Receptacles – Closures – Removable closure situated by resilient distortion and...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-21
2002-07-09
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Removable closure situated by resilient distortion and...
C220S326000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06415947
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plastic made, rectangular airtight container for food.
2. Related Art
As a container for housing and storing food, a plastic made airtight container
101
as shown in
FIG. 4
to
FIG. 6
is widely used.
This plastic made airtight container
101
consists, of container main body
103
and lid
102
, a plurality of locking projections
110
projected at top portion of the container main body
103
, and locking wing pieces
105
which are folded and unfolded around hinge
106
. The wing pieces rotatively move around hinge
106
which are formed integrally with the top lid surface
104
of the lid
102
. Locking holes
107
are inserted and locked to locking projections
110
formed to lock with the wing pieces
105
at a position corresponding to each locking projection
110
.
A recess
111
is formed in the top lid surface
104
of lid
102
which is adapted to engage with the top edge
113
of the container main body
103
. A packing
112
can be inserted into groove
111
.
Accordingly, when the lid
102
is placed on the container main body
103
and a finger pressing portion
105
a
is pressed by a finger, i. e., when the locking wing piece
105
is pressed toward the locking projection
110
of the container main body
103
, the locking projections
110
are locked by passing them through locking holes
107
a
nd
107
b,
respectively. Since the top edge
113
presses against the packing
112
, the interior space
114
of the container main body
103
is hermetically sealed from the exterior.
However, in accordance with above described airtight container
101
, the locking wing piece
105
is connected by a hinge
106
which is decreased very much in thickness, and since the hinge
106
has to be folded and unfolded by the locking wing piece
105
, a bending stress is repeatedly produced and therefore is very weak.
On the other hand, as shown in drawings, in the case of an elongated rectangular airtight container
101
, and in the case where the length of one side is more than 10 cm, the locking hole
107
of the locking wing piece
101
and the locking projection
110
of the container main body
103
are made to be two on each side so as to secure a sufficient locking force and a uniformity of the hermetical sealing force (airtight force).
In the case of a rectangular airtight container
101
with a lid
102
, since a plastic molten liquid pouring gate
115
is formed to an injection metal mold corresponding to the right center of the lid
102
, in the process in which the plastic molten liquid spreads out in every direction from the molten liquid pouring gate
115
and fills up the cavity of metal mold by which the lid
102
is made, the traveling time in which the plastic molten liquid is spread to each end terminal portion of the mold is different, and since the molten liquid flows in counter current directions to itself, collisions of the molten liquid forms weld lines, and strength weakened portions.
Since both end terminal portions
105
b
of the locking wing piece
105
are most distanced from the molten liquid pouring gate
115
whereby the molten liquid traveling time is the longest, and since the gorge portion
105
b
is formed due to the locking hole
107
, the gorge portion
105
b
operates as a resistive means for the flow of molten liquid, whereby the flow of the molten liquid flow becomes stagnated. On the other hand, for a center portion between both side locking holes
107
, since the distance from the molten liquid pouring gate
115
is closer and the clearance is greater and the flowing resistance is less, the flow of molten liquid becomes smooth whereby the flow of molten liquid occurs as shown by arrows. Thus, the molten liquid collides with itself at the hinge end portion
106
a which is the end terminal portion of the hinge
106
, thereby forming a weld line. (Generally the weld line is formed at the hinge end terminal portion at a rate of 5-15%).
When a weld line is formed by the collision of the molten liquid, at the hinge end portion
106
a,
a thin hinge end portion
106
a
forms a cracked portion which is easily torn out and damaged when locking the wing piece portion
105
is repeatedly folded and unfolded. Once the hinge end portion
106
a
is torn out, even just a little, it continuously spreads out whereby the life of the airtight container
101
is considerably decreased, and this dissatisfaction of the consumer has been pointed out as a significant problem. Since this inferiority of product cannot be confirmed at manufacturing state, and since the problem would appear only after a predetermined time is past while the consumer is using the product (but in a further short time than regular life of the product), this problem is a big issue for consumer protection.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3688942 (1972-09-01), Mitchell et al.
patent: 3817419 (1974-06-01), Moller et al.
patent: 4603809 (1986-08-01), Vilotte et al.
patent: 4721056 (1988-01-01), Steeley
patent: 5348181 (1994-09-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5538154 (1996-07-01), Von Holdt
patent: 6220507 (2001-04-01), Guillin
patent: 6253952 (2001-07-01), Vial B.
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Hana Cobi Co., Ltd.
Newhouse Nathan J.
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