US3709397A

US3709397A - Butter container or the like

Info

Publication number: US3709397A
Application number: US00808182A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Daenen
Original assignee: Dart Industries Inc
Current assignee: Dart Industries Inc
Priority date: 1969-03-18
Filing date: 1969-03-18
Publication date: 1973-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-09
Also published as: IE34054B1; MY7500264A; DE2009628A1; NL7003815A; BR7017520D0; IE34054L; FI51042C; AT311586B; CH522542A; CA924655A; NO128747B; BE747473A; ES156920Y; SE365394B; ES156920U; FR2035047A1; GB1308981A; FI51042B

Abstract

This invention is primarily directed to a supporting container or base for butter or the like that includes a recessed surface portion surrounded by a peripheral outwardly extending ledge and outside sealing surface adapted to mate with a cover having peripheral dimensions suitable to produce tapered fit between the two mating surfaces.

Description

United States Patent [191 Daenen [111 3,709,397 1451 Jan. 9, 1973 [54] BUTTER CONTAINER OR THE LIKE [75] Inventor Robert Daenen, Erenbode g ein, 2 2,

Belgium. e. 1

[73] Assignee: Dart Industries Inc., Los Angeles,

Calif.

22 Filed: March 18,1969

21 Appl.No.: 808,182

52 us. Cl. ..220]42 A, 150/.5, 1544/5 51 1m. (:1 .3651! 11/10, 865d 43/08 581 Field of Search ..220/42 A, 42 E, 42 F, 4 A,

220/4 E, 4 F; 150/.5; D44/5, 8, 19

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D204,6l5 5/1966 Swett ..D44/5 2,765,831 9/1956 Tupper... ..l50/0.5

Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Attorney-Leigh B. Taylor, Paul R. Wylie and Harold R. Beck [57] ABSTRACT This invention is primarily directed to a supporting container or base for butter or the like that includes a recessed surface portion surrounded by a peripheral outwardly extending ledge and outside sealing surface adapted to mate with a cover having peripheral dimensions suitable to produce tapered fit between the two mating surfaces.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BUTTER CONTAINER OR THE LIKE The present invention is directed to a container for storing and serving of butter or the like. The container is simple to open and close, easy to clean, provides an effective moisture and odor barrier for, the contents of the container, and enables a rapid and continuous cooling of the contents of the container to be effected. More particularly, the invention is directed to a container which, by its construction, retains the contents a substantial distance from its sealing surfaces and addi-.

tionally provides an area upon which serving implementsmay be cleaned also without contacting those sealing surfaces.

A construction incorporating these features, therefore, provides improvements and advantages over the prior art containers, particularly with respect tocontinued effective sealing even during extended periods of use. Such is accomplished primarily due to the recessed portion of the supporting container as well as the ledge that surrounds that portion.

These as well as other advantages will become more apparent when reference is made to the ensuring description of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a butter container or the like including the supporting container and its associated cover;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of these same two components; and,

FIG. 3 is a sectional end elevation .view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

Briefly, the present invention includes a base and a cover. The base has a substantially flat recessed, pebbled, inner surface, an upwardly extending integral side wall that terminates in an outwardly extending ledge and a downwardly extending ledge and an outwardly and upwardly curved flange also integral withthe side wall. The cover for the base is a hollow box-shaped member having a top wall and a continuous integral side wall affixed to and extending downwardly from the periphery of the top wall. The underside of the cover is open, and a continuous outwardly extending peripheral flange is positioned adjacentthe lower edge of the cover side wall. The cover fits over the base with a lock engagement since the area of contact between the base and the cover a locking taper is provided.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the base 8 includes a substantiallyflat recessedsurface -10 having a textured or pebbled effect that is produced by hemispherical extensions protruding slightly above the flat surface and in random orientation, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The surface 10 has an integral upwardly projecting peripheral side wall 12, the upper edge of which is affixed to an outwardly extending peripheral ledge 14. This ledge in turn is integral with and supports a downwardly directed sealing wall surface v16 that terminates in an upwardly curved handle-like flange 18. This particular base construction provides a rigid configuration and also maintains any contained foodstuff in a position out of close proximity to scaling wall surface 16.

As can be readily seen upon continued reference to the drawings, isolation of the container foodstuff from the sealing wall surface is generally effected by the ledge 10. A portion of this ledge is also textured in a fashion similar to therecessed surface 10 and side wall 12. And as is evident from FIGS. 1 and 3, the textured portion terminates in a relief 30 immediately adjacent sealing wall surface 16. The ledge and side wall thereby further provide a convenient structural arrangement upon which a user may readily clean any implement employed in dispensing the foodstuff without inadvertently or otherwise contacting the sealing wall surface.

The handle-like flange 18 is peripherally positioned around the base and is preferably integral with the sealing wall surface 16. The flange lfil curves upwardly and outwardly to permit insertion of the fingers enabling a userto easily grasp the container bothin its covered and uncovered condition. Additionally, such flange tends to rigidify the base structure and maintains the sealing wall surface in a generally stable position so that an effective seal may be retained between the base and cover.

The cover 21 is a hollow, box-shaped member having a top wall 22, end walls 24 and side walls 26. Junctures between these walls are preferably rounded to permit easy cleaning. A continuous, outwardly extending flange 28 at a position intermediate the top wall and the terminal edge 30of the end and side walls. Flange 28, however, is more closely positioned to the terminal edge and lends support thereto. The flange extension is somewhat less than thatofthe handle-like flange l8 and therefore theuser can place his fingers between the two when removing the cover while at the same time grasping flange 28.

The cover istpreferably fabricated from .low density polyethylene, thus providing the cover with a flexible resiliency that enables it to be slippedover the base 8. In this relationship, the lower inside surfaces of

walls

24 and 26 sealably engage against the continuous peripheral sealing wall surface 16 of the base. Likewise, due to the cantilevered effect of the downwardly extending sealing wall surface 16, additional flexibility is achieved for this portion of the base despite the presence of flange 18. It should be particularly noted that the contact area 32 between-

walls

24 and 26 and wall 16 is large, and that each is tapered at approximately 2. This is a locking taper that insures a tight seal between the base and the topnPreferably, the base is made from polypropylene but other materials may be employed with equally good-effects.

The pressure contact points for the cover on the base are at the four corners of the base. The

walls

24 and 26 are tightly stretched between the four corners to maintain the inside surfaces of

walls

24 and 26 in taut engagement with base wall 16 between the corners thereby providing an effective seal along the entire i The container is particularly directed tothe storage of perishables such as elongatedpieces of butter,

cheese, meat loaf or the like, but it obviously can be used for other consumables.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment therefore is to be considered in all respect as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being dictated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which ,come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Iclaim:

1. A storage container adapted to hold consumable food-stuff and the like and comprising:

a base having a recessed inner surface integral with an upwardly extending side wall, said side wall being further characterized by an outwardly extending ledge and downwardly projecting sealing wall that terminates in an upwardly curved flange integral with said sealing wall;

a cover having a top wall and side walls, said side walls including a contact area that is adapted to sealably engage the exterior surface of said sealing wall and which area is further supported by an outwardly extending peripheral flange positioned proximate the uppermost portion of said contact area.

2. A vapor-tight plastic container of a rectangular cross-sectional configuration for storing perishables and the like comprising: i

a base including a circumferential ledge from which extend downwardly directed side walls and a sealing wall substantially separated from said side walls, said side walls being integrally attached to an inner surface that is recessed with respect to said ledge and said sealing wall terminating in an upwardly curved handle-like flange; and,

a box-shaped cover having integral top and side walls, said side walls including an inner contact area that sealably engages said sealing wall of the base and further including an outwardly extending peripheral flange positioned proximate the uppermost portion of said contact area.

Claims

1. A storage container adapted to hold consumable food-stuff and the like and comprising: a base having a recessed inner surface integral with an upwardly extending side wall, said side wall being further characterized by an outwardly extending ledge and downwardly projecting sealing wall that terminates in an upwardly curved flange integral with said sealing wall; a cover having a top wall and side walls, said side walls including a contact area that is adapted to sealably engage the exterior surface of said sealing wall and which area is further supported by an outwardly extending peripheral flange positioned proximate the uppermost portion of said contact area.

2. A vapor-tight plastic container of a rectangular cross-sectional configuration for storing perishables and the like comprising: a base including a circumferential ledge from which extend downwardly directed side walls and a sealing wall substantially separated from said side walls, said side walls being integrally attached to an inner surface that is recessed with respect to said ledge and said sealing wall terminating in an upwardly curved handle-like flange; and, a box-shaped cover having integral top and side walls, said side walls including an inner contact area that sealably engages said sealing wall of the base and further including an outwardly extending peripheral flange positioned proximate the uppermost portion of said contact area.