US5065885A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Airtight container
Assignee: Scaroni F lli SpA
•
Filing: 1990-02-09
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Granted: 1991-11-19
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Expires: 2010-02-09
Abstract
Abstract An airtight container for foods having a base vessel and a cover that can form an airtight seal. The cover is provided with a gasket around the perimeter and an alignment or locating means cooperating with the base vessel for quick and easy alignment and a hinge or clamp that pulls down the cover to force a gasket positioned in a perimeter annulus of the cover to deform the gasket and form the airtight seal. The hinge or clamp is easily operated to cause the pull down of the cover and form the seal and easily released.
Inventors
- 👤 Damiano Scaroni
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 07:31
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D45/00; B65D45/02; B65D45/16; B65D45/20; B65D45/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
A container suitable for food storage comprising: a base having a bottom, side panels and opposed end panels integral with said bottom to form an open vessel, said vessel having a perimeter formed at the top thereof, said perimeter having a continuous upstanding rim inside of the perimeter and extending above said vessel; said end panels having an indented central end panel portion which meets said outer end panels at a shoulder panel, said central and shoulder panels being continuous from said bottom up to said perimeter, a cover to fit over the open vessel to close said vessel, said cover having a top, opposed side walls and end walls and said cover having a perimeter substantially similar to the perimeter of said vessel, said cover having an indented central surface disposed in aligning relationship with the surface of said central end panel portion of said vessel when said cover is fitted thereupon, said cover having a depending lip spaced inwardly from said walls, said lip and said walls forming an annulus continuously around said perimeter of said cover, a gasket positioned within said annulus for contact with said upstanding rim, a closure connected to said container at said central end panel portion of said vessel and operable between said central surfaces of said cover and said central end panel portion of said vessel for applying pressure between said upstanding rim and said gasket to produce sealing contact between said rim and said gasket.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
244 words
A container suitable for food storage comprising: a base having a bottom, side panels and opposed end panels integral with said bottom to form an open vessel, said vessel having a perimeter formed at the top thereof, said perimeter having a continuous upstanding rim inside of the perimeter and extending above said vessel; said end panels having an indented central end panel portion which meets said outer end panels at a shoulder panel, said central and shoulder panels being continuous from said bottom up to said perimeter, a cover to fit over the open vessel to close said vessel, said cover having a top, opposed side walls and end walls and said cover having a perimeter substantially similar to the perimeter of said vessel, said cover having an indented central surface disposed in aligning relationship with the surface of said central end panel portion of said vessel when said cover is fitted thereupon, said cover having a depending lip spaced inwardly from said walls, said lip and said walls forming an annulus continuously around said perimeter of said cover, a gasket positioned within said annulus for contact with said upstanding rim, a closure connected to said container at said central end panel portion of said vessel and operable between said central surfaces of said cover and said central end panel portion of said vessel for applying pressure between said upstanding rim and said gasket to produce sealing contact between said rim and said gasket.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
10 words
The container of claim 1 including, said gasket being silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The container of claim 1 including, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The container of claim 1 including, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The container of claim 1 including, said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The container of claim 1 including, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, and said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The container of claim 1 including, said annulus being wedge shaped.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The container of claim 1 including, said annulus being wedge shaped, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, and said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The container of claim 1 including, a ledge formed between said upstanding rim and said perimeter of said vessel, said ledge being planar and essentially parallel to the plane of said base.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The container of claim 9 including, said ledge being positioned below the top of said upstanding rim.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The container of claim 1 including, said depending lip of said cover being spaced inwardly from said upstanding rim.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The container of claim 1 including, said depending lip including locating means to determine the position of said cover when on top of said vessel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The container of claim 12 including, said locating means including an internal surface of said annulus and including a vertical surface of said upstanding rim.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The container of claim 1 including, a ledge formed between said upstanding rim and said perimeter of said vessel, said ledge being planar and essentially parallel to the plane of said base, said ledge being positioned below the top of said upstanding rim, and said depending lip of said cover being spaced inwardly from said upstanding rim.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
95 words
The container of claim 1 including, a ledge formed between said upstanding rim and said perimeter of said vessel, said ledge being planar and essentially parallel to the plane of said base, said ledge being positioned below the top of said upstanding rim, said depending lip of said cover being spaced inwardly from said upstanding rim, said depending lip including locating means to determine the position of said cover when on top of said vessel, and said locating means including an internal surface of said annulus and including a vertical surface of said upstanding rim.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
The container of claim 1 including, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus, and said depending lip of said cover being spaced inwardly from said upstanding rim.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
73 words
The container of claim 1 including, said annulus being wedge shaped, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus, and said depending lip including locating means to determine the position of said cover when on top of said vessel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
The container of claim 1 including, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus, and said depending lip including locating means to determine the position of said cover when on top of said vessel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
68 words
The container of claim 1 including, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus, and said depending lip including locating means to determine the position of said cover when on top of said vessel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
92 words
The container of claim 1 including, said annulus being wedge shaped, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus, said depending lip including locating means to determine the position of said cover when on top of said vessel, and said locating means including an internal surface of said annulus and including a vertical surface of said upstanding rim.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
104 words
The container of claim 1 including, said annulus being wedge shaped, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus, a ledge formed between said upstanding rim and said perimeter of said vessel, said ledge being planar and essentially parallel to the plane of said base, said ledge being positioned below the top of said upstanding rim, and said depending lip of said cover being spaced inwardly from said upstanding rim.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
142 words
The container of claim 1 including, said annulus being wedge shaped, said gasket being provided with a plurality of external ribs for contact with the internal surfaces of said annulus, said gasket having a hollow portion coextensive with the length of said gasket, said gasket being A shaped to fit within said annulus, a ledge formed between said upstanding rim and said perimeter of said vessel, said ledge being planar and essentially parallel to the plane of said base, said ledge being positioned below the top of said upstanding rim, said depending lip of said cover being spaced inwardly from said upstanding rim, said depending lip including locating means to determine the position of said cover when on top of said vessel, and said locating means including an internal surface of said annulus and including a vertical surface of said upstanding rim.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The container of claim 1 including, said closure being a hinged clamp pivotable between said vessel and said cover.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The container of claim 23 including, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The container of claim 23 including, a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
80 words
The container of claim 23 including, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp, a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover, the distance between said pivot point and said camming surface being less than the distance between said pivot point and cammable surface when said cover is in a nonsealed first position relative to said vessel.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
83 words
The container of claim 23 including, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp, a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover, and the distance between said pivot point and said camming surface being approximately equal to the distance between said pivot point and said cammable surface when said cover is in a sealed second position relative to said vessel.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The container of claim 27 including, in said second position, said upstanding rim projects into said annulus to deform said gasket and form an airtight seal between said cover and said vessel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The container of claim 24 including, said camming surface being a boss positioned on the under surface of said hinged clamp.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
82 words
The container of claim 23 including, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp, said camming surface being a boss positioned on the under surface of said hinged clamp, a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover, and said cammable surface including a depression for receiving said boss to releasably lock said hinged clamp securely in a sealed position.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
11 words
The container of claim 23 including, said hinged clamp being resilient.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
61 words
The container of claim 23 including, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp, said camming surface being a boss positioned on the under surface of said hinged clamp, and a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The container of claim 1 wherein said closure is a hinged clamp pivotable between said vessel and said cover.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The container of claim 33 wherein said hinged clamp is pivoted at a pair of pivot points located at said shoulder panels.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
The container of claim 33 wherein said hinged clamp is of a width substantially equal to the width of said central end panel portion.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
212 words
A container suitable for food storage comprising, a base having a bottom, side panels and opposed end panels integral with said bottom to form an open vessel, said end panels having an indented central end panel portion which meets said outer end panels at a shoulder panel, said central and shoulder panels being continuous from said bottom up to said perimeter, said vessel having a perimeter formed at the top thereof, said perimeter having a continuous upstanding rim extending above said vessel, a cover to fit over the open vessel to close said vessel, said cover having a top, opposed side walls and end walls and said cover having an annulus extending along a perimeter substantially similar to the perimeter of said vessel, said cover having an indented central surface disposed in aligning relationship with said central end panel portion of said vessel when said cover is fitted thereupon, (support spec p. 9) a gasket positioned within said annulus for contact with said upstanding rim, a closure connected to said container at said central end panel portion of said vessel and operable between said central surfaces of said cover and said vessel for applying pressure between said upstanding rim and said gasket to produce sealing contact between said rim and said gasket.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
212 words
A container suitable for food storage comprising, a base having a bottom, side panels and opposed end panels integral with said bottom to form an open vessel, said end panels having an indented central end panel portion which meets said outer end panels at a shoulder panel, said central and shoulder panels being continuous from said bottom up to said perimeter, said vessel having a perimeter formed at the top thereof, said perimeter having a continuous upstanding rim extending above said vessel, a cover to fit over the open vessel to close said vessel, said cover having a top, opposed side walls and end walls and said cover having an annulus extending along a perimeter substantially similar to the perimeter of said vessel, said cover having an indented central surface disposed in aligning relationship with said central end panel portion of said vessel when said cover is fitted thereupon, (support spec p. 9) a gasket positioned within said annulus for contact with said upstanding rim, a closure connected to said container at said central end panel portion of said vessel and operable between said central surfaces of said cover and said vessel for applying pressure between said upstanding rim and said gasket to produce sealing contact between said rim and said gasket.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
59 words
The container of claim 36 including, said closure being a hinged clamp pivotable between said vessel and said cover, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp, and a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
74 words
The container of claim 36 including, said closure being a hinged clamp pivotable between said vessel and said cover, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp, said camming surface being a boss positioned on the under surface of said hinged clamp, and a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
95 words
The container of claim 36 including, said closure being a hinged clamp pivotable between said vessel and said cover, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp, said camming surface being a boss positioned on the under surface of said hinged clamp, a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover, and said cammable surface including a depression for receiving said boss to releasably lock said hinged clamp securely in a sealed position.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
61 words
The container of claim 36 including, said hinged clamp having a camming surface towards one end and pivot means connected to said vessel at a pivot point at the other end of said hinged clamp, said camming surface being a boss positioned on the under surface of said hinged clamp, and a cammable surface positioned on said top of said cover.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
The container of claim 36 wherein said closure is a hinged clamp pivotable between said vessel and said cover.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
22 words
The container of claim 41 wherein said hinged clamp is pivoted at a pair of pivot points located at said shoulder panels.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
24 words
The container of claim 41 wherein said hinged clamp is of a width substantially equal to the width of said central end panel portion.
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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) | 1994-11-18 | 1995-05-20 | 1995-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-11-18 | 1999-05-20 | 1999-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-11-18 | 2003-05-20 | 2003-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |