Abstract:
A container having a container body, a base, a flange circumferentially extending partially about the container body to define a gap exposing a portion of the container body, and an optional lid. The lid may attach to the container body to form an air-tight seal. The gap advantageously allows a tool or a digit to be used to access and remove the lid from the container body. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to containers and, in particular, this invention relates to containers having lids achieving substantially air-tight seals.  
         [0003]     2. Background  
         [0004]     Many substances must be protected from ambient air during storage, transport, and use. These substances include building materials, such as paints, plasters, and wood fillers. Typically, these substances are stored, transported, and used out of containers having lids. The lids can be removed when the substance is being used, then replaced to maintain an air-type seal to protect the substance therein. Many of these containers and lids have been made from metals or stiff synthetic resins. Because of the stiffness of these materials, the lids are easily removed and replaced. However, recently containers and lids have been made from synthetic resins which are pliable and resilient in nature. Containers made from these materials offer advantages, such as resistance to denting and bending during storage, transport, and use. However, it has been more difficult to remove lids made from these more pliable and resilient materials. Using digits or tools to pry open these lids often simply flexes the lids, but fails to remove them. To this end, a flange has been formed proximate an upper end of the container. The flange is situated such that a gap exists between the flange and the container lid. Removing the container lid when a flange is present has involved inserting a tool, then twisting or levering the tool to displace the container lid. While this has been an improvement over existing container designs, twisting or levering tools has still often flexed, rather than removed, the container lids.  
         [0005]     There is then a need for a container with a flange facilitating removal of a substantially flexible lid therefrom. There is a particular need for a container with a flange allowing insertion of a tool or use of a digit to more effectively pry, push, or pull a substantially flexible lid from an air-tight sealing contact with the container.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     This invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs of the industry by providing a container, which facilitates insertion of a tool or use of a digit to more effectively remove a lid from the container.  
         [0007]     A container is provided, which includes a body portion, a base portion, and a flange member. The body portion may include a top edge and a bottom edge. The base portion may form a fluid-tight bond with the body portion proximate the body portion bottom edge. The flange member may radially extend from the body portion and may define a gap, in which the flange is not present and in which an outer surface of the body portion is exposed.  
         [0008]     A process of manufacturing a container is also provided. The process may include 1) forming a container body with an upper edge and an outer surface; 2) joining a base to the container body; and 3) attaching a flange to the container body proximate the container body upper edge such that the flange defines a gap exposing the container body outer surface. In certain embodiments of this invention the container may be unitary, or otherwise integral and the foregoing steps may be conducted simultaneously, e.g., by injection molding.  
         [0009]     A process of placing a substance in a container is also provided. The process may include substantially filling the container with the substance. Steps in this process may include 1) providing the container, the container including a body portion, a base attached to the body portion proximate a body portion lower end, and a flange circumferentially extending around the body portion proximate a body portion top. A gap may be defined by the flange, wherein a portion of an outer surface of the body portion is exposed; 2) conveying the substance into the container; and 3) accommodating the body portion top end by a lid, thereby closing the container with a substantially air-tight seal.  
         [0010]     It is a feature of the present container to include a flange with a gap, the gap exposing an outer surface of the container body.  
         [0011]     It is one advantage of the foregoing feature that the gap facilitates removal of a substantially flexible lid from the container.  
         [0012]     One way removal of a substantially flexible lid is facilitated is that the gap allows deeper insertion of tools beneath a lip of the lid.  
         [0013]     Another way removal of a substantially flexible lid is facilitated is that the gap admits a digit to push or pull the lid, thereby facilitating removal of the lid.  
         [0014]     These and other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the description which follows, and when considered in view of the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container of the prior art with a lid disposed thereon;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a container of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the container of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the container of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the container of  FIG. 4  taken along line  5 - 5 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a is a partial cross sectional view of the container of  FIG. 4  taken along line  6 - 6 ; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a side view of an upper portion of the present container with a lid disposed thereon. 
     
    
       [0022]     It is understood that the above-described figures are only illustrative of the present invention and are not contemplated to limit the scope thereof.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]     Any references to such relative terms as top and bottom, upper and lower, horizontal and vertical, or the like, are intended for convenience of description and are not intended to limit the present invention or its components to any one positional or spatial orientation. All dimensions of the components in the attached figures may vary with a potential design and the intended use of an embodiment of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Each of the features and methods disclosed herein may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and methods to provide improved containers and methods for making and using the same. Representative examples of the teachings of the present invention, which examples utilize many of these additional features and methods in conjunction, will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of ordinary skill in the art further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.  
         [0024]     A container  50  and a lid  52  of the prior art are depicted in  FIG. 1 . The lid  52  is configured to fit snugly over an upper portion of the container  50  so as to achieve an air-tight fit. The lid  52  is made from a substantially flexible material such as high density polyethylene. However, the lid can be made from other materials as well. Other exemplary materials from which the lid  52  can be made are fully discussed infra with respect to the container of this invention. The container  50  includes, inter alia, a container body  54  and a flange  56 . The flange  56  is usually present, inter alia, to provide a base for a tool when the lid  52  is wedged or pried from the container  50 . In most embodiments, a gap  58  is formed between the lid  52  and the flange  56 . Functionally, the gap provides a space to insert a tool for removing the lid  52  from the container  50 . While providing a space for tool insertion, the flange  56  and gap  58  have frequently proven inadequate for removing the lid  52 . Because of the flexibility of the materials used to make the lid  52 , tools inserted in the gap  58  frequently flex the bottom of the lid  52 , rather than removing the lid  52  as desired.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-7 , one embodiment of the container of this invention is depicted generally at  100 . The container  100  may be unitarily (or otherwise integrally) formed from a synthetic resin, e.g., by injection molding or by other equivalent protocols readily comprehended by a person of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation. In the embodiment depicted, the container  100  is generally unitary (or otherwise integral), but may be considered to include a body portion  102 , a base portion  104 , and a flange  106 .  
         [0026]     In the embodiment shown and referring especially to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the body  102 , in turn, may be considered to include a first section, such as a generally frustoconical section  110  and a second section, such as a generally cylindrical section  112 . The frustoconical section  110  extends between the lower edge  116  and a junction  118  of the frustoconical section and the cylindrical section. Also in the embodiment depicted, the cylindrical section  112  is offset radially from the frustoconical section  110 , such that the junction  118  may be described by respective outer and inner radii  119  and  119 . 1 , e.g., 0.031 inch. The cylindrical section  112 , in turn, extends between the upper edge  114  and the junction  118 . A lip  120  may be present to extend radially from the cylindrical section  112  proximate the upper edge  114 . In the embodiment depicted, the frustoconical section  110  angles inwardly from the cylindrical section  112 , e.g., by an angle  122  of between about three degrees and six degrees, between about four degrees and five degrees, or about 4.5 degrees. The present container will have an overall height dimension  124 , a top inner dimension (e.g., diameter)  126 , a top outer dimension (e.g., diameter)  127 , a bottom dimension (e.g., diameter)  128 , a height dimension  130  of the cylindrical section  112 , and a height dimension  132  of the frustoconical section  110 , each dimension determined in part by the volume accommodated by the container of this invention. In the embodiment depicted, containers with a ratio of the top diameter  126  to the bottom diameter  128  of between about 0.5 and 3.0, between about 0.75 and 1.25, or about 1.27 have been satisfactory.  
         [0027]     The present container may also be characterized by a wall thickness  136  and a lip height  138 , e.g., 0.70 inch (17.78 millimeters). Further with respect to the lip  120  and referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the lip  120  is bounded by an internal surface  140 , an upper surface  141 , and respective first and second external surfaces  142  and  144 . In the embodiment shown, the first external surface  142  extends from the horizontal at an angle  146  between about 55 degrees and 85 degrees, between about 60 degrees and 80 degrees, or about 75 degrees. Similarly, the second external surface  144  extends from the horizontal by an angle  148  between about 35 degrees and 55 degrees, between about 40 degrees and 50 degrees, or about 45 degrees.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the present base  104  may be characterized by a thickness dimension  150  (e.g., about 0.026 inch (0.660 millimeter)) and is unitarily, or otherwise integrally, joined to the body  102  at a junction  151  proximate the lower edge  116 . Beneath the base  104  the frustoconical section  110  defines a lip  152  extending between the lower edge  116  and a lower surface of the base  104 , the lip characterized by a height dimension  154  such as about 0.063 inch (0.340 millimeter).  
         [0029]     The present flange  106  provides a maximum horizontal dimension (e.g., diameter)  168  to the present container, e.g., about 0.173 inch (4.394 millimeters) ( FIG. 3 ) and includes respective first and second flange elements  170  and  172  ( FIG. 5 ). The first flange element  170  unitarily, or otherwise integrally, extends orthogonally (or otherwise transversely) from the cylindrical element  112  and the second flange element  172  extends orthogonally (or otherwise transversely) from a radial end  174  of the first flange element  170 . The present flange may also be characterized by a height dimension  178  of the second flange element  172  (e.g., about 0.225 inch or 5.715 millimeter), and a distance dimension  180  characterizing the dimension spanning the upper edge  114  and an upper surface of the first flange element  170 .  
         [0030]     An access facilitator, such as a gap  182  is advantageously displayed in the present container ( FIGS. 2-4  and  7 ). The gap  182  may be described by the absence of the present flange  106  in an arc dimension  186  of between about 10 degrees and 40 degrees, between about 10 degrees and 30 degrees, or about 20 degrees. However, in its broadest sense, the present access facilitator is contemplated to include any structure or lack of structure wherein access to the lid  52  is enhanced.  
         [0031]     A reinforcing structure, such as a multiplicity of ribs  188 , may unitarily, or otherwise integrally, span between an outer surface of the cylindrical element  112  and the first and second flange elements  170  and  172  of the flange  106 . Functionally, the ribs  188  serve to provide additional rigidity to the flange  106 . Referring particularly to  FIG. 6 , a bottom edge  190  of each rib  188  may be characterized by respective first and second radii  192  and  194 . The radius  192  describes the curvature of the bottom edge  190  proximate the junction of the bottom edge  190  and the cylindrical element  112  and proximate the junction of the bottom edge  190  and the second flange element  172 , respectively. The second radius  194  describes the curvature of the bottom edge  190  between those portions of the bottom edge  190  described by the first radius  192 . In the embodiment described, each bottom edge  190  of each rib  188  is generally symmetrical and, hence, can be linearly described by a distance  196  between an origin  198  and a midpoint  200 . A rib thickness dimension  202  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) of about 0.024 inch (0.610 millimeter) has been found suitable for some embodiments. The number of ribs  188  present in the container  100  will be determined by such factors as the extent of the rigidity desired with respect to the present flange and the size of the container. However, it has been found that between about 15 and 30 ribs, between about 20 and 25 ribs, or between about 20 and 22 ribs have imparted an acceptable degree of support and rigidity to exemplary containers more fully described herein. For example in a one-quarter pint container more fully discussed below, the ribs  188  will be present at each 15 degree increment to strengthen the present flange.  
         [0032]     The gap  182  may also be described by a specific circumferential dimension in some embodiments of the present container. For example, a gap  182  occupying a circumferential dimension  182 , as measured along the outer (circumferential) surface  186  of the cylindrical section  112 , may occupy a dimension between about 1 centimeter and 3 centimeters, between about 1.5 centimeters and 2.5 centimeters, or about two centimeters. The extent of the body portion exposed by the present gap may also be described radially for some embodiments, e.g., between about five degrees and 40 degrees, between about 10 degrees and 30 degrees, or about 20 degrees.  
         [0033]     Without limitation, a person of ordinary skill in the art would readily vary the dimensions and thicknesses of the present container without undue experimentation to design and make containers for any of a wide range of contents and to accommodate several capacities. For example, in the embodiment of the present invention depicted, fluid capacities of 1 quart (approximately 986 milliliters), 1 pint (approximately 473 milliliters), one-half pint (approximately 236.5 milliliters), and one-quarter pint (approximately 118.25 milliliters) are arbitrarily contemplated.  
         [0034]     For a one-quarter pint container having a fill line dimension  204  of about 2.275 inches (57.785 millimeters), a total height dimension  124  of about 2.640 (+/−0.061) inches (67.056 (+/−1.549) millimeters), a top inner diameter  126  of about 2.249 (+/−0.020) inches (57.125 (+/0.508) millimeters), a top outer dimension  127  of about 2.354 (+/−0.019) inches (59.792 (+/−0.483) millimeters), a bottom diameter  128  of about 1.854 (+/−0.043) inch (47.092 (+/−1.092) millimeters), a wall thickness dimension  136  of about 0.225 (+/−5 percent) inch (5.715 millimeters), a maximum diameter  168  of about 2.700 (+/−0.062) inches (68.580 (+/−1.575) millimeters), and a flange vertical placement dimension  180  of about 0.334 (+/−0.00394) inch (8.484 (+/−0.100) millimeters) have been found to be suitable dimensions.  
         [0035]     For a one-half pint container, a total height dimension of about 3.187 (+/−0.073) inches (80.950 (+/−1.854) millimeters), a top inner dimension  126  of about 2.950 (+/−0.027) inches (74.930 (+/−0.686) millimeters), a top outer diameter  127  of about 3.082 (+/−0.028) inches (78.283 (+/−0.711) millimeters), a bottom diameter  128  of about 2.493 (+/−0.057) inches (74.752 (+/−1.448) millimeters), a wall thickness dimension  136  of about 0.290 inch (7.366 millimeters), a maximum diameter  168  of about 3.326 (+/−0.076) inches (84.480 (+/−1.930) millimeters), and a flange vertical placement dimension  180  of about 0.362 (+/−0.00394) inch (9.195 (+/−0.100) millimeters) have been found to be suitable.  
         [0036]     For a pint container, a total height dimension  124  of about 4.185 (+/−0.096) inches (106.299 (+/−2.438) millimeters), a top inner diameter  126  of about 3.535 (+/−0.018) inches (89.789 (+/−0.457) millimeters), a top outer diameter  127  of about 3.675 (+/−0.018) inches (93.345 (+/−0.457) millimeters), a bottom diameter  128  of about 3.000 (+/−0.069) inches (76.200 (+/−1.753) millimeters), a wall thickness dimension  136  of about 0.330 inch (8.382 millimeters), a maximum diameter  168  of about 3.940 (+/−0.910) inches (100.076 (+/−23.114) millimeters), and a flange vertical placement dimension  180  of about 0.375 (+/−0.00394) inch (9.525 (+/−0.100) millimeters) have been found to be suitable.  
         [0037]     For a one-quart container, a total height  124  of about 4.750 (+/−0.109) inches (120.650 (+/−2.769) millimeters), a top inner diameter  126  of about 4.615 (+/−0.230) inches (117.221 (+/−5.842) millimeters), a top outer diameter  127  of about 4.769 (+/−0.230) inches (121.133 (+/−5.842) millimeters), a bottom diameter  128  of about 3.985 (+/−0.920) inches (101.219 (+/−23.368) millimeters), a wall thickness dimension  136  of about 0.370 inch (9.398 millimeters), a maximum diameter  168  of about 5.075 (+/−0.117) inches (128.905 (+/−29.718) millimeters), and a flange vertical placement dimension  180  of about 0.375 (+/−0.00394) inch (9.525 (+/−0.100) millimeters) have been found to be acceptable.  
         [0038]     In one embodiment, the present container and lid are injection-molded using a thermoplastic. Acceptable thermoplastics include high density polyethylene homopolymer, rubber-modified polyethylene homopolymer, copolymers of low and medium molecular weight high density polyethylene copolymers, ultrahigh molecular weight high density polyethylene, 20%-30% glass fiber-reinforced high density polyethylene, and cross-linked molding grade polyethylene. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art would readily identify other materials suitable for specific capacities and circumstances without undue experimentation. Identities and properties of other materials suitable for specific embodiments of the present container may be found in the Handbook of Plastics, Elastomers, and Composites, Third Edition, Charles A. Harper, Editor-in-Chief, McGraw-Hill, New York (1996), the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0039]     While one embodiment of the present container is unitary, other embodiments may have individual components, e.g., the present flange, which are formed separately and bonded together.  
         [0040]     As stated above, the present container may be unitarily formed by injection molding using a thermoplastic and the lid  52  may be formed from the same or a similar thermoplastic used to form the container  100  and which imparts a degree of resilience and flexibility to the lid  52 . Because of the flexibility inherent in the present lid  62 , inserting a tool in the gap  58  between the lid  52  and the flange  56  of the prior art container  50  will simply flex the lid, but will not remove the lid from its position sealing the container. The present gap  182  enables a user to press or pull upwardly on the lid  52 , thereby more easily removing the lid  52  from the container  100 .  
         [0041]     Because numerous modifications of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, the scope of the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments illustrated and described. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.