Patent Description:
Many prior art paint packages, particularly one-gallon (<NUM>,<NUM> liters) paint packages, include a metal container and a metal lid friction fit to the metal container. Some metal lids include a punched tint hole fitted with a plastic cup-shaped tint plug. At a point of sale, the plug is removed, tint is added, and the hole is replugged. But prior art plug designs may be too complex and cost-prohibitive, or may be prone to leaking when a package is jostled when carried or even inverted when shipped and particularly when the package contains stain or low viscosity paint.

Paint packages according to the prior art are known from <CIT> and <CIT>.

In general, a novel package is disclosed that includes a container, a novel lid for the container, and a closure for the lid. While the apparatus described herein includes an illustrative embodiment of a paint package including a paint can and a corresponding paint lid and closure, it will be appreciated as the description proceeds that the apparatus may be useful in many different applications and may be implemented in many other embodiments. Also, as used herein, it will be understood that the term "paint" refers not only to paint applications, but also to other applications. Accordingly, as used herein, the term "paint" broadly includes paints, stains, varnishes, strippers, sealers, dyes, waterproofers, and other like impotable liquid products.

With specific reference to the drawing figures, <FIG> illustrates a novel package <NUM> that includes a container <NUM>, a novel lid <NUM> coupled to the container <NUM>, and a closure <NUM> coupled to the lid <NUM>. As disclosed, and as may be claimed herein, the package <NUM> may be in an assembled state or a disassembled/unassembled state such that the lid <NUM> is configured to be coupled to the container <NUM> and features of the lid <NUM> are configured to be coupled to corresponding features of the container <NUM> and, likewise, the closure <NUM> is configured to be coupled to the lid <NUM>. Also, as used herein, the terms upper, lower, upward, downward, and other like terms are used for context of how a package is configured to be used, merely as an aid for understanding the relationships between components and features.

The container <NUM> may include, for example, a one-gallon (<NUM> liters) paint can, a fivegallon (<NUM> liters) paint pail, or the like. The container <NUM> may be constructed from metal plastic, or any other suitable material, and may include two or more components roll-formed, molded, adhered, or coupled together in any suitable manner.

In any case, and with reference to <FIG>, the container <NUM> may include a closed end <NUM> with a base <NUM> including a container base wall <NUM>, a container base rim <NUM> disposed radially outwardly of the container base wall <NUM> and having a wall thickness greater than that of the container base wall <NUM> and having a base wall lower surface <NUM>, and a nesting skirt <NUM> disposed between the container base wall <NUM> and the container base rim <NUM> and depending downwardly below the base wall lower surface <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the container <NUM> also may include a sidewall <NUM> extending upwardly from the container base rim <NUM> (<FIG>) and having an upper end <NUM> with a mounting rim <NUM> at the upper end <NUM> of the sidewall <NUM>. The mounting rim <NUM> may include a lower rim surface <NUM> extending radially inwardly with respect to the container sidewall <NUM>, and a rim base surface <NUM> axially spaced above the lower rim surface <NUM>. The mounting rim <NUM> also may include a nesting bead <NUM> disposed radially outwardly of the rim base surface <NUM> and having a radially inner bead surface <NUM>, a radially outer bead surface <NUM>, and a bead upper surface <NUM> disposed between the radially inner and outer bead surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> and axially spaced above the rim base surface <NUM> of the container <NUM>. The mounting rim <NUM> further may include a lid coupling <NUM> disposed radially inwardly of the upper base surface <NUM> and including a radially outward wall <NUM>, a radially inward wall <NUM>, and an annular channel therebetween for coupling to a portion of the lid <NUM> as described further herein below. In one embodiment, the container base <NUM> (<FIG>) may be a component separately produced from the container sidewall <NUM> and mounting rim <NUM> and then coupled to the sidewall <NUM>. In another embodiment, the container mounting rim <NUM> may be a component separately produced from the container sidewall <NUM> and base <NUM> and then coupled to the sidewall <NUM>.

The lid <NUM> may be constructed from metals, composites, plastics, or any other material(s) suitable for use in packaging paint. In the illustrated example, the lid <NUM> may be constructed from polypropylene, or any other suitable plastic, and may include a single unitary component that may be injection molded, compression molded, or the like. In any case, the lid <NUM> includes a base wall <NUM> having a lid base wall upper surface <NUM> and a lid base wall lower surface <NUM>. Also, the lid <NUM> includes a container coupling rim <NUM> disposed radially outwardly with respect to the base wall <NUM> and having a rim upper surface <NUM>. Further, the lid <NUM> includes a closure well <NUM> disposed radially inwardly with respect to the base wall <NUM>.

The lid <NUM> also may include a coupling wall <NUM> disposed radially between and coupling together the base wall <NUM> and the container coupling rim <NUM>. The coupling wall <NUM> may include an upper surface <NUM> that may be incurvate, and a lower surface <NUM> that may be straight and extending radially outwardly and axially upwardly. The configuration of the coupling wall <NUM> may provide suitable flexure between the rim <NUM> and the base wall <NUM>.

The base wall <NUM> may be substantially planar and may carry graphics, logos, or other indicia I, which may be molded thereto (as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>). The base wall <NUM> may have a thickness that is greater than that of the container sidewall <NUM>, and the base wall <NUM> may surround the closure well <NUM>.

The container coupling rim <NUM> may include a bight <NUM>, a pry flange <NUM> that may extend radially outwardly with respect to the bight <NUM>, and a container coupling skirt <NUM> that may extend axially downwardly with respect to the bight <NUM>. The bight <NUM> may establish the rim upper surface <NUM>. The container coupling skirt <NUM> may be accepted in the annular channel of the container <NUM> for coupling of the lid <NUM> to the container <NUM>, for example, via friction fit. In this regard, the skirt <NUM> may be provided with one or more barbs, beads, or other projections <NUM> to facilitate suitable friction fitting and sealing. Also, the container coupling skirt <NUM> may include a skirt lower surface that may be disposed axially below a coupling wall lower surface <NUM>.

The closure well <NUM> may include a radially outer wall <NUM> extending radially inwardly and axially downwardly at a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the base wall <NUM>, a lower wall <NUM> extending radially inwardly with respect to the radially outer wall <NUM> and establishing a lowermost surface <NUM> of the lid <NUM>, and a neck <NUM> disposed radially inwardly with respect to the radially outer wall <NUM> and extending upwardly from the lower wall <NUM> and having a closure coupling <NUM>. With reference to <FIG>, the radially outer wall <NUM> of the closure well <NUM> may extend at an angle from vertical of about <NUM> degrees, for example, between <NUM> and <NUM> degrees including all ranges, subranges, and values therebetween, and, more specifically, the angle may be between <NUM> and <NUM> degrees. In other embodiments, the angle may be between <NUM> and <NUM> degrees including all ranges, subranges, and values therebetween. Also, a ratio of a closure well outer diameter to a lid outer diameter may be about <NUM>%, for example, between <NUM>% and <NUM>%, including all ranges, subranges, and values therebetween, and, more specifically, the ratio may be between <NUM>% and <NUM>%. In other embodiments, the ratio may be between <NUM>% and <NUM>% including all ranges, subranges, and values therebetween. The lowermost surface <NUM> of the closure well <NUM> may be axially spaced below (or axially recessed with respect to) the skirt lower surface <NUM>, and may be axially spaced below (or axially recessed with respect to) the lower rim surface <NUM> of the container rim <NUM>. The neck <NUM> terminates in a neck upper surface <NUM> that may be axially recessed with respect to the rim upper surface <NUM>, and may be axially proud with respect to the base wall upper surface <NUM>. The closure coupling <NUM> may include one or more threads of helical or any other configuration, one or more bayonet features, or any other suitable closure coupling features. A longitudinal central axis A of the closure well <NUM> may be radially offset from a longitudinal central axis A' of the lid <NUM> as a whole.

The closure <NUM> may be constructed from plastic, for example, polypropylene, or any other suitable plastic, and may include a single unitary component that may be injection molded, compression molded, or the like. In any case, the closure <NUM> may include a closure base wall <NUM> having a closure base wall upper surface <NUM>, and a closure skirt <NUM> depending axially downwardly from the closure base wall <NUM> and having a lid coupling <NUM>. The closure base wall <NUM> may include one or more sealing lips or other features (not shown), and/or may carry a sealing liner or any other suitable component or layer (not shown) to seal with the lid <NUM>. The closure base wall upper surface <NUM> may be axially recessed with respect to the rim upper surface <NUM> of the container coupling rim <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, a second, upper package <NUM> is stacked on a first, lower package <NUM>. With reference to the lower package <NUM>, a nesting gap may be established between the pry flange <NUM> of the lid <NUM> and the radially inner bead surface <NUM> of the nesting bead <NUM>. The nesting skirt <NUM> of the upper package <NUM> may be located in the nesting gap of the lower package <NUM> to locate the packages <NUM>, <NUM> with respect to one another.

<FIG> illustrate another illustrative embodiment of a novel package <NUM> including the container <NUM>, a novel lid <NUM> for the container <NUM>, and a closure <NUM> for the lid <NUM>. This embodiment is substantially similar to the embodiment of <FIG>. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments are hereby incorporated into one another, and description of subject matter common to the embodiments generally may not be repeated.

Here, in contrast to the illustrated lid of the previous embodiment, the ratio of the closure well diameter to the lid diameter is significantly larger. Also, a neck <NUM> of a closure well <NUM> terminates at an upper surface <NUM> that is axially recessed with respect to a lid base wall upper surface <NUM>. Likewise, a closure base wall upper surface <NUM> of the closure <NUM> is axially recessed with respect to the lid base wall upper surface <NUM>.

Thus, there has been described a novel packaging component and related novel assembly, and the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which may be subject to copyright, trademark, and/or trade dress protection. The owner of such copyright, trademark, and/or trade dress protection has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright, trademark, and/or trade dress rights whatsoever.

As used in this patent application, the terminology "for example," "for instance," "like," "such as," "comprising," "having," "including," and the like, when used with a listing of one or more elements, is open-ended, meaning that the listing does not exclude additional elements. Likewise, when preceding an element, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" mean that there are one or more of the elements. Moreover, directional words such as front, rear, top, bottom, upper, lower, radial, circumferential, axial, lateral, longitudinal, vertical, horizontal, transverse, and/or the like are employed by way of example and not limitation. Other terms are to be interpreted and construed in the broadest reasonable manner in accordance with their ordinary and customary meaning in the art, unless the terms are used in a context that requires a different interpretation.

Claim 1:
A paint package (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), comprising:
a container (<NUM>) including a sidewall (<NUM>) having an upper end (<NUM>) and a mounting rim (<NUM>) at the upper end of the sidewall, wherein the mounting rim includes a lower rim surface (<NUM>) extending radially inwardly with respect to the container sidewall; and
a paint package lid (<NUM>, <NUM>), comprising:
a base wall (<NUM>) having a lid base wall upper surface (<NUM>, <NUM>) and
a lid base wall lower surface (<NUM>);
a container coupling rim (<NUM>) disposed radially outwardly with respect to the base wall and having a rim upper surface (<NUM>), wherein the container coupling rim includes:
a bight (<NUM>);
a pry flange (<NUM>) extending radially outwardly with respect to the bight; and a container coupling skirt (<NUM>) extending axially downwardly with respect to the bight; and
a closure well (<NUM>, <NUM>) disposed radially inwardly with respect to the base wall and including:
a radially outer wall (<NUM>) extending downwardly with respect to the base wall;
a lower wall (<NUM>) extending radially inwardly with respect to the radially outer wall and establishing a lowermost surface (<NUM>) of the lid; and
a neck (<NUM>, <NUM>) disposed radially inwardly with respect to the radially outer wall and extending upwardly from the lower wall and having a closure coupling (<NUM>), wherein the lowermost surface of the lid is axially recessed with respect to the lower rim surface of the container mounting rim.