CONTENANT

CONTAINER

Description

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CONTAINER
Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to a container. More particularly, the present
invention relates to a container for containing and distributing substances,
such
as spices and the like.
Background of the invention:
Known in the art are various containers used for containing and distributing
substances, such as spices and the like. Indeed, presently in the market there
are
different spice containers which have essentially the same functions, namely:
the
preservation of spices and the stocking thereof for use, namely, in culinary
applications.
Also known in the art are the various shapes and formats in which these
different
containers are presented: some are made of glass or plastic and some consist
of
bags or envelopes of different sizes.
Known in the art, there is the conventional cylindrical "glass container"
which is
generally clear and transparent, and is typically provided with a distributing
cap
and a cover. The disadvantages of this type of container are the following: it
is not
stackable; it is made out of glass and thus is easily breakable; it has a
round
shape, which renders the manipulating of the container difficult; and it is
generally
heavier than the other spice containers available in the market. Another
disadvantage related to this type of container is that the consumer must "take
off'
the distributing cap in order to remove the seal, and then put the
distributing cap
back-on again and this, without damaging the latter. The risks of wastage, the
risks of breaking the container if dropped and/or the risks of loss of spices
increase with the handling of the container that the consumer must carry out
in

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order to use the product. Furthermore, "glass containers" stored one next to
the
other, in a cupboard for example, render the spotting of the various types of
spices difficult and also occupy a lot of space in the cupboard itself,
because the
containers cannot be stacked onto one another, which is very disadvantageous
for obvious reasons.
Also known in the art is the conventional cylindrical "plastic container"
which
presents essentially the same disadvantages as the above-mentioned "glass
container", namely: it is non-stackable; it has a round shape; it requires a
particular handling of the container; and it renders the spotting of the
various
types of desired spices difficult, in a cupboard for example.
Also known in the art is the "plastic bag" container. This type of container
is
disadvantageous because it generally comes with a ZipIocTM closing means
which, according to many consumers, has been known to seldom close properly
and thus leads to a loss of freshness of the product inside the bag and also
makes the cupboard become sprinkled with unwanted spices. Also, when using
the "plastic bag", a consumer will often have to decant it into another
suitable
container in order to be able to have better access to the product. Moreover,
the
above-mentioned type of closing means does not provide to a user the choice of
a specific desired quantity, because with only one choice of opening (which is
generally too big), one must resort to the use of measuring spoons. Similarly
to
the conventional glass and/or plastic containers, a consumer must manipulate
the
bag, namely with scissors, in order to have access to the product contained
inside the bag. Disadvantages of this type of handling may lead namely to the
cutting/damage of the closing means by mistake or simply the tearing the bag.
Furthermore, storing this type of container which has no stable base and has a
heterogeneous shape, in a cupboard for example, renders the access and the
visibility to the spices very difficult, as well as takes up a lot of space,
which is
very undesirable. Indeed, "plastic bag" containers are not easily "stackable"
onto
one another, which is also very disadvantageous.

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Also known in the art, there is the "cellophane bag", which further to the
great risk
of tearing due to the fragility of its constituent material, also presents the
same
disadvantages as those of the plastic bag containers.
Hence, in light of the aforementioned, there is a need for an improved
container
for containing and distributing substances, such as spices and the like,
which, by
virtue of its design and components, would be able to overcome some of the
aforementioned problems.
Summary of the invention:
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved container for
containing and distributing substances, such as spices and the like, which
satisfies some of the above-mentioned needs and which is thus an improvement
over other such containers known in the prior art.
In accordance with the present invention, the above object is achieved, as
will be
easily understood, with a container such as the one briefly described herein
and
such as the one exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is also provided the
method
for employing the above-mentioned container.
The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will
become
more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of a
preferred embodiment thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only
with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings:
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the container according to the preferred
embodiment of the invention, the container being shown with a security seal.

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Figure 2 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 1, the
container being shown now with its security seal removed.
Figure 3 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 2, the
container being shown now with its cap in a first opening position.
Figure 4 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 3, the
container being shown now with its cap in a second opening position.
Figure 5 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 4, the
container being shown now with its cap in a third opening position.
Figure 6 is another perspective view of the container shown in Figure 5, the
container being shown now with its cap in a fourth opening position.
Figure 7 is a side perspective view of the container shown in Figure 1.
Figure 8 is a partial bottom perspective view of the container shown in Figure
1.
Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the container shown
in
Figure 1.
Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of another portion of the
container
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 11 is a top perspective view of the base of the container shown in
Figure 1.
Figure 12 is a top perspective view of the cover of the container shown in
Figure 1.

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Figure 13 is a top perspective view of the cap of the container shown in
Figure 1,
said cap being shown provided with a security seal.
Figure 14 is a partial top plan view of what is shown in Figure 5.
5
Figure 15 is a partial perspective view of the cover clip of the container
shown in
Figure 1.
Detailed description of a areferred embodiment of the invention:
In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar
elements. The embodiments shown in the figures are preferred.
Moreover, although the present invention was primarily designed for use with
spices and the like, it may be used with other types of substances andlor
objects
and for other applications in other' fields, as apparent to a person skilled
in the art.
For this reason, expressions such as "spice", "food", "culinary", "cupboard",
etc.,
used herein should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention
and
includes all other kinds of items and applications with which the present
invention
could be used and may be useful.
Moreover, in the context of the present invention, the expressions "cover",
"lid",
"cap", "plug", and any other equivalent expression known in the art will be
used
interchangeably. Furthermore, the same applies for any other mutually
equivalent
expressions, such as "orifice" and "opening", as well as "seal" and
"airtightness"
for example, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art.
In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises various components, such as
a security seal, notches, clips, recesses, a groove, rails, etc., and although
the
preferred embodiment of the cantainer 1 and of its components as shown
consists of certain geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated
herein,

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not all of these components and geometries are essential to the invention and
thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense, i.e. should not be taken
as to
limit the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood, as also
apparent to
a person skilled in the art, that other suitable components and cooperations
thereinbetween, as well as other suitable geometrical configurations may be
used
for the container 1 and corresponding parts according to the present
invention, as
briefly explained herein, without departing from the scope of the invention.
Broadly described, the present invention relates to a container 1 for
containing
and distributing substances, such as spices and the like.
As better shown in the accompanying drawings, the container 1 according to the
present invention preferably comprises a base 3 into which is contained the
substance to be contained, such as spices and the like for example, and the
container 1 also preferably camprises a cover 5 which is operatively mounted
onto an upper edge 7 of the base 3 for providing a substantially airtight seal
inside the container 1, so as to preferably ensure the freshness of the
substance
contained inside the container 1. The cover 5 preferably comprises at least
one
opening 9 which gives access to the inside of the container 1 and also
comprises
a cap 11 which is preferably intended to selectively open and close the
opening 9
of the container 1.
As better shown in the accompanying drawings, the cap 11 is preferably devised
to slide within a corresponding recessed groove 13 provided on the cover 5 and
is preferably devised to selectively open and close the opening 9 of the
container
1 in a substantially airtight manner. As shown in the accompanying drawings,
the
cap 11 preferably comprises a pair of recesses 15 which define a handle 17 for
facilitating the opening and the closing of the cap 11 by the users, by simply
applying a slight force onto the handle by means of a finger. Preferably also,
the
cap 11 is located within the groove 13 of the cover 5 so as to be
substantially
flush with the remaining portion of the cover 5. Preferably also, the cover 5
is
provided with a raised rim 19 which enables, among other advantages, for

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another similar container 1 to be stacked in a stable manner onto the cover 5.
Preferably also, the portion of the rim 19 of the cover 5 adjacent to the
opening 9
where distribution of the spices are made is deprived of such raised rim 19,
so as
to facilitate distribution of spices from the opening 9 onto a given product.
It is worth mentioning here that although the rim 19 provides substantial
advantages to the present invention, namely for stacking purposes, it is not
an
essential feature of the invention. Moreover, although such raised rim 19 is
absent in the vicinity of the opening 9 of the cover 5, it is worth mentioning
that
according to another embodiment of the invention, such a raised rim 19 may
extend all along the entire periphery of the cover 5.
As better shown in Figure 1, the cap 11 is preferably provided with a security
seal
which preferably consists of a security tab 21 having a projection 23 inserted
into
a corresponding notch 25 of the groove 13 of the cover 5, as better shown in
Figure 9. This preferred security seal is preferably intended to ensure to a
user of
the container 1 that the cap 11 has not been previously opened. Indeed, prior
to
the first use of the container 1, a user simply has to "break-off' the
security tab 21
from the cap 11 so as to be able to slide the cap 11 along the groove 13 of
the
cover 5. Although the cap 11 may be operated simply between an opened and a
closed configuration, the cap 11 according to the preferred embodiment of the
invention is preferably devised to be positioned and secured at five (5)
different
locations within the groove 13 of the cover 5, as will be explained
hereinbelow.
Preferably also, for each of said configurations, the cap 11 is preferably
provided
with interlocking means 27 which interact with a side edge of the groove 13 of
the
cover 5 so as to position and secure the cap 11 for each such given position.
These interlocking means preferably consist of a corresponding clip 29
provided
on the cap 11 which is removably and selectively inserted into corresponding
notches 31 provided along the side rim of the groove 13 of the cover 5, as
better
shown in Figure 14. It is worth mentioning, that other suitable interlocking
means
27 may be provided for positioning and securing the cap 11 along predetermined
positions of the groove 13, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.

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The container 1 is preferably made of a transparent and polymeric material,
although other suitable materials and translucences may be used for the
fabrication of the container 1 and of its components, as also apparent to a
person
skilled in the art.
The cover 5 is preferably secured onto the base 3 by suitable sealing means,
such as by electrosound techniques, or by other suitable means, so as to
ensure
an adequate sealing and resulting freshness inside the container 1, as
apparent
to a person skilled in the art.
Preferably, the container 1 has a rectangular shape so as to be easily
stackable
and thus enable a consumer to store the containers 1 while minimizing the
space
required for such storing, in a cupboard for example. The manner in which a
label
is applied to the container 1, preferably on the top cover 5 and/or on a side
wall of
the base 3, enables consumers to read easily the name of the product which is
being searched, even when the containers 1 are stacked onto one another.
Preferably, as aforementioned, the cap 11 offers five (5) positioning
selections for
obtaining the desired quantity of spices, among which there is an opening for
sprinkling salts or granulates, an opening for seasonings and, a greater
opening
for applying herbs. The cover 5 is protected by a protective tab 21 which is
easy
to remove.
Indeed, the cap 11 and cover 5 assembly enable the possibility of five (5)
choices
of openings, as shown in Figures 2 to 6. This is achievable by simply sliding
the
cap 11 so as to be positioned at the desired locations/openings, contrary to
the
other containers known in the art which typically only offer one (1 ) to three
(3)
choices of openings (closed/grid/opened).
The container 1 is easily stackable, by taking for example a normal height of
a
cupboard, the container 1 according to the present invention enables the

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possibility of stacking several cantainers 1 (e.g. ten (10) containers 1)
therein
depending on the shape and size of the containers 1.
Furthermore, the design and the positioning of the cap 11 on the cover 5
enables
to better see the product inside the container 1.
As better shown in Figure 10, the plastic container 1, which is preferably
transparent, enables to contain the product, with an edge 17 for supporting
and
sealing the cover 5.
Referring now generally to Figures 1-15, there is shown how the cover 5 is
devised to provide an airtight seal and protect the matter inside the
container 1.
The upper rim 19 of the cover 5 which is raised from the cover 5, prevents the
containers 1 from sliding when stacked onto each other. The cover 5 also is
intended to support the cap 11. The portion of the cover 5 having no rim 19 is
intended to allow the spices to slide during the use of the container. The
inferior
rims) 33 of the cover 5 are intended to stabilize the latter onto the base 3
so as
to facilitate the sealing between the cover 5 and the base 3. In the recessed
portion of the cover 5, as better shown in Figure 14, there is located the
preferred
five (5) stoppage points, as better shown in Figure 15, providing the five (5)
choices of openings. In the same portion, there is located a small projection
23,
as better shown in Figure 9, serving to trigger the security notch of the tab
21.
Preferably, two (2) rails 35 support the cap 11 so as to enable it to slide
suitably
with the groove 13.
Referring now to Figure 10, there is shown the cap 11, of rectangular shape
preferably, providing an airtight seal to the orifice 9 of the cover 5.
Furthermore,
the cap 11 with its specific and reviewed design, provides to the consumers
choices of openings. At the end thereof, a clip 29, as better shown in Figures
13
and 14, enables the cap 11 to be secured by simply sliding the clip 29 onto
the
corresponding stoppage notches 31, so as to allow preferably five (5)
different
positionings. On the cap 11, there is also preferably two (2) rails 35, as
better

CA 02409805 2002-10-25
shown in Figure 13, that are associated with corresponding slits on the groove
13
of the cover 5. The latter are intended to allow the cap to slide in a
suitable
manner, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
5 On top of the cap 11, in its extremity, there is preferably a tab 21
intended for
providing the air-tightness of the product. Close to the latter, a sloping
system
enables to close the opening thus impeding the accumulation of matter. The tab
21, preferably located at the extremity of the cap 11, as better shown in
Figure
13, is intended as a security "valve". On the bottom of the cap 11, there is
10 preferably a projection 23 that is inserted into a corresponding notch 25
of the
cover 5, as better shown in Figure 9. The safety seal protects the consumer by
ensuring him that the container has never been opened in store. In order to be
able to use the product, one must raise the tab 21 and "break off' the seal.
Preferably, on top of the cap 11, two (2) recessed cavities 15, as better
shown in
Figure 13, are intended to facilitate the manipulation with the fingers during
the
choice of opening.
Many modifications could be made to the present invention without departing
from the scope of the present invention. Indeed, one may use the snap method
instead of the sealing method for properly closing the cover 5 onto the base
3.
Moreover, the shape and sizes of the orifice 9 may be adjusted. Moreover, the
color of the container 1 and of the cap 11 may be altered. Moreover, the
dimension of the container 1 itself may be different. Moreover, a system of
perforation (e.g. a grid) may be incorporated in the system. Moreover, the
position of the clip 29 may be altered. Finally, the superior and/or inferior
rims 19,
33 of the container 1 may be altered.
As may now be appreciated, the present invention is a substantial improvement
over the prior art in that by virtue of its design and components, the
container 1
according to the present invention, presents the following advantages: a)
facilitates the handling of the product by way of its shape and facilitates
its
stocking, as well as ensures an airtight container preserving thus the
freshness of

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the spices contained therein; b) by way of its new design is more attractive
for the
consumer, in store as well as in the home; c) it has also been conceived for
the
travelling consumer by offering a stocking facility namely in a trailer, at
the chalet
and/or while camping; d) the unique container does not require such a rigorous
handling thereof (e.g. distributing cap to handle or scissors to be used) as
in the
case with a conventional containers or bags; e) the choice for the plastic
material
as a constituent material of the container renders it less heavy and
transparent; f)
the container 1 provides to the user the opportunity to use it in its original
form
without having to decant it into another container; g) being devised to be
closed in
an airtight manner, the container 1 assures a product of greater freshness; h)
the
secured container 1 gives the opportunity to be used and handled without any
danger to a young person or an older person; i) the container 1 renders the
visibility and the accessibility of the product to be spotted more easily in
commercial establishments as well as at home; and j) the container 1 is
available
in different formats and proposes to the consumer the choice of buying the
desired quantity according to his particular needs.
Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the above-described
embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as apparent to a
person skilled in the art.