Container sealing system

Abstract

An easily closable and openable container system includes a number of features which facilitate easy opening and closing while maintaining a high seal. In a first embodiment, the opening forces can be concentrated on one narrow side which includes a lip on one side of a lid flange and with an angled portion on the opposite side of the flange to give ease of opening with less force involved. In a second embodiment where one side is not significantly shorter than a longest side, the lid flange is located at a corner to concentrate the leverage for opening. A continuous flange surrounds a generally planar member and mates with a outwardly projecting rim. The flange includes a pair of surfaces, including an inwardly angled surface which acts to form a stable seal, and actually urges the lid downward as the natural sealing force from the flange is applied.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A sealable container comprising:
 an oblong container having a substantially vertical container wall extending from a base, and an outwardly angled, generally linear upper wall along the upper periphery of said oblong container and adjacent said substantially vertical container wall of said base, and at the point of adjacency between said substantially vertical container wall and said outwardly angled, generally linear upper wall, said oblong container having a rim along the periphery thereof projecting outwardly;   an oblong lid having an outer periphery, a flange portion, a transition portion and a central portion; said flange portion adjacent and generally continuous with said outer periphery and including a substantially horizontal rim capture underside surface joined to a pair of lid sealing surfaces angled with respect to each other,
 said pair of lid sealing surfaces forming a flange of differential width along said outer periphery, a first lid sealing surface of said pair of lid sealing surfaces being generally in perpendicular relation with said generally horizontal rim capture, and a second lid sealing surface of said pair of said lid sealing surfaces being angled away from said first lid sealing surface and being at less than a right angle relation with said generally horizontal rim capture; and said second lid sealing surface terminating at its lower end with a beveled surface for initial contact with said outwardly angled, generally linear upper wall, 
 said pair of lid sealing surfaces exerting sealing force between said second lid sealing surface and against said outwardly angled, generally linear upper wall, whereby sealing force displaces inwardly said outwardly angled, generally linear upper wall. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sealable container according to  claim 1 , wherein said central portion of said oblong lid is mostly planar and said transition portion is at an inward angle normal to the mostly planar oblong lid and at less than said outward angle of said beveled surface both angles taken with respect to said mostly planar extent of said oblong lid. 
     
     
         3 . The sealable container according to  claim 2 , wherein said outwardly angled, generally linear upper wall has an angular inclination of from about fifteen to about five degrees with respect to a line normal to said mostly planar extent of said oblong lid. 
     
     
         4 . The sealable container as recited in  claim 3  wherein said angular inclination is about ten degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The sealable container according to  claim 1 , wherein when said oblong lid is fitted in place on said oblong container, the vertical extent of said rim is below said pair of lid sealing surfaces, and dimensioned to define a space therebetween. 
     
     
         6 . The sealable container according to  claim 1 , wherein said flange portion includes a continuous channel opposite said outer periphery, and wherein said central portion is received into said continuous channel. 
     
     
         7 . The sealable container according to  claim 1 , wherein said substantially linear upper wall extends from said base outwardly angled from about two to about six degrees with respect to vertical. 
     
     
         8 . The sealable container according to  claim 7 , wherein said substantially linear upper wall of said base is tilted outwardly with respect to the vertical of about four degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The sealable container according to  claim 1 , wherein said second lid sealing surface has an angle relation with respect to said substantially horizontal rim capture of from about ninety three degrees to about ninety six degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The sealable container according to  claim 2 , wherein said second lid sealing surface has an angle relation with respect to said mostly planar extent of said oblong lid of about ninety three degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The sealable container as recited in  claim 1  wherein said central portion of said lid includes a safety valve assembly means having a pivotally mounted valve tab adjacent a finger well in said central portion, and which valve tab pivotally opens when the pressure inside said sealable container exceeds a predetermined pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The sealable container according to  claim 1 , wherein said outer periphery of said oblong lid includes an outwardly projecting lip to facilitate physical manipulation of said oblong lid and to unseal said oblong lid from sealing contact with said outwardly angled, generally linear upper wall. 
     
     
         13 . A container and lid with sealing surfaces therebetween, comprising:
 a container base joined at its outer edge to a perimetrical sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said perimetrical sidewall extending directionally away from said container base and at a predetermined angle, said perimetrical sidewall extending up from said container base and joined to an outwardly projecting horizontal rim, and said perimetrical sidewall extending above said outwardly projecting horizontal rim to an upper wall, said perimetrical sidewall being joined at said predetermined angle entirely along said outer edge of said container base and said perimetrical sidewall being continuous from said container base up to said upper wall, and said upper wall being angled outwardly in relation to said container base and said upper wall being continuous and having an outer surface for sealing; A lid having a planar floor and shaped to correspond with the shape of said upper wall; said lid having a perimetrical flange portion formed of a material more flexible than used to form said planar floor, and said planar floor integrally formed with an angled transition portion extending up from said planar floor to be received in a channel along a continuous edge of said perimetrical flange portion above said planar floor; said channel adjacent to a rim capture surface on the underside of said perimetrical flange portion, and said perimetrical flange portion further comprising a pair of angled sealing surfaces said angled relationship forming a flange of differential width, a first angled sealing surface being substantially vertical, and a second angled sealing surface that is inwardly angled and adjacent said rim capture surface opposite said channel, and said second angled sealing surface including an adjacent beveled surface, beveled to engage said upper wall, and upon placement of said lid over said container, said pair of angled sealing surfaces exert sealing pressure on said upper wall, and in sealing arrangement said beveled surface and said first angled sealing surface do not contact said outwardly projecting horizontal rim.   
     
     
         14 . Within a generally flat floor portion of a removable lid that force seals a food storage container closed, a valve assembly comprising,
 a finger well formed in said generally flat floor, a venting aperture in said generally flat floor, a flexible valve pivotally mounted to said generally flat floor and having a cylindrical projection dimensioned to be sealingly received in said venting aperture, and a peg projection dimensioned to be releasably received in a lock aperture in said generally flat floor, said cylindrical projection and said venting aperture having dimensions predetermined to cause said flexible valve to pivot and said cylindrical projection to move open from said venting aperture upon the achievement of a predetermined pressure within said food storage container.   
     
     
         15 . The valve assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a mostly elliptical venting tab joined to said flexible valve pivotally mounted to said generally flat floor, said mostly elliptical venting tab having an arcuate edge over said finger well said arcuate edge providing a tab for manually pivoting said flexible valve for sealing and unsealing said cylindrical projection from said venting aperture in the absence of said predetermined pressure within said food container.