Container for smokeless tobacco products

• US 9,908,670 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Snuff Company LLC (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: American Snuff Company LLC (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Patel, Pankaj, Thomas, Timothy Frederick, Jones, William Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Castriotta, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US13/017,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20120193265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,591 Days
• Field of Search: 220796, 206265
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 23/00 Cases for tobacco, snuff, or chewing tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00092 circular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00277 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00527 NO contact
• 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 43/0222 only on the outside, or a part turned to the outside, of the mouth of the container B65D43/0216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/1627 the closure being for a box-like container

Abstract

A container adapted for storing a product is provided. The container includes a body having a bottom wall and a side wall. The bottom wall and the side wall define an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product. The side wall has an outer peripheral surface. A rib structure is engaged with the body about the outer peripheral surface of the side wall and extends outwardly therefrom. A cover is configured to be removably engaged with the body. The cover includes a top wall and a peripheral flange having an inner surface. The inner surface is substantially smooth and is configured to interact with the rib structure when the cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall so as to form an interference fit.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a body having a bottom wall and a side wall, the bottom wall and the side wall defining an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product, a portion of the side wall having an outer peripheral surface, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the side wall lies along a vertical plane, and extends from a lip to a top edge of the side wall;

a rib structure operably engaged with the body about the outer peripheral surface of the side wall and extending outwardly therefrom; and

a cover configured to be removably engaged with the body, the cover having a top wall and a peripheral flange having an inner surface, the inner surface being substantially smooth and configured to interact with the rib structure when the cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall so as to form an interference fit, wherein the rib structure comprises a plurality of rib segments projecting from the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, the rib segments being completely spaced apart so as to form vent channels therebetween for facilitating venting when the cover is received over the body, and wherein each rib segment comprises;

a rib wall projecting radially outwardly relative to a center of the body from the side wall and defining a rib wall surface that is radially displaced relative to the center of the body from the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, the rib wall lying in a vertical plane parallel to the vertical plane in which the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the side wall extending from the lip to the top edge lies; and

a rib projection defining a top end of the rib wall and projecting radially outwardly relative to the center of the body, the rib projection including a first surface extending from the side wall, a second surface extending from the rib wall surface, and an outer edge extending between the first surface and the second surface, the outer edge being radially displaced relative to the center of the body beyond the rib wall surface and configured to interact with the inner surface of the peripheral flange when the cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, wherein the rib wall extends from the rib projection to a substantially planar surface of the lip, the substantially planar surface of the lip extending substantially perpendicularly from the rib wall surface around a perimeter of the body.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the body is comprised of a polymeric material, and the cover is comprised of a metallic material.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the rib structure is integrally formed with the side wall of the body.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the cover interacts with the lip to form a stop when the cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the peripheral flange comprises a substantially planar edge configured for abutting contact with the substantially planar surface of the lip when the cover is fully seated upon the body.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the side wall and the peripheral flange are substantially cylindrical, and the rib structure extends circumferentially about the outer peripheral surface of the side wall.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the rib projections extend outwardly of the outer peripheral surface between about 0.05 millimeters and about 0.25 millimeters.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the internal storage compartment comprises a plurality of products.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the product is one of smoking products and smokeless tobacco products.

10. A container, comprising:

a polymeric body having a bottom wall and a cylindrical side wall, the bottom wall and the side wall defining an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product, a portion of the side wall having an outer peripheral surface, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the side wall lies along a vertical plane, and extends from a lip to a top edge of the side wall;

a circumferential rib structure integrally formed with the polymeric body about the outer peripheral surface of the side wall and extending radially outwardly therefrom relative to a center of the polymeric body, the rib structure comprising a plurality of rib segments extending circumferentially about the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, the rib segments being completely spaced apart so as to form vent channels therebetween; and

a metallic cover configured to be removably engaged with the polymeric body, the metallic cover having a top wall and a peripheral flange having a cylindrical inner surface, the cylindrical inner surface being substantially smooth and configured to interact with the rib structure when the metallic cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall so as to form an interference fit, wherein each rib segment comprises;

an arcuate rib wall projecting radially outwardly relative to the center of the polymeric body from the side wall and defining a rib wall surface that is radially displaced relative to the center of the polymeric body from the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, the arcuate rib wall lying in a vertical plane parallel to the vertical plane in which the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the side wall extending from the lip to the top edge lies; and

an arcuate rib projection defining a top end of the arcuate rib wall and projecting radially outwardly relative to the center of the polymeric body, the arcuate rib projection including a first surface extending from the side wall, a second surface extending from the rib wall surface, and an outer edge extending between the first surface and the second surface, the outer edge being radially displaced relative to the center of the polymeric body beyond the rib wall surface and configured to interact with the inner surface of the peripheral flange when the metallic cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, wherein the rib wall extends from the rib projection to a substantially planar surface of the lip, the substantially planar surface of the lip extending substantially perpendicularly from the rib wall surface around a perimeter of the polymeric body.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the lip extends circumferentially about the outer peripheral surface, the peripheral flange of the metallic cover interacting with the lip to form a stop when the cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the peripheral flange comprises a substantially planar edge configured for abutting contact with the substantially planar surface of the lip when the metallic cover is fully seated upon the polymeric body.

13. The container of claim 10, wherein the arcuate rib projections extend outwardly of the outer peripheral surface between about 0.05 millimeters and about 0.25 millimeters.

14. The container of claim 10, wherein the internal storage compartment comprises a plurality of products.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein the product is one of smoking products and smokeless tobacco products.

16. A container, comprising:

a polymeric body having a bottom wall and a cylindrical side wall having an edge, the bottom wall and the side wall defining an internal storage compartment adapted for storage of a plurality of units of a product, the internal storage compartment having an opening thereto adjacent to the edge of the side wall, wherein an outer peripheral surface of a portion of the side wall comprises a neck region of reduced diameter proximal to the edge of the side wall such that the side wall defines a lip, the outer peripheral portion lying along a vertical plane, and extending from the lip to a top edge of the side wall;

a circumferential rib structure integrally formed with the polymeric body about the outer peripheral surface of the side wall in the neck region and projecting radially outwardly therefrom relative to a center of the polymeric body, the rib structure comprising a plurality of rib segments extending circumferentially about the outer peripheral surface of the side wall, the rib segments being completely spaced apart so as to form vent channels therebetween and each rib segment comprising a rib wall projecting radially outwardly relative to the center of the polymeric body from the outer peripheral surface of the polymeric body and defining a rib wall surface that is radially displaced relative to the center of the polymeric body from the outer peripheral surface of the side wall and a rib projection defining a top end of the rib wall and projecting radially outwardly relative to the center of the polymeric body, the rib wall lying in a vertical plane parallel to the vertical plane in which the outer peripheral surface of the portion of the side wall extending from the lip to the top edge lies, the rib projection including a first surface extending from the side wall, a second surface extending from the rib wall surface, and an outer edge extending between the first surface and the second surface, the outer edge being radially displaced relative to the center of the polymeric body beyond the rib wall surface, each vent channel at least partially defined by adjacent rib walls and the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the polymeric body; and

a metallic cover configured to be removably engaged with the polymeric body, the metallic cover having a top wall and a peripheral flange having a cylindrical inner surface, the cylindrical inner surface being substantially smooth and configured to interact with the rib structure when the metallic cover is received over the neck region of the side wall so as to form an interference fit, and wherein the metallic cover is configured to abut the lip of the side wall of the polymeric body when the metallic cover is fully seated on the polymeric body, wherein the rib wall extends from the rib projection to a substantially planar surface of the lip, the substantially planar surface of the lip extending substantially perpendicularly from the rib wall surface around a perimeter of the polymeric body.