HK40016233B - Food storage and cooking vessel - Google Patents

Description

Food storage and cooking vessel

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/658,766, entitled "Storage Vessel" (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), filed on 2018, 4, 17, and also claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/757,068, entitled "Storage Vessel" (which is filed on 2018, 11, 7, 2018, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to containers with replaceable lids and, more particularly, to microwavable storage vessels.

Background

Typically, food items may be stored in plastic storage containers with removable lids. However, these common storage containers can have drawbacks.

Disclosure of Invention

In a first example, a storage vessel for cooking and storing one or more foods includes: a container having a bottom and an upwardly extending sidewall terminating in a rim defining an upper opening of the container, the upwardly extending sidewall having an outer surface defining a horizontally outermost portion of the sidewall, the upwardly extending sidewall further having an inner surface defining a horizontally innermost portion of the sidewall; a removable lid for the container, the lid comprising: a central portion having a peripheral region; an annular gasket positioned around a periphery of the central portion, the annular gasket comprising: an upper portion coupling the gasket to the central portion, the upper portion including an inner groove for receiving the peripheral region of the central portion, wherein the peripheral region of the central portion is positioned within the inner groove of the upper portion; a vertical portion descending downwardly from the upper portion of the gasket, the vertical portion having an outer side positioned horizontally inwardly from an outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket; and a flexible skirt extending horizontally outwardly from the outer side of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the flexible skirt is configured to contact the inner surface of the sidewall of the container when a lid is positioned on the rim of the container, wherein the flexible skirt has an upward curvature in an undeformed state, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to deform upwardly and inwardly from the undeformed state when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container so as to seal the food storage or cooking vessel; an annular lid rim positioned around a perimeter of the upper portion of the gasket, the annular lid rim applying pressure to one or more portions of the upper portion of the gasket, wherein the annular lid rim has an outer edge that extends horizontally outward beyond at least the inner surface of the sidewall when the food storage or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid to prevent vertical displacement of the annular lid rim below the rim; wherein the central portion of the lid has one or more valves configured to selectively allow air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region of the container when the food storage or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid; and wherein the food storage or cooking vessel is configured to be heated in a microwave oven while the food storage or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid.

In a second example, a food reservoir or cooking vessel for one or more foods includes: a container having a bottom and an upwardly extending sidewall terminating in a rim defining an upper opening of the container, the upwardly extending sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface; and a removable lid for the container, the lid comprising: a central portion having a peripheral region; an annular gasket positioned around a periphery of the central portion, the annular gasket comprising: an upper portion coupling the gasket to the central portion; a vertical portion descending downwardly from the upper portion of the gasket, the vertical portion having an outer side positioned horizontally inwardly from an outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket; and a flexible skirt extending horizontally outwardly from the outer side of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the flexible skirt is configured to contact the inner surface of the sidewall of the container when a lid is positioned on the rim of the container, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to deform upwardly and inwardly from the undeformed state when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container so as to seal the food storage or cooking vessel; an annular lid rim positioned around a perimeter of the upper portion of the gasket, wherein the annular lid rim has an outer edge that extends horizontally outward beyond at least the inner surface of the sidewall when the food storage or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid to prevent the annular lid rim from being vertically displaced below the rim.

Another example is any food reservoir or cooking vessel configured to be heated in a microwave oven while the food reservoir or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid. Another example is any food reservoir or cooking vessel wherein the flexible skirt has an upward curvature in the undeformed state. Another example is any food reservoir or cooking vessel in which the central portion of the lid has one or more valves configured to selectively allow air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region of the container when the food reservoir or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid. Another example is any food reservoir or cooking vessel in which a portion of the annular gasket is positioned vertically above the rim of the container when the food reservoir or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid.

Another example is any food holder or cooking vessel in which the outer edge of the annular lid rim extends horizontally outward beyond the outer surface of the sidewall when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container. Another example is any food holder or cooking vessel in which the outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket extends horizontally outward beyond the outer surface of the sidewall when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container.

Another example is any such food holder or cooking vessel wherein the annular lid rim is made of metal. Another example is any food storage or cooking vessel wherein the container and the central portion of the lid are both made of glass.

Another example is any food reservoir or cooking vessel wherein the upper portion of the gasket includes an inner groove for receiving the peripheral region of the central portion, wherein the outer shaft region of the central portion is positioned in the inner groove of the upper portion. Another example is any food holder or cooking vessel in which the annular lid rim applies pressure to opposite sides of the outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket to urge the peripheral region of the central portion further into position in the inner trough of the upper portion.

Another example is any food holder or cooking vessel in which the annular lid rim is configured to reinforce a portion of the upper portion of the gasket. Another example is any such food reservoir or cooking vessel, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to move from an upwardly and inwardly deformed position to a downwardly deformed position when the food reservoir or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid and the pressure outside the food reservoir or storage vessel exceeds the pressure inside the food reservoir or storage vessel.

Another example is any food reservoir or cooking vessel wherein the flexible skirt further comprises one or more apertures configured to allow air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region of the container when the food reservoir or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid. Another example is any food reservoir or cooking vessel wherein the container has one or more notches in the outer surface of the sidewall of the container, wherein the one or more notches extend up to the rim of the container. Another example is any such food reservoir or cooking vessel, wherein the one or more recesses comprises a single recess extending around the entire perimeter of the outer surface of the sidewall of the container.

Another example is any such food holder or cooking vessel, wherein the annular lid rim comprises a bottom surface having a rounded lower edge, wherein at least a portion of the rounded lower edge extends horizontally outward beyond an outer surface of the sidewall at a location of a recess in the outer surface. Another example is any such food storage or cooking vessel, wherein the gasket has one or more bumpers positioned on at least the outer side of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the one or more bumpers each have a horizontally outermost surface positioned inboard of the outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket.

In a third example, a removable lid for a container of a food reservoir or cooking vessel comprises: a central portion having a peripheral region; an annular gasket positioned around a periphery of the central portion, the annular gasket comprising: an upper portion coupling the gasket to the central portion, the upper portion including an inner groove for receiving the peripheral region of the central portion, wherein the peripheral region of the central portion is positioned in the inner groove of the upper portion; a vertical portion descending downwardly from the upper portion of the gasket, the vertical portion having an outer side positioned horizontally inwardly from an outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket; a flexible skirt extending horizontally outwardly from the outer side of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the flexible skirt is configured to contact an inner surface of a sidewall of the container when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to deform upwardly and inwardly from an undeformed state when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container so as to seal the food storage or cooking vessel; and a perimeter positioned around the upper portion of the gasket, wherein the annular lid rim has an outer edge that extends horizontally outward beyond at least the inner surface of the sidewall when the food storage or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid to prevent vertical displacement of the annular lid rim below the rim.

In a fourth example, a method comprises: positioning a food storage or cooking vessel inside a microwave oven, the food storage or cooking vessel comprising: a container having a bottom and an upwardly extending sidewall terminating in a rim defining an upper opening of the container, the upwardly extending sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface; a removable lid positioned on the rim of the container, the lid comprising: a central portion having a peripheral region; an annular gasket positioned around a periphery of the central portion, the annular gasket comprising: an upper portion coupling the gasket to the central portion; a vertical portion descending downwardly from the upper portion of the gasket, the vertical portion having an outer side positioned horizontally inwardly from an outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket; and a flexible skirt extending horizontally outwardly from the outer side of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the flexible skirt is configured to contact the inner surface of the sidewall of the container when a lid is positioned on the rim of the container, wherein the flexible skirt has an upward curvature in an undeformed state, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to deform upwardly and inwardly from the undeformed state when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container so as to seal the food storage or cooking vessel; an annular lid rim positioned around a perimeter of the upper portion of the gasket, the annular lid rim applying pressure to one or more portions of the upper portion of the gasket, wherein the annular lid rim has an outer edge that extends horizontally outward beyond at least the inner surface of the sidewall when the food storage or cooking vessel is sealed by the lid to prevent vertical displacement of the annular lid rim below the rim; activating the microwave oven when the food reservoir or cooking vessel is positioned inside the microwave oven and the vessel is sealed by the lid.

Another example is any such method, further comprising opening one or more valves positioned in the central portion of the lid prior to positioning the food storage or cooking vessel inside the microwave oven.

In a fifth example, the food reservoir or cooking vessel has a glass lid secured in an elastomeric gasket by a metal rim. The lower portion of the gasket seals against the inner wall of the container. The lid provides an airtight seal that does not need to be opened intentionally prior to microwave oven heating, as the shape and holes of the gasket can allow for the natural venting of hot air and steam.

Drawings

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and one or more examples of the features and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1A is a cross-sectional view of an example food reservoir or cooking vessel having a container and a lid positioned on the container to close the food reservoir or cooking vessel.

FIG. 1B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper right-hand corner of the food reservoir or cooking vessel of FIG. 1A with the lid positioned on the container.

Fig. 2 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view of only the upper left corner of the lid of the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 1A, wherein the lid is not positioned on the container.

Fig. 3A is a cross-sectional view of another example of a lid of a food reservoir or cooking vessel.

Fig. 3B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper left corner of the cap of fig. 3A.

Fig. 3C is a side view of the cover of fig. 3A.

Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view of another example of a lid and container of a food reservoir or cooking vessel.

Fig. 4B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the upper left corner of the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 4A.

Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view of another example of a lid and container of a food reservoir or cooking vessel, where the lid includes a valve in an open position.

Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 5A with the valve in a closed position.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 5A, showing an example profile of a valve.

Fig. 7A-7C are enlarged cross-sectional views of the upper left corner of the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 5A.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 5A, showing an example downward deformation of the flexible skirt of the lid.

Fig. 9 is a graph of pressure versus time observed when hot water in the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 5A is cooled with the valve closed.

Fig. 10A-10D are cross-sectional views of other examples of gaskets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT (S) OF INVENTION

The embodiments of the present disclosure are best understood by referring to fig. 1A through 10D, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.

Typically, food items (e.g., remaining food items) may be stored in plastic storage containers with removable lids. However, these typical storage containers may be defective. For example, some of these typical storage containers may not be heated in a microwave oven.

In contrast, the food storage or cooking vessel of fig. 1A-10D may address one or more of the deficiencies of these typical storage containers. For example, the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 1A-10D may be heated in a microwave oven (even when the food reservoir or cooking vessel is sealed with a lid). In some examples, this may prevent a user from having to move food from a typical storage container onto a microwavable dish before heating the food in a microwave oven. As another example, the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 1A-10D may be vented during microwave cooking. As another example, the food reservoir or cooking container of fig. 1A-10D may allow food product to be visible through the top or side of the food reservoir or cooking vessel, and preferably from both the side and the top of the food reservoir or cooking vessel. As another example, the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 1A-10D may be secure (e.g., may be engagingly sealed) and may not leak or allow food product to fall out when the food reservoir or cooking vessel is inverted.

Fig. 1A-2 show one example of a food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. As shown, food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 includes a container 110 and a lid 200. The container 110 may be any type of container or vessel for holding, storing, and/or cooking (e.g., heating, cooling, etc.) a food product (e.g., a solid food product, a liquid, etc.). For example, the container 110 may be a glass food reservoir or cooking vessel that may store food (e.g., leftover food) and may further be used to reheat the leftover food (e.g., in a microwave oven) while the leftover food is still stored in the container 110.

The container 110 includes a bottom 120. The bottom 120 may be a base of the container 110 and may support the container 110 (e.g., hold it upright) when the container 110 is positioned on a surface. The base 120 may have any shape. For example, the outer surface 120a of the base 120, the inner surface 120b of the base 120, or the entire base 120 may be shaped as a circle, oval, square, rectangle, diamond, irregular shape, any other shape, or any combination of the aforementioned shapes. As shown, the entire base 120 (and container 110) is shaped as a circle (e.g., it has circular symmetry). The base 120 may further have any size. For example, the base 120 can have any length (or diameter) and any thickness.

The bottom 120 may be oriented horizontally when the container 110 rests on the bottom 120. In some examples, the bottom 120 may be oriented substantially horizontally (e.g., plus/minus 5 degrees horizontally) when the container 110 rests on the bottom 120. The outer surface 120a and/or the inner surface 120b of the base 120 may have any degree of curvature and/or angle. For example, one (or both) of the outer surface 120a and the inner surface 120b may be flat, substantially flat (e.g., flat plus/minus 5 degrees), convex, concave, or have any other degree of curvature and/or angle. As shown, the outer surface 120a has a concave shape and the inner surface 120b has a convex shape such that the bottom 120 is curved upward from a horizontal plane.

The container 110 also includes an upwardly extending sidewall 130, the sidewall 130 being connected to the base 120 and surrounding the base 120. The sidewall 130 extends upwardly from the bottom 120 to form a fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110. The sidewalls 130 may extend upwardly from the base 120 at any upwardly extending angle. For example, the sidewall 130 may extend upward or substantially upward (e.g., plus/minus 5 degrees) at 90 degrees, 85 degrees, 80 degrees, 70 degrees, 60 degrees, 45 degrees, 95 degrees, 100 degrees, 110 degrees, 120 degrees, 135 degrees, any other upward extending angle, or any angle (or range of angles) between 45 degrees and 135 degrees.

The sidewall 130 may have an outer surface 130a and an inner surface 130b, the outer surface 130a defining the horizontally outermost portion of the sidewall 130 and the inner surface 130b defining the horizontally innermost portion of the sidewall 130. The outer surface 130a and/or the inner surface 130b may have any degree of curvature and/or angle. For example, one (or both) of the outer surface 130a and the inner surface 130b may be flat, substantially flat (e.g., flat plus/minus 5 degrees), convex, concave, or have any other degree of curvature and/or angle. As another example, one (or both) of the outer surface 130a and the inner surface 130b may be curved, such as having or substantially having (e.g., plus/minus 5 degrees) a degree of curvature of 60 degrees, 55 degrees, 50 degrees, 45 degrees, 40 degrees, 35 degrees, 30 degrees, any other degree of curvature, or any degree of curvature (or range of degrees of curvature) between 30 degrees and 60 degrees. The sidewall 130 may have any thickness.

The sidewall 130 may extend upwardly until it terminates at a rim 140 defining an upper opening 150 of the container 110. The upper opening 150 may allow food to be inserted into the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110 and/or removed from the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110. The rim, upper opening 150, or the entire container 110 may be shaped as a circle, oval, square, rectangular corner, diamond, irregular shape, any other shape, or any combination of the aforementioned shapes. As shown, the shape of the container 110 is circular (e.g., has circular symmetry). The upper opening 150 may have any size. For example, the upper opening 150 may have any length (or diameter) between two opposing portions of the sidewall 130.

The rim 140 of the container 110 may be positioned at any vertical distance from the bottom 120. For example, the rim 140 may be positioned a vertical distance or a substantial vertical distance (e.g., plus/minus 10%) of 0.5 inches, 1 inch, 2 inches, 3 inches, 5 inches, 6 inches, 8 inches, 10 inches, 12 inches, 24 inches, any other vertical distance, or any vertical distance (or range of vertical distances) between 0.5 inches and 24 inches from the bottom 120. The outer surface 130a of the sidewall 130 may define a horizontally outermost surface of the rim 140, and the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 may define a horizontally innermost surface of the rim 140.

The container 110 may be made of any material that allows food items to be held, stored, and/or cooked (e.g., heated in a microwave oven, cooled in a refrigerator, etc.) in the container 110. For example, the container 110 may be made of plastic, glass, ceramic glass (e.g., opaque ceramic glass), ceramic material, non-metallic material, may be made of any other material that allows food to be held, stored, and/or cooked in the container 110, or any combination of the foregoing. As shown, the container 110 is made of glass. In some examples, the container 110 made of glass may allow heating of the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 in a microwave oven (i.e., food stored in the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 may be heated in a microwave oven). A container 110 made of glass (e.g., clear glass) may also allow food stored in the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 to be viewed through the sidewall 130 of the container 110.

As described above, the food reservoir or cooking appliance 100 further comprises a lid 200, the lid 200 being operable to seal the container 110 and the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. Such a seal may prevent food product from spilling out of the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110. To seal the container 110, the lid 200 may be configured to extend at least partially downward into the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110 (e.g., the lid may extend downward beyond the rim 140), and the lid 200 may be further configured to sealingly engage the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 of the container 110. Lid 200 may be removable, allowing container 110 and food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 to be opened (e.g., to add food to food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 for cleaning).

As shown, the cap 200 includes a central portion 210 surrounded by a gasket 220. The central portion 210 may have any shape. For example, the outer surface 210a of the central portion 210, the inner surface 210b of the central portion 210, or the entire central portion 210 may be shaped as a circle, an oval, a square, a rectangular corner, a diamond, an irregular shape, any other shape, or any combination of the aforementioned. As shown, the central portion 210 (and the entire cap 200) is shaped as a circle (e.g., having circular symmetry). Further, the central portion 210 may have any size. For example, the central portion 210 may have any length (or diameter) and any thickness.

The central portion 210 may be oriented horizontally when the lid 200 is positioned on the container 110. In some examples, the central portion 210 may be oriented substantially horizontally (e.g., plus/minus 5 degrees horizontally) when the lid 200 is positioned on the container 110. The outer surface 210a of the central portion 210 and/or the inner surface 210b of the central portion 210 may have any degree of curvature and/or angle. For example, one (or both) of the outer surface 210a and the inner surface 210b may be flat, substantially flat (e.g., plus/minus 5 degrees), convex, concave, or have any other degree of curvature and/or angle. As shown, the outer surface 210a and the inner surface 210b are both flat such that the central portion 210 is planar.

The central portion 210 may be made of any material that allows food items to be held, stored, and/or cooked (e.g., heated in a microwave oven, cooled in a refrigerator, etc.) in the container 110 with the lid 200 open. For example, the central portion 210 may be made of plastic, glass, ceramic glass (e.g., opaque ceramic glass), a ceramic material, a non-metallic material, any other material that holds, stores, and/or cooks food items in the container 110 with the lid 200 open, or any combination of the foregoing. As shown, the central portion 210 is made of glass. In some examples, central portion 210 made of glass may allow food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 to be heated in a microwave oven (i.e., food stored in food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 may be heated in a microwave oven). The central portion 210 made of glass (e.g., transparent glass) may also allow food stored in the food reservoir or cooking appliance 100 to be viewed through the top of the lid 200 of the food reservoir or cooking appliance 100.

The cap also includes a gasket 220. Gasket 220 may be any device, element, or unit that seals the junction between central portion 210 and inner surface 130b of sidewall 130, thereby sealing container 110 and food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. The gasket 220 may have any shape and/or size. For example, the gasket 220 may be annular (i.e., ring-shaped), allowing the gasket 220 to surround the central portion 210 along the entire horizontal perimeter of the central portion 210. Further, the annular shape of the gasket 220 is not limited to a circular ring. Rather, the annular shape may include an annular circle, an ellipse, a square, a rectangular corner, a diamond shape, an irregular shape, any other shape, or any combination of the foregoing. Further, the annular shape may include one or more elliptical segments, curvilinear segments, non-curvilinear segments, and combinations of curvilinear and non-curvilinear segments, or any combination of the foregoing. This may allow the gasket 220 to fit any shape of container 110, such as an oval shaped container 110 or a container 110 having straight sides and rounded corners. While the gasket 220 has an alternative shape, the shape of the gasket 220 should be adapted to the shape of the sidewall 130 in view of the rigidity of the gasket sub-assembly such that the gasket outer side 223a flexes to sealingly engage the inner surface 130b. This range of curvature should accommodate possible manufacturing variations of the vessel 100, lid 200 and gasket 220, and the gasket outer side 223a will still be in contact with the inner surface 130b regardless of how the lid 200 is centered with respect to the rim 140. These differences can be accommodated by the ability of the flexible skirt 224 and the outer side 223a to deform.

Gasket 220 may be made of any material that allows gasket 220 to seal the junction between central portion 210 and inner surface 130b of sidewall 130, thereby sealing container 110 and food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. For example, gasket 220 may be made of rubber, a polymer, an elastomer (e.g., silicone, fluorosilicone, etc.), any other material that allows gasket 220 to seal the junction between central portion 210 of sidewall 130 and inner surface 130b of sidewall 130 (thereby sealing food reservoir or cooking vessel 100), or any combination of the foregoing.

As shown in fig. 1B, the gasket 220 includes an upper portion 221, a vertical portion 223, and a flexible skirt 224. The upper portion 221 is configured to couple the gasket 220 to the central portion 210. The upper portion 221 may be configured to couple the gasket 220 to the central portion 210 in any manner. For example, the upper portion 221 can include an adhesive that couples the gasket 220 to the central portion 210. As another example, and as shown, the upper portion 221 may include an inner groove 222 (e.g., an inner perimeter groove) that may receive an outer perimeter region 210a of the central portion 210 (shown in fig. 2). The inner edge 222 may retain the outer peripheral region 210a, thereby coupling the gasket 220 to the central portion 210. As another example, the upper portion 221 may include a peripheral region that is received into an inner recess in the central portion 210 (i.e., as opposed to the example described above). The upper portion 221 may include an outer edge 221a that defines the horizontally outermost portion of the upper portion 221.

The upper portion 221 may have any size and/or shape. For example, the upper portion 221 may have a thickness (or other dimension) such that an outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221 extends horizontally outward beyond the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130. In other examples, the upper portion 221 may have a thickness (or other dimension) such that the outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221 extends horizontally outward beyond the outer surface 130a of the sidewall 130. By extending horizontally outward beyond the inner surface 130b and/or beyond the outer surface 130b, the dimensions of the upper portion 221 may help prevent the gasket 220 (and the cap 200) from being pushed completely into the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110.

The gasket 220 also includes a vertical portion 223. The vertical portion 223 of the gasket 220 descends downward from the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220. The vertical portion 223 may descend downward from the upper portion 221 by a distance 225. The distance 225 may be any length, such as at or substantially at (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 0.05 inch, 0.1 inch, 0.2 inch, 0.3 inch, 0.5 inch, 0.75 inch, 1 inch, 1.5 inch, 2 inches, 3 inches, any other length, or any length (or range of lengths) between 0.05 inch and 3 inches.

The vertical portion 223 includes an outer side 223a, the outer side 223a defining a horizontally outermost portion of the vertical portion 223. The outer side 223a of the vertical portion 223 may be positioned (or inserted) inward from the outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220. This may allow the vertical portion 223 and the flexible skirt 224 to fit within the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110, while the upper portion 221 or a portion of the upper portion 221 may remain outside of the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110. Such positioning may allow gasket 220 to seal the junction between central portion 210 and inner surface 130b of sidewall 130, thereby sealing food reservoir or cooking appliance 100. The inward positioning of the vertical portion 223 relative to the outer edge 221a is shown as distance 226. The distance 226 may be any length, such as at or substantially at (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 0.05 inches, 0.1 inches, 0.2 inches, 0.3 inches, 0.5 inches, 0.75 inches, 1 inch, 1.5 inches, any other length, or any length (or range of lengths) between 0.05 inches and 1.5 inches.

The vertical portion 223 may descend downwardly from the upper portion 221 at an angle 227. The angle 227 can be any angle that allows the outer side 223a of the vertical portion 223 to be positioned (or inserted) inward from the outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220. For example, angle 227 may be or be substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 90 degrees, 85 degrees, 80 degrees, 75 degrees, 95 degrees, 100 degrees, 105 degrees, any other angle, an angle that allows outer side 223a to be positioned inward from outer edge 221a, or any angle (or range of angles) between 75 degrees and 105 degrees.

Further, as shown, the gasket 220 also includes a flexible skirt 224. A flexible skirt 224 extends horizontally outward from the outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221. This extension causes flexible skirt 224 to contact (and/or press against) inner surface 130b of sidewall 130. This contact allows the gasket 220 (and the cap 200) to engagingly seal with the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 of the container 110.

The flexible skirt 224 may be configured in any manner to allow at least a portion of the flexible skirt 224 to flex (or otherwise move) up and down. This flexibility may cause the portion of the flexible skirt 224 to move upward (via friction and/or pressure) through the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 of the container 110 when the lid 200 is positioned on the container 110 (and the upright portion 223 and upright skirt 224 are within the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110). As shown in the example of upward movement in fig. 1B, the flexible skirt 224 moves from an undeformed state (shown in phantom) to an upward deformed state (shown in solid). Further, when the cap 200 is removed from the container 110, the portion of the flexible skirt 224 may again move downward to an undeformed state (shown in phantom).

The flexible skirt 224 may be configured in any manner to allow a portion of the flexible skirt 224 to flex (or otherwise move) up and down. For example, the flexible skirt 224 may have any thickness (or other dimension) that allows for such bending. As another example, the material (e.g., rubber, polymer, elastomer, as described above) of the gasket 220 and flexible skirt 224 may allow (or contribute to) such flexing.

Flexible skirt 224 may have any size and/or shape that allows contact with (and/or compression against) inner surface 130b of sidewall 130 so as to engagingly seal with inner surface 130b of sidewall 130. For example, the flexible skirt 224 may extend horizontally outward in a horizontal plane (i.e., may be flat) in its undeformed state. As a preferred example, the flexible skirt 224 may have an upward curvature in its undeformed state. This upward curvature (shown in phantom in fig. 1B) provides an inherent tendency to curl further upward (shown in solid in fig. 1B) as it contacts the inner surface 130B of the sidewall 130 of the container 110. As another example, the flexible skirt 224 may have a downward curvature in its undeformed state. Further details regarding example shapes of the flexible skirt 224 are shown in fig. 10A-10D.

In its undeformed state (as shown in phantom in fig. 1B), flexible skirt 224 may flex upward or downward to allow it to contact (and/or press against) inner surface 130B by any amount. For example, the bend may create an arc having a center angle 228 (shown in fig. 2) that is or is substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 45 degrees, 50 degrees, 60 degrees, 70 degrees, 75 degrees, 80 degrees, 90 degrees, 100 degrees, 110 degrees, 120 degrees, 130 degrees, 135 degrees, 140 degrees, 150 degrees, any angle () that allows the flexible skirt 224 to contact (and/or press against) the surface 130b of the inner angled sidewall 130, or any angle (or range of angles) between 45 degrees and 150 degrees.

The lid 200 also includes a lid rim 250. The lid rim 250 may be any device, element, or unit that may be coupled to the gasket 220 and/or the central portion 210 so as to provide an outer surface or edge to the gasket 220, the central portion 210, and/or the lid 200. As shown in fig. 1B, the cover rim 250 can extend around the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220. For example, the upper surface 250b of the cover rim 250 can be positioned on the upper surface 221b of the upper portion 221, the bottom surface 250c of the cover rim 250 can be positioned on the bottom surface 221c of the upper portion 221, and the outer edge 250a of the cover rim 250 can be positioned on the outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221. This may allow the cover rim 250 to surround all or a portion of the outer surface of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220. Outer edge 250a of lid rim 250 may define the horizontally outermost portion of lid rim 250.

The lid rim 250 may apply pressure to a portion of the lid 200. For example, in some examples, the cover rim 250 can exert a substantially downward pressure on the upper surface 221b of the upper portion 221 (and further exert a pressure on the top side of the peripheral region 210a of the central portion 210), and can also exert a substantially upward pressure on the bottom surface 221c of the upper portion 221 (and further exert a pressure on the bottom side of the peripheral region 210a of the central portion 210). Further, coupling of the gasket 220 to the central portion 210 is facilitated, for example, by pressing or clamping the upper portion 221 (and the internal groove 222 in the upper portion 221) onto the peripheral region 210a of the central portion 210. As another example, the cover rim 250 may exert a substantially horizontal pressure on the outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220 to press (or otherwise apply pressure) opposite sides of the outer edge 221a together (e.g., press opposite sides of the outer edge 221a against the central portion 210 between the opposite sides). This may cause the inner grooves 222 in the upper portion 221 to further sealingly engage the peripheral region 210a of the central portion 210 (and/or vice versa by urging the peripheral region 210a of the central portion 210 into further sealing engagement with the inner grooves 222 in the upper portion 221). For example, it may facilitate further entry of the peripheral region 210a of the central portion 210 into position within the inner slots 222 of the upper portion 211 (e.g., by further pressing the outermost horizontal edges of the inner slots 222 against the outer periphery of the outer portion 211 of the peripheral region 210a of the central portion 210).

In some examples, the cover rim 250 can provide support for the gasket 220. For example, the cover rim 250 may reinforce the material of the gasket 220 near the cover rim 250. As an example, the cover rim 250 may press against portions of the upper portion 221, resulting in the upper portion 221 being reinforced (as it is gathered together by the cover rim 250). This may allow the gasket 220 to be made of a very soft and pliable material (to enhance the deformability of the flexible skirt 224) while also allowing the upper portion 221 to be sufficiently stiff and less pliable to prevent the gasket 220 (and cap 200) from being pushed completely into the fluid-retaining interior region 190 of the container 110 when the cap 200 is tightly positioned on the container 110.

Lid rim 250 may be made of any material that allows food reservoir or cooking appliance 100 to be used to hold, store, and/or cook food. For example, lid rim 250 may be made of any material that allows food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 to be positioned within a microwave oven while the microwave oven heats food product held in container 110 of food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. As one example, lid rim 250 may be made of plastic, glass, a ceramic material, a non-metallic material, a metallic material, any other material that allows food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 to be used to hold, store, and/or cook food items, or any combination of the foregoing. In a preferred example, the lid rim 250 is made of metal or stainless steel. In some examples, the use of a lid rim 250 made of a thin bent sheet metal (or other metal member) may allow the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 to be heated in a microwave oven because it may prevent arcing in the microwave oven.

Further, in a preferred example, the material of the cover rim 250 may be a smooth material such as metal. Thus, in some examples, when the gasket 220 is in contact with the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 (thereby providing a seal), contact of the smooth material (e.g., metal) of the bottom surface 250c of the lid rim 250 with the rim 140 of the container 110 (e.g., made of glass) can provide an additional seal. In addition, it may also make the sealed food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 generally airtight for storing food or cooking food in a cabinet or refrigerator.

The lid rim 250 may have any size and/or shape. For example, as described above, the lid rim 250 can be a thin metal sheet that, in some examples, can be sized to surround all or a portion of the outer surface of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220. For example, lid rim 250 may have a thickness (or other dimension) such that outer edge 250a of lid rim 250 extends horizontally outward beyond inner surface 130b of sidewall 130. In other examples, the lid rim 250 may have a thickness (or other dimension) such that an outer edge 250a of the lid rim 250 extends horizontally outward beyond the outer surface 130a of the sidewall 130. By extending horizontally outward beyond the inner surface 130b and/or the outer surface 130a, the dimensions of the lid rim 250 may help prevent the gasket 220 (and lid 200) from being pushed completely into the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110. Accordingly, when lid 200 is placed in opening 150 to close or seal container 110 and food reservoir or cooking vessel 100, lid rim 250 may extend beyond first rim 140 to limit vertical displacement of gasket 220 into upper opening 150 such that flexible skirt 224 sealingly engages inner surface 130b of sidewall 130. Even when lid 200 seals food reservoir or cooking vessel 100, such restriction of vertical displacement of gasket 220 may result in a portion of gasket 220 (e.g., upper portion 221, a portion of upper portion 221) remaining vertically above rim 140 of container 110.

The lid rim 250 may be annular (i.e., ring-shaped), allowing the lid rim 250 to surround the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220 along the entire horizontal perimeter (i.e., the entire outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220). Further, the annular shape of the lid rim 250 is not limited to a circular ring. Rather, the annular shape may include an annular circle, an ellipse, a square, a rectangular corner, a diamond shape, an irregular shape, any other shape, or any combination of the aforementioned. Further, the annular shape may include one or more elliptical segments, curvilinear segments, non-curvilinear segments, a combination of curvilinear and non-curvilinear segments, or any combination of the foregoing. This may allow the lid rim 250 to fit any shape of gasket 220 and container 110, such as an oval gasket 220 and container 110, or a gasket 220 and container 110 having straight edges and rounded corners. As shown, the lid rim 250, gasket 220, center portion 210, lid 200, and container 110 are shaped as circles. Although lid 200 and lid rim 250 have alternative shapes, when lid rim 250 is made of metal and container 110 is used in a microwave oven, lid rim 250 should not have any sharp corners, but should have a radius of curvature greater than a few millimeters, but more preferably at least one or a few centimeters.

Lid rim 250 may include an upper inner perimeter 251 that extends horizontally inward beyond upper surface 221b of upper portion 221 (toward central portion 210) and also extends downward to contact intermediate portion 210. In some examples, this may minimize the possibility of ingress of contamination in inner groove 222 of gasket 220. In a preferred example, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2, the upper inner perimeter 251 is folded upon itself. In some examples, this may cause the folded curved portion to contact the central portion 210.

Modifications, additions, and/or substitutions may be made to the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 of fig. 1A-2 without departing from the scope of the present description. For example, although the lid 200 of the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 is described above as including the lid rim 250, in some examples, the lid 200 may not include the lid rim 250.

Fig. 3A to 3C show another example of a lid 200 of a food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. The lid 200 in fig. 3A-3C may be substantially similar to the lid 200 in fig. 1A and 2. However, the cover 200 in fig. 3A-3C may further include one or more bumpers 260 and one or more apertures 229. The lid 200 shown in fig. 3A-3B may be positioned on (or otherwise used with) the container 110, the container 110 being substantially similar to the container 110 of fig. 1A-2.

As shown, the gasket 220 may include one or more bumpers 260. The bumper 260 may help center the lid 200 on the container 110. For example, the bumper 260 may strike or rub against the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 of the container 110 when the lid 200 is positioned on the container 110. The impact or friction of bumper 260 on the opposite side of inner surface 130b of sidewall 130 may indicate to the user that lid 200 is properly centered on container 110. Thus, using the guidance provided by bumper 260, a user can more easily move lid 200 downward while having central portion 210 in a plane parallel to the plane defined by rim 140.

In some examples, the bumper 260 may be beneficial because the flexible nature of the flexible skirt 224 may prevent it from properly signaling to the user that the cap 200 is properly centered on the container 110. Conversely, without bumper 260, a user may have incorrectly positioned cap 200 in a position that results in a first portion of flexible skirt 224 being too close to inner surface 130b, while an opposing portion of flexible skirt 224 is too far from inner surface 130b (thereby providing an ineffective seal).

Bumper 260 may be any structure positioned on gasket 220 that may help center lid 200 on container 110. For example, the bumper 260 may be a protrusion (or other piece of material) in the profile of the gasket 220, a lip protruding downward from the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220, any other structure positioned on the gasket 220 to help center the lid 200 on the container 110, or any combination of the preceding. As shown, bumper 260 is a protrusion (or other piece of material) in the profile of washer 220.

The bumper 260 may be positioned on any portion of the gasket 220 that allows the bumper to help center the lid 200 on the container 110. For example, bumper 260 may be positioned on upper portion 221 of gasket 220 (e.g., as a lip extending downward from bottom surface 221C of upper portion 221), on vertical portion 223 of gasket 220 (e.g., a ledge extending horizontally outward from outer side 223A of portion 220a of vertical portion 223), on upper portion 221 and vertical portion 223 of gasket 220 (e.g., a ledge extending downward from bottom surface 221C and further extending horizontally outward from outer side 223A of vertical portion 223, as shown in fig. 3A-3C), on any other portion of gasket 220 that allows bumper 260 to help center lid 200 on container 110, or any combination of the foregoing.

The bumper 260 may be any size and/or shape (and/or location) that allows the bumper to help center the lid 200 on the container 110. For example, bumper 260 may be sized such that its horizontally outermost surface is located inward (or inset) of the outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220. This position of the horizontally outermost surface may allow the bumper 260 to fit within the fluid-retaining interior region 190 of the container 110, while the upper portion 221 or a portion of the upper portion 221 remains outside of the fluid-retaining interior region 190 of the container 110.

As another example, bumper 260 may be sized such that its horizontally outermost surface is located inboard (or inset) from the horizontally outermost portion of flexible skirt 224. This may allow the bumper 260 to help center the lid 200 on the container 110 without configuring the bumper 260 to flex upward and downward (when the lid 200 is positioned on the container 110). As another example, the bumper 260 may be sized such that (when the lid 200 is positioned on the container 100) the horizontally outermost surface of the bumper 260 is located at or slightly inward of the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130. In some examples, for example, the horizontal distance between the horizontally outermost surface of bumper 260 and inner surface 130b of the sidewall (when lid 200 is positioned on container 110 to seal food reservoir or cooking vessel 100) may be or may be substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 0 millimeters, 0.1 millimeters, 0.25 millimeters, 0.5 millimeters, 1 millimeter, 1.5 millimeters, 2 millimeters, any other distance that allows bumper 260 to help center lid 200 on container 110, or any distance (or range of distances) between 0 millimeters and 2 millimeters.

The gasket 220 may include any number of bumpers 260. For example, the gasket 220 may include 2 or more bumpers 260, but preferably includes 4 to 6 bumpers 260. Depending on the perimeter of the lid and rim, it may be desirable to have more than 6 bumpers 260, but even radial spacing between bumpers 260 at an angle between 30 and 90 degrees is sufficient to facilitate centering without unduly increasing molding complexity and the chance of manufacturing defects. Bumpers 260 can be spaced apart (e.g., radially spaced) from each other along gasket 220. For example, each bumper 260 can be spaced from any other bumper 260 along an outer edge of the gasket 220 (e.g., along the perimeter formed by the outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221) by a distance of or substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 0.25 inches, 0.5 inches, 1 inch, 1.5 inches, 2 inches, 3 inches, 5 inches, or any distance (or range of distances) between 0.25 inches and 5 inches.

As shown, the gasket 220 may include one or more holes 229. The one or more apertures 229 may allow air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110 when the lid 200 seals the container and the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. For example, the holes 229 may vent air out of the container 110 through one or more locations between the vertical portion 223 of the gasket 220 and the inner surface 130b of the sidewall. This may make food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 more securely sealed, as venting may prevent air from being trapped and compressed in fluid retaining interior region 190 during lid closing. This may be helpful in some examples because the compressed air in the fluid retaining interior region 190 may push the cap 200 upward and may slowly break the seal provided by the gasket 220.

Further, as the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 is heated in the microwave oven, the steam and/or hot air generated may gradually vent through holes 229 (and may vent to a location where lid rim 250 contacts rim 140 of container 110 and/or to a location where lid rim 250 contacts rim 140 of container 110). In some examples, such venting of steam and/or hot air may prevent the lid 200 from being explosively ejected from the top of the container 110.

The holes 229 may be any venting structure positioned on the gasket 220 that may allow air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region 190 (thereby sealing the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100) when the lid 200 is positioned on the container 110. For example, as shown, the holes 229 may be holes (or other holes) in the gasket 220.

Apertures 229 may be positioned on any portion of gasket 220 that allows apertures 229 to allow air to vent from fluid retaining interior region 190 of container 110 when lid 200 seals food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. For example, the holes 229 may be positioned in the upright portion 223, in the flexible skirt 224, any other portion of the gasket 220 that allows air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110 when the lid 200 seals the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100, or any combination of the foregoing. As shown, holes 229 are positioned in flexible skirt 224. In some examples, the holes 229 can be positioned in the flexible skirt 224 at a location adjacent (e.g., within or approximately within 0.5 inches, 0.3 inches, 0.1 inches, 2 millimeters) of where the flexible skirt 224 connects to the outer side 223a of the vertical portion 223. Such positioning may prevent apertures 229 from being blocked or obstructed by flexible skirt 224 as they move up inner surface 130b of sidewall 130.

The apertures 229 may have any size and/or shape to allow air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110 when the lid 200 seals the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. For example, the apertures 229 may be shaped as circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, diamonds, irregular shapes, any other shape, or any combination of the foregoing. As another example, the holes 229 may have a diameter that is substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 1 millimeter to substantially less than about 5 millimeters. The larger the holes 229, the more easily fluid can leak through them. Although no physical aperture may be fluid tight, capillary forces minimize fluid leakage when the aperture is small rather than large.

Apertures 229 may be formed in any manner on gasket 220 to allow air to vent from fluid retaining interior region 190 of container 110 when lid 200 seals food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. For example, the hole 229 may be integrally formed with the gasket 220. In such an example, the mold used to form gasket 220 may include protrusions that also form holes 229. As another example, the holes 229 may be formed after the gasket 220 is formed. In such an example, the holes 229 can be made through the thickness of the gasket 200 by, for example, a machine.

Gasket 220 may include any number of holes 229. For example, the gasket 220 may preferably include about 2 to 8 holes 229, but more or less holes 229 may be arranged according to the hole size so that steam or hot air may flow outward during microwave cooking to minimize the internal pressure. If the holes 229 can be reproducibly made smaller than 1mm, more holes can be used in order to provide the same effective cross section for the hot gas or steam to exit. Other embodiments discussed further do not require holes 229. The holes 229 may be spaced apart (e.g., tangentially spaced apart) from one another along the gasket 220. For example, each aperture 229 may be spaced from any other aperture 229 at or substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) by 1 millimeter, 2 millimeters, 0.1 inch, 0.25 inch, 0.5 inch, 1 inch, 1.5 inch, 2 inches, 3 inches, 5 inches, or any distance (or range of distances) between 1 millimeter and 5 inches along the perimeter created by the flexible skirt 224.

Modifications, additions, and/or substitutions may be made to the cap 200 of fig. 3A-3C without departing from the scope of the present description. For example, although the cover 200 is described above as including one or more bumpers 260 and one or more apertures 229, the cover 200 may include only one or more bumpers 260, only one or more apertures 229, or neither one or more bumpers 260 nor one or more apertures 229.

Fig. 4A-4B illustrate another example of a container 110 and lid 200 of a food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. The container 110 of fig. 4A-4B may be substantially similar to the container 110 of fig. 1A-2 and/or 3A-3C. However, the container 110 of fig. 4A-4B may also include one or more recesses 131. The lid 200 of fig. 4A-4B may be generally similar to the lid 200 of fig. 1A-2 and/or 3A-3C. However, the lid rim 250 of the lid 200 may have a different shape. This shape of the lid rim 250 and the recess 131 may facilitate removal of the lid 200 from the container 110.

As shown, the outer surface 130a of the sidewall 130 of the container 110 may include one or more notches 131 that extend up to the rim 140 of the container 110. The notch 131 may provide a space into which a user may insert one or more fingers (or fingertips or other objects) so that the fingers (or other objects) may be positioned under a portion of the lid rim 250. This positioning may allow a user to more easily push lid rim 250 upward and more easily release gasket 220 from its sealing engagement with inner surface 130b of sidewall 130 of container 110, thereby opening food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. The contents of the container 110 may then be poured (or otherwise removed) from the container 110 through the upper opening 150.

The recess 131 may be of any size and/or shape (and/or positioning) to provide space into which a user may insert one or more fingers (or fingertips or other objects). For example, the recess 131 can have a depth that causes the outer edge 250a of the lid rim 250 to extend horizontally outward beyond the outer surface 130a of the sidewall 130 (with the recess 131) at or substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 2 millimeters, 0.1 inches, 0.2 inches, 0.25 inches, 0.3 inches, 0.4 inches, 0.5 inches, 0.6 inches, 0.75 inches, 0.8 inches, 0.9 inches, 1 inch, 1.5 inches, or any distance (or range of distances) between 2 millimeters and 1.5 inches. As another example, the recess 131 may have a width (or length) along the perimeter of the outer surface 130a to allow one or more fingers (e.g., one finger, two fingers, four fingers) to fit in the recess 131. For example, the notch 131 may have a width (or length) along the perimeter of the outer surface 130a that is substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 0.5 inch, 1 inch, 1.5 inches, 2 inches, 2.5 inches, 3 inches, 3.5 inches, 4 inches, 5 inches, the entire perimeter of the outer surface 130a, or any distance (or range of distances) between 0.5 inch and the entire perimeter of the outer surface 130 a. As shown, the outer surface 130a of fig. 4A-4B includes a single notch 131 that extends around the entire perimeter of the outer surface 130a (i.e., has a width equal to the entire perimeter of the outer surface 130 a).

The outer surface 130a may include any number of recesses 131. For example, the outer surface 130a can include one notch 131, two notches 131, three notches 131, four notches 131, eight 8 notches 131, ten notches 131, twenty notches 131, any other number of notches 131, or any number of notches 131 (or range of notches 131) between one notch 131 and twenty notches 131. As shown, the outer surface 130a of fig. 4A-4B includes a single notch 131 (i.e., having a width equal to the entire perimeter of the outer surface 130 a) that extends around the entire perimeter of the outer surface 130 a.

When the outer surface 130a includes a plurality of notches 131 (e.g., four notches 131, with one notch 131 on each side of the square container 110), the notches 131 may be spaced apart from each other along the outer surface 130 a. For example, each notch 131 may be spaced apart from any other notch 131 by substantially (e.g., plus/minus 10%) 0.5 inches, 1 inch, 2 inches, 3 inches, 4 inches, 5 inches, 6 inches, 10 inches, or any distance (or range of distances) between 0.5 inches and 10 inches along the perimeter of the outer surface 130 a. In some examples, the outer surface 130a may include one or more notches 131 on each side of the container 110. For example, if the container 110 is square (or substantially square), the outer surface 130a may include a single notch 131 (four notches 131 total) on each side of the square. These notches 131 may be located, for example, in the center (or middle) of each side.

As described above, the cover rim 250 of fig. 4A-4B may have a different shape than the cover rim 250 of fig. 1A-3. As shown, the cover rim 250 (e.g., a thin annular metal sheet) can include an outer edge 250a positioned on (or over) an outer edge 221a of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220, an upper surface 250b positioned on (or over) an upper surface 221b of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220, and a bottom surface 250c positioned on (over) a bottom surface 221c of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220. This may result in the cover rim 250 surrounding all or a portion of the outer surface of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220.

Similar to the cover frame 250 of fig. 1A-3, the upper surface 250B of the cover frame 250 of fig. 4A-4B may include an upper inner perimeter 251 that extends horizontally inward beyond the upper surface 221B of the upper portion 221 (toward the central portion 210) and also extends downward to contact the central portion 210. Upper inner perimeter 251 of fig. 4A-4B may be loosely folded upon itself to provide a rounded upper edge 254. The rounded upper edge 254 may be proximate to and in contact with the central portion 210. In addition, rounded upper edge 254 may also impart a rounded profile to the entire upper surface 250 b. In some examples, the rounded profile may cause a portion of the upper surface 250b to extend above the upper surface 221b of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220 without always contacting the gasket 220. This can be seen by the gap in fig. 4B between upper surface 221B and upper surface 250B.

The bottom surface 250c of the cover frame 250 of fig. 4A-4B may have a rounded lower edge 252. All or a portion of the rounded lower edge 252 may extend horizontally outward beyond the outer surface 130a at the location of the recess 131 (as shown). By extending beyond the outer surface 130a, the lid frame 250 may have a more comfortable rounded edge that a user may use to lift the lid portion 200 from the container 110. In some examples, this rounded lower edge 252 can result in a portion of the bottom surface 250c extending above the bottom surface 221c of the upper portion 221 of the gasket 220 without always being in contact with the gasket 220. This can be seen by the gap in fig. 4B between bottom surface 250c and bottom surface 221 c. Rounded lower edge 252 may have a depth D (as shown in fig. 4B) that is the same as the depth (or thickness) of gasket 220 between outer edge 221a and the beginning of inner groove 222 (also shown in fig. 4B).

The upper portion 221 of the gasket 220 can be secured in the area adjacent to and between the rounded lower edge 252 and the rounded upper edge 254. In some examples, the cover frame 250 may reinforce the material of the gasket 220 near the cover rim 250 (as described above). In some examples, this may allow the central portion 210 to remain in the inner channel 222 when the lid 200 is lifted. In addition, it may allow the flexible skirt 224 to be soft and pliable for easy wetting and sealing to the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 of the container 110, while the cover frame 250 reinforces the upper portion 221 of the gasket 200.

It should be appreciated that to lift the lid 200 from the container 110, a user may insert at least one fingertip under the rounded lower edge 252 at the notch 131. It should also be understood that a user may insert at least one fingertip below the rounded lower edge 252 by grasping the lid 200 from above or by pushing from below the container 110.

Modifications, additions, and/or substitutions may be made to the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 of fig. 4A-4B without departing from the scope of the present description. For example, although it is described above that food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 includes each of recesses 131, circular lower edge 252, and circular upper edge 254, in some examples, food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 may include only recesses 131, only circular lower edge 252, only circular upper edge 254, only two of the first three components, or none of the first three components.

Fig. 5A to 9 show another example of a container 110 and a lid 200 of a food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. The container 110 of fig. 5A-9 may be substantially similar to the container 110 of fig. 1A-2, 3A-3C, and/or 4A-4B. The lid 200 of fig. 5A-9 may be substantially similar to the lid 200 of fig. 1A-2, 3A-3C, and/or 4A-4B. However, the central portion 210 of fig. 5A-9 may also include one or more valves 300, the valves 300 selectively allowing air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110 when the lid 200 seals the container 110 of the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100.

Valve 300 may allow food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 to be more securely sealed, as venting may prevent air from being trapped and compressed in fluid retaining interior region 190 during the lid closing process. For example, if the valve 300 is open (i.e., vents air) when the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 is sealed, the lid 200 may be pushed downward as air in the container 110 vents through the valve 300. In some examples, this may be helpful because the fluid holding the compressed air in the interior region 190 may prevent the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 from being completely sealed, or may push the lid 200 upward and slowly defeat the seal provided by the gasket 220. In this way, such venting through the valve 300 may allow the flexible skirt 224 of the gasket 220 to seal with the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 (below the rim 140). Also, after the lid 200 is positioned on the container 110 and the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 is completely sealed, the valve 300 may then be closed. Furthermore, when the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 is heated in a microwave oven and the valve 300 is opened, the generated steam and/or hot air will gradually be expelled through the valve 300. To prevent the cap 200 from being explosively ejected from the top of the container 110.

In some examples, using the valve 300 in the cap 200 may allow air to be vented even when the gasket 220 does not include any holes 229. As such, valve 300 may be included in a food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 that does not have any apertures 229. In other examples, both valve 300 and aperture 229 may be included in food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. In some examples, if the lid 200 does not include the aperture 229 or the valve 300 (or if the valve 300 is closed), compressing the trapped air may prevent sealing the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100, as compressing the trapped air may resist full insertion of the flexible skirt 224 under the rim 140 of the container 110. In other examples, even if food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 does not include apertures 229 or valve 300, food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 is still able to vent some of this air. Moreover, in other examples, food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 can still be properly sealed even if food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 does not include aperture 229 or valve 300. Accordingly, in some examples, food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 may not include apertures 229 or valve 300.

As shown, the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 of fig. 5A-9 includes one or more valves 300. The valve 300 may include any device, element, or unit that may selectively allow air to exit the fluid retaining interior region 190 through the central portion 210 and may also selectively prevent air from exiting the fluid retaining interior region 190 through the central portion 210. For example, the valve 300 may be a combination of a hole and a plug, a sliding gate valve, a diaphragm valve, or a membrane valve, any other device, element, or unit that may selectively allow air to exit the fluid retaining interior region 190 through the central portion 210 and may also selectively prevent air from exiting the fluid retaining interior region 190 through the central portion 210, or any combination of the foregoing. As shown, the valve 300 of fig. 5A-9 is a combination bore and plug.

According to the illustrated example, the valve 300 includes a bore 115 and a plug 301 located in the central portion 210. The holes 115 may be any opening that extends through the entire thickness of the central portion 210 such that air may pass through the central portion 210 through the holes 115. The aperture 115 may have any shape and/or size to allow the valve 300 to selectively allow air to exit the fluid retaining interior region 190 through the central portion 210 and also to selectively prevent air from exiting the fluid retaining interior region 190 through the central portion 210.

The plug 301 may be any device, element, or unit that may be selectively inserted into (or otherwise close) the aperture 115. The plug 301 may be made of any material that allows it to be selectively inserted into (or otherwise close) the aperture 115, thereby preventing air from passing through the central portion 210. For example, plug 301 may be made of rubber, a polymer, an elastomer (e.g., silicone, fluorosilicone, etc.), any other material that allows plug 301 to be selectively inserted into (or otherwise close off) hole 115 (thereby preventing air from passing through central portion 210), or any combination of the preceding. In a preferred example, the plug 301 is made of a soft, resiliently deformable material (such as silicone rubber).

The plug 301 may have any size and/or shape that allows it to be selectively inserted into (or otherwise close) the aperture 115. For example, as shown, the plug 301 may have a central portion 302, a top 303, and a bottom 304 at least partially positioned in the hole 115, wherein the central portion 302 is at least partially positioned in the hole 115. The top 303 may extend outside the top of the aperture 115 and may have a dimension (e.g., width) greater than the aperture 115. The user may push the top 303 downward to move the plug 301 downward and may pull upward on the top 303 to move the plug 301 upward. The bottom 304 may extend outside the bottom of the aperture 115 and may have a dimension (e.g., width) greater than the aperture 115.

The central portion 302 may include two regions: a top wide region 302a and a bottom narrow region 302b. Top wide area 302a may have a shape and/or size that is the same as (or larger than) the shape and/or size of aperture 115. As such, when the top wide area 302a is positioned within the aperture 115 (or aligned with the aperture 115) (e.g., when the plug 301 is moved downward such that the top wide area 302a is positioned within the sidewall of the aperture 115, as shown in fig. 5B), the top wide area 302a may at least substantially enclose the aperture 115, preventing air from passing through the valve 300.

The bottom narrow region 302b may have a shape and/or size that is different from and/or smaller than the shape and/or size of the aperture 115. Thus, when the bottom narrow region 302b is positioned within the aperture 115 (or aligned with the aperture 115) (e.g., when the plug 301 is moved upward such that the bottom narrow region 302b is positioned within the sidewall of the aperture 115, as shown in fig. 5A), an air passage may be provided through the aperture 115, as shown in fig. 5A. As an example of the shape and/or size of bottom narrow region 302b, bottom narrow region 302b may not be as wide as hole 115 (but it may be as thick as hole 115 or thicker than hole 115 in the vertical direction). As another example, the bottom narrow region 302b may be a different shape than the hole (e.g., the hole 115 may have a circular cross-section, but the bottom narrow region 302b may have a triangular cross-section).

When the valve 300 is open (e.g., when the plug 301 is pulled upward), air and vapor may exit the aperture 115 and outside air may enter the aperture 115 (which may release a vacuum within the fluid retaining interior region 190 of the container 110). Alternatively, when the valve 300 is closed (e.g., when the plug 301 is pushed downward), air and steam may be prevented from exiting the aperture 115, and outside air may be prevented from entering the aperture 115.

In some examples, the valve 300 may also include an O-ring to seal and threadably engage the cap 200, or an insert (not shown) inserted in the bore 115. Further, although the valve 300 is shown as opening when the plug 301 is pulled upward, in some examples, the valve 300 may be closed when the plug 301 is pulled upward (and the valve 300 may be opened when the plug 301 is pushed downward). In such an example, the bottom narrow region 302b may be positioned vertically above the top wide region 302 a.

In a preferred example, the valve 300 may also be capable of providing one or more indications regarding food held and/or stored in the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. For example, as shown in fig. 6, lid 200 may include one or more markings 290, markings 290 indicating the usable dates on which food items held and/or stored in food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 may be used (e.g., an indication of the date food items are placed in food reservoir or cooking vessel 100, an indication that food items should be processed). As shown, indicia 290 may be from 1 to 7 for seven days of the week, but may represent multiple weeks of a month, multiple months of a year, or any other indication (e.g., food type, cooking style, etc.).

In the example of fig. 6, the plug 301 may also include a shape or indicia (e.g., a single outwardly directed hole 306) that points to one of the indicia 290 on the cover 200. Thus, if the outwardly directed hole 306 is directed at 4, it may indicate that food items are placed in the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 on a wednesday (i.e., day 4 of the week). The outwardly directed aperture 306 (or other shape or indicia) may be rotated (e.g., clockwise, counterclockwise) to either of the indicia 290. To this end, the plug 301 may be rotated (by the user) within the bore 115 without expelling air. To assist in rotating plug 301, plug 301 may have an outer region 305, the outer region 305 having an upwardly curled edge 307 that may be grasped by a user. When the valve 300 is closed, the top 303 of the plug 301 may be substantially flat in the central portion 210. However, the upwardly curled edge 307 of the plug 301 may allow a user to easily grasp and rotate the plug 301 (even when the valve 300 is closed). The plug 301 may have an upwardly extending portion for gripping, which, like the gasket, is preferably rubber or elastomer, to facilitate gripping to release any vacuum therein, and to raise the lid to serve cooked or stored food.

The central portion 210 may include any number of valves 300. For example, the central portion 210 may include one valve 300, two valves 300, three valves 300, four valves 300, any other number of valves 300, or any number (or range) of valves 300 between one valve 300 and four valves 300. Further, the valve 300 may be positioned anywhere in the central portion 210. For example, the valve 300 may be positioned in a center position of the central portion 210, off center of the central portion 210, at a corner position of the central portion 210, at any other position in the central portion 210, or any combination of the preceding. As shown, the central portion 210 of fig. 5A-9 includes a single valve 300 positioned in the center of the central portion 210.

In some examples, if the food product has been heated while positioned in the container 110 (e.g., for storage), the hot food product may generate steam and air that is vented from the open valve 300. Furthermore, if the valve 300 is closed, cooling the hot food product in the container 110 (e.g., in a refrigerator) may condense the vapor trapped in the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. This condensation may create a vacuum within the container 110, which may hold the lid 200 in place with greater force than if only the gasket 220 and flexible skirt 224 were frictionally engaged with the container 110. This manner of providing a vacuum in the container 110 may provide additional advantages, such as by protecting the food therein from spillage (even if the container is inverted), improving shelf life by eliminating bacteria, and avoiding transfer of food odors to the refrigerator. Unfortunately, in some instances, this manner of providing a vacuum may also cause problems. For example, providing such a vacuum within a large container (having a large lid size) may also require a reinforced lid or a thicker lid (or limit the lid diameter) since the atmospheric pressure on the lid 200 increases as the lid size increases.

However, in some examples, the gasket 220 of the food reservoir or cooking vessel of fig. 5A-9 (and/or fig. 1A-2, 3A-3C, and/or 4A-4B) may provide self-venting to address this drawback. This self-venting may prevent excessive vacuum from forming within the container 110 (which may be problematic, as discussed above). Further, after self-venting occurs, the valve 300 may be reopened, the cap 200 may be removed and reinserted (or just reinserted), and then the valve 300 may be closed to maintain the cap 200 in the closed position.

To provide such self venting, the flexible skirt 224 may also be configured such that at least a portion of the flexible skirt 224 may bend downward (or otherwise move) due to internal and external pressures. This flexibility may deform this portion of the flexible skirt 224 downward (as shown in fig. 7A-7C and 8). For example, when a vacuum is created in the container 110 (e.g., cooling a heated food product in a sealed food reservoir or cooking vessel 100, as described above, the higher atmospheric pressure outside of the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 may deform a portion of the periphery of the flexible skirt 224 by flipping over in orientation and curling downward. This downward deformation may cause the outward facing portion 224a of the flexible skirt 224 to flip downward and face inward while the inward facing portion 224b of the flexible skirt 224 to flip downward and face outward (as shown in FIGS. 7A-7C and 8). For example, during this downward deformation, a small amount of air may enter the container 110 through a gap created by the downward deformation. This movement of a small amount of air into the container 110 is referred to as self-venting.

The flexible skirt 224 may provide such self venting even though the flexible skirt 224 may be slightly bent upward in its undeformed state (as shown in fig. 7A and described above), and further may be curled upward into an upwardly deformed state (as shown in fig. 7A and described above) even when it contacts the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130. In such an example, the higher atmospheric pressure outside of the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 (when the container 110 has formed a vacuum) may still deform a portion of the periphery of the flexible skirt 224 by, for example, flipping over the orientation and curling downward.

The flexible skirt 224 may be configured in any manner to allow a portion of the periphery of the flexible skirt 224 to be deformed by flipping over the orientation and curling down. For example, the flexible skirt 224 may have any thickness (or other dimension) that allows for such downward deformation. As another example, the material of the gasket 220 and flexible skirt 224 (e.g., rubber, polymer, elastomer, as described above) may allow (or contribute to) such downward deformation.

The peripheral portion of the downwardly deformed flexible skirt 224 may be any portion of the periphery of the flexible skirt 224. For example, it may be only a small portion of the perimeter of the flexible skirt 224, or it may be the entire perimeter of the flexible skirt 224. Additionally, the portion of the flexible skirt 224 may deform downward under any pressure differential where the external pressure exceeds the pressure inside the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100.

Further, although a portion of the periphery of the flexible skirt 224 may be deformed downward, the remaining portion of the periphery of the flexible skirt 224 may not be deformed downward. Thus, the remainder of the perimeter of the flexible skirt 224 may maintain constant or near constant contact with the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130 (e.g., due to the compliance of the flexible skirt 224). This means that the downward deformed portion may be bounded (i.e., provide a boundary) on both sides by the remaining portion in constant or near constant contact with the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130. This may provide a slow decrease in vacuum level as shown in fig. 9, which shows the change in pressure over time measured when the near boiling water cools to about 50 ℃. As shown, the pressure differential (the pressure differential between the external pressure and the pressure in the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 with the valve 300 closed and the gasket 220 sealing the lid portion 200 to the inner surface 130b of the side wall 130) can increase by about 0.09 bar in less than 2 minutes due to the steam that has displaced the air in the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 condensing and reducing the pressure inside. However, as shown by the time axis position of arrow 901, as the external pressure causes the flexible skirt 224 to deform downward, there is an onset of a nearly instantaneous decreasing pressure differential, which causes it to invert such that the inward facing portion 224b (rather than the outward facing portion 224 a) is in contact with the inner surface 130b of the sidewall 130. Thereafter, the small non-contact area of the flexible skirt 224 around the downward deformation may cause a slow leakage of air, returning the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 to atmospheric pressure in about 15 minutes.

Modifications, additions and/or substitutions may be made to the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 of fig. 5A-9 without departing from the scope of the present description. For example, although the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 is described above as including each of the valves 300, the indicia 290, and the self-venting flexible skirt 224, in some examples, the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 may include only one or more valves 300, only one or more indicia 290, only one self-venting flexible skirt 224, only two of the first three components, or none of the first three components.

Fig. 10A-10D show further examples of gaskets 220 of the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100. The gasket 220 of fig. 10A-10D may be substantially similar to the gasket 220 of fig. 1A-2, 3A-3C, 4A-4B, and/or 5A-9. However, the gasket 220 of fig. 10A to 10D may have a different shape. For example, the flexible skirt 224 of the gasket 220 of fig. 10A may include a rounded tip (as opposed to a flat tip). The rounded tip may allow the flexible skirt 224 to deform more easily downward, and may also allow the flexible skirt 224 to more easily flip back from downward deformation after the pressure differential (between the external pressure and the pressure inside the food reservoir or cooking vessel 100) is reduced. This may allow gasket 220 to further seal food reservoir or cooking vessel 100 after the pressure differential is reduced.

As another example, the flexible skirt 224 of fig. 10B may have a downward curvature in the undeformed state (as opposed to the upward curvature shown in fig. 1A-9). As another example, the flexible skirt 224 of fig. 10C may not have a curvature at all. Rather, it may extend horizontally or substantially horizontally outward. It may also include a rounded tip. As another example, the flexible skirt 224 of fig. 10D may extend outward horizontally or substantially horizontally, and may also have a large rounded tip.

Modifications, additions, and/or substitutions may be made to the food reservoir or cooking vessel (or any of its components) of each of fig. 1A-10D without departing from the scope of the present description. For example, any of the food reservoirs or cooking vessels (or any of the components of the food reservoirs or cooking vessels) of any of fig. 1A-10D may be combined with or replaced with any of the other food reservoirs or cooking vessels (or any of the components of the food reservoirs or cooking vessels) of any of the other of fig. 1A-10D. For example, the gasket 220 of fig. 5A may be replaced with the gasket 220 of fig. 10A or the gasket 220 of fig. 10C.

The vessel 100 of fig. 1A-10D may be used to store and cook food. The food may be cooked in a microwave oven with the lid portion 200 in place, and after removal of the lid portion 200, the food may be briefly processed in a conventional or convection oven to brown the food.

The use of the metal annular lid rim 250 reinforces the soft rubber gasket 220 to prevent the vacuum created by the cooling of the food from pulling or otherwise moving the container lid 200 from the container rim 140. However, the gasket 220 provides the option of storing food under vacuum in a refrigerator or freezer.

It has also been found that the metal annular lid rim 250 does not overheat by microwave cooking, since it appears to reflect microwave energy, and the rubber gasket 220 (which is a good insulator relative to glass) prevents heat from being transferred to the metal annular lid rim 250, even though the interior of the lid 200 and the container sidewall 130 are heated by food and steam generated during cooking.

Thus, the cover 200 may be left in place when the food is taken to a table for consumption. Since the gasket 220 prevents the leakage of hot air and steam, the food will be kept hot for at least 30 minutes and kept warm for substantially 45 minutes or more depending on the initial temperature. These benefits are realized when the lid 200 is about 4mm thick and the container sidewall 130 is about 5mm thick. Glass in this thickness range helps to retain heat, but still does not heat the metal lid rim 250 or the handle or grip portion of the valve 300. Thus, food can be served directly from the table by lifting the lid 200 at meals, without concern for the lid edges, or metal, or the handles being too hot, and the food will remain very warm.

It will be appreciated that when flexible skirt 224 and side wall 130 are shaped to promote large areas of mutual contact at inner surface 130b, such contact areas may provide a frictional force that resists inadvertent removal of lid 200 from the container in the absence of a vacuum in cavity 190. However, as shown in fig. 7A-7C and 8, too large a contact area may reduce the ability of the washer outward-facing portion 224a to flip over (so that it faces inward). It has been found that it is more preferable that 5% to 60% (and more preferably between 10% and 50%) of the surface area (or arcuate length) of the outer facing portion 224a should be in contact with the inner surface 130b of the side wall 130 of the container 110 to provide sufficient friction to resist easy displacement of the lid portion 200 (which may result in leakage of the contents), yet still be able to invert to preclude excessive vacuum levels (i.e., self venting). Fig. 7A shows an example of 5% to 60% of the surface area (or arc length) of the outward facing portion 224a in contact with the inner surface 130b.

The grammatical articles "a", "an", "the" and "the" as used in this specification are intended to include "at least one" or "one or more" unless otherwise indicated. Thus, in this specification the article is intended to refer to one or to more than one (i.e. "at least one") item. For example, "component" means one or more components, and thus, more than one component may be contemplated and may be utilized or used in an application of the described embodiments. Furthermore, the use of a singular noun includes the plural, and the use of a plural noun includes the singular, unless the context of usage requires otherwise. In addition, the grammatical conjunction "and" or "is used herein in accordance with accepted usage. For example, "x and y" refer to "x" and "y". On the other hand, "x or y" means "x", "y", or both "x" and "y", and "x or y" means exclusivity.

The present description has been written with reference to various non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments or examples. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various substitutions, modifications, or combinations of any of the disclosed embodiments or examples (or portions thereof) can be made within the scope of the present description. Accordingly, it is contemplated and understood that this specification supports additional embodiments or examples that are not expressly set forth in this specification. Such embodiments or examples may be obtained, for example, by combining, modifying or reorganizing any of the disclosed components, elements, features, aspects, characteristics, limitations, etc. of the various non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments or examples described in this specification. In this way, the applicant reserves the right to amend the claims during the application to add different described features in the present description.

Claims (24)

1. A vessel for cooking and storing one or more food products, the vessel comprising:

a) A container having a bottom and an upwardly extending sidewall terminating in a rim defining an upper opening of the container, the upwardly extending sidewall having an outer surface defining a horizontally outermost portion of the sidewall, the upwardly extending sidewall further having an inner surface defining a horizontally innermost portion of the sidewall;

b) A removable lid for the container, the lid comprising:

i) A central portion having a peripheral region;

ii) an annular gasket positioned around a periphery of the central portion, the annular gasket comprising:

(1) An upper portion coupling the gasket to the central portion, the upper portion including an inner groove for receiving the peripheral region of the central portion, wherein the peripheral region of the central portion is positioned within the inner groove of the upper portion;

(2) A vertical portion descending downwardly from the upper portion of the gasket, the vertical portion having an outer side positioned horizontally inwardly from an outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket; and

(3) A flexible skirt extending horizontally outward from the outside of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the flexible skirt terminates in a circular portion configured to contact the inner surface of the sidewall of the container when the lid is positioned on the brim of the container, wherein the flexible skirt has an upward curvature in an undeformed state, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to deform upward and inward from the undeformed state when the lid is positioned on the brim of the container so as to seal the vessel, and wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to release the circular portion from contact with the inner surface of the sidewall when the pressure inside the vessel is reduced to form a vacuum, and to reseal with the inner surface of the sidewall when the vacuum level has been partially reduced such that the atmospheric pressure outside the vessel remains greater than the pressure inside the vessel;

iii) An annular lid rim positioned around a perimeter of the upper portion of the gasket, the annular lid rim applying pressure to one or more portions of the upper portion of the gasket, wherein the annular lid rim has an outer edge that extends horizontally outward beyond at least the inner surface of the sidewall when the vessel is sealed by the lid to prevent vertical displacement of the annular lid rim below the rim;

c) Wherein the central portion of the lid has one or more valves configured to selectively allow air to vent from the fluid-retaining interior region of the container when the vessel is sealed by the lid; and

d) Wherein the vessel is configured to be heated in a microwave oven while the vessel is sealed by the lid.

2. A vessel for cooking and storing one or more food items, the vessel comprising:

a) A container having a bottom and an upwardly extending sidewall terminating in a rim defining an upper opening of the container, the upwardly extending sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface; and

b) A removable lid for the container, the lid comprising:

i) A central portion having a peripheral region;

ii) an annular gasket positioned around a periphery of the central portion, the annular gasket comprising:

(1) An upper portion coupling the gasket to the central portion;

(2) A vertical portion descending downwardly from the upper portion of the gasket, the vertical portion having an outer side positioned horizontally inwardly from an outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket; and

(3) A flexible skirt extending horizontally outwardly from the outside of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the flexible skirt terminates in a circular portion configured to contact the inner surface of the sidewall of the container when the lid is positioned on the brim of the container, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to deform upwardly and inwardly from an undeformed state when the lid is positioned on the brim of the container so as to seal the vessel, and wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to release contact of the circular portion with the inner surface of the sidewall when the pressure inside the vessel is reduced to create a vacuum, and to reseal with the inner surface of the sidewall when the vacuum level has been partially reduced such that the atmospheric pressure outside the vessel remains greater than the pressure inside the vessel;

iii) An annular lid rim positioned around a perimeter of the upper portion of the gasket, wherein the annular lid rim has an outer edge that extends horizontally outward beyond at least the inner surface of the sidewall when the vessel is sealed by the lid to prevent vertical displacement of the annular lid rim below the rim.

3. The vessel of claim 2, wherein said vessel is configured to be heated in a microwave oven while said vessel is sealed by said lid.

4. The vessel of claim 2, wherein said flexible skirt has an upward curvature in said undeformed state.

5. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the central portion of the lid has one or more valves configured to selectively allow air to vent from a fluid retaining interior region of the container when the vessel is sealed by the lid.

6. The vessel of claim 2, wherein a portion of said annular gasket is positioned vertically above said rim of said container when said vessel is sealed by said lid.

7. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the outer edge of the annular lid rim extends horizontally outward beyond the outer surface of the sidewall when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container.

8. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket extends horizontally outward beyond the outer surface of the sidewall when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container.

9. The vessel of claim 2, wherein said annular lid rim is made of metal.

10. The vessel of claim 2, wherein said central portions of said container and said lid are both made of glass.

11. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the upper portion of the gasket comprises an inner groove for receiving the peripheral region of the central portion, wherein the peripheral region of the central portion is positioned in the inner groove of the upper portion.

12. The vessel of claim 11, wherein the annular cover rim applies pressure to opposite sides of the outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket so as to urge the peripheral region of the central portion further into position in an inner groove of the upper portion.

13. The vessel of claim 2, wherein said annular lid rim is configured to reinforce a portion of said upper portion of said gasket.

14. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the flexible skirt further comprises one or more apertures configured to allow air to vent from the fluid retaining interior region of the container when the vessel is sealed by the lid.

15. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the container has one or more notches in the outer surface of the sidewall of the container, wherein the one or more notches extend up to the rim of the container.

16. The vessel of claim 15, wherein the one or more notches comprise a single notch extending around an entire perimeter of the outer surface of the sidewall of the container.

17. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the annular lid rim comprises a bottom surface having a rounded lower edge, wherein at least a portion of the rounded lower edge extends horizontally outward beyond the outer surface of the sidewall at a location of a notch in the outer surface.

18. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the gasket has one or more bumpers positioned on at least the outer side of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the one or more bumpers each have a horizontally outermost surface positioned inboard of the outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket.

19. The vessel of claim 2, wherein said annular lid rim is made of metal and said gasket is made of rubber or elastomer.

20. The vessel of claim 2, wherein the flexible skirt has an outwardly facing portion and an inwardly facing portion, wherein the flexible skirt is configured to contact between 5% and 60% of the surface area of the outwardly facing portion with the inner surface of the sidewall when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container.

21. The vessel of claim 20, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to contact 10% to 50% of a surface area of the outward facing portion with the inner surface of the sidewall when the lid is positioned on the rim of the container.

22. A removable lid for a container of a vessel, the lid comprising:

a) A central portion having a peripheral region;

b) An annular gasket positioned around a periphery of the central portion, the annular gasket comprising:

i) An upper portion coupling the gasket to the central portion, the upper portion including an inner groove for receiving the peripheral region of the central portion, wherein the peripheral region of the central portion is positioned in the inner groove of the upper portion;

ii) a vertical portion descending downwardly from the upper portion of the gasket, the vertical portion having an outer side positioned horizontally inwardly from an outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket;

iii) A flexible skirt extending horizontally outwardly from the outer side of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the flexible skirt terminates in a circular portion configured to contact an inner surface of a sidewall of the container when the lid is positioned on the brim of the container, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to deform upwardly and inwardly from an undeformed state when the lid is positioned on the brim of the container so as to seal the vessel, and wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to release contact of the circular portion with the inner surface of the sidewall when the pressure inside the vessel is reduced to form a vacuum, and to reseal with the inner surface of the sidewall when the vacuum level has been partially reduced such that the atmospheric pressure outside the vessel remains greater than the pressure inside the vessel; and

iv) an annular lid rim positioned around a periphery of the upper portion of the gasket, wherein the annular lid rim has an outer edge that extends horizontally outward beyond at least the inner surface of the sidewall when the vessel is sealed by the lid to prevent vertical displacement of the annular lid rim below the rim.

23. A method, the method comprising:

a) Positioning a vessel inside a microwave oven, wherein the vessel is used for cooking and storing one or more food products, the vessel comprising:

i) A container having a bottom and an upwardly extending sidewall terminating in a rim defining an upper opening of the container, the upwardly extending sidewall having an outer surface and an inner surface;

ii) a removable lid positioned on the rim of the container, the lid comprising:

(1) A central portion having a peripheral region;

(2) An annular gasket positioned around a periphery of the central portion, the annular gasket comprising:

a. an upper portion coupling the gasket to the central portion;

b. a vertical portion descending downwardly from the upper portion of the gasket, the vertical portion having an outer side positioned horizontally inwardly from an outer edge of the upper portion of the gasket; and

c. a flexible skirt extending horizontally outward from the outer side of the vertical portion of the gasket, wherein the flexible skirt terminates in a circular portion configured to contact the inner surface of the sidewall of the container when the lid is positioned on the brim of the container, wherein the flexible skirt has an upward curvature in an undeformed state, wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to deform upward and inward from the undeformed state when the lid is positioned on the brim of the container so as to seal the vessel, and wherein the flexible skirt is further configured to release contact of the circular portion with the inner surface of the sidewall when the pressure inside the vessel is reduced to form a vacuum, and to reseal with the inner surface of the sidewall when the vacuum level has been partially reduced such that the atmospheric pressure outside the vessel remains greater than the pressure inside the vessel; and

(3) An annular lid rim positioned around a perimeter of the upper portion of the gasket, the annular lid rim applying pressure to one or more portions of the upper portion of the gasket, wherein the annular lid rim has an outer edge that extends horizontally outward beyond at least the inner surface of the sidewall when the vessel is sealed by the lid to prevent vertical displacement of the annular lid rim below the rim; and

b) Activating the microwave oven when the vessel is positioned inside the microwave oven and the vessel is sealed by the lid.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising opening one or more valves positioned in the central portion of the lid prior to positioning the vessel inside the microwave oven.