Airtight child resistant case with elongated compartments

Abstract

A package for preserving freshness and storing elongated items. The package is preferably biodegradable, substantially airtight, child resistant and reusable. Various seal constructions are described for sealing a case body portion against a case lid portion. The respective sealing surfaces of the case lid portion and case body portion are complementary, but spaced. A continuous elastomeric seal is provided in the seal space between the complementary sealing surfaces. The seal may be over-molded onto or otherwise attached and is configured to be compressed along the entire sealing length of the sealing surface when the case lid portion is pivoted into the latched position. The compressed elastomeric seal provides a spring force that retains the latch in the latched position and a spring force that is resolved into sealing vectors perpendicular to the sealing surface along the entire length of the sealing surface to ensure a seal along the sealing surface.

1 . A container comprising:
 a case body portion having an open box rectangular cuboid configuration including a back surface, parallel side walls, a parallel top wall and interior bottom wall, the top, bottom and side walls together defining a containing having a rectangular opening into an interior of the case body portion, the interior of the case body portion extending from distal edges of the top, bottom and side walls to an interior side of the back surface;   the case body portion further comprising a first continuous sealing surface provided on the interior of the case body portion, the first continuous sealing surface extending along the distal edge of the top wall and extending along a portion of the side walls and then extending at an angle from one edge of the side wall toward the opposite edge of the side wall and then across the back surface;   the case body portion further comprising a body latch portion configured to engage a complementary lid latch portion, the body latch portion located on a portion of the case body portion that is movable_from a latching position to a release position;   the case body portion further comprising a pivot opening provided in each of the parallel side walls, the pivot openings provided in the parallel side walls being coaxial with one another;   a case lid portion comprising a back wall and parallel side walls complementary to the rectangular opening defined by the top, interior bottom and side walls of the case body portion   wherein the parallel side walls of the case lid portion have an inclined upper edge and a sealing surface portion defined at the upper edge and wherein the inclined upper edge and sealing surface portion extend at an acute angle of inclination relative to the straight back edge and wherein the upper edge and sealing surface portion extends at a complementary obtuse angle of inclination relative to the straight front edge such that a portion of a sealing force applied in a direction perpendicular to the back wall is resolved into a sealing vector that is perpendicular to the inclined upper edge;   wherein the back wall of the case lid portion and inclined upper edges of the side walls of the case lid portion together define a second continuous sealing surface that is complementary to the first continuous sealing surface of the case body portion, but dimensioned to provide a seal space between the case body portion and the case lid portion, wherein the second continuous sealing surface provided on the case lid portion and the first continuous sealing surface provided on the case body portion together provide complementary first and second sealing surfaces;   wherein the case lid portion has a shape that allows pivoting of the case lid portion about a pivot point between an open position and a closed position;   the case lid portion further comprising a case lid latch portion configured to engage a complementary body latch portion;   an elastomeric seal provided in the seal space between the complementary first and second continuous sealing surfaces, wherein the continuous elastomeric seal is configured to be compressed along the entire length of the complimentary first and second continuous sealing surfaces when the case lid portion is pivoted into the latching position to provided a sealed interior space, the compressed elastomeric seal providing a spring force that retains the body latch portion in the latching position and a spring force that is resolved into sealing vectors perpendicular to the sealing surface along the entire length of the sealing surface portion to ensure a seal along the sealing surface portion; and   a first storage chamber provided in the sealed interior, the first storage chamber comprising a plurality of dividing walls to divide the first storage chamber into at least three compartments.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the body latch portion is configured as an integral portion of each of the two parallel side walls that is spaced so that the body latch portion is flexible inward by application of release force to move the body latch portion to the release position and wherein the elasticity of the side walls moves the body latch portion toward the latched position when the release force is removed. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary storage chamber have walls integrally formed in the case body portion. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary storage chamber comprises four elongated walls and a chamber bottom wall that define a rectangular tube integrally formed with the remainder of the case such that one of the four elongated walls is an extension of the back wall of the case, the chamber bottom wall is an extension of one of the side walls, another of the four elongated walls is the case bottom wall. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein another of the four elongated walls is opposite the case bottom wall and serves as a pivot restriction wall to prevent the case lid portion from opening beyond a position that is about 90° from the closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first storage chamber is airtight except at the opening that defines the second continuous sealing surface. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of divider walls separate the first storage chamber into at least three discrete compartments each having a length, width and depth to hold elongated product and where the depth is preferable at least three times length or width of the first storage chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous elastomeric seal insert has a closed polygonal shape that extends continuously over the first continuous sealing surface and onto the case body portion proximate the body latch portion. 
     
     
         9 . A container comprising:
 a case body portion including a back surface, parallel side walls and parallel top and bottom walls, the top, bottom and side walls together defining a containing having a rectangular opening into an interior of the case body portion, the interior of the case body portion extending from distal edges of the top, bottom and side walls to an interior side of the back surface;   the case body portion further comprising a first continuous sealing surface provided on the interior of the case body portion, the first continuous sealing surface extending along the distal edge of the top wall and extending along a portion of the side walls and then extending at an angle from one edge of the side wall toward the opposite edge of the side wall and then across the back surface;   the case body portion further comprising a body latch portion configured to engage a complementary lid latch portion, the body latch portion located on a portion of the case body portion that is movable from a latching position to a release position;   the case body portion further comprising a pivot opening provided in each of the parallel side walls, the pivot openings provided in the parallel side walls being coaxial with one another;   a case lid portion comprising a back wall complementary to the rectangular opening defined by the top, bottom and side walls of the case body portion, and parallel side walls that extend from the back wall so as to define a second continous sealing surface complementary to the first continuous sealing surface so as to define a first storage chamber that is airtight except at the opening that defines the first continuous sealing surface;   at least one dividing wall provided within the first storage chamber and extending divide the first storage chamber into at least two compartments;   wherein the parallel side walls that define the first continuous sealing surface extend at an angle of inclination of between 30° and 60° relative to the straight back edge and wherein the upper edge and second sealing surface extend at a complementary obtuse angle of inclination relative to the straight front edge such that a portion of a sealing force applied in a direction perpendicular to the back wall is resolved into a sealing vector that is perpendicular to the inclined upper edge;   wherein the second continuous sealing surface is complementary to the first continuous sealing surface of the case body portion, but dimensioned to provide a seal space between the case body portion and the case lid portion, wherein the second continuous sealing surface provided on the case lid portion and the first continuous sealing surface provided on the case body portion together provide complementary first and second sealing surfaces;   wherein the case lid portion has a shape that allows pivoting of the case lid portion relative to the case body portion about a pivot point between an open position and a closed position and wherein the pivot point is located equidistant from the back wall of the case lid portion, front wall of the case lid portion and bottom surface of the case lid portion;   the case lid portion further comprising a case lid latch portion configured to engage a complementary body latch portion;   a continuous elastomeric seal provided in the seal space between the complementary sealing surfaces, wherein the continuous elastomeric seal is configured to be compressed along the entire sealing length of the second sealing surface when the case lid portion is pivoted into the latching position, the compressed elastomeric seal providing a spring force that retains the complementary lid latch portion in the latching position and a spring force that is resolved into sealing vectors perpendicular to the first continuous sealing surface along the entire length of the sealing surface to ensures a seal along the sealing surface.   
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , further comprising an elongated secondary storage chamber integrally formed in the case body portion, the secondary storage chamber comprising at least one elongated side wall integrally formed with a bottom wall to define a tubular chamber with an open top; and an elastomeric cap for closing the open end of the tubular chamber to provide a sealed airflow resistant enclosure of the tubular chamber, the elastomeric cap including a portion secured to the case body portion, wherein the secondary storage chamber comprises four elongated walls and a chamber bottom wall that define a rectangular tube integrally formed with the remainder of the case body portion.