Patent ID: 7581671

Claim:
A shipping container comprising: a tube having a cylindrical body, an open end, and a mounting opening formed in the cylindrical body adjacent to the open end; and an end cap adapted to be releasably secured to the tube, the end cap having a circular sidewall that is adapted to radially surround the cylindrical body of the tube proximal to the open end, an opening provided through the circular sidewall that defines and extends substantially around a deflectable tab portion of the circular sidewall, and a projection formed on an inner side of the deflectable tab portion of the circular sidewall, wherein the projection is adapted to extend into the mounting opening formed in the cylindrical body of the tube when the circular sidewall radially surrounds the cylindrical body of the tube proximal to the open end so as to releasably secure the end cap to the tube, and wherein the projection comprises a top edge portion that is arranged to contact against a top peripheral portion of the mounting opening and thereby prevent the end cap from being separated from the tube when the projection is extending into the mounting opening, a bottom ramp portion arranged opposite the top edge portion for promoting outward deflection of the deflectable tab when the end cap is pressed onto the open end of the tube such that the circular sidewall radially surrounds the cylindrical body of the tube, and a side ramp portion arranged between the top edge portion and the bottom ramp portion, the side ramp portion promoting outward deflection of the deflectable tab when the end cap is rotated relative to the tube when the projection is extending into the mounting opening.