Three Piece Thermoplastic Container

Abstract

A container for a material, wherein the container has a body, a base, and a lid is presented. The base may be with or without a tamper-evident feature, depending on requirements, while the lid is made preferably of a clear, transparent plastic. The body has a bottom and a tubular element defining sides of the body and extending upwardly from a periphery of the bottom. An upper portion of the tubular element forms an aperture of the body. The base has an externally directed annular protrusion which engages a recess in the aperture-forming portion of the tubular element of the body. In this way, a permanent seal is made at the top of the body after filling with the material. A lid is adapted to removably engage a top portion of the base.

1 . A container for holding a material, the container comprising:
 a body having a bottom and a tubular element defining sides of the body and extending upwardly from a periphery of the bottom, wherein an upper portion of the tubular element forms an aperture of the body;   a base having an externally directed annular protrusion which engages a recess in the aperture-forming portion of the tubular element of the body thereby effecting a permanent seal at the top of the body after filling thereof; and   a lid adapted to removably engage a top portion of the base.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the body, the base, or the lid are formed from a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein one or more of the body, the base, or the lid are fabricated from a Polyolefin such as PET or PEN. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein one or more of the body, the base, or the lid is transparent. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture-forming portion of the tubular element further comprises an internally directed annular protrusion configured to stop further insertion of the base when the base is inserted into the aperture of the body and contacts the internally directed annular protrusion. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the externally directed annular protrusion extends externally and upwardly and is therefore capable of flexing inwardly whilst being introduced into the aperture of the body of the container prior to coming to rest in the recess. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance to permanent inward deformation of the externally directed protrusion exceeds the resistance to permanent outward deformation of the recess due to the radially externally directed protrusion being fabricated from thicker thermoplastic material than that present in the recess. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the radially externally directed protrusion comprises 3 surfaces each of which, when the base is disposed in the aperture of the body, forms a seal with a corresponding surface of the aperture-forming portion of the tubular element of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises:
 an inner annular projection extending upward; and   a horizontal continuous panel for enclosing the material in the container.   
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the body further comprises a handle disposed on the horizontal continuous panel, and the horizontal continuous panel is configured to be removed from the base by applying force to the handle. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lid further comprises a continuous central panel, continued to enclose the material in the container when the lid is engaged with the base. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lid further comprises a first downwardly projecting portion for sealing engagement with an inner surface of a rim of the base and a second downwardly projecting portion for sealing engagement with an outer surface of the rim of the base. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein a base-engaging portion of the lid comprises 3 surfaces each of which, when the lid is affixed to the base, forms a seal with a corresponding surface of a rim of the base. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a bump on a top surface of the lid, the bump configured for stacking a second containers. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein when the lid is engaged with the base, the lid also contacts the body. 
     
     
         16 . A method of enclosing a material in a tamper evident container, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a body, the body having a bottom and a tubular element extending upwardly from a periphery of the bottom;   placing the material into the body;   inserting a base into a top aperture of the body, the base having a tamper-evident horizontal continuous panel, wherein the base is configured to be permanently affixed to the body once inserted; and   engaging a removable lid on the base.