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US-12617583-B2 - Container

US12617583B2US 12617583 B2US12617583 B2US 12617583B2US-12617583-B2

Abstract

A container is disclosed. The container has a container body including a sidewall surrounding an interior void with opposite open ends. The sidewall retains a movable panel that moves in opposite longitudinal directions toward the opposite open ends to increase or decrease a storage volume. The movable panel may include a manual sealing and locking mechanism. The container also includes a cover that covers one of the open ends and is openable or removable for access to contents. A one-way valve in the cover, sidewall, or movable panel permits evacuation of excess air from the storage volume.

Inventors

  • Hoa Ly
  • Ngan Ly

Assignees

  • Hoa Ly
  • Ngan Ly

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20211122

Claims (16)

  1. 1 . A container comprising a container body, the container body having a first opening, a second opening, and a sidewall, the sidewall having a first end and a second end, the first end peripherally surrounding the first opening, the second end peripherally surrounding the second opening, the sidewall extending from the second end to the first end in a first longitudinal direction and from the first end to the second end in a second longitudinal direction, the sidewall comprising an inner surface; an interior void, the interior void peripherally surrounded by the sidewall inner surface and extending from the first opening to the second opening; a movable panel, the movable panel being adapted and configured to be retained within the interior void by the sidewall so as to divide the interior void into a first volume and a second volume, the first volume extending longitudinally from the movable panel to the first opening and the second volume extending longitudinally from the movable panel to the second opening, the movable panel being adapted and configured to be movable from the first end of the sidewall to the second end of the sidewall in the second longitudinal direction so as to increase the first volume from the second end of the sidewall to the first end of the sidewall in the first longitudinal direction so as to reduce the first volume while continuing to be so retained by the sidewall, the movable panel having a locking mechanism that comprises a manual actuator and a-sidewall engaging member, the locking mechanism being adapted and configured so that, when the manual actuator is actuated, the sidewall engaging member presses against the sidewall inner surface and frictionally engages the sidewall inner surface so as to resist manual removal of the movable panel from the container body in the first longitudinal direction, wherein; (1) the movable panel incorporates a baseplate; (2) the locking mechanism incorporates a locking member movably connected to the baseplate; (3) the sidewall engaging member is adapted to be disposed in a clearance that extends outwardly from the locking member to the sidewall; and (4) the manual actuator is adapted to be operative, when actuated, to move the locking member so as to reduce said clearance and to compress the sidewall engaging member between the locking member and the sidewall; and a cover, the cover being adapted and configured to be retained by the container body so as to cover the first opening so that the sidewall, the movable panel so retained by the sidewall, and the cover so retained by the container body enclose a storage volume, the cover so retained by the container body being manually movable to expose the first opening to allow manual dispensing of contents of the storage volume through the first opening, the storage volume comprising at least a portion of the first volume and the storage volume is configured to be reduced when the first volume is reduced by the movable panel being moved in said first longitudinal direction.
  2. 2 . The container of claim 1 wherein the cover so retained by the container body is adapted and configured to be manually removable from the container body.
  3. 3 . The container of claim 1 further comprising the movable panel being adapted and configured to sealingly engage the sidewall inner surface while so retained by the sidewall, and the cover being adapted and configured to sealingly engage the container body while so retained by the container body, so as to prevent airflow into the storage volume.
  4. 4 . The container of claim 3 further comprising a valve, the valve being comprised in at least one of the movable panel, the sidewall, and the cover, the valve being adapted and configured to permit airflow out of the storage volume when the storage volume is reduced by the movable panel being moved in said first longitudinal direction.
  5. 5 . The container of claim 4 wherein the valve is a one-way valve.
  6. 6 . The container of claim 4 wherein the valve is comprised in the cover, the cover further comprising a valve actuator, the valve actuator being manually actuatable to open and close the valve, the valve being adapted and configured to permit said airflow out of the storage volume only when the valve is open.
  7. 7 . The container of claim 1 wherein the movable panel comprises a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising a manual actuator and a locking member, the locking mechanism being adapted and configured so that, when the manual actuator is actuated, the locking member presses a against the sidewall inner surface and frictionally engages the sidewall inner surface so as to resist manual removal of the movable panel from the container body in the first longitudinal direction.
  8. 8 . The container of claim 7 wherein the movable panel is adapted and configured to sealingly engage the sidewall inner surface while so retained by the sidewall and, when the locking mechanism manual actuator is not actuated, the movable panel so retained by the container body is adapted and configured to permit airflow to vent out of the storage volume by passing between the sidewall engaging member and the sidewall inner surface when the movable panel is moved in the first longitudinal direction so as to reduce the storage volume, and when the locking mechanism manual actuator is actuated, the sidewall engaging member is adapted and configured to sealingly engage the sidewall inner surface to prevent air from passing between the sidewall engaging member and the sidewall inner surface in such a manner as to seal the storage volume.
  9. 9 . The container of claim 1 wherein the first opening is adapted and configured to permit the movable panel so retained by the sidewall to be manually pushed in the second longitudinal direction by a user's hand reaching through the first opening.
  10. 10 . The container of claim 1 further comprising a stop connected to the sidewall, the stop being disposed adjacent the second opening so as to abut the movable panel when the movable panel is moved in the second longitudinal direction to a stop position proximate to the second opening and so as to prevent the movable panel from being manually moved in the second longitudinal direction beyond the stop position, the movable panel in the stop position continuing to be retained by the sidewall so as to maintain the enclosure of the storage volume when the cover is so retained by the container body.
  11. 11 . The container of claim 10 further comprising the container body being adapted and configured to permit the movable panel to be inserted into the interior void in the second longitudinal direction through the first opening to be so retained by the sidewall and to permit the movable panel so retained by the sidewall to be removed from the interior void in the first longitudinal direction through the first opening.
  12. 12 . The container of claim 1 wherein the second opening is adapted and configured to permit the movable panel so retained by the sidewall to be manually pushed in the first longitudinal direction by a user's hand reaching through the second opening.
  13. 13 . The container of claim 1 wherein the sidewall engaging member is a deformable member that is adapted and configured to sealingly engage the sidewall inner surface while the movable panel is so retained by the sidewall and, when the locking mechanism manual actuator is not actuated, the movable panel so retained by the-sidewall being adapted and configured to permit the sidewall engaging member to be deflected inwardly away from the sidewall to create a venting clearance to permit airflow to vent into and out of the storage volume by passing between the sidewall engaging member and the sidewall inner surface when the movable panel is moved in the first and second longitudinal directions so as to reduce and expand the storage volume, and the locking mechanism manual actuator being operative, when actuated, to press the sidewall engaging member outwardly against the sidewall-to prevent such inward deflection of the sidewall engaging member and such venting of the storage volume.
  14. 14 . The container of claim 13 wherein the locking member comprises an outer surface that tapers outwardly towards the sidewall in a tapered region that extends in a longitudinal taper direction beyond the sidewall engaging member when the manual actuator is not actuated, the manual actuator being operative, when actuated, to move the locking member longitudinally relative to the baseplate in a longitudinal locking direction opposite the taper direction so that the tapered region aligns with at least a portion of the sidewall engaging member and compresses the sidewall engaging member against the sidewall.
  15. 15 . The container of claim 14 wherein the manual actuator is movably connected to the locking member to rotate freely relative to the locking member and such that movement of the manual actuator in the locking direction is operative to drive movement of the locking member in the longitudinal locking direction, the manual actuator being movably connected to the baseplate so that rotation of the manual actuator relative to the baseplate in a rotational locking direction in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal locking direction is operative to drive said movement of the manual actuator relative to the baseplate in the longitudinal locking direction.
  16. 16 . The container of claim 15 wherein the longitudinal locking direction is toward the baseplate from the locking member and the manual actuator.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/260,490, filed Aug. 22, 2021, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to a storage container with a variable storage volume to minimize or eliminate excess air present in the storage volume with the contents of the container. SUMMARY According to an aspect of the disclosure, a container comprises a container body, a movable panel, and a cover. The container body has a sidewall, the sidewall forming a first opening and a second opening. The sidewall having a first end and a second end, the first end peripherally surrounding the first opening, the second end peripherally surrounding the second opening, the sidewall extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end, the sidewall comprising an inner surface. The sidewall also forms an interior void, the interior void peripherally surrounded by the sidewall inner surface and extending from the first opening to the second opening. The movable panel is adapted and configured to be retained within the interior void by the sidewall so as to divide the interior void into a first volume and a second volume. The first volume extends longitudinally from the movable panel to the first opening, and the second volume extends longitudinally from the movable panel to the second opening. The movable panel is adapted and configured to be movable in a first longitudinal direction toward the first opening so as to reduce the first volume while continuing to be so retained by the sidewall. The cover is adapted and configured to be retained by the container body so as to cover the first opening in such a manner that the sidewall, the movable panel so retained by the sidewall, and the cover so retained by the container body enclose a storage volume. The cover so retained by the container body is manually movable to expose the first opening to allow manual dispensing of contents of the storage volume through the first opening. The storage volume comprises at least a portion of the first volume, and the storage volume is configured to be reduced when the first volume is reduced by the movable panel being moved in said first longitudinal direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the characteristic features of this disclosure will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the subject matter of the claims, and the manner in which it may be made and used, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded, second-end perspective view of a container according to still another embodiment. FIG. 4 is a second-end perspective view of the assembled container of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an exploded second-end perspective view of a locking movable panel of the container of FIG. 3. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that elements of the figures above are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The dimensions of some elements in the figures may have been exaggerated relative to other elements to help understanding of the present teachings. Furthermore, a particular order in which certain elements, parts, components, modules, steps, actions, events and/or processes are described or illustrated may not be actually required. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, for the purpose of simplicity and clarity of illustration, some commonly known and well-understood elements that are useful and/or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment may not be depicted in order to provide a clear view of various embodiments in accordance with the present teachings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, unless otherwise clearly stated, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “right,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof sha