Plastic paint bucket with metal sealing ring

Claim 2

A container, comprising a plastic bucket having a closed bottom and an open top, said bucket including a sidewall, having a generally circular lateral cross-sectional shape, and a top rim formed as an annular upwardly opening channel having an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall connected at their lower ends to each other and said sidewall; and a double-tight metal sealing ring disposed in said channel and bridging said inner and outer circumferential walls thereof, an inner circumferential end of said sealing ring being hidden by said inner circumferential wall of said channel.

Claim 3

A container according to claim 1, wherein said inner circumferential wall of said channel is a straight continuous extension of said sidewall of said bucket, whereby said sealing ring is disposed radially outwardly of said sidewall so that said sidewall has a smooth continuous inner circumferential surface.

Claim 4

A container according to claim 1, wherein said sidewall of said bucket tapers from said top to said bottom, whereby the container can be nested within another such container.

Claim 5

A container according to claim 3, further comprising a lower annular rim depending from said bottom of said bucket as a straight continuous extension of said sidewall, said lower rim being dimensioned and located so as to releasably seat against an annular shoulder formed on a lid removably received in said sealing ring.

Claim 6

A container according to claim 1, wherein said outer circumferential wall of said channel is formed by a straight continuous extension of said sidewall of said bucket; and said inner wall of said channel projects upwardly and radially inwardly from said sidewall of said bucket.

Claim 7

A container according to claim 1, wherein said bucket is formed of polypropylene.

Claim 8

A container according to claim 1, wherein said bucket is formed of high density polyethylene.

Claim 9

A container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said inner and outer circumferential walls of said channel is formed monolithically with said sidewall of said bucket.

Claim 10

A container according to claim 8, wherein said inner and outer walls of said channel are both formed monolithically with said sidewall of said bucket.

Claim 11

A container according to claim 1, wherein said inner circumferential end of said sealing ring is embedded in said inner circumferential wall of said channel.

Claim 12

A container according to claim 10, wherein an inner circumferential edge of said sealing ring is crimped to said inner circumferential wall of said channel.

Claim 13

A container according to claim 1, wherein an inner circumferential edge of said sealing ring is J-shaped in axial cross section, with the short leg of said J-shaped inner circumferential edge contacting a radially innermost circumferential surface of said inner circumferential wall of said channel, said inner circumferential end of said sealing ring being located at the terminus of said short leg.

Claim 14

A container according to claim 12, wherein said inner circumferential edge of said sealing ring is crimped to said inner circumferential wall of said channel.

Claim 15

A container according to claim 1, wherein inner and outer circumferential edges of said sealing ring are crimped to said inner and outer circumferential walls, respectively, of said channel.

Claim 16

A container according to claim 1, further comprising a plastic bottom wall formed monolithically with said sidewall of said bucket.

Claim 17

A container according to claim 5, further comprising an annular bead circumscribing a lower portion of the sidewall, the bead and the metal sealing ring having substantially equal outer diameters.

Claim 18

A paint can, comprising a plastic bucket including a bottom wall, a sidewall formed monolithically with said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said sidewall having a generally circumferential lateral cross-sectional shape, and a top rim formed monolithically with said sidewall as an annular upwardly opening channel having an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall connected at their lower ends to each other and said sidewall; and a double-tight metal sealing ring disposed in said channel bridging said inner and outer circumferential walls thereof, an inner circumferential end of said sealing ring being hidden by said inner circumferential wall of said channel to protect said inner circumferential end from corrosion and to prevent any corroded matter on said inner circumferential end from falling into the contents of said bucket.

Claim 19

A paint can, comprising a plastic bucket including a bottom wall, a sidewall formed monolithically with said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, said sidewall having a generally circumferential lateral cross-sectional shape, and a top rim formed monolithically with said sidewall as an annular upwardly opening channel having an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall connected at their lower ends to each other and said sidewall; and a double-tight metal sealing ring disposed in said channel bridging said inner and outer circumferential walls thereof, an inner circumferential end of said sealing ring being hidden by said inner circumferential wall of said channel to protect said inner circumferential end from corrosion and to prevent any corroded matter on said inner circumferential end from falling into the contents of said bucket.

Claim 20

A paint can according to claim 17, wherein said sidewall of said bucket and said inner circumferential wall of said channel form a smooth continuous surface to permit draining of paint back into said bucket and to prevent accumulation of dried paint under said sealing ring.