Container having improved pouring characteristics

1. A container comprising:

a container body defining an internal cavity adapted to contain a flowable substance therein;

a substantially elliptical opening in a top surface of the container body adapted to allow the flowable substance to flow therethrough;

a handle adapted to be grasped by a user, the handle comprising a first end at the container body, a tubular portion extending forwardly and upwardly from the first end toward the opening, and a second end connecting the tubular portion to the container body; and

a resealable closure positioned over the opening, the closure comprising a base fixedly connected around the opening of the container to define an aperture positioned over the opening and a hinged cap connected to the base at a hinge located at a rear of the base, the cap being adjustable by pivoting about the hinge between an open position, wherein the flowable substance can flow from the internal cavity through the opening and the aperture, and a closed position, wherein the cap is releasably engaged with the base and obstructs the opening and the aperture to prevent the flowable substance from flowing through the opening, the closure further comprising a lip positioned around at least a portion of the aperture at a front of the base opposite the rear, wherein the lip extends upward from the base and is curved outwardly and away from a center of the aperture at the front of the base, and wherein a height of the lip increases to a maximum height at the front of the base, such that the maximum height of the lip at the front of the base is greater than the height of the lip at other locations,

[w]herein the opening has an elongated length, and the closure has a height defined from adjacent surfaces of the container, and wherein the adjacent surfaces of the container, the length of the opening, and the height of the closure are adapted such that when the closure is in the open position and the container is filled with the flowable substance to a level where pouring is possible at a tilt angle of approximately 25 degrees, the opening and the closure are adapted to permit the flowable substance to flow through the opening and the closure without interrupting airflow through the opening and the closure when the container is tilted over a range of tilt angles of greater than approximately 25 degrees

wherein the second end of the handle is located below the top surface of the container and is spaced rearwardly from the opening, wherein the top surface of the container includes a sloped portion that is sloped rearwardly and downwardly away from the opening and extends from the opening to the second end of the handle, such that the sloped portion angles more sharply downward proximate the handle than proximate the opening.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the adjacent surfaces of the container, the length of the opening, and the height of the closure are adapted such that when the closure is in the open position and the container is filled with the flowable substance to the level where pouring is possible at the tilt angle of approximately 25 degrees, the opening and the closure further adapted to permit the flowable substance to flow through the opening and the closure without interrupting airflow through the opening when the container is tilted over a range of tilt angles of approximately 35 degrees.

3. The container of claim 1 , wherein the container body comprises a bottom, a top opposite the bottom and having the opening therein, a pair of opposed sides extending upward from the bottom to the top, and a front and a back extending from the bottom to the top and between the two sides, the front comprising a first portion extending upward from the bottom and having a convex contour, a second portion extending upward from the first portion and having a concave contour, and a third portion extending upward from the second portion to the top and having a convex contour, wherein the first, second, and third portions are continuous with each other.

4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the substantially elliptical opening has a major axis and a minor axis, and wherein the handle is aligned with the major axis of the opening and oriented along the major axis of the opening.

5. The container of claim 1 , wherein the container body has flat panels on opposed sides thereof.

6. A container comprising:

a container body defining an internal cavity adapted to contain a flowable substance therein, the container body comprising a bottom, a top opposite the bottom, a pair of opposed sides extending upward from the bottom to the top, and a front and a back extending from the bottom to the top and between the two sides, the front comprising a first portion extending upward from the bottom and having a convex contour, a second portion extending upward from the first portion and having a concave contour, and a third portion extending upward from the second portion to the top and having a convex contour, wherein the first, second, and third portions are continuous with each other;

an non-circular opening in the top of the container body adapted to allow the flowable substance to flow therethrough, the non-circular opening being elongated along an axis of elongation extending in the front-to-back direction relative to the container body;

a handle adapted to be grasped by a user, the handle comprising a first end at the container body, a tubular portion extending forwardly and upwardly from the first end toward the opening, and a second end connecting the tubular portion to the container body; and

a resealable closure positioned over the opening, the closure being adjustable between an open position, wherein the flowable substance can flow through the opening, and a closed position, wherein the closure obstructs the opening to prevent the flowable substance from flowing through the opening,

wherein the opening has an elongated length, and the closure has a height defined from adjacent surfaces of the container, and wherein the adjacent surfaces of the container, the length of the opening, and the height of the closure are adapted such that when the closure is in the open position and the container is substantially filled with the flowable substance, the opening and the closure are adapted to permit the flowable substance to flow through the opening and the closure without interrupting airflow through the opening and the closure when the container is tilted at a tilt angle of approximately 25 degrees, and

wherein the second end of the handle is located below the top of the container and is spaced rearwardly from the opening, wherein the top of the container includes a sloped surface that is sloped rearwardly and downwardly away from the opening and extends from the opening to the second end of the handle, such that the closed more sharply downward proximate the handle than proximate the opening.

7. The container of claim 6 , wherein the opening is substantially elliptical.

8. The container of claim 6 , wherein the adjacent surfaces of the container, the length of the opening, and the height of the closure are adapted such that when the closure is in the open position and the container is substantially filled with the flowable substance, the opening and the closure are adapted to permit the flowable substance to flow through the opening and the closure without interrupting airflow through the opening and the closure when the container is tilted at a tilt angle of approximately 35 degrees.

9. The container of claim 6 , wherein the tubular portion comprises a first arm extending upwardly away from the container body and a second arm extending from the first arm directly toward the opening to connect to the container body, wherein the container is adapted such that when the closure is in the open position, the container is substantially filled with the flowable substance, and the container is tilted at the tilt angle of approximately 25 degrees, airflow inward through the opening flows directly into the second arm of the handle without obstruction from the flowable substance.

10. The container of claim 6 , wherein the handle is aligned with the axis of elongation of the opening and oriented along the axis of elongation of the opening.

11. The container of claim 6 , wherein the container body has substantially flat panels on each of the opposed sides.

12. A container comprising:

a container body defining an internal cavity adapted to contain a flowable substance therein, the container body comprising a bottom, a top opposite the bottom, a pair of opposed sides extending upward from the bottom to the top, and a front and a back extending from the bottom to the top and between the two sides, the front comprising a first portion extending upward from the bottom and having a convex contour, a second portion extending upward from the first portion and having a concave contour, and a third portion extending upward from the second portion to the top and having a convex contour, wherein the first, second, and third portions are continuous with each other;

an elongated opening in the top of the container body adapted to allow the flowable substance to flow therethrough, the opening being elongated along an axis of elongation extending in the front-to-back direction relative to the container body;

a handle adapted to be grasped by a user, the handle comprising a first end at the container body, a tubular portion extending forwardly and upwardly from the first end toward the opening, and a second end connecting the tubular portion to the container body; and

a resealable closure positioned over the opening, the closure being adjustable between an open position, wherein the flowable substance can flow through the opening, and a closed position, wherein the closure obstructs the opening to prevent the flowable substance from flowing through the opening,

wherein the opening has an elongated length, and the closure has a height defined from adjacent surfaces of the container, and wherein the adjacent surfaces of the container, the length of the opening, and the height of the closure are adapted such that when the closure is in the open position and the container is filled with the flowable substance to a level where pouring is possible at a tilt angle of approximately 25 degrees, the opening and the container are adapted to permit the flowable substance to flow through the opening and the closure without interrupting airflow through the opening and the closure when the container is tilted over a range of tilt angles of greater than approximately 25 degrees, and

wherein the second end of the handle is located below the top of the container and is spaced rearwardly from the opening, wherein the top of the container includes a sloped portion that is sloped rearwardly and downwardly away from the opening and extends from the opening to the second end of the handle, such that the sloped portion angles more sharply downward proximate the handle than proximate the opening.

13. The container of claim 12 , wherein the opening is substantially elliptical.

14. The container of claim 12 , wherein the adjacent surfaces of the container, the length of the opening, and the height of the closure are adapted such that when the closure is in the open position and the container is filled with the flowable substance to the level where pouring is possible at a tilt angle of approximately 25 degrees, the opening and the closure are adapted to permit the flowable substance to flow through the opening and the closure without interrupting airflow through the opening and the closure when the container is tilted over a range of tilt angles of approximately 35 degrees.

15. The container of claim 12 , wherein the tubular portion comprises a first arm extending upwardly away from the container body and a second arm extending from the first arm directly toward the opening to connect to the container body, wherein the container is adapted such that when the closure is in the open position, the container is substantially filled with the flowable substance, and the container is tilted at the tilt angle of 25 degrees, airflow inward through the opening flows directly into the second arm of the handle without obstruction from the flowable substance.

16. The container of claim 12 , wherein the handle is aligned with the axis of elongation of the opening and oriented along the axis of elongation of the opening.

17. The container of claim 12 , wherein the container body has substantially flat panels on each of the opposed sides.

18. A container comprising:

a container body defining an internal cavity, the container body comprising a bottom, a top opposite the bottom, a pair of opposed sides extending upward from the bottom to the top and each having a substantially flat side panel thereon, and a front and a back extending from the bottom to the top and between the two sides, the front comprising a first portion extending upward from the bottom and having a convex contour, a second portion extending upward from the first portion and having a concave contour, and a third portion extending upward from the second portion to the top and having a convex contour, wherein the first, second, and third portions are continuous with each other;

a flowable substance contained within the internal cavity;

a substantially elliptical opening in the container body;

a handle adapted to be grasped by a user, the handle comprising a first end at the container body, a tubular portion extending forwardly and upwardly from the first end toward the opening, and a second end connecting the tubular portion to the container body; and

a resealable closure positioned over the opening, the closure comprising a base fixedly connected around the opening of the container to define an aperture positioned over the opening and a hinged cap connected to the base at a hinge located at a rear of the base, the cap being adjustable by pivoting about the hinge between an open position, wherein the flowable substance can flow from the internal cavity through the opening and the aperture, and a closed position, wherein the closure obstructs the opening and the aperture and prevents the flowable substance from flowing through the opening, the closure further comprising a lip positioned around at least a portion of the aperture at a front of the base opposite the rear, wherein the lip extends upward from the base and is curved outwardly and away from a center of the aperture at the front of the base, and wherein a height of the lip increases to a maximum height at the front of the base, such that the maximum height of the lip at the front of the base is greater than the height of the lip at other locations,

wherein the opening has an elongated length, and the closure has a height defined from adjacent surfaces of the container, and wherein the adjacent surfaces of the container, the length of the opening, and the height of the closure are adapted such that when the closure is in the open position and the container is filled with the flowable substance to a level where pouring is possible at a tilt angle of approximately 25 degrees, the flowable substance flows through the opening and the closure without interrupting airflow through the opening and the closure when the container is tilted over a range of tilt angles of greater than approximately 25 degrees, and

wherein the second end of the handle is located below the top of the container and is spaced rearwardly from the opening, wherein the top of the container includes a sloped portion that is sloped rearwardly and downwardly away from the opening and extends from the opening to the second end of the handle, such that the sloped portion angles more sharply downward proximate the handle than proximate the opening.

19. The container of claim 18 , wherein when the closure is in the open position and the container is filled with the flowable substance to the level where pouring is possible at a tilt angle of approximately 25 degrees, the flowable substance flows through the opening and the closure without interrupting airflow through the opening and the closure when the container is tilted over a range of tilt angles of approximately 35 degrees.

20. The container of claim 18 , wherein the substantially elliptical opening has a major axis and a minor axis, and wherein the handle is aligned with the major axis of the opening and oriented along the major axis of the opening.

21. The container of claim 1 , wherein the lip is further curved outwardly along sides of the aperture extending between the front and the rear.