Storage container opener/closer
OwnerJeffrey Schneebauminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A manually operable rigid device defines a generally V-shaped groove opening onto an outer face thereof for closing a storage container in a multi-step process by bending a flexible, upstanding peripheral rim thereof over a margin of a central cover. A manually operable rigid device defines a wedge having a tip for opening a storage container in a multi-step process by unbending the previously bent rim thereof.
Claims20
A device for closing a storage container by bending a flexible upstanding peripheral rim thereof over a margin of a central cover, comprising:
- a manually operable rigid member defining a groove opening onto an outer face thereof and configured for forcibly pressing said groove onto the peripheral rim to bend an initial rim length downwardly and inwardly to overlap a corresponding length of the margin of the central cover, and for forcibly moving said groove laterally along the rim to bend the remaining rim length so as to overlap the remaining cover margin length.
A device for opening a storage container by unbending a flexible peripheral rim thereof previously bent to substantially overlap a margin of a central cover, comprising:
- a manually operable rigid member defining a wedge configured and dimensioned for forcible insertion intermediate the margin of the central cover and the overlapping peripheral rim of the storage container to unbend the perimeter of the storage container overlapping the peripheral rim as the device is laterally moved around the perimeter of the storage container.
A device for closing a storage container by bending a flexible upstanding peripheral rim thereof over a margin of a central cover, and for opening a storage container by unbending a flexible peripheral rim thereof previously bent to substantially overlap a margin of a central cover, comprising:
- a manually operable rigid member defining a groove having an opening and a wedge having a tip;
- whereby to close the container one initially forcibly presses said groove inwardly onto an initial length of an outer surface of a flexible upstanding peripheral rim of a storage container to bend the initial rim length downwardly and inwardly so that the initial rim length overlaps an initial length of a margin of a central cover and then forcibly moves said groove laterally along the remaining length of the rim to bend the remaining rim length so that it overlaps the remaining length of the cover margin;
- and
- whereby to open the container one initially forcibly inserts at least said wedge tip intermediate an initial length of the cover margin and an initial length of the overlapping rim to unbend the rim length upwardly and outwardly relative to the cover so that the initial rim length no longer substantially overlaps the initial cover margin length and then forcibly moves at least said wedge tip laterally intermediate the remaining length of the cover margin and the remaining length of the rim to unbend the remaining rim length so that it no longer substantially overlaps the remaining cover margin length.
A device for opening a storage container by unbending a flexible peripheral rim thereof previously bent to substantially overlap an edge of a central cover, comprising:
- a manually operable rigid member including a bottom surface defining one surface of a wedge extending between lateral ends of said member, said wedge having a variable wedge angle which is smaller at the lateral ends and progressively increases towards the front of said member, wherein one of the smaller wedge angles facilitates insertion of said member intermediate said bent rim and adjacent cover and the progressively increasing wedge angle thereafter facilitates the unbending of the bent rim as said member is moved around the storage container.
A device for closing a storage container by bending a flexible upstanding peripheral rim thereof over a margin of a central cover, and for opening a storage container by unbending a flexible peripheral rim thereof previously bent to substantially overlap a margin of a central cover, comprising:
- a manually operable rigid member defining a groove and a wedge;
- the groove having a variable groove angle which is largest at the lateral ends and progressively decreases towards the middle of said member, wherein one of the largest groove angles facilitate insertion of said member over said rim and adjacent cover, and the progressively decreasing groove angle thereafter facilitates the bending of the rim as said member is moved around the storage container;
- the wedge having a variable wedge angle which is smallest at the lateral ends and progressively increases towards the front of said member, wherein one of the smallest wedge angles facilitates insertion of said member intermediate said bent rim and adjacent cover, and the progressively increasing wedge angle thereafter facilitates the unbending of the bent rim as said member is moved around the storage container.
A process for closing a storage container by bending a flexible upstanding peripheral rim thereof over a margin of a central cover, comprising the steps of:
- (A) providing a manually operable rigid device defining a generally V-shaped groove opening onto an outer face thereof;
- (B) initially forcibly pressing the groove of the device inwardly onto an initial length of an outer surface of a flexible upstanding peripheral rim of a storage container to bend the initial rim length downwardly and inwardly so that the initial rim length overlaps an initial length of a margin of a central cover;
- (C) then forcibly moving the groove of the device laterally along the remaining length of the rim to bend the remaining rim length so that it overlaps the remaining length of the cover margin;
- and
- (D) finally separating the device and the container.
A process for opening a storage container by unbending a flexible peripheral rim thereof previously bent to substantially overlap a margin of a central cover, comprising the steps of:
- (A) providing a manual operable rigid device defining a wedge having a tip;
- (B) initially forcibly inserting at least the tip of the wedge intermediate an initial length of a margin of a central cover and an initial length of a bent flexible peripheral overlapping rim of a storage container to unbend the initial rim length upwardly and outwardly relative to the initial cover margin length so that the initial rim length no longer substantially overlaps the initial cover margin length;
- (C) then forcibly moving at least the wedge tip laterally intermediate the remaining length of the cover margin and the remaining length of the rim to unbend the remaining rim length so that the remaining rim length no longer substantially overlaps the remaining cover margin length;
- and
- (D) finally separating the device and the container.
In combination,
- (A) a container/cover assembly including:
- (i) a storage container having a flexible upstanding peripheral rim, and
- (ii) a central cover having a peripheral margin;
- said rim being bendable to substantially overlap said cover margin, thereby to close said container with said cover and, when previously so bent, being unbendable to not substantially overlap said cover margin, thereby to open said container for removal of said cover therefrom;
- and
- (B) a manually operable rigid device defining
- (i) a groove with an opening, and
- (ii) a wedge with a tip;
- whereby to close said container about said cover initially one forcibly presses said groove inwardly onto an initial length of an outer surface of said rim to bend said initial rim length downwardly and inwardly so that said initial rim length overlaps an initial length of said cover margin, and then forcibly moves said groove laterally along the remaining length of said rim to bend said remaining rim length so that it overlaps the remaining length of said cover margin;
- and
- whereby to open said container for removal of said cover initially one forcibly inserts at least said wedge tip intermediate an initial length of said cover margin and an initial length of said overlapping rim to unbend said initial rim length upwardly and outwardly relative to said cover so that said initial rim length no longer substantially overlaps said initial cover margin length, and then forcibly moves at least said wedge tip laterally intermediate the remaining length of said cover margin and the remaining length of said rim to unbend said remaining rim length so that it no longer substantially overlaps said remaining cover margin length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.