Container with locking lid

Abstract

A container assembly comprises a container and a lid, with the lid and container including threads for threaded engagement of the lid to the container. One of the container and the lid includes a lock member and the other of the container and lid includes a receptacle, with the lock member engaging the receptacle to inhibit counter rotation of the lid relative to the container via threaded engagement of the lid from one starting orientation relative to the container, and where the lock member does not engage the receptacle when the lid is threaded to the container from another starting orientation relative to the container. In a particular embodiment the lid may be threaded onto the container from either of two 180 degree opposite starting orientations.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A container assembly comprising:
 a container and a lid, one of said container or said lid including a first thread and a second thread, and the other of said container and said lid including a third thread, wherein either of said first thread or said second thread may be engaged with said third thread for threaded engagement of said lid with said container;   one of said container and said lid including a lock member and the other of said container and said lid including a receptacle;   wherein when said first thread is engaged with said third thread said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container with said lid rotating freely on said container until said lock member engages said receptacle, and wherein when said second thread is engaged with said third thread said lock member does not engage with said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container.   
     
     
         2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the respective one of said container or said lid with said third thread further includes an additional thread whereby said container includes a first container thread and a second container thread and said lid includes a first lid thread and a second lid thread, and
 wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said first container thread and said second lid thread engaging said second container thread, and   wherein said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said second container thread and said second lid thread engaging said first container thread.   
     
     
         3 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said first container thread and said second container thread are each disposed about a circumferential wall of said container and extend at least approximately 180 degrees, and wherein said first lid thread and said second lid thread are each disposed about a circumferential wall of said lid and extend at least approximately 180 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from one starting orientation, and said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from a 180 degree opposite starting orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The container assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said lid includes a lid mark and said container includes a container mark, and wherein said lid mark and said container mark cooperate to designate a starting orientation of said lid relative to said container in which said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container. 
     
     
         6 . The container assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said lid includes a lid mark and said container includes a container mark, and wherein said lid mark and said container mark cooperate to designate a starting orientation of said lid relative to said container in which said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container. 
     
     
         7 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said lid includes an outwardly projecting lid flange and said container includes an outwardly projecting container flange, and wherein one of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said lid flange and the other of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said container flange. 
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said receptacle comprises an aperture and said lock member comprises a flexible arm, and wherein said flexible arm engages with said aperture to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container. 
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said flexible arm includes a projection, said projection engaging said aperture to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container. 
     
     
         10 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein one of said container or said lid includes external threads, and the other of said container and said lid includes internal threads. 
     
     
         11 . A container assembly comprising:
 a container and a lid, said container including a circumferential wall having a first container thread and a second container thread and said lid including a circumferential wall having a first lid thread and a second lid thread, wherein said first lid thread and said second lid thread selectively engage with respective ones of said first container thread and said second container thread via threaded engagement of said lid with said container;   one of said container and said lid including a lock member and the other of said container and said lid including a receptacle;   wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said first container thread and said second lid thread engaging said second container thread, and   wherein said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said second container thread and said second lid thread engaging said first container thread.   
     
     
         12 . The container assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said first container thread and said second container thread each extend at least approximately 180 degrees about said circumferential wall of said container, and wherein said first lid thread and said second lid thread each extend at least approximately 180 degrees about said circumferential wall of said lid. 
     
     
         13 . The container assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from one starting orientation, and said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from a 180 degree opposite starting orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The container assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said lid includes an outwardly projecting lid flange and said container includes an outwardly projecting container flange, and wherein one of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said lid flange and the other of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said container flange. 
     
     
         15 . The container assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said receptacle comprises an aperture and said lock member comprises a flexible arm, and wherein said flexible arm engages with said aperture to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container. 
     
     
         16 . The container assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said flexible arm includes a projection, said projection engaging said aperture to inhibit counter rotation of said lid relative to said container. 
     
     
         17 . The container assembly of  claim 11 , wherein one of said first and second container threads or said first and second lid threads comprise external threads, and the other of said first and second container threads and said first and second lid threads comprise internal threads. 
     
     
         18 . A container assembly comprising:
 a container and a lid, said container including external threads on a circumferential wall comprising a first container thread and a second container thread and said lid including internal threads on a circumferential wall comprising a first lid thread and a second lid thread, wherein said first lid thread and said second lid thread selectively engage with respective ones of said first container thread and said second container thread via threaded engagement of said lid with said container;   one of said container and said lid including a lock member and the other of said container and said lid including a receptacle;   wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said first container thread and said second lid thread engaging said second container thread, and   wherein said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container with said first lid thread engaging said second container thread and said second lid thread engaging said first container thread.   
     
     
         19 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein said lock member engages said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from one starting orientation, and said lock member does not engage said receptacle when said lid is substantially fully threaded onto said container when said lid is engaged with said container from a 180 degree opposite starting orientation. 
     
     
         20 . The container assembly of  claim 18 , wherein said lid includes an outwardly projecting lid flange and said container includes an outwardly projecting container flange, and wherein one of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said lid flange and the other of said lock member and said receptacle are located on said container flange.