Containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12060195-B2
Application number	US-202217853508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2022
Priority date	Jul 1, 2021
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

A container includes a lid base and a compressible portion. The lid base has a channel and configured to receive a lid. The compressible portion is connected to the lid base. The compressible portion includes a one-way valve in air communication with the channel. Another container includes a compressible portion and a container base. The compressible portion includes a bellow body, which includes at least two convolutions, each including a first living hinge and a first sidewall, at least one second living hinge positioned between the at least two convolutions and connected to the first sidewalls, and a movable bump structure positioned between the at least two convolutions to space the first living hinges apart and being movable between an outer position and an inner position relative to a container interior.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container, comprising:
a compressible portion, including:
a bellow body, including:
at least two convolutions, each including a first living hinge and a first sidewall;
at least one second living hinge positioned between the at least two convolutions and connected to the first sidewalls; and
a movable bump structure positioned between the at least two convolutions to space the first living hinges apart and being movable between an outer position and an inner position relative to a container interior, a rigidity of the bump structure being higher than a rigidity of the first sidewalls of the at least two convolutions when the bump structure is situated at the outer position relative to the container interior; and

a container base, connected to the compressible portion.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the movable bump structure includes a third living hinge on an inner side of the bump structure and the third living hinge allows a second sidewall of the movable bump structure to pivot on the third living hinge, the third living hinge aligning with the at least one second living hinge of the bellow body.

3. The container of claim 1 , further comprising a lid base connected to the compressible portion, wherein the lid base is configured to receive a lid.

4. The container of claim 3 , wherein:
the lid base includes a first skirt;
the compressible portion includes a gasket and a second skirt; and
the gasket, the first skirt, and the second skirt stack with each other sequentially, wherein the first skirt forms one or more through holes and the gasket and the second skirt are connected to each other by one or more connecting parts in the through holes.

5. The container of claim 3 , wherein:
the lid base includes a first skirt;
the compressible portion includes a gasket positioned on the first skirt; and
the lid and the gasket seal an opening defined by the first skirt.

6. The container of claim 3 , wherein a first skirt of the compressible portion includes a valve and the lid base includes a channel in air communication with the valve.

7. The container of claim 6 , wherein:
the valve includes a rib and a pair of leaflets extending from the rib oppositely, and a thickness of each of the leaflets gradually reduces in a direction extending away from the rib; and
the channel includes a first branch and a second branch, the first branch and the second branch are substantially perpendicular to each other, the first branch defines an opening of the channel to the container interior, and the second branch stacks with the pair of leaflets of the valve.

8. The container of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a height of the compressible portion to a height of the container base, when the compressible portion is fully expanded, is less than 1.9.

9. The container of claim 1 , wherein the movable bump structure includes a first sidewall extending from the first living hinge of the at least two convolutions to the other first living hinge of the at least two convolutions.

10. The container of claim 9 , wherein the second sidewall of the bump structure is thicker than the first sidewalls of the at least two convolutions.

11. The container of claim 9 , wherein the second sidewall of the bump structure is thinner than the first sidewalls of the at least two convolutions.

12. The container of claim 9 , wherein:
the movable bump structure includes two end walls at two opposite ends of the second sidewall of the bump structure, the two end walls being connected to the first sidewalls of the at least two convolutions and the second living hinge; and
each of the two end walls defines three tips, the three tips respectively connected to the first living hinges and the second living hinge.

13. A container, comprising:
a lid base having a channel and configured to receive a lid; and
a compressible portion connected to the lid base, wherein the compressible portion includes a first skirt, the first skirt including a one-way valve in air communication with the channel.

14. The container of claim 13 , wherein the valve includes a rib and a pair of leaflets extending from the rib, a thickness of each of the leaflet gradually reducing along with the leaflet extending away from the rib.

15. The container of claim 14 , wherein the channel includes a first branch and a second branch, first branch and the second branch are substantially perpendicular to each other, the first branch defines an opening of the channel to inside of the container, and the second branch stacks with the pair of leaflets of the valves.

16. The container of claim 13 , further comprising a container base connected to the compressible portion, wherein the container base is made of polypropylene or silicone and the compressible portion is made of silicone.

17. A container, comprising:
a lid base configured to receive a lid and including a first skirt, the lid base having a channel; and
a body including a gasket and a second skirt, wherein the gasket, the first skirt, and the second skirt stack with each other sequentially, wherein the second skirt includes a one-way valve in air communication with the channel.

18. The container of claim 17 , wherein the first skirt forms one or more through holes and the gasket and the second skirt are connected to each other by one or more connecting parts in the through holes.

19. The container of claim 18 , wherein the gasket, the second skirt, and the one or more connecting parts are made from the same material, which is different from a material of the lid base.

Assignees

• Instant Brands Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Drechsler Alfonse

Classifications

• B65D21/086 Primary

  Collapsible or telescopic containers (B65D1/0292 and B65D21/068 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D43/164

  and connected by interfitting hinge elements integrally with the container and the lid formed respectively · CPC title

• B65D2543/00685

  Totality · CPC title

• B65D51/1644

  the element being a valve (B65D51/1661 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D43/161

  comprising two or more cover sections hinged one to another · CPC title