US3773207A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Easy-open thermoplastic container package
Assignee: Georgia Pacific Consumer Products LP
•
Filing: 1971-11-30
•
Granted: 1973-11-20
•
Expires: 1991-11-30
Abstract
Abstract A thermoplastic container package wherein both the container and its lid have horizontal rims and descending flanges. The lid rim has a peripheral score line along its undersurface and the flanges are sealed along their length except adjacent a lid tab utilizable for lifting and thereby severing the score line and removing the lid from the container. A tight fitting reclosure of the lid is obtained by the coaction of an outwardly protruding lid closure bead adjacent the junction of the lid central panel and its peripheral substantially vertical wall, and of a juxtaposing groove surrounding the inside of the container.
Inventors
- 👤 J Dokoupil
- 👤 K Greil
- 👤 D Mueller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 05:18
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D43/00; B65D43/02; B65D43/0235; B65D43/0237; B65D43/0254; B65D51/00; B65D51/16; B65D51/1633; B65D51/1661; B65D51/1666; B65D2401/00; B65D2401/15; B65D2543/00; B65D2543/00009; B65D2543/00018; B65D2543/00064; B65D2543/00074; B65D2543/00092; B65D2543/00259; B65D2543/00296; B65D2543/00425; B65D2543/00444; B65D2543/00481; B65D2543/0049; B65D2543/00509; B65D2543/00537; B65D2543/00546; B65D2543/00592; B65D2543/00601; B65D2543/00611; B65D2543/0062; B65D2543/00675; B65D2543/00685; B65D2543/00712; B65D2543/00722; B65D2543/00731; B65D2543/00787; B65D2543/00796; B65D2543/00824; B65D2543/00833; B65D2543/00842
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
A thermoplastic container package comprising in combination: an open-ended container having, a closed base, sides integral with said base, a container rim integral with and extending substantially horizontally from said sides, and a container flange integral with and descending from said rim; and a lid for closing the open end of said container, said lid having a central panel, an integral substantially horizontally extending lid rim peripheral to said central panel, said lid rim having in its undersurface a substantially continuous score line substantially peripheral to said central panel, an unscored tab integral with and descending from said lid rim, for severably removing said lid from and replacing said lid on said container, a lid flange integral with and descending from said lid rim, said container flange and lid flange being sealed to each other such that they remain so sealed on said container when said lid tab is lifted said score line is severed and said lid interior of said score is removed from said container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
A thermoplastic container package comprising in combination: an open-ended container having, a closed base, sides integral with said base, a container rim integral with and extending substantially horizontally from said sides, and a container flange integral with and descending from said rim; and a lid for closing the open end of said container, said lid having a central panel, an integral substantially horizontally extending lid rim peripheral to said central panel, said lid rim having in its undersurface a substantially continuous score line substantially peripheral to said central panel, an unscored tab integral with and descending from said lid rim, for severably removing said lid from and replacing said lid on said container, a lid flange integral with and descending from said lid rim, said container flange and lid flange being sealed to each other such that they remain so sealed on said container when said lid tab is lifted said score line is severed and said lid interior of said score is removed from said container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The container package of claim 1 wherein said lid includes a generally vertical wall peripheral to said central panel, said wall being integral with and adjoining said central panel and said rim, and being in juxtaposingly abutting relationship with adjacent container sides.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
The container package of claim 2 wherein said lid includes an outwardly protruding peripheral lid closure bead adjacent the junction of said wall and said central panel, and wherein the interior surface of said container sides include a juxtaposingly abutting circumferential groove for receiving and coacting with said lid closure bead to provide a tight lid closure on said container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The container package of claim 3 wherein said bead is continuous around said panel and said groove is continuous around said interior surface of said container sides.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The container package of claim 3 wherein said groove is continuous around said interior surface and said bead is continuous except that said bead tapers off to non-existence adjacent and below said tab.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The container package of claim 5 wherein said container and lid flanges and said lid tab descend at an angle of from about 70* to 90* from the substantially horizontal plane of said lid rim.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The container package of claim 6 wherein said container sides and said juxtaposingly abutting lid wall extend inwardly toward the center of said central panel to form a substantially horizontal step and extend downwardly and outwardly from the direction of said central panel to where they adjoin their respective groove and bead.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
The container package of claim 7 wherein said inwardly extending substantially horizontal step and said lid wall extending downwardly and outwardly from said step include a plurality of slightly further inwardly protruding stacking lugs for supporting the central panel of an overlying nested lid and preventing the central panel of said overlying lid from lodging within an area defined by said horizontal step and stacking lugs of said supporting lid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The container package of claim 8 wherein the continuity of said outwardly protruding lid closure bead is broken by a plurality of vertical vents carved therein and running from the bottom surface of said central panel to the top of said closure bead, said vents allowing air to escape from said container through said vents when lid reclosure is effected on said container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The container package of claim 9 wherein said vents are aligned with and vertically feed and allow air to escape into a plurality of said stacking lugs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The container package of claim 10 wherein said sides of said container are tapered.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The container of claim 11 wherein said tab is abhered to an underlying portion of said container flange.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The container package of claim 1 wherein said container sides are tapered and wherein said tab is abhered to an underlying portion of said container flange.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The container package of claim 3 wherein said container sides are tapered and wherein said tab is abhered to an underlying portion of said container flange.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
81 words
The container package of claim 4 wherein said container sides and said juxtaposingly abutting lid wall extend inwardly toward the centre of said central panel to form a substantially horizontal step and extend downwardly and outwardly from the direction of said central panel to where they adjoin their respective groove and bead, and said container and lid flanges and said lid tab descend at an angle of from about 70* to 90* from the substantially horizontal plane of said lid rim.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
The container package of claim 15 wherein said inwardly extending substantially horizontal step and said lid wall extending downwardly and outwardly from said step include a plurality of slightly further inwardly protruding stacking lugs for supporting the central panel of an overlying nested lid and preventing the central panel of said overlying lid from lodging within an area defined by said horizontal step and stacking lugs of said supporting lid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
63 words
The container package of claim 16 wherein the continuity of said outwardly protruding lid closure bead is broken by a plurality of vertical vents carved therein and running from the bottom surface of said central panel to the top of said closure bead, said vents allowing air to escape from said container through said vents when lid reclosure is effected on said container.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The container package of claim 17 wherein said vents are aligned with and vertically feed and allow air to escape into a plurality of said stacking lugs.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The container package of claim 18 wherein said sides are tapered. 20. The container package of claim 19 wherein said tab is abhered to an underlying portion of said container flange.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
65 words
The container package of claim 12 wherein the continuity of said score line along each side of and defining said tab is broken adjacent the junctions of said lid rim and lid flange by a window which provides a skip in the score line for increasing any force exerted therethrough to facilitate severance of said score line around the rest of said container lid rim.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
65 words
The container package of claim 20 wherein the continuity of said score line along each side of and defining said tab is broken adjacent the junctions of said lid rim and lid flange by a window which provides a skip in the score line for increasing any force exerted therethrough to facilitate severance of said score line around the rest of said container lid rim.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-19 | 1977-05-21 | 1977-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-19 | 1981-05-21 | 1981-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-19 | 1985-05-21 | 1985-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |