Plastic container having a multiple closure

Claim 1

A sealable container comprising: an open end plastic container body having an inwardly tapered sidewall structure and a bottom wall structure formed integrally therewith at one end thereof, with the other end of the container body being open; a relatively thin, flexible, plastic inner diaphragm closure including a generally disclike center section and an inverted channel provided at the periphery thereof, with the inverted channel being separated from the disclike center section by an inclined band of substantial width, the said band being tapered to substantially the same degree as the container body sidewall structure; with the diaphragm closure being adapted for positioning downwardly over the periphery of the open end of the container body with the disclike center section extending downwardly into the container body, with the inverted channel being adapted for sealing engagement with the sidewall structure of the container body adjacent the open end thereof, with the inclined band being adapted to tightly contact the sidewall structure of the container body, and with the diaphragm closure being susceptible to flexure in response to pressure changes within the sealed container, an outer closure fabricated of a material substantially more rigid than the plastic material of the container body and including a generally disclike center section and an inverted channel provided at the periphery thereof; with the said outer closure being adapted for positioning downwardly over the container body and diaphragm closure in order to close the open end of the container body, and with the disclike center section of the outer closure being spaced apart a substantial distance from the disclike center section of the diaphragm closure so as to permit substantial flexure of diaphragm closure in an axial direction toward the outer closure without coming into contact therewith, pressure release means for the outer closure, and means for effecting an interlock between the outer closure and the container body, whereby changes in pressure within the sealed container are absorbed by flexure of the diaphragm closure, with the outer closure and the container body retaining their respective normal configurations.