Patent ID: 8322553

Claim:
A container assembly comprising: a base comprising: a closed bottom surface; a sidewall that extends upwardly from the closed bottom surface; and a peripheral extension that defines an open top, the peripheral extension extending outwardly from the sidewall about a periphery of the base, the peripheral extension comprising: an inner ledge; an outer lip; and one or more venting recesses extending across a portion of the inner ledge and a portion of the outer lip; and a lid removably couplable with the base to close the open top of the base, wherein the lid cooperates with the base to define an interior volume of the container assembly when the lid is coupled with the base, the lid comprising: a closed top; and a portion extending downwardly from the closed top to a peripheral extension, wherein the peripheral extension extends about a periphery of the lid and comprises a contact surface, wherein the lid cooperates with the base to provide: a) an attached-and-closed configuration in which the peripheral extension of the lid forms a substantially liquid-tight seal with the peripheral extension of the base that isolates the interior volume of the container assembly from the one or more venting recesses; and b) an attached-and-vented configuration in which the contact surface of the peripheral extension of the lid moves upwardly away from the inner ledge of the base so as to be spaced from the inner ledge by a gap that permits fluid communication between the interior volume of the container assembly and the one or more venting recesses, and wherein the lid automatically transitions from the attached-and-closed configuration to the attached-and-vented configuration upon an increase in a pressure of the internal volume of the container assembly.