Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention pertains to a container for a substance, such as an ant bait container. The container is comprised of a minimum number of component parts that are each formed in a cost effective manner to produce the inexpensive container. The component parts of the container include a flexible sheet that seals the substance inside the container. The sheet can be easily manually grasped and pulled from an opening of the container to expose the substance to the opening of the container. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    There are a large variety of commercially available containers containing evaporative substances, such as ant trap containers containing ant bait. The typical ant trap container includes some type of packaging that seals the ant bait from the exterior environment of the container until the trap is ready for use. Some prior art ant trap containers have packaging that completely surrounds the containers and thereby seals the ant bait in the containers. The packaging is often difficult to tear open and must be cut open with a knife or scissors to use the ant trap. Other types of prior art ant trap containers have portions of the containers themselves that must be cut with a knife or scissors to expose the ant bait in the container prior to use of the ant trap. These types of ant trap containers are disadvantaged in that the user must use a knife or scissors to expose the ant bait inside the containers prior to use of the containers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    What is needed to overcome the disadvantages associated with the prior art ant trap containers such as those discussed above is an ant bait container that not only seals the ant bait inside the container prior to use, but can be easily opened without the need for a knife or scissors to enable use of the ant trap. 
         [0006]    The container of the invention basically has a two-piece construction. One piece forms the exterior of the container and the other piece is a flexible sheet that seals the contents of the container. The basic two-piece construction of the container enables it to be manufactured inexpensively and thereby offered to consumers at a reduced price. 
         [0007]    The first piece of the container is molded from semi rigid plastic or other equivalent material and forms both a bottom part and a top part of the container exterior. The bottom part and the top part are connected by a hinge that enables the top part to be folded over and secured to the bottom part. Both the bottom part and top part have rectangular configurations, however other configurations could also be employed with the container. 
         [0008]    The container bottom part has a central area that is formed as a receptacle for the ant bait to be contained in the container. The receptacle is formed with a bottom surface. At least one sidewall extends around the bottom surface and extends upwardly from the bottom surface to a top edge of the sidewall. Together the bottom surface and the sidewall form the receptacle of the bottom part. The receptacle has an open top that is surrounded by the sidewall top edge. The open top provides access to the receptacle for the ant bait to be put into the receptacle. A portion of the bottom part that is opposite the hinge is formed with an inclined surface. The inclined surface extends downwardly from the sidewall top edge as it extends away from the receptacle of the bottom part. 
         [0009]    The substance in the exemplary embodiment of the container is ant bait, either liquid or solid or granular. Other types of substances such as other insect baits, or fragrances such as air fresheners, or animal repellants could be put on the bottom surface of the receptacle. 
         [0010]    A flexible sheet of plastic, foil or other equivalent material is positioned over the container bottom part. The sheet is dimensioned to extend over the central area of the bottom part and over the receptacle open top. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention the sheet is folded over and has a lower piece and an upper piece on opposite sides of the fold. The lower piece extends around the sidewall top edge of the container bottom part and is removably secured to the sidewall top edge. This seals the ant bait in the bottom part receptacle. The sheet upper piece extends from the fold back over the sheet lower piece to a tab of the sheet upper piece. The tab is positioned over the inclined surface of the container bottom part. The folded sheet is dimensioned smaller than the container bottom part so that portions of the container bottom part form a border around the sheet except for the tab of the sheet. 
         [0011]    The container top part is folded at the hinge connecting it to the container bottom part and extends over the folded sheet. The container top part has basically the same configuration as the container bottom part. As the top part is folded over the bottom part portions of the top part engage against the portions of the bottom part that border the sheet. The portions of the top part are secured to the portions of the bottom part by adhesives, heat sealing, RF welding or other equivalent means. This secures the top part to the bottom part around a perimeter of the container except for an area adjacent the incline surface of the container bottom part and the folded sheet tab. Here the container top part and bottom part are not secured together, leaving an opening between the top part and the bottom part to the interior of a container. Adjacent the opening the container top part is formed with a tab that projects from the top part. The tab is connected to the top part by a frangible connection, for example a line of perforations. This tab of the top part is secured by adhesives, heating, RF welding or other equivalent means to the tab of the sheet. 
         [0012]    In use of the container, the tab of the top part and the connected tab of the sheet can be manually grasped and pulled from the remainder of the container. When top part tab separates from the top part, continued pulling will pull the sheet through the container opening and gradually remove the sheet from over the receptacle of the container bottom part. Removing the sheet from the interior of the container exposes the substance in the receptacle, whereby the container is ready for use as an ant trap. 
         [0013]    The container of the invention described above provides an inexpensively and easily manufactured container that can be easily opened and activated by an end user without the need for separate tools such as a knife or scissors. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    Further features of the container of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the container and in the drawing figures. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the assembled container of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the container. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the container. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a right side elevation view of the container with the left side elevation view being a mirror image thereof. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of the container. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of one piece of the container including the container bottom part and top part. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the second piece of the container, the flexible sealing sheet. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the sheet being assembled to the bottom part and top part of the container. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating manually grasping the tab of the container. 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view illustrating manually separating the tab from the container and pulling the sheet from the container. 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 10 , but showing a partial view of the container and the process of pulling the sheet from the container. 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 11 , but showing the sheet removed from the container exposing the evaporative substance in the container. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    The container  12  of the invention is shown assembled in  FIGS. 1-5  and is shown disassembled in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . As stated earlier, the container  12  has a two-piece construction. One piece forms the exterior of the container  12  and the other piece is a flexible sheet that seals the contents of the container. The basic two piece construction of the container enables it to be manufactured easily and inexpensively. This results in the container being offered to consumers at a reduced price. 
         [0028]    The first piece of the disassembled container is shown in  FIG. 6 . The first piece forms both the bottom part  14  and top part  16  of the container exterior. The two parts are connected by a hinge  18  that extends along the back of the assembled container. In the exemplary embodiment the bottom part  14 , top part  16  and hinge  18  are all molded of a semi-rigid plastic, or other similar material. Although the parts of only one container  12  are shown in  FIG. 6 , it is possible that several containers can be molded from a single sheet of plastic material and then subsequently separated from each other. Additionally, although the top part  14  and bottom part  16  of the container shown in  FIG. 6  have complementary rectangular configurations, the container  12  could be formed with other configurations such as a circular configuration, a triangular configuration, etc. 
         [0029]    The container bottom part  14  has a central area that is formed as a receptacle  22  for the ant bait to be contained in the container. The receptacle  22  has a generally rectangular bottom surface  24  defined by a rectangular perimeter edge  26  of the bottom surface. Four sidewalls  28 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  extend upwardly from the bottom surface perimeter edge  26 . In another embodiment of the container having a circular configuration, the container receptacle would have a cylindrical configuration with a circular bottom surface and a single cylindrical sidewall. Together the sidewalls  28 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  and the bottom surface  24  define the receptacle  22 . The top edges of the sidewalls  28 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  define a perimeter edge  38  of an open top of the receptacle  22 . A substantially flat, rectangular border surface  42  extends around the open top perimeter edge  38 . An upwardly angled rear flange  44  extends from the back of the border surface  42  to the hinge  18 . A pair of upwardly angled left  46  and right  48  flanges extend along the opposite sides of the border surface  42  as viewed in  FIG. 6 . The left  46  and right  48  side flanges extend upwardly to respective left  52  and right  54  side strips as viewed in  FIG. 6 . The two side strips  52 ,  54  are substantially coplanar. An inclined surface  56  extends downwardly from the forward ends of the border surface  42 , the left  46  and right  48  flanges and the left  52  and right  54  side strips. As the incline surface  56  extends away from the receptacle  22  it angles downwardly to a forward edge  58  of the surface. The forward edge  58  is in substantially the same plane as the receptacle bottom surface  24 . 
         [0030]    The container top part  16  has a similar configuration to that of the bottom part  14  although it does not include a receptacle  22 . The top part  16  has a central area defined by a substantially flat top surface  62 . The top surface  62  has basically the same configuration as the bottom part border surface  42 , although slightly longer in length. Although the top surface  62  is shown as a continuous surface, it could also have one or more holes. The top surface  62  is connected to the hinge  18  by a rear flange  64 . The rear flange  64  is angled upwardly as it extends from the hinge  18  to the top part  62 . The top part  16  also has an upwardly angled left flange  66  and an upwardly angled right flange  68 , as well as a left side strip  72  and a right side strip  74 . The left flange  66  and right flange  68  angle upwardly as they extend from the respective left strip  72  and the right strip  74  to the top surface  62 . The left strip  72  and right strip  74  are also substantially coplanar. A tab  76  is formed at the forward edge of the top surface  62 . The tab  76  is connected to the top surface  62  by a frangible connection, for example a line of perforations  78 . Other types of frangible connections could be employed to secure the tab  76  to the top surface  62 . 
         [0031]    The flexible sheet  82  of the container  12  is shown disassembled from the container in  FIG. 7 . The sheet  82  can be constructed of any known material typically employed in hermetically sealing packages such as plastic, foil, etc. The sheet  82  has an elongate length with a pair of parallel left  84  and right  86  side edges that extend along a majority of the sheet length to an end edge  88  of the sheet. The end edge  88  is substantially perpendicular to the side edges  84 ,  86 . The width of the sheet between the side edges  84 ,  86  is substantially the same as the width of the flat border surface  42  of the container bottom part  14 . A pair of inwardly angled edges  92 ,  94  extend forwardly from the respective left  84  and right  86  side edges of the sheet. The angled edges  92 ,  94  extend forwardly to a tab  96  formed on the sheet  82 . The tab  96  has substantially the same configuration as the tab  76  on the container top part  16 . In an alternate embodiment the tab  96  could just be an extension of the sheet and not have the configuration shown. When the sheet is assembled into the container  12  it is folded over at a fold  98 . The folded sheet has a lower piece  102  and an upper piece  104 . 
         [0032]    After the ant bait or other substance  106  has been positioned in the receptacle  22 , the sheet  82  is assembled to the container  12  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The end edge  88  of the sheet is positioned adjacent the forward end of the border surface  42  of the container bottom part  14 . In an alternate embodiment the sheet end edge  88  could be positioned adjacent the forward edge  58  of the inclined surface  56 . The lower piece  102  of the sheet is laid across the border surface  42  and over the receptacle  22 . The portion of the sheet lower piece  102  that engages with the border surface  42  is removably secured to the border surface by adhesives, by heat sealing, by RF welding, or by other equivalent means. The fold  98  of the sheet is positioned adjacent the container hinge  18 . From the fold  98  the sheet upper piece  104  extends across the top surface  62  of the container top piece  16 . This portion of the sheet is not secured to the top surface  62  or any other portion of the container top piece  16 . However, the tab  96  of the sheet is secured by adhesives, heat sealing, RF welding or other equivalent means to the container top piece tab  76 . 
         [0033]    With the sheet  82  assembled to the container bottom part  14  and top part  16  as shown in  FIG. 8 , the container top part  16  is folded over the bottom part  14  to complete the assembly of the container  12  as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . The angled flanges of the bottom part  44 ,  46 ,  48  and the angled flanges of the top part  64 ,  66 ,  68  space the top part tab  76  above the inclined surface  56  and form an opening  108  into the container interior. The side strips  52 ,  54  of the container bottom part  14  and the respective side strips  72 ,  74  of the container top part  16  are secured together by adhesives, by heat sealing, by RF welding or by other equivalent means. This completes the assembly of the container. 
         [0034]    Use of the container  12  is shown in  FIGS. 9-12 . In use of the container  12 , the tab  76  of the container top part  16  and the connected tab  96  of the sheet  82  are manually grasped and pulled from the remainder of the container. When the top part tab  76  separates from the top surface  62 , continued pulling of the container tab  76  and the connected tab  94  of the sheet will pull the sheet through the container opening  108 . Continued pulling will gradually cause the sheet lower piece  102  to peel away from the border surface  42  of the container bottom part  14 . Continued pulling will remove the sheet  82  from the interior of the container  14  and expose the ant bait  106  in the receptacle  22  to the exterior environment of the container through the container opening  108 . Still further pulling will separate the sheet  82  from the container  12 . The container  12  is then ready for use as an ant trap. When placed on a floor surface, the inclined surface  56  provides access to the opening  108  and the ant bait in the container interior. 
         [0035]    Although the container  12  is described above is being used as an ant trap containing an ant bait, it should be appreciated that the container can be used to contain any substance, for example other types of insect baits, or air fresheners, or animal repellents, or other types of substances. Additionally, although the container  12  is described as having only one receptacle  22 , it should be appreciated that the container could be formed with multiple receptacles positioned side-by-side along the flat border surface  42  of the container bottom part  14 . Pulling the sheet  82  from the container could be stopped after one of the receptacles  22  is uncovered, exposing the substance of the one receptacle to the exterior environment of the container through the opening  108 . Once the substance in the one receptacle is no longer useful, the sheet  82  could then be further pulled from the container to expose the second receptacle to the exterior environment. 
         [0036]    Still further, although the container  12  has been described with the bottom part  14  and top part  16  being connected by a hinge  18 , the container could be constructed with the bottom part  14  and top part  16  being separate parts. 
         [0037]    As various modifications could be made in the construction of the invention herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

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