Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02761211 2011-12-06
SPECIFICATIONS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is in the field of closures for vessels used for
packaging such as
pill vials, food containers and other rigid packaging.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Closures for packaging vessels having multiple features for safety and
convenience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In vessels used for packaging such as pill vials, bottles, -food take-out- and
storage
containers, and the like, the present invention is directed to the closures
(also referred to
as lids or covers or caps) for such -vessels. The improved closure of the
instant invention
has structures formed on the inner and/or outer surfaces of the closure that
provide
additional packaging benefits. The structures may be injection molded or
thermoformed
or otherwise formed or added so as to be part of the closure.
Such structures may be used to carry an additional vessel within the main
vessel, that
is, a second vessel carrying the san-ie or different product. The second
vessel is friction-
pressed into the structure such that it hangs inside until needed for use.
Removing the
closure makes the second inner vessel and its contents available for use.
For example an injection molded vessel commonly referred to as a pill vial
with a
transparent closure, may have a miniature vial attached to the closure such
that it can be
easily filled with a daily dose of pills. The remaining pills can be verified
through the
closure to ensure accurate compliance with the prescription. Or, similarly, a
food
container of thin thermoformed clear plastic for,say, salad or sandwiches and
the like,
CA 02761211 2011-12-06
may have customer-selected dressing or condiment separately packaged (i.e.,
like coffee
creamers) that hang safely inside the food container ready for use.
Closure structures of the instant invention may also include raised,
structures such as
domed dimples on the outer closure surface that can be easily deformed,
crumpled or
inverted with one's finger. A user-meaningful mark is co-formed adjacent to
the dimple.
Such dimples and markings can be arranged in coherent sets to, for example,
identify
. vessel contents, or months of the year. In this way a particular dimple
associated with a
user-meaningful mark can be identified weeks or months from the all other
normal domed
dimples in the set to serve as a reminder of contents and/or date. For example
in food
storage it is beneficial to know the starting date (month) of storage and what
food is in the
= vessel. In the instant invention, twelve such dimples each
adjacent a month of the year
will allow the user to deform the appropriate diinple and thus .be able to
'read' the month
= of storage when the stored container is later retrieved from
the freezer. A second set may
be four in number to indicate the week of the, month. Additional sets of such
raised
dimples on the container closure may have markings associated with food types.
Such
raised dimples may also be designed to pop inside out or become inverted, to
enable
identification. This may be useful where the material is more resilient
whereby deforming
would not occur.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
= Figure 1 shows a side view of a prior art contain.cr containing
material;
= Figure la shows a prior art closure for the prior art
container;
= Figure 2a is one embodiment of a closure for the first outer
container of the instant multi-
container invention whose inner surface is adapted with a receptacle to hold
the
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inner container;
Figure 2 shows a side view of how the inner containet is nested inside an
outer container;
Figure 3 shows an embodiment where the inner container has a separate closure;
Figure 4 shows the first closure inverted for access to inner container whose
contents
remain secure during such handling;
Figure 5 shows an embodiment where the outer container is double ended with
double
closures each engaging respective inner containers. Four different contents
are
also possible within the single container;
Figure 6 shows another embodiment where the inner container has a flange that
rest on,
or engages the lip of the outer container;
Figure 7 show the same embodiment where a top flange rests on. the rim and the
lower
flange adjoins the tapered d.iameter of the outer container;
Figure 8 show the same embodiment with only an upper flange to rest on the rim
of the
outer container and is trapped by its closure;
Figure 9 shows a perspective of a common sealing gasket, used in most common
containers, that is modified to allow the instant invention to be used in
existing
containers;
Figure 9a shows the same embodiment fitted into an inverted closure and where
the inner
container is shown to be removable therefrom;
Figure 10 shows multiple inner containers engaging the inner surface of the
closure of the
outer container;
= Figure 11 shows a plain inner container that simply fits into the top of
the outer container
by engaging the inner wall and is made spill-proof by the outer container's
closure;
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õ
=
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02761211 2011-12-06
Figure 12 shows how the inner container's receptacle can be secured to the
outer closure
by a sealing washer;
Figure 13 shows a squeezable or collapsable tube type inner container secured
to the
outer closure and with its own removable closure;
Figure 14 shows a side view of a transparent, thermoformed closure with an
internal
recess structure;
Figure 15 shows the same embodiment with a second container pressed into the
recess;
Figure 16 shows label discs that for insertion into the recess;
Figure 17 shows the same embodiment;
Figure 18 shows a top view of a closure with parallel ridges spaced to
frictionally receive
secondary containers in both round and rectangular shape
Figure 19 shows a side cross-section view of a closure with a raised dimple
and a
deformed dimple;
Figure 20 shows the same embodiment where a dimple is pressed to pop inside
out or
=
Figure 21 shows a
top view of the embodiment of Figs 14, 15 including a retained spoon; become
inverted;
Figure 22 is a side view showing the closure of Figs 14, 15, 19 and the
container below
and where the bottom of the container has a recess to allow stack
..-packing of the
containers such that they nest together. .Also shown is the use of dimples on
the
side wall of a container.
Figure 23 shows a variation of Fig 22 where the cup-shaped recess is formed so
that there
is no raised structure above the closure upper surface;
Figure 24 shows an embodiment of a dimple fbrrn having a concentric wave
design to
ease its inversion which is also shown;
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Figure 25 shows a top view of a closure with sets of multiple, deformable
dimples. Sets
are associated with months, week.s, food ingredient and food type and one
dimple
from each set is shown deformed and/or inverted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In Fig 1 vessel 2c shows a representation of the prior art in the form of a
pill vial. Prior art
closure 2 is a common lid or cap with representative engagement means 21) to
snap, flip,
plug, screw or twist, into or onto or. over the opening of vessel body 3.
.
In the instant invention vessel body 3 may be identical to prior art. Closure
I however
is different to the prior art in that its interior surfaee has receptacle
means thereon to hold
,
a separate inner vessel 3a. Preferably closure I is transparent or translucent
to allow
.
.
viewing of contents of vessel 3a.
..
, On inner surface la of closure 1 is a receptacle lc
(shown in heavy line in Figs 3, 3a),
i.
which, in one embodiment, is a shallow eylindricai wall, ring or socket
designed to
i
1
I receive inner vessel 3a. A ring of pin-like protrusions
will also suffice. Receptacle lc
.
,
circumscribes an area lb on inner surface 2a. Receptacle lc may. have a taper
or threads,
1
I
i ridges, grooves, or other features formed into its inner
and/or outer surfaces (not shown)
to more securely engage inner vessel 3c which itself may have may have
cooperating
features formed thereon.
Inner vessel 3a has a first end 3f which is closed and a second. end 3g has an
openin.g
or rim to receive a closure. In one embodiment (Fig 3) first end 3f is
permanently closed
= by bottom 6 (shown in heavy line). Ideally, either end 3f
or 3g may be inserted into sleeve
, lc. If first end 3f is inserted, then a closure 4 that
.Cets over or closure 4a that fits in, is .
provided for second end 3g so that inner -vessel 3a can be readily disengaged
to become a
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convenient take-away to be safely carried in pocket or purse. If second end 3g
(open end)
is inserted into sleeve lc then no closure 4, 4a is needed.
Figs 4, 9 shows another embodiment yhere sleeve lc is taller so that itself
forms the
inner vessel 3a and has a closure 4 or 4a. Fig 5 shows an embodiment where
vessel 3 may
= have closures 1 at each end and either or both may have an
inner vessel 3a. In this
= embodiment vessel 3 may also have a partition 6a to separate contents.
In another embodiment shown in Figs 6, 7, 8 inner vessel 3a does not attach to
closure
2 but sits on or in vessel body 3. Flange10 may be sized to fit between outer
vessel 3 and
its closure 2, such that inner 'vessel 3a is engaged therabe tweet). Fig 6)
and contents are
= held separate. Alternatively inner vessel of this embodiment
may have second flange 11
which.contacts the normally tapered wall of outer vessel body 3 where sueh
taper is
indicated in Fig 6 by designations large diameter 12 and lesser diameter 13,
Another
= 'embodiment that eliminates the flanges (Fig 11) has the inner
vessel. 3a simply sliding
down to engage the tapered inner walls of outer vessel 3 so as to remain
uppermost in the
= outer container such that closure 1 can prevent spillage.
Figs 9, 9a and 12 show how existing closures may be modified by using a
different
sealing gasket. In Fig 9 receptacle lc includes a flange 20 that serves as the
gasket where
both may be formed in one piece. In Fig 12 is another embodiment where washer
gasket
= 21 fits over and secures reõceptaele 3a into the closure 1 by
clamping its flange 22
therebetween. In Fg 9a a normal closure is shown upsirle down. and in section
so as to
show how flange 20 (or flanges 21, 22) is secured therein. In Fig 9a inner
vessel 3c is
= removably insertable. As previously described, inner vessel 3c
may be inserted bottom 6
first and have a closure 4, 4a, or, inserted with bottom 6 out (not shown)
such that a
closure 4, 4a is not needed. Flanges 20, 2.1, 2..2 21 raay include features to
prevent
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CA .02761211 2011-12-06
unwanted movement or rotation. Components 3c, 4, 4a may be opaque or
translucent.
In Fig 10 is shown how multiple inner containers may be attached to closure 1
each
= = enclosing area lb. Such an embodiment may be usealii for a
larger diam.eter outer vessel
body where several related materials A should be packaged securely together,
such as
= different pills, chemicals, specimens, components and the like. Of course
inner vessel 3a
may itself have its own inner vessel arranged in the manner described above
making for a
= multi-nested, multi-container. In another enabodiment one
or more ma.gnets may be used
on or in bottom 6 to suspend inner container 3a from a closure I made of
steel.
- Any combination of the above described embodiments may also be used.
In Figs 14-20 is shown a closure 100 (also :referred to 2,s a cover ot lid) of
qpical
= transparent food container of the type widely used for
prepared foods and/or for food
storage in fridge or freezer, vacuum thermoformed from thin plastic sheed
and/or injection
= molded from plastic, silicone or other elastomer.
= Closure 100 has integral ritn100b to engage and seal
onto related 'vessel body 110 (Fig
= = 22). In the instant invention, closure 11. has additional
structures form.ed thereon. In one
.=
= embodiment, recess 102 has retaining wall portion 101
designed to receive and hold a
separate vessel N by means of its upper lip M. A label P may also be inserted
in recess
= 102. In Figs 22, 23 the recess 102 may be doubly formed
such that inverted .structure 120
creates retaining wall portion 101 which thereby allows recess 10.2 remalas
bek,ly the
closure outer surface. Vessel body 110 m.ay have bottom recess a for nestin2.
Fig 18 shows another embodiment comprising parallel ridges 120 formed in the
closure for auxiliary product vessels M to be held therebetween in both round
and
, rectangular form. Such ridges 120 are also shown in end
view in Fig 23. Ridges 120 may
be non-parallel (not shown) so that vessels I\,4 can be sl.id in from the
front end whereby
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they jam between the narrowing ridge spacing. Spaced dimple structures may
also be
used to hold articles such as plastic spoon R (Fig 21) that snaps between
dimples.
In Figs 19, 20 and 24 is shown the use of deformable dimples 1.70 arranged in
sets such
= _ as set 190 associated with food groups (Vegetable, Beef, Bird, Pork,
Fish), set 185
associated with weeks, set 175 and the outer ring set 160 representing, the
twebie months
of the year. Such deformed dimples can be 'erased' by pressing out the
deforming effect
from the opposite side of the closure, making the dimples reusable. Also shown
is a
protector ridge 200 that serves to prevent accidental deforming of dimples 170
during
handling. Once frozen, containers can be arranged on their sides to expose the
(.7dosures
and thereby dispiay the infbrmation communicated by the dimples. Fig 2: also
shows
how the dimple concept ma.y be used on the side wail of a container such that
they remain
visible when containers (i.e., circular containers) a.re arranged in stacks
where the lower
closures are covered.
In use, one dimple 170 from each dimple set (160, 170, 180, 190) may be
deformed
(or inverted) to create visibly distinguishable- dimples .I.70a. In Fig 24,
month 4 (April);
=
= week 3; Veg and Pasta have all be deformed and thereby have been made
visibly
distinctive from the remaining untouched dimples. Thus in the future where one
wishes to
know the contents and age of the produenstored in the vessel, that information
is quickly
discernible by 'reading' the deformed dimple and the adjacent user-meaningful
marking.
=
=
More such information can be so encoded, such as the alphabet, limited only by
the area
of closure 100. Such dimples could also be in the forin of separate rubbery
dornes (not
shown) inserted into holes in closure 100 to serve the same readability
purpose.
In Figs 19, 20, dimple 1'70 is an embodiment suited to use with resilitat
malierials that
do not easily, deform. The initial raised dimple 170 is pressed down such that
it pops
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through the closure (i.e., inverts) to inverted dimple 170a to serve the same
function as
above described deformed dimples. In Fig 24 wave dimple 180 is an embodiment
for both
=
= flexible and resilient closure materials. A concentric wave form
surrounding the centered
= dimple adds flexibility to ease the act of inversion. Wave dimple 180
\'hen inverted it is
=
shown as inverted wave dimple 1.80a. Wave dirnpl.e 180 also eases the
reversion to clear
the dimple after the contents are removed from the vessel and the dimple is to
be reused.
=
=
The above specification discloses the basics of the present invention so that
anyone
skilled in the art may reduce it to practice. Other details may be included in
such practice
= without detracting from the spirit of the invention.
=
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