Air Purging Lid

Abstract

A lid, having an opening area encased by one of the variety of shaped sidewalls with a flexible ribbed portion extending downwardly to one of the variety of shaped bases is provided for completely purging of atmospheric gases out of a container upon installation so as to eliminate head space by forming an airtight barrier with the container and the lid. A lid rim, having an inside portion connected to the top of the one of the variety of shaped with the flexible ribbed portion and an outside portion is provided for seating the lid to the container. The dome shaped base is connected to the bottom of the one of the variety of shaped side walls forming a circular base of the lid.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A container system, for storage of at least one liquid comprising;
 a. a cup having a side, bottom, and top defining a volume capacity, said top having an opening, said opening defined by a rim having a circumference and defining an area;   b. an insert having a side, bottom, and top defining an interior portion, said top having an opening, said opening defined by a rim having a circumference less than said cup top rim circumference;   c. whereby said insert is sized smaller than said cup to allow insertion into said cup and thereby displacing a predetermined amount of volume of the cup capacity;   d. a planar lid having an area greater than said cup opening area for simultaneously mating with said cup rim and said insert rim when said insert is placed within said cup, forming an airtight seal with said cup rim;   e. a liquid contained within said cup whereby when said lid is applied, said liquid is excluded from the insert interior portion.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein said lid comprises a pressure equalization perforation. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  whereby said planar lid seal captures a low-pressure within said cup interior portion, relative to said insert interior portion. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  whereby said insert sidewall contains expandable ribs to allow for the expansion of said insert interior portion, thereby increasing the volume of cup capacity displaced by said insert. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  whereby said insert sidewall contains expandable ribs to allow for the contraction of said insert interior portion. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 4  whereby said expandable ribs expand under the pressure differential when the pressure upon the interior portion of the insert exceeds external pressure. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1  whereby said insert does not directly contact said cup while both insert and cup mate with said lid. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1  whereby said cup side comprises an angular wall such that said bottom comprises an area less that said cup opening area, and whereby said insert bottom comprises a beveled rim for mating with said cup angular wall. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 . whereby said cup side comprises an indentation situated towards the interior of said cup, and said insert comprises a complimentary indentation for snapping said insert into said cup indentation. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9  whereby said complimentary indentations when mated prevent said insert from moving upwardly due to buoyancy pressure when the volume of said insert, when placed within said cup and displacing a volume of said liquid, weighs less than the volume of liquid displaced. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1  whereby at least a portion of said insert is submerged into the liquid contained within said cup. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11  whereby when said lid is placed over the cup rim and insert rim, said insert is impermeable and sealed to prevent said liquid from entering said insert interior portion. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1  whereby:
 said insert side comprises at least one dimple; 
 said dimple having 
 at least a first outwardly extended mode whereby said insert interior portion is at a maximum volume; and 
 at least a second inwardly extended mode whereby said insert interior portion is at a minimum volume. 
 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1  whereby said liquid forms a surface within said cup, and a volume space is defined within said liquid surface, said cup side, said insert side and said lid, whereby said volume space is filled with a gas. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14  whereby said gas substantially comprises carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 14  whereby said gas substantially comprises nitrogen gas. 
     
     
         17 . A method of storing a liquid within a container comprising the steps of:
 a providing a cup for holding said liquid within the interior of the cup;   b. inserting an insert whereby said liquid is excluded from the interior of said insert, the insert occupying volume of the interior of the cup;   c. placing a liquid within the cup;   d. sealing the container with a lid by mating the lid with rims of both the cup and insert.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of filling the remainder of the cup interior with an inert gas. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  whereby the step of sealing comprises the step of creating a low pressure cavity in the unfilled portion of the cup. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  whereby said step of creating a low pressure cavity further comprises the step of expanding the volume of the insert. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of inserting a dry article within the interior of the insert.