Plastic bucket and lid

Abstract

A plastic bucket includes at least one undercut adjacent an upper end of the bucket defined by a bucket wall which extends upwardly and inwardly along a diagonal path. An annular, vertical section may be provided at the upper end of the diagonal path. Above the vertical section, the bucket wall extends radially outwardly to create an annular, horizontal flange. In addition, an uppermost annular rim may extend upwardly from the horizontal flange and be located approximately midway between inner and outer radii of the flange

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A plastic bucket comprising, in combination: 
 an upright, annular bucket wall terminating in an annular lip to form an open bucket mouth, said annular lip comprising a single annular wall portion extending upwardly from said bucket wall radially inwardly along a diagonal path to an upper end, said annular lip further extending from said upper end in an upright vertical direction generally parallel to the bucket wall to form a first vertical wall section having a radius over the range of the thickness thereof less than the radius of said bucket wall over the range of the thickness thereof, said annular lip also consisting comprising a vertical rim generally parallel to said first vertical wall section and having an inside and an outside, the inside having radius less than the radius of said annular bucket wall and greater than the radius of said vertical wall section; and a single, generally horizontal connection ledge extending from the first vertical wall section between and connecting the first vertical wall section and the vertical rim.    
     
     
         2 . A plastic bucket as defined in  claim 1  where no external ribs or rings are formed on said annular lip in the area of said undercut.  
     
     
         3 . A plastic bucket as defined in  claim 1  where no internal ribs are formed on said annular lip in the area of said undercut.  
     
     
         4 . A plastic bucket as defined in  claim 1  where the angle between said diagonal path and the vertical direction does not exceed approximately 45 degrees.  
     
     
         5 . A plastic bucket as defined in  claim 1  where no external or internal ribs or rings are formed on said annular lip in the area of said undercut.  
     
     
         6 . A plastic bucket as defined in  claim 1  where said first vertical wall section has a height which is less than the width of said horizontal connection ledge and is less than the length of said diagonal path.  
     
     
         7 . A plastic bucket as defined in  claim 1  where said horizontal connection ledge has a width which exceeds one-half of the distance between the bucket wall and the horizontal connection ledge.  
     
     
         8 . A plastic bucket as defined in  claim 1  where the magnitude of radially inward extent of said annular wall portion is controlled to permit said bucket to be molded without the use of a collapsible mold core.  
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said horizontal wall projects radially beyond said vertical rim.