Seal with automatic release

In combination, a container with a snap-on seal therefor;

• said container including a peripheral radially outwardly directed rim thereabout, said rim terminating in a continuous outer edge, said seal being mountable to said rim and comprising a top panel including a central section, an annular lever section peripherally about said central section and terminating in an outer edge portion, and hinge means integrally joining said lever section to said central section, a side wall integral with and depending from said outer edge portion of said lever section, fulcrum means integral with and depending from said lever section annularly thereabout and spaced between said hinged means and said side wall for selective engagement with said container rim, said side wall having an inwardly directed sealing area continuously thereabout, said seal, when mounted to said container, receiving said rim edge within said sealing area, said rim edge and said sealing area being configured to define a hermetic sealing therebetween, said fulcrum means being positioned in closely spaced relation above said container rim radially inward of said rim edge and selectively engageable with said rim upon a depression of said top panel adjacent said hinge means for a resultant upward swinging of said side wall and a release of said container rim edge from said sealing area, vent means defined transversely through said fulcrum means and maintaining air flow transversely through said fulcrum means upon engagement of said fulcrum means with said container rim, and second vent means defined on said side wall immediately below said sealing area for maintaining air flow about said rim edge as said seal is inwardly moved onto said container for a seating of said rim edge in said sealing area.

In combination, a container with a snap-on seal therefor;

• said container including a peripheral radially outwardly directed rim thereabout, said rim terminating in a continuous outer edge, said seal being mountable to said rim and comprising a top panel including a central section, an annular lever section peripherally about said central section and terminating in an outer edge portion, and hinge means integrally joining said lever section to said central section, an imperforate side wall integral with and depending from said outer edge portion of said lever section, fulcrum means integral with and depending from said lever section annularly thereabout and spaced between said hinged means and said side wall for selective engagement with said container rim, said side wall having an inner surface with a concavity defined therein continuously about said side wall, said seal, when mounted to said container, receiving said rim edge within said concavity, said rim edge and said concavity being configured to define a hermetic sealing therebetween, said fulcrum means being positioned in closely spaced relation above said container rim radially inward of said rim edge and selectively engageable with said rim upon a depression of said top panel adjacent said hinge means for a resultant upward swinging of said side wall and a release of said container rim edge from said concavity, vent means defined transversely through said fulcrum means and maintaining air flow transversely through said fulcrum means upon engagement of s aid fulcrum means with said container rim, a convexity on said inner surface of said side wall coextensive with said concavity and immediately therebelow, said convexity including an upper surface extending into said concavity and a lower surface, said upper surface and said lower surface defining a central crown therebetween and second vent means defined along said lower surface for maintaining air flow about said rim edge as said seal is inwardly moved onto said container for a seating of said rim edge in said concavity.

A seal adapted to mount to an outwardly directed rim portion of a container, the rim portion having a peripheral lip;

• said seal comprising a top panel including a central section, a lever section peripherally about and extending outwardly from said central section thereabout and terminating in an outer edge portion, and hinge means integrally joining said lever section to said central section for pivotal movement of said lever section relative to said central section, a side wall integral with and depending from said outer edge portion of said lever section, fulcrum means integral with and depending from said lever section in spaced relation between said hinge means and said side wall and relatively closer to said side wall, said fulcrum means being selectively engageable with the container rim portion for fulcrum movement of said lever section and an upward and outward movement of said side wall upon a depression of said top panel adjacent said hinge means, said side wall having an inner surface, a concavity defined in said inner surface continuously along said side wall and downwardly spaced from said lever section for a hermetic sealed positioning of the rim lip therein upon downward movement of said seal on the container rim portion, said concavity being defined in part by a convexity on said inner surface coextensive with said concavity and immediately therebelow, vent means through said convexity for maintaining air flow as said seal is moved to position the container rim lip into said concavity, said side wall including a skirt portion below said convexity, said skirt portion having an inner face defined by said inner surface of said side wall, said skirt inner face being outwardly offset relative to said concavity and defining a seal mouth area of a diametric size adapted to freely receive the container rim portion therein for alignment of said seal on the container without a sealing of said seal to the container and as a guide for sealing said seal to the container, said convexity including upper and lower surface portions defining a central crown therebetween, said vent means being defined along said lower surface portion and extending between said skirt inner face and said crown whereby a continuous venting is provided about the rim lip as the lip moves inward of said seal and until such time as the rim lip reaches and moves inwardly beyond said convexity crown.