Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02708541 2010-06-25
CONTAINER NECK WITH RECESSES
Field
[00011 The invention relates generally to containers, and more specifically to
a container
neck with features for easy gripping.
Background
[0002] Jars or containers used to store and transport various solid or viscous
contents,
such as food products, commonly have a relatively large opening to
conveniently pour out the
contents of the container or manipulate a scoop within the container. As the
diameter of the
opening on the container increases, however, it becomes harder to get a
sufficient grip around
the circumference of the neck of the container to stably carry the container.
This structure
makes such containers extremely difficult to carry with one hand when the
container is
relatively heavy or the user has medical problems with his/her hand, such as
arthritis, muscle
damage, etc.
[0003] One known solution to this problem is to provide a handle on a side of
the
container. However, putting the handle within the circumference of the
container increases the
height of the container to hold the same amount of product and increases the
difficulty to scoop
product from the bottom of the container. Likewise, putting the handle outside
of the
circumference of the container is problematic because it increases storage
space needed to box
and transport the containers. Thus, a container is desired that is easy to
grip and carry with one
hand while still providing a large opening to the container.
Summary
[0004] A container is provided that solves the problems discussed above. In
one form,
the container defines a central longitudinal axis and includes an engagement
part that secures a
lid to the container. A neck portion is disposed adjacent the engagement part
and includes a
plurality of recessed portions spaced circumferentially around the neck
portion, where each
recessed portion has a periphery. An outwardly protruding rib is disposed
along at least a
portion of the periphery of at least one recessed portion, and an outer
surface extends between
-1-
CA 02708541 2010-06-25
each pair of adjacent recessed portions. The rib projects outwardly from both
the outer surface
and the at least one recessed portion for easy and stable gripping of the
container whether by
placing a hand downward over the lid and over the recessed portion or by
gripping the
container neck from the side.
[0005] In another form, the neck portion has a first convex portion with a
first diameter
and is disposed adjacent the engagement part, a second convex portion with a
second diameter,
and a concave portion that has a varying diameter with a minimum diameter of
approximately
2.8 inches or less. The concave portion is disposed between the first and
second convex
portions and includes the plurality of recessed portions. Also, the first
diameter is less than the
second diameter.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0006] The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the
container
described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in
conjunction with
the drawings, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 comprises an exploded side perspective view of a container as
configured
in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 comprises a side cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2
on the
container of FIG. 1; and
[0009] FIG. 3 comprises a lower plan cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3
on the
container of FIG. 1.
[0010] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are
illustrated for
simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For
example, the
dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures
may be
exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of
various
embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood
elements that are
useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not
depicted in order to
facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. It will
further be appreciated
-2-
CA 02708541 2010-06-25
that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular
order of
occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such
specificity with respect to
sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms
and expressions
used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms
and expressions
by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where
different specific
meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.
Detailed Description
[00111 Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a container 10 has a tubular or generally
cylindrical
sidewall 12 forming an interior 14. The container 10 defines a central
longitudinal axis L which
is also the axis of rotation for the sidewall 12. In the illustrated form, the
container 10 may be
made of any suitable plastic, such as polypropylene and polyethylene
terephthalate, but may be
made of other suitable materials, such as glass or metal.
[0012] A base 16 closes one end portion or body portion 18 of the container
10. The
sidewall 12 extends to an opposite end portion 20 of the container 10. The
opposite end portion
20 includes an upper cylindrical portion or wall 22 also referred to as an
engagement part 24 for
securing a lid 26 to the container 10. In the illustrated form, the engagement
part 24 secures the
lid 26 to the container 10 by external threading 28 engaging internal
threading of the lid 26. The
engagement part 24, however, can secure the lid 26 to the container 10 by any
suitable means,
such as snap-fit, tongue-and-groove, or by other securing mechanisms. The
upper cylindrical
portion 22 further forms an opening 30 to the interior 14. The lid 26 attaches
to the container 10
to cover the opening 30 and close the interior 14 to secure any contents
within the container 10.
[0013] The container 10 can be used to store any type of contents, including
organic,
plastic, metal, or any combination thereof. By the illustrated approach, the
opening 30 is
relatively large so that the container 10 stores an edible product, such as
soluble coffee, ground
coffee, mayonnaise, peanut butter, and so forth in a conveniently accessible
manner. The
relatively wide opening 30 provides convenient access for manipulating a scoop
or knife within
the container 10 or better control for pouring the contents. In one example,
the opening 30 has a
diameter A of approximately 2.5 inches for containers with a body width of
about 3.7 to 4.0
-3-
CA 02708541 2010-06-25
inches.
[00141 A label portion 32 is provided on the body portion 18 and is bordered
by upper
and lower annular bumpers 34 that protrude outwardly from the label portion 32
to minimize
damage to any label secured onto the label portion 32..
[0015] The container 10 also includes a neck portion 36 disposed adjacent the
engagement part 24. By one approach, the neck portion 36 has a minimum
diameter B of
approximately 2.8 inches or less, and in another form, approximately 1.9 to
2.8 inches
(diameters B to F described here and below are outside diameters). It has been
found that users
can grip the neck portion 36 with one hand with this size of diameter and
carry or manipulate
the container 10 in a stable and strong manner that reduces the chance of the
user dropping the
container 10.
[0016] The neck portion 36 also includes a plurality of recessed portions 38,
each having
a periphery 40. The plurality of recessed portions 38 are spaced
circumferentially about the
neck portion 36. In one form, between two and twelve recessed portions are
placed around the
neck portion 36, where the number of recessed portions 38 is dependent on the
size of the
container 10. As illustrated, there are eight recessed portions 38 spaced
uniformly about the
circumference of the neck portion 36.
[0017] The plurality of recessed portions may take any suitable closed general
shape,
including, for example, curvilinear shapes, such as generally oval (as
illustrated), a circle, an
ellipse, or shapes with linear sides, such as a triangle, a quadrilateral, or
other regular or
irregular polygons. The shape may also be elongated vertically (as shown),
circumferentially,
or at an angle. Additionally, the edges and/or corners of the plurality of
recessed portions 38
may or may not be rounded.
[0018] The neck portion 36 further includes an outer surface 42 that extends
between
each pair of adjacent recessed portions 38 and an outwardly protruding rib 44
disposed along at
least a portion of the periphery 40 of at least one of the plurality of
recessed portions 38. In the
illustrated example, each outer surface 42 extends from rib 44 to rib 44. As
illustrated, the rib 44
-4-
CA 02708541 2010-06-25
is disposed along the entire periphery 40 of each recessed portion 38. It will
be understood,
however, that the rib 44 may merely generally encircle the plurality of
recessed portions 38 such
that the rib 44 has breaks around the recessed portion 38, whether uniform
breaks or irregularly
spaced, or covers only one or more sides of the recessed portion 38 (i.e. just
left sides, right
sides, upper sides, lower sides, or any combination thereof).
[0019] By one approach, the rib 44 may take many suitable general shapes as
with the
shape of the recessed portion 38, and may or may not correspond to the shape
of the recessed
portion 38. In other words, the periphery 40 where the rib 44 begins to rise
may have a different
general shape around the recessed portion 38 than the shape of the peak of the
rib 44 in plan
view. Additionally, the edges and/or corners of the recessed portion 38 may or
may not be
rounded. In the illustrated form, both the plurality of recessed portions 38
and the outwardly
protruding rib 44 are generally oval and elongated in a vertical direction
generally parallel to
the axis L. The transverse cross-section of the rib 44 can be curved, convexly
arcuate, as
illustrated, or alternatively, be generally triangular or square or have any
number of pointed
peaks or flat sides. In the case of a generally triangular or square cross-
section, the edges may
or may not be rounded.
[0020] The rib 44 projects outwardly from both the outer surface 42 and the
recessed
portion 38, while the plurality of recessed portions 38 are also recessed with
respect to the outer
surface 42. This configuration provides a gripping area for a user holding the
container 10
while, for example, carrying the container 10, removing the lid 26, accessing
the interior 14 of
the container 10 with a scoop or utensil, or upending the container 10 to pour
out any contents
contained within the container 10. When the rib 44 is combined with the
plurality of recessed
portions 38 as described, the container 10 has a gripping area having an
undulating or uneven
surface, which provides a user with a very strong grip when manipulating the
container 10.
[0021] In one example form, the neck portion 36 defines a first or upper
convex portion
46, a concave portion 48, and a second or lower convex portion 50. The upper
convex portion
46 has a first diameter C and is disposed adjacent the engagement part 24. The
lower convex
portion 50 has a second diameter D, where the first diameter C of the upper
convex portion 46 is
-5-
CA 02708541 2010-06-25
less than the second diameter D of the lower convex portion 50. It will be
understood that the
terms upper and lower are used for indicating the position of the parts of the
container 10
relative to each other and do not limit the orientation of the container 10.
[0022] The first diameter C is the maximum diameter of the upper convex
portion 46. In
one form, the upper convex portion 46 has an annular, longitudinally curved
surface 74,
although the surface 74 may be other shapes, such as cylindrical. The second
diameter D is the
maximum diameter of the lower convex portion 50 of the neck portion 36, and
defines the joint
between the upper bumper 34 of the body portion 18 and the lower convex
portion 50 as the
bottom most diameter of the neck portion 36. The lower convex portion 50 has a
generally
cylindrical surface 76, although other shapes are contemplated.
[0023] The concave portion 48 is disposed between the upper convex portion 46
and the
lower convex portion 50 and has a varying diameter including the minimum
diameter B. The
concave portion forms the plurality of recessed portions 38, the outer
surfaces 42, and the ribs
44. In this example, the concave portion 48 is generally frusto-conical with
concave sides that
curve as the side extends longitudinally relative to the axis L. Thus, the
diameter of the concave
portion 48 is smaller at its junction with the upper convex portion 46 than at
the junction
between the concave portion 48 and the lower convex portion 50.
[0024] By one approach, the first diameter A of the upper convex portion 46 is
greater
than the minimum diameter B of the concave portion 48. So configured, the
upper convex
portion 46 can act as a stop surface for a user's hand when the user grips the
container 10
around the neck portion 36 from the side and holds the container 10 in a
generally vertical
orientation. The stop surface can then act in conjunction with the plurality
of recessed portions
38 and the ribs 44 to provide a user an ideal grip on the container 10 so that
the user's hand does
not slip from the container 10.
[0025] By another approach, the second diameter B of the lower convex portion
50 is
greater than an outer diameter E of the lid 26, and the neck portion 26 of the
container 10 is
transparent. So configured, the type and amount of the contents are visible
through the neck
portion 26 from above the container 10 when the lid 26 is fully secured onto
the container 10.
-6-
CA 02708541 2010-06-25
This allows a user to check the type and level of any contents in the
container 10 without
removing the lid 26.
[0026] In another aspect, the plurality of recessed portions 38 each define a
central arc
52 which terminates longitudinally at two end points 54 on the rib 44. The
recessed portions 38
also each have a middle point 56 defined along the longitudinal length of the
arc 52. In the
illustrated form, the arc 52 is a circular arc with a consistent radius so
that the middle point 56
also defines the deepest point on the recessed portion 38 relative to a line
58 connecting the end
points 54. It will be understood that other curves and geometries are
contemplated.
[0027] A vertical or longitudinal angle of depression a for the plurality of
recessed
portions 38 is the angle between the line 58 and a line 60 extending from one
of the two end
points 54 to the deepest point in the recessed portion 38 along the arc 52,
which is the middle
point 56. The lines 58 and 60, and arc 52, lie on a vertical plane parallel to
the axis L. The
vertical angle of depression a on the vertical plane for the plurality of
recessed portions 38 is
approximately at least 20.7 degrees.
[0028] A minimum depth x for the plurality of recessed portions 38 is the
perpendicular
distance from the line 58 to the middle point 56. The depth x for the
plurality of recessed
portions 38 is approximately at least 0.118 inches.
[0029] For some other specific examples, if the container 10 is designed with
a capacity
of 8 oz. and a body portion diameter F of 3.7 inches, the vertical angle of
depression a may be
22.2 degrees and the vertical depth x may be 0.186 inches. For a 9 oz. example
with the same
body diameter F, the vertical angle of depression a may be 20.7 degrees and
the vertical depth x
may be 0.199 inches. For a 12 oz. example with a body diameter F of 4.0
inches, the vertical
angle of depression a may be 22.3 degrees and the vertical depth x may be
0.239 inches.
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 3, the plurality of recessed portions 38 each
define a
central arc 64 with two end points 66 on the ribs 44 and a middle point 68. As
with the arc 52,
the arc 64 is a circular arc with a consistent radius so that the middle point
68 is the maximum
depth of the recessed portion 38. It will be understood, however, that the
middle points 56 and
-7-
CA 02708541 2010-06-25
68 may not always be at the same point even though they are in the present
example. A
horizontal or circumferential angle of depression [3 for the plurality of
recessed portions 38 is
the angle between a line 70 extending through the two end points 66 of the arc
64 and a line 72
extending from one of the two end points 66 to the deepest point along the arc
64, which is the
middle point 68 in this case. The lines 70 and 72, and arc 64, lie on a
horizontal plane
perpendicular to the axis L. The horizontal angle of depression 3 for the
plurality of recessed
portions 38 on the horizontal plane is approximately at least 5 degrees.
[0031] A minimum depth y for the plurality of indentations 36 is the
perpendicular
distance from the line 70 to the middle point 68. The depth y for the
plurality of recessed
portions 38 is approximately at least 0.020 inches.
[0032] In specific examples, if the container 10 is designed with a capacity
of 8 oz. the
horizontal angle of depression (3 may be 10.2 degrees and the horizontal depth
y may be 0.044
inches. For a 9 oz. example, the horizontal angle of depression [3 may be 10.2
degrees and the
horizontal depth y may be 0.045 inches. For a 12 oz. example, the horizontal
angle of depression
j3 may be 10.2 degrees and the horizontal depth y may be 0.062 inches.
[0033] It will be understood that the container 10 described herein may be
used in a
large production. These teachings may also be scaled to accommodate varying
sizes and shapes
of containers including containers that have non-cylindrical bodies.
[0034] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of
modifications,
alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described
embodiments
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such
modifications,
alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of
the inventive
concept.
-8-
