Pail and closure
View Patent ↗A pail having a cylindrical sidewall with an upper margin defining an opening generally equal to the sidewall diameter, a thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the upper margin, and at least one flange projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the thread, each flange including one or more radial projections and portions on either side of the radial projections extending outward from the sidewall at least as far as the radial projections. A cover having a central portion received within the opening, a mating portion extending outward from the central potion to engage the sidewall upper margin, a downwardly projecting rim including at least one inwardly directed thread to engage the thread projecting outwardly from the pail sidewall, and at least one tab integrally coupled to the downwardly projecting rim including one or more apertures corresponding to the plurality of radial projections, each tab being biased for displacement from an outwardly displaced disengaged position toward a more inward position with the radial projections being received in the apertures to lock the cover onto the top of the pail to enclose any contents of the pail, each tab including a lower edge extending sufficiently below the apertures to provide a grip allowing a manual outward force to be applied to disengage the tab apertures from the flange radial projections.
1. A container comprising: a pail having a bottom and a cylindrical sidewall, an upper margin of the sidewall defining an opening, a thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the upper margin, and a flange projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the thread, the flange including at least one radial projection, wherein the thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the upper margin includes an upper end and a lower end, the lower end overlying a portion of the flange that includes the at least one radial projection; and a cover having a central portion sized to be received within the opening, a mating portion extending outward from the central potion to engage the upper margin of the sidewall, a downwardly projecting rim including an inwardly directed thread corresponding to the thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall, and a tab integrally coupled to the downwardly projecting rim including at least one aperture corresponding to the at least one radial projection, the tab being biased for displacement from an outwardly displaced disengaged position toward a more inward position with the at least one radial projection being received in the at least one aperture to lock the cover onto the top of the pail to enclose any contents of the pail.
2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the flange includes a first portion on one side of the at least one radial projection, the first portion including an outer edge extending radially outward from the sidewall at least as far as the at least one radial projection.
3. The container of claim 2 , wherein the flange includes a second portion on a side opposite the first portion, the second portion including an outer edge extending radially outward from the sidewall at least as far as the at least one radial projection.
4. The container of claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second portions of the flange include a confronting surface defining a circumferential inward edge of the first and second portions, the confronting surfaces being spaced from each other by a distance slightly larger than the tab circumferential width.
5. The container of claim 4 , wherein the tab extends downwardly further than the downwardly projecting rim, and includes circumferential outer edges that can be received between the confronting surfaces of the flange.
6. The container of claim 5 , wherein the tab includes a portion of reduced thickness extending between the circumferential outer edges of the tab.
7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the tab includes a lower edge extending sufficiently below the at least one aperture to provide a grip adapted to allow a manual outward force to be applied to disengage the at least one aperture from the at least one radial projection.
8. A container comprising: a pail having a bottom and a cylindrical sidewall, an upper margin of the sidewall defining an opening, at least one thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the upper margin, and at least one flange projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the at least one thread, each flange including a plurality of radial projections and a first portion on one side of the plurality of radial projections, the first portion including an outer edge extending radially outward from the sidewall at least as far as the radial projections; and a cover having a central portion sized to be received within the opening, a mating portion extending outward from the central potion to engage the upper margin of the sidewall, a downwardly projecting rim including at least one inwardly directed thread to engage the at least one thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall, and at least one tab integrally coupled to the downwardly projecting rim including a plurality of apertures corresponding to the plurality of radial projections, each tab being biased for displacement from an outwardly displaced disengaged position toward a more inward position with the plurality of radial projections being received in the plurality of apertures to lock the cover onto the top of the pail to enclose any contents of the pail, each tab including a lower edge extending sufficiently below the plurality of apertures to provide a grip adapted to allow a manual outward force to be applied to disengage the plurality of apertures from the plurality of radial projections.
9. The container of claim 8 , wherein each flange includes a second portion on a side opposite the first portion, the second portion including an outer edge extending radially outward from the sidewall at least as far as the radial projections.
10. The container of claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second portions of each flange include a confronting surface defining a circumferential inward edge of the first and second portions, the confronting surfaces being spaced from each other by a distance slightly larger than the corresponding tab circumferential width.
11. The container of claim 10 , wherein each tab extends downwardly further than the downwardly projecting rim, and includes circumferential outer edges that can be received between the confronting surfaces of the flange.
12. The container of claim 11 , wherein each tab includes a portion of reduced thickness extending between the circumferential outer edges of the tab.
13. The container of claim 8 , further comprising an annular ledge situated below the at least one flange.
14. The container of claim 13 , further comprising at least one handle coupled to the ledge.
15. The container of claim 8 , further comprising a step between the central portion and the mating portion of the cover, and a plurality of radial webs coupling an outer surface of the central portion to the step.
16. The container of claim 15 , wherein the mating portion of the cover comprises an arcuate portion between the step and the downwardly projecting rim including a radial bead extending outward and downward from a lower surface of the arcuate portion to contact the upper margin of the sidewall.
17. The container of claim 15 , further comprising a lower flange extending downwardly from a lower surface of the central portion in alignment with the step, and a plurality of radial webs coupling the lower surface of the central portion to the lower flange.
18. A container comprising:
a pail having a bottom and a cylindrical sidewall, an upper margin of the sidewall defining an opening, a thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the upper margin, and a flange projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the thread, the flange generally having an outer edge along a first portion, a second portion, and a central portion therebetween, where the outer edge of each of the first and second portions extends outward further than the outer edge of the central portion in order to define a confronting surface defining a circumferential inward edge of the first and second portions;
and a cover having a central portion sized to be received within the pail opening, a mating portion extending outward from the central potion to engage the upper margin of the pail sidewall, a downwardly projecting rim including an inwardly directed thread corresponding to the pail sidewall thread for threadably attaching the cover to the pail, and a tab integrally coupled to the downwardly projecting rim, the tab having a circumferential width slightly less than a distance of the spacing between the confronting surfaces of the flange such that central portion of the flange is adapted to snugly receive the tab at a fixed pre-selected orientation for sealably coupling the cover to the pail, the tab being pivotable and biased for displacement from an outwardly displaced disengaged position toward a more inward locked position with the central portion of the flange receiving the tab of the cover to lock the cover onto the top of the pail to enclose any contents of the pail.
19. The container of claim 18 , wherein the first portion of the flange has a tapered region extending from an end where the flange contacts the sidewall toward the flange central portion in order to provide a transitional guiding surface for the tab during attachment of the cover to the pail.
20. The container of claim 18 , wherein the upper margin of the sidewall of the pail is rounded and extends radially outward further than the sidewall in order to provide an enlarged upper margin surface for sealably contacting against a lower surface of the mating portion.
21. The container of claim 18 , wherein the mating portion of the cover comprises an arcuate portion between the cover central portion and the downwardly projecting rim including a radial bead extending outward and downward from the lower surface of the mating portion to sealably contact circumferentially along an inner portion of the upper margin of the sidewall, and the inner surface of the mating portion is configured to provide sealably contact circumferentially along an outer portion of the upper margin of the sidewall.
22. The container of claim 18 , wherein the tab includes a reduced thickness portion along the coupling between the tab and the downwardly projecting rim for pivotable movement of the tab, the reduced thickness portion being suitably dimensioned to provide biasing of the tab to the inward locked position.
23. A container comprising: a pail having a bottom and a cylindrical sidewall, an upper margin of the sidewall defining an opening, a thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the upper margin, and a flange projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the thread, the flange including at least one radial projection; and a cover having a central portion sized to be received within the opening, a mating portion extending outward from the central potion to engage the upper margin of the sidewall, a downwardly projecting rim including an inwardly directed thread corresponding to the thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall, and a tab integrally coupled to the downwardly projecting rim including at least one aperture corresponding to the at least one radial projection, the tab being biased for displacement from an outwardly displaced disengaged position toward a more inward position with the at least one radial projection being received in the at least one aperture to lock the cover onto the top of the pail to enclose any contents of the pail, wherein the flange includes a first portion on one side of the at least one radial projection, the first portion including an outer edge extending radially outward from the sidewall at least as far as the at least one radial projection, wherein the flange includes a second portion on a side opposite the first portion, the second portion including an outer edge extending radially outward from the sidewall at least as far as the at least one radial projection, wherein each of the first and second portions of the flange include a confronting surface defining a circumferential inward edge of the first and second portions, the confronting surfaces being spaced from each other by a distance slightly larger than the tab circumferential width, wherein the tab extends downwardly further than the downwardly projecting rim, and includes circumferential outer edges that can be received between the confronting surfaces of the flange.
24. The container of claim 23 , wherein the thread projecting outwardly from the sidewall below the upper margin includes an upper end and a lower end, the lower end overlying a portion of the flange that includes the at least one radial projection.
25. The container of claim 23 , wherein the tab includes a portion of reduced thickness extending between the circumferential outer edges of the tab.
26. The container of claim 23 , wherein the tab includes a lower edge extending sufficiently below the at least one aperture to provide a grip adapted to allow a manual outward force to be applied to disengage the at least one aperture from the at least one radial projection.