Abstract:
A package is provided for housing one or more product items, including a lid ( 20 ) with peripheral walls ( 24 ) snugly fitting to peripherals walls ( 44 ) of a molded housing ( 40 ). The walls of the molded housing may flex to improve the sealing of the package. An internal liner ( 70 ) may be provided for added product freshness. A display aperture ( 63 ) may be provided in the housing for viewing the product items without opening the package.

Description:
[0001]    This non-provisional application relies on the filing date of provisional U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/091,855 filed on Aug. 26, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference, having been filed within twelve (12) months thereof, and priority thereto is claimed under 35 USC §1.19(e). 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to a closable storage container for holding small items, and more particularly, to a container adapted to closely hold a nestable sealed packet, with the container closed by a tightly fitting lid. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Various types of closable storage containers or packages are in use at the present time to hold consumer product items such as smokeless tobacco, breath mints, medication, throat lozenges, candy, and the like. One form of package is a formed metal “tin” comprising a bottom enclosure and a tightly fitting lid. Such a package may be expensive to make, and may not provide a perfectly air-tight seal. Furthermore the metal construction does not provide any view of the contents of the “tin.” 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    It is an object of the subject disclosure to provide a package or container for holding small product items that is easy to manufacture, provides excellent sealing to retain product freshness, and allows the consumer to see what is inside the unopened container. 
         [0007]    The present disclosure is directed to a package for holding product items including a top or lid with a close fit to a bottom or housing. In some embodiments, the housing is adapted to receive and retain a container liner. In some embodiments the container liner is at least partly transparent. In some embodiments the housing comprises a display aperture which allows the contents to be seen even when the lid is closed upon the housing. Variations of the illustrative embodiment, including variations in the shape of the lid, housing, or liner, or the shape, size and location of any aperture, are also within the contemplation of the present invention and are further described below. 
         [0008]    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 and from other suitable materials 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. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    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 following drawings. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of a container for holding product items, comprising a metal housing and a metal lid; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a container comprising a plastic housing and a metal lid; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a cross section detail of a fit between the plastic housing and metal lid; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another container comprising a plastic housing and a metal lid; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a housing and an insertable liner; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5B  is a side elevation view of the housing and liner of  FIG. 5A ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5C  is a cross section detail of portions of housing and liner of  FIG. 5A ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5D  is a cross section detail of the same portions of housing and liner shown in  FIG. 5C , joined together as an assembly; and 
           [0018]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are bottom perspective views of containers having a display aperture in the housing. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    The present invention overcomes many of the prior art problems associated with all-metal “tins” for holding small product items. The advantages, and other features of the package disclosed herein, will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings which set forth representative embodiments of the present invention and wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural elements whenever possible. 
         [0020]    All relative descriptions herein such as left, right, up, down, topside, underside and the like are with reference to the Figures, and not meant in a limiting sense. Smokeless tobacco pouches are used as exemplary contents of the package. The illustrated embodiments can be understood as providing exemplary features of varying detail of certain embodiments, and therefore, unless otherwise specified, features, components, modules, elements, and/or aspects of the illustrations can be otherwise combined, interconnected, sequenced, separated, interchanged, positioned, and/or rearranged without materially departing from the disclosed systems or methods. Additionally, the shapes and sizes of components are also exemplary and unless otherwise specified, can be altered without materially affecting or limiting the disclosed technology to holding tobacco products. 
         [0021]    The package comprises a top or lid and a housing or bottom.  FIGS. 1A and 1B  show, in closed and open configuration respectively, a prior art container  10  that for product items such as tobacco pouches  1 . Container  10  comprises a lid  20  and housing  30 , both being metal. Lid  20  typically has a tight friction fit onto housing  30 . Lid  20  may have a slightly rounded or domed top, main surface  22 . Lid walls  24  are substantially vertical and fit closely around and over housing upper walls  34 , also substantially vertical. The housing may have a circumferential ledge  32  that stops the lid walls  24  from being pressed too far down over housing upper walls  34 , which might otherwise make it difficult to reopen the container. Instead of circumferential ledge  32 , there may be a circumferential ridge around housing  30 . Below the circumferential ledge  32  there may extend a housing lower wall  31 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a novel container  11 , which may comprise the same lid  20 , but a different housing such as molded plastic housing  40  that may be made, for example, by injection molding. Plastic housing  40  may have a floor  45  and sides comprising a lower wall  41  extending upward to circumferential ledge  42  and continuing upward as housing upper wall  44 . The lid walls  24  may fit around and over housing upper wall  44 . Circumferential ledge  42  may provide an abutment stop to prevent lid walls  24  from being pressed too far down over housing upper walls  44 , which might otherwise make it difficult to reopen the container. Instead of circumferential ledge  42 , there may be a circumferential ridge (not shown) around housing  40 . While being described as “circumferential” it will be understood that the ledge or ridge may be discontinuous and may not extended entirely around the housing. To help retain lid  20  on housing  40 , one or more detents  46  may be provided on the outer surface of housing upper wall  44 . Housing  40  may comprise a top flange  48  at the top surface of housing upper wall  44 . In some embodiments, product contents within the container may be sealed for freshness or safety, for example by sealing a foil or film (not shown) onto top flange  48 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional view of lid wall  24  engaging housing upper wall  44 . The lower end of lid wall  24  may have an inwardly directed edge such as inward rolled edge  25 . Upon pressing the lid onto the housing, the inward rolled edge  25  rides over detent  46  which engages the inwardly directed edge and helps hold the lid on the housing. The lower end of lid wall  24  may then be supported from below by circumferential ledge  42 , and held from above by one or more detents  46 . To aid in removing the lid, the consumer may press inwardly (as denoted by arrow “A”) upon housing lower wall  41 , causing the housing wall to flex inward and increasing the clearance between detent  46  and inward rolled edge  25  so that the lid may be lifted off the housing. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows another novel container  12 , which may comprise the same lid  20 , but a different housing such as molded plastic housing  50 . Plastic housing  50  may have a floor  55  and sides comprising a lower wall  51  extending upward to circumferential ledge  52  and continuing upward as housing upper wall  54 . The lid walls  24  may fit around and over housing upper wall  54 . Circumferential ledge  52  may provide an abutment stop to prevent lid walls  24  from being pressed too far down over housing upper walls  54 , which might otherwise make it difficult to reopen the container. Instead of circumferential ledge  52 , there may be a circumferential ridge (not shown) around housing  50 . While being described as “circumferential” it will be understood that the ledge or ridge may be discontinuous and may not extended entirely around the housing. To help retain lid  20  on housing  50 , one or more detents  56  may be provided on the outer surface of housing upper wall  54 . One or more of detents  56  may be provided upon more flexible portions of the housing, for example on leaf  57 . The periphery of leaf  57  may be partially separated from housing  50 . For example the periphery of leaf  57  may define an opening through housing upper wall  54 . However, leaf  57  may also be provided without an opening through housing upper wall  54 , for example as a thin, plate-like protrusion molded into or onto housing  50 . 
         [0025]    Housing  50  may comprise a top flange  58  at the top surface of housing upper wall  54 . In some embodiments, product contents within the container may be sealed for freshness or safety, for example by sealing a foil or film (not shown) onto top flange  58 . If the container is sealed in this fashion, then to preserve the effectiveness of the seal, leaf  57  may preferably be provided without defining an opening through housing upper wall  54 . 
         [0026]    In order to help ensure freshness of product items, and to facilitate packaging operation, product items inside the container may be packaged within a liner.  FIG. 5A  shows a liner, such as tub  70  that may be inserted into housing  60  and then sealed with overseal  80 . Housing  60  is in certain aspects similar to housings  40  and  50 , and a description of the component parts will not be repeated. Housing floor  65  may be provided with an opening such as display window  63 , by which product contents may be seen through tub floor  75 , provided tub  70  is made of a transparent material. 
         [0027]    Tub  70  may be formed with tub flange  78 , and tub retaining projections  79  that engagingly fit complementary indentations on the inside of housing  60 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5A , tub retaining projection  79  may snap-fit into the housing, for example into a recess such as overhanging ledge  69  inside the housing. Such engagement features may securely retain the tub and help protect its contents. As an alternative (not shown), a projection inside the housing may fit into an indentation in the tub. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5B  shows a front elevation view of tub  70  aligned over housing  60 .  FIG. 5C  shows detail cross sections of the tub showing tub flange  78  and tub retaining projection  79 , along with housing top flange  68  and housing overhanging ledge  69 . Overhanging ledge  69  may be formed in various shapes and locations. In the example of  FIG. 5C , overhanging ledge  69  may be the inside of circumferential ledge  62 . When the tub  70  is inserted in to housing  60 , tub retaining projection  79  engages overhanging ledge  69  to hold the tub securely in the housing. Tub flange  78  may rest loose upon housing top flange  68 , or it may be sealed thereto. An overseal  80  may be sealed onto the top of tub flange  78 , preferably right after filling the tub with product items. 
         [0029]    Tub  70  may be made of vacuum-formed plastic and overseal  80  may be made of foil; both materials may be chosen to provide barrier properties (such as moisture or oxygen barrier properties) and sufficient structural strength. The items may include such products as smokeless tobacco pouches, tea bags, breath mints, medication, throat lozenges, candy, chewing gum, and the like. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show containers where products such as tobacco pouches  1  or breath mints  2  may be seen through display window  63  (on the bottom of housing  60  as seen in  FIG. 5A ). These products will be visible provided the tub floor  75  is transparent. Thus it is possible to determine how much of the contents remain, without opening the container. However, the tub may be made of non-transparent material. In any case the tub could be used in a housing with or without a display window. 
         [0031]    The new container provides a lid  20  that fits snugly on housing  30  or other housings shown herein. In certain embodiments the side walls of the housing may be designed to engage the lid with a flexing action so that the side walls must be squeezed in order to release the lid. A plastic housing may more readily provide such flexing action than a metal housing. Furthermore, the snug flex fit may be designed to create a “popping” noise when the lid is removed. 
         [0032]    The lid and housing as described herein are particularly suitable for forming a package sized as is common for a tobacco, medication, or candy container, that is, a substantially rectangular package sized to be held conveniently in the hand. Other sizes and shapes of container may be produced according to same principles. For example, an elongated container might be made which may be more useful for holding pencils, candy sticks, drinking straws, or cigars. An oval-shaped container might be made which may be considered more fashionable and used for holding cosmetics, for example. 
         [0033]    While the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.