Self-venting food container
AssigneeWells Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsDavid D. Albrecht, Kaye D. Van Genderen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container, a lid, a combination of the two, and a method of using the same is disclosed. The container has a base and a sidewall extending upward from the base forming a continuous sidewall around the base. The upper portion of the sidewall has a rim and a skirt around the perimeter. The skirt has a removable tear tab to allow access to a lid for removing the lid from the container. The lid also has vents for air to exit the container, thereby preventing rising of the lid in low pressure areas. The vents further prevent entry of air into the container when the sealed container is taken to areas of higher pressure. A method of filling the container leaving an air gap between the product and the lid and utilizing the aforementioned vents is also provided.
Claims16
A container comprising:
- a container having a base, an integral sidewall extending upward from the base and forming a continuous sidewall around the base, an integral upper seal rim at an upper portion of the sidewall for engaging a lid and a container skirt around an outside portion of the sidewall integrally connected between the sidewall and the upper seal rim;
- an indent formed in the container skirt, wherein the indent extends partially through the container skirt thereby maintaining continuity of the skirt;
- a skirt protrusion extending outward from the container skirt adapted for accepting a lift tab on a lid;
- a tear-off tab integrally and removably formed in the container skirt to cover the indent approximately parallel to the skirt;
- a tear tab lever on an upper portion of the tear-off tab and having a gripping portion extending outward from the container skirt tear tab lever allowing a user to pull downward and outward to separate the tear-off tab from the container skirt thereby exposing the indent.
A lid for sealing a container comprising:
- a continuous inner wall forming atop of the lid;
- a lid channel integrally formed around the inner wall, the lid channel further having a lid skirt;
- a continuous pressure rib formed inside the lid channel around the lid adjacent the inner wall and the lid channel;
- a continuous rim shoulder formed inside the lid channel adjacent the lid channel and the lid skirt;
- a non-continuous seal rib formed inside the lid channel around the periphery of the lid channel forming one or more vents;
- and
- a plurality of intermittently spaced vertical ribs formed inside the lid channel to help create a tight fit between the lid and the container by pressing an upper seal rim of a container against the seal rib.
A container and lid combination comprising:
- a container having a base, a continuous sidewall around the base extending upward from the base and terminating in an upper seal rim rib extending generally perpendicularly outward from an integral upper seal rim of the sidewall for engaging a lid and a container skirt around an outside portion of the sidewall, the container skirt having a horizontal portion and a relatively vertical portion, the horizontal and relatively vertical portions integrally connected to the sidewall at the upper seal rim by vertical ribs;
- an indent formed in the container skirt, wherein the indent extends partially through the container skirt thereby maintaining continuity of the skirt;
- a tear-off tab integrally and removably formed in the container skirt to cover the indent approximately parallel to the skirt, the tear-off tab formed, with a tear tab lever extending outward and upward from the tear-off tab allowing a user to pull downward and outward to separate the tear-off tab from the skirt;
- the lid having a continuous inner wall forming a top of the lid;
- a lid channel, integrally firmed around the inner wail, the lid channel further having a lid skirt;
- a continuous pressure rib formed inside the lid channel around the lid adjacent the inner wall and the lid channel;
- a continuous rim shoulder formed in the lid channel adjacent the lid channel and the lid skirt;
- the pressure rib and rim shoulder guide the upper seal rim into the lid channel and to fit the lid to the container;
- a non-continuous seal rib formed inside the lid channel around the periphery of the lid channel forming one or more vents;
- and
- the upper seal rim mating with the lid inside the lid channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.