Container with quick release base and lid assembly

• US 10,045,600 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2015
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HCT Goup Holdings Limited (Knowlton Development Corporation Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HCT Goup Holdings Limited (Knowlton Development Corporation Inc.)
• Inventors: Apodaca, Adrian Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jennifer C
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLIVER, BRADLEY S
• Application Number:
  US14/858,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20160083153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/045 connected to the cap of the container
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/265 connected to the cap of the container

Abstract

A quick release container includes a base having a well to hold a product and a neck including latches each having a latch protrusion and a flexible portion. The quick release container includes a lid assembly having an inner lid portion and an outer lid portion movable relative to each other. One or more first lid protrusions prevent movement of the outer lid portion. The lid assembly includes a biasing element to apply a biasing force to the outer lid portion. The lid assembly includes a collar that moves between the outer lid portion and the base. The collar has one or more collar protrusions each configured to engage the flexible portions of the one or more latches and cause the one or more latch protrusions to disengage from the one or more first lid protrusions and facilitate movement of the outer lid portion relative to the inner lid portion.

Claims

1. A quick release container comprising:

a base having a well configured to hold a product;

a neck coupled to the base, the neck comprising one or more latches each having;

(i) a latch protrusion extending from the neck; and

(ii) a flexible portion; and

a lid assembly comprising;

an inner lid portion removably coupled to the neck;

an outer lid portion configured to at least partially house the inner lid portion and configured to be movable relative to the inner lid portion, the outer lid portion having one or more first lid protrusions configured to prevent movement of the outer lid portion in a first direction relative to the inner lid portion when the one or more first lid protrusions are engaged with one or more of the latch protrusions; and

a biasing element coupled between the inner lid portion and the outer lid portion and configured to apply a biasing force to the outer lid portion in the first direction; and

a collar at least partially housing the neck and configured to move between the outer lid portion and the base in the first direction, the collar having one or more collar protrusions configured to engage the flexible portions of the one or more latches and cause the one or more latch protrusions to disengage from the one or more first lid protrusions and facilitate movement of the outer lid portion in the first direction relative to the inner lid portion;

wherein the collar is moveable relative to the neck to cause the collar protrusions to move the one or more latches.

2. The quick release container according to claim 1, wherein the one or more latches are configured to flex from corresponding original latch positions when the one or more collar protrusions are moved from an original collar position along the flexible portions of the one or more latches, and the one or more latches disengage from the one or more first lid protrusions when the one or more latches flex from their corresponding original latch positions.

3. The quick release container according to claim 2, wherein

the collar is further configured to move in a second direction opposite the first direction, and

the one or more latches are configured to deflex and return to their corresponding original positions when the collar moves in the second direction.

4. The quick release container according to claim 2, wherein

the neck comprises an opening providing access to the well of the base,

the quick release container further comprises a brush stem extending from the inner lid portion into the well through the opening of the neck, and

the brush stem is configured to be removed from the well when the lid assembly is removed from the quick release container.

5. The quick release container according to claim 4, wherein the quick release container further comprises an applicator coupled to a distal end of the brush stem.

6. The quick release container according to claim 5, wherein the brush stem is fixed to the neck.

7. The quick release container according to claim 4, wherein the inner lid portion and the brush stem are unitary.

8. The quick release container according to claim 4, wherein the inner lid portion and the brush stem are separate elements that are coupled together.

9. The quick release container according to claim 1, wherein

the flexible portion comprises a sloped portion, and

the one or more collar protrusions are each configured to move along the sloped portion of the one or more latches and cause the one or more latch protrusions to disengage from the one or more first lid protrusions and facilitate movement of the outer lid portion in the first direction relative to the inner lid portion.

10. The quick release container according to claim 1, wherein the biasing element is a spring.

11. The quick release container according to claim 1, wherein the collar is convex shaped to receive one or more fingers of a user and facilitates movement of the collar in the first direction or a second direction.

12. The quick release container according to claim 1, wherein

the inner lid portion comprises one or more inner lid protrusions extending away from an outer circumference of the inner lid portion,

the outer lid portion further comprises one or more second lid protrusions extending away from an inner circumference of the outer lid portion and spaced from the one or more inner lid protrusions,

the one or more second lid protrusions of the outer lid portion are configured to move along an outer surface of the inner lid portion in the first direction when the outer lid portion moves in the first direction, and

the one or more inner lid protrusions are configured to prevent further movement of the outer lid portion in the first direction when the one or more inner lid protrusions contact the one or more corresponding second lid protrusions.

13. The quick release container of claim 1 wherein the collar protrusions extend in a radially inward direction and have an inward facing sloped portion configured to engage in an axially sliding manner with the flexible portions of the one or more latches, such that when a user moves the collar in contrary to the biasing force, the collar protrusions apply an inward force on the one or more latches causing the one or more latches to disengage from the lid protrusions as the collar is moved in the first direction.

14. A quick release container comprising:

a base having a well configured to hold a product;

a neck coupled to the base, the neck comprising one or more latches, the one or more latches having a flexible portion; and

a lid assembly comprising;

an inner lid portion;

a brush stem extending from the inner lid portion into the well through an opening in the neck;

an outer lid portion configured to be movable relative to the inner lid portion, and

a biasing element coupled between the inner lid portion and the outer lid portion and configured to apply a biasing force to the outer lid portion to move the outer lid portion away from the inner lid portion; and

a collar comprising one or more collar protrusions configured to engage the flexible portion of the one or more latches and cause the one or more latches to move away from and disengage from one or more corresponding first lid protrusions on an inner surface of the outer lid portion to facilitate the movement of the outer lid portion away from the inner lid portion;

wherein the collar is moveable relative to the neck to cause the collar protrusions to move the one or more latches.

15. The quick release container according to claim 14, wherein the one or more corresponding first lid protrusions are configured to prevent movement of the outer lid portion in a first direction relative to the inner lid portion when the one or more first lid protrusions are engaged with one or more latch protrusions.

16. The quick release container according to claim 15, wherein the one or more latch protrusions comprise a plurality of latch protrusions spaced from each other around an outer circumference of the neck.

17. The quick release container according to claim 14, wherein

the flexible portion includes a sloped portion, and

the one or more collar protrusions are configured to move along the sloped portion of the one or more latches in a direction away from the outer lid portion and toward the base.

18. The quick release container of claim 14 wherein the collar protrusions extend in a radially inward direction and have an inward facing sloped portion configured to engage in an axially sliding manner with the flexible portions of the one or more latches, such that when a user moves the collar in the first direction, the collar protrusions apply an inward force on the one or more latches causing the one or more latches to disengage from the lid protrusions as the collar is moved in the first direction.

19. The quick release container according to claim 14, wherein the inner lid portion and the brush stem are unitary.