Variable volume evacuable container
OwnerM. Lynn Dunlapinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable volume evacuable container has a closed bottom, an open top, and a spirally threaded inner wall extending therebetween. A lid configured to threadably engage the inner wall has a top surface, a perimeter, a bottom surface, and a funneling volume within the perimeter and below the bottom surface. A duct is defined through the top and bottom surfaces at the apex of the funneling volume, and a moveable baffle is coupled to the top surface to cover or uncover the duct. The bottom surface slopes continuously upward to the apex so that downward rotation of the lid against contained liquid forces air out of the duct until the liquid fills the funneling volume, allowing the baffle to seal the liquid from air by covering the duct.
Claims15
A container, comprising:
- a hollow cylinder having a closed bottom, an open top, and a spirally threaded inner wall extending between the closed bottom and the open top;
- a lid configured to threadably engage the inner wall of the hollow cylinder and substantially seal liquid contained within the cylinder from exposure to air outside the cylinder, the lid having a center, a top surface, a perimeter, and a bottom surface;
- and
- a leakage pathway formed between the perimeter of the lid and the inner wall;
- the lid further configured to evacuate air from the hollow cylinder through the leakage pathway by compression of the lid against the liquid contained in the cylinder;
- the leakage pathway continuously open between the perimeter of the lid and the inner wall as the lid compresses the liquid to permit leakage of the liquid through the leakage pathway to provide a visual indication of the leakage at the top surface of the lid.
A variable volume liquid container, comprising:
- a hollow vessel having a closed bottom, an open top, and an inner wall extending between the closed bottom and the open top;
- a lid having a center, a top surface, a perimeter, and a bottom surface;
- and
- a leakage pathway formed between the perimeter and the inner wall;
- the lid configured to move vertically within the hollow vessel while substantially sealing liquid contained within the vessel from exposure to air outside the vessel, and further configured to evacuate air from the hollow vessel through the leakage pathway by compression of the lid against the liquid;
- and
- the lid further configured to continuously maintain the leakage pathway open between the perimeter of the lid and the inner wall of the vessel as the lid compresses the liquid to cause a desired indication of leakage of the liquid at the leakage pathway.
A variable volume liquid container, comprising:
- a hollow vessel having a closed bottom, an open top, and an inner wall extending between the closed bottom and the open top;
- and
- a lid configured to move vertically within the hollow vessel while substantially sealing liquid contained within the vessel from exposure to air outside the vessel, the lid having a top surface and a perimeter, and configured to evacuate air from the hollow vessel through a leakage pathway by compression of the lid against the liquid;
- the leakage pathway continuously open between the perimeter of the lid and the inner wall of the vessel as the lid compresses the liquid to permit leakage of the liquid through the leakage pathway and thereby provide a visual indication of the leakage between the top surface of the lid and the inner wall of the hollow vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.