Plastic coffee container with pinch grip

• US 20080029475A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
• Original Assignee: Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
• Inventors: Scarola, Leonard S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,313,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 215/398
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/102 Gripping means formed in the walls, e.g. roughening, cavities, projections

Abstract

A plastic container for a particulate product includes a base and a surrounding wall member upstanding therefrom which generally define a container main interior volume. A top connects to the surrounding wall member and includes a large opening sufficient to receive about a 5 inch cylinder therethrough. The surrounding wall member includes a pair of pinch pockets having a lateral opening separation W which is not greater than about 2.5 inches and/or a lateral minimum separation C of not greater than about 2.0. In some embodiment, a thumb receiving cavity is provided above the pinch pockets. The pinch pockets are configured and sized for easy grasping and holding of the container.

Claims

1. A plastic container for a particulate product, comprising:

a base, a surrounding wall member upstanding from said base, and an enlarged opening formed at a top of said wall member; and

a handle including a pair of pinch pockets formed in a portion of said surrounding wall member, said pinch pockets having a depth, shape and distance from each other so as to substantially minimize a distance between a wrist of a user when holding the container by the pinch pockets and a center of gravity of the container.

2. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of pinch pockets have a lateral opening separation W which is not greater than about 2.5 inches.

3. A plastic container as claimed in claim 2, wherein said lateral opening separation W is between about 2.0 to 2.5 inches.

4. A plastic container as claimed in claim 3, wherein said each said pinch pocket has a vertical height of at least about 2.5 inches, and wherein said lateral opening separation W is about 2.25 inches.

5. A plastic container as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pinch pockets are centrally directed, and wherein each said pinch pocket has a depth D of not less than about 1.25 inch.

6. A plastic container as claimed in claim 5, wherein said depth D is in the range of about 1.25-2.25 inches.

7. A plastic container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said depth D is about 1.75 inch.

8. A plastic container as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pair of pinch pockets have a lateral minimum separation C of about 1.0 to 1.5 inches.

9. A plastic container as claimed in claim 8, wherein each said pinch pocket has a vertical length of at least about 2.5 inches, wherein said lateral opening separation W is about 2.25 inches, and wherein said lateral minimum separation C is about 1.25 inches.

10. A plastic container as claimed in claim 2, wherein said surrounding wall member further includes a thumb receiving concavity above each said pinch pocket.

11. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of pinch pockets have a lateral minimum separation C of not greater than about 2.0 inches.

12. A plastic container as claimed in claim 11, wherein said lateral minimum separation C is about 1.0 to 1.5 inches.

13. A plastic container as claimed in claim 12, wherein each said pinch pocket has a vertical height of at least about 2.5 inches, and wherein said lateral minimum separation C is about 1.25 inches.

14. A plastic container as claimed in claim 11, wherein said pinch pockets have outside walls that are generally collinear to one another, and wherein each said pinch pocket has a depth D of not less than about 1.0 inch.

15. A plastic container as claimed in claim 14, wherein said depth D is between about 1.25-1.75 inches.

16. A plastic container as claimed in claim 15, wherein said depth D is about 1.5 inches.

17. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of said surrounding wall member including said pinch pockets is generally curved in cross section.

18. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of said surrounding wall member including said pinch pockets is generally straight in cross section.

19. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of said surrounding wall member including said pinch pockets is a corner.

20. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of said surrounding wall member including said pinch pockets is a peaked side.

21. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of said surrounding wall member including said pinch pockets is recessed radially inward relative to a remainder of said surrounding wall member.

22. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of said surrounding wall member between said pinch pockets is recessed radially inward relative to a remainder of said surrounding wall member.

23. A plastic container as claimed in claim 1, further including a substantially horizontal support surface provided between said pinch pockets.

24. A plastic container for a particulate product, said container comprising:

a base and a surrounding wall member which is upstanding from said base, said base and said surrounding wall member generally defining a container main interior volume; and

a top which connects with said surrounding wall member, said top including a large opening therein at least sufficient for a 5 inch diameter cylinder to fit therethrough;

wherein said surrounding wall member includes a pair of pinch pockets having a lateral opening separation W which is not greater than about 2.5 inches.

25. A plastic container as claimed in claim 24, wherein said lateral opening separation W is between about 2.0 to 2.5 inches.

26. A plastic container as claimed in claim 25, wherein said each said pinch pocket has a vertical height of at least about 2.5 inches, and wherein said lateral opening separation W is about 2.25 inches.

27. A plastic container as claimed in claim 25, wherein said pinch pockets are centrally directed, and wherein each said pinch pocket has a depth D of not less than about 1.25 inch.

28. A plastic container as claimed in claim 27, wherein said depth D is in the range of about 1.25-2.25 inches.

29. A plastic container as claimed in claim 28, wherein said depth D is about 1.75 inch.

30. A plastic container as claimed in claim 24, wherein said pair of pinch pockets have a lateral minimum separation C of about 1.0 to 1.5 inches.

31. A plastic container as claimed in claim 30, wherein each said pinch pocket has a vertical length of at least about 2.5 inches, wherein said lateral opening separation W is about 2.25 inches, and wherein said lateral minimum separation C is about 1.25 inches.

32. A plastic container as claimed in claim 24, wherein said surrounding wall member further includes a thumb receiving concavity above each said pinch pocket.

33. A plastic container for a particulate product, said container comprising:

a base and a surrounding wall member which is upstanding from said base, said base and said surrounding wall member generally defining a container main interior volume; and

a top which connects with said surrounding wall member, said top including a large opening therein at least sufficient for a 5 inch diameter cylinder to fit therethrough;

wherein said surrounding wall member includes a pair of pinch pockets having a lateral minimum separation C of not greater than about 2.0 inches.

34. A plastic container as claimed in claim 33, wherein said lateral minimum separation C is about 1.0 to 1.5 inches.

35. A plastic container as claimed in claim 34, wherein each said pinch pocket has a vertical height of at least about 2.5 inches, and wherein said lateral minimum separation C is about 1.25 inches.

36. A plastic container as claimed in claim 33, wherein said pinch pockets have outside walls that are generally collinear to one another, and wherein each said pinch pocket has a depth D of not less than about 1.0 inch.

37. A plastic container as claimed in claim 36, wherein said depth D is between about 1.25-1.75 inches.

38. A plastic container as claimed in claim 37, wherein said depth D is about 1.5 inches.

39. A plastic container as claimed in claim 33, wherein said surrounding wall member further includes a thumb receiving concavity above each said pinch pocket.

40. A plastic container for a particulate product, said container comprising:

a base and a surrounding wall member which is upstanding from said base, said base and said surrounding wall member generally defining a container main interior volume; and

a top which connects with said surrounding wall member, said top including a large opening therein at least sufficient for a 5 inch diameter cylinder to fit therethrough;

wherein said cylindrical surrounding wall member includes

a pair of pinch pockets, and

a separate thumb receiving concavity above each said pinch pocket.

41. A plastic container as claimed in claim 40, wherein each said thumb receiving cavity extends inwardly of said surrounding wall member a distance that is greater than a distance D that an adjacent said pinch pocket extends inwardly.

42. A plastic container as claimed in claim 40, wherein said pinch pockets are centrally directed, and wherein each said pinch pocket has a depth D of not less than about 1.25 inch.

43. A plastic container as claimed in claim 42, wherein said depth D is in the range of about 1.25-2.25 inches.

44. A plastic container as claimed in claim 43, wherein said depth D is about 1.75 inches.

45. A plastic container as claimed in claim 42, wherein said lateral opening separation W is between about 1.5 to 2.0 inches.

46. A plastic container as claimed in claim 41, wherein said pinch pockets have outside walls that are generally collinear to one another, and wherein each said pinch pocket has a depth D of not less than about 1.0 inch.

47. A plastic container as claimed in claim 46, wherein said depth D is between about 1.25-1.75 inches.

48. A plastic container as claimed in claim 47, wherein said depth D is about 1.5 inches.

49. A plastic container as claimed in claim 47, wherein said lateral opening separation W is between about 2.25 to 2.75 inches.

50. A plastic container as claimed in claim 40, wherein said pair of pinch pockets have a lateral minimum separation C of about 1.0 to 1.5 inches.

51. A plastic container as claimed in claim 50, wherein each said pinch pocket has a vertical height of at least about 2.5 inches, and wherein said lateral minimum separation C is about 1.125 inches.

52. A plastic container as claimed in claim 40, wherein a portion of said surrounding wall member including said pinch pockets is generally curved in cross section.

53. A plastic container for a particulate product, comprising:

a base, a surrounding wall member upstanding from said base, and an enlarged opening formed at a top of said wall member;

a recessed portion of said surrounding wall member, said recessed portion having a footprint which is inwardly recessed from a general footprint of the remaining portion of said surrounding wall member; and

a handle including a pair of pinch pockets formed in said surrounding wall member with a substantial portion of said recessed portion therebetween.

54. A plastic container as claimed in claim 53, wherein said pinch pockets are formed in said recessed portion of said surrounding wall member.

55. A plastic container as claimed in claim 53, wherein said recessed portion also includes an upper support surface.

56. A plastic container as claimed in claim 55, wherein said recessed portion also includes a lower support surface which is substantially horizontal.

57. A plastic container as claimed in claim 56, wherein said upper and lower support surfaces are substantially horizontal.