US3804289A

US3804289A - Container and closure

Info

Publication number: US3804289A
Application number: US00235753A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Churan
Original assignee: Vulcan Plastics Inc
Current assignee: GIAMPA DAWN M; Vulcan Plastics Inc
Priority date: 1972-03-17
Filing date: 1972-03-17
Publication date: 1974-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-16
Also published as: NL7303748A; DE2313811A1; IT979860B; FR2176796A1; GB1389163A; FR2176796B1; CA972696A

Abstract

This invention relates to a molded plastic open-end container and a cover which is affixed to the container so as to effect a sealed-tight closure on the container. The cover has an annular inverted U-shaped channel into which the upper edge of the container is received, with appropriate interlocking means being provided on the container and cover to secure the cover to the container. The cover has an annular outer wall which extends a pre-determined length below the upper edge of the container, and the latter has an annular bumper rib and an annular drip rib about its side wall. These ribs are spaced from the lower edge of the cover''s annular outer wall and are proportioned to cooperate with one another to retain the container in spaced relationship to another container, to protect against the cover being inadvertently dislodged by another container engaging beneath the lower edge of the cover''s annular outer wall and forcing the cover to pop off of the container.

Description

United States Patent [191 Churan 51 Apr. 16, 1974 CONTAINER AND CLOSURE [75] Inventor: Roy G. Churan, Oak Lawn, 111.

[73] Assignee: Vulcan Plastics Inc., Addison, 111.

[22] Filed: Mar. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 235,753

Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dominik, Knechtel, Godula & Demeur [5 7] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a molded plastic open-end container and a cover which is affixed to the container so as to effect a sealed-tight closure on the container. The cover has an annular inverted U-shaped channel into which the upper edge of the container is received, with appropriate interlocking means being provided on the container and cover to secure the cover to the container. The cover has an annular outer wall which extends a pre-determined length below the upper edge of the container, and the latter has an annular bumper rib and an annular drip rib about its side wall. These ribs are spaced from the lower edge of the covers annular outer wall and are proportioned to cooperate with one another to retain the container in spaced relationship to another container, to protect against the cover being inadvertently dislodged by another container engaging beneath the lower edge of the covers annular outer wall and forcing the cover to pop off of the containen 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures CONTAINER AND CLOSURE This invention relates, in general, to an improved container and closure construction and, in particular, to an improved molded plastic open end container and cover therefor.

The molded plastic open end container of the present invention has a plastic cover of the so-called snap-on type, that is, one which is affixed to the plastic container in a fashion such as to effect a sealed-tight closure'thereon, without the need of additional securement means such as, for example, a metal ring seal. Plastic closures of this type usually are provided with an annular inverted U-shaped channel about its top wall structure into which the upper edge of the open end container is received. An annular bead or curl is provided about the periphery of the upper edge of the container, and one wall of the U-shaped channel is provided with interlocking means which interlock with this bead or curl to affix the closure to the container. The

U-shaped channel, furthermore, generally is relatively deep so that the upper edge is deeply seated therein, to effect a sealed-tight engagement. In fact, in many cases, the upper edge of the container, the bead or curl, the U-shaped channel and the interlocking means are so proportioned that one wall of the U-shaped channel must be cut or slit about its periphery, in order to break the sealed-tight engagement between the container and the closure, to remove the latter. Alternatively, some constructions are adapted to receive a tool such as a screwdriver or other special instrument beneath and between the container and the closure to effect removal.

While ideally the closures are fixedly secured to the containers so that the closures, in fact, must be forcibly removed generally in the manner described above, the fact is that many closures or covers are inadvertently dislodged during shipping, thus the contents of the containers are spilled. This inadvertent removal normally is caused by or results from the containers shifting with respect to one another in a fashion such that the cover or a portion of one container engages beneath the lower edge of the cover on another container, with the result that the container is supported in a tilted position. It the container then should be caused to bounce, the resulting upward force on the cover many times causes the cover to pop off of the container.

While this problem can be eliminated in various different fashions, for example, by using a ring seal in combination with the closure, the use of such means generally defeats the advantages of these 4 so-called snap-on type closures. Accordingly, the problem exists and improved means are being sought to eliminate this objectionable feature, while retaining the advantages of the snap-on type closures.

The problem is somewhat compounded by the fact that the molded plastic containers are generally resilient and any flexure of the side walls of the container has a tendency to weaken the sealed-tight engagement between the closure and the container. Again, additional rigidity and dimensional stability can be provided by simply adding a number of supporting ribs or flanges to the container's side walls. However, in this case also, simply adding these support ribs is not economically feasible since obviously additional plastic material is required to provide them, and the cost of doing so results in a container which is economically uncompetitive. Furthermore, it is generally recognized that the users of the containers require, or at least desire, the maximum space available on the side walls for printed material, for decorative and/or advertising purposes. The addition of a number of spaced apart supporting ribs on the side wall of the containers obviously reduces the amount of available space. Whenever support ribs have been provided, these support ribs normally have been formed to extend outwardly substantially perpendicular to the side wall of the container. With this type of construction, particularly when one of the support ribs also functions as a drip guard, the support ribs usually are great dust collectors and the dust and/or the drips of the product are very difficult to clean off of them. This feature also is objectionable, particularly when the container contains a food product.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved molded plastic open-end container and cover therefor.

More particularly still, it is an object to provide an improved molded plastic open-end container and cover combination constructed in a fashion such as-to prevent the cover from being inadvertently dislodged during shipping or storage.

Still another object is to provide an improved molded plastic open-end container and cover therefor of the above-described type which can be molded without the need of additional material or an increase in the molding cycle thereof.

Still another object is to provide an improved molded plastic open-end container and cover therefor having improved rigidity and dimensional stability, yet with maximum space available on the side wall for printed material, for decorative and/or-advertising purposes.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The above objectives are accomplished with a molded plastic open-end container and a cover which is affixed to the container so as to effect a sealed-tight closure on the container. The cover has an annular inverted U-shaped channel into which the upper edge of the container is received, with appropriate interlocking means being providedon the container and cover tosecure the cover to the container. The cover has an annular outer wall which extends a pre-determined length below the upper edge of the container, and the latter has an annular bumper rib and an annular drip rib about its side wall. These ribs are spaced from the lower edge of the covers annular outer wall and are proportioned to cooperate with oneanother to retain the container in spaced relationship to another container, to protect against the cover being inadvertently dislodged by another container engaging beneath the lower edge of the covers annular outer wall and forcing the cover to pop off of the container. Furthermore, these ribs function to add rigidity and dimensional stability to the container, and are formed such that they can be easily wiped clean. In addition, these ribs are formed and positioned to provide the maximum possible space on the side wall of the container, and such that the container can be molded without the need of additional material or an increase in the molding cycle thereof.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side plan view of a molded plastic open end container and cover constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the container illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the cover on the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view, generally illustrating the manner in which the cover is affixed to the container to provide a sealed tight closure for the container;

FIG. 5 is a partial side plan view, partially sectionalized, of a pair of the containers generally illustrating the manner in which the containers can be stacked in a nested relationship; and

FIG. 6 is a side plan view of several of the containers of FIG. I, generally illustrating the manner in which the drip rib and the bumper rib on the container cooperate to prevent the cover on a container from being inadvertently dislodged therefrom.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown a molded plastic open end container 10 having a cover 11 secured thereto, to provide a sealed-tight closure for the container 10. The container 10 has a bottom wall 12 and a side wall 13 which extends upwardly therefrom and is slightly tapered so as to be of larger diameter at its upper open end. A head like curl 14 is formed about the upper edge of the side wall 13, which bead like curl 14 is adapted to interlock with an interlocking flange 27 on the outer wall 24 of the cover 11, as explained more fully below.

An annular drip rib 15 extends completely about the periphery of the side wall 13 of the container 10, in a predetermined spaced position from the bead like curl 14 on the upper edge of the side wall. This drip rib 15, as can be best seen in FIG. 4, extends outwardly and angularly downwardly from the side wall 13 so as to present a tapered top surface. The drip rib 15 could be a solid rib which is generally triangular shaped in crosssection, however, for reasons set forth more specifically below, the drip rib 15 preferably and advantageously is simply a outwardly extending, angularly dis posed narrow flange.

Spaced below the drip rib I5 is a bumper rib 16 which, as can be best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, is formed ofa top wall 17 which extends outwardly and angularly downwardly from the side wall 13 and an end wall 18 which is integrally affixed to the terminal peripheral edge of the top wall 17 and extends substantially vertically downwardly and outwardly so as to be of a larger diameter at its lower terminal edge. An open cavity is formed between the bumper rib 16 and the side wall 13, and within this open cavity there is provided a number of radially spaced spacer ribs 21. These spacer ribs 21 provide additional rigidity to the bumper rib 16 and, furthermore, prevent the upper edge of another container from seating within the open cavity between the bumper rib l6 and the side wall 13, when the containers are nested within one another. A wire bail is affixed to the container 10, by a pair of bail handle attachments 19 which are integrally formed with the bumper rib 16, in diametrically opposed relationship.

The cover 11, as can be best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, has a top wall structure 23 about which is provided an inverted U-shaped channel which is adapted to receive therein the upper edge of the side wall 13 of the open end container 10. This inverted U-shaped channel is formed of an outer wall 24 and a concentric inner wall 25 having a top section 26 coupling them together. An interlocking flange 27 is formed on the interior surface of the outer wall 24 which interlocking flange 27, as indicated above, is adapted to interlock with the bead like curl 14 about the upper edge of the side wall 13, to affix the cover 11 to the container 10. An extension 28 is provided on the inner wall 25, which extension 28 extends beneath the top wall structure 23 of the cover 11, as can be best seen in FIG. 4. This extension 28 extends to a greater depth within the container 10, to provide a better locking engagement between the cover 11 and the container 10. An annular seating wall 29 is spaced inwardly from the inner wall 25 and is concentric with the latter. This seating wall 29 in conjunction with the top wall surface 23 of the cover 11 provides a seating cavity of substantial depth for receiving the lower edge of a container 10, for nesting the containers one atop another. The interior diameter of the seating wall 29 substantially corresponds to the diameter of the lower edge of the container 10, so that the lower edge of the container 10 can be firmly seated therein and prevent it from laterally shifting during nesting. A number of support ribs 31 are provided in radially spaced relationship between the inner-wall 2S and the seating wall 29, to provide additional rigidity to the cover 11 and particularly to the seating wall 29.

A gasket 30 preferably and advantageously is secured within the inverted U-shaped channel about the periphery of the cover 11, and the cover 11 and the container 10 are proportioned so that the gasket 30 is compressed and provides a sealed-tight engagement between the cover and the container when the interlocking flange'27 and the bead like curl 14 are lockingly engaged with one another. Also, while the top wallstructure 23 of the cover 11 can be of a solid construction, with the cover 11 being adapted for removal, a pour spout opening 32 can be provided therein for receiving pour spouts of conventional construction. In the latter case, the cover 11 is normally not removed, the product being dispensed through the pour spout secured within the pour spout opening 32.

As indicated above, during shipping and/or storage of the containers 10, many times the containers are caused to shift with respect to one another in a fashion such that the cover or a portion of one container engages beneath the lower edge of the outer wall 24 of the cover on another container, with the ,result that the container is supported in a tilted position. If the container then is caused to bounce as during transit, the resulting upward force on the cover many times causes the cover to pop off of the container. This problem is substantially if not completely eliminated with the container and cover construction of the present invention, by appropriately forming the outer wall 24 of the cover 11 and the drip rib l5 and the bumper rib 16 on the side wall 13 of the container 10. More specifically, the length of the outer wall 24 of the cover 1 l and the position of the drip rib 15 on the side wall 13 of the container are such that the drip rib is spaced immediately below the lower edge of the outer wall 24 and extends horizontally outwardly so that its outermost diameter is the same as or substantially corresponds to the outer diameter of the outer wall 24. Being of the same diameter and being spaced just below the lower edge of the outer wall 24, the drip rib 15 substantially prevents another object, particularly the cover on another container from engaging beneath the lower edge of the outer wall 24, as can be best seen in FIG. 6 wherein one, container 10 is illustrated in a tilted position with'respect to another one of the containers [0. Therefore, by preventing'a cover from engaging beneath the lower edge of the outer wall 24 on the cover 11 of another container, the possibility of an upward force being exerted on the outer wall 24 and having the cover inadvertently popped off of the container is virtually eliminated.

In addition, the bumper rib 16 on the side wall 13 of the containers 10 cooperate with the drip rib 15 to prevent this inadvertent removal of a cover 11 from a container 10. As can be seen in the drawings, the outermost diameter of the bumper rib 16 is. greater than the diameter of the outer wall 24 of the cover 11, hence these bumper ribs 16 function to retain the containers in a spaced apart relationship .when nested'together in side-by-side abutting relationship. Under static conditions and even while being subjected to some degree of jostling around during shipping, the bumper ribs 16 prevent the, cover 11 on one container from engaging or interlocking with the cover on another container. Further still, the diameter of the bumper ribs 16 and the positioning of the latter beneath the drip ribs 15 are such that the bumper rib 16 engages the side wall 13 of a container when the upper edge of the cover 11 on a container normally. would be in a position to engage beneath the lower edge of the outer wall 24 of a cover II, generally as illustrated in FIG. 6. The bumper rib 16 thus cooperates with the drip rib 15 to prevent the cover 11 on another container from engaging beneath the lower edge of the outer wall 24, hence the possibility of a force being exerted on the latter to inadvertently cause the cover 11 on the container to pop off of his eliminated. Furthermore, ifa container 10 tilted in a fashion as illustrated in FIG. 6 is now bounced or caused to shift so that it resumes or attempts to resume its normally seated position, the tendency for the latter to do so is assisted by the fact that the loweredge of the bumper rib 16 engages and slides down the tapered top surface of the top wall 17 of the bumper rib. In doing so, the container 10, of course, also is forcibly urged away from and in spaced relationship to the other container thus also eliminating the tendency for one container to get hung up on another container.

It can also be seen that the construction of the drip rib l5 and the bumper rib 16 is such that both present a top surface which is tapered downwardly, and these top surfaces can be easily and quickly wiped clean of any drips or dust which may collect on them. The latter, as indicated above, is a very desirable feature, particularly when the container contains a food product which may be contaminated by the dirt which may collect on these ribs. Furthermore, by forming the

ribs

15 and 16 in the above-described fashion, particularly the bumper rib 16, it is found that these ribs add sufficient rigidity and dimensional stability to the container that the thickness of the side walls of the containers can be reduced to the extent that these ribs can be added to the container 10, without the need of additional material. Accordingly, a container 10 can be molded using the same or substantially the same amount of material which is normally required to mold similar types of containers. In this respect, the construction isalso such that the molding cycle time for molding a container 10 also is the same or substantially the same as the molding cycle for presently available similar types of containers. Further still, by constructing the bumper rib 16 in the described fashion and spacing the latter from the drip rib 15, it can be seen that very little of the space available on the side walls is interrupted by the ribs. Therefore a substantial amount of spacei's available for printed matter, for decorative and/or advertising purposes.

Containers 10 of the above-described construction were tested by an independent testing organization, and the results of these tests indicate that the bumper rim 16 provides several other improvements in the way of rigidity and dimensional stability. One such test consisted of a drop test, during which the containers 10 were filled anddropped from various heights, onto their sides. The results of these side drop tests indicate that the containers with the bumper rib 16 are far more rigid and will withstand a greater drop before the container collapses or buckles and permits its cover to be displaced, in comparison to other similar containers, particularly those not having any supporting ribs at all.

These containers also were subjected to various load tests, to determine their dimensional stability. It is generally known that a container of this type normally functions as a column of fluid the height of the container. When the container is subjected toa load placed atop of it, the load exerts a force on the side wall of the container which is the greatest near its center. This force can be sufficient to cause theside wall of the container to rupture or buckle. The bumper rib l6 effectively divides in half the height of the column of fluid or, in other words, forms two columns of fluid, one atop the other, with the bottom of the upper column being disposed substantially at the position of the bumper rib 16 on the container. When a load is placed atop the container, the force of the upper column of fluid is substantially dissipated and absorbed by the bumper rib 16, so that the likelihood of the side wall of the container being ruptured is substantially reduced. In these tests, it is found that the containers l0 meet all the requirements established by the National Motor Freight Classification Board of the American Trucking Association, for using the containers in truck shipments.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and certain changes may be made in the above article. Accordingly, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a molded plastic open end container and a cover therefor, said open end container having a bottom wall and an upwardly extending side wall, a bead-like curl extending about the outer periphery of said side wall at the upper edge thereof, said cover comprising a center top wall structure and a perimetrical inverted U-shaped channel provided at the periphery thereof for receiving therein the upper edge of said open end container, said U-shaped channel having an inner and a concentric outer annular wall and a top section interconnecting said inner and outer annular walls, and interlocking means on the interior of said outer annular wall adapted to lockingly engage with said bead-like curl to removably secure said cover over the open end of said container, said open end container having an annular drip rib and a bumper formed on the side wall thereof, said annular drip rib being spaced immediately below the lower edge of said outer annular wall of said cover and extending angularly outwardly and downwardly from said containers side wall, the outermost diameter of said drip rib substantially corresponding to the outer diameter of said outer annular wall of said cover, said drip rib further being proportioned to add strength and dimensional stability to said open end container to restrict the tendency of said side wall at the open end thereof to collapse to thereby provide a more secure interlocking engagement and seal between said open end container and said cover, said bumper being spaced below said annular drip rib and having a top wall projecting outwardly and angularly downwardly from said side wall so as to provide a downwardly sloped top surface for causing an object to slide off said top surface and an end wall integrally formed therewith and extending substantially vertically downwardly, the outermost diameter of said bumper being greater than the diameter of said covers annular outer wall whereby said bumper functions to retain said containers in a spaced apart relationship when nested together in side-by-side abutting relationship, said bumper further being of a diameter and positioned with respect to said drip rib to engage the side wall of another one of said containers and thereby prevent the upper edge of one container from engaging beneath the lower edge of the annular outer wall of a cover on another one of said covers, whereby said covers are protected against accidental removal, said bumper further being proportioned to resist the tendency of said side wall to buckle when said container is dropped on its side and positioned to effectively reduce the column force exerted upon the side wall of said container to reduce the likelihood of the side wall buckling when the container is dropped on its bottom.

2. The combination of claim 1, further including a bail attachment for a bail for carrying said container integrally formed with said bumper, a plurality of spacer ribs disposed between said containers side wall and said end wall of said bumper in radial spaced relationship, said bumper and said spacer ribs providing additional rigidity and dimensional stability to minimize bail stress flexure of said containers side wall when said container is lifted or carried by a bail.

Claims

1. In combination, a molded plastic open end container and a cover therefor, said open end container having a bottom wall and an upwardly extending side wall, a bead-like curl extending about the outer periphery of said side wall at the upper edge thereof, said cover comprising a center top wall structure and a perimetrical inverted U-shaped channel provided at the periphery thereof for receiving therein the upper edge of said open end container, said U-shaped channel having an inner and a concentric outer annular wall and a top section interconnecting said inner and outer annular walls, and interlocking means on the interior of said outer annular wall adapted to lockingly engage with said bead-like curl to removably secure said cover over the open end of said container, said open end container having an annular drip rib and a bumper formed on the side wall thereof, said annular drip rib being spaced immediately below the lower edge of said outer annular wall of said cover and extending angularly outwardly and downwardly from said container''s side wall, the outermost diameter of said drip rib substantially corresponding to the outer diameter of said outer annular wall of said cover, said drip rib further being proportioned to add strength and dimensional stability to said open end container to restrict the tendency of said side wall at the open end thereof to collapse to thereby provide a more secure interlocking engagement and seal between said open end container and said cover, said bumper being spaced below said annular drip rib and having a top wall projecting outwardly and angularly downwardly from said side wall so as to provide a downwardly sloped top surface for causing an object to slide off said top surface and an end wall integrally formed therewith and extending substantially vertically downwardly, the outermost diameter of said bumper being greater than the diameter of said cover''s annular outer wall whereby said bumper functions to retain said containers in a spaced apart relationship when nested together in side-by-side abutting relationship, said bumper further being of a diameter and positioned with respect to said drip rib to engage the side wall of another one of said containers and thereby prevent the upper edge of one container from engaging beneath the lower edge of the annular outer wall of a cover on another one of said covers, whereby said covers are protected against accidental removal, said bumper further being proportioned to resist the tendency of said side wall to buckle when said container is dropped on its side and positioned to effectively reduce the column force exerted upon the side wall of said container to reduce the likelihood of the side wall buckling when the container is dropped on its bottom.

2. The combination of claim 1, further including a bail attachment for a bail for carrying said container integrally formed with said bumper, a plurality of spacer ribs disposed between said container''s side wall and said end wall of said bumper in radial spaced relationship, said bumper and said spacer ribs providing additional rigidity and dimensional stability to minimize bail stress flexure of said container''s side wall when said container is lifted or carried by a bail.