US 5,377,860 A · Double seal food container

Abstract

A food container which is a combination of a base portion and a lid portion made from a resilient polymeric material is disclosed. The base is a unitary component including an upwardly projecting, peripherally extending sealing rim having inner and outer sealing areas. The lid is also a unitary component including a peripherally extending sealing channel correspondingly shaped to receive the sealing rim of the base and particularly, to engage the rim at the inner and outer sealing areas. Because both the base and lid are made from resilient material, the inner and outer sealing areas are shaped to provide a self-reinforcing seal configuration wherein the initial engagement of either the inner or the outer seals urges the other seal into engagement. This feature also permits a wide tolerance to processing variations in the size of the lid and the base. The base portion of the food container of the present invention is also designed to include audible indicators as the lid becomes fully sealed with the base. Further, the container is suitable for microwave cooking.

Claims55

Dependent claims

A container including a base portion and a lid portion comprising:

(I) a unitary base comprising:
(a) a bottom;
(b) an upwardly extending peripheral wall joined to said bottom, said upwardly extending peripheral wall having an inwardly tapering frusto-conical base seal area formed therein;
and
(c) a downwardly and outwardly extending brim joined to said upwardly extending peripheral wall, said brim having an undercut secondary seal ridge formed therein;
and
(II) a unitary lid comprising:
(a) a top joined to;
(b) a downwardly extending peripheral wall to;
(c) an upwardly extending wall having a frusto-conical lid seal area formed therein, said frusto-conical lid seal area being mateable with the frusto-conical base seal area;
(d) a downwardly extending wall having a secondary seal furrow mateable with said secondary seal ridge;
and
(e) resilient lid realignment means located between said secondary seal furrow and said frusto-conical lid seal area for simultaneously urging said frusto-conical base seal area into close engagement with said frusto-conical lid seal area while urging said secondary seal ridge into engagement with said secondary seal furrow.

10 more elements

A container including a base portion and a lid portion comprising:

(I) a unitary base comprising:
(a) a substantially flat bottom;
(b) an upwardly extending peripheral wall joined to said flat bottom having formed therein;
(i) an inwardly tapering base seal;
and
(ii) an upwardly and outwardly flared first base alignment surface;
(c) a downwardly and outwardly extending brim joined to said upwardly and outwardly flared first base alignment surface, said brim having formed therein;
(i) a downwardly and outwardly flared alignment surface;
and
(ii) an undercut secondary seal ridge;
and
(II) a unitary lid portion comprising:
(a) a substantially flat upper surface joined to
(b) a downwardly extending peripheral wall joined to
(c) an upwardly extending wall having formed therein:
(i) a downwardly and outwardly flared first lid alignment surface substantially congruent to said first base alignment surface, and
(ii) an inwardly and upwardly tapering lid seal area mateable with the base seal area and tapering inwardly at an angle closely matched to the angle at which said base seal area tapers inwardly;
(d) an outwardly and downwardly flaring wall having formed therein a secondary seal furrow mateable with said secondary seal ridge;
and
(e) resilient lid realignment means located between said secondary seal furrow and said inwardly tapering lid seal area for yieldably realigning the seal furrow and the lid seal area;
said resilient lid realignment means being disposed and configured so as to constitute means for simultaneously urging said inwardly tapering base seal area into close engagement with said inwardly tapering lid seal area while urging said secondary seal ridge into engagement with said secondary seal furrow.

18 more elements

A container including a base portion and a lid portion comprising:

(I) a unitary base comprising:
(a) a bottom;
(b) a first U-shaped peripheral section joined to said bottom, the vertical legs of said first U being generally perpendicular to the bottom, one vertical leg of said first U defining a first generally vertical peripheral wall section, said generally vertical peripheral wall having an upwardly and inwardly tapering frusto-conical base seal area formed therein;
and
(c) the other vertical leg of said first U defining a second generally vertical peripheral wall section, said second generally vertical peripheral wall section having an undercut secondary seal ridge formed therein;
and
(II) a unitary lid portion comprising:
(a) a top joined to;
(b) a second U-shaped section, mateable with said first U-shaped section, one vertical leg of said second U defining a third generally vertical peripheral wall, said third generally vertical peripheral wall having a frusto-conical lid seal area formed therein, said frusto-conical lid seal area being mateable with the frusto-conical base seal area;
(c) the other vertical leg of said second U defining a fourth generally vertical extending wall having formed therein a secondary seal furrow mateable with said secondary seal ridge;
and
(d) resilient lid realignment means located between said secondary seal furrow and said frusto-conical lid seal area for yieldably realigning the lid seal furrow and the lid seal area, said resilient lid realignment means being disposed and configured so as to constitute means for simultaneously urging said frusto-conical base seal area into close engagement with said frusto-conical lid seal area while urging said secondary seal ridge into engagement with said secondary seal furrow.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Double seal food container

Life of this patent

Double seal food container

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims55