Container
Patent No. US11338955 (titled "Container") was filed by Buzzballz Llc on Feb 25, 2020.
What is this patent about?
’955 is related to the field of containers, specifically those used for storing liquids or solids. The background acknowledges the popularity of metal containers with easy-open lids, particularly for beverages. However, metal forming limits design flexibility. Plastic containers offer greater design freedom but may lack the consumer appeal of the easy-open metal lid.
The underlying idea behind ’955 is to combine the advantages of both materials by using a plastic container body with a metal lid featuring a pop-top opening mechanism . This allows for complex and attractive container shapes through plastic molding, while retaining the familiar and convenient opening of a metal can.
The claims of ’955 focus on a container comprising a container body with a side wall and a horizontally extending base, shaped such that the interior has a truncated spherical shape. The top portion's cross-sectional diameter is less than the middle portion's, and the base's diameter is also less than the middle portion's. A circular neck extends vertically from the side wall, defining an opening. The container body is made of resin and formed using a blow molding process. Some claims further specify a depression in the base .
The container body, made of plastic such as PET, can be formed through blow molding, allowing for various shapes, including a truncated sphere or a cylinder. The metal lid, similar to those found on beverage cans, includes a scored area and a pull-tab. When the tab is pulled, the scored area ruptures, providing access to the container's contents. The plastic body can also incorporate features like a lip to ensure a tight seal with the lid.
The combination of a plastic body and a metal pop-top lid offers a unique solution. Unlike traditional all-metal cans, the plastic body allows for greater design flexibility and potentially lower manufacturing costs for complex shapes. Unlike all-plastic containers, the metal lid provides a familiar and convenient opening experience for consumers, potentially increasing product appeal. The truncated spherical shape is a key feature, differentiating it from standard cylindrical containers.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’955 was filed, containers were typically implemented using either metal or plastic. At a time when metal containers were commonly manufactured through cutting and folding, plastic containers were often molded into various shapes. Hardware or software constraints made it non-trivial to combine the benefits of both materials, particularly in creating containers with easy-open features.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the prior art does not disclose or suggest a container with a side wall and horizontally extending base shaped so that the interior has a truncated spherical shape. The examiner noted that while Mascia teaches a beverage container with a rounded sidewall, it does not teach the specific shape and features of the claimed container, including being made of resin and formed using a blow molding process, with the side wall extending uninterruptedly between the circular neck and the base.
Claims
This patent contains 21 claims, of which claims 1, 5, 10, 17, and 21 are independent. The independent claims are directed to a container with a truncated spherical shape, focusing on the container body's side wall, base, and neck. The dependent claims generally add specific materials, features, or configurations to the container described in the independent claims, such as the resin type, lid composition, and lip structure.
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Date
Description
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US11338955
- Application Number
- US16800195
- Filing Date
- Feb 25, 2020
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Sep 28, 2030
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents