Receptacles – Sectional – Extension
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-09
2001-08-21
Moy, Joseph M. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Sectional
Extension
C220S004260
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276547
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to containers, and in particular, to a container having sectionalised side walls to facilitate reduction of a volume of the container as contents of the container are used.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that the freshness of food products is adversely affected by oxidation, which results from exposure to air. Oxidation is a particular problem with processed food products that are consumed slowly, such as peanut butter, sauces, jellies and preserves, for example. Such products are normally sold in jars that are not adapted to compensate for the exposure of the product to a volume of air trapped in a top of the container as product is removed from the container. It is therefore desirable to reduce air space as food product is removed from a container.
Containers having variable internal volume are known in the art. A deformable corrugated dispensing container, exemplary of variable volume dispensing containers, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,222 which issued to McGill on Jun. 1, 1993. The dispensing container is designed to collapse as product is expelled under pressure.
Collapsible containers are also known that are adapted to permit air space above food contents to be reduced. An example is described in Canadian Patent Application No. 2,160,344 to Robbins, entitled IMPROVED REUSABLE AND RE-COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER AND ASSOCIATED CAP, which was filed on Apr. 14, 1994 and laid open to public inspection on Oct. 27, 1994. This application describes a collapsible container with a cap. The container has a side wall designed to be collapsed by forcing the side wall downwardly as contents of the container are consumed in order to reduce the air space above the contents. The container is made of a resilient thermoplastic which permits the container to be repeatedly collapsed and uncollapsed .
Disposable containers are known for food products. A variable volume and disposable container is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,250, entitled CONTAINER APPARATUS HAVING DETACHABLE AND DISCARDABLE WALL SECTIONS, and issued on May 6, 1997 to Dorazio. The container structure includes a cylindrical side wall having a closed bottom and a plurality of side wall sections connected by tear strips to the container. The container is designed for semi-solid food products such as ice cream. As ice cream is consumed from the container the tear strips are removed. Removal of a tear strip causes perforations of the side wall to permit a section above the tear strip to be removed. The head space above the ice cream is hereby reduced. The container is made from paper board and is therefore unsuitable for liquids. Moreover, the lid does not provide a fluid tight seal, which is necessary for most food products sold in jars.
The known solutions for providing a variable volume container for perishable food products have not been widely accepted by consumers. There therefore still exists a need for a sturdy, fluid tight container that is both reclosable and readily reduced in volume.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a variable volume container that permits air space above the contents of the container to be reduced after a certain volume of the contents have been used.
It is another object of the invention to provide a variable volume container having a sectionalised side wall and associated lid that provides a fluid tight container regardless of the number of sections removed from the side wall.
In general terms, the invention provides a variable volume container comprising a continuous, sectionalised side wall, having a closed bottom end. Each section of the side wall has a top rim that includes means for securing a lid adapted to engage the top rim in a fluid tight seal. A tear strip is provided between adjacent side wall sections for separating the sections of the side wall from the top rim. An associated lid for the container has an engagement member for securing the lid to the respective top rims so that the container can be closed in a fluid tight seal, regardless of the number of the sections removed from the side wall.
The means for securing the lid to the top rim is preferably an external thread and the engagement member on the lid is preferably an internal thread in a depending skirt of the lid. The container is preferably molded from a thermoplastic material and the tear strip is integrally molded between the top rim and an adjacent section of the container.
In a preferred embodiment, the container comprises a cylindrical and sectionalised side wall having a closed bottom end and at least a bottom section and top section. Each section of the side wall has a top rim that includes an external thread for securing a lid that is adapted to engage the top rim of the sections in a fluid tight seal. A tear strip is integrally molded between the top rim of the bottom section and the top section for separating the top section from the side wall. A lid for the container is also provided. The lid has an internal thread for engaging the external thread of the top rim of the top section or the bottom section when the top section is removed from the side wall. The lid permits the container to be closed in a fluid tight seal, regardless of the number of sections remaining in the body of the container.
The present invention provides a variable volume container which is advantageously used for liquid or semi-solid foods because the container is fluid tight. The molded single piece structure enables the container to be manufactured at low cost, which is important for disposable containers.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2782913 (1957-02-01), Devick
patent: 4778068 (1988-10-01), Kohus
patent: 4852757 (1989-08-01), Gold
patent: 5060799 (1991-10-01), De Pagter
patent: 5215222 (1993-06-01), McGill
patent: 5626250 (1997-05-01), Dorazio
patent: 6003706 (1999-12-01), Rosen
patent: 2160344 (1994-10-01), None
Dority & Manning PA
Moy Joseph M.
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