JP2004513036A - Removable closure device - Google Patents

Abstract

A membrane lid having a surface with a substantially triangular peripheral portion. The periphery includes first, second, and third corners, each corner being bisected by imaginary lines. The membrane lid further includes a protrusion having a tab and initially adapted to direct a pulling force to at least one of the corners. With respect to the imaginary line of any of the adjacent corners, the protrusion extends outward from the peripheral portion so that the protrusion is arranged asymmetrically, or extends discontinuously from the adjacent corner, and Either they are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the imaginary line. The container also comprises a lip having a substantially triangular horizontal cross section. The lip is composed of three corners and three sides, the sides of the lip being of a different structure than the corners of the lip.

Description

[0001]
(Cross reference with related applications)
This application enjoys the benefit of retroactive filing dates of US Provisional Application Nos. 60 / 248,026 and 60 / 248,340, filed on November 13, 2000, respectively, with reference to the entirety of each application. Incorporated herein.
[0002]
(Field of the Invention)
The present invention relates to providing a closure to a container, and more particularly to a structure for providing a removable closure.
[0003]
(Background of the Invention)
Shaped snack pieces are usually brittle and can break and break easily during packaging, shipping, and / or other handling operations. In bags and / or boxes provided with conventional packaging techniques, a significant number of snack pieces may break or break before consumption. A well-known Pringles® product, a product of The Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio and a shaped potato chip snack piece, is The snack pieces have a "saddle" shape and are packaged in a manner that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. Pringles® snack pieces are conventionally provided as a single nested stack in a cylindrical container that provides enhanced protection during packaging, shipping, and / or other handling. Has been packaged. As a result, Pringles® snack pieces are usually provided to consumers without breaking.
[0004]
There is a continuing need for easy-to-use, relatively inexpensive containers for packaging fragile snack pieces that provide protection during packaging, transportation, and / or other handling. It is further desired to provide a hermetically sealed container that provides protection from oxygen and moisture to prevent the degradation of snack pieces placed in the container.
To provide an inexpensive container for other types of fragile and / or fragile articles to reduce breakage of the articles during packaging, transport, and / or other handling, and to maintain desirable properties of the articles. It is also desirable to provide packaging that is easy to use.
[0005]
(Summary of the Invention)
Accordingly, the present invention provides various structures for providing a removable closure for a container.
In one embodiment, a film lid is provided. The membrane lid includes a surface having a substantially triangular perimeter. The periphery includes first, second, and third corners, each of which is bisected by imaginary lines. The membrane lid further includes a protrusion having a tab and initially adapted to direct a pulling force to at least one of the corners. The protrusion extends outward from the peripheral portion such that the protrusion is disposed asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of any adjacent corner portion, or extends discontinuously from the adjacent corner portion, and Either they are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of adjacent corners.
[0006]
In another embodiment, the container comprises a lip having a substantially triangular horizontal cross section. The lip is composed of three corners and three sides, and the side of the lip is structured differently from the corners of the lip to increase the relative rigidity of the sides with respect to the corners, The portion is adapted to produce a substantially uniform repulsion pressure when applying the membrane lid with respect to the container lip.
The film lid, container lip, and container according to the present invention are advantageous for packaging articles, such as substantially triangular articles, to prevent breakage of the articles. In one embodiment, the structures provided herein are useful for packaging a tortilla chip or the like to provide the consumer with a product with minimal pre-consumption damage, as well as extending shelf life.
[0007]
The film lid according to the present invention makes it possible to apply an overcap having high reliability and minimal interference with the film lid. The membrane lid of the present invention may be removed as needed, but avoid unintentional removal during packaging, transport, or other handling. The container lip according to the invention further allows a reliable and durable hermetic seal to be formed with the membrane lid, even when the container using the lip is subjected to a pressure differential, for example at high altitudes. Also contributes to the retention of the overcap.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description.
[0008]
(Detailed description of representative embodiments)
The present invention is directed to a structure for providing a removable closure that can package one or more pieces (ie, one or more articles), such as a substantially triangular piece. In one application, one or more snack pieces can be packaged, and in certain embodiments, one or more substantially triangular snack pieces are packaged to provide an easy-to-use product with minimal damage. Can be provided to the consumer. It is also conceivable to package a wide variety of snack pieces in a structure according to the invention. For example, a substantially triangular, substantially circular, substantially oval, substantially rectangular, substantially square snack piece, or chip (eg, tortilla chip, potato chip, vegetable chip, fruit chip, bagel chip) ), Crackers, biscuits, cookies, candy and other shaped snack pieces. Each of the snack piece shapes described above can have a variety of alternative shapes, such as, for example, substantially circular, substantially oval, substantially rectangular, substantially square, substantially triangular, or other shaped containers. It can be packaged in various containers. An exemplary container that can be used with the inventive concept of the present invention is described in the co-pending "Improved Plastic Package for Snack Pieces" filed November 13, 2000 by Buisson et al. Snack Pieces) in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 248,340. Containers and additional structures associated therewith that may be used with the present invention are described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 248,103, filed November 13, 2000 by Buisson et al. US Patent Application No. /, entitled "Container Bottom and Methods", Patent Attorney's Case Register No. 8331M, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Although the exemplary structure of the present invention has been described for use with edible snack pieces, the structures presented herein may have multiple breakable or fragile pieces (i.e., multiple breakable or Other pieces, including but not limited to fragile articles, may be useful for storing, packaging, and / or shipping in a stacked relationship.
[0009]
The structure providing the closure may comprise a membrane lid, container lip, and / or container particularly suitable for packaging an article, such as a substantially triangular article. The membrane lid, container lip, and container according to the present invention facilitate packaging, contribute to reducing breakage during packaging, transport, and / or handling, and / or contribute to maintaining a hermetic seal of the container. And provides the consumer with an easy-to-use membrane lid that can be removed at will. In certain embodiments of the present invention, exemplary membrane lids, container lips, and containers are substantially triangular, for example, used to package substantially triangular shaped articles. Can be. "Substantially triangular" in the context of the present invention comprises a generally three-sided polygonal shape with sides connected to each other at respective corners, and comprises acute or more rounded shapes. In a typical membrane lid (see, eg, FIG. 1), the rounded corners connect straight or substantially straight sides. As used herein, "straight" includes the distance between the corners, rather than requiring any surface or cross-sectional shape of the sides.
[0010]
One aspect of the present invention includes a membrane lid structure for providing a closure to a container. For example, the membrane lid has a substantially triangular shape and connects to the substantially triangular opening of the container.
In an exemplary embodiment, the substantially triangular membrane can have three sides and three corners, each bisected by an imaginary line. A typical membrane lid includes one or more protrusions extending outwardly from a substantially triangular perimeter without intersecting the imaginary lines of any adjacent corners. Embodiments of the membrane lid include one or more protrusions that are asymmetrically arranged with respect to the imaginary line of any adjacent corner, or that extend non-continuously from the adjacent corner to form the adjacent corner. It also includes one or more protrusions arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of the part. For example, the membrane lid can include one or more protrusions interrupted along imaginary lines of adjacent corners. Each of the exemplary protrusions according to the present invention is configured to direct a pulling force to at least one corner at any location along the periphery of the membrane.
[0011]
By providing one or more protrusions in one or more of the above-described configurations, the protrusions of the membrane lid reduce interference with the inner extension of the container lip and / or corner of the overcap, or Can be prevented. After sealing the membrane lid into the container, for protection of the membrane lid and / or to allow selective closure once the membrane lid has been at least partially removed. Usually, an overcap is applied over the membrane lid. Representative overcaps that can be used with the inventive concepts of the present invention are U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 248,089, filed November 13, 2000, and also "Substantially Triangular Overcaps." -Shaped Over-Cap), U.S. patent application Ser. 8329M (attached), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0012]
Any interference between the protrusion of the membrane lid and the overcap tends to reduce the reliability of the connection between the overcap and the membrane-sealed container. For example, interference between the protrusion of the membrane lid and the overcap can be a major obstacle in applying the overcap to the container on a high speed assembly line. Moreover, after applying the overcap, interference between the protrusion and the overcap can cause unintentional release of the overcap from the container. For example, the above-described interference creates problems with changes in atmospheric pressure or external air pressure, resulting in changes in container chamber internal pressure. If the outer air pressure is reduced (eg, this may occur at high altitudes), the overcap may come off as the container expands in response to increased chamber internal pressure.
[0013]
Referring now to the drawings in detail, like reference numerals represent like elements in all figures, and FIG. 1 shows a membrane lid including a generally planar surface 12 having a substantially triangular peripheral portion 14. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a body 10. The periphery of the membrane includes three sides 16, at least one of the sides (eg, “16a”) is represented by a hidden line. The hidden lines shown in all figures indicate a substantially triangular perimeter adjacent to one or more protrusions, indicating a perforation of the generally planar surface 12, or any other type of change. is not. In one embodiment, the membrane lid 10 has a substantially equilateral triangular perimeter and the triangular sides 16 are of equal or substantially equal length.
[0014]
The membrane lid 10 includes corners 20a, 20b, 20c, which are shown rounded, but can be somewhat angled as desired, each having a respective corresponding corner 20a, 20b, Includes imaginary centerlines 18a, 18b, 18c that bisect 20c. The membrane lid 10 is also sized and sized to cover a substantially triangular container, for example, the periphery of the container opening. In one exemplary embodiment, the membrane lid 10 can be used to connect to a container lip 54 located adjacent one end of the container body 52 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The length of the side 16 of the membrane lid 10 is designed to cover the periphery of the opening and may be sealed to a container lip, if provided. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the membrane lid 10 has a side length "L" of about 4 cm to about 14 cm, for example, about 6 cm to about 9 cm. In a particularly exemplary embodiment, the side length "L" is from about 7.5 cm to about 8.5 cm. However, the above lengths are for illustration purposes only, and the sides can be other lengths according to the particular application.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the film-shaped lid 10 does not intersect with the imaginary lines 18 a and 18 b of any adjacent corners 20 a and 20 b and protrudes outward from the peripheral portion 14 of the film-shaped lid 10. 24. Although not shown, the membrane lid can include a plurality of protrusions, including, for example, any combination of the representative protrusions described in the present application or their equivalents. When the perimeter of the film-like lid is adhered to the surface, each of the film-like lid protrusions described herein is sized and arranged to initially direct a pulling force to at least one of the corners.
[0016]
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the protrusions 24 may have at least one side 16a of the peripheral portion 14 such that the protrusions 24 are asymmetrically arranged with respect to the imaginary lines 18a, 18b of the adjacent corners 20a, 20b. Extends generally outwardly from The protrusion also includes two tabs 26a and 26b that can be positioned along the periphery symmetrically about the imaginary line 18c of the distal corner 20c. Providing two tabs can be easily handled by both right-handed and left-handed people, and may help remove any remaining parts of the torn membrane lid that may remain after the lid is first removed. it can. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more protrusions described above include one or more tabs extending from two or more sides of the substantially triangular membrane lid, thereby providing the consumer with The tabs at different positions of the container can be easily handled. Moreover, although not shown, the protrusions described herein may comprise three or more tabs extending from the periphery in accordance with the present invention. The consumer grasps each tab 26a, 26b at the pull-up point 28a or 28b and applies a pulling force to the protrusion 24 to apply a film lid 10 to the container lip or other surface to which the film lid is adhered. Can be easily removed.
[0017]
The protrusion of the present invention prevents the membrane from tearing when a consumer applies a lifting force to at least one tab to remove the membrane lid from a mounting surface (eg, a container lip). It is configured. In one embodiment, proper distribution of the pulling force can be achieved by a protrusion that substantially covers the pulling area, which pulls the pulling force from the outer contacts of each of the two adjacent corners. The phantom is defined by two imaginary lines extending to the pull point used to grip the membrane lid. The lifting point should be at a sufficient distance from the periphery of the membrane lid so that the consumer can grip the protrusion sufficiently to remove the membrane lid from the container. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the pull point is at least about 4 mm from the periphery of the membrane lid. In another embodiment, the pull point is at least about 8 mm from the periphery of the membrane lid. Other pull point distances may be used in accordance with the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims.
[0018]
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a first pulling area 34a includes a peripheral portion 14, a first outer imaginary line 30a extending from the first pulling point 28a to an outer contact point of the first corner portion 20a, A first inner imaginary line 32a extending from the first pulling point 28a to the outer contact point of the second corner portion 20b is defined at least partially or entirely. A second pulling zone 34b extends from the peripheral portion 14, a second outer imaginary line 30b extending from the second pulling point 28b to the outer contact point of the second corner 20b, and a first pulling point 28b extending from the second pulling point 28b. At least partially or entirely by a second inner imaginary line 32b extending to the outer contact point of the corner portion 20a. Thus, referring to FIG. 1, the tab 26a of the protrusion 24 substantially or completely covers at least the pull-up area 34a defined at least partially or entirely by the periphery 14, the line 30a and the line 32a, while The tab 26b of the portion 24 substantially or completely covers at least the lifting area 34b defined at least partially or entirely by the periphery 14, the line 30b and the line 32b. Accordingly, the protrusions 24 are dimensioned to substantially or completely cover each of the pull-up areas 34a, 34b, while initially directing the pull-up force to at least one of the adjacent corner portions 20a, 20b while maintaining a force. Distributed throughout the pulling zone, thereby reducing the possibility of stress tearing by minimizing stress concentrations.
[0019]
The protrusion 24 provides additional support by defining the raised areas 34a and 34b as overlapping areas 36, for example, when the entire lifting force is applied to a single tab (eg, either 26a or 26b). A structure that further prevents the film from being torn can be used. This construction reduces the potential for unwanted tearing of the membrane because sharp forces in the membrane from points near the middle of the corresponding side are eliminated.
[0020]
FIG. 2A discloses a portion of an alternative membrane lid 110 having a surface 112 and a substantially triangular perimeter 114. The peripheral portion 114 includes a side portion 116, and at least one piece (eg, “116a”) can be represented by a hidden line. Membranous lid 110 further includes corners 120a, 120b, 120c bisected by phantom lines 118a, 118b, 118c. The exemplary membrane lid 110 includes a protrusion 124 having a single tab 126. The protrusions 124 are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary lines 118a, 118b of the adjacent corners 120a, 120b. As described above, embodiments of the present invention having one or more tabs extending outward from a side (eg, side “116a”) may be symmetrical about the imaginary line 118c of the distal corner 120c. Can be arranged along. By providing any two tabs, the lifting force can be distributed and / or made easier for a right-handed or left-handed person to handle.
[0021]
The tabs according to each of the exemplary embodiments of the invention described herein may have one corner or another such that the tabs are positioned asymmetrically along the perimeter with respect to any imaginary line. It may be located closer to one corner.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 2A, the protrusion 124 has a single tab 126, which is grasped by the consumer and applies a pulling force to the protrusion 124 at a pull point 128 to adhere the container lip or glue. The size is adapted to remove the membrane lid 110 from the other surface. The membrane lid 110 prevents the membrane from tearing when the consumer pulls up the tab 126 to remove the membrane lid 110 from the container or other surface to which the membrane lid 110 is attached. It has such a size and structure. Redirecting the pulling force to reduce the occurrence of tearing can be achieved by configuring the protrusion 124 to substantially or completely cover the pulling area 134. The pulling zone 134 extends from the perimeter 114, a first imaginary line 130 extending from the pulling point 128 to the outer contact of the first corner 120a, and from the pulling point 128 to the outer contact of the second corner 120b. The second imaginary line 132 defines at least partially or entirely. Accordingly, the protrusion 124 is dimensioned to at least approximately or completely cover the pull-up area 134 and initially directs the pull-up force to at least one of the corresponding corners 120a, 120b while providing the force to the pull-up area. Distribute throughout.
[0023]
As further shown in FIG. 2A, the outer perimeter 127 of the tab 126 may be curved inward to reduce the material that the tab 126 contains. Reducing the amount of material is desirable because it reduces material costs and also prevents the tabs from hiding advertisements or other informational indicators located on the outer surface of the container to which the membrane lid is attached. is there. However, the outer perimeter 127 must be large enough so that the tab 126 at least approximately or completely covers the raised area 134 defined at least approximately or completely by the perimeter 114 and the lines 130, 132. No.
[0024]
FIG. 2B includes a film-like lid 210 similar to the film-like lid 110 described above. In short, unless otherwise stated, the film lid 210 can be the same as the film lid 110. However, unlike the membranous lid 110, the membranous lid 210 includes a protrusion 224 having an outer perimeter 227 that does not have a reduced portion and does not curve inward. In practice, as shown in FIG. 2B, the outer perimeter 227 has a straight portion, which may even be curved outwardly (not shown). Outer perimeters, such as those in which the protrusions have no reduced portions (e.g., have a straight section as shown) or include enhanced portions (e.g., have outwardly curved portions). With the structure having a ridge, the structural strength of the protrusion 224 is increased, thereby reducing stress concentration and corresponding tearing.
[0025]
2C-2H illustrate an alternative embodiment of the protrusion, wherein the protrusion extends discontinuously from an adjacent corner and is disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to an imaginary line bisecting the adjacent corner. ing. Substantially symmetric protrusions include protrusions that are symmetric with respect to the imaginary line when viewed without features that form a discontinuous extension. The discontinuous extension of the protrusion can be made from alternating material shapes, structures, compositions, interruptions, or the like, when viewed through the outer surface of the protrusion and / or the cross-section of the protrusion. For example, a discontinuous extension can be made at the weakened area of the protrusion. The area of weakness can include a portion of the protrusion or the entire protrusion where an opening, perforation, slit, notch, fold, cut, groove, or other irregularity is formed. For example, the weakened area may include the entire protrusion or a portion smaller than the entire protrusion. The weakening zone according to the present invention is designed to reduce or prevent the interference between the inner extension of the overcap and the container lip, so that after applying the overcap, the protrusion follows the outer surface of the container. The projections can be reduced or prevented from wrinkling or folds when bent down.
[0026]
FIG. 2C shows an exemplary membrane-like lid 310 whose periphery includes a side 316 where at least one of the sides (eg, “316a”) can be indicated by a hidden line. At least one corner 320 is bisected by an imaginary line 318, and a protrusion 324 extending outward from a periphery 314 of an adjacent corner 320 is substantially symmetrical about an imaginary line 318 bisecting the adjacent corner 320. Placed in The protrusion 324 includes a single tab 326 that provides a lifting point 328 to the consumer. The protrusion 324 includes a weakened area that extends discontinuously from the adjacent corner 320 and includes a portion of the protrusion that defines one or more openings 338 having a closed perimeter 340. The opening 338 can be adapted to prevent interference between the overcap and portions of the container opening. For example, the opening 338 provides a connection between the inner extension 78 of the overcap 70 and the lip 54 of the container 50 to limit or prevent the protrusion from interfering with the connection between the overcap and the lip. Can be facilitated.
[0027]
In fact, opening 338 is positioned on the protrusion so that inner extension 78 extends at least partially through opening 338 to engage lip 54 when overcap 70 is mounted on container 50. can do. Due to the symmetrical position of the opening 338 along the imaginary line 318, the opening 338 interrupts the protrusion 324 along the imaginary line 318. In an alternative embodiment, the opening 338 can be offset from the imaginary line 318 and / or multiple openings can be provided such that the protrusion 324 is not interrupted along the imaginary line 318. For example, although not shown, an exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of openings that are symmetrically offset with respect to imaginary line 318 and do not intersect with imaginary line 318 so that protrusion 324 is not interrupted along imaginary line 318.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 2C, the opening 338 may have a half-moon or “D” shape to further prevent interference between the protrusion 324 and the container 50. To prevent breakage or tearing at the relatively sharp corners 342 of the opening 338, the protrusions 324 may need to be reinforced or constructed to have more tear resistance.
[0029]
FIG. 2D shows another embodiment of a membrane lid 410 similar to membrane lid 310 described above, and can be the same unless otherwise stated. For example, the membrane lid 410 also includes a substantially triangular perimeter 414 having sides 416, at least one of the sides (eg, “416a”) can be indicated by a hidden line. At least one corner 420 is bisected by phantom line 418. A protrusion 424 extends outwardly from the periphery 414 of the adjacent corner 420 and is disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to an imaginary line 418 bisecting the adjacent corner 420. The protrusion 424 extends discontinuously from the adjacent corner 420 including at least one tab 426 and comprises a portion of the protrusion defining one or more openings 438 having a closed perimeter 440. including. However, unlike the membrane lid 310 shown in FIG. 2C, the opening 438 of the membrane lid 410 is rounded, designed to reduce stress concentration in the membrane when a pulling force is applied to the pull point 428. Includes a perimeter 440 that has a raised or smooth corner 442, thereby reducing or preventing the occurrence of tearing.
[0030]
As with the openings in any of the protrusions of embodiments of the present invention, the openings 438 in FIG. 2D can have a substantially circular shape. The opening, if provided in any of the protrusions, may be oblong or otherwise shaped to simplify the manufacturing process and / or enhance the functional characteristics of the opening and prevent interference between the overcap and the container. The shape may be as follows.
As with the opening 338, the opening 438 interrupts the protrusion 424 along the imaginary line 418 by having the opening 438 in a symmetrical position along the imaginary line 418. In an alternative embodiment, the opening 438 can be offset from the imaginary line 418 and / or multiple openings can be provided such that the protrusion 424 is not interrupted along the imaginary line 418. For example, although not shown, the exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of openings that are symmetrically offset with respect to imaginary line 418 and do not intersect with imaginary line 418 so that protrusion 424 is not interrupted along imaginary line 418.
[0031]
FIG. 2E illustrates yet another embodiment of a membrane lid 510 according to the present invention. The membrane lid 510 may be the same as the membrane lid described in FIG. 2C or FIG. 2D, or, unless otherwise noted, the other embodiments described herein that include a projection with an opening. can do. For example, the membrane lid 510 includes a substantially triangular perimeter 514 having sides 516, at least one of the sides (eg, “516a”) can be indicated by a hidden line. At least one corner 520 is bisected by phantom line 518. A protrusion 524 extends outwardly from the periphery 514 of the adjacent corner 520 and is disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to an imaginary line 518 bisecting the adjacent corner 520. The protrusion 524 includes at least one tab 526 that provides at least one lifting point 528a, 528b. The protrusion 524 extends discontinuously from the adjacent corner 520 and includes a weakened area with a portion of the protrusion defining one or more openings 538 to provide a connection between the overcap and the container described above. To facilitate.
[0032]
As with the openings 338 and 438 described above, the symmetrical position of the opening 538 along the imaginary line 518 causes the opening 538 to interrupt the protrusion 524 along the imaginary line 518. In an alternative embodiment, the opening 538 can be offset from the imaginary line 518 and / or multiple openings can be provided such that the protrusion 524 is not interrupted along the imaginary line 518. For example, although not shown, the exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of openings that are symmetrically offset with respect to imaginary line 518 and do not intersect with imaginary line 518 so that protrusion 524 is not interrupted along imaginary line 518.
As shown in FIG. 2E, the opening 538, as well as each of the openings described herein, can include an opening 541 that forms an opening 538 with an open perimeter 540. With the open perimeter, the membrane lid can be formed with a single perimeter that includes the outermost perimeter, rather than the inner perimeter that is distinct from the outermost perimeter. Providing a single outermost periphery can reduce the manufacturing process for producing the membrane lid and / or otherwise reduce manufacturing costs. The opening 541 can be a narrow or wide slit, or the like. In one embodiment, the opening 541 extends along an imaginary line 518 bisecting the corner 520 and symmetrically divides the pulling force when simultaneously pulling the tabs at the pull points 528a, 528b.
[0033]
FIG. 2F shows another embodiment of a membrane lid 610 according to the present invention. The membrane lid 610 can be the same as the membrane lid described in FIGS. 2C-2E, or other embodiments described in the present invention, unless otherwise noted. For example, the membrane lid 610 includes a substantially triangular perimeter 614 having sides 616, at least one of the sides (eg, “616a”) can be indicated by a hidden line. At least one corner 620 is bisected at phantom line 618. A protrusion 624 extends outwardly from a peripheral portion 614 of the adjacent corner 620 and is disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to an imaginary line 618 bisecting the adjacent corner 620. The protrusion 624 extends discontinuously from the adjacent corner 620. The weakened area of the protrusion 624 includes a notch portion, where the protrusion includes one or more slits 638. The one or more slits can be formed as cuts that extend completely through the thickness of the protrusion. In another embodiment, the slit may be formed as a cut extending only partially through the thickness of the protrusion.
[0034]
With the slit 638 located symmetrically along the imaginary line 618, the slit 638 interrupts the protrusion 624 along the imaginary line 618. In an alternative embodiment, the slit 638 can be offset from the imaginary line 618 and / or multiple slits can be provided so that the protrusion 624 is not interrupted along the imaginary line 618. For example, although not shown, the exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of slits that are symmetrically offset with respect to imaginary line 618 and do not intersect with imaginary line 618, such that protrusion 624 is not interrupted along imaginary line 618.
The one or more slits 638 can be in various patterns, such as corrugated, sinusoidal, arcuate, or other shapes. In addition, a plurality of slits may be provided to further weaken the protrusion. For example, as shown in FIG. 2F, one slit may intersect with multiple transverse slits. The arc shape of the larger slit is designed to substantially match the contact area between the inner extension of the overcap and the lip, reducing or preventing interference therebetween. A single slit, rather than a plurality of slits, is provided to weaken the protrusion and reduce interference without weakening the protrusion to the extent that it will tear or tear when a lifting force is applied to the protrusion. In alternative embodiments, multiple slits can be provided to further weaken the area and further minimize interference. In one embodiment, the slits can be formed as crosses (ie, two intersecting slits).
[0035]
The slit 638 can be narrow or wide (as shown in FIG. 2F) to perform the function and further reduce manufacturing costs. Providing narrow cut slits rather than wide slits or slots can facilitate manufacturing and prevent the accumulation of scrap material. However, wider slits or slots can further reduce interference. A wide slit may be a groove (ie, the slit does not extend through the entire thickness of the membrane lid), or an open slot (ie, the slit may extend through the entire thickness of the membrane lid). (Extend).
[0036]
FIG. 2G shows another embodiment of a membrane lid 710 according to the present invention. The membrane lid 710 can be the same as the membrane lid described in FIGS. 2C-2F or other embodiments described in the present invention, unless otherwise stated. For example, the membrane lid 710 includes a substantially triangular perimeter 714 having sides 716, at least one of the sides (eg, “716a”) can be indicated by a hidden line. At least one corner 720 is bisected at phantom line 718. A protrusion 724 extends outwardly from a periphery 714 of an adjacent corner 720 and is disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to an imaginary line 718 bisecting the adjacent corner 720. The protrusion 724 extends discontinuously from the adjacent corner 720. The weakened area of the protrusion 724 includes a notch portion, where the protrusion includes a plurality of perforations or slits 738. One or more perforations or slits 738 can be formed as tiny punctures or cuts extending partially or completely through the thickness of the protrusion.
[0037]
The perforations or slits 738 can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary line 718. In one embodiment, the one or more slits intersect the imaginary line and cause the protrusion 724 to interrupt along the imaginary line 718. In an alternative embodiment, each of the perforations or cuts 738 can be offset from the imaginary line 718 such that the protrusion 724 is not interrupted along the imaginary line 718. For example, although not shown, the exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of perforations or cuts 738 that are symmetrically disposed about and do not intersect with the imaginary line 718 such that the protrusion 724 is interrupted along the imaginary line 718. Not done.
Perforations or cuts 738 can be arranged in various patterns along protrusions 724. In one embodiment, the perforations or cuts 738 are arranged in an arc pattern that substantially matches the inner extension 78 of the overcap 70, thereby minimizing interference between the overcap and the container lip.
[0038]
FIG. 2H shows another embodiment of a membrane lid 810 according to the present invention. The membrane lid 810 can be the same as the membrane lid described in FIGS. 2C-2G or other embodiments described in the present invention, unless otherwise noted. For example, the membrane lid 810 includes a substantially triangular peripheral portion 814 having sides 816, at least one of the sides (eg, “816a”) can be indicated by a hidden line. At least one corner 820 is bisected by phantom line 818. A protrusion 824 extends outwardly from a periphery 814 of the adjacent corner 820 and is disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to an imaginary line 818 bisecting the adjacent corner 820. The protrusion 824 extends discontinuously from the adjacent corner 820. The weakened area of the protrusion 824 includes a notch, where the protrusion includes one or more pleats 838.
The pleats 838 can be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary line 818. In one embodiment, one or more pleats intersect phantom line 818 and cause protrusion 824 to break along phantom line 818. In an alternative embodiment, each of the pleats 838 can be offset from the imaginary line 818 such that the protrusion 824 is not interrupted along the imaginary line 818. For example, although not shown, the exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of pleats 838 that are offset from imaginary line 718 and do not intersect imaginary line 818 so that protrusion 824 is not interrupted along imaginary line 818.
[0039]
The folds 838 can be arranged in various patterns along the protrusions 824. In one embodiment, the pleats 838 are arranged in an arc pattern that substantially matches the inner extension 78 of the overcap 70, thereby minimizing interference between the overcap and the container lip.
The above embodiments are exemplary in nature and may include other embodiments in accordance with the concepts of the present invention. For example, any combination of the above features or their equivalents can be incorporated to form the discontinuous extension. Moreover, while the non-continuous extensions of the exemplary embodiment described above relate to extensions that are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of adjacent corners, the protrusions may be used in other implementations. It may also extend discontinuously from the periphery of the form, further limiting or preventing the portion of the protrusion from interfering with the connection between the overcap and the lip. For example, the protrusions may extend non-continuously from the periphery, and may also be arranged asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of any adjacent corner. Further, exemplary membrane lids according to the present invention may include one or more of the protrusions described herein or equivalents thereof (e.g., the protrusions shown in FIGS. 1, 2A-2E, and 3). Of one or more).
[0040]
In any of the above embodiments that include a protrusion having a plurality of tabs, the acute angle of the tabs may provide a curved perimeter and / or a potential stress concentration point that would otherwise cause tearing of the membrane. It may be co-joined with a portion of the membrane that has an outer peripheral portion without a peripheral portion.
As described above, providing a protrusion having a plurality of tabs helps remove the lid from a right-handed or left-handed container. The additional tab may also facilitate removal of the remaining membranous lid portion if the membranous lid tears during the procedure of removing the membranous lid from the container. For example, the first tab may be grasped to remove the lid. After applying a pulling force, the membrane may be inadvertently torn, leaving only the first part as two parts that are removed by the consumer. The remaining portion of the lid can then be removed using a second tab.
[0041]
Minimizing the size of the material used for the membrane lid described above to reduce material costs, and the protrusion of the protrusions that would otherwise obscure and / or cover the display portion of the container It is also desirable to minimize The amount of protrusion, i.e. the amount of excess membrane material around the remainder of the lid that extends beyond the point of sealing along the container lip, is usually proportional to the removal capability of the membrane lid. The amount of protrusion can vary from 0 mm where the seal is just at the edge of the membrane lid, and in other examples can extend up to about 3 mm from the seal between the container and the membrane lid. . In another example, the protrusion of the membrane lid beyond the seal is about 0 mm to about 1 mm, and in another exemplary embodiment, about 0 mm to about 0.5 mm. In yet another embodiment, the protrusion can be wrapped under the lip with the membrane lid attached.
[0042]
Various materials can be used to manufacture the membrane lid. The membrane lid can be formed of a single piece of single layer or multilayer material. A typical multilayer material comprises at least one oxygen and moisture barrier material, such as a foil, and one sealant, such as a thermoplastic polymer, that seals to the container lip. The layer of sealant can be a coating or a continuous or discontinuous layer (eg, a coating) that seals on a conforming surface. For example, the sealant may be applied as a discontinuous layer on a membrane or container lip prior to sealing to minimize the amount of sealant, thereby avoiding excessive waste of unused material. In other applications, it may be desirable to form a layer as a continuous layer on one of the remaining layers of the film lid, in order to easily form the film lid from the material of the continuous sheet.
[0043]
In one embodiment, the membrane lid comprises an acrylic primer, a foil layer about 0.0015 inches (0.0381 mm) thick, and an ethylene vinyl acetate seal about 0.00125 inches (0.03175 mm) thick. It is formed of a multilayer laminate having a stopper layer. If necessary, an adhesive layer can be provided between the foil layer and the ethylene vinyl acetate layer. Other membrane materials can be used for the lid membrane structure proposed herein without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a stack of membranous lids 1000, wherein each membranous lid 1010 can include at least one sloped surface portion 1011 and a plurality of membranous lids can be applied prior to applying the membranous lid to a container. It can help to stack and align the lids. In one embodiment, a horizontal distance “b” of 6.4 mm ₁ ”And about 1.5 mm end tilt offset“ b ₂ "Can be provided. Accordingly, each of the embodiments described herein includes a membranous lid having at least one sloped surface portion to facilitate stacking and aligning a plurality of membranous lids. In addition, the ramp portion may be provided on a protrusion or other area of the membrane lid, and in additional embodiments may extend around the entire periphery of the membrane lid.
[0044]
The membrane lid according to the invention can be applied to the container adjacent to the container opening by various attachment techniques. In an exemplary embodiment, the membrane lid is configured to be heat sealed to the container. In one embodiment, the membrane lid is at a temperature greater than about 300 ° F. (149 ° C.), for example, between about 350 ° F. (177 ° C.) and about 450 ° F. (232 ° C.). The sealing element can be applied to the container lip with sufficient force and time to seal the body to the container lip. In one embodiment, the sealing element applies the membrane lid between about 0.5 seconds to about 1 second and at a pressure of about 80-100 psi. The sealing method and the corresponding structure are designed to provide a hermetically sealed container, and the removal force required by the consumer to remove the membrane lid from the container is low enough to be acceptable. Provide a possible lid.
[0045]
FIG. 4 shows a container that can be used with the membrane lid according to the invention. A suitable container is U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 /, entitled "An Improved Plastic Package for Snack Pieces," filed November 13, 2000 by Buisson et al. No. 248,340, which is disclosed in a patent attorney case record book 8332P. The container is named US Provisional Application No. 60 / 248,103, filed November 13, 2000, and entitled “Container Bottom And Methods”, filed on the same day by Buisson et al. And / or a container bottom design as disclosed in US Patent Application No.//, No. 8331M.
[0046]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the container 50 includes a substantially triangular container body 52 and an outwardly extending lip 54 adjacent an upper end of the body 52. FIG. 5 shows a top view of the container 50, which demonstrates that both the lip 54 and the container body 52 have a substantially triangular horizontal cross section.
The container is configured with an opening adapted to receive a membrane lid, such as one of the membrane lids described above, while providing a removable closure that can be easily removed by the consumer at will. It is desirable to provide a hermetic seal. Strengthening the seal usually requires increased pressure, heat, and / or adhesive between the membrane and the container opening to provide a sufficiently tight seal to provide the desired hermetic conditions become. However, increased sealing strength results in consumers requiring more effort to remove the membrane lid. Moreover, excessive seal strength can cause the membrane to tear or tear when the consumer applies the lifting force necessary to break the seal and remove the membrane from the container. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a seal that is sufficient to achieve hermetic conditions, and further provide an easy-to-use membrane lid that can be easily removed as needed.
[0047]
As mentioned above, the sealing strength is often a function of the pressure, temperature, and / or adhesive between the membrane lid and the container in a sealing assumption. The inherent properties of non-circular container lip shapes can cause uneven vertical stiffness. Non-uniform stiffness typically causes varying rebound pressure at various locations around the lip. The force applying the membrane lid must be increased to provide the required minimum rebound pressure at all locations around the lip to ensure a sufficient hermetic seal at all locations around the lip . However, as a result, the area with the lowest stiffness is the minimum rebound pressure required to achieve a hermetic seal, and the point of having a higher pressure along the lip is an excessive seal that is difficult for consumers to overcome Will provide strength.
To provide a seal in a desired strength range, it is beneficial to provide a seal having a substantially constant strength around the container opening, thereby avoiding a seal zone with excessive seal strength. It is. Therefore, it is desirable that there be a substantially uniform rebound pressure at each point of the seal along the lip when the membrane lid is pressed against the container during the sealing process. Providing a substantially uniform rebound pressure allows the application of sufficient sealing force to meet the minimum requirements of a hermetic seal without having an unnecessarily strong sealing area that is more difficult to overcome And
[0048]
A circular container structure with a circular horizontal cross section generally provides a uniform lip with a uniform repulsion pressure when sealing the membrane lid to the container. Therefore, when a sealing force is applied to the membrane lid facing the conventional circular container, as a result, the repulsion pressure is generally constant at all contact positions between the container lip and the membrane lid. Become. However, a container lip having a substantially triangular horizontal cross section does not have an essentially uniform repulsion pressure when pressing the membrane lid against the container lip. Rather, attempting to seal the membrane lid to a substantially triangular container lip by applying a sealing force to the membrane lid results in uneven repulsion pressure at different points on the container lip. As a result, the sealing strength between the container lip and the film lid varies.
[0049]
Normally, the lip of a substantially triangular container essentially has a higher vertical stiffness at the corners than at the sides between the corners, so that the sealing force is applied to the membrane lid More bending occurs at the sides than at the sections. Thus, due to the inherent properties of the substantially triangular lip, the repulsion and the corresponding repulsion pressure are typically greater at the corners, resulting in higher sealing strength at the corners than at the sides between the corners. It becomes. In order to ensure sufficient hermetic sealing strength at the sides, more application force must be applied to the membrane lid, which also results in excessive repulsion pressures at the corners and corresponding excessive sealing strength cause. Greater sealing strength at the corners may be difficult to overcome for consumers attempting to remove the membrane lid, or may result in tearing of the membrane lid.
[0050]
In accordance with the inventive concept of the present invention, the lip of the substantially triangular container has sides configured differently from the corners to increase the relative rigidity of the sides to the corners. Indeed, the different structures may reduce or substantially prevent the difference in vertical stiffness between the corners and the sides, resulting in a substantially constant repulsion in response to the sealing force. it can. Thus, according to the inventive concept of the present invention, the membrane lid can seal a substantially triangular lip with a substantially constant strength seal around the opening of the container.
For example, FIGS. 5, 5A, 6, and 7 show an exemplary embodiment of a container 50 that includes a lip 54 adjacent an opening in the container body 52, wherein the lip 54 has a different structure than the corner portion 56. Side 58, the relative rigidity of the side 58 with respect to the corner 56 increases. In fact, the different configurations of the side 58 and the corner 56 provide a lip that provides a substantially uniform repulsive pressure when the membrane lid is applied to the lip 54 of the container 50.
[0051]
FIG. 6 shows an enlarged side view of a representative corner 56 of the lip 54 in "Details 6" in FIG. 4, while FIG. 7 shows an enlarged side view of the side 58 of the lip 54 in FIG. This is shown in “Details 7”. Further, FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional view of the corner 56 and the side 58 of the lip 54. The lip 54 has a top surface 60, outer wall surfaces 62, 63, and a bottom surface 64. Moreover, the outer wall surface 62 of the corner portion 56 has an outwardly projecting substantially U-shape with a rounded vertex 68. Due to this shape, the corner portion 56 has sufficient structural rigidity to receive the film lid. In contrast, the side 58 of the lip 54 has a different structure with a substantially flat outer wall 63 as compared to the U-shaped outer wall 62 of the lip corner 56. With this shape, it is possible to obtain the desired rigidity of the corners and sides, as well as a uniform vertical height H from the top surface 60 to the bottom surface 64 of the lip 54 ₁ Can be maintained. As shown in FIG. 7, the substantially flat outer wall surface 63 can have a small degree of curvature, but is substantially flat when compared to the U-shaped profile of the corner 56. Modifying the outer wall 63 to be substantially flat, rather than a U-shaped profile, increases the relative stiffness of the side 58 with respect to the corner 56. Thus, the combination of the U-shaped outer wall surface 62 of the corner portion 56 and the substantially flat outer wall surface 63 of the side portion 58 results in a substantially triangular shape having a substantially uniform lip structure at the corners and sides. A substantially triangular container that generates a substantially uniform repulsion pressure when the membrane lid is applied to the container lip, as compared to the repulsion pressure generated when the membrane lid is applied to the container lip A lip 54 is obtained.
[0052]
While a wide range of overhang distances can achieve the desired lip configuration, FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment, in which the distance L over which the lip overhangs the container body is shown. ₁ Can be about 0.03 to about 0.10 inches (0.762 to 2.54 mm). In one particular embodiment, L ₁ Is about 0.08 inch (2.032 mm). Referring to FIG. 7, the distance L over which the lip projects beyond the container body ₂ Can be about 0.01 to about 0.10 inches (0.254 to 2.54 mm). In one particular embodiment, L ₂ Is about 0.06 inches (1.524 mm).
[0053]
The container can be formed with various lip structures and can have a lip that has a substantially uniform repulsion when the membrane lid is applied to the container opening. 5B and 7A show an alternative embodiment of the container lip 154, according to an additional exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5B, the corner 156 has the same structure as the corner 56 of FIGS. 5A and 6 and can be the same. The container lip 154 has a top surface 160, a bottom surface 164, and a rounded apex 168 and includes an outwardly protruding substantially U-shaped outer wall surface 162. Referring to FIGS. 5B and 7A, the container lip 154 further includes a side 158 of a different construction than the corner 156 of the lip 154 to increase the relative rigidity of the side 158 with respect to the corner 156. An exemplary side 158 has an outwardly protruding substantially W-shaped outer wall surface 163 with a vertex region 167 of the W-shaped surface 163 extending outwardly from the container body to form a concave central portion. 169 is arranged on the opposite side. The W-shaped side 158 has a horizontal thickness T at the apex region 167. ₁ And the horizontal thickness T of the recessed central portion 169 ₃ Or the horizontal thickness T of the corner 156 ₂ Has a greater horizontal thickness. Such extra horizontal lip thickness at the apex 167 can be obtained by using blow molding to create W-shaped sides. Horizontal thickness T increased at peak area 167 ₁ Providing a container lip 154 as shown in FIGS. 5B and 7A with a W-shaped side 158 having a stiffness increases the relative stiffness of the side 158 with respect to the corners, and The side lid 158 has a substantially uniform lip structure at the corners and sides, as compared to the repulsive pressure generated when the membrane lid is applied to a substantially triangular container lip. Will produce a substantially uniform repulsion pressure when applied to the container lip. Moreover, as in the embodiment of FIG. 7, the structural characteristics of the lip 154 are achieved at the corners and sides having wall surfaces that are at the same vertical height from the top surface 160 to the bottom surface 164. be able to.
[0054]
FIGS. 5C and 7B illustrate a corner portion 256 having a rounded vertex 268 and having a substantially U-shaped outer wall surface 262 and an outer portion having a rounded vertex 267 similar or identical to the outer wall surface 262. 15 shows an additional embodiment of a container lip 254 with a side 258 having a wall 263. As further shown in FIG. 5C, the horizontal lip thickness T of the side 258 ₁ Is the horizontal thickness T of the corner portion 256 ₂ And increases the relative stiffness of the side 258 with respect to the corner 256 such that the corner 256 and the side 258 have a substantially triangular lip structure at the corner and side. A substantially uniform repulsion pressure is generated when the film-shaped lid is applied to the container lip, as compared with the repulsion pressure generated when the film-shaped lid is applied to the shaped container lip. Moreover, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 7A, the structural characteristics of the lip 254 are such that the corners and sides have a wall surface that is the same vertical height from top 260 to bottom 264. Can be achieved.
[0055]
The above embodiments are exemplary in nature. An additional structural difference between the sides and corners is that the present invention is applicable as long as the sides are adapted to produce a substantially uniform repulsion pressure when the membrane lid is applied to the container lip. It is intended to be included in Also, the term "substantially uniform repulsion pressure" refers to the corners when applying the membrane lid to a substantially triangular container lip having a substantially uniform lip structure at the corners and sides. It is intended to include a uniform as well as "substantially uniform" rebound pressure between the corners and the sides when comparing the rebound pressure differences between the corners and the sides. Thus, a "substantially uniform pressure" is a pressure that is different but more uniform at corners and sides having substantially the same lip structure than would otherwise be exhibited. May be included.
Furthermore, the desired stiffness for the sides and corners can be reached by applying a combination of the embodiments described above. For example, the horizontal thickness of the lip can be changed (eg, as shown in FIG. 5C), as can the outer wall profile (eg, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B).
[0056]
In an exemplary embodiment of the lip structure, the top surface of the lip may extend from the top of the outer wall surface, or at an upward angle with respect to the horizontal. Thus, angle "c" (see, for example, FIGS. 6, 7, 7A, and 7B) is between about 0 ° and about 20 °, for example, between about 5 ° and about 18 °, and in one embodiment about 8 °. ° to 12 °. By placing the top surface horizontally or at an angle greater than 0 °, the container lip behaves like a spring when the membrane lid is applied thereto, thus resisting the force sealing the membrane. To provide better film lid closure. The upward angle of the top surface also helps to provide a substantially uniform rebound pressure along the lip when the membrane is applied, as well as the effects of imperfect lips due to trimming, mold separation lines, etc. To reduce. Although the top surface is shown facing upwards and inwards, it can alternatively be oriented to extend upwards and outwards.
[0057]
In one embodiment, a uniformly angled top surface is obtained by using a mold having a top surface angle "c" on the side that is greater than the top surface angle "c" at the corner of the lip. For example, the mold may have a corner top surface angle "c" of about 15 degrees with respect to the horizontal and a side top surface angle "c" of about 20 degrees with respect to the horizontal.
Although the film-like lid and lip structure described above are individually useful, they may be used in combination. For example, using a combination of any of the membrane lids described herein and any of the lip structures, a substantially uniform repulsion pressure along the periphery of the lip when the membrane lid is applied. To provide and maintain a hermetic seal, while still providing a membrane lid that can be easily removed by the consumer at will. As explained above, the hermetic seal provided by the membrane lid creates an effective barrier to oxygen and moisture.
[0058]
The container 50 according to the present invention can be formed in various ways. For example, the container 50 can be formed from a thermoplastic material and can be blow molded, but other manufacturing methods may be used. Suitable thermoplastic materials include, but are not limited to, polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, or vinyl polymers such as ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH). These materials may be a single layer, or some of these materials may be combined. For example, a multilayer material can include both a polyolefin layer and an EVOH layer. In certain embodiments, container 50 is blow molded from a multilayer material that includes a layer of EVOH sandwiched between two layers of high density polyethylene (HDPE).
In one particular embodiment of the blow molded article, the multilayer plastic structure of the container is as follows: virgin polyolefin layer, tie layer, EVOH layer, another tie layer, another virgin polyolefin layer. Typically, container 50 also has one or more regrind materials intermediate the tie layer and the virgin polyolefin layer. The EVOH layer may be 0.00005 inch (0.00127 mm) to 0.006 inch (0.1524 mm) thick, for example, 0.00005 inch (0.00127 mm) to 0.003 inch (0.0762 mm), and another. In the embodiment of the present invention, it can be set to 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm) to 0.0012 inch (0.03048 mm).
[0059]
An even more particular embodiment of this multilayer plastic structure comprises a six-layer structure comprising the following layers (from outer layer to inner layer): about 9.31 grams (g) or about 19.4% by weight HDPE. About 18.91 g or about 39.4 wt% factory regrind and HDPE; about 0.62 g or about 1.3 wt% tie layer; about 2.02 g or about 4.2 wt% EVOH; 0.62 g or about 1.3% tie layer, and about 16.51 g or about 34.4% factory regrind and HDPE.
Another example of this six-layer structure can comprise (from outer layer to inner layer): about 10.7 grams (g) or about 19.4 wt% HDPE, about 21.66 g Or about 39.4% by weight of factory regrind and HDPE, about 0.69g or about 1.3% by weight of the tie layer, about 2.33g or about 4.2% by weight of EVOH, about 0.69g or about 1.3% tie layer and about 18.94 g or about 34.4% factory regrind and HDPE.
[0060]
Yet another example of this six-layer structure can comprise (from outer layer to inner layer): about 15.0% by weight HDPE homopolymer and colorant, about 63.6% by weight. Mill regrind (60% by weight) and HDPE homopolymer and colorant (40% by weight), about 1.4% by weight tie layer, about 3.6% by weight EVOH, about 1.4% tie layer, And about 15.0% factory regrind and HDPE homopolymer and colorant.
The container typically has a thickness of about 0.005 to about 0.055 inches (0.127 to 1.397 mm), for example, about 0.010 to about 0.045 inches (0.254 to 1.143 mm). Have. The container body 52 and the lip 54 are integrally formed by, for example, a blow molding method. Advantageously, the lip structure described herein is free standing on the underside of the lip top surface. Thus, the lip structure may be formed by a blow molding process while overcoming the disadvantages of many conventional lip designs that require mechanical support to apply the membrane.
[0061]
In another embodiment of the container according to the invention, the container may further comprise an overcap 70, an example of which is shown in FIGS. For example, overcap 70 is disclosed in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 248,089, filed Nov. 13, 2000, entitled "Substantially Triangular-Shaped Over-Cap"; And U.S. Application No.//, entitled "Substantially Triangular-Shaped Over-Cap," filed the same day by Buisson et al. One of the overcaps can be provided and are incorporated herein by reference.
[0062]
The exemplary overcap 70 of FIGS. 8 and 9 includes a substantially triangular top surface 72 and a skirt 74 that extends substantially downward from a periphery 76 of the top surface 72. As further shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the skirt 74 includes substantially rounded corners and substantially straight sides extending around a periphery 76 of the top surface 72. The corners of the skirt include an inner enlarged portion 78, while the sides of the skirt are substantially free of the inner enlarged portion. "Substantially free of inward enlargement", as used herein, refers to the fact that when outward pressure is applied to the lower portion of the overcap, the side of the skirt has the inward enlargement of the corner portion. This includes the case of having a sufficiently small proportion of the inner enlargement so as not to prevent it from moving inward. In one embodiment, the sides of the skirt have no inward enlargement. The skirt, which includes a corner portion having an inner enlarged portion and a side of the skirt substantially free of the inner enlarged portion, securely couples to the lip 54 of the container 50 described herein to provide an interior of such a container. Provides the ability of the overcap to resist the pressure difference between the overcap and the outside. Advantageously, this arrangement also allows the consumer to easily remove the overcap from such a container when desired.
The specific embodiments and examples described above are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the claims. Additional embodiments of the invention and the advantages provided thereby will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope of the claims.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a film-like lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 2A is a plan view of a second embodiment of the film lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 2B is a partial plan view of a third embodiment of the film-like lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 2C is a partial plan view of a fourth embodiment of the film-like lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 2D is a partial plan view of a fifth embodiment of the film-like lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 2E is a partial plan view of a sixth embodiment of the film-like lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 2F is a partial plan view of a seventh embodiment of the film-like lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 2G is a partial plan view of the eighth embodiment of the film-like lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 2H is a partial plan view of a ninth embodiment of the film-like lid according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a stack of membrane lids, wherein each membrane lid includes at least one sloped portion to aid alignment.
FIG. 4 is a front view of an exemplary container according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the container of FIG.
FIG. 5A is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 5A-5A of FIG. 5;
FIG. 5B is a partial sectional view showing a second embodiment of the lip structure.
FIG. 5C is a partial sectional view showing a third embodiment of the lip structure.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of “Details 6” in FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of “Detail 7” in FIG. 4;
FIG. 7A is an enlarged view of a second embodiment of the lip structure.
FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of a third embodiment of the lip structure.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of an exemplary overcap for use with a container according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a side view of the overcap shown in FIG. 8;

Claims (17)

a) a surface including a substantially triangular shaped periphery having first, second, and third corners, each corner being bisected by an imaginary line;
b) includes a tab, initially adapted to direct a pulling force to at least one of the corners, and outwardly from the periphery so as to be disposed asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of any adjacent corners. A projection that extends or that extends discontinuously from adjacent corners and is disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of the adjacent corners. The protrusions extend outwardly from the perimeter so as to be disposed asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of any adjacent corner, and preferably, but not necessarily, (i) the protrusions are raised. A first imaginary line extending from the withdrawal point to the outer contact of the first corner and a second imaginary line extending from the withdrawal point to the outer contact of the second corner. The projection substantially covers the lifting area, or (ii) the projection includes first and second lifting points and first and second lifting areas, defined by the imaginary line; A first outer imaginary line extending from the first withdrawal point to the outer contact of the first corner and a first outer imaginary line extending from the first withdrawal point to the outer contact of the second corner. A second pulling zone, defined by the inner imaginary line, A second outer imaginary line extending from the raised point to the outer contact of the second corner, and a second inner imaginary line extending from the second raised point to the outer contact of the first corner, The film-like lid according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion substantially covers the first and second pulling regions. 2. The film-like lid according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions extend discontinuously from the adjacent corners and are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to an imaginary line of the adjacent corners. 3. The protrusion comprises a weakened area, preferably the weakened area includes a portion of the protrusion defining an opening, preferably has a perimeter with an open opening, preferably the protrusion communicates with the opening 4. The film-like lid according to claim 3, wherein a slit is formed to provide an open peripheral portion. The weakened area includes a portion of the protrusion defining the opening, the opening having a closed perimeter, preferably, but not necessarily, such that the opening is bisected by one of the imaginary lines. The film-like lid according to claim 4, characterized in that: The film-like lid according to claim 4, wherein the weakened area includes a portion where a notch of the protruding portion is formed. 7. The film-like lid according to claim 6, wherein the projection is scored by wrinkling the projection, punching the projection, or cutting the projection. 8. The film-like lid according to claim 7, wherein the projection is cut into a notch in the projection, and the cut extends partially or completely through the thickness of the projection. The film-like lid according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the peripheral portion has a substantially equilateral triangular shape. 10. A multi-layer laminate comprising at least one foil and at least one polymer layer, preferably a multi-layer laminate comprising an acrylic primer, a foil layer, and an ethyl vinyl acetate sealant layer. The film-like lid according to the above. The film-like lid according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the protruding portion extends outward from the peripheral portion without intersecting any of the imaginary lines of the adjacent corner portions. body. The film-like lid according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the tab includes a plurality of tabs. The film-like lid according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the protrusion includes a plurality of protrusions. A container comprising a lip having a substantially triangular horizontal cross section, the lip comprising three corners and three sides, wherein the lip is provided to increase the relative rigidity of the sides to the corners. The side of the lip is configured to be different from the corner of the lip so that the corner and the side exert a substantially uniform repulsive pressure when the membrane lip is applied to the lip of the container. A container characterized by being adapted to: The container of claim 14, wherein the lip includes a top surface, an outer wall surface, and a bottom surface, and a corner of the lip has an outwardly projecting U-shaped outer wall surface. The side of the lip is substantially flat and has an outwardly projecting wall surface that is a substantially U-shaped or substantially W-shaped outer wall. Item 15. The container according to Item 14. a) a surface including a substantially triangular shaped periphery having first, second, and third corners, each corner being bisected by an imaginary line;
b) includes a tab, initially adapted to direct a pulling force to at least one of the corners, and outwardly from the periphery so as to be disposed asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary line of any adjacent corners. And a projection extending from the adjacent corner portion and discontinuously extending from the adjacent corner portion and substantially symmetrically arranged with respect to an imaginary line of the adjacent corner portion. The container according to claim 14, wherein:

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