Display Container

Abstract

A display container includes (a) an enclosure having a body portion defining an interior chamber of the enclosure and a lid portion mounted to the body portion and having one or more openings for providing a flow path between the interior chamber and an external environment, and (b) a valve assembly mounted to the lid portion and including a sealing member adjacent the one or more openings and movable between a closed position blocking the flow path to inhibit fluid communication between the interior chamber and the external environment through the one or more openings, and an open position in which the flow path is unblocked to provide fluid communication between the interior chamber and the external environment through the one or more openings. A compression spring biases the sealing member toward the closed position and accommodates movement of the sealing member toward the open position.

1 . A display container comprising:
 a) an enclosure including a body portion defining an interior chamber of the enclosure and a lid portion mounted to the body portion, the body portion having a transparent viewing area through which the interior chamber is viewable, and the lid portion having one or more openings for providing a flow path between the interior chamber and an external environment;   b) a valve assembly mounted to the lid portion and including a sealing member adjacent the one or more openings, the sealing member movable relative to the lid portion between a closed position in which the sealing member blocks the flow path to inhibit fluid communication between the interior chamber and the external environment through the one or more openings, and an open position in which the flow path is unblocked to provide fluid communication between the interior chamber and the external environment through the one or more openings, and the valve assembly including a compression spring biasing the sealing member toward the closed position and accommodating movement of the sealing member toward the open position.   
     
     
         2 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein the compression spring remains covered by the valve assembly when the sealing member is in and moves between the open and closed positions. 
     
     
         3 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein the compression spring is held axially captive between a first surface fixed relative to the sealing member and a second surface fixed relative to the lid portion and directed toward the first surface, the compression spring pushing the first and second surfaces axially apart for biasing the sealing member toward the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The display container of  claim 3 , wherein when the sealing member is moved from the closed position toward the open position, the first surface is moved inwardly toward the second surface thereby compressing the spring therebetween, and when the sealing member is in the closed position, the compression spring exerts a return force pushing the first and second surfaces apart to urge the sealing member back toward the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein the compression spring extends along a spring axis between a first end bearing against the first surface and a second end bearing against the second surface, and the sealing member translates generally parallel with the spring axis when moving between the open and closed positions. 
     
     
         6 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing member comprises a sealing plate. 
     
     
         7 . The display container of  claim 6 , wherein the sealing plate is spaced apart from the one or more openings in the open position for unblocking the flow path and is translated toward the one or more openings when moving from the open position toward the closed position for blocking the flow path. 
     
     
         8 . The display container of  claim 6 , wherein the valve assembly comprises a slide valve assembly, and the sealing plate comprises a slide plate positioned over the one or more openings in the closed position to block the flow path and slidable clear of the one or more openings for movement from the closed position toward the open position to unblock the flow path. 
     
     
         9 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly includes an actuation surface fixed relative to the sealing member and engageable by a user for moving the sealing member toward the open position. 
     
     
         10 . The display container of  claim 9 , wherein the actuation surface comprises a tab. 
     
     
         11 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly includes a first abutment surface fixed relative to the sealing member and positioned for engagement with a first stop surface fixed relative to the lid portion when in the open position for stopping the sealing member from moving past the open position. 
     
     
         12 . The display container of  claim 11 , wherein the valve assembly includes a second abutment surface spaced apart from the first abutment surface and fixed relative to the sealing member for engagement with a second stop surface fixed relative to the lid portion when in the closed position for stopping the sealing member from moving past the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a cylindrical jar. 
     
     
         14 . The display container of  claim 13 , wherein the body portion comprises a transparent jar body, the jar body having a jar bottom wall and a cylindrical jar sidewall extending upwardly from a periphery of the jar bottom wall to an upper rim of the jar body, the upper rim circumscribing a jar opening for providing access to the interior chamber, and wherein the lid portion is mounted over the upper rim of the jar body. 
     
     
         15 . The display container of  claim 14 , wherein the jar body is of integral, unitary, one-piece construction. 
     
     
         16 . The display container of  claim 14 , wherein the jar opening extends horizontally overtop of at least most of the interior chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more openings passes vertically through the lid portion. 
     
     
         18 . The display container of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings comprise a plurality of openings. 
     
     
         19 . A display container comprising:
 a) a cylindrical jar including:
 i) a transparent jar body defining an interior of the jar, the jar body having a jar bottom wall bounding the interior from below and a cylindrical jar sidewall extending upwardly from a periphery of the jar bottom wall to an upper rim of the jar body and horizontally bounding the interior, the upper rim circumscribing a jar opening extending horizontally overtop of at least most of the interior for providing access therein, and 
 ii) a lid portion mounted over the upper rim of the jar body, the lid portion having one or more lid openings for providing a flow path between the interior of the jar body and an environment external the jar; 
   b) a valve assembly mounted to the lid portion and including:
 i) a sealing plate adjacent the one or more lid openings, the sealing plate movable relative to the lid portion between a sealed position in which the sealing plate blocks the flow path to inhibit fluid communication between the interior and the external environment through the one or more lid openings, and an unsealed position spaced apart from the sealed position and in which the flow path is unblocked to provide fluid communication between the interior and the external environment through the one or more lid openings, and 
 ii) a compression spring held axially captive between a first surface fixed relative to the sealing plate and a second surface fixed relative to the lid portion and directed toward the first surface, the compression spring pushing the first and second surfaces apart relative to each other for biasing the sealing member toward the sealed position, and the compression spring accommodating movement of the sealing member toward the unsealed position. 
   
     
     
         20 . A display container comprising:
 a) an enclosure including a lower portion and an upper portion mounted to the lower portion to generally enclose an interior of the enclosure, the lower portion having a transparent viewing area through which the interior is viewable, and the upper portion having one or more openings for providing fluid communication between the interior of the enclosure and an external environment;   b) a valve assembly mounted to the upper portion and including a sealing member adjacent the one or more openings, the sealing member movable relative to the upper portion between a closed position for inhibiting fluid communication between the interior and the external environment through the one or more openings, and an open position for permitting fluid communication between the interior and the external environment through the one or more openings, and the valve assembly further including a compression spring biasing the sealing member toward the closed position and accommodating movement of the sealing member toward the open position.