초록 ▼

A container can include a base, a lid, and one or more vents. The lid can be removed from the base and can be reattached to the base. Moreover, when the lid is attached to the base, it can permit self-venting of the container. Pressure within the container can cause the lid to move relative to the b

A container can include a base, a lid, and one or more vents. The lid can be removed from the base and can be reattached to the base. Moreover, when the lid is attached to the base, it can permit self-venting of the container. Pressure within the container can cause the lid to move relative to the base so as to open the vents while the lid remains coupled with the base.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A container assembly comprising: a base comprising: a closed bottom surface;a sidewall that extends upwardly from the closed bottom surface; anda peripheral extension that defines an open top, the peripheral extension extending outwardly from the sidewall about a periphery of the base, the periph

1. A container assembly comprising: a base comprising: a closed bottom surface;a sidewall that extends upwardly from the closed bottom surface; anda peripheral extension that defines an open top, the peripheral extension extending outwardly from the sidewall about a periphery of the base, the peripheral extension comprising: an inner ledge;an outer lip; andone or more venting recesses extending across a portion of the inner ledge and a portion of the outer lip; anda lid removably couplable with the base to close the open top of the base, wherein the lid cooperates with the base to define an interior volume of the container assembly when the lid is coupled with the base, the lid comprising: a closed top; anda portion extending downwardly from the closed top to a peripheral extension, wherein the peripheral extension extends about a periphery of the lid and comprises a contact surface,wherein the lid cooperates with the base to provide: a) an attached-and-closed configuration in which the peripheral extension of the lid forms a substantially liquid-tight seal with the peripheral extension of the base that isolates the interior volume of the container assembly from the one or more venting recesses; andb) an attached-and-vented configuration in which the contact surface of the peripheral extension of the lid moves upwardly away from the inner ledge of the base so as to be spaced from the inner ledge by a gap that permits fluid communication between the interior volume of the container assembly and the one or more venting recesses, andwherein the lid automatically transitions from the attached-and-closed configuration to the attached-and-vented configuration upon an increase in a pressure of the internal volume of the container assembly. 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the outer lip extends about a full periphery of the base, and wherein the outer lip extends outwardly from the inner ledge of the base. 3. The container of claim 1, wherein the lid is free of openings between an interior surface and an exterior surface thereof such that the lid substantially prevents fluid communication between the interior volume and an environment outside of the container when the lid is in the attached-and-closed configuration. 4. The container of claim 1, wherein: the peripheral extensions of the base and lid comprise complementary transition regions that are configured to interact with each other to maintain the lid coupled with the base in the attached-and-vented configuration;a plurality of connection regions are defined by areas at which the transition regions of the lid and the base contact each other when the lid is coupled to the base; andeach of the one or more venting recesses defines a venting region at which the transition regions of the lid and the base do not contact each other when the lid is coupled to the base, such that the container comprises one or more venting regions,wherein the connection regions account for a substantially greater portion of a perimeter of the container than do the one or more venting regions. 5. The container of claim 1, wherein the peripheral extensions of the base and lid comprise complementary transition regions that are configured to interact with each other to maintain the lid coupled with the base in the attached-and-vented configuration, and wherein a contact region between an outwardly facing surface of the transition region of the lid and an inwardly facing surface of the transition region of the base incrementally advances from a position at a bottom end of the transition region of the base to a position at a top end of the transition region of the base as the lid moves from the attached-and-closed configuration to the attached-and-vented configuration. 6. The container of claim 1, wherein the peripheral extension comprises a rim that defines the contact surface, and wherein the rim defines a cross-sectional profile that is the same at every position about the periphery of the lid. 7. The container of claim 1, wherein at least an inner region of the lid moves upwardly away from the bottom surface of the base when the lid moves from the attached-and-closed configuration to the attached-and-vented configuration to thereby create the gap between the contact surface of the lid and the inner ledge of the base. 8. The container of claim 1, wherein the peripheral extensions of the base and lid comprise complementary transition regions that are configured to interact with each other to maintain the lid coupled with the base in the attached-and-vented configuration, and wherein at least one of the one or more venting recesses is positioned so as to separate adjacent sections of the transition region of the base. 9. The container of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the one or more venting recesses and the transition region of the lid cooperate to define a fluid passageway through which gas can egress from the interior volume of the container assembly in the attached-and-vented configuration. 10. A container assembly comprising: a base comprising: a closed bottom surface;a sidewall that extends upwardly from the closed bottom surface; anda peripheral extension at an upper end of the sidewall that defines an open top, the peripheral extension extending outwardly from the sidewall about a periphery of the base, the peripheral extension comprising: an inner ledge;an outer lip; andone or more venting recesses extending across a portion of the inner ledge and a portion of the outer lip; anda lid that comprises an inner region and is removably couplable with the base to close the open top of the base, wherein the lid cooperates with the base to define an interior volume of the container assembly when the lid is coupled with the base, the lid comprising: a closed top, wherein the inner region comprises the closed top; anda portion extending downwardly from the closed top to a peripheral extension, wherein the peripheral extension extends about a periphery of the lid and comprises a contact surface,wherein the lid cooperates with the base to provide: a) an attached-and-closed configuration in which the peripheral extension of the lid forms a substantially liquid-tight seal with the peripheral extension of the base that isolates the interior volume of the container assembly from the one or more venting recesses; andb) an attached-and-vented configuration in which the inner region of the lid moves upwardly away from the bottom surface of the base and the contact surface of the peripheral extension of the lid moves upwardly away from the inner ledge of the base by a gap that permits fluid communication between the interior volume of the container assembly and the one or more venting recesses, andwherein the lid automatically transitions from the attached-and-closed configuration to the attached-and-vented configuration upon an increase in a pressure of the internal volume of the container assembly. 11. The container of claim 10, wherein the inner region of the lid is at a higher position, relative to the bottom surface of the base, as compared with the peripheral extension of the lid, when the lid is in the attached-and-vented configuration. 12. The container of claim 10, wherein the peripheral extensions of the base and lid comprise complementary transition regions that are configured to interact with each other to maintain the lid coupled with the base in the attached-and-vented configuration, wherein at least one of the one or more venting recesses separates adjacent sections of the transition region of the base, and wherein the at least one of the one or more venting recesses and the transition region of the lid cooperate to define a fluid passageway through which gas can egress from the interior volume of the container assembly in the attached-and-vented configuration. 13. The container of claim 10, wherein the peripheral extensions of the base and lid comprise complementary transition regions that are configured to interact with each other to maintain the lid coupled with the base in the attached-and-vented configuration, wherein each of the transition regions is rounded so as to define a radius of curvature, and wherein the transition region of the lid fits snugly within the transition region of the base when the lid is in each of the attached-and-closed and the attached-and-vented configurations. 14. The container of claim 10, wherein the peripheral extensions of the base and lid comprise complementary transition regions that are configured to interact with each other to maintain the lid coupled with the base in the attached-and-vented configuration, and wherein a contact region between an outwardly facing surface of the transition region of the lid and an inwardly facing surface of the transition region of the base incrementally advances from a position at a bottom of the transition region of the base to a position at a top end of the transition region of the base as the lid moves from the attached-and-closed configuration to the attached-and-vented configuration. 15. A container assembly comprising: a base comprising: a closed bottom surface;a sidewall that extends upwardly from the closed bottom surface; anda peripheral extension that defines an open top, the peripheral extension extending outwardly from the sidewall about a periphery of the base, the peripheral extension comprising: an inner ledge;an outer lip that comprises a transition region that defines an inwardly facing surface; andone or more venting recesses extending across a portion of the inner ledge and a portion of the outer lip; anda lid removably couplable with the base to close the open top of the base, wherein the lid cooperates with the base to define an interior volume of the container assembly when the lid is coupled with the base, the lid comprising: a closed top; anda portion extending downwardly from the closed top to a peripheral extension, wherein the peripheral extension extends about a periphery of the lid and comprises an inner rim that comprises: a contact surface; anda transition region that defines an outwardly facing surface that is complementary to the inwardly facing surface of the transition region of the base,wherein the lid cooperates with the base to provide: a) an attached-and-closed configuration in which the contact surface of the inner rim of the lid cooperates with the inner ledge of the base to form a substantially liquid-tight seal that isolates the interior volume of the container assembly from the one or more venting recesses; andb) an attached-and-vented configuration in which the contact surface of the inner rim of the lid moves upwardly away from the inner ledge of the base so as to be spaced from the inner ledge by a gap that permits fluid communication between the interior volume of the container assembly and the one or more venting recesses, andwherein the lid automatically transitions from the attached-and-closed configuration to the attached-and-vented configuration upon an increase in a pressure of the internal volume of the container assembly. 16. The container of claim 15, wherein an innermost region of the lid is at a higher position, relative to the bottom surface of the base, as compared with each of the contact surface and the transition region of the lid when the lid is in the attached-and-vented configuration. 17. The container of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more venting recesses in the base separates adjacent sections of the transition region of the base, and wherein the at least one of the one or more venting recesses and the transition region of the lid cooperate to define a fluid passageway through which gas can egress from the interior volume of the container assembly. 18. The container of claim 15, wherein the rim defines a cross-sectional profile that is the same at every position about the periphery of the lid.