MXPA99007036A - Storage container - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (10) for storing items, such as foodstuffs, includes a monolithic side wall (18) which includes a window portion (30) having greater transparency than the remainder of the side wall. This is achieved by forming the container (10) of a clear, tinted material, and forming the window portion (30) with a reduced thickness, and/or forming the window portion (30) with a smooth surface and forming the remainder of the side wall with an obscuring texture. A cover (12) maybe used to close the container (10), and may form a seal with the container. The cover (12) may include pivot pins (44) to permit the cover to be pivoted to a position breaking the seal, thus permitting easier removal of the cover. A pouring insert (14) may also be used with the container. The pouring insert (14) is mounted to the mouth of the container, and includes a main pour spout and a secondary pour spout. Both pour spouts include pour guides to direct spilled contents back into the container. A hinge in the pouring insert permits a first section to remain in position while a second section is folded therebeneath. The second section may be secured in this position, forming a scooping aperture.

Description

STORAGE CONTAINER REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS This request is related to the co-pending series Nos. (Case of the Attorney No. 130403-D200), (Case of the Attorney No. 130404-D200), (Case of the Attorney No. 130405-D200), which are incorporated herein by reference and form a part thereof, including but not limited to those portions specifically listed below. DECLARATION CONCERNING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally describes home storage containers, particularly those used for food products. In particular, the present invention discloses an improved storage container having an integral window, and which can be used with a cover that provides a seal which can be opened by the pivoting of the cover, and can also be used with a Pouring insert which forms the openings for the dumping and shoveling of the container. Numerous types of home storage containers are known, including those that are typically manufactured from plastic, which have a container with a sealing cover, and which are typically used for food storage. A first problem with known containers of this type is the desire to provide a good seal between the container and the cover, however it allows the cover to be easily placed and removed. Typically with a better seal, there is more difficulty in placing and removing the cover. So, there is the continuing need for a cover that provides a good seal, which is still easy to use. An additional problem with such containers is the desire to allow visual inspection of the contents, which still provides an aesthetic appearance by visually obscuring the contents. It has been known to provide containers having an opaque main body with a transparent window section. While these containers provide great advantages over completely transparent or completely opaque containers, they have a strong cost disadvantage. Specifically, the opaque main body sections and the transparent window section are molded in two separate steps, increasing molding time, complexity and cost. ~~ Finally, such containers have disadvantages in dispatching the contents. The containers that are large provide adequate storage, and the contents can be distributed to take advantage of the container, but it is difficult to pour the contents of the container. Smaller containers are easier to use for pouring the contents, but do not provide sufficient storage. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a storage container that substantially obscures the contents except for a window section for visual inspection. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a container in which the window section is a monolithic portion of the container, by the provision of the window section with a reduced thickness and / or an appreciably more transparent finishing surface. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a container and cover combination that allows sealing of the container, and still easy to apply and remove the cover. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a combination in which a sealing molding provides a seal, yet the cover can be pivoted by application of force to break the seal. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a container and a pouring insert mounted to the container, with the pouring insert assisting in the dispensing of the container contents.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a container and a pouring insert in which the insert may have a secondary panel bent into a concealed position to provide a large opening for scooping the contents of the container. These and other objectives are achieved by a container for storing articles, such as food. The container includes a side wall which includes a portion of a side monolithic window having a greater transparency "than the rest of the side wall.This is achieved by the manufacture of the container of a transparent, inked material and forming the portion of the window with a reduced thickness, and / or forming the portion of the window with a polished surface and forming the rest of the side surface with a dark texture.A cover can be used to close the container, and can form a seal with the container The cover can include pivot bolts that allow the cover to be pivoted to a position that breaks the seal, thus allowing the cover to be removed easier.A pouring insert can also be used with the container. A pouring insert is mounted in the mouth of the container, and includes a main pour spout and a secondary pour spout. Both pouring tips include a pouring guide to direct the contents spilled back to the container. A hinge in the pouring insert allows a first section to remain in position while a second section is bent downwards. The second section can be secured in this position, forming an opening for spooning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objectives and features of the invention noted above are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, and in which the: Fig. 1 is a view in exploded perspective of a container, cover and pouring insert according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the cross section of the container of Fig. 1 along the line 2-2; Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the cross section along the line 3-3; of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the cover; Fig. 5 is a side view of the cross section in detail, similar to Fig. 2, of the container and the cover, with the cover in the sealing position; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view in detail, along line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a side view of the cross section in detail, of the container and the cover in the released position; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the container with the pouring insert mounted in an extended position; Fig. 9 is a final view of the cross section in detail along line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a side view of the cross section in detail along the line 10-10 of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the container with the pouring insert mounted in a folded position; and Fig. 12 is a side view of the cross section in detail along line 10-10 of Fig. 8; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to Fig.l a container according to the present invention is generally designated by the reference number 10. The container 10 can be used by itself, but is typically used with a cover, generally designated by the reference number 12. In addition, a pouring insert, generally designated by the reference number 14, can be used with the container 10, with or without the cover 12. The container 10 includes a lower wall 16 (Fig. 2) which defines a stable surface for supporting the container 10. While the lower wall 16 may be flat, for increasing strength or other reasons that will be made clear later, it may have a more complex shape. In the mode exhibited, it takes the form of a shallow descending concavity. One or more side walls 18 extending upward from the outer surface of the lower wall 16. In the preferred embodiment shown, the outer surface of the lower wall 16 is oval, with a single continuous side wall 18. Other peripheral shapes may be used, as you wish, such as circular, rectangular, square, etc. The side wall 18 is secured to the bottom wall 16, preferably to form both as a single monolithic unit, such as by injection molding. The bottom wall 16 and the side wall 18 can be formed of various materials, but preferably are formed of plastic. Depending on the size of the container 10, it may be desirable to form one or more pairs of depressions 20 in the side wall 18. In the embodiment shown, a single pair of depressions in the side wall 20 are located in a centered position on the short axis of the wall. oval shape of the side wall 18. The depressions of the side wall 20 should be separated from one another by a distance less than the distance between the tip of the finger and the thumb of the average user, so that the edges of the depressions of the side wall 20 form a pair of separate channels 22 which can be grasped by the user with one hand to assist in lifting the container 10. The side wall 18 extends upwardly from the side wall 16, and terminates at an edge upper 24. The lower wall 16 and the side wall below the upper edge 24 define an interior 26 which can be accessed through the mouth 28 defined by the upper edge 24. The interior 26 receives A quantity of material or items to be stored. While not limited to such, the container 10 is particularly suitable for storing, food items, and in particular granular food items such as flour, rice, cereal, coffee, etc. It is often desirable for the user to be able to determine the level of the contents of the container 10, and preferably also the nature of the contents. While the user can see the contents through the mouth 28, this can be inconvenient if the container 10 is closed by the cover 12 as described below, or is placed on a high shelf. While the container 10 can be formed of an opaque material, to allow its inspection it is preferred that at least a portion of the container 10 be at least partially transparent or translucent. To this end the entire container 10 can be formed completely transparent, without dyes. For aesthetic reasons, this is not always preferred by users. It is consequently preferred that the container 10 include one or more portions of the window 30 which are at least partially transparent or translucent, while the rest of the container 10 is opaque or at least substantially obscures the contents under ambient light conditions ( example, with no or minimum back light). The portions of the window 30 can be formed as a separate material, using a molding process, as is well known in the industry. This provides good results, but it is expensive. As such, it is preferred to form the portions of the window 30 as a monolithic portion of the container 10, but with an appreciably increased transparency. This can be achieved by supplying the portions of the window 30 with a reduced thickness, to form the portions of the window 30 as polished while the rest of the side wall 18 is formed with a texture, or both. With consideration to a reduced thickness, the portion of the window 30 is formed as a monolithic portion of the latex wall 18, with both formed of a clear, but uniformly inked material such as plastic. The portions of the window 30 are, however, formed with reduced thickness, as best shown in Fig. 3. It can be visualized, that the thicker the material, the greater the effect of the dye in obscuring visibility. By reducing the thickness in the portions of the window 30, the portions of the window 30 are provided with increased visibility with respect to the remaining wall 18. The amount of ink and the amount of reduction in thickness in the portions of the window 30 necessary to achieve the desired effect of insurance will vary with the material, the ink and the color of the ink. The thickness of the portions of the window 30 can be a limiting factor, on which others are based. Specifically, the portions of the window 30 should be securely thick enough to maintain the structural integrity of the container 10. Additionally, if it is manufactured by plastic injection molding, the reduced thickness between the walls of the mold cavity will impede the flow of the mold. Injected plastic, possibly resulting in visible and undesirable imperfections within the portions of the window 30 such as, the thickness of the portions of the window 30 has a lower limit depending on the characteristic resistances of the material forming the container 10 and the method of its manufacture From this, the amount of ink (for a particular color) which provides relatively clear visibility through the portions of the window 30 while at the same time providing relatively obstructed visibility through the remainder of the side wall can be determined. In practice, it has been found that forming the portions of the window 30 with a thickness between about 50-90% of the thickness of the remaining wall 18 produces good results for the propylene. The other alternative for forming the portions of the window 30 is the difference in surface smoothness. Specifically, the portions of the window 30 are formed as a shiny and polished surface, while the remainder of the side wall 18 is formed with an obscured texture surface. This surface of darkened texture can take many forms, such as ribbing, original patterns, etc. While the texture can be formed on both interior and exterior surfaces, it is preferred that only the exterior includes the texture, while the interior remains smooth to facilitate cleaning. As examples, good results have been achieved using a SPI-Cl surface for the window 30 portions, while using an SPI-A2 surface for the remainder of the side wall 18. While any method can provide acceptable results, it is preferred to employ both to provide maximum clarity in the portions of the window 30 and maximum oty in the remaining side wall 18. As such, it is preferred to employ a clear inked material, to manufacture the portions of the window 30 with a reduced thickness and a glistening surface and to form the remainder of the side wall 18 with an obscured texture. The container 10 described above can be used alone, but it is more preferred to use in conjunction with the cover 12. As is well known, the cover 12 is of the size to stand and close the mouth 28 to prevent the ingress of contaminants and the exit of the content. As is best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the cover 12 preferably includes an upper wall 32 having an external surface that confirms that of the mouth 28, and a skirt 34 extends downwardly from the outer surface of the upper wall 32 to thereby surround the edge upper 24 and a portion of the side wall 18 when the cover 12 is mounted in the container 10.

Adjustment provides a seal against not only gross ingress and egress, but also against the passage of moisture and more preferably against the passage of air. To achieve such a seal, a sealing molding 36 may be provided on the container 10 or the cover 12. If it is supplied on the cover 12 (this arrangement is not shown) the sealing molding 36 may project into the interior face 38 of the skirt 34 to provide a slidable adjustment closure against the side wall 18. If the container 10 includes the depressions of the side wall 20, the skirt 34 may have a shaped profile, or the depressions 20 may end below the upper edge 24 as shown. If supplied on the container 10, the sealing molding 36 will project out of the side wall 18 in a position in proximity to the upper edge 24, and in a position to seat against the inner face 38 of the skirt 34 with a closure of sliding fit, as is best shown in Fig. 6. This will be referred to as the mounted position of the cover 12. For easy manual application of the cover 12 within this assembled position, "the inner face 38 of the skirt 34 it can have a reduced thickness area 40 extending from the free edge of the skirt 34 to a position below the sealing molding 36 when in the assembled position.This arrangement provides the desired sealing characteristics, and allows for easy application and removing the cover 12. It may be desired, however, to prevent unintentional removal of the cover 12, as if the container 10 were accidentally dropped. only one of the container 10 or the cover 12 which does not include the sealing molding 36 may include one or more closure molding 42. In the preferred embodiment shown, the cover 12 includes the closure molding 42. The closure molding 42 may to be formed as a single continuous protrusion extending around the entire profile of the inner face 38. It is preferred, however, to form several distinct closure moldings 42 at peripherally spaced locations. These peripheral locations may be chosen to provide the desired protection depending on the particular peripheral shape of the container 10. For the oval profile shown, a single closure molding 42 is generally positioned at each midpoint between the major and minor axes. In the embodiment shown, with the sealing molding 36 formed in the side wall 18, the closure moldings 42 extend inwardly from the interior face 38 of the skirt 34. If the sealing molding 36 was formed on the skirt 34. (This arrangement is shown), the closure moldings 42 may extend outwardly from the side wall 18. For any arrangement, the closure moldings 42 are located to be placed immediately below the sealing molding 36 when the cover 12 is in the assembled position, as best shown in Fig. 6. The closure moldings 42 must pass over the sealing molding 36 while the cover 12 is mounted, such as, when the closure moldings 42 are employed it is It is preferred that at least one between the container 10 or the cover 12 be formed of a material (such as plastic) that has sufficient flexibility to allow this.The closure moldings 42 must also pass over the sealing molding 36 to allow the removal of the cover 12, and this requirement which serves to prevent unintentional removal of the cover 12. The amount for which the sealing molding 36 and the closure moldings 42 extend to outside and / or inward, together with the flexibility of the side wall 18 and the skirt 34 will determine the amount of force required to apply or remove the cover 12. Depending on the seal fit provided by the seal molding 36 (if usa), and the resistance to removal provided by the closure moldings 42 (if used), it may be desirable to provide an arrangement to assist manual removal of the cover 12. As best illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, the skirt of the upper wall 32 can include at least one pair of bolts pTvote 44 (only one bolt in each pair is shown) extends downward to rest on the upper edge 24, and separate the upper wall 32 of the upper edge 24, when the cover 12 is in the assembled position. The pivot bolts 44 are positioned at spaced locations along the profile of the upper wall 32, with the peripheral length between associated pairs of pivot bolts 44 defining a point of application of the force to release the seal between the container 10 and the cover 12. In the preferred embodiment shown, two pairs of pivot bolts 44 are provided, with each pair being located at positions spaced apart from, and substantially parallel to, the minor axis of the oval profile. The pivot bolts 44 are employed as bearing points of the cover 12 to a position in which the cover 12 can be easily removed. As illustrated by comparison in Figs. 5 and 7, the application of downward force between the pair of pivot pins 44 (in this case at the end of the major axis) will cause the portion of the cover 12 in which the force is applied to pivot downwards, and cause that the other end of the cover 12 to pivot upwards. The placement of the pivot pins 44 will be such that it is pivoted upwardly enough to raise the inner face 38 above the level of the sealing molding 36 (or at least lift the area of reduced thickness 40 to the level of the sealing molding 36). At this point the seal fit that is formed by the seal is broken, and the cover "12 can be easily removed." It will be understood that the optimal placement of the pivot pins 44 will vary depending on the peripheral shape of the container 10. In addition, it will be apparent that the two pairs of pivot pins 44 in the embodiment can be replaced by a single pair of projections (not shown), with each projection having a length extending between the two (not associated) pivot pins 44 shown in Fig. 5 , with each end of such projection defining one of the pivot bolts 44. During this pivoting, the skirt portion 34 between the operating bolts 44 will tend to rotate toward the side wall 18, as best illustrated in FIG. 7. Such as, the skirt 34 can act as an obstruction for the desired pivoting.To avoid this, the side wall 18 can be formed with a lower wall 16 tapered inwards, as shown. e, the side wall 18 may include a section of the edge 46 located adjacent the upper edge 24, with the edge section 46 being peripherally spaced outwardly from the side wall 18 by a transition section 48. This will serve to space the skirt 34 of the side wall 18 at a greater distance, allowing a greater amount of pivoting. Depending on the flexibility of the cover 12 and the seal fit formed (especially when the closure moldings 42 are employed), there may be a tendency for the cover 12 to simply bend over the application of this pivoting force, instead " To avoid this, it may be desirable to reinforce the cover 12. In the embodiment shown, the skirt 34 includes a reinforced area 50 between the place where the force is applied and the place where it will pivot upwards, with this reinforced area 50 having a greater length than the rest of the skirt 34. Additionally or alternatively, a reinforcing rib 52 can be formed in the upper wall 32 along the profile between the operative torque of pivot bolts 44. While this reinforcing rib 52 may be solid, it is preferred that it be substantially of a thickness similar to the remaining upper wall 32, as this forms a concave area 54 open downwardly. do, the upper edge 24 can introduce this concave area 54 during the pivoting of the cover 12 to thereby allow even greater pivoting. In addition to this, the reinforcement rib 52 provides a visual indicator for the user of the location in which the force should be applied. Finally, the reinforcement rib 52 can serve to provide stable stacking of two or more containers 10. Specifically, if the container 10 is tapered towards the interior of the lower wall 16, the profile of the lower wall 16 can fit between the ribs of reinforcement 52 on the cover 12, serves to secure another container 10 on the cover 12. In this regard, the upper wall 32 may have a curvature similar to that of the lower wall 16 to match the additional improved stability. As it can be seen, the reinforcement rib 52 can serve four different functions. The container 10 and cover 12 described above can be used together to conveniently store items. To dispense the contents of the container 10, the cover 12 is removed, and a portion of the contents can be removed by hand, by shovel or the entire container can be tilted to pour the contents of the container 10. While this is acceptable, it is preferred Allow the most convenient dispatch. To this end, the container 10 can be used with the pouring insert 14, better shown in Figs.l and 8-11. The pouring insert 14 includes a main panel 56 having an outer profile and a mounting skirt 58 extending downward from the outer profile. This outer profile is of size and shape to correspond to and be closely received within the mouth 28 of the container 10. The placement of the pouring insert 14 within the mouth 28 as shown in Figs. 8-12 will be referred to as an operative position of the pourer insert 14. When in this operative position, the upper surface of the main panel 56 may be slightly down, at the same height as, or slightly above, the top edge 24. It is preferred that this upper surface is substantially at the same height as the upper edge 24. In the operative position, the outer face of the mounting skirt 58 will snap against the inner face of the side wall 18 adjacent to the upper edge 24, with this area of the side wall 18 which is referred to as a mounting edge 60. The fit between the profile of the main panel 56, the mounting skirt 58, and the mounting edge 60 may be sufficiently tight that the pouring insert 14 is retained in its place. However, any adjustment tight enough to retain the pouring insert 14 against the force of the contents resting on it during pouring can similarly cause the insert 14 to be difficult to assemble manually. As such, it is preferred that this adjustment be closed, but to provide an additional arrangement to ensure that the pouring insert 14 in the operative operation. For example, it is preferred that the mounting skirt 58 and the mounting edge 60 include a rib arrangement and engagement groove. Specifically, one of the mounting skirt 58 and the mounting edge 60 will include one or more mounting ribs 62, and the other of the mounting skirt 58 and the mounting edge 60 will include one or more mounting slots 64. In the shown, the mounting ribs 62 are located on the mounting skirt 58, while the mounting slots 64 are located on the mounting edge 60. The mounting ribs 62 may comprise one or more continuous peripheral ribs (not shown) or various ribs spaced peripherally, as shown, with the mounting slots 64 being similarly designed to assemble. As can be visualized, a slight bending of the side wall 18 and / or mounting skirt 58 will allow the pouring insert 14 to be placed in the operative position, or removed from that. While the mounting ribs 62 and the mounting slots 64 will serve to retain the pouring insert 14, during manual assembly it may be difficult to avoid pushing the pouring insert 14 past the operative position and into the interior 26.

To prevent this, the transition section 48 described above can be advantageously used. Specifically, the transition section 48 forms a mounting shoulder facing upwardly 66 on the inner face of the side wall 18. By the proper placement of the transitional section 48, this mounting shoulder 66 will be located at the bottom of the edge of the body. assembly 60, such as, the free lower edge of the mounting skirt 58 will terminate the mounting shoulder 66, thus limiting downward movement of the pouring insert 14 once the pouring insert 14 reaches the operative position. To additionally ensure that the pouring insert 14 is properly seated, a plurality of locking fingers 68 can extend upwardly from the mounting shoulder 66, as best illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. The locking fingers 68 are peripherally spaced inwardly of the mounting edge 60 by a distance at least equal to, and preferably slightly greater than, the thickness of the mounting skirt 58. Such as, the lower edge of the mounting skirt 58 will butt against the locking fingers 68 if the pouring insert 14 is pushed "in its operating position." Proper function, the pouring insert 14 must allow access to the interior 26. For this purpose, the pouring insert 14 will include a main spout 70 extending through the main panel 56. While the main spout peak 70 may take the form of an opening located completely within the confines of the profile of the main panel 56 (this arrangement is not shown), this arrangement can separate the main pouring spout 70 from the inner face of the side wall 18. During the pouring of the container 10, this separation can prevent a portion of the contents e to reach the main spout peak 70, thus making it difficult to empty the container 10. To avoid this, it is preferred that the main spout 70 takes the form of a notch in the main panel 56. With this shape, the main spout peak 70 intersects and segments the profile of the main panel 56, as shown, as well as a portion of the mounting edge 60 within the extension of the main spout peak 70 which is not in contact with the mounting skirt 58. This shape of the Peak pouring main 70 will not obstruct the contents during the pour. The main spout peak 70 can take various forms, when it is formed as an opening or as a notch. In the mode exhibited, the main pouring spout 70 takes the form of the section of an oval. Similarly, the main spout peak 70 can be placed in several places on the main panel 56. It is preferred, however, that the main spout peak 70 be located in a position opposite to a proposed location for manual attachment of the container 10, so it dispenses from the main pouring spout 70. For this purpose, the preferred embodiment has the main pouring spout 70 located at the smaller diameter of the major axis, so the user can hold the smaller diameter of the opposite major axis to hold and tilt the container 10. When at least that all the contents are poured, and the user is moving the container back from the vertical position, it may have the tendency for that portion of the contents adjacent to the main spout peak 70 to flow over the main spout peak 70 and over the upper surface of the main panel 56. To avoid this, the pouring insert 14 may include a pourer guide 72. The guide of the rter 72 will take the shape of the surface extending from the edge of the main pouring spout 70 inwardly 26, and conical towards the center of the main pouring spout 70. In the preferred embodiment with the main pouring spout 70 intersecting the profile of the main panel 56, the pourer guide 72 can be of a depth equal to that of the mounting skirt 58, and connect to it. How it can be visualized, the free end of the guide 72 will serve to separate the contents of the main panel 56 during pouring. In addition, any content should flow over the spill guide 72 will cause the spill to be completed, the guide cone 72"will cause this portion of the contents to flow back into the interior 26. For certain sizes and shapes of the container 10, it may be desirable to have more than one pour spout, just as the pourer insert 14 may include a secondary pour spout 74 located in a position separate from the main pour spout 70. As before, this spout piple 74 may be an opening or a notch, it may take several forms, and may include a pouring guide 72. While the secondary pouring spout 74 may be of the same measure as the main pouring spout 70, to provide greater versatility it is preferred that it not be of the same size. modality exhibited, the secondary pouring spout 74 is smaller than the main pouring spout 70, and is located opposite the main pouring spout 70, to be used when the The upper end diameter is opposite that used by the main pouring spout 70. Although it is often convenient to pour the contents of the container 10, for certain contents the user may wish to shovel the contents using a bucket or similar utensil. While this can be done through the main spout peak 70 or the secondary spout peak 74, it provides a spout peak with sufficient size to use in the stroke typically reduces utility as a spout peak. For certain shapes and sizes, a separate opening or slot (none is shown) of the desired size can be supplied precisely for this purpose. However, in order to increase the versatility of the pouring insert 14, it is preferred to provide an arrangement to form a paving opening as desired. This can be achieved by dividing the main panel 56 within the first and second sections 76 and 78, respectively, with these sections being separated by a hinge 80. While the hinge 80 can be formed as a separate element, in the form preferred the entire pouring insert 14 is a monolithic plastic element, with the hinge 80 being a supporting hinge. The hinge 80 allows the second section 78 to rotate with respect to the first section 76, and in particular between a first position in which the sections 76 and 78 extend in a common plane (shown in Fig. 8) and a second one. position in which the hinge 80 is bent so that the sections 76 and 78 rest adjacent to one another (shown in Fig. 11). In this second position the pouring insert 14 has a reduced area, thus forming a shovel opening defined by the hinge 80 and that portion of the mounting edge 60 extending therebetween. The hinge 80 can be arranged to allow the second section 78, when in the second position it rests on the first section 76, to rest under the second section 76, or both. If the second section 78 rests on the first section 76, it can cause an obstruction to the cover 12, it may not be aesthetically pleasing and may tend to pick up portions of the contents discharged during shoveling. To avoid this, it is preferred to have the second section 78 rested under the first section 76, as shown. This will cause the first section 76 to present an unobstructed surface, better shown in Fig. 11, allowing any contents poured on the first section 76 to be easily moved back into the interior 26. Depending on the type of the hinge employed 80, it may be necessary to secure the second section 78 in the second position. For this purpose the lower face of the first section 76 may include one or more locking fingers 82, each having a tapered surface positioned to engage on and form an interference fit with the profile of the second section 78., the secondary spout 74 and / or the pouring guide 72 of the secondary spout 74. In the embodiment shown, a single locking finger 82 is provided for hooking onto the pouring guide 72. The closing fingers 82 and / or the portion of the second section 78 in which the latching fingers 82 engaging are sufficiently flexible to allow them to move inwardly and out of this latch. As best illustrated in Fig. 12, the lock of the second section 78 in the second position will cause the free edge of the mounting skirt 58 and the pouring guide 72 of the second section 78 to engage against the underside of the first section 76, in that way prevents content from entering this area and getting caught. As shown, a portion of the mounting skirt 58 adjacent to each side of the hinge 80 may need to be removed, to prevent interference between these portions in the second position. In the embodiment shown, the secondary spout 74 is located within the second section 78. This allows the user to choose between three types of different dispensing arrangements with only one spout insert 14. For other sizes and shapes of containers, however, others arrangements are possible. For example, the secondary spout peak 74 can be located within the first section 76. An application of this can be in a container 10 having a triangular profile, with the main spout peak 70 located at the first vertex, the secondary spout peak 74 located at a second vertex, and the second section 78 located at a third vertex. Several other arrangements are possible insurance, within limits. Specifically, if the second section 78 is bent low, the outer profile of the second section 78 should be encompassed by the profile of the first outer section 76 of the second section 76. In other words, no portion of the second section 78 can be extend outwardly beyond the profile of the first section 76, since the profile of the first section 76 is spliced against the mounting edge 60. As long as this does not occur, however, the hinge can be positioned as desired. It is also noted that the user can freely move the second tween 78 between the first and second position as long as there is no obstruction by the container 10. In the embodiment shown, the mounting shoulder 66 forms such an obstruction. As, if the mounting shoulder 66 is employed, the user must move the pouring insert 14 of the container 10 before the shovel opening can be formed or removed.

Claims (3)

1. From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is a good adaptation to achieve all the aforementioned aims and objectives published together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent in the structure. It will be understood that certain characteristics and subcombinations are useful and can be used without reference to other characteristics and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments can be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter in this is published and shown in the accompanying drawings and is to be construed as illustrations, and not in a limiting sense. CLAIMS 1. A storage container, comprising: a bottom wall having a profile; a side wall extending upwards from said external profile to an upper edge, the side wall is made of a transparent, inked material, the lower wall and the side wall define an interior which receives the contents; and at least a portion of the window defined in the side wall, the window portion having a thickness less than that of the remaining side wall;
2. 2. A storage container in combination with a cover, comprises; the storage container includes a bottom wall having a profile, and a side wall extending upwardly from the profile of an upper edge; the cover includes an upper wall having a profile and a skirt extending down the profile of the upper wall, the profile of the upper wall and the skirt are measured and shaped to be received closely around the upper edge when the cover it is in the mounted position; a sealing molding on a side wall and skirt; and at least one pair of pivot bolts that extend downwardly from the top wall at the peripherally spaced locations, the pivot bolts splice at the top edge when the cover is in a mounted position and spaced from the upper wall of the top edge.
3. 3. A storage container in combination with a pouring device, comprising: a storage container including a bottom wall having a profile, and a side wall extending upwardly from the profile to an upper edge, and a mounting edge that is defined on an inner surface of the side wall in proximity to the upper edge; a pouring insert including a main panel having a profile, and a mounting skirt extending down from the profile of the main panel, the profile of the main panel and the mounting skirt are measured and formed to be received closely within of the mounting edge when the pouring insert is in an operative position, the pouring insert includes at least one pouring spout extending from side to side, and additionally includes a hinge that divides the main panel into the first and second sections, the second section is manually movable around the hinge between a first position in which the second section extends from the first section in a substantially common plane, and a second position in which the second section is substantially parallel to, and below, of the first section. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A container for storing articles, such as food products. The container includes a side wall which includes a monolithic window portion that has greater transparency than the rest of the side wall. This is achieved by manufacturing the container of a transparent, inked material, and forming the portion of the window with a reduced thickness, and / or forming the portion of the window with a polished surface and forming the remainder of the side wall with a dark texture. A cover can be used to close the container, and can form a seal with the container. The cover may include pivot pins to allow the cover to be pivoted to a position that breaks the seal, then allow for easier removal of the cover. A pouring insert can also be used with the container. The pouring insert is mounted towards the mouth of the container, and includes a main pouring spout and a secondary pouring spout. Both spouts include spill guides to direct spilled contents back into the container. A hinge on the pouring insert that allows a first section to remain in position while a second section is folded down. The second section can be secured in this position, forming an opening for shoveling.