PLASTIC CONTAINER AND LID FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The field of the invention is plastic containers and lids including plastic paint cans. STATEMENT REGARDING PRIORITY

[0002] This application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit of and priority to, US provisional patent application number 61/663,440 filed on June 22, 2012 (currently pending).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the rim and a portion of the lid in one embodiment showing the outer channel and the inner channel.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the rim and a portion of the lid in one embodiment in the pre-installed position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the rim and a portion of the lid in one embodiment in the installed position.

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the lid in one embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the rim in one embodiment. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a cylindrical embodiment of the container and the lid in the pre-installed position.

[0003] One embodiment of the present invention comprises a plastic container and lid further comprising three seal/latch combinations which provide a liquid- tight seal for packaging liquids including, without limitation, paint. As used herein, a latch is an impediment preventing adjoining surfaces from moving in at least one direction, and a seal is contact between adjoining surfaces.

[0004] One embodiment of the invention comprises a container, in a preferred embodiment being a cylinder, comprising a bottom or closed end, a top or open end with a rim, and a lid. In cross-section, the container and lid may also have other forms including, without limitation, a square or rectangle.

[0005] The container, rim and lid may be formed by any injection molded, plastic material including, without limitation, polypropylene or polyethylene. The rim may be formed separately from, but secured to, the open end of the container. The rim receives a removable and resealable plastic lid.

[0006] As used herein, a structure termed "inner" or "innermost" or the like means that it is closer to the center of the container or lid than a corresponding "outer" or "outermost" structure.

[0007] The rim at its inner border comprises an outer channel, and the lid at its peripheral border comprises an inner channel. In one embodiment, the channels are generally U-shaped and comprise walls which are substantially vertical, there being two interior walls and also one exterior wall, and each of these three walls further comprises a projection extending therefrom. The projections from the three walls of the inner channel and from the three walls of the outer channel may be varied in their configurations so long as a projection from the inner channel slides past and is engaged by a complementary projection from the outer channel - and so long as each such complementary pair of projections thereby creates a seal/latch combination. The inner channel defines a first interior space between its two interior walls. The outer channel also defines a second interior space between its two interior walls. [0008] The lid may be secured to the rim by pressing the lid into the rim by ordinary force from pushing by hand. The lid may be removed by placing, for instance, a straight edge underneath the outer edge of the lid and prying upward. In normal usage this way, the lid may be secured and released a large number of times without damaging the seal/latch combinations.

[0009] Various other features, objects and advantages of embodiments of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] Referring now to Fig. 1 , in cross-section, as shown by diagonal lines, the inner channel 5 is shown on a portion of the lid 1 and the outer channel 1 1 on the rim 2. In one embodiment, the inner channel 5 is generally U-shaped and has walls which are substantially vertical in orientation when the lid is inserted into the rim, said construction creating a space which faces downward toward the bottom of the container, and comprises a first interior wall 17 and a second interior wall 21 and also one exterior wall 20. Each of these three walls 17, 21 , 20 comprises a projection extending therefrom, as detailed below. In one embodiment, the outer channel 1 1 , as shown by diagonal lines, is also generally U-shaped and has walls which are substantially vertical in orientation when the container is upright, creating a space which opens in the same direction as does the top or open end of the container, and comprises a first interior wall 22 and a second interior wall 30 and also one exterior wall 29. Each of these three walls 22, 30, 29 comprises a projection extending therefrom, also as detailed below.

[0011] Referring to Fig. 2, a cross-section of one embodiment of a portion of the lid 1 and rim 2 are shown in a pre-installed position. The lid comprises a center 3, in one embodiment a central planar section, which may be adjacent to and surrounded by a depression 27, which in turn is adjacent to the inner channel 5 on the lid's periphery. In one embodiment the inner channel 5, as shown by diagonal lines, further comprises a top 18, and a channel foot 19 between and defined by the lower regions of the second interior wall 21 and the exterior wall 20 of the inner channel 5. At its bottom the channel foot 19 may comprise a heel 14. The second interior wall 21 of the inner channel 5 may comprise a locking notch 6 which projects inwardly from the surface of the second interior wall 21. The exterior wall 20 of the outer channel 5 comprises a projection from the surface of the wall which, in one embodiment, is a ridge 7 comprising a base and two sides of equal or unequal length having an apex. The base of the ridge 7 merges with the exterior wall 20 of the outer channel and, in Fig. 4, is represented by a dotted line which is drawn from the beginning points of two unequal sides of the ridge 7. There is a projection from the first interior wall 17 of the inner channel 5 which, in one embodiment, is a cleft 4 capable of engaging the head 16 of the locking tab 23 after installation of the inner channel 5 into the outer channel 1 1. In one embodiment, as shown by diagonal lines the outer channel 1 1 comprises, starting at its periphery and moving inward, a projection from the first interior wall 22 which in one embodiment is a shoulder 9, a bottom 12, a flexible finger 13 and a locking tab 23. The flexible finger 13 and the locking tab 23 are between and defined by the exterior wall 29 and the second interior wall 30 of the outer channel 1 1. The exterior wall 29 and the second interior wall 30 may comprise one or more planar or curved surfaces. The lower end of the locking tab 23 transitions to the flexible finger 13 and, in one embodiment, is set at an offset angle thereto, with the head 16 of the locking tab projecting toward the center of the container from the exterior wall of the outer channel. In the embodiment depicted in the figures, the projections from the inner channel include the cleft 4, the locking notch 6 and the ridge 7, and the projections from the outer channel include the shoulder 9, the knob 15 of the locking tab and the head 16 of the locking tab. The projections from the inner and outer channel may be varied in their configurations so long as a projection from the inner channel slides past and is engaged by a projection from the outer channel upon installation - and each such complementary pair of projections when engaged in the installed position thereby creates a seal/latch combination.

[0012] Fig. 3 depicts the same features as in the embodiment in Fig. 2, but in the installed position showing three seal/latch combinations from the engagement of the complementary pairs of projections from the walls of the inner channel 5 and outer channel 1 1. For example, in one complementary pair, the locking tab's head 16 is engaged by the cleft 4 which together form the primary seal/third latch 24. In another complementary pair, the locking tab's knob 15 is engaged by the locking notch 6 forming the second seal/second latch 25. And in another complementary pair, the ridge 7 is engaged by the shoulder 9, producing the third seal/primary latch 26. Dotted-line circles 24, 25, 26 surround each of these seal/latch combinations which, secure the lid to the rim by means of the complementary pairs of projections, and provide a liquid-tight seal. In one embodiment, upon installation of the lid, there is over-travel 8, i.e. , unfilled volume between, on the one hand, the second seal/second latch 25 and the third seal/primary latch 26 and, on the other hand, the bottom 12 of the outer channel 1 1. In one embodiment, upon installation of the lid, there is also over-travel 8 between, on the one hand, the primary seal/third latch 24 and the second seal/second latch 25 and, on the other hand, the top of the inner channel 18. In other embodiments of the invention, there may be less or even no over-travel in that the inner channel 5 and the outer channel 1 1 may be sized to fit as snugly as possible.

[0013] Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of one embodiment of the outer portion of the lid. In this embodiment, a projection from first interior wall 17 of the inner channel 5 comprises at least two surfaces which are non-planar with respect to the other, a first surface 17a and a second surface 17b, separated by a cleft 4. Each of the first and second surfaces 17a, 17b may be planar or curved, or a combination thereof. In this embodiment, the first surface 17a begins near the end of the curved surface which is the top 18 of the inner channel and ends at the cleft 4. In this embodiment, from the end of the first surface 17a on the first interior wall 17 of the inner channel 5, the cleft 4 projects into the first interior space created by the inner channel 5 and then a second surface 17b continues downward from the cleft 4 toward the bottom of the first interior wall 17. The cleft 4 is adapted to engage the head 16 of the locking tab and the cleft 4, in one embodiment, is created by an angle of a range between about 2-10° inclusive between the first surface 17a and the second surface 17b, as shown by the arrows pointing to the first and second surfaces 17a, 17b. The surface of the cleft 4, in another embodiment, may be a curved or planar surface which connects the end of the first surface 17a and the beginning of the second surface 17b. A dotted line between the first and second surfaces is portrayed to show the angle in one embodiment between these surfaces. In one embodiment the channel foot 19 is solid, that is, without an interior void. The second interior wall 21 of the inner channel 5, in one embodiment, comprises a projection which is the locking notch 6 which, in one embodiment, may be formed by a curve or angle which projects inwardly from a point 10 on the lower portion of the second interior wall 21 of the inner channel 5 and continues to another curve or angle on the heel 14 of the channel foot 19.

[0014] Referring again to Fig. 4, in one embodiment of the invention, the heel 14 comprises a curved surface which transitions to the exterior wall 20 of the inner channel 5, as depicted by diagonal lines, and this latter curve on the heel 14 can terminate at or near the base of the ridge 7 on the outer side of the channel foot 20, or at a surface near the bottom of the exterior wall 20 of the inner channel 5. The ridge 7 in one embodiment projects outwardly from the exterior wall 20 all around the lid 1 on its exterior wall 20 with two slopes which join at an apex or curve. The ridge 7 may also have more than two slopes. The apex of the ridge has an angle ranging preferably from about 80-90°, but a range of about 65-95° is also permissible. The ridge 7 can have two sides of equal length projecting outwardly from the exterior wall 20 of the inner channel 5. The sides of the ridge 7 projecting from the exterior wall 20 of the inner channel 5 can also be of different lengths. The apex of the ridge 7 may also be a curved surface instead of an angle.

[0015] Referring now to Fig. 5, in this embodiment of the outer channel 1 1 , as depicted by diagonal lines, the shoulder 9 projects inwardly from near the top of the first interior wall 22, and the shoulder 9 may be a substantially planar or curved surface adjacent to the first interior wall 22, which adjoins the outer channel's bottom 12, said bottom comprising, in one embodiment, a curve or a compound curve. The bottom 12 adjoins the flexible finger 13, which in turn is adjacent to the locking tab 23. The flexible finger 13 and locking tab 23 are defined by the second interior wall 30 and the exterior wall 29. [0016] Referring now to Fig. 6, the embodiment of the container as a cylinder 28 with the rim 2 and the lid 1 is depicted in a pre-installed position. The rim 2 may be secured tightly to the open end of the container 28 by adhesive or by spin welding.