Patent Publication Number: US-2009230003-A1

Title: Pocket-sized container

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/006,982 entitled POCKET-SIZED CONTAINER and filed on Feb. 8, 2008, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     SUMMARY 
     A pocket-sized container for consumer items comprises a cylindrical base, a cylindrical lid and a window. The cylindrical base includes a bottom sidewall and a bottom wall. The bottom sidewall includes a recessed surface at an upper portion thereof. The cylindrical lid includes a top sidewall and a top wall. An inner surface of the top sidewall slidingly engages the recessed surface of the bottom sidewall so as to close the container with the outer surface of the bottom sidewall flush with the outer surface of the top sidewall. The lid includes an opening in the top wall and a window is mounted inside the lid such that a domed portion of the window extends into the opening. The pocket-sized container can hold both tobacco products or non-tobacco products, including orally consumed pouches. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pocket-sized container in a closed position. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the container shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a pocket-sized container in a closed position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective three-dimensional view of pocket-sized container  100  in a closed position, which includes a cylindrical base  10 , a cylindrical lid  20  and window  30 .  FIG. 2  is a top view of the container shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of pocket-sized container  100  in a closed position. The container can have a diameter of two to four inches, preferably about 2½ inches, and a height of ½ to 2 inches, preferably about ¾ inch. The height of the sidewall of the lid is smaller than the height of the sidewall of the base such that the mating edges of the lid and base form a parting line above the midpoint of the sidewall. An optional tamper evident seal  40  (shown partially in  FIG. 1 ) covers the parting line. 
     Cylindrical base  10  includes bottom sidewall  12  and a planar bottom wall  14 . Bottom sidewall  12  includes a step at an upper end thereof forming recess  16  for engaging a lower portion of the lid. A depression  18  is located in the bottom wall  14  inwardly of an annular wall  18 A having a narrow width, e.g., ¼ to ½ inch. Depression  18  can have a depth sufficient to protect the labeling from direct contact with cylindrical lids  20  or cylindrical bases  10  of identical pocket-sized containers  100  (e.g., during stacking of a plurality of pocket-sized containers  100 ). However, for containers wherein the window  30  extends above the plane of the top wall of the lid, the depression  18  has a depth large enough to allow stacking of containers with the domed portion of a lower container received in the depression of an overlying container. 
     Cylindrical lid  20  includes planar top wall  22  in the form of an annular rim and cylindrical top sidewall  24 . Top wall  22  of cylindrical lid  20  includes opening  28  which extends across at least 50% of the width of the cylindrical lid  20 . The top wall  22  can have a width of ¼ to ½ inch and the opening  28  can have a diameter of ½ to 3 inches, preferably about 2 inches. Top sidewall  24  is recessed on the inner surface thereof to form annular projection  26 . Projection  26  has a length equal to or greater than the length of recess  16 , e.g., ⅛ to ⅜ inch. The inner surface of projection  16  is adapted to slidingly engage the recess  16  of bottom sidewall  12 , such that the outer surface of top sidewall  24  is flush with the outer surface of bottom sidewall  12  when pocket-sized container  100  is closed. 
     Window  30  includes domed portion  34  and annular rim  32  surrounding domed portion  34 . For example, domed portion  34  can be a convex section and annular rim  32  can be a planar section of window  30 , with the domed portion  34  located inwardly of annular rim  32 . Window  30  fits inside cylindrical lid  20 , such that domed portion  34  extends into opening  28 . The window  30  can be attached to the inside of top wall  22  with bonding (such as adhesive or thermal welding) and/or held via a snap fitting (e.g., the sidewall  24  can include one or more projections to engage an underside of annular rim  32  to securely hold the window  30  in place). In one embodiment, the domed window does not extend above the plane of the upper surface of the top wall  22 . However, the domed portion  34  may extend slightly above (e.g., 1/16 to ¼ inch) the plane of the top wall  22  if desired. Window  30  is preferably transparent or translucent. 
     Cylindrical base  10  and cylindrical lid  20  can be made of various materials such as metal, polymer, ceramic or polymer-coated metal. Window  30  can be made of a see-though polymer material that is either tinted (e.g., green, red, blue, orange, yellow, etc.), clear or translucent. 
     Suitable polymers include, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, nylon, polysulfone, polyester, polyurethane, and combinations thereof. Because some polymers absorb flavors, the preferred polymer is polypropylene if the enclosed product includes flavors. 
     Suitable metals, include without limitation aluminum, aluminum alloys, steel, stainless steel alloys, titanium, titanium alloys, magnesium, magnesium alloys, tin, tin alloys, copper, copper alloys, brasses, and combinations thereof. 
     Pocket-sized container  100  can hold both tobacco products or non-tobacco products, such as a plurality of orally consumed pouches such as snus. To prevent tampering pocket-sized container  100  can include a tamper evident label  40  around the bottom sidewall  12  and top sidewall  24  when the container  100  is in a closed position, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In one embodiment, the tamper evident label  40  can be a plastic shrink-wrap strip. 
     While the foregoing has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents thereof employed, without departing from the scope of the claims.