Container with sealable lid

• US 7,815,067 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Original Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Tamotsu, Kaneko, Eugene R., Kida, Makiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smalley; James N
• Application Number:
  US11/395,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20070241107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 220/238, 220/326, 220/377, 220/803, 220/212, 220/233, 220/234, 220/805, 292/DIG.4, 292/DIG.37, 292/341.17, 215/358, 215/359
• US Class Current: 220/234
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 39/12 expansible, e.g. inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 45/327 the annular member applying radial pressure against the inner surface of the container wall B65D55/0863, B65D55/0872 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/37 Push button operators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/702 Pivoted or swinging

Abstract

A storage container including a housing having an open-top wall structure defining a receptacle for receiving material to be stored. The container includes a cover disposable on the housing in a closed position relative to the receptacle. A button is movably carried by the cover and a seal. The seal is carried by the cover and shiftable between a compressed condition for sealingly engaging the wall structure when the cover is disposed in the closed position, and an uncompressed condition for disengaging from the wall structure. The container also includes a toggle mechanism coupled to the button and to the seal for effecting movement of the seal to its compressed and uncompressed conditions respectively in response to alternate actuations of the button.

Claims

1. A storage container comprising:

a housing including an open-top wall structure defining a receptacle for receiving material to be stored;

a cover disposable on said housing in a closed position relative to said receptacle;

a push-push type button movably carried by said cover which is actuated by a pushing movement by a user;

a seal carried by said cover and shiftable between a compressed condition for sealingly engaging said wall structure when said cover is disposed in the closed position, and an uncompressed condition for disengaging from said wall structure; and

a toggle mechanism coupled to said button and to said seal for effecting movement of said seal to its compressed and uncompressed conditions respectively in response to alternate actuations of said button.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said toggle mechanism includes a latch having two sides, said sides respectively defining heart-shaped cam surfaces, each of said cam surfaces including a first cam surface portion and a second cam surface portion.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein said heart-shaped cam surfaces are symmetrical.

4. The container of claim 2, wherein said toggle mechanism includes a pin pivotably connected to said button and engageable with said latch, said first cam surface portion adapted to guide said pin to a locked position in response to a first actuation of said button, and said second cam surface portion adapted to guide said pin to an unlocked position in response to a second actuation of said button.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein said toggle mechanism includes a latch, an open-top housing and a slider movably connected to said housing, said latch defining a first cam surface and a second cam surface, said toggle mechanism operable to movably engage said latch with said housing causing said first cam surface to guide said slider to a locked position upon a first actuation of said button, and causing said second cam surface to guide said slider to an unlocked position upon a second actuation of said button.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein said cover includes an upper member, a bottom member and a cam plate connected to said bottom member, said cam plate movably connected to said upper member.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein said button is movable between an up position and a down position.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein said toggle mechanism includes a bias structure for biasing the button to the up position.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein said bias structure includes a pair of arms positioned adjacent to said button, said arms operable to pivot and move said button to the up position.

10. The container of claim 8, wherein the bias structure includes a spring operable to bias said button to the up position.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one of said housing and said cover are substantially transparent.

12. A food storage device comprising:

a container including an open-top wall structure defining a receptacle for receiving a material to be stored;

a cover disposable on said wall structure, said cover including a top member defining a cup having a bottom surface, said bottom surface defining a plurality of slots, a bottom member positioned adjacent to said top member, and a cam plate connected to said bottom member, said cam plate including at least two posts and a latch, said posts being extendable through said slots of said receptacle, said latch including two sides, said sides respectively defining heart-shaped cam surfaces;

a seal positioned between said upper member and said bottom member of said cover;

a button including a bottom surface, said button being slidably connected to said cover;

a pair of pivot arms positioned adjacent to said bottom surface of said button, each of said pivot arms being pivotably connected to one of said posts of said cam plate, said pivot arms connected to said posts after said posts are inserted through said slots of said bottom surface of said receptacle to connect said cam plate and said bottom member to said upper member; and

a pin connected to said bottom surface of said button, said pin including two opposing spaced apart arms, said arms being respectively engageable with said heart-shaped cam surfaces of said latch,

wherein when said button is actuated a first time, said pivot arms move downwardly and said cam surfaces guide said arms of said pin to a locked position causing said seal to expand outwardly and engage said wall structure, and

wherein when said button is actuated a second time, said cam surfaces guide said arms to an un-locked position, wherein said seal dis-engages said container and said pivot arms move upwardly against said bottom surface of said button to correspondingly move said button upwardly to a popped-up position.

13. The food storage device of claim 12, wherein said latch defines a recess, and wherein said pin is engaged with said recess in the locked position.

14. The food storage device of claim 12, which includes a spring positioned adjacent to said top member, said spring biasing said button to the popped-up position.

15. The food storage device of claim 14, wherein said spring is a coil spring.

16. The container of claim 12, wherein at least one of said container and said cover are substantially transparent.

17. A storage container comprising:

a housing including an open-top wall structure defining a receptacle for receiving material to be stored;

a cover disposable on said housing in a closed position relative to said receptacle;

a push-push type button movably carried by said cover which is actuated by a pushing movement by a user;

a seal carried by said cover and shiftable between a compressed condition for sealingly engaging said wall structure when said cover is disposed in the closed position, and an uncompressed condition for disengaging from said wall structure; and

a toggle mechanism comprising at least one pivot arm, the at least one pivot arm being operably coupled to said push-push button and said seal, said toggle mechanism actuates said at least one pivot arm and moves said seal to its compressed and uncompressed conditions respectively in response to alternate actuations of said push-push button.