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US 10,954,034 B2Granted
Container with expansion panel
AssigneeGateway Plastics, Inc.
InventorsTerrence M. Parve, Robert E. Proudfoot
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container for a retorting process includes a body. The body is configured to be coupled to a lid such that the lid and the body define an internal volume of the container. The body includes a lip, a wall, a support, a hinge, and an expansion panel. The lip is configured to be coupled to the lid. The wall is contiguous with the lip. The support is contiguous with the wall. The support is configured to interface with a surface to support the container on the surface. The hinge is contiguous with the support opposite the wall. The expansion panel is contiguous with the hinge. The hinge is configured to facilitate displacement of the expansion panel relative to the support to selectively increase the internal volume of the container.
Claims17
A container for a retorting process, the container comprising:
- a plastic body configured to be coupled to a lid such that the lid and the plastic body define an internal volume of the container, the plastic body comprising:
- a lip configured to be coupled to the lid;
- a wall contiguous with the lip;
- a support contiguous with the wall, the support configured to interface with a flat surface to support the container on the flat surface;
- a hinge contiguous with the support opposite the wall and separated from the wall by the support;
- and
- an expansion panel contiguous with the hinge;
- wherein the hinge is configured to facilitate displacement of the expansion panel relative to the support to selectively increase the internal volume of the container;
- wherein the hinge is configured to limit displacement of the expansion panel such that the expansion panel is spaced from the flat surface when the internal volume of the container is equal to a maximum volume of the container and the support interfaces with the flat surface;
- wherein the expansion panel is operable between a first position where the container has a first volume and a second position where the container has a second volume greater than the first volume;
- wherein the expansion panel has a radius of curvature, r, at a location separated from the hinge and when the expansion panel is in the first position;
- wherein the expansion panel has a diameter, d, bisecting the expansion panel;
- and
- wherein the r is approximately equal to 3.7d.
11 more elements
A container comprising:
- a plastic body configured to be coupled to a lid such that the lid and the plastic body define an internal volume of the container, the plastic body comprising:
- a wall;
- a support contiguous with the wall, the support configured to interface with a flat surface to support the container on the flat surface;
- an expansion panel comprising a first portion and a second portion, the expansion panel operable between a first position, where the container has a first volume and the expansion panel is convex with respect to the lid, and a second position, where the container has a second volume greater than the first volume and the expansion panel is concave with respect to the lid in the second position, the second portion having a radius of curvature, r, the expansion panel having a diameter, d, the diameter bisecting the expansion panel, and the r being approximately equal to 3.7d when the expansion panel is in the first position;
- and
- a hinge contiguous with the support opposite the wall and separated from the wall by the support, the hinge contiguous with the first portion such that the first portion is located between the hinge and the second portion, the hinge configured to facilitate displacement of the expansion panel relative to the support to selectively increase the internal volume of the container and to limit displacement of the expansion panel such that the expansion panel is spaced from the flat surface when the internal volume of the container is equal to a maximum volume of the container and the support interfaces with the flat surface.
3 more elements
A container comprising:
- a body configured to be coupled to a lid such that the lid and the body define an internal volume of the container, the body comprising:
- a wall;
- a support contiguous with the wall, the support configured to interface with a surface to support the container on the surface;
- an expansion panel defining a centroid, having a diameter, d, bisecting the expansion panel, and operable between a first position, where the container has a first volume and the expansion panel is convex with respect to the lid, and a second position, where the container has a second volume greater than the first volume and the expansion panel is concave with respect to the lid in the second position;
- and
- a hinge disposed along a plane and contiguous with the support opposite the wall and contiguous with the expansion panel, the hinge configured to facilitate displacement of the expansion panel relative to the support to selectively increase the internal volume of the container;
- wherein the expansion panel is configured such that the centroid is spaced from the plane a distance, t, when the expansion panel is in the first position;
- wherein 0.03d≤t≤0.05d;
- wherein the wall, the support, the hinge, and the expansion panel are centered about a central axis;
- wherein the expansion panel is configured such that the centroid is translated along the central axis as the expansion panel transitions between the first position and the second position;
- wherein the plane is separated from the surface by a distance, h1;
- and
- wherein at least one of:
- h1=d/16.556;
- or
- h1=t*1.771.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.