Receptacles – Closures – Closure members having alignable openings
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-20
2001-01-23
Pollard, Steven (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Closure members having alignable openings
C220S229000, C220S254800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176384
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to spill-proof containers, and more particularly to a spill-proof snack container with features adapted for snap-action resilient closure and a cover providing a plurality of flexible fingers which permits easy access to the container by a hand, but when not in use provides a moisture seal.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field: Iverson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,904 describes a spill proof container and closure. The closure incorporates a plurality of overlapping arcuate flaps of a resilient and flexible nature. Through the use of the overlapping, arcuate flaps a container embodying the closure of the present invention may be relatively tightly sealed to prevent spillage and in addition, may be directly accessed by the user by the penetration of the user's hand through the approximate center of the closure surface. Although the closure is intended for use with the container, the closure may be used for a variety of purposes.
Lottick, U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,668 describes a non-spillable drinking container which is manufactured in assemblable parts and which provides stackability and reduced manufacturing costs. The drinking container utilizes a perforated expandable diaphragm mounted or formed over a base plate. The container is preferably frustro-conical in shape to provide stackability. A drinking tube is attachable to the expandable diaphragm and a top is sealably mountable over the tube. Drinking is accomplished by pulling upwardly on the tube to expand the diaphragm opening the perforations therein, allowing fluid flow through the perforations and up the straw to the mouth of the drinker.
Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,174 describes a “spill-proof” bowl, particularly suitable for a child, for a dry, granular foodstuff to be eaten by hand, comprising a bowl having a hollow interior therein substantially covered over by a cover located on an open end of the bowl for substantially closing off the hollow interior. A tubular portion centrally located in the cover terminates with an inwardly curved edge at its lower extremity in a relatively small, open end for forming an open closure spaced in the hollow interior below the midpoint between the cover and the base to provide visual and selective access to the dry, granular foodstuff located in the hollow interior of the bowl when open. A portion of the tubular portion extends upwardly and terminates in an open, upper end spaced above the cover. A tubular passage depends downwardly through the tubular portion and communicates with the hollow interior of the bowl by means of the open closure means. A cap spaced above the bowl cover is removably located on the open, upper end, completely closing off the open closure and egress and access to the dry, granular foodstuff. The bowl, when suitably sized, can also be used by adults as a “spill-proof” bowl for foodstuff, and, in either event, the diameter of the tubular passage is just a little bit greater than the lateral dimension of the human hand for whom it was designed, the total opening to the hollow interior being otherwise no more than that necessary for hand access.
Bussard et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,717 describes a container used for nibbling snack food, including a receptacle and a top cover made of flexible material, the cover having crossing slits forming a circle of tongues which when flexed downwardly by a person's fingers reaching inside for picking up the food, thus form a self-closing dispensing opening through the cover.
Mengeu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,731 describes a cap and dispensing fitment combination for a container. The cap has an end wall and a skirt extending axially from the periphery of the end wall, the cap being adapted to engage the neck of the container. The end wall of the cap has an annular flange that extends axially and radially outwardly therefrom, the annular flange terminating in a free end surface that facilitates securing the dispensing fitment to the cap. The dispensing fitment comprises an end wall having at least one opening therein, the annular flange engaging into the opening. The dispensing fitment has a sidewall extending axially from the periphery of the end wall and is adapted to engage the container when the combination is placed on the container and to retain the dispensing fitment on the container even as the cap is removed from the container.
Brun, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,085 describes a blow molded plastics container including an injection molded annular neck portion which is sealed by injection molding to an annular wall portion of an injection molded top end wall having a part-spherical center portion. The center portion has five circumferentially spaced and upwardly projecting annular lip seals, two of which surround openings within the top end wall. An injection molded rotatable closure snap-fits onto the neck portion and has a mating part-spherical center portion which engages the lip seals. The closure has one opening which is selectively and progressively alignable with the annular lip seals in response to indexing the closure in one direction. An integrally molded one-way latch extends between the center portions of the closure and top end wall and prevents reverse rotation of the closure except between a consumer open position and a
The prior art teaches various apparatuses for holding foods for human consumption. However, the prior art does not teach that the container may have a cover comprised of two mutually rotatable panels providing a plurality of flexible fingers so as to enable easy access inside of the container while protecting the contents of the container from an inadvertent spill. Moreover, the prior art does not teach that such a container cover may be of a resilient, snap-action type for preventing spoilage caused by undesirable exposure to dryness or moisture. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The present invention provides a spill-proof container having a two-panel cover such that an upper panel is stationary, while a lower panel is enabled for rotational motion relative to the upper panel. As each panel has an aperture in it, and the lower panel provides a device for manual actuation of the rotational motion of the lower panel relative to the upper panel, the invention enables one to reach inside of the container when the lower aperture is positioned by the rotative motion adjacent to the upper aperture. Therefore, the food is held fresh and protected from an exposure to moisture or dryness, while it is easily accessible without removal of the container's cover. This objective is further enhanced by a resilient, snap-action engagement of an L-shaped annular groove in the container cover. Additionally, the lower panel aperture is provided with a flexible surface which is separated by radial slits into flexible fingers. The flexible fingers are such that they are capable of bending into the container when a hand reaches inside of the container for food, and resiliently return to their initial planar position, automatically closing the container when the hand is removed. Consequently, no food will spill out if the container is tilted too far or accidentally tipped over.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a spill-proof snack container having advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide a spill-proof food container which facilitates easy access to the contents of the container without removing the container's cover.
A further objective is to provide a cover for a food container with a snap-action resilient engagement with the container, thus minimizing food's exposure to dryness or moisture of the fresh air and securing freshness of the contents of the container.
A furth
Gene Scott-Patent Law & Venture Group
Pollard Steven
LandOfFree
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