US3651981A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combined container and closure
Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
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Filing: 1970-02-05
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Granted: 1972-03-28
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Expires: 1990-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A container having a closure retention groove is combined with a closure having a retention bead. The closure is formed so that the portion of the closure between the closure rim and the retention bead grips the portion of the container between the retention groove and the container rim to secure the closure to the container and to form a sanitary seal along the container rim. The retention bead can be interrupted at spaced locations to provide continuous fluid access between the packaging space and the annular space between the closure side wall and the corresponding portion of the container. Indentations can be formed at the junction of the rim and outer skirt of the closure to act as camming surfaces against the curvature of the container rim to raise the closure rim up from the container rim whenever excessive pressure occurs in the container, to thereby vent the container.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred W Kinney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:57
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D51/00; B65D51/16; B65D51/1633; B65D51/1661; B65D51/1666; B65D21/00; B65D21/02; B65D21/0233; B65D43/00; B65D43/02; B65D43/0202; B65D43/0204; B65D43/021; B65D2543/00; B65D2543/00009; B65D2543/00018; B65D2543/00027; B65D2543/00064; B65D2543/00074; B65D2543/00092; B65D2543/00259; B65D2543/00296; B65D2543/00444; B65D2543/00481; B65D2543/0049; B65D2543/00509; B65D2543/00537; B65D2543/00555; B65D2543/00592; B65D2543/00601; B65D2543/00611; B65D2543/0062; B65D2543/00675; B65D2543/00685; B65D2543/00712; B65D2543/00722; B65D2543/00731; B65D2543/00787; B65D2543/00805
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
351 words
A package comprising a container and a closure therefor; said container comprising a bottom wall, an upstanding wall extending generally upwardly from the periphery of said bottom wall, a rim forming the mouth of said container and having an outwardly and downwardly curving peripheral portion, and a ring section extending generally upwardly from the upper extent of said upstanding wall to said rim and having a closure retention groove formed therein; said closure comprising a diaphragm, a side wall, an outwardly directed, inwardly opening retention bead extending upwardly from the periphery of said diaphragm to the lower extent of said side wall, and a rim extending outwardly from the upper extent of said side wall; said retention bead being dimensioned to snap into said closure retention groove; said rim of said closure extending outwardly over said rim of said container and in contact therewith; the distance between the point of contact of said rim of said container and the rim of said closure and the point of contact of said retention bead and said closure retention groove being greater than the distance between the same points in the unstressed closure before the unstressed closure is applied to said container, so that the portion of said closure between said points of contact serves as a C-clamp to grip the mating portion of said container to thereby secure said closure to said container; said retention bead being interrupted by at least one venting groove which extends to a point on said diaphragm which is spaced inwardly a significant distance from the inner surface of said ring section to provide a continuously open fluid communication between the packaging space within said container below said diaphragm and the annular space between said side wall and the laterally adjacent portion of said container; and camming means formed in said rim of said closure to contact said outwardly and downwardly curving peripheral portion of said rim of said container to effect a lifting of the closure rim from the container rim upon the occurrence of excessive pressure in said packaging space to thereby vent said packaging space.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
351 words
A package comprising a container and a closure therefor; said container comprising a bottom wall, an upstanding wall extending generally upwardly from the periphery of said bottom wall, a rim forming the mouth of said container and having an outwardly and downwardly curving peripheral portion, and a ring section extending generally upwardly from the upper extent of said upstanding wall to said rim and having a closure retention groove formed therein; said closure comprising a diaphragm, a side wall, an outwardly directed, inwardly opening retention bead extending upwardly from the periphery of said diaphragm to the lower extent of said side wall, and a rim extending outwardly from the upper extent of said side wall; said retention bead being dimensioned to snap into said closure retention groove; said rim of said closure extending outwardly over said rim of said container and in contact therewith; the distance between the point of contact of said rim of said container and the rim of said closure and the point of contact of said retention bead and said closure retention groove being greater than the distance between the same points in the unstressed closure before the unstressed closure is applied to said container, so that the portion of said closure between said points of contact serves as a C-clamp to grip the mating portion of said container to thereby secure said closure to said container; said retention bead being interrupted by at least one venting groove which extends to a point on said diaphragm which is spaced inwardly a significant distance from the inner surface of said ring section to provide a continuously open fluid communication between the packaging space within said container below said diaphragm and the annular space between said side wall and the laterally adjacent portion of said container; and camming means formed in said rim of said closure to contact said outwardly and downwardly curving peripheral portion of said rim of said container to effect a lifting of the closure rim from the container rim upon the occurrence of excessive pressure in said packaging space to thereby vent said packaging space.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said container and said closure have substantially circular horizontal cross sections, said upstanding wall extends upwardly and outwardly from the periphery of said bottom wall, and said side wall of said closure extends upwardly and outwardly from the upper extent of said retention bead.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
85 words
A package in accordance with claim 2 wherein said ring section comprises an annular flange extending outwardly from the upper extent of said upstanding wall, an inwardly opening closure retention groove section extending generally upwardly from the outer periphery of said annular flange, a spacer section extending upwardly substantially vertically from the upper extent of said closure retention groove section, and an upper stacking shoulder extending generally outwardly and upwardly from the upper extent of said spacer section to the inner extent of said rim.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
119 words
A package in accordance with claim 3 wherein said container is a one-piece integral thermoformed structure; wherein said upstanding wall and said ring section are circumferentially continuous; wherein said closure retention groove section is an inwardly opening, concavely contoured wall section extending substantially vertically from the outer periphery of said flange to the lower extent of said spacer section; and wherein said upper shoulder is curved outwardly and upwardly in a contour conforming to the contour of the lower portion of said concavely contoured wall section so that the lower portion of the concavely contoured wall section of one container will rest upon the upper stacking shoulder of the next lower container in a stack of superimposed identical containers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A package in accordance with claim 4 wherein said closure is a one-piece integral thermoformed structure; wherein said retention bead is an inwardly opening, outwardly directed, concavely shaped groove section; and wherein said side wall has a plurality of stacking lugs formed therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
111 words
A package in accordance with claim 5 wherein said retention bead is interrupted at circumferentially spaced locations by a plurality of said venting grooves; wherein said closure further comprises a skirt depending from the outer periphery of the rim of said closure; and wherein said camming means comprises inwardly directed camming grooves formed at the junction of said rim of said closure and said depending skirt, said camming grooves contacting said outwardly and downwardly curved peripheral portion of said rim of said container to effect a lifting of the closure rim from the container rim upon the occurrence of excessive pressure in said packaging space to thereby vent said packaging space.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said closure further comprises a continuous skirt depending from the outer periphery of the rim of said closure and wherein said camming means comprises a plurality of downwardly and inwardly directed indentations formed at the junction of said closure rim and said depending skirt.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A package in accordance with claim 7 wherein said retention bead is interrupted at circumferentially spaced locations by a plurality of said venting grooves.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A package in accordance with claim 8 wherein said indentations contact said outwardly and downwardly curving peripheral portion of said container rim in the first 45* of curvature of said curving portion from the horizontal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-28 | 1975-09-27 | 1976-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-28 | 1979-09-27 | 1980-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-28 | 1983-09-27 | 1984-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |