 10. The major opening may be located on the sloped top surface 70 so as to be increased, meaning the size of the major opening is made larger than a planar opening would allow.
In an embodiment, the housing 18 may be shaped in a variety of ways and can include a variety of second indicia 56. Similarly, the lid 60 may include a variety of first indicia 68. In each embodiment, the first indicia 68 is lined up with the second indicia 56 so that a consumer can easily read both from a front view of the container.
The present invention also include a method for assembling a consumable product container 10. The method includes providing a lid, a receptacle, and a connector. The receptacle 40 includes a metal material and defines an interior contacting a plurality of solid consumable products. The lid 60 includes a non-metal material and an inner thread 66. The connector 20 includes a non-metal material and an outer thread 30. The method also includes providing a connection for coupling the connector to the receptacle. The method further includes the steps of: (a) coupling the connector to the receptacle, and (b) twisting the lid 60 onto the connector 20 so as to connect the inner thread 66 with the outer thread 30.
Although not illustrated, the container 10 may include an induction seal. The induction seal may protect the consumable products, promote freshness, and extend the shelf life of the products. In an embodiment, the induction liner may seal around the mouth 42 of the receptacle. In another embodiment, the induction liner may seal around the first end 24 of the insertable connector 20. When a consumer first receives the container 10, the consumer can either open or remove the lid 60 before breaking the induction seal and exposing the consumable products. Conventional induction sealing techniques may be used, including such non-limiting examples as cold sealing, heat sealing utilizing a hot melt, heat activated adhesive or fusible substrate, room temperature sealing utilizing room temperature adhesives, or other induction sealing processes utilizing conductive foil systems. Alternatively, a conduction seal may be used utilizing conventional conduction sealing techniques may also be used.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20080190927 A1 | Aug 2008 | US |
