Storage container systems including containers and corresponding lids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11873142-B2
Application number	US-202016918244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2020
Priority date	Jul 5, 2019
Publication date	Jan 16, 2024
Grant date	Jan 16, 2024

Abstract

A container system includes a container having a plurality of sidewalls and a rim extending from the sidewalls at a top of the container. The rim of the container includes a first sealing part and a second sealing part. Parts of the rim extend along arcs as viewed from above the container. The container system also includes a lid for sealing the container, with the lid having a rim that includes a first sealing part that is configured to contact the first sealing part of the rim of the container to form a first sealing area, and a second sealing part that is configured to contact the second sealing part of the rim of the container to form a second sealing area. Parts of the rim of the lid extend along arcs as viewed from above the lid. The container may be tightly sealed by the lid.

First claim

We claim:

1. A container system comprising:
a container including a plurality of sidewalls and a rim extending from the sidewalls at a top of the container, the rim of the container including a first sealing part and a second sealing part, with the first sealing part and the second sealing part being located on surfaces of the rim that face the inside of the container, and with a plurality of protuberances being formed in the rim, the protuberances being discontinuous with each other such that each protuberance is spaced from two adjacent protuberances and each protuberance is visually distinct from other protuberances, wherein, as viewed from above the container, parts of the rim extend along arcs; and
a lid for closing the top of the container, the lid having a rim that extends along sides of the lid, the rim of the lid including (i) a first sealing part that is configured to contact the first sealing part of the rim of the container to form a first sealing area, and (ii) a second sealing part that is configured to contact the second sealing part of the rim of the container to form a second sealing area, with a plurality of protuberances being formed in the lid, the protuberances being discontinuous with each other such that each protuberance is spaced from two adjacent protuberances and each protuberance is visually distinct from other protuberances, wherein, as viewed from above the lid, parts of the rim of the lid extend along arcs,
wherein the protuberances of the rim of the container are positioned to align with the protuberances of the lid when the lid is sealed to the container, and
wherein, when the lid is sealed to the container, each protuberance of the rim of the container is spaced from the correspondingly aligned protuberance of the lid.

2. The container system according to claim 1 , wherein the first sealing area and the second sealing area are aligned in a vertical direction when the lid closes the top of the container.

3. The container system according to claim 1 , wherein the rim of the container includes a first concave portion and a second concave portion, with the first sealing part of the rim of the container being located on the first concave portion and the second sealing part of the rim of the container being located between the first concave portion and the second concave portion.

4. The container system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the parts of the rim of the container that extends along an arc has a radius that is 1.5 to 2 times longer than the length of the at least one of the parts of the rim of the container that extends along the arc, and
wherein at least one of the parts of the rim of the lid that extends along an arc has a radius that is 1.5 to 2 times longer than the length of the at least one of the parts of the rim of the lid that extends along the arc.

5. A container system comprising:
a plurality of containers each having a different volume, each container including a plurality of sidewalls and a rim extending from the sidewalls at a top of the container, the rim of each container including a first sealing part and a second sealing part, with the first sealing part and the second sealing part being located on surfaces of the rim that face the inside of the container, with a plurality of protuberances being formed in the rims, the protuberances being discontinuous with each other such that each protuberance is spaced from two adjacent protuberances and each protuberance is visually distinct from other protuberances, wherein parts of the rims extend along arcs as viewed from above the containers; and
a plurality of lids for closing the tops of the containers, each lid having a rim that extends along sides of the lid, the rim of the lid including (i) a first sealing part that is configured to contact the first sealing part of the rim of the container to form a first sealing area, and (ii) a second sealing part that is configured to contact the second sealing part of the rim of the container to form a second sealing area, with a plurality of protuberances being formed in each of the lids, the protuberances being discontinuous with each other such that each protuberance is spaced from two adjacent protuberances and each protuberance is visually distinct from other protuberances, wherein parts of the rims of the lids extend along arcs as viewed from above the lids,
wherein the protuberances of each of the rims of the lids are positioned to align with the protuberances of at least one of the containers when the lids are sealed to corresponding containers, and
wherein, when the lids are sealed to the corresponding containers, each of the protuberances of the rims of the containers is spaced from correspondingly aligned protuberances of the lids.

6. The container system according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the containers has a volume of less than 1 cup, and at least one of the arcs of the rim of the container has radius of at least about 0.25 in.

7. The container system according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the containers has a volume of between 1 to 2 cups, and at least one of the arcs of the rim of the container has radius of at least about 0.375 in.

8. The container system according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the containers has a volume of between 3 to 9 cups, and at least one of the arcs of the rim of the container has radius of at least about 0.5 in.

9. The container system according to claim 5 , wherein the first sealing areas and the second sealing areas are aligned in a vertical direction when the lids close the tops of the containers.

10. The container system according to claim 5 , wherein the rim of each of the containers includes a first concave portion and a second concave portion, with the first sealing part of the rim being located on the first concave portion and the second sealing part of the rim being located between the first concave portion and the second concave portion.

11. The container system according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the parts of the rims of the containers that extends along an arc has a radius that is 1.5 to 2 times longer than the length of the at least one of the parts of the rims of the containers that extends along the arc, and
wherein at least one of the parts of the rims of the lids that extends along an arc has a radius that is 1.5 to 2 times longer than the length of the at least one of the parts of the rims of the lids that extends along the arc.

Assignees

• Johnson & Son Inc S C

Inventors

• Marino Samuel J
• Fuller Kasey A
• Goldsmith Amy P
• Davis Brian T
• Peterson Pierce J
• Robl Michael T
• Mccumber Donald E

Classifications

• B65D43/0208 Primary

  on both the inside and the outside of the mouth of the container (B65D43/0206 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D1/24

  with moulded compartments or partitions · CPC title

• B65D2543/005

  both cup and skirt · CPC title

• B65D2543/00194

  square or rectangular · CPC title

• B65D2543/00203

  specifically square · CPC title