Patent US3515991A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3795360A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Cover for basket-type container and combination thereof
Assignee: Safeway Inc
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Filing: 1971-12-02
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Granted: 1974-03-05
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Expires: 1991-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A cover for use with a marketing container of the basket-type for holding perishable agricultural products. The cover includes a bottom wall joined to four side walls. The side walls incline and diverge toward the bottom open end of the cover for seating over the upper end portion of the container. Means are provided on the cover to form a cooperative locking engagement with the container, and the cover is formed of a relatively rigid material permitting some flexing of the side walls so that the locking means may be readily engaged with, and disengaged from, the container. In one embodiment the locking means comprises inwardly projecting indentations formed in the cover side walls for overlapping engagement with the container rim. In another embodiment the locking means includes vertical indentations in the side walls formed with horizontal slots positioned above inclined surfaces. In another embodiment the locking means includes slots or openings formed in the four corners of the cover together with inwardly projecting locking lips integral with a peripheral rim on the cover. In another embodiment the locking means includes T-shaped slots formed in the four corners of the cover.
Inventors
- 👤 J Bianchi
- 👤 W Decker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:07
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D43/00; B65D43/02; B65D43/0202; B65D43/0204; B65D43/0212; B65D2543/00; B65D2543/00009; B65D2543/00018; B65D2543/00064; B65D2543/0012; B65D2543/00175; B65D2543/00194; B65D2543/00259; B65D2543/00296; B65D2543/00342; B65D2543/00351; B65D2543/00444; B65D2543/00481; B65D2543/0049; B65D2543/00527; B65D2543/00537; B65D2543/00574; B65D2543/00592; B65D2543/00601; B65D2543/00611; B65D2543/00648; B65D2543/00675; B65D2543/00685; B65D2543/00712; B65D2543/00722; B65D2543/00768; B65D2543/00787; B65D2543/00805; B65D85/00; B65D85/30; B65D85/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
A cover adapted to be used with a basket-type marketing container for carrying perishable agricultural products, the container having a bottom wall and four side walls joined to the bottom wall, with the top side being open, the upper end portion of said container having a rim extending about the upper end portion of the side walls, the cover comprising a top wall and side walls joined to the top wall to form an eNclosure open at the bottom side, the side walls being inclined and divergent toward the bottom open end of the cover with the corner portions extending at an angle greater than 90* to the top wall, the lower end portion of the cover having a configuration similar to the upper end portion of the container and being dimensioned to seat over the upper end portion of the container so that there is a loose fit between the lower portion of the cover and the upper end of the container, and locking means on the cover adapted to form a locking engagement with said container rim to secure the cover to the rim of said container, said cover being formed of a relatively rigid material permitting some flexing of the walls whereby said locking means may be engaged with and disengaged from the container, said cover being formed so that said top wall of the cover is spaced a substantial distance above the rim to provide space for an agricultural product carried by the container and extending above the rim.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
253 words
A cover adapted to be used with a basket-type marketing container for carrying perishable agricultural products, the container having a bottom wall and four side walls joined to the bottom wall, with the top side being open, the upper end portion of said container having a rim extending about the upper end portion of the side walls, the cover comprising a top wall and side walls joined to the top wall to form an eNclosure open at the bottom side, the side walls being inclined and divergent toward the bottom open end of the cover with the corner portions extending at an angle greater than 90* to the top wall, the lower end portion of the cover having a configuration similar to the upper end portion of the container and being dimensioned to seat over the upper end portion of the container so that there is a loose fit between the lower portion of the cover and the upper end of the container, and locking means on the cover adapted to form a locking engagement with said container rim to secure the cover to the rim of said container, said cover being formed of a relatively rigid material permitting some flexing of the walls whereby said locking means may be engaged with and disengaged from the container, said cover being formed so that said top wall of the cover is spaced a substantial distance above the rim to provide space for an agricultural product carried by the container and extending above the rim.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A cover as in claim 1 wherein said locking means includes slots formed in the cover and adapted to receive portions of said rim of said container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
A cover as in claim 2 wherein the side walls of said cover are formed with indentations extending inwardly of said side walls of said cover and being positioned so that they are adapted to overlap the rim of said container when said cover is seated over the upper end of the container adjacent to said container rim, and wherein said slots are formed in said indentations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
A cover as in claim 3 wherein said indentations are generally vertical and are formed with upwardly and inwardly inclined surface portions commencing adjacent said bottom end portions of the cover and terminating at said slots whereby upon seating movement of said cover on said container said inclined surface portions cause initial outward flexing of said side walls of said cover until said rim of said container seats in said slots to permit flexing return movement of said side walls of said cover so that said rim is locked in said slots.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
A cover as in claim 1 in which said locking means includes indentations formed in said side walls of said cover adjacent the bottom end portions said indentations extending generally vertically and projecting upwardly and inwardly of said side walls of the cover whereby seating of said cover on said container against said indentations flexes said container side walls outwardly sufficiently to permit clearance of said rim past said indentations followed by return movement of said side walls with said indentations carried into locking engagement with said rim.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A cover as in claim 2 in which said slots are formed in said four corner portions of the cover.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
A cover as in claim 6 for use with a marketing container formed with its upper portion defining a reinforcing rim projecting outwardly around the periphery of said container side walls, and said slots comprise openings formed with lateral, upwardly converging side edges in the cover side walls, together with lips formed in said cover at each of said four corner portions, said lips projecting inwardly into overlapping relationship with said reinforcing rim whereby seating of said container upper end portion into the lower portion of the cover moves the container rim over and in locking engagement with said lips.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
A cover as in claim 7 for selective use with a marketing container having a rim of circumferential dimension relatively smaller than the corresponding dimension of said rim of said first mentioned container, wherein said locking means includes indentations formed in said cover side walls, said indentations projecting inwardly of said side walls a sufficient dimension to overlap with an adjacent portion of the rim of said second mentioned container for locking engagement therewith.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
A cover as in claim 7 including a substantially flat, outwardly extending peripheral flange formed at the bottom open end of said cover, the flange having corneR portions adjacent the corner portions of said cover, and said lips are formed integral with said flange and extend inwardly from and in co-planar relationship with the corner portions of said flange.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A cover as in claim 6 in which said slots are formed in a T-shaped configuration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A cover as in claim 6 in which said slots each comprise a horizontal slot and a vertical slot intersecting said horizontal slot at a mid-portion thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A cover as in claim 11 in which said vertical slot extends upwardly from the mid-portion of said horizontal slot.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cover as in claim 12 wherein said locking means includes locking lips formed at said corner portions of said cover and extending inwardly below said horizontal slot into overlapping relationship with the rim of said container for locking engagement therewith.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
A cover as in claim 12 adapted for selective use with a container having a rim of a circumferential dimension less than the corresponding dimension of said rim of the first mentioned container, wherein said locking means includes indentations formed in said cover side walls, said indentations projecting inwardly into overlapping relationship with the rim of said second mentioned container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
261 words
The combination of a container, and a cover therefor for carrying perishable agricultural products, the container comprising a bottom wall and four side walls joined to the bottom wall and open at the top side, the upper portion of said container having a rim extending about the upper portion of the side walls, the cover comprising a top wall and four side walls joined to the top wall to form an enclosure open at the bottom side, the side walls of the cover being joined to form four corner portions, the side walls of the cover being inclined and divergent toward the bottom open end of the cover, the lower portion of the cover having a configuration similar to the upper end portion of the container and being dimensioned to seat over the upper end portion of the container so that there is a loose fit between the lower portion of the cover and the upper end of the container, and cooperative locking means carried by the cover and container for releaseably securing said cover to said rim of said container, said cover being formed of a relatively rigid material permitting some flexing of the cover side walls by hand whereby said cooperative locking means may be operated to cause engagement of the cover with the container and disengagement of the cover from the container, said cover being formed so that said top wall of the cover is spaced a substantial distance above the rim to provide space for an agricultural product carried by the container and extending above the rim.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
261 words
The combination of a container, and a cover therefor for carrying perishable agricultural products, the container comprising a bottom wall and four side walls joined to the bottom wall and open at the top side, the upper portion of said container having a rim extending about the upper portion of the side walls, the cover comprising a top wall and four side walls joined to the top wall to form an enclosure open at the bottom side, the side walls of the cover being joined to form four corner portions, the side walls of the cover being inclined and divergent toward the bottom open end of the cover, the lower portion of the cover having a configuration similar to the upper end portion of the container and being dimensioned to seat over the upper end portion of the container so that there is a loose fit between the lower portion of the cover and the upper end of the container, and cooperative locking means carried by the cover and container for releaseably securing said cover to said rim of said container, said cover being formed of a relatively rigid material permitting some flexing of the cover side walls by hand whereby said cooperative locking means may be operated to cause engagement of the cover with the container and disengagement of the cover from the container, said cover being formed so that said top wall of the cover is spaced a substantial distance above the rim to provide space for an agricultural product carried by the container and extending above the rim.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
A container and cover as in claim 15 wherein said cooperative locking means includes slots formed in the cover and adapted to receive portions of said rim of said container.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A container and cover as in claim 16 wherein said slots are formed in the four corner portions of said cover.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A container and cover as in claim 17 wherein said slots are formed in a T-shaped configuration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
A container and cover as in claim 17 wherein said slots each comprise a horizontal slot and a vertical slot intersecting with and extending upwardly from said horizontal slot at a mid-portion thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
217 words
The combination of a container and a cover therefor for carrying perishable agricultural products, the container comprising a bottom wall and four side walls joined to the bottom wall and open at the top side, the upper portion of said container having a rim of substantially uniform cross sectional configuration along the circumference of said rim and extending about the upper portion of the side walls, the cover comprising a top wall and four side walls joined to the top wall to form an enclosure open at the bottom side, the side walls of the cover being joined to form four corner portions, the side walls of the cover being inclined and divergent toward the bottom open end of the cover, the lower portion of the cover having a configuration similar to the upper end portion of the container and being dimensioned to seat over the upper end portion of the container, and cooperative locking means carried by the cover and container for releaseably securing said cover to said rim of said container, said cover being formed of a relatively rigid material permitting some flexing of the cover side walls by hand whereby said cooperative locking means may be operated to cause engagement of the cover with the container and disengagement of the cover from the container.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
217 words
The combination of a container and a cover therefor for carrying perishable agricultural products, the container comprising a bottom wall and four side walls joined to the bottom wall and open at the top side, the upper portion of said container having a rim of substantially uniform cross sectional configuration along the circumference of said rim and extending about the upper portion of the side walls, the cover comprising a top wall and four side walls joined to the top wall to form an enclosure open at the bottom side, the side walls of the cover being joined to form four corner portions, the side walls of the cover being inclined and divergent toward the bottom open end of the cover, the lower portion of the cover having a configuration similar to the upper end portion of the container and being dimensioned to seat over the upper end portion of the container, and cooperative locking means carried by the cover and container for releaseably securing said cover to said rim of said container, said cover being formed of a relatively rigid material permitting some flexing of the cover side walls by hand whereby said cooperative locking means may be operated to cause engagement of the cover with the container and disengagement of the cover from the container.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A container and cover as in claim 20 in which said cooperative locking means is provided only at locations spaced-apart about the periphery of the bottom open end of the cover.
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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) | 1977-03-04 | 1977-09-03 | 1978-03-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-04 | 1981-09-03 | 1982-03-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-04 | 1985-09-03 | 1986-03-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |