Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02686712 2009-12-01
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GRASPING CLOSURE SYSTEM FOR
CONTAINER FOR FRANGIBLE ITEMS
FIELD OF THE APPLICATION
The present application relates to containers for
receiving frangible objects such as eggs, and to structural
components of such containers.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
Egg containers of all kinds have been developed
for the transportation and sale of eggs. As eggs are
relatively fragile, the egg containers must protect the eggs
from the various manipulations involved from the packaging
of the eggs to the consumer's refrigerator.
One significant improvement in egg containers is
the use of thermoformed plastics as material for the egg
containers. Thermoformed plastics are typically
transparent, which allows the eggs to be visible, and are
relatively inexpensive to produce. As they can inspect the
eggs by seeing through the material of the egg container,
the consumers do not need to open the egg container, as is
the case with cardboard egg containers, for instance. In
the case of cardboard boxes, it may occur that the boxes are
not closed properly after inspection. This may cause the
breakage of eggs if the improperly closed egg container is
subsequently manipulated by another consumer.
SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION
It is therefore an aim of the present disclosure
to provide a novel egg container.
Therefore, in accordance with the present
application, there is provided a container for receiving
frangible items comprising a sheet of polymer formed into: a
base portion having a plurality of item receiving cavities
for supporting frangible items; at least one cover portion
having at least one item covering concavity for covering the
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frangible items, the cover portion having a generally flat
peripheral wall defining the at least one item covering
concavity; a first hinge between a first longitudinal edge
of the base portion and the cover portion for rotating the
cover portion onto the base portion to hold the frangible
items captive in the item receiving cavities; connectors to
block the cover portion to the base portion when closed
together; at least one grasping wall spanning between the
two item receiving cavities on an opening side of the
container, the two item receiving cavities being along a
second longitudinal edge of the base portion, the grasping
wall projecting away from the two egg receiving cavities and
outward from the container to define a grasping surface; and
friction surface means on the grasping surface.
Further in accordance with the present
application, there is provided a container for receiving
frangible items comprising a sheet of polymer molded into: a
base portion having a plurality of item receiving cavities
for supporting frangible items; a cover portion having at
least one item covering concavity for covering the frangible
items, the cover portion having a generally flat peripheral
wall defining the at least one item covering concavity; a
first hinge between a first longitudinal edge of the base
portion and the cover portion for rotating the cover portion
onto the base portion in closing the container to hold the
frangible items captive in the item receiving cavities; an
elongated tab having wedge-shaped male connectors oriented
with a ramp portion facing upward; a second hinge between a
second longitudinal edge of the base portion and the
elongated tab for rotating the elongated tab toward an
interior of the base portion; at least one female connector
projecting outwardly from the generally flat peripheral wall
of the cover portion, the at least one female connector
being in vertical alignment with the wedge-shaped male
connectors of the tab for mating engagement therewith when
the container is closed; and at least one outwardly
projecting clearance positioned between the at least one
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wedge-shaped female connector and the second longitudinal
edge of the base portion when the container is closed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a two-
s fold egg container;
Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a three-
fold egg container;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation view of a grasping
system for the egg containers of Figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a closure system
of the egg container of Figs. 1 and 2; and
Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a
closure system of the egg container of Fig. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
1s Referring to the drawings and more particularly to
Fig. 1, an egg container is generally shown at 10. The egg
containers described hereinafter are preferably made of
transparent or translucent plastics, for instance using a
thermoforming process or other molding process. Other
materials and/or processes may be used as well. The
containers described hereinafter may be used to contain eggs
or any other frangible items (e.g., tomatoes).
The egg container 10 of Fig. 1 is a two-fold egg
container, as it has two portions hinged to one another.
The egg container 10 has a base portion 11 having a
plurality of egg-receiving cavities 12 (e.g., six, twelve,
eighteen, twenty-four, or any other suitable number), with
each cavity 12 supporting an egg. A top cover portion 13 is
hinged to the base portion 11 by hinge 14. The top cover
portion 13 may or may not have egg cavities to cover a top
portion of the eggs supported by the egg-receiving cavities
12. Alternatively, the top cover portion 13 may present a
flat top surface as in Fig. 1, with or without strengthening
components (e.g., arches, posts). Although not shown,
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mating connectors or any other suitable type of connectors
are provided on the periphery of the base portion 11 and top
cover portion 13 for interlocking them when the egg
container 10 is closed.
Referring to Fig. 2, a three-fold egg container is
generally illustrated at 10'. The egg container 10' is
similar to the egg container 10 of Fig. 1, but has a middle
cover portion 15. The middle cover portion 15 is hinged to
the base portion 11 by hinge 16. The hinges 14 and 16 are
preferably on opposite edges of the base portion 11. The
middle cover portion 15 typically has egg cavities 17 to
cover a top portion of the eggs supported by the egg-
receiving cavities 12. Although not shown, mating
connectors or any other suitable type of connectors are
provided on the periphery of the top cover portion 13 and
the middle cover portion 15 for interlocking them when the
egg container 10' is closed.
In order to close the egg container 10', the
middle cover portion 15 is firstly hinged into contact with
the base container 12, as illustrated by arrow A. The top
cover portion 13 is then hinged onto the middle cover
portion 15, as illustrated by arrow B. When the egg
container 10/10' is closed, peripheral flanges 21 and 22 lay
flat one on the other.
Referring to Fig. 3, the egg container 10/10' is
shown having a grasping system for facilitating the opening
of the egg container 10/10' (i.e., two-fold or tri-fold egg
container). The grasping system is positioned on an opening
side of the egg container 10/10' and comprises a wall 30
that projects forwardly in the base portion 11, and toward
an exterior of the base portion 11. The wall 30 spans
between top parts of two of the egg receiving cavities 12,
preferably between the egg receiving cavities 12 that are on
opposite sides of a central axis of the egg container
10/10'. The wall 30 projects forwardly from the egg
receiving cavities 12. It is observed in Fig. 5 that there
is a single wall 30 in the egg container 10/10', but there
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may be more on the opening side of the egg container 10/10'.
However, there are preferably pairs of egg receiving
cavities 12 with no wall 30 between them. Accordingly, the
absence of other such walls visually emphasizes the presence
5 of this component of the grasping system on the base
portion 11. The wall 30 merges into a vertical portion 30A
of the peripheral wall of the base portion 11.
Protrusions such as ribs 31 are provided on the
wall 30 and project forwardly therefrom. The ribs 31 form a
friction surface that will be contacted by a finger/fingers
of a user when opening the egg container. The ribs 31 are
illustrated as being partly on the wall 30, and partly on
the vertical portion 30A of the peripheral wall of the base
portion 11. The ribs 31 are generally horizontal, and are
therefore transverse to an opening direction of the egg
container 10/10'. An oversized rib 31A may be provided at a
bottom of the wall 30, for reinforcing the wall 30. Other
geometries may be used for the friction surface as an
alternative to ribs. For instance, a plurality of pimples
may be provided. Alternatively, gripping patches may be
glued to the wall 30. Any suitable friction surface means
may be used.
Still referring to Fig. 5, another set of
protrusions are provided on the top cover portion 13, and is
illustrated as ribs 32. The ribs 32 are parallel to the
ribs 31, and generally define a circular shape to match that
of a finger tip. The ribs 32 may define other shapes as
well. Other geometries may be used for the protrusions as
an alternative to ribs. For instance, a plurality of
pimples may be provided.
The presence of protrusions on both the base
portion 11 and the top cover portion 13 guide a user in
opening the egg container 10/10' with the grasping system.
As the grasping system may be centrally located on the egg
container 10/10', the opening pressure is generally evenly
distributed on the top cover portion 13, thereby
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facilitating the separation of the top cover portion 13 from
the base portion 11.
As the vertical portion 30A is longer than the
wall 30, it has a tendency to deform prior to the wall 30,
when pressure is applied to the ribs 31. Accordingly, the
egg receiving cavities 12 are protected from deformation by
the presence of some of the ribs 31 in the vertical portion
30A.
Referring concurrently to Figs. 4 and 5, a closure
system is illustrated for the egg container 10. The closure
system is used with two-fold egg containers. The closure
system comprises a tab 50 that projects forwardly from the
peripheral flange 20 of the base portion 11. The tab 50 is
hinged to the peripheral flange 20, whereby it is shown
oriented upwardly in Figs. 4 and 5. Wedge connectors 51 are
formed in the tab 50. Figs. 4 and 5 show four such wedge
connectors 51, but there may be more or fewer of the wedge
connectors 51 on the tab 50.
Corresponding female connectors 52 are formed in
the top cover portion 13. Each female connector 52 is
aligned vertically with a respective wedge connector 51, for
mating engagement therewith. The wedge connector 51 is
matingly inserted into the female connector 52, and a
downwardly-oriented flat surface of the wedge connector 51
abuts against a corresponding abutment surface of the female
connector 52, thereby securing the top cover portion 13 to
the base portion 11 of the egg container 10. In order to
open the egg container 10, the wedge connectors 51 are moved
out of engagement with the female connectors 52, for
instance by pulling the top cover portion 13 away from the
base portion 11. The wedge connectors 51 have a wedge shape
to facilitate the engagement of the wedge connectors 51 in
the female connectors 52 when closing the egg container 10,
by presenting a ramp portion against which the top cover
portion 13 slides during closing of the egg container 10.
It is observed that the female connectors 52 may
be wider than the wedge connectors 51, as shown in Figs. 7
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and 8. This excess width of the female connectors 52 is to
ensure that the wedge connectors 51 fit into the female
connectors 52 despite any misalignment of the top cover
portion 13 with respect to the base portion 11.
Clearances 53 are defined in the top cover portion
13, and are each paired up with one of the female connectors
52. The clearances 53 are positioned below the female
connectors 52 when the egg container 10 is closed. The
clearances 53 of a bottom container 10 accommodate the
female connectors 52 of a top container 10 when the
containers 10 are stacked one on another. This ensures that
stacks of open containers 10 are vertically straight.
The clearances 53 form a passage that facilitates
the demolding of the egg container. More specifically, the
presence of the female connectors 52 requires the presence
of corresponding protrusions on the mold used to form the
egg container 10. As the female connectors 52 project
outwardly from the inner cavity of the top cover portion 13,
there have been some difficulties in removing the egg
container 10 from its mold without deforming the egg
container. Therefore, the use of the clearances 53 is
particularly practical when the egg container 10 is stacked
open. In an embodiment, a portion of the clearances 53
adjacent to the female connectors is ramp-shaped to
facilitate engagement of the connectors 52 and 53. It is
pointed out that there may be a single elongated one of the
female connectors 52 and a single elongated one of the
clearances 53 for a plurality of wedge connectors 51. In
another embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the egg
container 10 has the peripheral flange 22 and the clearances
53 open into the peripheral flange 22.
In an embodiment, posts 54 may be provided to
project upwardly from the base portion 11, and are placed
behind the wedge connectors 51. The posts 54 are positioned
so as to be in close proximity to a rear side of the wedge
connectors 51 when the egg container 10 is closed.
Accordingly, in case of excess pressure on the top cover
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portion 13, the wedge connectors 51 will not disengage from
the female connectors 52, as the posts 54 will prevent the
tab 50 from rotating inwardly. Posts or other like abutment
members may be used to limit the inward rotation of the
tab 50.
The egg containers 10 and 10' may have one or more
of the elements described above. Although the egg
containers 10 and 10' are preferably made of a transparent
thermoplastic that is molded (e.g., vacuum molded), it is
considered to provide some of the above-referred embodiments
in other materials.
The egg containers of the present disclosure may
contain any suitable number of egg receiving cavities. One
suitable material for the egg containers of the present
application is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET has
many advantages, as this material can be transparent or
opaque and can be produced at high volume and at low cost.
Wall thicknesses of PET cases in a contemplated embodiment
are of 0.0175 inch in thickness, but other thicknesses as
low as 0.012 to as high as 0.022 inch are also contemplated.
It is pointed out that the thickness may be outside of these
ranges, especially after the container 10 is formed.
However, any suitable thickness can be used, depending on
the fragility of the objects packaged in the container 10.
