초록 ▼

The invention is directed to a thermoformed, rectangular disposable storage container. The container includes a base and lid. The base includes arched front and rear walls to redistribute the pressure placed on the top of the container and to generally evenly balance the load force around the contai

The invention is directed to a thermoformed, rectangular disposable storage container. The container includes a base and lid. The base includes arched front and rear walls to redistribute the pressure placed on the top of the container and to generally evenly balance the load force around the container front, rear and end walls to prevent buckling of the container front or rear walls. The container lid includes an arched front wall and rear wall which generally corresponds to the degree of arch of the front and rear walls of the base.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A plastic storage container comprising: a thermoformed plastic rectangular base having a front wall, a rear wall, end walls, a bottom wall, and an open top for receiving and removing a material to be stored in the container, each of said front wall and said rear wall oppose each other and said en

1. A plastic storage container comprising: a thermoformed plastic rectangular base having a front wall, a rear wall, end walls, a bottom wall, and an open top for receiving and removing a material to be stored in the container, each of said front wall and said rear wall oppose each other and said end walls oppose each other, with each of said front wall, said rear wall and said end walls including an upper rim at the open top of the base wherein the upper rim of each of the front wall and the rear wall has an arched configuration which together are sufficient to balance the load force substantially evenly over the front wall, the rear wall and the end walls to prevent buckling of the front wall and the upper rim of each of the end walls is not arched and are in a common plane; and the rear wall, anda plastic rectangular lid having front and rear portions and end portions constructed and arranged for mating respectively with the first wall, the rear wall and the end walls of the base to provide a closure for said open top of said base, wherein a mating surface of the front and rear portions which provides said closure has an arched configuration same as the arched configuration of the front wall and the rear wall, and a mating surface of the end portions which provides said closure is in said common plane of the end walls; wherein said storage container is constructed to be a disposable container. 2. The storage container of claim 1 wherein said upper rim is an inverted U-shaped rim and said lid includes an inverted U-shaped lip wherein said rim and said lip are constructed and arranged to mate to provide said closure for said open top of said base. 3. The storage container of claim 1 wherein said front wall, said rear wall and said end walls taper inwardly from said open top toward said bottom wall and said lid includes a recessed portion wherein said bottom wall of said base and said recessed portion of said lid are constructed and arranged to allow stacking of one or more of said containers. 4. The storage container of claim 1 wherein said plastic material of said lid and said base is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene. 5. The storage container of claim 1 wherein the thermoformed base is made using thermoforming processes selected from the group consisting of vacuum thermoforming, pressure thermoforming and mechanical thermoforming. 6. The storage container of claim 1 wherein the front wall, the rear wall and the end walls of said base include ribs for providing additional load bearing strength to said walls. 7. A plastic storage container comprising: a thermoformed plastic rectangular base having (1) a front wall and a rear wall opposing each other and of equal length, (2) end walls opposing each other and of equal length, (3) a bottom wall, and (4) an open top for receiving and removing a material to be stored in the container, wherein the length of said front wall and said rear wall is greater than said length of said end walls, wherein each of said front wall said and said end walls have an upper rim at the open top of the base, wherein each said upper rim of said front wall and said rear wall has an arched configuration and an inverted U-shape, and each said upper rim of the end walls is not arched and are in a common plane; anda plastic rectangular lid having front and rear portions having a surface with an arched configuration same as the arched configuration of the front wall and the rear wall, and end portions with a surface constructed and arranged for mating with the upper rim of the end walls, wherein said front and rear portions and said end portions provide a closure for said open top of said base; wherein said storage container is constructed to be a disposable container. 8. The storage container of claim 7 wherein said front and rear portions and said end portions are configured as an inverted U-shaped lip so that said upper rim and said lip mate to provide the closure for said open top of said base. 9. The storage container of claim 7 wherein said front wall, said rear wall and said end walls taper inwardly from said open top toward said bottom wall and said lid includes a recessed portion wherein said bottom wall of said base and said recessed portion of said lid are constructed and arranged to allow stacking of one or more of said containers. 10. The storage container of claim 7 wherein said plastic material of said lid and said base is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene. 11. The storage container of claim 7 wherein the thermoformed base is made using thermoforming processes selected from the group consisting of vacuum thermoforming, pressure thermoforming and mechanical thermoforming. 12. The storage container of claim 7 wherein the front wall, the rear wall and the end walls of said base include ribs for providing additional load bearing strength to said walls.