Container

Abstract

A container has a body and a lid. The body has a peripheral wall having a circumferential edge portion that turns outwardly along its entire length to have a first cross-section. The lid has a circumferential edge portion that turns downwardly along its entire length to have a second cross-section complementary in shape to and for enclosing the first cross-section for surface sealing engagement therewith. The lid edge portion includes four side flaps which are foldable inwardly and upwardly to provide respective resiliently self-expanding hooks for bearing resiliently at an acute angle against an outer surface of the body wall to thereby maintain the sealing engagement, with the lid edge portion forming a gap with the body surface across which the hooks extend.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container comprising: 
 a body defining a receptacle and having a base and a peripheral wall upstanding therefrom, the wall defining an opening having a circumferential edge portion that turns outwardly along its entire periphery to have a first cross-section; and    a lid for closing the opening of the body and having a circumferential edge portion that turns downwardly along its entire periphery to have a second cross-section complementary in shape to and for enclosing the first cross-section for surface sealing engagement therewith;    wherein the lid edge portion includes at least two flaps on different sides of the lid, which are foldable inwardly and upwardly to be resiliently self-expanding for bearing resiliently at an acute angle against an outer surface of the body wall to thereby maintain the sealing engagement, with the lid edge portion forming a gap with the body wall outer surface across which the flaps extend.    
     
     
         2 . The container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the body wall is outwardly inclined from bottom to top at an acute angle.  
     
     
         3 . The container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the gap has a width and the flaps have a dimension measured from the lid edge portion that is larger than the width of the gap such that the flaps are resiliently flippable outwardly through an over-center action while bearing against the body wall outer surface upon removal of the lid from the body.  
     
     
         4 . The container as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the body wall is outwardly inclined from bottom to top at an acute angle.  
     
     
         5 . The container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lid edge portion turns upwardly along its entire periphery before turning downwardly to thereby form an annular rib including the second cross-section.  
     
     
         6 . The container as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the annular rib includes an inner side that has a profile complementary in shape to that of a top part of an inner surface of the body wall for surface sealing engagement therewith.  
     
     
         7 . The container as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the lid edge portion turns downwardly along its entire periphery before turning upwardly to adjoin the annular rib, thereby forming an annular groove immediately within the annular rib.  
     
     
         8 . The container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the flaps are integrally connected to the lid edge portion along fold lines such that the flaps are readily foldable.  
     
     
         9 . The container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the body wall outer surface has a rough surface texture for frictional engagement by the flaps.  
     
     
         10 . The container as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the body is molded from paper pulp.  
     
     
         11 . The container as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the lid is also molded from paper pulp.