Package with leak resistant lid

Abstract

The present disclosure teaches a package made up of a container and a lid. The package includes mount means without threads for coupling the lid to the container with a tight seal and for decoupling the lid from the container via rotation of the lid.

1 . A package including
 a container defining a storage space and having a brim arranged around a central reference axis surrounding an opening into the storage space,   a lid sized to extend over the storage space and selectively block access to the storage space, and   mount means without threads (1) for coupling the lid to the container in response to downward pressure applied to the lid when placed onto the brim of the container so that a portion of the lid snaps over the brim into engagement with the container so as to retain the lid on the container and to block leakage of liquid out of the storage space in the container through the opening and (2) for decoupling the lid from the container in response to rotation of the lid relative to the container to disengage the lid from the brim and allow lifting of the lid away from the container to thereby make the storage space of the container accessible through the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the mount means includes a lid tab that extends from a bottom edge of an outer lid flange and a container tab that extends from a bottom edge of the brim,
 the lid tab is formed to include a retainer bump that extends under the bottom edge of the container brim when the lid is coupled to the container and the lid tab is circumferentially offset from the container tab, and   the container tab is formed to include (i) a side edge arranged to push the retainer bump of the lid tab outwardly away from the storage space in response to rotation of the lid relative to the container toward a position in which the lid tab is circumferentially aligned with the container tab and (ii) a ramp shaped to push the lid tab upwardly away from the storage space in in response to rotation of the lid relative to the container toward a position in which the lid tab is circumferentially aligned with the container tab.   
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein the lid tab is formed to include a downward portion that extends downwardly from the bottom edge of the outer lid flange and the retainer bump extends inwardly from the downward portion toward the central reference axis. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 3 , wherein the lid tab is formed to include an outward portion that extends outwardly from the downward portion of the lid tab away from the central reference axis at a location below the bottom edge of the outer lid flange. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 4 , wherein the retainer bump and the outward portion of the lid tab are both located at the same axial location along the central reference axis below the bottom edge of the outer lid flange. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 4 , wherein the retainer bump is circumferentially offset from the outward portion of the lid tab around the central reference axis. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 4 , wherein the downward portion of the lid tab has angled side edges at circumferential end faces of the downward portion, the angled side edges extending both axially along the central reference axis and circumferentially around the central reference axis. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 7 , wherein the container tab is formed to include a downward portion that extends downwardly from a bottom edge of the brim included in the container and an outward portion that extends outwardly from the downward portion of the container tab away from the central reference axis at a location below the bottom edge of the brim. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein the ramp of the container tab extends upwardly from the outward portion of the container tab and has a height along the central reference axis limited so as not to extend above the bottom edge of the brim when the lid is coupled to the container and the lid tab is circumferentially offset from the container tab to resist removal of the lid from the container. 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 9 , wherein the angled side edges of the downward portion of the lid tab are located so as to contact the ramp of the container tab upon rotation of the lid relative to the container about the central reference axis when the lid tab and the container tab are coming into circumferential alignment to thereby apply an upward force on the lid. 
     
     
         11 . A package including
 a lid including an outer lid flange that extends around a central reference axis and a plurality of lid tabs spaced apart from one another around the central reference axis, each lid tab formed to include a downward portion that extends downwardly from the outer lid flange and a retainer bump that extends inwardly toward the central reference axis from the downward portion of the lid tab, and   a container having a brim arranged around central reference axis surrounding an opening into a storage space and a plurality of container tabs spaced apart from one another around the central reference axis, each container tab formed to include (i) a downward portion with circumferential side edges arranged to push the retainer bump of the lid tab outwardly away from the central reference axis in response to rotation of the lid relative to the container toward a position in which the plurality of lid tabs are circumferentially aligned with the plurality of container tabs and (ii) a ramp shaped to push the lid tab upwardly away from the storage space in in response to rotation of the lid relative to the container toward a position in which the lid tab is circumferentially aligned with the container tab.   
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein the retainer bump of the lid tab extends under the bottom edge of the container brim when the lid is coupled to the container and the lid tab is circumferentially offset from the container tab to resist removal of the lid from the container. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 11 , wherein the lid tab is formed to include an outward portion that extends outwardly from the downward portion of the lid tab away from the central reference axis at a location below the bottom edge of the outer lid flange. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein the retainer bump and the outward portion of the lid tab are both located at the same axial location along the central reference axis below the bottom edge of the outer lid flange. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein the retainer bump is circumferentially offset from the outward portion of the lid tab around the central reference axis. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein the downward portion of the lid tab has angled side edges at circumferential end faces of the downward portion, the angled side edges extending both axially along the central reference axis and circumferentially around the central reference axis. 
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 16 , wherein the container tab is formed to include a downward portion that extends downwardly from a bottom edge of the brim included in the container and an outward portion that extends outwardly from the downward portion of the container tab away from the central reference axis at a location below the bottom edge of the brim. 
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 17 , wherein the ramp of the container tab extends upwardly from the outward portion of the container tab and has a height along the central reference axis limited so as not to extend above the bottom edge of the brim when the lid is coupled to the container and the lid tab is circumferentially offset from the container tab to resist removal of the lid from the container. 
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein the angled side edges of the downward portion of the lid tab are located so as to contact the ramp of the container tab upon rotation of the lid relative to the container about the central reference axis when the lid tab and the container tab are coming into circumferential alignment to thereby apply an upward force on the lid. 
     
     
         20 . A method of using a package, the method including
 providing the package of  claim 11 ,   placing the lid on the container and pressing downwardly along the central reference axis with the plurality of lid tabs circumferentially misaligned from the plurality of container tabs until the retainer bumps snap under the bottom edge of the brim included in the container to couple the lid to the container, and   rotating the lid relative to the container about the central reference axis toward the position in which the plurality of lid tabs are circumferentially aligned with the plurality of container tabs until the circumferential side edges of the downward portion included in the container tab push the retainer bumps of the plurality of lid tabs outwardly away from the central reference axis, and   lifting the lid away from the container while the plurality of lid tabs are held outwardly away from the central reference axis such that the lifting force to remove the lid from the container is reduced.