Vendable reclosable beverage container

Claim 2

A container comprising means forming the upper end of a substantially rigid container, a lid recessed below the upper end of the container, at least one opening in the lid for the discharge of the contents of the container, a sliding cap for closing the opening, interfacing seals on the lid around the opening and on the cap to form an airtight seal, a guideway on the lid for slidably receiving and holding the cap on the lid, camming means engageable with the sliding cap to interlock the sliding cap with the opening, the cap when properly located along the guideway being held by said camming means with the interfacing seals in engagement to close the opening, and a finger engageable portion on the cap for moving it across the lid along the guideway for unsealing the opening.

Claim 3

A container as set forth in claim 1 in which the guideway comprises two parallel channels on the lid, and opposite sides of the cap slidably engaging the channels.

Claim 4

A container as set forth in claim 2 in which the channels are integrally formed with the lid.

Claim 5

A container as set forth in claim 2 in which said camming means includes cam surfaces formed on the channels to urge the cap toward the lid as it is moved along the guideway into position overlying the opening, thereby urging the interfacing seals into engagement.

Claim 6

A container as set forth in claim 1 in which the means forming the upper end of the container is an upstanding chime extending around the periphery of the lid and in which the lid and cap are recessed beneath the upper edge of the chime.

Claim 7

A container as set forth in claim 5 in which the guideway comprises two parallel channels on the lid, opposite sides of the cap slidably engaging the channels, the ends of the channels being contiguous to the chime portion adjacent to the opening to facilitate pouring of the contents from the container.

Claim 8

A container as set forth in claim 1 in which the seals can withstand pressures on the order of 90 pounds per square inch.

Claim 9

A container as set forth in claim 1 in which the seal on the lid extends along the periphery of the opening, and the seal on the cap projects from the lower surface of the cap and has the same contour and size as the lid seal.

Claim 10

A container as set forth in claim 1 in which the seal on the lid extends along the periphery of the opening, and the seal on the cap projects from the lower surface of the cap and has the same contour as the lid seal, the cap seal having the same contour but a different size than the lid seal to enable the seals to snap together as the cap is moved along the slide means into its closure position.

Claim 11

A container as set forth in claim 9 in which the cap seal is slightly smaller than the lid seal.

Claim 12

A container as set forth in claim 9 in which the cap seal is slightly larger than the lid seal.

Claim 13

A container as set forth in claim 1 in which a partition divides the container into two sections with the one opening communicating with one section, a second opening in the lid adjacent the one opening and communicating with the second section, and interfacing seals provided on the lid around the second opening and on the cap to form an airtight seal for the second opening.

Claim 14

A container as set forth in claim 12 in which the second opening is staggered on the lid with respect to the one opening to enable the contents of the container to be emptied seriatim from the two sections.

Claim 15

A container as set forth in claim 1 including a seal across the closed cap and container and affixed to both so that the seal will be broken when the cap is opened.

Claim 16

A container comprising means forming the upper end of a substantially rigid container, a lid recessed below the upper end of the container, at least one opening in the lid for the discharge of the contents of the container, a sliding cap for closing the opening, sealing means on the lid around the opening and on the cap to form an airtight seal, a guideway on the lid for slidably receiving and holding the cap on the lid, camming means engageable with the cap so that when the cap is located in the guideway in overlying relation to the opening the camming means functions to close and interlock the cap with the opening with the sealing means tightly sealing the opening, and a finger engageable portion on the cap for moving it across the lid along the guideway for unsealing the opening.

Claim 17

A container comprising means forming the upper end of a substantially rigid container, a lid recessed below the upper end of the container, at least one opening in the lid for the discharge of the contents of the container, a sliding cap for closing the opening, sealing means on the lid around the opening and on the cap to form an airtight seal, a guideway on the lid for slidably receiving and holding the cap on the lid, camming means engageable with the cap so that when the cap is located in the guideway in overlying relation to the opening the camming means functions to close and interlock the cap with the opening with the sealing means tightly sealing the opening, and a finger engageable portion on the cap for moving it across the lid along the guideway for unsealing the opening.

Claim 18

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the sealing means comprises a sealing layer on the lid extending to the cap.

Claim 19

A container as set forth in claim 16 in which the layer is sprayed onto the lid and cap.

Claim 20

A container as set forth in claim 16 in which the layer is in the form of a tape.

Claim 21

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the seals can withstand pressures on the order of 95 pounds per square inch.

Claim 22

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the guideway comprises two parallel channels on the lid, and opposite sides of the cap slidably engaging the channels.

Claim 23

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the channels are integrally formed with the lid.

Claim 24

A container as set forth in claim 20 in which the channels are affixed to the lid.

Claim 25

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the camming means includes cam surfaces formed on the channels to urge the cap toward the lid as it is moved along the guideway into a position overlying the opening.

Claim 26

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the means forming the upper end of the container is an upstanding chime extending around the outer periphery of the lid and in which the lid and cap are recessed beneath the upper edge of the chime.

Claim 27

A container as set forth in claim 24 in which the guideway comprises two parallel channels on the lid, opposite sides of the cap slidably engaging the channels, the ends of the channels being contiguous to the chime portion adjacent to the opening to facilitate pouring of the contents from the container.

Claim 28

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the lid includes a discrete insert sealed into the opening in the lid.

Claim 29

A container as set forth in claim 26 in which the insert includes a flange surrounding the opening on the upper side of the lid and the sealing means includes a frangible sealing layer on the insert extending to the cap to seal the opening.

Claim 30

A container as set forth in claim 27 in which the sealing layer is sprayed on the insert and cap.

Claim 31

A container as set forth in claim 27 in which the sealing layer is in the form of a tape.

Claim 32

A container as set forth in claim 27 in which the seal can withstand pressures on the order of 95 pounds per square inch.

Claim 33

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which a partition divides the container into two sections with the one opening communicating with one section, a second opening in the lid is adjacent the first opening and communicating with the second section, and sealing means are provided on the lid and cap to form an airtight seal for the second opening.

Claim 34

A container as set forth in claim 31 in which the second opening is staggered on the lid with respect to the one opening to enable the contents of the container to be emptied seriatim from the two sections.

Claim 35

A container as set forth in claim 15 including a seal across the closed cap and container and affixed to both so that the seal will be broken when the cap is opened.

Claim 36

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the sliding cap is formed with a depending configuration of substantially complementary shape to the opening in the lid so that in closed position it is seated and recessed in the opening, and including a cam surface forming at least part of the outer periphery of the depending configuration to cam the depending configuration upwardly as the latter engages the edge in sliding toward open position.

Claim 37

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the guideway on the lid extends only part way across the lid of the container and including a stop to limit the movement of the cap in open position.

Claim 38

A container as set forth in claim 15 including transverse gripping means formed on the cap to facilitate sliding it between open and closed positions.

Claim 39

A container as set forth in claim 36 including a raised configuration on the upper surface of the cap and transverse gripping formations on the raised surface.

Claim 40

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which the guideway is defined in part by a pair of parallel guide rails mounted on the upper surface of the lid and recessed below the upper end of the container and including longitudinally extending recesses formed in the inner edges of said rails, a pair of upright walls defining the inner ends of the recesses, a pair of wings extending outwardly in opposite directions from said slidable cap and engaging the recesses and a pair of longitudinally extending edges forming the ends of the wings for guiding the slidable cap for movement from closed to open position between the guide rails and cooperating with the upright walls to prevent rotational movement of said slidable cap which would tend to disengage the wings from the recesses.

Claim 41

A container as set forth in claim 15 including a depending edge around the outer periphery of the opening forming a seat for the slidable cap and a complementary seat formed on the underside of the slidable closure to recess the slidable cap relative to the lid when the slidable cap is properly aligned with the opening.

Claim 42

A container as set forth in claim 15 in which said camming means includes longitudinally extending cammed surfaces defining part of the guideway to engage the upper surface of the slidable cap and urge it against the lid to seal the opening.

Claim 43

A container as set forth in claim 40 including cam means for raising the slidable cap above the upper surface of the lid as it is displaced from closed to open position.