THREE DOOR LID AND CONTAINER UTILIZING THE SAME

• US 20180092478A1
• Filed: 09/18/2017
• Published: 04/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mccormick & Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mccormick & Company Incorporated
• Inventors: WILSON, Tracie L.C., GIESKE, Thomas Koll Porter, PUGNE, Darin, BEATY, Adam, ANKNEY, Don, MYERS, Ron, WEBSTER, Charles A., GETSY, Stephen B., CARLISLE, Dewey
• Granted Patent: US 10,441,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/24 Shakers for salt, pepper, sugar, or the like closures comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge B65D47/20
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/02 Labels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2255/06 Use of seals
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/00 Tamper-indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/205 Means for the attachment of labels, cards, coupons or the like; cards or coupons for the other types of rigid or semi-rigid containers B65D25/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00537 on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/161 comprising two or more cover sections hinged one to another
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/169 the lid, the hinge and the element connecting them to the container being made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/0847 located within a flat surface of the base element
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/247 located between an inner and an outer closure
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/06 for dispensing powdered or granular material B65D83/04 takes precedence

Abstract

Container having a container body comprising a bottom, a rim and a lid securing portion located adjacent the rim. A lid includes a lid base sized and configured to secure the lid to the lid securing portion of the container body and a lid door assembly movably mounted to the lid base. The lid door assembly includes a main door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the lid base and an open position with respect to the lid base, a first side door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door, and a second side door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a container body comprising;

a bottom;

a rim; and

a lid securing portion located adjacent the rim;

a lid comprising;

a lid base sized and configured to secure the lid to the lid securing portion of the container body; and

a lid door assembly movably mounted to the lid base, said lid door assembly comprising;

a main door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the lid base and an open position with respect to the lid base;

a first side door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door; and

a second side door that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door,

wherein the open position of the main door exposes an entire perimeter of an inner edge of the rim, whereby contents of the container can be more readily spooned out.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is sized to contain a granular food.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the main door allows for contents of the container to be spooned out when in the open position and is retained in the closed position by engagement between at least one locking or retaining projection and at least one locking or retaining recess.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the first door allows for contents of the container to be poured out when in the open position.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the second door allows for contents of the container to be sifted out when in the open position.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the main door has a larger cross-sectional area than the rim of the container body.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the main door comprises a sealing bead that engages with the rim of the container body when in the closed position.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the main door has a larger cross-sectional area than either the first door or the second door.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the main door is connected to the lid base via a hinge.

10. The container of claim 1, wherein the first door overlies and closes a pouring opening formed in the main door when in the closed position.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the pouring opening is generally triangular.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the first door comprises a sealing bead that engages with a pouring opening formed in the main door when in the closed position.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein the first door comprises a stacking bead.

14. The container of claim 1, wherein the first door is mounted via a hinge.

15. The container of claim 1, wherein the second door overlies and closes plural sifting openings formed in the main door when in the closed position.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the plural sifting openings are generally circular.

17. The container of claim 15, wherein the second door comprises at least one sealing projection that engages with one of the plural sifting openings formed in the main door when in the closed position.

18. A spice container, comprising:

a container body comprising;

a generally rectangular cross-section having a width that is greater than a depth;

a generally rectangular bottom;

a generally rectangular rim;

a lid securing portion located adjacent the rim; and

a height that is greater than the width;

a generally rectangular lid comprising;

a lid base sized and configured to secure the lid to the lid securing portion of the container body, such that when installed, an upper end of the lid base is disposed at or below an upper end of the rim; and

a lid door assembly comprising;

a main door connected to the lid base via a hinge and that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the lid base and an open position with respect to the lid base;

a first side door connected to a first hinge and that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door; and

a second side door connected to a second hinge and that can assume at least a closed position with respect to the main door and an open position with respect to the main door.

19. A granulated product container, comprising:

a generally rectangular container body having a volume of between 1 and 32 ounces and comprising;

generally outwardly curved front and back sides;

left and right generally planar sides each having a width that is less than the front and back sides;

rounded corners connecting the front and back sides to the left and right sides;

a chamfered bottom region;

a chamfered rim region; and

a lid securing portion located adjacent the rim;

a removable tamper seal;

a lid comprising;

a lid base sized and configured to secure the lid to the lid securing portion of the container body; and

a lid door assembly movably mounted to the lid base, said lid door assembly comprising;

a main door adapted to open on the front side and being hinged on the back side, said main door having a sealing bead that engages with a surface of the rim region in a closed position and that engages via a snap-connection with the lid base in the closed position, said snap connection including at least one locking projection and at least one locking recess;

a left side door that can assume at least a closed position via snap-connection with respect to the main door and that closes-off a pour opening arranged on the main door in the closed position;

a right side door that can assume at least a closed position via snap-connection with respect to the main door and that closes-off plural openings arranged on the main door in the closed position;

indicia representative of a pour opening;

indicia representative of sifting openings; and

indicia representative of a spoon.

20. The container of claim 19, wherein a force required for opening either of the left and right side doors is less than that required to open the main door.