Abstract:
A lid for use with an open top container threadably engages with the open head container to secure the lid to the container. A seal is located between tapered surfaces of the lid and the container member such that compression of the seal occurs gradually as the lid is threadably secured onto the container member. The lid is equipped with a torquing tool which pivots at along a ridge at the edge of the lid. In a stored configuration, the torquing tool has a handle which is at least partially contained within a chamber in the lid. A base of the torquing tool has a top surface which is coplanar with a top surface of a portion the lid in the stored configuration. To utilize the torquing tool, the handle is rotated about the pivot, to an extended position. The handle may then assist an operator in twisting the lid relative to the container member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to lids for use with pails and more specifically to a pail lid or cover having a built-in torquing tool. 
     Various pails or barrels and similar containers and cover, or lid, assemblies are known in the art. Some pails are utilized to store chemicals or other solutions. Other pails are utilized to store dry goods. 
     When storing solutions, it is often important to provide a seal between a lid and the wall of the container to prevent spilling and leaking of the solution from the container past the lid. Some stored solutions may have a corrosive effect, or discolor some surfaces upon contact if the solution were to inadvertently spill from a storage container. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,494,674 and 3,897,874 disclose seals between a container member and a lid. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,170,691 and 6,006,942, owned by the owner of the present application, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, address a need in the industry to reduce the amount of strength required to close a lid onto an open lid container by providing a seal which is gradually compressed as a lid is rotatably threaded onto the container member. While these designs are an improvement over the prior art, there remains a need to assist those individuals lacking sufficient strength to open and close lids on containers. 
     Specifically, if a very strong person applies a large amount of torque to a lid to secure the lid to the container, it may be very difficult for a weaker person to remove the lid from the container. Furthermore, if a lid is not attached to a particular container, even with the improved gradual sealing technique disclosed in the aforesaid other patents of the owner of the present application, it may still be difficult for some weak people to apply a specific amount of torque to the lid to significantly reduce the likelihood of spillage should a sudden surge in pressure occur within the closed container, such as may occur if the container is dropped onto a hard surface. Accordingly, a need exists to provide a means which assists a person in applying torque to a lid. 
     A number of mechanisms have been devised over the years to provide a handle, or a torquing tool for use with lids, caps, or tops. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 879,516 shows a hot water bottle with a handle 15 that pivots relative to an extension 13 which is connected to head 11. While this design may be suitable for the application provided in the &#39;516 patent, the use of an extension with pail lids is not convenient nor desirable. The inclusion of an extension would increase the cost of materials in the lid and would affect the way pails and pail lids are stored. Improvements may be made over this design. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,031,775 shows another top, or screw stopper, for use with cans, drums, jars bottles and other vessels. A handle slidably extends from a slot in the top of the stopper to provide a torquing aid for a user. While a number of advantages are obtained from this design, the construction utilizing the teachings of this design in the form of a pail lid would likely require significant labor and complexity. Accordingly, improvements may be made over this design as well. 
     Various pivoting handle designs have been utilized for particular containers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,747 shows a handle on a gas can lid which pivots from about the centerline of the lid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,526 shows another construction where a handle pivots at the centerline of a cap which may be utilized on a nail polish bottle. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,120,603 and 2,308,217 show somewhat similar constructions for a jar cap having a handle which pivots from an extension located on a top surface of the lid, about half way from the edge of the cap to the center of the cap. 
     Thus, although numerous attempts have been made to provide a torquing tool as a portion of a cap, none of the prior art construction are believed to be particularly suited for pail covers with the exception of U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,246 with gripping structure formed into a top surface of the lid and U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,647 having a recessed portion in the lid for receiving a paint stir stick. While these designs may be acceptable in some applications, they are not practicable when it is necessary or important to maintain a seal between a lid and a container and for other reasons. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide an open top container and lid assembly with the lid having a torquing tool available to assist a user in the attachment and/or detachment of the lid from the container. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a torquing tool which pivots about a pivot point on a ridge of the lid. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a torquing tool which may be stored in an unobstrusive manner when not in use. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a torquing tool which does not interfere with the ability of multiple pails with lids to stack on top of one another. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a lid for an open end container. The lid preferably threadably engages with the open end container to secure the lid to the container and has a seal located between tapered surfaces of the lid and the container member such that compression of the seal occurs gradually as the lid is threadably secured onto the container member. 
     The lid has a torquing tool which pivots at a ridge at the edge of the lid. In a stored configuration, the torquing tool has a handle which is at least partially contained within a depression or chamber in the lid. A base of the torquing tool has a top surface which is coplanar with a top surface of the lid in the stored configuration. To utilize the torquing tool, the handle is rotated about the pivot, to an extended position. The handle may then assist an operator in twisting the lid relative to the container member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a lid secured to a container member; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial side sectional view showing the lid secured to the container member with a seal sandwiched therebetween, and a torquing tool connected to the lid; 
     FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the lid on a container with the torquing member in a stored configuration; and 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the lid with the torquing tool in an extended configuration. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows a presently preferred open top container member  10  with a lid  12  threadably mounted thereon. The container member and lid  12  are preferably formed of molded plastic, such as by injection molding. The container member  10  may be any suitable size, with a five gallon container member being illustrated in the preferred embodiment. The container member  10  includes a main body portion  14  and an annular skirt member  16  spaced from and encircling the main body portion  14  adjacent the open end of the container member  10 . A plurality of reinforcing webs  18  are illustrated between the main body portion  14  and the annular skirt member  16 . The webs  18  may extend radially outwardly from the main body portion  14 , or may extend outwardly from the main body portion  14  at an angle inclined with respect to the radial direction. Alternatively, the plurality of webs  18  may be replaced by a single disk encircling the main body portion  14 , and interconnecting the main body portion  14  with the annular skirt member  16 . In the preferred embodiment, eight reinforcing webs  18  are utilized spaced equidistantly around the circumference of the main body portion  14 . 
     The outer surface of the annular skirt member  16  includes outwardly directed threads  20 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The lid includes inwardly directed threads  22  located on an interior surface of an outermost wall  24  of the lid. The inwardly directed threads  22  are threadably engageable with the outwardly directed threads  20  to secure the lid  12  to the container member  10  by twisting either the lid  12  or the container member  10  relative to the other about a twisting axis  112 . 
     Tapered threads are shown in the embodiment illustrated due to their fluid sealing characteristics. However, it should be understood that various types of threads may be utilized, such as straight or square threads without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, although right-hand threads have been shown in the Figures, it should be apparent that in some applications, the use of left-hand threads and/or multiple parallel threads may be utilized. 
     The details of the construction of the lid  12  are illustrated in FIG. 2, where it will be seen that the lid  12  comprises a disk member  26 , to which a first upwardly extending wall member  28  is attached. The first upwardly extending wall member  28  substantially encircles the disk member  26 . A middle wall member  30  is attached to the top of the first upwardly extending wall member  28  and extends radially outwardly therefrom. Extending downwardly from the middle wall member  30  is the outermost wall  24 . Together with the first upwardly extending wall member  28 , the middle wall member  30  and the outermost wall  24  form a ridge  32  having an inverted U-shape at the top portion of the first upwardly extending wall member  28  and the top portion of the outermost wall  24 . The ridge  32  substantially encircles the disk member  26 . 
     The ridge  32  surrounds or encircles a perimeter of the disk member  26 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the disk member  26  has a depression in the form of a chamber  34  connected to a well  36  and a slot  38  recessed relative to top surface  40 . The chamber  34 , the well  36  and the slot  38  preferably join one another below the top surface  40  of the disk member  26  and are symetrical about a torquing took axis  90 . The top surface  40  of the disk member  26  is preferably substantially planar. The chamber  34 , well  36  and slot  38  extend downwardly from the top surface  40 . The disk member  26  encircles the chamber  34 . 
     The lid  12  also has a torquing tool  42  which has a base  44  connected to a handle  46 . The handle  46  may be cylindrical as illustrated to provide comfort when utilized. When not in use, it is anticipated that the torquing tool  42  will be placed in a stored configuration as illustrated in FIG. 3. A distal end  48  of the handle  46  is at least partially contained within well  36 . It is preferably for well  36  to contain a large percentage, if not all, of the distal end  48  of the handle  46  to assist in preventing the handle  46  from interfering with stacking of multiple containers  10  with lids  12  attached. As shown in FIG. 2, the handle  46  has a top portion  50  which is higher than the top surface  40  of the disk member  26 . Nevertheless, the bottom  52  of a stacked pail  54  is not interfered with, such as not contacted being by the handle  46 . The handle  46  preferably contacts a resting surface  56  of the well  46 . However, depending on the configuration of the slot  36  and chamber  34 , the handle  46  may not contact the resting surface  56  in all embodiments. 
     The well  36  preferably has a configuration that cooperates with the distal end  48  of the handle  46  to accept the handle  46  within the well  36  without much space between well walls  60 , 62 , 64  and the handle  46 . The well wall  60  is preferably substantially parallel with the distal end  48  of the handle  46 . The well walls  62 , 64  are preferably curved and meet and/or form the resting surface  56 . 
     The chamber  34  extends a distance below the handle  46  to provide a space  58  for an operator to grasp the handle  46  to pivot the torquing tool  42  to an operating position shown in FIG.  4 . The chamber  34  may be concave as illustrated, or may have other constructions. 
     The base  44  of the torquing tool  42  is at least partially received in slot  38 . The base has a leg  66  which connects with handle  46  and an abutment  68  which provides or connects to pivot  70 . In the embodiment illustrated, the leg  66  is received within the slot so that a bottom surface  72  of the leg contacts, or nearly contacts, a floor surface  74  of the slot  38 . An upper surface  76  of the leg is preferably coplanar with, or located below, or located slightly above, the top surface  40  of the disk member  26  when the torquing tool  42  is in a stored configuration. The upper surface  76  is also parallel to the top surface  40  of the disk member  26 . The base  44  may terminate within the slot  38  or may extend into the chamber  34  in the stored configuration as illustrated. The upper surface  76  does not interfere with stacking of multiple containers  10  with lids  12  when the torquing tool  42  is in the stored configuration. 
     The abutment  68  is at least partially received within the ridge  32  in the stored configuration. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the abutment  68  contains an abutment wall  78  which forms a substantially continuous wall with the upwardly extending wall member  28  of the ridge  30  in the stored configuration. The pivot  70  is obscured from view in FIG. 3, but is shown in FIG. 2 extending outwardly from abutment side  80 . Abutment side  80  is located within receiver  82 . Receiver  82  has receiving walls  84 , 86  and receiving floor  88 . Receiving walls are preferably planar and angled relative to torquing tool axis  90 . The angle that each of the receiving walls  84 ,  86  forms with the torquing tool axis  90  is preferably the same angle that leg sides  92 , 94  form with the torquing tool axis  90 . Accordingly, when the torquing tool  42  is pivoted to an operational configuration shown in FIG. 4, the leg sides contact the receiving walls  84 , 86 . Furthermore a portion of the top surface  76  of the leg  66  contacts the receiving floor  88 . This supports the torquing tool  42  in the preferred embodiment so that the torquing tool  42  extends radially away from twisting axis  112  and is substantially parallel to the disk member  26  of the lid  12  in the operational configuration and about one hundred eighty degrees from the stored configuration. 
     In order to transition the torquing tool  42  from the stored configuration shown in FIG. 3 to the operational configuration shown in FIG. 4, the handle  46  is grasped by an operator and pivoted about the pivot  70  shown in FIG. 2 until the upper surface  76  of the leg  66  contacts the receiving floor  88 . As the handle  46  of the torquing tool  42  is utilized to apply torque to the lid  12 , the leg sides  92 , 94  contact the receiving walls  84 , 86  and provide a mechanical advantage resulting in increased torque relative to the container  10 . 
     Although various sealing configurations could be utilized with other embodiments of container  10 , the upper open end of the main body member  14  has a lower annular rim  96 . A lower wall member  98  extends radially outwardly from the main body portion  14  from a position below the lower annular rim  96 . An inclined or tapered wall member  100  extends ujpwardly from the lower wall member  98 . The upper portion of the tapered wall member  100  forms an upper annular rim  102 . Together with the lower annular rim  96 , the lower wall member  98  and a portion of the tapered wall member  100  form a U-shaped channel  104 . Located along the tapered wall member  100  is a seal  106  located within groove  108 . 
     When the lid  12  is applied to the open top container member  10 , the O-ring seal  106  of the container member  10  is compressed between the tapered wall member  100  of the container member  10  and the tapered wall member  110  of the lid  12  to effectively form a seal therebetween. Due to the included or tapered arrangement of at least one of the sealing surfaces, as the lid  12  is threadably tightened onto the container member  10 , the tapered wall member  110  gradually contacts and begins to compress the O-ring seal  106 . Further rotation and tightening of the lid  12  with respect to the container member  10  results in gradual compression of the O-ring seal  106  therebetween. 
     In addition to the tapered wall member  110 , the lid  12  has an internal wall member  112 , a lower portion of which assists in forming a notch  114 , or U-shaped channel, with a bottom portion of the tapered wall member  110 . The notch  114  receives the lower annular rim  96  of the container  10 . The notch  114  cooperating with the lower annular rim  96  and the U-shaped channel  104  cooperating with a lower portion of the tapered wall member  110  form a tortuous path for inhibiting the passage of fluid therepast. 
     While the construction of the sealing mechanism withing the container  10  is very similar to that shown in applicants U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,691, it was not earlier anticipated that a torquing tool  42  would be advantageous during the initial development and production of the open ended container disclosed in that reference. Furthermore, although the lid  12  with torquing tool  42  is particularly well adapted for use with the container disclosed in that reference, the lid  12  of the present invention may be utilized with other open end container configurations. 
     Numerous alternations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.