Patent Publication Number: US-2012043336-A1

Title: Container Assembly with Removable Lid

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a container assembly, and more particularly, to a container assembly with a removable lid. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When storing leftover food, food that is to be prepared at a later time, or food that is to be served at a later time, it is common to use a container assembly that comprises a cooking vessel, or a storage vessel, and a lid that is removably securable to the cooking vessel. Although such container assemblies have existed for a long period of time, they have had some limitations. For example, a user may oftentimes not be able to easily grip such an assembly because the lid typically engulfs the entire perimeter of the cooking vessel, including any handles of the cooking vessel. 
     Thus, a need exists to provide a container assembly having a removable lid with an improved attachment arrangement to a cooking vessel. 
     The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed above and other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not previously provided. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment, a container assembly is provided. The container assembly comprises a cooking receptacle, and a removable lid. The cooking receptacle has a base and a continuous sidewall connected to the base. The sidewall extends upward from the base and terminates at a peripheral edge. A first handle ledge projects laterally outward from the peripheral edge. The first handle ledge has a first opening formed therein. A second handle ledge projects laterally outward from the peripheral edge in a direction generally opposed to the first handle ledge. The second handle ledge has a second opening formed therein. The removable lid has a cover portion and a seal portion. The seal portion has a continuous inner sidewall that protrudes from the cover portion toward the base of the cooking receptacle. A discontinuous outer sidewall extends downward proximate a perimeter of the lid portion. The discontinuous outer sidewall comprises at least a first outer sidewall portion that protrudes from the cover portion toward the base of the cooking receptacle, and an opposed second outer sidewall portion that protrudes from the cover portion toward the base of the cooking receptacle. The peripheral edge of the cooking receptacle is disposed between the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of removable lid. The first outer sidewall portion of the seal portion is disposed within the first opening of the first handle ledge. The second outer sidewall of the seal portion is disposed within the second opening of the second handle ledge. 
     According to one process, a method of forming a container assembly having a seal is provided. A cooking vessel having a base and a continuous sidewall is provided. The continuous sidewall terminates at an upper peripheral edge. A first handle ledge projects laterally from the upper peripheral edge. The first handle ledge has a first opening formed therein. A second handle ledge projects laterally from the upper peripheral edge in a direction generally opposed to the first handle ledge. The second handle ledge has a second opening formed therein. A removable lid having a seal portion and a central cover portion is provided. The seal portion has a continuous inner sidewall that projects downward from the cover portion. A discontinuous outer sidewall comprises a first outer sidewall portion that projects downward from the cover portion and a second outer sidewall portion that projects downward from the cover portion. The removable lid is aligned with the cooking vessel. The removable lid is secured to the cooking vessel such that the upper peripheral edge of the cooking vessel is disposed between the inner sidewall of the removable lid and the first outer sidewall portion of the removable lid, the first outer sidewall portion of the lid is disposed within the first opening of the first handle ledge, and the second outer sidewall portion of the lid is disposed within the second opening of the second handle ledge. 
     According to another embodiment, a removable lid with a seal for use with a cooking receptacle that has a base and a continuous sidewall connected to the base is provided. The lid comprises a cover portion and a seal portion. The seal portion has a continuous inner sidewall that protrudes downward from the cover portion. A discontinuous outer sidewall comprises a first outer sidewall portion that protrudes downward from the cover portion, a second outer sidewall portion that protrudes downward from the cover portion, a third outer sidewall portion that protrudes downward from the cover portion, and a fourth outer sidewall portion that protrudes downward from the cover portion. A generally horizontal ledge separates the inner sidewall from the outer sidewall. A first gap exists between the first outer sidewall portion and the second outer sidewall portion. A second gap exists between the second outer sidewall portion and the third outer sidewall portion. A third gap exists between the third outer sidewall portion and the fourth outer sidewall portion. A fourth gap exists between the fourth outer sidewall portion and the first outer sidewall portion. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of a container assembly according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the container assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an end view of the container assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top pictorial view of a lid for a container assembly according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom pictorial view of the lid of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a pictorial view of a cooking vessel; 
     
    
    
     The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , a container assembly  10  is provided. As will be discussed below, according to one aspect of the invention, the container assembly  10  comprises a cooking vessel  12 , and a lid portion  14 . The cooking vessel  12  comprises a base portion  19  and a continuous sidewall  20  projecting upward from the base portion  19 . The sidewall  20  begins at the base portion  19  and terminates at an upper peripheral edge  22 . It is contemplated that the base portion  19  of the cooking vessel  12  may be provided in a variety of shapes, such as rectangular, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a square, a triangle, an oval, a circle, or any other shape into which a container may be configured. It is further contemplated that the edge  22  of the sidewall  20  will generally be rounded. Providing a rounded edge  22  enhances the aesthetics of the cooking vessel  12 , reduces the likelihood of damaging the upper peripheral edge  22  from contact with other objects, and increases the user&#39;s comfort while handling the cooking vessel  12 . Additionally, a rounded upper peripheral flange  22  reduces the wear on a region of the lid portion  14  that contacts the upper peripheral flange  22  and also decreases the likelihood of a user being cut by the cooking vessel  12 . A rounded edge may also increase the strength of the upper peripheral edge  22  by providing a greater amount of material in that location, thus reducing the likelihood of breaking the cooking vessel  12 . 
     A first handle ledge  24  projects outwardly from the upper peripheral edge  22 . The first handle ledge  24  provides a user with an area to grasp the cooking vessel  12 . The first handle ledge  24  has a first opening  26  formed therein. The first opening  26  may allow a user to place a portion of their hand into the first opening  26  when grasping or carrying the cooking vessel  12 . 
     A second handle ledge  28  projects outwardly from the upper peripheral edge  22 . The second handle ledge  28  provides a user with an area to grasp of the cooking vessel  12 . The second handle ledge  28  has a second opening  30  formed therein. The second opening  30  may allow a user to place a portion of their hand into the first opening  28  when grasping or carrying the cooking vessel  12 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the lid portion  14  has a seal portion  16  and a central cover portion  18 . The central cover portion  18  is disposed inwardly of the seal portion  16 . The central cover portion  18  is generally sized to correspond with the upper peripheral edge  22  of the cooking vessel  12  such that central cover portion  18  completely covers the upper peripheral edge  22 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 5 , the seal portion  16  has an inner sidewall  32  extending downward from the central cover portion  18 . The inner sidewall  32  is a continuous wall and forms a perimeter on a bottom side of the lid portion  14 . The perimeter formed by the inner sidewall  32  generally corresponds to a perimeter formed by the upper peripheral edge  22  of the sidewall  20  of the cooking vessel  12  for which the lid portion  14  is used. It is contemplated that an outer side of the inner sidewall  32  contacts an inner side of the sidewall  20 . 
     The seal portion additionally has a first outer sidewall  34  that extends downward from the central cover portion  18 . A second outer sidewall  36  extends downward from the central cover portion  18 . The second outer sidewall  36  is on a side of the lid portion  14  that is generally opposite the first outer sidewall  34 . The second outer sidewall  36  is arranged in a generally parallel manner to the first outer sidewall  34 . A third outer sidewall  38  extends downward from the central cover portion  18 . The third outer sidewall  38  is arranged in a generally normal orientation to both the first outer sidewall  34  and the second outer sidewall  36 . A fourth outer sidewall  40  also extends downward from the central cover portion  18 . The fourth outer sidewall  40  is on a side of the lid portion  14  that is generally opposite the third outer sidewall  38 . The first, second, third, and fourth outer sidewall  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  are separated from the inner sidewall  32  by a generally horizontal ledge  42 . The width of the ledge  42  is generally equivalent to a thickness of the upper peripheral edge  22  of the sidewall  20  of the cooking vessel  12 . 
     A first receiving channel  44  is formed between the inner sidewall  32  and the first outer sidewall  34 , a second receiving channel  46  is formed between the inner sidewall  32  and the second outer sidewall  36 , a third receiving channel  48  is formed between the inner sidewall  32  and the third outer sidewall  38 , and a fourth receiving channel  50  is formed between the inner sidewall  32  and the fourth outer sidewall  40 . The receiving channels  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50  are adapted to receive upper peripheral edge  22  of the sidewall  20  of the cooking vessel  12 . A press fit or friction fit may exist between a portion of the sidewall  20  of the cooking vessel  12  and the receiving channels  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50  in that the outer sidewalls  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  of the lid portion  14  may be deformed outward by the sidewall  20  of the cooking vessel  12 . It is contemplated that a width of the receiving channels  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50  is greater near the cover portion  18  and decreases towards the termination of the sidewalls  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 . 
     The third outer sidewall  38  is received by the first opening  26  of the first handle ledge  24 , while the fourth outer sidewall  40  is received by the second opening  30  of the second handle ledge  28 . Thus, the lid portion  14  allows a user to access a portion of the first handle ledge  24  and the second handle ledge  28  without having to touch the lid portion  14 . This enhances the user&#39;s ability to grasp the container assembly  10 , as the user is not having to hold a removable component, the lid portion  14 , while holding the container assembly  10 , but rather may simply hold the first and second handle ledge portions  24 ,  28  of the cooking vessel  12 . Additionally, the lid portion  14  is less likely to be inadvertently removed from the container assembly  10  when a user is able to grasp the first and second handle ledge portion  24 ,  28  even with the lid portion  14  attached. Further, the user is even able to utilize the first opening  26  of the first handle ledge  24  and the second opening  30  of the second handle ledge  28  when the lid portion  14  is attached. 
     Thus, the container assembly  10  has a lid portion  14  with a continuous inner sidewall  32  and a plurality of discontinuous outer sidewalls  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  that form a seal portion  16  that seals and attaches the lid portion  14  to the cooking vessel  12 . The outer sidewalls  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  are discontinuous in that a first gap exists between the first outer sidewall  34  and the second outer sidewall  36 , a second gap exists between the second outer sidewall  36  and the third outer sidewall  38 , a third gap exists between the third outer sidewall  38  and the fourth outer sidewall  40 , and a fourth gap exists between the fourth outer sidewall  40  and the first outer sidewall  34 . 
     Thus, to form the container assembly  10 , the lid portion  14  is provided above the cooking vessel  12 . The lid portion  14  contacts the cooking vessel  12  such that the inner sidewall  32  contacts an inner surface of the sidewall  20  of the container, while an outer surface of the sidewall  20  contacts the outer sidewalls  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  of the lid portion. The edge  22  of the sidewall  20  of the cooking vessel  12  is disposed between the inner sidewall  32  and the outer sidewalls  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  of the lid portion in a plurality of channels  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 . The third outer sidewall  38  extends into the first opening  26  of the first handle ledge  24 , while the fourth outer sidewall  40  extends into the second opening  30  of the second handle ledge  28 . 
     Thus, the lid portion  14  restricts the contents of the container assembly  10  from leaking out and limits the ability of undesired materials to enter the container assembly  10 . 
       FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of a cooking vessel  112 . The cooking vessel  112  comprises a base portion  119  and a continuous sidewall  120  projecting upward from the base portion  119 . The sidewall  120  begins at the base portion  119  and terminates at an upper peripheral edge  122 .  FIG. 6  shows that the base portion  119  of the cooking vessel  112  has a generally oval or elongate shape. It is further contemplated that the edge  122  of the sidewall  120  will generally be rounded. 
     A first handle ledge  124  projects outwardly from the upper peripheral edge  122 . The first handle ledge  124  provides a user with an area to grasp the cooking vessel  112 . The first handle ledge  124  has a first opening  126  formed therein. The first opening  126  may allow a user to place a portion of their hand into the first opening  126  when grasping or carrying the cooking vessel  112 . 
     A second handle ledge  128  projects outwardly from the upper peripheral edge  122 . The second handle ledge  128  provides a user with an area to grasp the cooking vessel  112 . The second handle ledge  128  has a second opening  130  formed therein. The second opening  130  may allow a user to place a portion of their hand into the first opening  128  when grasping or carrying the cooking vessel  112 . 
     While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.