US2655282A - Container and seal - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, 1953 N. R. DUNBAR CONTAINER AND SEAL Filed June 11. 1951 INVENTOR. Zw

-Patented Oct. 13, 1953 CONTAINER AND SEAL Norman R. Dunbar, Downey, Calif., assignor to Eldon Manufacturing Co., Los Angeles, Calif., a

corporation of California Application June 11, 1951, Serial No. 230,925

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a container and a novel form of seal therefor land is particularly directed to improvements in a compartmented container having a single closure or cover which may be opened to expose one or more of the compartments as desired. A more detailed object is to provide a novel form of cover and seal yfor a -container of this type.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a compartmented container having high strength characteristics whi-ch may be produced economically on a quantity basis and which may be formed of plastic material.

Another object is to provide a cover and seal for su-ch a container which will stay in place regardless of rough handling or shocks or jolts and yet which may be readily and quickly opened to expose one or more of the compartments as desired.

`Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear hereinafter. j

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the line 2-2 as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 3-3 as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation partly broken away showing the manner in which the cover may be removed section by section to expose one or more compartments as desired.

Referring to the drawings, the -container body or shell generally designated I0 is composed of a plurality of oval shaped compartments II positioned in side-by-side relationship and connected by integral webs I2. Each of the compartments II is open at the top and is provided with an integral bottom wall I3. For purposes set forth herein below I prefer to provide a smaller compartment I4 which is formed by the side walls I5, I6 and I'I and provided with a bottom wall I8. This compartment I4 is also open at the top.

The oval shape for the principal compartments is chosen to provide the maximum strength and stiffness against deflection. The smaller supplementary compartment I4 need not extend for the full length of the -container I0, but on the contrary the bottom wall I8 may be positioned between the bottom walls I3 and the upper open ends of the compartments.

The particular form of the invention illustrated in the drawings may be employed as an ointment container for two forms of ointment having medicinal properties. Separate ointment containing tubes I9 may be placed in each of the oval shaped compartments I I while a smaller ointment tube 20 may be placed in the smaller compartment I4. The ointment in the tubes I9 may be substantially the same, whereas the ointment in the tube which is placed in the smaller. compartment I4 may be of a different type or concentration. For example, the ointment in tubes I9 may be useful for general application to the skin of persons exposed to poisonous or skin irritating gases, such as, for example, Lewis-l ite. The ointment in the small tube 20 may be of weaker concentration land applicable to the skin areas adjacent the eyes of 4such persons. The particular form of the invention illustrated is intended to be carried in a pocket of a sol-- diers uniform. If the soldier is exposed to Lewisite gas he applies ointment from the tubesy I9 to the affected areas of the skin except near the eyes. The ointment from the tube 20 is used on the skin adjacent the eyes.

Means are provided to form an airtight seal for the upper open ends of the compartments I I and I4. As shown in the drawings, this means includes a unitary cover member 9 formed ofiexible material and having a plurality of individual dome-like sealing caps 2I connected by integral webs 22. Tabs 23' integrally formed with the caps 2I extend laterally from each side of the container I0. The tabs 23 extend from rims 24 which extend around the periphery of each of the sealing caps 2| and which -cooperate with the laterally extending lips 25 on the upper end of the compartments II and I4 to form a seal. Each of the caps 2l is provided with a continuous skirt 218 which extends downward within the upper end of the compartments II and I4.

The cover member 9 is preferably formed of flexible material such as, for example, polyethylene, while the container body or shell lil is preferably formed of high impact styrene. The skirts 26 and rims 24 on the flexible cover 9 engage the relatively rigid parts of the shell I0 to form an effective seal to minimize entrance of air and escape of volatile constituents from the ointment tubes I9 and 20. The position of the tabs 23 with respect to the rims 24 is such that lifting movement of the tabs 23 first acts to disengage the rims 24 from the lips 25 and thereafter serves to withdraw each of the skirts 26 from its sealing position within the interior of its respective compartment.- The. webs 22 permit the individual sealing caps 2i to be sequentially moved from sealing position. This construction provides a sealing device for a compartmented container which maintains a tight seal in spite of the blows and shocks occasioned by rough usage, and yet which seal may be readily broken to expose the contents of the container for use.

The shapes of the compartments H and I4 are chosen so that they may readily be distinguished by the sense of touch and without requiring that the user see the container shell or cover. By placing his finger in the various compartments the user is able to distinguish which of them contains the small tube 20 having the eye ointment,

and conversely, which of themcontains lthe larger tubes i9.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of thelappended claims.

lI claim:

l. In a compartmented container, the combination of: a rigid shell having Walls kdeiining `a plurality f uprehtsparallel compartments DPE at the top and; connected by illg'ral Webs, a iiexiblecover .having la plurality of sealing caps integrally connected :by 'ilexible Webs, each cap having Aa continuous skirt extending into one of the .compartments .in sealing engagement with the wall thereof, a peripheral vlip on the wall of each compartment .adjacent the open end thereof, 'and a depending rimoneach of the sealing caps `engaging overfsaidperipheral lip .to hold the cover in .place on the shell,

2. .Inadeviee ofthe class described, the Combination of: a .compartmented container shell formed of vrelatively rigid material, the shell having wallsdening a plurality (3f-compartments disposed in Yside-.by-side relationship, a cover formedof flexible material and having .individual sealing `caps Afor .each :of the compartments, .the sealing 4caps being connected by `,flexible webs, eachof vthe sealingcaps ,having a continuous Skirt extending into `its respective compartment and engaging the wall thereof :to form a seal, interengaging Ilip and .fr'im rmeans connecting the cover and the shell, .and means including a laterally projecting tab .on .the cover .for successively .disengagine 'each lip and Arim. means :and removing the individual sealing sans one at a .time from lthe sealing position.

spective compartment and engaging the Wall thereof to form a seal, interengaging means connecting the cover and the shell, said means includnga peripheral lip on a wall of each of the compartments, and fa rim on each of the sealing caps engaging the lip, and means including a llaterally projecting tab on the cover for successively disengaging the rims and lips and remevingthe individual sealing caps one at a time from sealing position.

4. In a device ofthe class described, thecombnation of; a 4coxnpartmented container shell for-med of relatively rigid material, the sheil having walls dening a plurality of generally oval-shaped .compartments disposed side by side and connected -by integral webs, the walls also dening a single ysmaller compartment having a diierent shape, the upplrfends of all of the compartments terminating in -thesame plane, a removable -cover formed of flexible material and having individual sealing :caps for each .of :the compartments, the sealing caps being connected by flexible webs, each of the sealing caps having a continuous skirt extending into its respective compartment Vand engaging the wall thereof to ferm a seal, and interengaging lip .and rim vmea-ns connecting lthe cover andthe shell.

NORMAN R. DUNBAR.

References Cited in the v4file Yof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 'Name vDate 1,190,196 Schweinert et al. July 4, 1916 2,096,825 .Roman Oct. 26, 19,37 2,266,270 Roth T Dec. 1c, -1941 2,358,915 iDuthie Sept. 26, y194:4 2,486,364 VSimmons Oct. 25, '-1949 a 2,526,225 Gronemeyer et ai. oct. 17, 1950 r2,560,376 Waterman July 10, 1951

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