Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. C0628/41085A-CA
CONTAINER FOR FOR SHIPPING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent
Application No. 63/144,758, filed February 2, 2021, entitled "Container for
Shipping
Hazardous Materials," the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated
herein.
FIELD OF DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present subject matter relates to containers, and more
particularly to a
container for shipping hazardous materials.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A known shipping container for shipping hazardous materials that
are
stored in, for example, an inner material container comprising a plastic or
glass bottle, is
similar to a conventional paint can having a center cover that fits over a
center portion
and has an outer rim that wedges into a circumferential groove of the
container proper.
In addition, such a "paint can" container includes a plastic ring that fits
over the outer
periphery of the container so that the container can withstand high pressures
within the
container and can survive drops and rough handling in transit. While the
container may
be usable to protect against an accidental release of the hazardous material
and/or damage
to the inner container during shipping, such a container suffers from the
disadvantage that
the plastic ring is difficult to remove when the contents are to be retrieved
from the
container. This disadvantage can render use of the shipping container
inconvenient and
undesirable.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. C0628/41085A-CA
-2-
SUMMARY
[0004] According to an aspect, a hazardous material shipping container
comprises
a shell having a first threaded portion at a first end thereof, a closed
second end opposite
the first end, inwardly extending ribs, and outwardly extending flutes,
wherein the ribs
and flutes are disposed between the first end and the second end. A cushioning
material
is inside the shell, and a cap has a second threaded portion adapted to mate
with the first
threaded portion and a recess on a lower surface wherein the recess is adapted
to receive
an upper portion of a material container.
[0005] Other aspects and advantages will become apparent upon
consideration of
the following detailed description and the attached drawings wherein like
numerals
designate like structures throughout the specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG.1 is a perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of a
container
in combination with two sample glass, plastic, or other inner containers to be
transported
therein;
[0007] FIGS. 2-5 are perspective views illustrating an assembly method
for
inserting and securing one of the glass or other containers of FIG. 1 in the
container of
FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 5A is an isometric view of the assembled shell and cap of
FIG. 5;
[0009] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the shell of FIGS. 1-4;
[0010] FIGS. 7-9 are top, bottom, and side elevational views,
respectively, of the
shell of FIGS. 1-4;
[0011] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional taken generally along the lines 10-
10 of FIG.
7;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. C0628/41085A-CA
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[0012] FIG. ills a fragmentary sectional view taken generally at the
view lines
11-11 of FIG. 10;
[0013] FIG. 12 is an isometric view of the container cap of FIGS. 4 and
5;
[0014] FIG. 13 is a plan view of the cap of FIG. 12;
[0015] FIG. 13A is a plan view of a cap similar to the cap FIG. of FIG.
13 with
flat surfaces adapted to be engaged by a wrench;
[0016] FIGS. 14 and 15 are side elevational views of the cap taken at
90 degree
spacing as indicated by the view lines 14-14 and 15-15 of FIG. 13;
[0017] FIG. 16 is a bottom elevational view of the cap of FIG. 12;
[0018] FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 17-
17 of FIG.
13;
[0019] FIG. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the cap
taken
generally at the view lines 18-18 of FIG. 17;
[0020] FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 19-
19 of FIG.
13;
[0021] FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 20-
20 of FIG.
13; and
[0022] FIG. 21 is an isometric view of another container cap.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Embodiments of a container 10 particularly suited to ship
hazardous
materials is shown in the FIGS. The container 10 comprises a plastic container
shell 12
with a screw-on cap 14 wherein one or both of the shell 12 and the cap 14 may
be
fabricated of, for example, a high density polyethylene, polypropylene, a
copolymer, or
other suitable material. The shell 12 is preferably of a substantially
circular cylindrical
shape, with the exception of a slight draft angle of a sidewall 15 for molding
purposes,
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. C0628/41085A-CA
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although the shell 12 may be of any other suitable shape. An upper portion 16
of the
shell 12 and the cap 14 have first and second threaded portions comprising
mating
circular cylindrical buttress threads 18, 19, respectively, and a rubber or
other 0-ring 20
(FIGS. 4 and 16) is seated in a circumferential curved recess 22 (FIGS. 16-19)
in the cap
14 and seals against a curved (in cross-section as seen in FIG. 11) upper
circumferential
end surface 24 of the shell 12 when the cap 14 is threaded thereon. The cap 14
further
preferably includes a closed bottom end opposite the threads 18.
[0024] As seen in FIG. 13A, in an embodiment comprising a cap 14a that
may be
used in lieu of the cap 14, one or more upwardly projecting (i.e., extending)
surfaces may
be formed on an upper surface of the cap 14a, for example, in a shape defining
a
hexagonal projection 25, to permit the cap 14 to be turned by a turning tool,
such as a
torque wrench (not shown), in the latter case to a desired torque magnitude on
the shell
12. In any event, the shell 12 is sized, for example, to accept up to a one-
liter glass,
plastic, or other rigid or flexible material container therein, for example,
as seen at 26
(FIG. 1), that is optionally placed in a fabric bag 28 (seen in FIGS. 1 and 2)
that may be
made of felt or other soft and absorbable material and placed in the shell 12
(FIGS. 3 and
4) before the cap 14 is threaded thereon (as seen in FIGS. 5 and 5A).
Alternatively, a
different glass, plastic, or other rigid or flexible material container 30 may
be optionally
placed in the bag 28 or other cushioning material (as described below) and the
optional
combination of the two deposited in the shell 12 and the cap 14 threaded
thereon. The
glass, plastic, or other rigid or flexible other material container 26, 30 may
hold a
hazardous liquid or dry powder.
[0025] The fabric bag 28 provides cushioning for shock isolation and is
preferably liquid absorbent. The bag 28 may be replaced and/or used in
conjunction with
a different absorbent and/or cushioning material, such as bubble wrap,
vermiculite, or the
like. The shell optionally includes inwardly extending first ribs 32 (FIGS. 6,
7, and 10)
on an inner surface 34 thereof. The shell further optionally includes
outwardly extending
bumps or flutes 36 (FIGS. 2, 6, and 8) on an outer surface 38. The first ribs
32 and/or
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. C0628/41085A-CA
-5-
bumps or flutes 36 may be substantially or fully equally spaced about the
shell 12 and
absorb and/or deflect side forces.
[0026] The cap 14 may also be of a substantially circular cylindrical
shape and
may include radial gussets defining second ribs 40 (FIGS. 12, 13, 17, 18, and
19) on an
upper surface 42 that strengthen the cap 14. An optional recess 44 (FIG. 16)
may be
provided on a lower surface 46 of the cap 14 that may receive an upper portion
of a
material container cap 48 (FIG. 1) screwed onto the glass containers 26, 30
and a circular
wall 50 defining the recess 44 may have a depth and radius to limit
longitudinal and
lateral movement of the material container 26, 30 and thus promote stability
of the glass
or other material container 26, 30 in the container 10. Further limitations on
lateral
movement may be imposed by the first ribs 32, which may extend inwardly to an
extent
to capture the glass or other material container 26, 30 and bag 28 snugly
within the shell
12.
[0027] The cap 14 may further include an upwardly extending circular
cylindrical
member 52 (FIGS. 12 and 13) that may coincide with or be coaxial with respect
to the
circular wall 50. An outer surface 54 of the member 52 may include outwardly
extending
features, such as lugs separated by grooves to form serrations 56 to allow a
user to exert
opening and closing torque forces using, for example, a suitable tool on the
cap 14.
Further, four sets of spaced portions 58 (FIGS. 14, 15, and 21) of an outer
surface 60 of
the cap 14 may also include outwardly extending portions or lugs separated by
grooves
(FIG. 20) defining serrations 62 (FIGS. 14 and 15) to promote gripping of the
cap 14 by a
user during threading and unthreading thereof.
[0028] While the first ribs 32 are illustrated as being substantially
or fully
identical to one another in shape and spacing and the bumps or flutes 36 are
illustrated as
being substantially or fully identical to one another in shape and spacing,
this need not be
the case inasmuch as one or more of the ribs 32 may be differently shaped
and/or
differently spaced with respect to the remaining rib(s) 32, as may one or more
of the
bumps or flutes 36 with respect to the remaining bumps or flutes 36. Also, as
seen in
FIG. 7, each first rib 32 is illustrated as being equally spaced between
adjacent bumps or
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. C0628/41085A-CA
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flutes 36. although this need not be the case inasmuch as the ribs 32 may be
disposed at
other locations relative to the bumps or flutes 36. Also, each rib 32 and bump
or flute 36
may extend the full height of the shell 12, exclusive of the threads 18, or
may only extend
a portion of such height.
[0029] Still further, although the first ribs 32 and bumps or flutes
36 are shown as
having constant inwardly extending and outwardly extending dimensions,
respectively,
along the height of the shell 12 exclusive of the threads 18 (neglecting taper
due to the
presence of the draft angle), respectively, one or more of the ribs 32 and/or
bumps or
flutes 36 may have varying inwardly extending and outwardly extending
dimensions,
respectively, along the height of the shell 12.
[0030] While inner and outer bottom surfaces 42, 43, respectively, of
the shell 12
are illustrated as being flat (i.e., planar), a series of bumps, nubs, or
other features (not
shown) may be provided on either or both surfaces 42, 43 to provide shock
absorption if
the shell 12 is dropped.
[0031] Other features and/or recesses may be provided on the shell 12
and/or cap
14 to provide further shock protection. An alternative or additional enclosure
for the
glass container 26, 30 other than the fabric bag 28 may be provided.
[0032] Another cap 14b is illustrated in FIG. 21 that is usable with
the shell 12 in
lieu of the cap 14. The cap 14a includes radially-extending ribs of constant
height in
place of some or all of the ribs 40. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment,
radially
extending ribs 40a are substituted for every other radial gusset comprising a
rib 40. The
cap 14b is otherwise identical to the cap 14 with the exception of a shallow
blind bore
100 disposed at the center of the cap 14b and is threaded onto the shell 12 in
use as seen
in FIGS. 5 and 5A.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. C0628/41085A-CA
-7-
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0033] The container disclosed herein is sufficiently strong and
resilient to pass
drop tests and other federally-mandated requirements and may be capable of
qualifying
for a special permit from the Depai intent of Transportation that would
allow the
container to be shipped without the need for further protective packaging.
[0034] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar
references in the
context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the
following claims) are
to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise
indicated
herein or clearly contradicted by context. Recitation of ranges of values
herein are
merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to
each separate
value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each
separate value
is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited
herein. All
methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless
otherwise
indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any
and all
examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended
merely to
better illuminate the disclosure and does not pose a limitation on the scope
of the
disclosure unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should
be
construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice
of the
disclosure.
[0035] Numerous modifications to the present disclosure will be
apparent to those
skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. It should be
understood that the
illustrated embodiments are exemplary only and should not be taken as limiting
the scope
of the disclosure.
[0036] All references, including publications, patent applications, and
patents,
cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if
each reference
were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference
and were set
forth in its entirety herein.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27
PATENT APPLICATION
Docket No. C0628/41085A-CA
-8-
[0037] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar
references in the
context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the
following claims) are
to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise
indicated
herein or clearly contradicted by context. Recitation of ranges of values
herein are
merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to
each separate
value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each
separate value
is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited
herein. All
methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless
otherwise
indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any
and all
examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended
merely to
better illuminate the disclosure and does not pose a limitation on the scope
of the
disclosure unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should
be
construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice
of the
disclosure.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-01-27
