Storage container with lid and sealing element for use with lid

Abstract

A storage container includes a container body, a lid placed on the container body, and at least one latch switchable between a locked position locking the lid in a closed configuration and an unlocked position allowing release of the lid to an open configuration. And a latch configured to include an actuator portion by which the latch is pivotable between the locked and unlocked positions, and a latch portion having a fulcrum operably supported on the top edge of the container body during pivoting movement of the latch, and the latch portion pivots upward and downward about the fulcrum to lift and lower the cover so that the latch cover is movable between a latch closed and open configuration. By implementing the latch, a mechanism for opening and closing the storage container is simple and effortless to operate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This non-provisional application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 350,940 filed on June 10, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of storage containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to storage containers with lids for hermetically sealing the container, wherein the lid is configured with a mechanism that allows the lid to be lifted upward by a pivoting latch acting on a top surface of the container relative to the container, thereby enabling the lid to be easily opened and separated from the sealed container. Background Art

[0003] The container is usually provided with a lid or cover. Some containers for items that need to be kept fresh, such as food, have a lid that can form an airtight and / or watertight seal with the container. Such a seal can be achieved by providing a sealable lid equipped with a sealing element, generally in the form of an O-ring seal. The seal is designed to fit in a groove formed in the lid and is compressed between the lid and the container during assembly to deform and become biased against the container wall. Due to the tight compression of the seal between the lid and the container wall, the sealed container is not easy to open.

[0004] One method commonly used in the prior art for sealing containers with lids is to provide latches on all four sides of the container. However, the main disadvantage of the latches used in conjunction with such sealing mechanisms is that when it is necessary to seal the container in its closed state, a relatively large manual force needs to be applied to press the latches downward or upward to engage with the container and hermetically seal the container. Similarly, when it is necessary to open the sealed container, a greater force is required to push the latches upward or downward to open the container or remove the lid from the container. In addition, the closing and opening of the lid involves four latches, which increases the trouble of using and opening the container. This type of food container makes it difficult for the elderly and young children in particular to use the sealable food container.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a sealable container lid, particularly for food and beverage containers, which lid is easy to manufacture at low cost and allows the container to be opened or closed without difficulty. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention has been developed to meet the above needs and therefore a primary object of the present invention is to provide a storage container lid having a simple and effortless mechanism to open and close the container in a sealing manner.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a container lid that is structurally simple yet creates an air-tight and liquid-tight seal for the container.

[0008] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by providing a storage container according to the present invention, the storage container comprising:

[0009] a container body having a bottom, a sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom, an interior volume enclosed by the sidewall, and an open top having a top edge;

[0010] a lid placed over the open top of the container body and including a plate-like portion, wherein the lid is movable relative to the open top of the container body between a closed configuration in which the lid covers the open top to close the container body and an open configuration in which at least a portion of the lid is moved away from the open top to provide access through the open top into the interior volume;

[0011] at least one latch transitionable between a locked position locking the cover in the closed configuration and an unlocked position allowing release of the cover to the open configuration;

[0012] The latch comprises an actuator portion and a latch portion, through which the latch can be pivoted between the locked and unlocked positions, the latch portion having a fulcrum operably supported on the top edge of the container body during the pivoting movement of the latch, and the latch portion pivots upward and downward about the fulcrum to lift and lower the lid so that the lid can move between the closed and open configurations.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the latch can be pivotally mounted on the pivot side of the lid, and the latch portion is configured to include an upper latch tongue, a lower latch tongue, and a side latch tongue connecting the upper and lower latch tongues to define a channel, the channel being sized and configured to releasably receive and retain a flange extending generally lateral to the side wall of the container body. Preferably, the actuator portion can be configured as an operating tab that protrudes downwardly from the lower latch tongue at an end of the lower latch tongue away from the side latch tongue.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment, the cover can be configured to include a cutout portion configured to receive the upper latch tongue when the latch is in the locked position.

[0015] In a specific embodiment, one or more engagement blocks can be provided on the lower latch tongue to removably engage a catch protruding downwardly generally from the bottom side of the flange to secure the latch in the locked position. The upper latch tongue has a leading edge portion operably supported on the top edge of the container body and serving as the fulcrum, and the latch portion pivots upward and downward about the leading edge portion. In some cases, the upper latch tongue can be actuated by the actuator portion to pivot about the leading edge portion when the latch is in the locked position to be substantially parallel to and rest on the top edge of the container body, and to be tilted together with the leading edge portion resting on the top edge of the container body when the latch is in the unlocked position. In some cases, the leading edge portion can have a step configured to be opposite and adjacent to the chamfered edge of the plate-like portion of the cover.

[0016] In another specific embodiment, a pivot pin can be formed outwardly at each of the opposite ends of the channel of the latch; and two lugs can be formed on the pivot side of the cover in a spaced manner, each of the lugs having a lug slot in which the pivot pin is pivotally received to allow pivotal movement of the latch relative to the cover. A protrusion can be arranged on the pivot pin to limit lateral displacement of the latch between the two pivot pins.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage container includes a pair of latches pivotally attached to opposite sides of the lid.

[0018] In order to establish a better sealing effect, the storage container can further include a sealing element arranged in the annular groove of the lid, and pivoting the latch downward to the locked position causes the sealing element to be biased against the inner wall of the container body, thereby establishing a seal between the container body and the lid. When the latch is pivoted upward to the unlocked position, the sealing element is released.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the sealing element can be configured as an O-ring seal having at least one vent in communication with the internal volume of the container body. The vent is positioned so as to establish a ventilation path with the latch, the top edge of the container body and the lid before the lid moves to the closed configuration, and the vent is closed or remains closed when the lid is in the closed configuration. Preferably, the vent can be configured to include an umbrella-shaped base extending through the thickness of the sealing element, and a handle extending from the base. When the lid is in the closed configuration, the vent is biased toward the lid until the top portion of the handle is pressed against the lid and is completely surrounded by the lid, so that the internal volume of the container body is airtightly closed. The vent deviates from the lid and is thereby opened when the O-ring seal is released.

[0020] A second aspect of the present invention provides a sealing element in the form of an O-ring seal having at least one vent opening communicating with the interior volume of a vented container for ventilation. The vent opening can be configured to include an umbrella-shaped base extending through the thickness of the O-ring seal and a handle extending from the base.

[0021] Other objects, features, technical effects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage container constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the container is in an airtightly closed state.

[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a storage container is shown.

[0024] Figure 3 Yes, along Figure 1 Cross-section of the storage container taken along the midline AA.

[0025] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the bottom of the cover is shown, with an enlarged view of part B.

[0026] Figure 5 It is a front elevation view of the lid.

[0027] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B They are respectively three-dimensional views of a latch constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention at different viewing angles.

[0028] Fig. 7A and 7B1 and 2 are perspective top and bottom views, respectively, of an exemplary O-ring seal useful in a storage container of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 8 It is along Fig. 7A A perspective view of a cross section of an O-ring seal taken along the center line BB.

[0030] 9A to 9C is a schematic diagram of a cross section of a storage container showing the movement of the storage container from a fully closed state to a fully open state.

[0031] For purposes of clarity, like reference numerals have been used throughout the figures of the drawings to designate like parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] While the invention has been illustrated and described in terms of preferred embodiments, the storage containers and sealing elements of the present invention can be produced in a variety of different configurations, sizes, forms and materials.

[0033] Now referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 9C A storage container 1 constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the storage container 1 comprises a container body 12 and a cover 14 placed on the container body 12 to close or open the container body 12. The container body 12 and the cover 14 basically have a shape similar to a cube or a rectangular cylinder as shown in the figure. The container body 12 and the cover 14 of the present invention can also be other shapes and structures such as spherical or circular, and will also fall within the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to a specific container body and a specific peripheral shape or a specific overall profile of the cover.

[0034] Figures 1 to 3 The structural details of the container body 12 are shown. The container body 12 has a bottom 121, a continuous side wall 122 extending upward from the bottom, an internal volume enclosed by the side wall 122, an open top with a top edge 123, and a flange 124 extending along a generally lateral direction relative to the side wall 122 adjacent to the open top. In this embodiment, the side wall 122 and the bottom 121 are substantially rectangular. The lid 14 can be moved between a closed configuration and an open configuration relative to the open top of the container body 12, in which the lid 14 is detachably coupled to the container body 12 and covers the open top to close the container body 12, and in the open configuration, at least a portion of the lid 14 is lifted from the open top to provide access to the internal volume through the open top.

[0035] Refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5, a lid 14 suitable for being placed on a container 12 is shown. The lid 14 has two opposing pivoting sides 141, 142. The lid 14 further comprises a plate-like portion 143, an upper lip 144 extending downwardly along the periphery of the plate-like portion 143 from the bottom side of the plate-like portion 143, and a lower lip 145 extending substantially parallel to the upper lip 144. The lid 14 further comprises two positioning elements 146 extending laterally from the lower lip 145 on the opposite sides of the plate-like portion 143 perpendicular to the pivoting sides 141, 142. As shown, the two positioning elements 146 extend from the midpoint of the lower lip 145 and facilitate positioning the lid in place when it is necessary to couple the lid to the container body 12. A cutout 1451 is formed at each corner of the lower lip 145 and is open in the lower lip 145.

[0036] There is an outwardly facing groove between the upper lip 144 and the lower lip 145 to define an annular groove 147 for receiving the sealing element 16. When the lid 14 is in the closed configuration, the sealing element 16 received in the annular groove 147 is biased against the inner wall of the container body 12 to establish a seal between the lid 14 and the container body 12. The sealing element 16 located between the lid 14 and the container body 12 helps to preserve items such as food stored in the container body 12. When the lid 14 is in the open configuration, the sealing element 16 in the annular groove 147 is released to return to its original loosened and uncompressed state, in which the lid 14 is easily removed from the container body 12 to access the items stored in the container.

[0037] Refer to Figure 4 The cover 14 further includes a hollow portion 148 on each pivot side 141, 142. Two lugs 149 are formed at intervals on two opposite sides of the hollow portion 148. Each lug 149 includes a groove therein. The groove includes a first groove portion 1491 and a second groove portion 1492.

[0038] Fig. 6A and 6BA latch 18 is shown pivotally mounted on the pivoting side 141, 412 of the lid 14 and capable of switching between a locked position that locks the lid 14 in a closed configuration and an unlocked position that allows the lid to be released to an open configuration. The latch 18 may be separate from the lid 14 or may be formed as an integral structure with the lid 14. The latch 18 includes a latch portion configured to include an upper latch tongue 181, a lower latch tongue 182, and a side latch tongue 183 connecting the upper and lower latch tongues 181, 182 to define a channel 184, the size of which is set and configured to releasably receive and retain the flange 124 of the container body 12. The latch 18 further includes an actuator portion by which the latch 18 is actuated to pivot between the locked position and the unlocked position. The actuator portion in this embodiment is configured as an operating tab 185 which projects downwardly from the lower latch tongue 18 at an end of the lower latch tongue remote from the side latch tongue 183 .

[0039] Two pivot pins 186 extending outward are formed at two opposite ends of the passage 184. The two pivot pins 186 are pivotally received in the corresponding first slot portions 1491 of the lugs 149 of the cover 14, allowing the operating tab 185 to be pivoted upward and inward. The pivoting movement of the operating tab 185 actuates the latch 18 to pivot relative to the cover 14 via the pivot pins 186. A protrusion 187 protrudes from the pivot pins 186 on the same side of the passage 184 opening to limit the lateral displacement of the latch 18 between the two pivot pins 186, and thereby limit the lateral displacement of the cover 14 during the process of coupling the cover 14 to the container body 12.

[0040] The upper latch tongue 181 is sized and shaped to correspond to the hollowed-out portion 148 of the lid 14, so that the upper latch tongue 181 is complementary to the lid 14 in the following manner: the upper latch tongue 181 forms a complete rectangular lid together with the lid 14, and when the latch 18 is in the locked position, the upper latch tongue 181 is flush with the lid 14. The upper latch tongue 181 has a leading edge portion 1811, which contacts the top edge 123 of the container body during the operation of opening the lid 14. The leading edge portion 1811 serves as a fulcrum, and the latch portion pivots upward and downward about the fulcrum to lift and lower the lid 14, respectively, thereby driving the lid 14 to be lifted or lowered between the closed and open configurations. As shown in Figures 9A to 9CAs best seen in the figure, when the latch 18 is in the locked position, the upper latch tongue 181 is actuated by the operating tab 185 to pivot about the fulcrum of the front edge portion 1811 to be substantially parallel to and rest on the top edge 123 of the container body 12, and when the latch 18 is pivoted to the unlocked position, the upper latch tongue 181 is tilted together with the front edge portion 1811 at an acute angle relative to the top edge 123, while still remaining to act on the top edge 123. This will be discussed below. The upper latch tongue 181 further has a step 1812 that is configured to be opposite to and abut against the chamfered edge 1431 of the plate-like portion 143 of the cover 14. The upper latch tongue 181 abuts against the cover 14 to prevent excessive pivoting of the latch 18, and also to restrict the latch 18 from being tightly mated with the cover 14 during the process of pivoting the latch 18 to the locked position that locks the cover 14 in the closed configuration.

[0041] Two spaced apart engagement blocks 188 are provided on the lower latch tongue 182 in the channel 184. The engagement blocks 188 can be removably engaged with catches 125 protruding generally downward from the bottom side of the flange 124 to secure the latch in the locked position, such as Figure 3 shown.

[0042] Fig. 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 8 The sealing element 16 received in the annular groove 147 of the cover is shown in more detail, which is provided as an O-ring seal in this embodiment. As shown, the O-ring seal has two vents 161 that communicate with the interior volume of the container body 12 and protrude from both sides of the O-ring seal corresponding to the two pivoting sides 141, 142 of the cover 14, where the latch 18 is located. The vents 161 are positioned to be opened before the cover 14 is moved to the closed configuration (see Fig. 9B and 9C ), together with the latch 18, the top edge 123 of the container body 12 and the lid 14, establish a ventilation path, and when the lid is in the closed configuration (see Fig.9A ), the vent 161 is closed or remains closed. In this embodiment, the vent 161 is configured to include an umbrella-shaped base 162 extending through the thickness of the O-ring seal and a handle 163 extending upward from the base 162. Pivoting the latch 18 downward to the locked position causes the O-ring seal to be biased, and when the lid 14 is in the closed configuration, the vent 161 is thereby biased toward the lid 14 until the top portion of the handle 163 is pressed against the lid 14 and is completely surrounded by the lid 14, thereby forming an airtight and watertight seal ( Fig.9A ); and pivoting the latch 18 upward causes the release of the O-ring seal to its unsealed state and thereby allows the vent 161 to move away from the cover 14. The vent path is restored for ventilation ( Fig. 9B and 9C ).

[0043] The O-ring seal further has four protrusions 164 arranged on the bottom side of the O-ring seal at the four corners of the O-ring seal. The protrusions 164 are shaped and positioned to engage with the cutouts 1451 formed in the lower lip 145 of the cover to better secure the O-ring seal in the cover 14.

[0044] Figures 9A to 9C 1 is a schematic diagram of a storage container 100, showing the movement of the storage container 100 from a fully closed state to a fully open state. As shown, when the angle of the upper latch tongue 181 of the latch 18 relative to the top edge 123 of the container body 12 is set to 0 degrees (i.e., parallel) ( Fig.9A ), as the O-ring seal is compressed to bias the inner wall of the container body 12 near the open top, such as Fig.9A As shown, the lid 14 seals the container body 12. In this position, the handle 163 of the vent 161 is tightly pressed against the upper lip 144 and deformed so that the top end portion of the handle 163 is completely surrounded by the upper lip 144 of the lid 14, creating a hermetically sealed chamber for the interior volume of the container body 12. At the same time, the step 1812 of the upper latch tongue 181 engages with the chamfered edge 1431 of the lid 14 in a manner that the upper latch tongue 181 is flush with the lid 14.

[0045] When the operating tab 185 is pivoted outwardly and upwardly relative to the container body 12 about the pivot pin 186 mounted on the cover 14 (for example, manually), the lower latch tongue 182 is caused to pivot outwardly and upwardly, which in turn forces the engagement block 188 formed thereon to disengage from the catch 125 of the container body 12, so that the flange 124 begins to disengage from the channel 184. It also causes the upper latch tongue 181 to pivot upwardly about the fulcrum of the front edge portion 1811 to form a small tilt angle ( 181.1 ) relative to the top edge 123 of the container body 12. Figure 3 B). The leading edge 1811 is always supported on the top edge 123 of the container body 12, and thus exerts pressure on the top edge 123 during the entire process of the upper latch tongue 181 pivoting upward. At the same time, the lid 14 begins to lift up, and the chamfered edge 1431 of the lid 14 lifts away from the step 1812 of the upper latch tongue 181, resulting in the lid 14 being disengaged from the upper latch tongue 181 ( Fig. 9B). With the lifting movement of the cover 14, the O-ring seal gradually becomes loose, and the vent 161 arranged on the O-ring seal is not affected by the cover 14, and is thus reopened for communicating with the outside of the container 1 through the ventilation path defined by the latch 18, the top edge 123 of the container body 12 and the cover 14. Therefore, air or steam in the internal volume of the container body 12 is allowed to ventilate through the ventilation path.

[0046] As the operating tab 185 continues to pivot outwardly and upwardly relative to the container body 12, the flange 124 is completely released from the channel 184, and the cover 14 is driven to continue to be further lifted away from the container body 12 to form a relatively large tilt angle relative to the top edge 123 of the container body 12 under the action of the leading edge 1811 of the upper latch tongue 181 on the top edge 123, releasing the O-ring seal to its uncompressed state ( Fig. 9C ). In the uncompressed state, the O-ring seal is kept at a distance from the inner wall of the container body 12 with a small gap, and a ventilation path is kept active to balance the pressure inside and outside the container, thereby allowing the cover 14 to be removed from the container 1 with little force. With such a structural design of the latch 18, it becomes easier to open the storage container 1 without applying force to the compressed O-ring seal, so only a small force is required from the user.

[0047] To close and seal the container body 12 with the lid 14, it is only necessary to place the lid 14 on the open top of the container body 12 and then pivot the operating tab 185 downward until the flange 124 of the container body 12 is inserted into the channel 184 of the latch 18 and the engagement block 188 of the lower latch tongue 182 engages with the catch 125 of the flange 124. In this position, the upper latch tongue 181 rests on the top edge 123 of the container body 12 and the step 1812 of the upper latch tongue 181 abuts in a flush manner on the chamfered edge 1431 of the lid 14. Because the chamfered edge 1431 is forced against the step 1812, the upper latch tongue 181 will pivot to rest tightly on the top edge 123 of the container body 12 and prevent the upper latch tongue 181 from further pivoting upward from its resting position during the operation of closing the container body 12.

[0048] Due to the design that the chamfered edge 1431 of the cover 14 can operatively cooperate with the step 1812 of the upper latch tongue 181, and further considering the pivotal installation of the latch 18 on the cover 14, the storage container 1 allows the cover 14 to be locked on the container body 12 simply by pressing the cover 14 downward. Fig. 9B and 9CAs shown, pressing the cover 14 downward causes the latch 18 to pivot downward, with the operating tab 185 moving closer to the container body, and the interaction between the chamfered edge 1431 and the step 1812 of the upper latch tongue 181 causes the cover 14 to be flush with the upper latch tongue 181, which in turn causes the flange 124 to be inserted into the channel 184. Thus, the cover 14 is locked in place by the latch 18.

[0049] The illustrated embodiment shows that the lid 14 and the container body 12 have a particular size and shape. However, it should be understood that the lid 14 and the container body 12 can have any suitable size and / or shape to accommodate different storage items.

[0050] Thus, the present invention provides a container comprising a container body and a lid that can be sealed with at least one latch as discussed above. The lid can be lifted or lowered to release or press the sealing element against the container body by the latch acting on the top edge of the container body, thus allowing the user to easily open and airtightly close the container, making the operation simple and effortless.

[0051] Although the present invention is described according to the most practical and preferred embodiments currently considered, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and the present invention is intended to include various modifications and equivalent structures that fall within the spirit and scope of the claims. The present invention can be modified and changed without departing from the novelty of the present invention defined by the claims, and the application is limited only by the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A storage container, comprising: a container body having a bottom, a sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom, an interior volume enclosed by the sidewall, and an open top having a top edge; a lid placed over the open top of the container body and including a plate-like portion, wherein the lid is movable relative to the open top of the container body between a closed configuration in which the lid covers the open top to close the container body and an open configuration in which at least a portion of the lid is moved away from the open top to provide access through the open top into the interior volume; at least one latch that is transitionable between a locked position that locks the lid in the closed configuration and an unlocked position that allows the lid to be released into the open configuration, It is characterized in that The latch includes an actuator portion and a latch portion, by which the latch can be pivoted between the locked and unlocked positions, the latch portion having a fulcrum operably supported on the top edge of the container body during the pivoting movement of the latch, and the latch portion pivots upward and downward about the fulcrum to lift and lower the lid so that the lid can be moved between the closed and open configurations.

2. The storage container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The latch is pivotally mounted on a pivot side of the lid, and the latch portion is configured to include an upper latch tongue, a lower latch tongue, and a side latch tongue connecting the upper and lower latch tongues to define a channel, the channel being sized and configured to releasably receive and retain a flange extending generally lateral to the side wall relative to the container body.

3. The storage container according to claim 2, characterized in that: The actuator portion is configured as an operating tab that protrudes downward from the lower latch tongue at an end of the lower latch tongue remote from the side latch tongue.

4. The storage container according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The cover includes a cutout portion configured to receive the upper latch tongue when the latch is in the locked position.

5. The storage container according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: One or more engagement blocks are provided on the lower latch tongue to removably engage a catch protruding downwardly generally from the bottom side of the flange to secure the latch in the locked position.

6. The storage container according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The upper latch tongue has a front portion serving as the fulcrum about which the latch portion pivots upward and downward.

7. The storage container according to claim 6, characterized in that: The upper latch tongue is actuated by the actuator portion to pivot about the leading edge portion to be substantially parallel to and rest on the top edge of the container body when the latch is in the locked position, and to be inclined together with the leading edge portion resting on the top edge of the container body when the latch is in the unlocked position.

8. The storage container according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The front portion has a step configured to be opposite to and adjacent to a chamfered edge of the plate-shaped portion of the cover.

9. The storage container according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that: A pivot pin is formed outwardly at each of the opposite ends of the channel of the latch; and two lugs are formed on the pivot side of the cover in a spaced-apart manner, each of the lugs having a lug slot in which the pivot pin is pivotally received to allow pivotal movement of the latch relative to the cover.

10. The storage container according to claim 9, characterized in that: A protrusion is arranged on the pivot pin to limit lateral displacement of the latch between the two pivot pins.

11. The storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The storage container includes a pair of latches pivotally attached to opposite sides of the lid.

12. The storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The storage container further includes a sealing element arranged in the annular groove of the lid, and wherein, pivoting the latch downward to the locked position causes the sealing element to be biased against the inner wall of the container body, thereby establishing a seal between the container body and the lid, and when the latch is pivoted upward to the unlocked position, the sealing element is released.

13. The storage container according to claim 12, characterized in that: The sealing element is configured as an O-ring seal having at least one vent communicating with the interior volume of the container body, and the vent is positioned to establish a vent path with the latch and the top edge of the container body before the lid is moved to the closed configuration, and the vent is closed or remains closed when the lid is in the closed configuration.

14. The storage container according to claim 13, characterized in that: The vent is configured to include an umbrella-shaped base extending through the thickness of the O-ring seal and a handle extending from the base, wherein, when the lid is in the closed configuration, the vent is biased toward the lid until a top portion of the handle is pressed against the lid and fully surrounded by the lid, such that the interior volume of the container body is hermetically closed.

15. A sealing element, characterized in that: There is at least one vent in communication with the interior volume of the container for ventilation, and the vent is configured to include an umbrella-shaped base extending through the thickness of the sealing element, and a handle extending from the base.

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