Abstract A can or container having a rim with an inner vertical wall at the top thereof and a lid applied to the rim for closing and sealing the can, wherein the lid has a main concave or central dish-shaped surface with a peripheral annular downwardly and generally vertically extending portion merging into a annular upwardly and outwardly inclined sloping planar surface portion which merges into an annular vertical wall, the upwardly and outwardly inclined sloping surface portion being intermediate the peripheral annular downwardly extending portion and the vertical wall. As pressure inside the can increases the concave central dish-shaped portion of the lid will tend to straighten and then continue upwardly to assume an upward curvature which simultaneously moves the outwardly inclined intermediate surface to decrease the angle of the slope in the direction of a horizontal plane which then causes the vertical wall of the lid to apply an outwardly lateral or radial pressure against the inner vertical wall of the rim to more firmly retain the lid on the rim. This takes place during shipment and handling of the can and its contents. As additional pressure continues to build up in the can, due to continued handling, the central portion of the lid will assume its ultimate convex shape, with the intermediate outwardly sloping surface changing its slope to an inward upwardly sloping surface, thereby increasing the lateral outward or radial pressure of the vertical wall of the lid against the vertical wall of the rim to its maximum extent so that the lid cannot be blown off the rim by any foreseeable internal pressure, thus making this structure the ultimate in safety by the retention of the lid on the container irrespective of the internal pressure that is normally built up.
A container and a lid for closing said container, said container having a rim, said rim having a raised portion extending inwardly of the side wall of the container, said raised portion being of an inverted U-shape which comprises an outer vertical wall, a spaced inner vertical wall connected by an arcuate-shaped top to said outer vertical wall, said outer vertical wall spaced inwardly of the side of the container and defining an annular space therebetween, said lid removably mounted on said rim and having a seating portion which is of an inverted U-shape which comprises an outer vertical wall and a spaced inner vertical wall connected by an arcuate-shaped top, said outer vertical wall of the lid being equal to or shorter than the inner vertical wall of said lid, said lid seating portion adapted to overlie and frictionally engage the raised portion of the rim with the vertical walls of the lid seating portion frictionally engaging the vertical walls of the rim raised portion and with the outer vertical wall of the lid extending into the annular space and the friction engaging surfaces between the inner wall of the lid, and the inner wall of the rim being equal to or greater than the friction engaging surfaces of the outer wall of the rim and the outer wall of the lid, said inner vertical wall of the lid being substantially parallel with the inner wall of the rim and in frictional contact therewith substantially along the entire length of the inner wall of the lid, said outer vertical wall of the lid having a peripheral edge positioned inwardly of the side wall of the container, said lid having a central concave or dish-shaped portion and an annular downwardly extending relatively short peripheral wall with the peripheral wall continuing outwardly and inclined angularly upward to form an intermediate planar wall which then continues upwardly to form an inner vertical wall of the lid, whereby the pressure inside the container will cause the concave or dish-shaped portion of the lid to tend to move upwardly above a horizontal plane to a generally convex shape with the inclined angular intermediate wall changing its angle of inclination towards a generally horizontal plane to cause the inner vertical wall of the lid to apply a radial pressure against the spaced inner vertical wall of the rim to tighten the lid with respect to the rim.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
402 words
A container and a lid for closing said container, said container having a rim, said rim having a raised portion extending inwardly of the side wall of the container, said raised portion being of an inverted U-shape which comprises an outer vertical wall, a spaced inner vertical wall connected by an arcuate-shaped top to said outer vertical wall, said outer vertical wall spaced inwardly of the side of the container and defining an annular space therebetween, said lid removably mounted on said rim and having a seating portion which is of an inverted U-shape which comprises an outer vertical wall and a spaced inner vertical wall connected by an arcuate-shaped top, said outer vertical wall of the lid being equal to or shorter than the inner vertical wall of said lid, said lid seating portion adapted to overlie and frictionally engage the raised portion of the rim with the vertical walls of the lid seating portion frictionally engaging the vertical walls of the rim raised portion and with the outer vertical wall of the lid extending into the annular space and the friction engaging surfaces between the inner wall of the lid, and the inner wall of the rim being equal to or greater than the friction engaging surfaces of the outer wall of the rim and the outer wall of the lid, said inner vertical wall of the lid being substantially parallel with the inner wall of the rim and in frictional contact therewith substantially along the entire length of the inner wall of the lid, said outer vertical wall of the lid having a peripheral edge positioned inwardly of the side wall of the container, said lid having a central concave or dish-shaped portion and an annular downwardly extending relatively short peripheral wall with the peripheral wall continuing outwardly and inclined angularly upward to form an intermediate planar wall which then continues upwardly to form an inner vertical wall of the lid, whereby the pressure inside the container will cause the concave or dish-shaped portion of the lid to tend to move upwardly above a horizontal plane to a generally convex shape with the inclined angular intermediate wall changing its angle of inclination towards a generally horizontal plane to cause the inner vertical wall of the lid to apply a radial pressure against the spaced inner vertical wall of the rim to tighten the lid with respect to the rim.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 in which when the maximum pressure is built up inside the container and the dish-shaped portion of the lid reaches its maximum convex shape the intermediate planar wall will be inclined in an opposite angular inclination from its initial angular inclination to apply the maximum radial thrust against the vertical wall of the lid.