초록 ▼

A plastic container having a container body and a permanently attached container lid is provided. The container lid is attached to the container body by a living hinge such that the entire plastic container is a one-piece construction. The container lid is pre-curved such that in an open state the c

A plastic container having a container body and a permanently attached container lid is provided. The container lid is attached to the container body by a living hinge such that the entire plastic container is a one-piece construction. The container lid is pre-curved such that in an open state the container lid is curved. However, when the container lid mates with the container body in a closed state, at least a portion of the container lid that was previously curved becomes substantially planar such that portions of the lid remain biased into the container body.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A plastic container comprising: a cup-shaped container body having a generally annular sidewall defining an open end;a container lid having a main body sized large enough to close the open end of the container body, an annular sealing flange extending from a bottom surface of the main body and in

1. A plastic container comprising: a cup-shaped container body having a generally annular sidewall defining an open end;a container lid having a main body sized large enough to close the open end of the container body, an annular sealing flange extending from a bottom surface of the main body and into the annular sidewall in a closed position, the bottom surface of the main body including a seat portion radially outward from the sealing flange;a living hinge coupling the container lid and container body into a one-piece construction, the container lid pivoting through the living hinge between an open position and the closed position; andwherein in the open position the seat portion includes a pair of side portions and a front portion, the pair of side portions being pre-curved in a convex manner and the front portion being pre-curved in a concave manner. 2. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein the sealing flange includes a pair of side portions adjacent the side portions of the seat portion, the side portions of the sealing flange bow radially outward. 3. The plastic container of claim 2, wherein the side portions of the sealing flange extend between a rear portion of the sealing flange and a front portion of the sealing flange, the rear portion of the sealing flange is adjacent to the living hinge and the front portion of sealing flange adjacent the front portion of the seat portion. 4. The plastic container of claim 2, wherein the pair of side portions of the sealing flange are biased radially outward and away from one another when the container lid is in the closed position, radially biasing the pair of side portions into the annular sidewall of the container body. 5. The plastic container of claim 3, wherein the height of the sealing flange is substantially constant, and a free end, which is axially spaced away from the main body, of each side portion is convex in the open position and a free end, which is axially spaced away from the main body, of the front portion is concave. 6. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein the seat portion is substantially planar when the container lid is in the closed position. 7. The plastic container of claim 6, further including a catch mechanism proximate the front portion of the seat portion, the catch mechanism engaging the container body to hold the container lid in the closed position. 8. The plastic container of claim 7, wherein the seat portion includes a pair of corner portions, one corner portion is interposed between and transitions one of the side portion into the front portion and the other corner portion is interposed between and transitions the other side portion into the front portion, the seat portion being configured such that the corner portions contact the container body prior to the midpoint of the front portion as the container body transitions from the open position to the closed position such that the corner portions are axially biased into a top axial end of the annular sidewall. 9. The plastic container of claim 8, wherein the side portions of the seat portion contact the top axial end of the annular sidewall prior to the front portion as the container body transitions from the open position to the closed position such that the side portions are axially biased into the top axial end of the annular sidewall. 10. The plastic container of claim 7, wherein the side portions of the seat portion contact a top axial end of the annular sidewall prior to the front portion as the container body transitions from the open position to the closed position such that the side portions are axially biased into the top axial end of the annular sidewall. 11. The plastic container of claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing flange extending axially outward from the bottom surface of the main body, the reinforcing flange being spaced radially outward from the sealing flange, the reinforcing flange, sealing flange and seat portion defining a channel that receives at least a portion of three sides of the container body when the container lid is in the closed position. 12. The plastic container of claim 11, wherein the reinforcing flange and sealing flange have a corresponding pre-curved shape as the adjacent portions of the seat portion in the open position. 13. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein the seat portion is substantially planar in the closed position. 14. The plastic container of claim 9, wherein the seat portion includes a pair of rear corner portions, one corner portion is interposed between and transitions one of the side portion into a rear portion of the seat portion and the other corner portion is interposed between and transitions the other side portion into the rear portion, the seat portion being configured such that the rear corner portions contact the container body prior to the midpoint of the front portion as the container body transitions from the open position to the closed position such that the rear corner portions are axially biased into a top axial end of the annular sidewall. 15. The plastic container of claim 11, wherein the annular sidewall of the container body includes a radially outward extending top flange, the reinforcing flange also includes a radially inward extending catch, the catch engaging the top flange to secure the container lid in the closed position. 16. The plastic container of claim 12, wherein the reinforcing flange and the sealing flange extend axially from the bottom surface a same height. 17. The plastic container of claim 1, wherein the seat portion is more planar in the closed position than in the open position. 18. A plastic container comprising: a container body having a bottom and a generally annular sidewall extending from the bottom, the annular sidewall defining an open end;a container lid having a main body sized large enough to close the open end of the container body;a living hinge coupling the container lid and container body into a one-piece construction, the container lid pivoting through the living hinge between an open position and a closed position; anda catch arrangement securing the container lid in the closed position; andwherein the main body is configured such that a pair of spaced apart front corner portions of the main body abut a top end of the annular sidewall prior to a front middle portion of the main body interposed between the pair of front corner portions as the container lid is transitioned to the closed position. 19. The plastic container of claim 18, wherein the catch arrangement is adjacent the middle portion of the main body. 20. The plastic container of claim 19, wherein the main body includes a pair of side portions extending rearward relative to the corner portions and the front middle portion toward the living hinge, the main body configured such that the side portions abut the top end of the annular sidewall prior to the front middle portion or the pair of front corner portions. 21. The plastic container of claim 20, wherein the top end of the annular sidewall is substantially planar and the portion of the main body adjacent the top end is substantially planar when the container lid is in the closed position.