Patent Publication Number: US-7584866-B2

Title: All plastic paint container

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to plastic containers and particularly to a plastic container suitable for use in merchandising paint wherein the container comprises the combination of a cylindrical plastic pail having an upper annular rim, a semi-toroidal spout ring which snaps on to the annular pail rim, and a lid which snaps on to the spout ring. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Paint was for many years typically retailed in metal cans having metal lids which fit on to the rim of the can in what might be called a tongue and groove fit. There are a number of disadvantages associated with metal paint cans including cost, and the difficulties associated with pouring paint from the can; i.e., paint inevitably fills the groove in the can rim and makes it difficult and messy to reapply the lid to provide an airtight seal. 
   Various efforts have been made to design and construct plastic pails suitable for use in merchandising paint and other similar products. Examples of such plastic containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,293,080 and 4,349,119, both entitled “Container Construction” issued Oct. 6, 1981 and Sep. 4, 1982 to Ilija Letica and assigned to Letica Corporation. Both patents disclose a container comprising the combination of a cylindrical pail and a snap-on closure. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides an all plastic container for paint and similar products comprising the combination of a cylindrical pail, an annular spout ring and a closure or lid which snaps onto the spout ring. The pail has an upper annular rim and the annular spout ring snaps onto the annular pail rim to provide a secure mechanical connection between the two components. The spout ring, in the preferred embodiment illustrated herein, is semi-toroidal in shape and terminates in an upper annular pouring rim which is of a smaller diameter than the pail rim. The lid in the preferred embodiment is essentially bowl-shaped and has an inner, inverted U-shaped channel or groove which snaps onto the pouring rim of the spout. The lid further has an outer skirt which substantially matches the outer diameter of the pail. 
   In the preferred embodiment the lid skirt incorporates a tear band; i.e., a feature which permits a portion of the skirt or side wall of the lid to be permanently removed without the use of tools. Prior to the removal of the tear band, the side wall of the lid fits in a closely abutting and essentially flush relationship with the side wall of the pail to provide a continuous and aesthetically pleasing appearance as well as a level of security by making it difficult to grip the lid with sufficient leverage to remove it. However, removing the tear band provides ready manual access to the resulting undersurface of the lid edge so that the lid may be readily manually removed for access to the content of the pail. Removal of the tear band does not remove any of the locking feature between the rim and the pouring spout. Therefore, the lid may be re-secured to the pouring spout/container combination with essentially the same tightness and security as in the original unaltered combination. 
   In the preferred embodiment the tear band is provided with a ridged tear tab which fits into a slotted opening in the lid side wall. In addition, the lid is provided with a central well area which contains a tint plug which can be removed to add tinting ingredients to the paint in the pail without removing the primary lid. 
   Various additional features and advantages of the invention will be appreciated from the following description which is to be taken with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an all plastic paint container embodying the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the top portion of the paint container shown in  FIG. 1  with the tint plug removed from the lid; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view partly in section of the upper portion of the container of  FIG. 1  showing the relationship between the container, the pouring spout and the lid with the tear band in place; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view partly in cross-section of the structure of  FIG. 3  after removal of the tear band; and 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the container with the lid removed. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown an all plastic container  10  for paint and other similar products comprising the combination of a cylindrical plastic pail  12  having a bail  14  attached to bail ears  16 , a semi-toroidal, annular spout ring  18  which snaps onto the top rim of the pail and a bowl-shaped lid  20  which snaps onto the annular spout ring  18 . The lid may have a central recess  22  within which is formed a well  24  to receive a tint plug  26 . The tint plug  26  may be constructed in various ways including the constructions shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,799,813 and 5,660,302. The lid is provided with a weakened area  32  which defines a side wall tear band  28  terminating in a ridged tear tab  30  which fits within a notched out area  32  in the side wall as best shown in  FIG. 2 . The tab  30  is grasped with the fingers to remove the tear band. 
   Turning now to  FIGS. 3 and 4  the details of the container  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  will be described in detail. The pail  12  terminates in an upper annular rim  13  having an external undercut  36  just below the top of the rim  13  and, below the undercut  36 , an external annular shoulder  38 . An internal shoulder  40  is located just above the outer undercut  36  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The pouring ring  18  has a base portion characterized by a downwardly depending outer leg  42  and a downwardly depending inner leg  44  defining therebetween an inverted U-shaped channel  46  which receivingly snaps onto the undercut portion of the container rim  13  to provide a mechanically secure and airtight fit. Supplemental adhesive or ultrasonic welding may be used to increase the integrity of the mechanical fit between the pail  12  and the ring  18 . 
   The pouring ring  18  exhibits an upper annular shoulder  48  which flows into the inwardly and upwardly curving bell-shaped or “semi-toroidal” portion  49  which terminates in an upper pouring rim  50  having an external undercut  51 . Wiper ledges  52  are formed integrally with the bell-shaped portion  49  of the pouring ring  18 . As shown in  FIG. 5  the wiper ledges  52  do not extend all the way around the interior of the ring, therefore leaving pouring space between the wiper ledges  52  where paint may be conveniently poured from the container after the lid  20  is removed. Reinforcing ribs  56  are formed integrally with the ring  18  to add structural strength and rigidity in the area between the bell-shaped portion  49  and the inner leg  44  defining the inverted U-shaped channel  46 . The upper rim  50  of the spout ring is smaller than the diameter of the pail rim  13 . 
   Looking now to the lid  20 , it is formed with an inverted U-shaped channel  54  which is approximately 1 to 1¼ inches smaller in diameter than the inverted U-shaped channel  46  of the pouring ring  18 . The inverted U-shaped channel is formed by an outer leg  56  which co-acts with the undercut  51  and an inner leg  58  such that the lid  20  snaps onto the upper rim  50  of the pouring rim  18  to secure the contents of the container. No adhesive, ultrasonic welding or other bonding agent is used in the mechanical interconnection between the lid  20  and the pouring ring  18  since it is necessary to be able to remove the lid  20  when the end user desires to make use of the contents of the container. 
   As also shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  the tear band  28  lies approximately ¾ inch radially outboard of the curved surface of the pouring ring  18  and extends downwardly into a closely abutting relationship with the shoulder  48  so as to make it extremely difficult to place one&#39;s fingers or even a prying tool between the bottom edge of the tear band  28  and the shoulder  48  for the purpose of removing the lid  20  until the tear band  28  is physically removed from the lid  20  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Once the tear band has been removed by grasping the tear tab  30  and pulling the tear band off of the lid  20 , there is a substantial space between the resulting exposed edge  60  of the lid  20  ( FIG. 4 ) and the shoulder  48  which makes it very easy to manually remove and reattach the lid while paint is being used. 
   While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.