Molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield - Patents.com

Abstract

To provide a container made of an elastomer such as silicone, with an integrated leak-tight seal and pressure shield.SOLUTION: A seal incorporates a press-fit element. The seal is integrated into a container and requires no external clip or fastener. A pressure shield increases a leak-tight by at least 300% and is formed by applying a material not to an engagement part of the seal, but to an inside of the container, and functions by divert pressure away from two leak-tight seal parts. In order to facilitate opening, an additional feature is provided, such as an elongated flap for opening by pulling on both sides and an asymmetric cavity for the press-fit element to reduce an initial opening force. The container may include a hole and may be asymmetrically shaped, for example trapezoidal, to provide a wide opening with a strong seal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 945,703, filed July 31, 2020, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 783,318, filed February 6, 2020, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. [Technical field]

[0002] One or more embodiments relate to the field of storage and transport bags and containers and seals for these bags and containers. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments enable a molded elastomeric bag with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield. The embodiments may be used for storage, transport and preparation of food, including liquids, and other applications. The embodiments may be durable and reusable. Because the embodiments of the present invention incorporate a leak-proof seal, the container-integrated features and the pressure shield improve the seal and container leak-proofness by at least 300% in some embodiments and at least 400% in other embodiments, providing enhanced sealing when the contents of the bag apply pressure to the seal, for example when the bag is crushed or compressed or dropped, compared to a container having a leak-proof seal without a pressure shield. This significant improvement is unexpected because the pressure shield represents only a small percentage of the weight of the entire container and the pressure shield element is not part of the interlocking leak-proof sealing element. One or more embodiments of the container include exterior holes, also known as connection holes, that allow the embodiment to be coupled to another object, for example through the use of a carabiner or another device. [Background technology]

[0003] Sealable bags and containers are well known in the art. For example, Ziploc® plastic bags have a zipper-like sealing mechanism integrated into the opening of the bag. More recent innovations have modified sealable bags to be more durable and more suitable for reuse, some of which are based on silicone materials. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,399,433 to Munguia and U.S. Patent No. 5,399,433 to LeBoeuf both teach silicone food storage bags with seals.

[0004] LeBoeuf discloses a seal having tracks and grooves, but specifically notes that additional mechanical fasteners may be required as an additional method of closure. Thus, the integral closure portion of the container disclosed by LeBoeuf is not intended to be leakproof without the use of external fasteners.

[0005] A limitation of existing sealable bags is that the integrated seal design provides a relatively weak sealing force based on the elastic nature of elastomers. Plastic bags provide a weak sealing force for a variety of reasons, primarily because the seal is so small that the rigid plastic material used for the seal is formed into an overhang that is approximately 10 times thinner than a human fingernail, i.e., 0.1 mm. For example, Ziploc® bags are closable but do not have high leak resistance. This lack of leak resistance is due to the relatively small seal area and simple track and groove geometry of the Ziploc® seal. To make the overhang leak-proof for storage and to withstand internal forces that open the seal from inside the container when the container is crushed or dropped, the stiffness of the seal must be outside the range of the hardness scale known as the Shore A scale and well into the Shore D scale, i.e., within the range of 45 to 85 Shore D, typically in the range of 45 to 60 Shore D, and usually above 50 Shore D, when the seal is reduced. Furthermore, extrusion imperfections in making this rigid seal result in slight variations in seal thickness, further reducing the yield of containers with acceptable leak resistance. Attempts to make the seal stronger require the use of sliders to open and close the bag so that children, the elderly, or infirm can do so. The sliders usually provide openings at the ends of the slider that allow leakage. In these devices, extra structure must be used to form a seal around the portion of the slider that maintains the separation in the seal, i.e., to seal the slider portion itself against leakage. The slider also poses a choking hazard to children when removed.

[0006] This difficulty in providing an integral leak-proof seal was taught in 1946 by Koeppel in U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,363. Koeppel states, "Closures for containers of this kind have been made in a variety of ways, but when the opening in the bag or container is made large enough to accommodate ice cubes or relatively large blocks of ice, it is difficult to effectively seal the opening. Efforts have been made to overcome this difficulty by providing the container with a thickened section near the mouth of the opening having complementary zigzag or tongue or groove surfaces to form a seal. However, even such structures are not effective in preventing leakage unless pressed together with significant force." Koeppel subsequently teaches a design that uses an external mechanical clip attached to the bag to provide the necessary sealing force. In this sense, Koeppel arrives at the same solution as LeBoeuf, which is the use of an external fastener.

[0007] Other attempts to make silicone containers with leak-proof seals have failed, including US Patent No. 5,333,636, also published as US Patent No. 5,333,636 to Nouri, one of the present inventors, which includes a seal that is prone to leaking at both ends when constructed without a "fastening mechanism" attached to both ends of the seal.

[0008] Silverman, US Pat. No. 5,399,633 teaches an inside-out molded rubber container, i.e., a tobacco pouch. It eliminates the step of bonding a seal to the container, simplifying the mold since the container can be inverted after molding. However, Silverman's seal is tapered at the ends, which results in a complete lack of sealing force at the ends when inverted for use, because the tapered seal does not allow contact between the ridge and recess at the seal ends, i.e., there is no seal at the ends. Thus, Silverman's design requires external structures, such as rivets, leather coverings, and separate zippers, to maintain the seal. Silverman also requires extra manufacturing steps, such as riveting the seal ends, and is not leak-tight unless external structures, such as rivets, are used.

[0009] The use of external clips or mechanical fasteners can provide a seal, but are less convenient for the user and require additional manufacturing cost and complexity.

[0010] Svec's US Pat. No. 5,999,333 is directed to a flat plastic bag with an airtight moisture-resistant seal as taught in column 1, lines 15-18. Svec also teaches only one embodiment intended to be used to keep liquids in. This liquid-keeping embodiment is shown in FIG. 7 of Svec, and is the only embodiment intended to keep liquids (but not moisture) inside when internal pressure breaks the seal, e.g., when external pressure is applied to the container, i.e., when it is crushed or dropped. Svec continues in column 7, lines 15-31, teaching the extra critical structure required to keep liquids in, i.e., to keep liquids inside the container from leaking out. As shown in annotated FIG. 15A, the orange and red portions of the seal 1510 as shown, i.e., 1511 and 1512, are required to keep pressure applied to the seal to provide liquid leak resistance. The amount of material required by Svec is approximately twice that of the pressure shield embodiment detailed herein with respect to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Another disadvantage of Svec is that the location within the interior volume of the container where pressure must be maintained to maintain the seal and prevent leakage is an area where food and / or liquids are trapped that is difficult to clean and can be a trap for bacteria. The green annotations by Svec (annotated as 13 and 14 in the '753 patent), our prior art, and the present embodiment (annotated as 101 and 102) are in any case the portion of the container below the seal. Blue represents liquid, i.e., 1500 in the three figures of Figures 15A, 15B, and 15C.

[0011] FIG. 15B is disclosed in the applicant's own prior art, i.e., U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,366, which does not anticipate the portions 1501, 1502 shown in FIG. 15C, which increase leak tightness by at least 400% with an excess total material usage of about 5% in some embodiments of the present invention depending on the size. The pressure shield, i.e., material between the seal and the inside of the container, again produces the unexpected result of at least 300% increase in leak tightness in some embodiments and 400% increase in other embodiments by adding a very small amount of excess material in the form of a pressure shield, as described with respect to FIGS. 19A-19B. Note that this pressure shield was not anticipated by the inventors in U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,366. In FIG. 19A, the left image shows a 4 inch (10.16 cm) drop height, and the right image shows the resulting seal failure and leak, i.e., for the prior art embodiment shown in FIG. 15B. The embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 15C provides at least a four-fold increase in drop height without leakage when dropped from at least 16 inches (40.64 cm) as shown in the image in Figure 19B, for example, over time toward the right in Figure 19A-19B, which is not possible with the prior art embodiment shown in Figure 15B.

[0012] Therefore, based on the limitations of the prior art, there is a need for an elastomeric container with an integrated leak-tight seal and pressure shield that does not require additional elements as discussed above to increase sealing force, provides a significantly higher level of leak-tightness with minimal excess material, and is easy to clean and reusable. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0105352 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0110335 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent No. 2,500,363 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2014 / 163712 [Patent Document 5] US Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0270579 [Patent Document 6] U.S. Patent No. 2,674,289 [Patent Document 7] U.S. Patent No. 2,780,261 [Patent Document 8] U.S. Pat. No. 9,371,153 Summary of the Invention

[0014] The present invention provides for molded elastomeric containers with integrated leak-proof seals and pressure shields. Such containers may be used, for example, to store and transport liquids or solids or both, including foodstuffs. The present invention may be in a variety of shapes and sizes, including, but not limited to, rectangular, square, circular, trapezoidal, cylindrical, oval, polygonal, cubic, or any shape convenient for the intended use of the container. The present invention uses elastomers among its materials to provide properties such as flexibility, heat resistance, microbial resistance, and ease of manufacture. Other materials may be used for molding, reinforcement, decoration, or any other purpose. Some embodiments may use silicone as one of the elastomers in the container. Silicone offers a number of potential advantages, including non-toxicity, anti-sticking, ability to be heated, such as in an oven, frozen, such as in a freezer, and ability to be molded into various shapes in the manufacturing process. One or more embodiments of the container have exterior holes, also known as connection holes, that allow the embodiment to be coupled to another object, for example, through the use of a carabiner or another device.

[0015] An embodiment of the present invention may include two closure members, referred to as an upper closure and a lower closure. The upper closure and the lower closure may be joined along a portion of their edges to form a container having an opening. The edge closest to the opening is referred to herein as the front edge. The edge opposite the front side is referred to as the back edge. The edges extending between the back side and the front side are referred to as the left edge and the right edge. The joints between the closure members may be made of an elastomer or may be made of another material. Any joining technique may be used to form the closure, such as molding, gluing, taping, sewing, stapling, welding, or any other technique. The closure may partially enclose an interior volume designed to store or transport materials inside the container. In some embodiments, the container may be sufficiently rigid such that an interior volume exists even when the container is empty. In another embodiment, the container may be designed to be collapsible when empty, such that no internal volume exists unless an item is inside the container.

[0016] The embodiments may have one or more edges of the closure fully or partially open for the insertion and removal of materials. Adjacent or proximate to these open edges, the embodiments may include a seal designed to close a portion of the inside of the container that is used to open and close the container. In some embodiments, the seal includes two elements, called press-fit elements, designed to be pressed together and sealed upon closure. The press-fit elements are referred to herein as an upper press-fit element and a lower press-fit element. Both press-fit elements may be located anywhere on the container where it is necessary or advantageous to provide a seal. These press-fit elements may have complementary contours that meet at a common interface when the elements are pressed together. Various embodiments of the present invention are designed for the press-fit elements to contribute to the strength of the seal. In some embodiments, the seal is designed for leak resistance. For example, some embodiments provide a seal that can keep 1-2 cups of water inside the container without leaking, even when the container is inverted and the seal is facing down.

[0017] In one or more embodiments of the invention, the leak-proof seal includes a first seal portion and a second seal portion that join together along a boundary to seal the container and separate from each other along a boundary to open the container.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the leaktightness of the seal is enhanced by using sufficient material thickness for the press-fit elements. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the first and second seal portions is at most at least 1 mm, or at least 2 mm, or at least 3 mm, or more than 3 mm, as opposed to the average thickness. A thicker material for the press-fit elements can increase the sealing force of the seal. In some embodiments, the average material thickness of both the upper and lower press-fit elements, as measured across the common boundary between the press-fit elements, is at least 0.25 cm, in other embodiments, any value up to 0.5 cm, in other embodiments, any value between 0.5 cm and 0.75 cm, and in other embodiments, 1.0 cm. In particular, the width of the seal is defined by calculating the average thickness across the seal, i.e., from the first contact point to the last contact point in the seal, which may include one or more gaps. The areas of each portion of the male and female press-fit elements are added together by placing a grid across the cross section of the seal and counting the number of squares between the seal contact start point and the seal contact end point. Dividing the area by the width gives the average thickness of the seal. Alternative embodiments may use even thicker material for a larger seal. Some embodiments do not rely on material thickness as the primary factor for seal strength, but instead or additionally use the shape of the press-fit elements to create increased leak tightness.

[0019] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the front edge of the closure may be longer than the rear edge. For example, the container may be generally trapezoidal in shape with the front edge longer than the rear edge. Such an embodiment may provide the advantage of a larger opening area for inserting and removing material. This advantage may be particularly beneficial when the press-fit element of the seal uses a thicker material because the opening can be pinched together at the left and right edges.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the upper and lower press-fit elements have one or more male or female elements that mate with each other to form part of the seal. Different embodiments may use any convenient shape, size, and number of these male and female elements. In some embodiments, the upper and / or lower press-fit elements may have a vertical protrusion that extends upward or downward into a corresponding cavity in the other press-fit element. In some embodiments, one or more of the vertical protrusions may have one or more horizontal overhangs that extend horizontally from the vertical protrusion. These overhangs may be implemented to properly lock into corresponding recesses in the opposing press-fit element. Some embodiments use at least two horizontal overhangs attached to one vertical protrusion and spaced apart vertically at different heights to provide additional sealing force. Other embodiments may use only one horizontal overhang or no horizontal overhang at all. The shape and size of the vertical protrusion and, if present, the horizontal overhang may vary across embodiments. For example, the horizontal overhang may be triangular, circular, oval, square, rectangular, or any other shape that extends horizontally from the vertical protrusion. In some embodiments, the height of the vertical protrusion may be at least 0.2 cm, such as 80% of the total thickness of the upper press-fit element and the lower press-fit element, or any other percentage, and in other embodiments, any value between 0.4 cm and 0.6 cm, and in other embodiments, 0.8 cm. In some embodiments, the width of the horizontal overhang may be at least 0.1 cm, or any other width greater than 0.1 cm, such as 0.2 cm or greater.

[0021] To achieve a leak-tight seal, one or more embodiments of the present invention may incorporate press-fit elements of substantial size and material thickness. A potential challenge with such designs is that the sealing elements may extend a significant distance away from the upper and lower closures. To mitigate this effect, one or more embodiments of the present invention may offset the upper and lower press-fit elements relative to one another so that the upper and lower press-fit elements are more centered along the horizontal plane of the container. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the upper and / or lower press-fit elements may have cavities and protrusions, both of which extend above and below a central horizontal plane between the upper and lower closures. For example, the lower press-fit element may have a cavity below the central horizontal plane and a vertical protrusion that extends above the central horizontal plane. Thus, one or more embodiments allow for a container with a leak-proof seal with sealing elements that are better aligned or centered at the lateral center, i.e., better aligned at the edge of the container closure. Additionally, some embodiments with rounded sides, whether joined together or molded together, still have edges, but they are defined by the outermost points of the various sides of the container, although not obviously. Additionally, a thicker seal provides a tactile area that holds the container while minimizing the chance of the container being dropped. Thus, the seal, in one or more embodiments, is configured as a handle for holding the container, based on the seal's static friction coefficient and shape to keep the desired contents safe, if the seal is thick enough.

[0022] In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the first seal portion and the second seal portion include at least one corresponding protrusion or recess. The protrusion or recess includes a geometric shape that is wider than another portion of the at least one corresponding protrusion or recess. The seal may include a gap. This gap means that the shapes of the corresponding, i.e., mating, protrusions and recesses may be different from each other, whether or not they completely contact over the entire boundary. The contact path "across" the cross section starting from the inside of the container at the first contact point of the seal to the last contact point of the seal at the furthest point outside the container defines the boundary of the seal as defined below.

[0023] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, using a leak-tight seal includes using a protrusion or depression having a height of at least 2 mm and using a geometric shape having a width at least 1 mm thicker than the protrusion or depression.

[0024] In accordance with at least one embodiment, using a leak-tight seal includes using a protrusion or depression having a height of at least 2 mm and using a geometric shape having a width at least 2 mm thicker than the protrusion or depression.

[0025] According to one or more embodiments, using the leak-tight seal includes using two or more of at least one corresponding protrusion and at least one corresponding recess on the leak-tight seal.

[0026] At least one embodiment of the invention includes forming a container having a width near a leak-tight seal that is greater than a width on an opposite side of the container away from the leak-tight seal. In one or more embodiments, the leak-tight seal includes a first side and a second side that engage with one another. In at least one embodiment, the first side includes a different average thickness than the second side. In one or more embodiments, the first side is fabricated from a different material than the second side. In at least one embodiment, the first side includes a different hardness value than the second side.

[0027] According to one or more embodiments, the leak-tight seal is made from a different material than the remainder of the container that does not include the leak-tight seal. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the leak-tight seal includes a different hardness value than the remainder of the container that does not include the leak-tight seal.

[0028] One or more embodiments of the invention include forming an elastomer into a container having a hardness of 70 to 80 on the Shore A durometer scale. At least one embodiment of the invention includes forming an elastomer into a container having a hardness of 40 to 90 or at least up to 100 on the Shore A durometer scale.

[0029] In one or more embodiments of the invention, forming the container includes forming a leak-tight seal on opposing edges of the container, the opposing edges being at least as thick as the leak-tight seal between the opposing edges. According to at least one embodiment, forming the elastomer into the container includes transfer molding, plastic injection molding, liquid injection molding, or compression molding.

[0030] One or more embodiments include using an uncured thermosetting elastomer, and forming the elastomer into the container includes heat curing the container.

[0031] At least one embodiment of the present invention includes forming the container in one molding step without attaching any material to the container after molding. In another embodiment, the multiple members may be formed before joining them together or before inverting the container. One example may be to mold each of the upper and lower closures separately, which define a portion of the volume that will become the interior portion of the container, then join both closures together and then invert the container, i.e., position the seal inside the container after inversion. In another embodiment, the two parts may be formed separately. This requires an extra step of bonding the members together, for example via bonding. If the upper and lower closures are molded simultaneously in a mold, both closures are bonded together by the same material in one step. The container still has two members designated as the upper and lower closures, which in this example are simply designations of the sides of the container. Thus, "bonded to" is inclusive of a container fabricated from two separate pieces or two pieces formed simultaneously and bonded inside a mold, i.e., during the molding process. Any other features of the container, such as pleats to facilitate containment and subsequent expansion of a larger item to be held inside the container, or the color of the container or the particular shape of the container, for example, are not critical to the performance of the container.

[0032] In one or more embodiments, bonding the leaktight seal includes adhering, joining or attaching the leaktight seal to the container by co-molding the container and the leaktight seal together, or overmolding the container to the leaktight seal, or overmolding the leaktight seal to the container to bond the leaktight seal.

[0033] At least one embodiment of the invention includes forming the leaktight seal without joining or adhering opposing sides of the seal at opposite ends of the seal, i.e., such that there is a gap between one side of the seal and the other side at the end. When inverted, the two seal portions eliminate the gap to provide a leaktight seal. One or more embodiments of the invention include forming a bottom on the container so that the container can stand upright.

[0034] At least one embodiment of the invention involves forming a container having a thickness of 0.6 mm that increases to 1.8 mm opposite a leak-proof seal at the opposite end of the container.

[0035] One or more embodiments of the invention include forming a container having a thickness of 0.3 to 0.9 mm that increases to 1.2 to 2.4 mm opposite a leak-proof seal at the opposite end of the container.

[0036] In some embodiments of the invention, the upper and lower press-fit elements may extend to a portion of the left edge or a portion of the right edge of the upper and lower closures. In such embodiments, the opening mechanism for the container may incorporate a seal that is wider at the top of the container or that descends on the side of the container, or a similar design along the side that allows the container to open wider than if it were only opened at the front edge. Such embodiments can provide significant convenience by making it easier for a user to insert or remove items into or from the container.

[0037] One or more embodiments of the present invention may provide flaps or tabs extending from the front edges or sides of the upper and lower press-fit elements. Such flaps or tabs may be used to hold the edges of the container to tear the container from its sealed position. These flaps may be of any convenient size or shape and may be located in any convenient location. In some embodiments, for example, the flaps may be generally shaped as an arc with its widest portion in the center of the front edge. In other embodiments, the flaps may consist of simple tabs extending from the center of the front edge or another location. In some embodiments, there may be a lower tab and an upper tab, the lower tab being longer than the upper tab. Other embodiments may reverse this arrangement and have the upper tab longer than the lower tab. In other embodiments, the flaps or tabs may be of equal size. The longer flap or tab may provide a lever arm for the user in tearing the seal, allowing the user to open the seal more easily. This feature can be particularly beneficial for very strong seals designed for leak resistance, since the user must have a mechanism to overcome the sealing force when opening the container. In one or more embodiments, a gap may exist between the upper and lower flaps to make it easier for the user to grasp one or both of the upper and lower flaps for opening.

[0038] In one or more embodiments, the upper press-fit element or the lower press-fit element may incorporate a vertical protrusion. The protrusion is surrounded by two cavities, one in front of the protrusion and one behind the protrusion. In some embodiments, the depth of the two cavities may not be equal. For example, in one or more embodiments, the front cavity may be shallower than the rear cavity. A potential advantage of such an asymmetric shape for the press-fit element is that less force may be required to begin opening the seal from the front edge than the sealing force toward the rear edge. This may facilitate opening by the user while still maintaining a strong seal. Once the user has sealed off the seal at the front cavity, the additional lever arm provided by the opening portion of the press-fit element may be used to continue opening the rear portion of the seal.

[0039] Embodiments of the invention may incorporate various shapes and sizes for the press-fit elements. In some embodiments, the shape of the interface between the upper and lower press-fit elements may contribute significantly to the sealing force. Embodiments may use a tortuous path with multiple direction changes for the interface to improve the seal. Such a tortuous path offers two potential advantages. First, the tortuous path may provide resistance to the movement of the press-fit elements in multiple directions. Second, the tortuous path may extend the distance that liquid must travel to leak through the seal, thereby improving leak tightness. The direction of resistance to movement is quantified by the direction of the normal vector to the interface. In some embodiments, the interface path may provide normal vectors oriented in four different directions, including up, down, forward, and backward. Some embodiments may provide more or fewer normal vectors. The normal vector is perpendicular to the surface, whether flat or curved, at a particular point along a plane or curve. In some embodiments, the normal vector to the interface may be oriented in approximately these four directions, but may be oriented in any of the four quadrants of a vertical plane perpendicular to the front-to-rear axis of the container. With normal vectors in all quadrants, the press-fit element provides a sealing force in all directions. In another embodiment, the serpentine path of the interface may change direction multiple times to provide multiple normal vectors in multiple or all directions in different segments of the interface path. For example, in one or more embodiments, there may be at least three different segments of the interface path with normal vectors in each of the four directions or quadrants. Such a path further increases the sealing force.

[0040] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the boundary defines a contact path between the first and second seal portions that is at least twice the horizontal distance between the beginning of the path and the end of the path. In one or more embodiments, the path is at least 2.5 times the horizontal distance between the beginning of the path and the end of the path, or at least three times, or at least four times, or at least five times the horizontal distance between the beginning of the path and the end of the path. Another metric for measuring the seal may include measuring the path of the boundary for the seal, starting at a point where the seal diverges from the base of the seal or the flat portion of the seal, and following the contact path between each side of the seal to a point that lines up with the original starting point at the flat portion of the seal on the back side. This metric for a tortuous path may obtain a ratio of at least 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more than 10. Additionally, the seal may have gaps in it, which may allow the seal to open more easily. The gaps may be symmetrical or asymmetrical, for example, on each side of any protrusions or cavities. By including a gap on one side of the protrusion, for example, the seal may be more easily opened from the side having the gap.

[0041] In one or more embodiments, the serpentine path of the press-fit boundary is significantly longer than the straight front-to-back horizontal distance across the press-fit element. This longer path improves sealing by lengthening the path for liquid to exit the seal. For example, in some embodiments, the length of the boundary path is at least twice the front-to-back horizontal distance between the beginning and end of the boundary path. Other embodiments may use even longer boundary paths with a larger distance ratio.

[0042] One or more embodiments of the present invention incorporate a pressure shield element either in front of the container with the seal or additionally inside the container with the seal. In one or more embodiments, the leak-tight seal is located close to the exterior surface of the container and separated from the container by a small amount of elastomeric material. In this case, the pressure shield is located inside the container. The pressure shield element significantly improves the ability of the seal to remain closed without leakage when exposed to internal pressure that may arise due to an external force applied to the exterior part of the container, for example, when the container is crushed or dropped. For example, if an elastomeric container is filled with liquid and then dropped or moved quickly, the movement of the liquid may generate significant internal pressure outward against the container wall and the seal, depending on the direction of the force. Sufficient outward pressure will disengage the seal and cause leakage, however, the pressure shield will not tear the leak-tight seal embodiment even when a force is directed at the pressure shield at a pressure significantly higher than an embodiment without a pressure shield. The inventors have discovered the surprising result that by adding a small amount of material to the container in the form of a pressure shield in a specific geometric proportion, for example about 5% for a medium sized container, and in some embodiments less than 2.5%, particularly without adding material to the mating portion of the seal itself, i.e., the male or female portion having the flares and corresponding recesses or cavities, the leaktightness can be increased in some embodiments by at least 300%, and in other embodiments by at least 400%. Whereas the male and female portions of the leaktight seal are the portions of the seal that actually maintain the seal when engaged, the pressure shield does not have to have male and female portions or interlocking elements that maintain the seal, but makes the overall leaktightness of the seal at least 300% more leaktight. This is very surprising because the pressure shield elements do not directly maintain the seal, i.e., they do not lock together by vertically offset flares and corresponding recesses as the press-fit elements of the leaktight seal use to lock together.

[0043] Once again, pressure applied to the pressure shield inside the container is propagated over a significantly larger area instead of tapering towards the press-fit element of the prior art seal. Container embodiments with leak-proof seals combined with pressure shields are in some embodiments at least 300% more leak-proof, and in other embodiments at least 400% more leak-proof against liquid leaking from the interior of our container, for example, relative to the container described in US Pat. No. 5,399,363, which has the same seal portion. This is surprising considering that only a small amount of excess material is used, which is negligible relative to the total amount of material used in the container. Furthermore, the pressure shield does not surround the seal itself as in prior art devices, which form a cavity where liquids, food and bacteria can remain and are difficult to remove or clean. Furthermore, the pressure shield has an area where the internal liquid can apply pressure to the seal, i.e., it uses excessively less excess material than prior art devices where the seal is effectively inside the container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0044] The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication containing a color drawing will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

[0045] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the ideas conveyed throughout this disclosure will become more apparent from the following more particular description, taken in conjunction with the following drawings. [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention with the seal closed. [Diagram 2] For example, an exploded view of the upper and lower closures and upper and lower press-fit elements of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 when formed from one component or before a portion of the upper portion and a portion of the lower portion are attached to one another. [Diagram 3]3 is a side view of the upper and lower closures and upper and lower press-fit elements of FIG. 2; FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a side view of the closure and press-fit element shown in FIG. 3 relative to a central horizontal plane. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a side view of an upper press-fit element and a lower press-fit element of an embodiment of the present invention, for example, with a common boundary indicated by a bold line. [Figure 6] 13A-13C show detailed features of the lower press-fit element of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the front edge is longer than the back edge. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 shows upper and lower press-fit elements of an embodiment of the invention in which the front vertical cavity is shallower than the rear vertical cavity. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 illustrates the press-fit boundary of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8, along with the horizontal normal vector to the boundary. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 illustrates the press-fit boundary of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8, along with the vertical normal vector to the boundary. [Figure 11] FIG. 9 illustrates a press-fit boundary for the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8 along with the path length of the boundary. [Figure 12] 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention with a press-fit element of the seal extending from a front edge of the closure to a portion of the left edge and a portion of the right edge when formed from one component or, for example, prior to attachment of at least a portion of the upper element and at least a portion of the lower element, which also shows upper and lower flaps extending forward from the seal. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a detailed front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 12. [Figure 14]FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment of the invention with a seal press-fit element extending from the front edge of the closure to a portion of the left edge and a portion of the right edge, and upper and lower flaps configured with a vertical gap between them to facilitate gripping the flaps. [Figure 15A] FIG. 1 illustrates a seal used in the prior art to contain a liquid inside a container. [Figure 15B] FIG. 1 illustrates a seal used in the prior art to contain a liquid inside a container. [Figure 15C] FIG. 1 illustrates a seal according to an embodiment of the present invention that has significantly improved leak tightness. [Figure 16A] 15D shows the upper and lower sealing elements and the upper and lower pressure-resistant elements of the seal of FIG. 15C. FIG. [Figure 16B] FIG. 16B shows a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 16A in which the geometry for the pressure-resistant element is modified to include a step. [Figure 16C] FIG. 16B shows a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 16A in which the geometry for the pressure-resistant element is modified to include a ramp. [Figure 16D] FIG. 16B shows a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 16A in which the geometry for the pressure-resistant element is modified to include curved surfaces. [Figure 16E] FIG. 16B shows a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 16A in which the geometry for the pressure-resistant element is modified to include a ramp with teeth. [Figure 16F] FIG. 16B shows a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 16A in which the geometry for the pressure-resistant element is modified to include a non-linear shape. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention with a wedge-shaped pressure-resistant element having a cross-section that is approximately a right triangle. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 illustrates exemplary dimensions for sealing and pressure-resistant elements for an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19A]15C-18.) As time progresses from left to right, the prior art seal fails when dropped from a height of 4 inches (10.16 cm). [Figure 19B] 15C-18 show a comparison of the sealing performance of the prior art seal of FIG. 15B versus the sealing performance of embodiments of the present invention (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 15C-18), respectively. Seal embodiments detailed herein including added pressure resistance elements survive a drop of 16 inches (40.64 cm). [Figure 20] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a container that includes exterior holes, also known as connection holes, that allow the embodiment to be coupled to another object, for example through the use of a carabiner or another device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield will now be described. In the following exemplary description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a fuller understanding of the concepts described throughout this specification. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that embodiments of the concepts described herein may be practiced without including all aspects of the specific details set forth herein. In other instances, certain aspects well known to one of ordinary skill in the art have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the disclosure. Although examples of innovative concepts are set forth throughout this disclosure, the reader is advised that the claims, and the full scope of any equivalents, are intended to define the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in a perspective view with the seal of the container closed. In some embodiments, the material of the container may include an elastomer, such as silicone or another type of rubber or polymer. Various embodiments may include other types of materials. In some embodiments, some portions of the container may be rigid. In other embodiments, these portions may be flexible. Silicone-containing embodiments provide the advantage of heat resistance. Thus, for example, such embodiments may be placed in an oven to heat food contained within the container. Some embodiments may be configured to be reused. Other embodiments may be configured for single use. One or more embodiments of the invention include forming an elastomer having a hardness of 70-80 on the Shore A durometer scale into the container 100 (and all other embodiments detailed herein in addition to the embodiment of FIG. 1). At least one embodiment of the invention includes forming an elastomer having a hardness of 40-90 on the Shore A durometer scale, or a hardness of less than 100 Shore A, into the container.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a container with an upper closure 101 and a lower closure 102. The upper closure 101 has a front edge 110, a rear edge 111, a left edge 112, and a right edge 113. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper and lower closures are adjacent when formed from one element, or are adjacent when joined via seams along the rear, left and right edges in embodiments using multiple components to form the device. The front edges are not permanently joined, but are in contact upon closure and are held closed via a sealing element extending forward from the front edge. The upper and lower closures may be formed or joined using a one-piece molding of both closures, or may be joined via a variety of other methods for joining elastomeric elements together. In some embodiments, it is desirable for the joint between the upper and lower closures to be continuous without gaps so that the container can hold liquid without leakage. Additionally, a thicker seal, such as seal 110, provides a tactile area to hold the container while minimizing the chance of dropping the container. Thus, in one or more embodiments, seal 110 is configured as a handle to hold the container from, for example, the top side (the right side as shown in Figures 1, 12 and 14) based on the static friction coefficient of the material used to construct at least the sealed portion of the container and the geometry of the seal to keep the desired contents safe if the seal is thick enough.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of FIG. 1 with the upper closure 101 and the lower closure 102 shown separately. Thus, the container shown may be formed from two separate pieces or may be formed in a single molding step that effectively forms both pieces simultaneously. FIG. 2 is not intended to suggest that the container is or requires to be formed from two separate pieces that are constructed prior to being joined together. Rather, FIG. 2 is merely an exploded view showing two portions or pieces of a container, whether formed simultaneously and joined together or later joined together. Thus, the embodiment of the invention described as having two pieces is generic to the sense of two separate pieces that are later attached to each other or two pieces that are formed to mate with each other to produce the container 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper closure 101 has edges 110, 111, 112, and 113. Extending forward from the front edge 110 of the upper closure 101 is an upper press-fit element 231. In FIG. 2, the edges of the lower closure 102 can also be seen, namely, the front edge 210, the rear edge 211, the left edge 212 and the right edge 213. In the illustrated embodiment, the edges 210, 211, 212 and 213 of the lower closure are in contact with the edges 110, 111, 112 and 113 of the upper closure, respectively, when the container is closed. In other embodiments, the edges of the upper closure and the edges of the lower closure may not be in full contact even when the container is closed, which allows for other structural flaps or attachment elements with openings or holes, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. A lower press-fit element 232 is attached to the front edge of the lower closure 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the press-fit element extends forward from the front edge of the closure half. In other embodiments, such press-fit elements may be oriented in different directions. For example, in some embodiments, the press-fit elements may extend rearwardly from the front edges of the upper and lower closures, i.e., may be unrolled or may be integrated into at least a portion of the sides. The specific locations of the press-fit elements may vary so long as they are able to fit together to seal the container.In some embodiments, the press-fit elements may extend from the front edges of the upper and lower closures to a portion of the left edge or a portion of the right edge. Again, the upper and lower closures may be joined together during the molding process or separately, and although Figure 2 is an exploded view, it is not intended to indicate a requirement that the two members of a single container be formed separately and then later attached to each other.

[0050] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the upper closure 101 and the lower closure 102 have a curved shape, such that when they are joined together, there is an internal volume enclosed by the container. In some embodiments, the material and shape of the closures may be sufficiently rigid so that there is an internal volume even when the container is empty. In other embodiments, the material and shape may be more flexible so that the upper and lower closures can fold together like a thin plastic bag when the container is empty. An embodiment of the present invention may be formed inside out, as taught in applicant's U.S. Patent No. 10,407,217, issued on September 10, 2019, or its continuation-in-part progeny, U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 566,799, filed on September 10, 2019, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference and may be used to constitute or form any or all of the embodiments detailed herein.

[0051] 3 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but again in exploded form, with the upper closure 101 and the lower closure 102 shown separately, whether they are formed separately and attached to each other, or formed substantially simultaneously in a single molding step. This side view more clearly shows that the upper press-fit element 231 and the lower press-fit element 232 are shaped and oriented to fit together to provide a seal for the container. In this embodiment, the lower press-fit element 232 has a protrusion with a triangular upper portion. The protrusion extends upward and fits into a corresponding recess in the upper press-fit element 231. Alternative embodiments may use different shapes for the upper and lower press-fit elements.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows an annotated view of FIG. 3. A central horizontal plane 401, which in this embodiment extends along the front-to-rear axis, is the plane in which the upper closure body 101 and the lower closure body 102 are joined together. In this embodiment, the edges of the upper closure body 101 lie on the plane 401, as do the edges of the lower closure body 102. In other embodiments, different shapes may be used so that the edges do not all have to lie on a common plane. A portion of the upper press-fit element 231 extends below the plane 401 in this embodiment, and a portion of the lower press-fit element 232 extends above the plane 401 in this embodiment. In other embodiments, one or more press-fit elements may lie completely on one side of the central horizontal plane. 4 also shows that the upper closure 101 has an enclosed volume height 402 above a horizontal plane 401, and the lower closure 102 has an enclosed volume height 403 below the horizontal plane 401. In this embodiment, the upper and lower closures are approximately mirror images of each other across a central horizontal plane. Alternate embodiments may use other shapes, including shapes that are not mirror images or that do not have flat edges on a common horizontal plane. Different embodiments may provide various sizes and shapes for the volume enclosed by the container when closed.

[0053] FIG. 5 shows a detailed side view, or cross-section, of the upper press-fit element 231 and the lower press-fit element 232 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. The press-fit elements meet at a common boundary 501 when closed and sealed. In the embodiment shown, the lower press-fit element has a central vertical protrusion with a groove on each side. The upper press-fit element has a protrusion that has a corresponding recess to receive the protrusion and extends downwardly to fit into the groove of the lower press-fit element. The thickness of the material of the press-fit elements is an important factor that contributes to the strength of the seal. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the thickness varies across the press-fit elements. For example, near the rear edge of the press-fit elements, the lower press-fit element has a thickness 504 and the upper press-fit element has a thickness 502. At the center of the lower protrusion, the lower press-fit element has a thickness 505 and the upper press-fit element has a thickness 503. In one or more embodiments, the average material thickness of the upper and lower press-fit elements across their common boundary 501 is at least 0.25 cm, in other embodiments any value up to 0.5 cm, in other embodiments any value between 0.5 cm and 0.75 cm, and in other embodiments 1.0 cm. Material thicknesses in these ranges or greater can contribute to forming a leak-resistant seal when the closure is closed and sealed. For example, in one embodiment having an average press-fit element thickness of about 0.8 cm, experimentation has shown that the seal is sufficient to contain 1-2 cups of water without leakage, even when the container is held upside down (front side facing down) such that the water exerts pressure on the seal.

[0054] In some embodiments, the shape and dimensions of the press-fit elements may contribute significantly to the leak-tightness of the seal. FIG. 6 shows details of the lower press-fit element 232 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, a vertical protrusion 601 extends upward from the lower press-fit element, while there are cavities 606, 607 on each side of the vertical protrusion. Alternative embodiments may have different numbers and shapes of protrusions and cavities configured as male and female elements that mate together when the container seal is closed. In some embodiments, the main vertical protrusion, for example protrusion 601, may be located on the upper press-fit element, as shown in FIG. 6, rather than on the lower press-fit element. As shown, the vertical protrusions are symmetrical, but any asymmetric shape may be used as long as the seal is molded for the desired leak-tightness of a given configuration. Additionally, by constructing leak-tight seal embodiments using elastomers, the geometry as shown may engage overhangs. The overhang stretches and then extends into a corresponding recess that is an order of magnitude wider than a typical plastic overhang provided in known plastic bags that would not likely work with the stiffer plastics in the Shore D range used in such bags.

[0055] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the vertical protrusion 601 has two horizontal overhangs 602, 603 extending horizontally outward from the vertical protrusion. The overhangs have a triangular, sloping upper surface to facilitate insertion into a corresponding cavity in the upper press-fit element. The overhangs also have a flat horizontal lower surface that provides resistance to opening after the protrusion is inserted into the upper cavity. Alternative embodiments may have a vertical protrusion with only one horizontal overhang or more than two horizontal overhangs. In some embodiments, the vertical protrusion may not have a horizontal overhang and another feature of the shape or material of the press-fit element may provide sufficient sealing force.

[0056] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the vertical projection 601 extends above the central horizontal plane 401, and the cavities 606, 607 extend below the central horizontal plane 401. This arrangement of the components of the press-fit element has the effect of centering the sealing element relative to the upper and lower closures. Such a design can have a significant advantage over embodiments that use relatively thick material for the press-fit element, as the seal may otherwise extend significantly above or below the outer surface of the upper or lower closure. By way of comparison, a very thin plastic bag may have a sealing element with a projection that extends well above one side of the bag and no corresponding cavity below that side of the bag. While such a design is acceptable for a very thin sealing element, such a seal may not be as leak-tight as a seal with a thicker material.

[0057] The vertical projection 601 shown in FIG. 6 has a vertical height 604 beyond the cavities 606, 607, and the horizontal overhang 602 has a width 605 (measured from back to front). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the one or more vertical projections have a height 604 of at least 0.2 cm, such as 80% or any other percentage of the total thickness of the upper and lower press-fit elements, and in other embodiments, any value between 0.4 cm and 0.6 cm, and in other embodiments, 0.8 cm. In other embodiments, the one or more horizontal overhangs extending from the vertical projection have a width 605 of at least 0.1 cm, or any other width including any value greater than 0.1 cm, such as 0.2 cm or greater. Dimensions such as these exemplary values ​​can contribute to a higher sealing force that makes the container leak-tight. Some embodiments may have multiple vertical ridges or multiple horizontal overhangs that provide sufficient total sealing force even though the individual vertical ridges and horizontal overhangs are below these exemplary dimensions. In one or more embodiments, the width of the seal may be varied to provide a higher or lower leak tightness capability.

[0058] 7 shows a top view of an embodiment of the invention showing an upper closure 101. In this embodiment, the length 701 of the front edge 110 is greater than the length 702 of the rear edge 111. Thus, the edges of the upper closure 101 form an approximately trapezoidal shape rather than a rectangle. Such an embodiment offers the potential advantage that it is easier to place an item in or remove it from the container opening because the opening along the front edge 110 is larger. Such a design may be particularly advantageous when the closure elements are larger and thicker because larger and thicker closure elements may tend to get pinched together at the left and right edges.

[0059] FIG. 8 shows a detailed side view of the upper and lower press-fit elements of another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the lower press-fit element 232 has a vertical protrusion 601 and cavities 606, 607 on either side of the vertical protrusion. This basic structure is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the rear vertical cavity 607 has a depth 801 below the central horizontal plane 401 that is greater than the depth 802 of the front vertical cavity 606. This asymmetry offers the potential advantage of reducing the amount of force required to initiate opening of the seal from the front, while still maintaining a deeper cavity at the rear to resist pressure against the seal from inside the container. This therefore contributes to the leak-tightness of the seal, while reducing the effect that this has on the force required by a user to open the container. Alternate embodiments may provide other asymmetric shapes with different placements and dimensions of the cavities and protrusions to achieve the same goal of a strong seal with reduced opening force.

[0060] One or more embodiments of the present invention provide leaktightness in part by using a tortuous path at the interface between the upper and lower press-fit elements. When the seal is closed, liquid flowing through the gap in the seal must travel the entirety of this tortuous path. FIG. 8 shows such a gap as gap 819, a gap having a horizontal width G1 between a first contact boundary starting at contact point 820 and proceeding from left to right across the seal to contact point 821 (where the gap begins) with a horizontal width B1, and a second contact boundary starting at contact point 822 (where the gap ends) and proceeding from left to right across the seal to contact point 823. This provides a longer, more tortuous path that increases the leaktightness of the seal. Different embodiments may use various shapes for such a tortuous path.

[0061] The embodiments of the present invention provide opposing surfaces between the upper and lower press-fit elements to resist forces in multiple directions. These opposing surfaces contribute to the strength of the seal and the leak-tightness of the seal. In one or more embodiments, the opposing forces between the upper and lower press-fit elements are multi-directional or in each of four directions, for example, above, below, forward, and backward (as viewed in side view). In some embodiments, the directions of the opposing forces are in all four quadrants of a plane perpendicular to the front edge, but not exactly along the vertical and horizontal axes. Such embodiments effectively provide opposing forces in all four directions because the actual force vector sum includes positive and negative vertical and horizontal components.

[0062] In one or more embodiments, multiple sections of a common boundary provide resistance to forces in different directions. Multiple sections providing force resistance in different directions can further increase the strength of the seal.

[0063] The direction of the counterforce between the upper and lower press-fit elements is represented by the normal vectors to a common press-fit boundary between the upper and lower press-fit elements. Figure 9 illustrates this boundary 901 for the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 8. Figure 9 illustrates a number of horizontal normal vectors to this boundary. Normal vectors 902, 903, 904, 905 are horizontal toward the front side. Normal vectors 906, 907, 908 are horizontal toward the rear side. In this embodiment, at least four horizontal forward facing normal vectors are present, each in a different section of the boundary, and at least three horizontal rear facing normal vectors are present, each in a different section of the boundary.

[0064] Figure 10 shows the vertical normal vectors for the embodiment shown in Figure 9. In this embodiment, normal vectors 1001, 1002, and 1003 are vertically upward, and normal vectors 1004, 1005, 1006, and 1007 are vertically downward. Thus, in this embodiment, there are at least three vertically upward normal vectors, each in a different section of the boundary, and at least four vertically downward normal vectors, each in a different section of the boundary.

[0065] 9 and 10 show an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which at least three different segments of the boundary have normal vectors that are forward, backward, upward, and downward. The illustrated embodiment has a serpentine boundary that changes direction multiple times to provide forces in each direction. Another embodiment of the invention may provide only one segment for each of the four normal vectors in the four directions that are in the four quadrants of the plane perpendicular to the front edge, whether or not aligned along the exact vertical and horizontal axes, without needing to be aligned to a given axis. In some embodiments, there may be more segments that provide normal vectors to horizontal forces to increase the resistance of the seal to horizontal pressure. Different embodiments of the invention may use a boundary path shape that is optimized for the forces expected in the application of the container of this embodiment. In various embodiments, the boundary segments may be flat, pointed, curved, segmented, or any combination thereof as appropriate for the application.

[0066] FIG. 11 shows an exemplary embodiment of a seal's serpentine path with the leftmost horizontal length of the seal in contact with the corresponding portion of the other half of the seal. In this case, the length is 1.0 (the lengths shown are only relative to one another; that is, the lengths are not expressed in any particular units). In the embodiment shown, the total length 1103 of the serpentine boundary path is 17.5. The horizontal distance 1101 between the beginning and end of the path is 7.0. Thus, the path length is approximately 2.5 times the horizontal distance. As shown with respect to FIGS. 16A-16E, which will be described in more detail below, embodiments of the invention that use pressure shields add the length to the width of the boundary, generally increasing the denominator. In FIG. 16A, the width 1601h of the pressure shield is approximately 1.0, so the above calculation is 17.5 / (7.0+1.0)=2.2. This ratio of path length to horizontal distance quantifies the degree to which the boundary path meanders and turns, which contributes to sealing force and leak tightness. Some embodiments of the invention have a boundary path length that is at least twice the horizontal distance between the beginning and end of the path, such as when the horizontal portion of the contact area is larger or when the seal has a shorter overhang. For example, other embodiments may have a path length that is at least three times or at least four times or at least five times the horizontal distance between the beginning and end of the path. Another metric for measuring a seal may include measuring the boundary path for the seal, starting at the point where the seal deviates from the base of the seal or the flat portion of the seal, and following the contact path between each side of the seal to a point that lines up with the original starting point at the flat portion of the seal at the back side. This metric for a meandering path can result in a ratio of at least 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more than 10. As shown, if only one protrusion is used as the male part of the leaktight seal, for example if the seal is only formed with the upper part of a "Christmas tree" shape as the male component, the ratio is calculated as A = (0.3 + 0.5 + 0.3 + 1.4) x 2 (because both sides are symmetrical) = 5.0 divided by the width of the base = 1.1 to get a ratio of 4.5.If this metric is calculated using both levels of overhang, i.e., the seal as shown, but with any type of side portion of the seal, or without side portions at all, the ratio is calculated as above, but using the lower portion to add, i.e., B=(0.5+0.7+0.2+1.0)×2 (due to near symmetry)=4.8. Thus, A+B, the total length of a perfect "Christmas tree" embodiment of the seal, is equal to 9.8. The width of the lower portion of the seal, which serves as the base for the calculation, is 1.2 as shown, resulting in a ratio of approximately 8. The longer the path for a given base, the higher the ratio and generally the more leak-tight the seal will be. In an embodiment of the invention using a pressure shield, such calculations are unchanged, since they do not include metrics for the sides of the mating portions of the seal. This geometry cannot be easily engaged and disengaged when using materials such as plastics having stiffness measured on the Shore D scale, whereas an elastomer having a stiffness scale in the mid-range of the Shore A scale can stretch upon engagement to position the flares into corresponding cavities in opposing portions of the seal. Specifically, embodiments may be constructed using an elastomer having a hardness of 70-80 on the Shore A durometer scale. At least one embodiment of the invention includes forming an elastomer having a hardness of 40-90 on the Shore A durometer scale into the container and seal.

[0067] Some embodiments of the invention use multiple techniques to increase the leaktightness of the seal. For example, the embodiment shown in Figure 8 provides a serpentine boundary path that is more than twice the horizontal distance in length and three or more normal vectors in each of the four directions: up, down, back, and forward. In some embodiments, such techniques may be combined with a high average material thickness or other dimensional or material modifications to the press-fit elements to further increase leaktightness.

[0068] In one or more embodiments of the invention, the press-fit element of the seal may extend along the left and / or right edges of the upper and lower closures. FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment in which the press-fit element is located along the front edges as well as along the front portions of the left and right edges. FIG. 12 illustrates an exploded view of the upper closure 101 and the lower closure 102. In this embodiment, the upper press-fit element 231 has a proximal portion 1201 on the left side 112 and a proximal portion 1202 on the right side 113. Similarly, the lower press-fit element 232 has a proximal portion 1203 on the left side 212 and a proximal portion 1204 on the right side 213. In the illustrated embodiment, the press-fit element curves around the corner between the front edge and the left and right edges. In another embodiment, the press-fit element may form a right angle at the corner or any curved or polygonal shape to extend from the front edge to the left and right edges. An embodiment may use a curved shape for the corner, which may be circular, oval, elliptical, or any other shape. An embodiment may use a polygonal shape for the corner, which may be square, or may use multiple sections with any angle between the sections. In some embodiments, the press-fit element may extend to only one of the left edge or the right edge. A potential advantage of an embodiment in which the press-fit element extends to the left and right edges is that the container may have a wider opening, making it easier to insert and remove objects.

[0069] In one or more embodiments of the invention, the container may include an upper flap or a lower flap, or both, near the opening. These flaps may be used, for example, to grip the edges of the container when opening and closing the container. FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the invention with an upper flap 1210 and a lower flap 1211. In some embodiments, if both are present, the upper and lower flaps may be different in shape and size from one another. This is shown in FIG. 12, where the upper flap 1210 forms an arc that extends from approximately the middle third of the upper front edge, while the lower flap 1211 extends along the entire lower front edge.

[0070] Figure 13 shows a detailed view of the front of the embodiment shown in Figure 12, shown in a closed position. As shown in Figure 13, in this embodiment, the lower flap 1211 extends further forward than the upper flap 1210. Embodiments using different sized flaps can facilitate opening by making it easier for a user to grasp one of the flaps and begin opening. Different embodiments may use flaps of different sizes and shapes, including symmetrical designs having the same shape for the upper and lower flaps, and asymmetrical designs as shown in Figure 13.

[0071] FIG. 14 shows an embodiment of the invention having a vertical gap between the upper and lower flaps to facilitate gripping the flaps for opening. In this embodiment, the upper flap 1210 has a curved shape that is vertically offset from the lower flap 1211 by a distance 1401. This shape may make it easier for a user to insert their fingers into the space between the flaps. In this embodiment, the lower flap 1211 has a continuous overhang that runs parallel to the front edge of the container to aid in gripping the flap. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the press-fit elements are located along the front edge as well as along the front portions of the left and right edges. The upper press-fit element 231 has a proximal portion 1201 on the left side 112 and a proximal portion 1202 on the right side 113. Similarly, the lower press-fit element extends along the left and right edges. In this embodiment, the press-fit elements curve around the corners between the front edge and the left and right edges.

[0072] One or more embodiments of the present invention incorporate a pressure shield element on the front side of the container with the seal or additionally on the inside of the container with the seal. This element significantly improves the ability of the seal to remain closed without leaks when exposed to internal pressure that may arise due to an external force applied to the exterior portion of the container, for example when the container is crushed or dropped. For example, if an elastomeric container is filled with liquid and then dropped or moved quickly, the movement of the liquid may generate significant internal pressure outward against the container walls and the seal, depending on the direction of the force. Sufficient outward pressure will disengage the seal and cause leakage, however, leak-proof seal embodiments will not rupture even when a force is directed at the pressure shield at a pressure that is significantly higher than embodiments without a pressure shield. The inventors have discovered the surprising result that adding a small amount of material to the container in the form of a pressure shield in a specific geometric proportion, for example about 5% for a medium-sized container, increases leak-proofness by at least 300%, and in some embodiments by at least 400%, without adding any material to the engaging portion of the seal itself.

[0073] 15A, 15B and 15C show two prior art seals and an improved seal with the addition of a pressure-resistant element, respectively. In particular, 15A and 15B show seals known in the prior art as described in the related art section. 15C shows an exemplary embodiment of the reinforced seal of the present invention with additional pressure shield elements 1501, 1502 located between a press-fit closure element 1520 and the liquid (or other) contents of the container 1500. The pressure shield elements 1501, 1502 are not present in the seal 1520 shown in FIG. 15B of the applicant's US Pat. No. 6,399,363, nor in other prior art seals, such as the seal in FIG. 15A. Pressure applied to the substantially flat portion of this area (shown just below where these two elements meet) is propagated over a significantly larger area, instead of tapering towards the press-fit element provided in the seal 1520 of the applicant's US Pat. No. 6,399,363, as described above. The embodiment of the seal shown in Figure 15C is at least 300% and in some embodiments 400% more leak resistant to liquids from the interior of the container than Figure 15B as taught in US Patent No. 5,399,963. This is surprising considering that only a small amount of excess material is used, which is negligible relative to the total amount of material used in the container.

[0074] FIG. 16A shows details of an exemplary embodiment of a seal with a pressure-resistant element as described with respect to FIG. 15C. The drawing shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the front edge of the container, with the enclosed volume of the container shown on the left along the front edge and the seal shown on the right along the front edge. All of the elements shown may be made of elastomers, for example. The seal includes an upper press-fit element 231 and a lower press-fit element 232, as well as an upper pressure shield element 1501 and a lower pressure shield element 1502. When the seal is closed, the upper pressure shield 1501 has a lower surface 1601h that contacts the upper surface 1602h of the lower pressure shield 1502. In one or more embodiments, these surfaces 1601h, 1602h may be relatively flat and may be approximately parallel to the central horizontal plane 401 of the closure.

[0075] Both pressure shield portions also have an inner surface that faces the interior volume of the closure. The upper pressure shield 1501 has an inner surface 1601v, and the lower pressure shield 1502 has an inner surface 1602v. In one or more embodiments, these inner surfaces may be substantially flat and may be substantially perpendicular to the central horizontal plane 401. Because the inner surfaces are substantially flat surfaces, pressure from the contents of the closure is propagated across the pressure shield portions, thereby reducing the tendency of this pressure to pry open the sealing elements 231, 232. For example, pressure 1611 applied to the inner surface 1601v is resisted by a reaction force 1621 from the upper pressure shield, and pressure 1612 applied to the inner surface 1602v is resisted by a reaction force 1622 from the lower pressure shield. The inner surfaces 1601v, 1602v may be any shape other than substantially flat, so long as the portions are not concave as shown in Figure 15B in our design in US Pat. No. 6,399,313, nor convex where liquid is allowed to proceed around the sides of the mating portions of the seal, thereby exerting pressure on the seal, as shown in Figure 15A. Thus, the inner surfaces 1601v, 1602v need not be flat, but may be flat or curved surfaces that meet at a non-zero angle, but perpendicular to the central plane.

[0076] Figure 16B shows a variation of the embodiment of Figure 16A where the geometry for the pressure shield is slightly different by including a step 1502b. In this embodiment, the lower pressure shield 1502b has a portion that extends above the central horizontal plane 401, and the upper pressure shield 1501b has a corresponding notch that matches this portion. The pressure shield shapes shown in Figures 16A and 16B are exemplary. One or more embodiments may use pressure shields of different sizes and shapes than those shown.

[0077] Figure 16C shows a variation of the embodiment of Figure 16A where the geometry for the pressure resistant element is modified to include a ramp 1502c. The junction of 1501c and 1502c is also configured to prevent pressure from tearing elements 231, 232 apart.

[0078] Figure 16D shows a variation of the embodiment of Figure 16A where the geometry for the pressure resistant elements is modified to include a curved surface on the interior of the pressure shield. The junction of 1501d and 1502d is also configured to prevent pressure from tearing elements 231, 232 apart.

[0079] Figure 16E shows a variation of the embodiment of Figure 16A in which the geometry for the pressure resistant elements is modified to include a ramp with teeth. The junction of 1501e and 1502e is also configured to prevent pressure from tearing elements 231, 232 apart.

[0080] Figure 16F shows a variation of the embodiment of Figure 16A in which the geometry for the pressure-resistant elements is modified to include a non-linear shape. The junction of 1501f and 1502f is also configured to prevent pressure from tearing elements 231, 232 apart, by deflecting pressure away from the junction of pressure-resistant elements 1501f, 1502f.

[0081] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, the pressure shield is a generally wedge-shaped strip that extends along the front edge of the elastomeric container. The wedge has a cross-sectional area that is generally a right triangle. As shown, the cross-sectional area of ​​upper pressure shield 1501 is approximately equal to right triangle 1701, and the cross-sectional area of ​​lower pressure shield 1502 is approximately equal to right triangle 1702. In the embodiment shown, triangle 1701 is taller than triangle 1702, but is the same width as triangle 1702. One or more embodiments may use pressure shields with cross-sections that are different than a triangle, such as those shown in FIGS. 16B-16E, or may use pressure shields with triangular cross-sections of any desired relative size (see FIG. 15C or FIG. 18).

[0082] Dimensions for an exemplary embodiment of the invention are shown in FIG. 18. The inner surface of the upper pressure shield 1501 has a length 1801, and the lower surface has a width 1803. The inner surface of the lower pressure shield 1502 has a length 1802, and the upper surface has a width 1803. Because the upper pressure shield 1501 and the lower pressure shield 1502 are approximately triangular, their average thickness (along the horizontal axis 401) is about half the length 1803 or about 1.75 millimeters, and the height of each pressure shield side is 10.7 mm + 4.4 mm or about 15 mm. The walls of the closure (not including sealing elements, e.g., press-fit elements or pressure shields) have an average thickness 1804. Thus, in this embodiment, the average thickness of the two pressure shields is greater than 2.5 times the average thickness 1804 of the closure walls. However, overall, the pressure shields represent a relatively small amount of material added to the seal. The horizontal side of the triangular cross section having length 1803 is less than 0.5 cm and the vertical sides of the triangular cross section having lengths 1801, 1802 are each less than 1.5 cm. With respect to the amount of material added, in the illustrated embodiment having a wall thickness 1804 of 0.6 mm, the amount of material added to form the pressure shield portions, i.e., 1601v and 1602v (shown in FIG. 17), is approximately ½ x the width x height of each triangle, i.e., ½ x 2.5 mm x 10.7 mm or 13.4 mm.2 and 1 / 2 x 2.5mm x 4.4mm or 5.5mm 2 The two pressure shield parts are a total of 18.9 mm 2 whereas the leak-tight seal itself has a cross section of 90 mm 2 For example, in an embodiment of a container having a height of 175 mm, a depth of 50 mm and a wall thickness of 0.6 mm, the amount of material in the cross section is approximately 2 x height + 2 x depth or 450 mm long, multiplied by the wall thickness, which results in 270 mm. 2 This, when combined with the seal cross section, gives a total of 360 mm 2 Therefore, the total is 18.9 mm. 2 The pressure shield portion achieves at least a 300% increase in leak resistance with approximately a 5% increase in material used in the container. The longer lasting construction container with thicker walls has a higher amount of material overall, so the amount of excess material required for a container with twice the thick walls is less than 2.5%.

[0083] Exemplary dimensions are also shown for the upper and lower press-fit elements. The lower press-fit element has a maximum thickness (in the vertical direction) of 7.7 mm length as shown at 1806, and an average thickness of at least 2.5 mm as shown at 1808. The upper press-fit element has a minimum thickness of 1.4 mm as shown at 1805, and an average thickness of at least 2.5 mm as shown at 1807.

[0084] Figures 19A and 19B show an exemplary performance of an embodiment of the present invention compared to the prior art. Figure 19A shows two frames of video of a closure with a seal 1520 (as shown in Figure 15B) filled with liquid and dropped from a height H1 of about 4 inches as shown in the leftmost frame 1901. Upon impact, the seal fails 1902 and liquid leaks out of the closure as shown in the right frame. Figure 19B shows five frames of video of a closure with a seal 1520 and upper and lower pressure shields 1501 and 1502 (as shown in Figure 15C) filled with liquid and dropped from a height H2 of about 16 inches as shown in 1903, four times the height of Figure 19A. Upon impact 1904, the seal and pressure shields hold the closure closed and no liquid leaks out.

[0085] 20 shows an embodiment of a container with a support 2002 having a hole 2001, which may be an exterior hole also known as a connection hole, for example, for connecting a molded elastomeric container to an external object. For example, an embodiment of the invention may be connected to an external object via hole 2001 through the use of a carabiner, clip, rope, elastic band, ring, or another device.

[0086] definition Elastomer - A material that can be repeatedly stretched at room temperature to at least twice its original length and, upon immediate removal of the stress, quickly returns to nearly its original length.

[0087] Boundary - the length of the surface of the first or second seal part between the start and end points of contact between the first and second seal parts when the leaktight seal is closed. In a seal profile with no gap, the boundary is the same length whether it is measured along the surface of element 1601 or along the surface of element 1602. In a seal profile with a gap, the boundary used in the calculation of the path is the length of the surface of the first or second seal part; in a seal with a gap where there is no contact between some parts of the seal, the female part generally has the larger boundary. In this case, the larger or smaller number can be used to indicate the length of the path. See also Figures 16A-16B.

[0088] Leakproof Seal - A seal that resists leakage of liquids and solids from a container during storage and transportation without the assistance of an external structure to maintain the seal.

[0089] Bonded to - With regard to a single container, the container may be fabricated in a monolithic mold where all the components of the container are formed and thus bonded together during the molding process, in which case the bonding material is the container material itself, i.e. elastomer or plastic or thermoplastic elastomer. The single container may also be fabricated from components that are formed prior to bonding the components together to form the single container. In either case, the single container has multiple components that are all bonded together, which would otherwise fall apart.

[0090] Corresponding recesses - the shape of the protrusions and the shapes of the recesses can be the same when there are no gaps in the seal, for example when closed, or different when the seal has gaps. Furthermore, the protrusions and recesses can be different in shape, so that when closed, there is at least one contact boundary along the length of the seal. In both cases, the corresponding recesses for the flares can be the same or different in shape. These elements allow the press-fit elements to be locked together, i.e. via the vertically offset flares that fit into the corresponding recesses.

[0091] While the concepts disclosed herein have been described in terms of specific embodiments and applications thereof, those skilled in the art may make numerous modifications and variations thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

[0092] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail.

[0093] EMBODIMENT 1 1. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield, the molded elastomeric container comprising: An elastomer; an upper closure and a lower closure comprising the elastomer, the upper closure being located at or above a central horizontal plane, and the lower closure being located at or below the central horizontal plane, the upper closure and the lower closure being configured to provide an interior volume of the molded elastomeric container, each of the upper and lower closures having a front edge configured to be movable to provide access to the interior volume, a rear edge opposite the front edge, a left edge, and a right edge opposite the left edge, the upper closure being coupled to the lower closure along an edge portion of one or more of the rear edge, the left edge, the right edge, and the front edge; a leak-tight seal including the elastomer and configured to open and close the molded elastomeric container, the leak-tight seal comprising: a lower press-fit element proximate the front edge of the lower closure; an upper press-fit element proximate the front edge of the upper closure; a lower pressure shield disposed between the lower press-fit element and the interior volume, the lower pressure shield having a lower pressure shield upper surface and a lower pressure shield inner surface facing the interior volume; and an upper pressure shield disposed between the upper press-fit element and the interior volume, the upper pressure shield having an upper pressure shield lower surface and an upper pressure shield inner surface facing the interior volume, an upper surface of the lower press-fit element corresponding to a lower surface of the upper press-fit element; wherein when the molded elastomeric container is closed, the upper and lower surfaces are in contact at a boundary, the average thickness of the lower press-fit element across the boundary is at least 0.25 cm, the average thickness of the upper press-fit element across the boundary is at least 0.25 cm, the lower pressure shield upper surface and the upper pressure shield lower surface are in contact when the molded elastomeric container is closed, the lower pressure shield inner surface and the upper pressure shield inner surface are substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the central horizontal plane when the molded elastomeric container is closed, the lower pressure shield average thickness is at least 0.15 cm, and the upper pressure shield average thickness is at least 0.15 cm, the leaktight seal is integral to the molded elastomeric container, the lower press-fit element is positioned opposite the upper press-fit element, one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element have a vertical protrusion with one or more vertically offset ridges extending horizontally from the vertical protrusion, the one or more vertically offset ridges on one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element properly engage corresponding recesses on one or more opposing surfaces of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element, the upper press-fit element and the lower press-fit element engage with each other to seal the molded elastomeric container, and the upper pressure shield and the lower pressure shield contact each other but do not engage with each other. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield comprising:

[0094] EMBODIMENT 2 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the molded elastomeric container has an average closure thickness that is an average thickness of the upper closure and the lower closure excluding the leak-proof seal, the average closure thickness being at least 0.05 cm, the average thickness of the lower pressure shield being at least 2.5 times the average closure thickness, and the average thickness of the upper pressure shield being at least 2.5 times the average closure thickness.

[0095] EMBODIMENT 3 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the lower pressure shield comprises a substantially wedge-shaped strip of elastomer, and a cross-section of the lower pressure shield along a plane perpendicular to the central horizontal plane and perpendicular to the front edge of the lower closure is substantially a right triangle with a horizontal lower side along the top surface of the lower pressure shield and a vertical lower side perpendicular to the horizontal lower side along the lower pressure shield inner surface, and the upper pressure shield comprises a substantially wedge-shaped strip of elastomer, and a cross-section of the upper pressure shield along a plane perpendicular to the central horizontal plane and perpendicular to the front edge of the upper closure is substantially a right triangle with a horizontal upper side along the bottom surface of the upper pressure shield and a vertical upper side perpendicular to the horizontal upper side along the upper pressure shield inner surface.

[0096] EMBODIMENT 4 4. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 3, wherein the horizontal lower side and the horizontal upper side have lengths of 0.5 cm or less, and the vertical lower side and the vertical upper side have lengths of 1.5 cm or less.

[0097] EMBODIMENT 5 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the leak-proof seal is configured as a handle configured to hold the molded elastomeric container, or the container includes a support having an aperture for coupling the molded elastomeric container to an external object.

[0098] EMBODIMENT 6 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the width of the front edge as measured from the left edge to the right edge is greater than the width of the rear edge as measured from the left edge to the right edge.

[0099] EMBODIMENT 7 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element further comprise at least one male element or at least one female element, or the one or more vertically offset ridges comprise a plurality of vertically offset ridges extending horizontally from the vertical protrusion.

[0100] EMBODIMENT 8 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the elastomer is silicone.

[0101] EMBODIMENT 9 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the elastomer has a hardness of 40 to 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.

[0102] EMBODIMENT 10 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the elastomer has a hardness of 70 to 80 on the Shore A durometer scale.

[0103] EMBODIMENT 11 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the height of the vertical protrusion is at least 0.2 cm and the width of one of the one or more vertically offset protrusions measured from the rear to the front is at least 0.1 cm.

[0104] EMBODIMENT 12 2. A molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield as described in embodiment 1, wherein the upper surface of the lower press-fit element comprises one or more cavities extending below the central horizontal plane and one or more protrusions extending above the central horizontal plane.

[0105] EMBODIMENT 13 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein the upper press-fit element and the lower press-fit element extend to a portion of the left edge, a portion of the right edge, or a portion of both the left edge and the right edge.

[0106] EMBODIMENT 14 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, further comprising an upper flap extending forward from the upper press-fit element and a lower flap extending forward from the lower press-fit element, wherein the upper flap or the lower flap or both the upper flap and the lower flap extend forward of the front edge.

[0107] EMBODIMENT 15 15. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 14, wherein the upper flap extends further forward than the lower flap, or the lower flap extends further forward than the upper flap.

[0108] EMBODIMENT 16 2. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 1, wherein one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element further comprise a rear vertical cavity located between the vertical protrusion and the rear side of the boundary and a front vertical cavity located between the vertical protrusion and the front side of the boundary, the vertical depth of the rear vertical cavity being greater than the vertical depth of the front vertical cavity.

[0109] EMBODIMENT 17 1. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield, the molded elastomeric container comprising: An elastomer; an upper closure and a lower closure comprising the elastomer, the upper closure being located at or above a central horizontal plane, and the lower closure being located at or below the central horizontal plane, the upper closure and the lower closure being configured to provide an interior volume of the molded elastomeric container, each of the upper and lower closures having a front edge configured to be movable to provide access to the interior volume, a rear edge opposite the front edge, a left edge, and a right edge opposite the left edge, the upper closure being coupled to the lower closure along an edge portion of one or more of the rear edge, the left edge, the right edge, and the front edge; a leak-tight seal including the elastomer and configured to open and close the molded elastomeric container, the leak-tight seal comprising: a lower press-fit element proximate the front edge of the lower closure; an upper press-fit element proximate the front edge of the upper closure; a lower pressure shield disposed between the lower press-fit element and the interior volume, the lower pressure shield having a lower pressure shield upper surface and a lower pressure shield inner surface facing the interior volume; and an upper pressure shield disposed between the upper press-fit element and the interior volume, the upper pressure shield having an upper pressure shield lower surface and an upper pressure shield inner surface facing the interior volume, an upper surface of the lower press-fit element corresponding to a lower surface of the upper press-fit element, whereby when the molded elastomeric container is closed, the upper surface and the lower surface meet at an interface. a cross-sectional profile of the boundary in a plane perpendicular to the front edge has a tortuous path, the tortuous path having four points at which normal vectors to the tortuous path are in four directions including upward, downward, forward and backward, respectively; a length of the tortuous path is at least twice the horizontal distance between a beginning of the tortuous path and an end of the tortuous path as measured from rear to front on a predetermined axis; the lower pressure shield upper surface and the upper pressure shield lower surface are in contact when the molded elastomeric container is closed; the lower pressure shield inner surface and the upper pressure shield inner surface are substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the central horizontal plane when the molded elastomeric container is closed; an average thickness of the lower pressure shield is at least 0.15 cm; and an average thickness of the upper pressure shield is at least 0.15 cm, the leaktight seal is integral to the molded elastomeric container, the lower press-fit element is positioned opposite the upper press-fit element, one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element have a vertical protrusion with one or more vertically offset ridges extending horizontally from the vertical protrusion, the one or more vertically offset ridges on one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element properly engage corresponding recesses on one or more opposing surfaces of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element, the upper press-fit element and the lower press-fit element engage with each other to seal the molded elastomeric container, and the upper pressure shield and the lower pressure shield contact each other but do not engage with each other. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield comprising:

[0110] EMBODIMENT 18 18. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 17, wherein the serpentine path has three or more points in different segments of the serpentine path where the normal vector to the serpentine path is in the upward direction, three or more points in different segments of the serpentine path where the normal vector to the serpentine path is in the downward direction, three or more points in different segments of the serpentine path where the normal vector to the serpentine path is in the forward direction, and three or more points in different segments of the serpentine path where the normal vector to the serpentine path is in the backward direction.

[0111] EMBODIMENT 19 18. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 17, wherein the elastomer is silicone.

[0112] EMBODIMENT 20 18. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 17, wherein the elastomer has a hardness of 40 to 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.

[0113] EMBODIMENT 21 18. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 17, wherein the elastomer has a hardness of 70 to 80 on the Shore A durometer scale.

[0114] EMBODIMENT 22 18. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield as described in embodiment 17, wherein the upper surface of the lower press-fit element has one or more cavities extending below the central horizontal plane and one or more protrusions extending above the central horizontal plane.

[0115] EMBODIMENT 23 18. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield as described in embodiment 17, wherein the width of the front edge measured from the left edge to the right edge is greater than the width of the rear edge measured from the left edge to the right edge.

[0116] EMBODIMENT 24 18. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield as described in embodiment 17, wherein the upper press-fit element and the lower press-fit element extend to a portion of the left edge, a portion of the right edge, or a portion of both the left edge and the right edge.

[0117] EMBODIMENT 25 18. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 17, further comprising an upper flap extending forward from the upper press-fit element and a lower flap extending forward from the lower press-fit element, the upper flap extending further forward than the lower flap, or the lower flap extending further forward than the upper flap.

[0118] EMBODIMENT 26 18. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 17, wherein one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element further comprise a rear vertical cavity located between the vertical protrusion and the rear side of the boundary and a front vertical cavity located between the vertical protrusion and the front side of the boundary, the vertical depth of the rear vertical cavity being greater than the vertical depth of the front vertical cavity.

[0119] EMBODIMENT 27 18. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 17, wherein the molded elastomeric container has an average closure thickness that is the average thickness of the upper closure and the lower closure excluding the leak-proof seal, the average closure thickness being at least 0.05 cm, the average thickness of the lower pressure shield being at least 2.5 times the average closure thickness, and the average thickness of the upper pressure shield being at least 2.5 times the average closure thickness.

[0120] EMBODIMENT 28 18. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leakproof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 17, wherein the lower pressure shield comprises a substantially wedge-shaped strip of elastomer, and a cross-section of the lower pressure shield along a plane perpendicular to the central horizontal plane and perpendicular to the front edge of the lower closure is substantially a right triangle with a horizontal lower side along the top surface of the lower pressure shield and a vertical lower side that is perpendicular to the horizontal lower side along the lower pressure shield inner surface, and the upper pressure shield comprises a substantially wedge-shaped strip of elastomer, and a cross-section of the upper pressure shield along a plane perpendicular to the central horizontal plane and perpendicular to the front edge of the upper closure is substantially a right triangle with a horizontal upper side along the bottom surface of the upper pressure shield and a vertical upper side that is perpendicular to the horizontal upper side along the upper pressure shield inner surface.

[0121] EMBODIMENT 29 29. The molded elastomeric container with integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield of embodiment 28, wherein the horizontal lower side and the horizontal upper side have lengths of 0.5 cm or less, and the vertical lower side and the vertical upper side have lengths of 1.5 cm or less.

[0122] EMBODIMENT 30 1. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield, the molded elastomeric container comprising: an elastomer having a hardness of 40 to 90 on the Shore A durometer scale; an upper closure and a lower closure comprising the elastomer, the upper closure being located at or above a central horizontal plane, and the lower closure being located at or below the central horizontal plane, the upper closure and the lower closure being configured to provide an interior volume of the molded elastomeric container, and each of the upper closure and the lower closure being movable to provide access to the interior volume; an upper closure and a lower closure, the upper closure having a front edge configured to be joined to the lower closure along portions of one or more of the rear edge, the left edge, the right edge, and the front edge, and a width of the front edge measured from the left edge to the right edge is greater than a width of the rear edge measured from the left edge to the right edge; a lower press-fit element proximate to the front edge of the lower closure; an upper press-fit element proximate to the front edge of the upper closure; a lower pressure shield disposed between the lower press-fit element and the interior volume, the lower pressure shield having a lower pressure shield upper surface and a lower pressure shield inner surface facing the interior volume; and an upper pressure shield disposed between the upper press-fit element and the interior volume, the upper pressure shield having an upper pressure shield lower surface and an upper pressure shield inner surface facing the interior volume, an upper surface of the lower press-fit element corresponding to a lower surface of the upper press-fit element, whereby the molded elastomeric container is sealed with a seal that ... the upper and lower surfaces are in contact at a boundary when the molded elastomeric container is closed, an average thickness of the lower press-fit element across the boundary is at least 0.25 cm, the average thickness of the upper press-fit element across the boundary is at least 0.25 cm, the lower pressure shield upper surface and the upper pressure shield lower surface are in contact when the molded elastomeric container is closed, the lower pressure shield inner surface and the upper pressure shield inner surface are substantially flat and substantially perpendicular to the central horizontal plane when the molded elastomeric container is closed, the lower pressure shield average thickness is at least 0.15 cm and the upper pressure shield average thickness is at least 0.a cross-sectional profile of the boundary in a plane perpendicular to the front edge has a serpentine path having four points at which normal vectors to the serpentine path are in four directions including upward, downward, forward and backward, respectively; a length of the serpentine path is at least twice the horizontal distance between the beginning of the serpentine path and the end of the serpentine path as measured from rear to front on a given axis; the upper surface of the lower press-fit element comprises one or more cavities extending below the central horizontal plane and one or more protrusions extending above the central horizontal plane; the leak-tight seal is integral to the molded elastomeric container, the lower press-fit element is positioned opposite the upper press-fit element, and one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element are vertical protrusions. a vertical protrusion having a plurality of vertically offset ledges extending horizontally from the vertical protrusion, the plurality of vertically offset ledges on one or both of the lower and upper press-fit elements being properly engaged within corresponding recesses on one or more opposing faces of the lower and upper press-fit elements; a rear vertical cavity located between the vertical protrusion and a rear side of the boundary; and a front vertical cavity located between the vertical protrusion and a front side of the boundary, the vertical depth of the rear vertical cavity being greater than the vertical depth of the front vertical cavity; the upper and lower press-fit elements engage with each other to seal the molded elastomeric container, and the upper and lower pressure shields contact each other but do not engage with each other to form a leak-tight seal. A molded elastomeric container with an integrated leak-proof seal and pressure shield comprising:

Claims

1. An elastomer container, comprising: an upper elastomeric closure and a lower elastomeric closure, the upper closure and the lower closure configured to provide an interior volume of the elastomeric container, each of the upper closure and the lower closure having a front edge, a rear edge, a left edge, and a right edge; a leak-tight seal configured to open and close the elastomeric container; and Equipped with The leak-tight seal comprises: a lower press-fit element and an upper press-fit element; a lower pressure shield disposed between the lower press-fit element and the interior volume, the lower pressure shield including a lower pressure shield top surface and a lower pressure shield inner surface directly adjacent the interior volume; an upper pressure shield disposed between the upper press-fit element and the interior volume, the upper pressure shield including an upper pressure shield lower surface and an upper pressure shield inner surface directly adjacent the interior volume; Equipped with the lower press-fit element is located opposite the upper press-fit element; one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element include a vertical protrusion having one or more vertically offset flares extending horizontally from the vertical protrusion; the one or more vertically offset protrusions on one or both of the lower and upper press-fit elements are properly received within corresponding recesses on one or more opposing faces of the lower and upper press-fit elements; an upper surface of the lower press-fit element corresponds to a lower surface of the upper press-fit element; the upper press-fit element and the lower press-fit element engage with each other to seal the elastomeric container; the upper closure body and the lower closure body define a central horizontal plane along which the upper closure body and the lower closure body join; in cross section, the upper pressure shield thickness increases continuously along the entire surface of the upper pressure shield inner surface, and in cross section, the lower pressure shield thickness decreases continuously along the entire surface of the lower pressure shield inner surface below the central horizontal plane; 1. An elastomeric container, wherein the lower pressure shield has at least one pressure resistant element extending along an inner profile of the interior volume of the elastomeric container and at least partially across the central horizontal plane, and the upper pressure shield does not extend across the central horizontal plane.

2. 2. The elastomeric container of claim 1, wherein the lower pressure shield inner surface and the upper pressure shield inner surface extend collinearly with one another when the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element are mated.

3. 2. The elastomeric container of claim 1, wherein the elastomer is silicone.

4. 2. The elastomeric container of claim 1, wherein the elastomer has a hardness of 40 to 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.

5. The elastomeric container of claim 1 , wherein said lower pressure shield thickness is constant above said central horizontal plane.

6. The elastomeric container of claim 1 , wherein when the seal is closed, the upper surface of the lower pressure shield contacts the lower surface of the upper pressure shield.

7. The elastomeric container of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pressure resistant element has a rectangular cross-section.

8. the upper pressure shield has an upper length extending along the upper pressure shield inner surface, and the lower pressure shield has a lower length extending along the lower pressure shield inner surface; The elastomeric container of claim 1 , wherein the length of said upper side is less than the length of said lower side.

9. 2. The elastomeric container of claim 1, wherein the seal has a gap between a first contact point between the upper pressure shield lower surface and the lower pressure shield upper surface and a second contact point between the upper pressure shield lower surface and the lower pressure shield upper surface when the seal is closed.

10. The elastomeric container of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower pressure shield inner surfaces are perpendicular to the central horizontal plane when the seal is closed.

11. The elastomeric container of claim 1 , wherein the upper pressure shield lower surface is horizontal relative to the central horizontal plane.

12. 2. The elastomeric container of claim 1, further comprising an upper flap extending forward from the upper press-fit element and extending along the front edge, and a lower flap extending forward from the lower press-fit element and extending along the front edge.

13. An elastomer container, comprising: an upper closure and a lower closure made of an elastomer having a hardness of 40-90 on the Shore A durometer scale and a lower closure made of an elastomer having a hardness of 40-90 on the Shore A durometer scale, the upper closure and the lower closure being configured to provide an interior volume of the elastomeric container; an elastomeric seal configured to open and close the elastomeric container; Equipped with The seal is A lower press-fit element and an upper press-fit element; a lower pressure shield disposed between the lower press-fit element and the interior volume, the lower pressure shield comprising a lower pressure shield inner surface directly adjacent the interior volume; an upper pressure shield disposed between the upper press-fit element and the interior volume, the upper pressure shield comprising an upper pressure shield inner surface directly adjacent the interior volume; Equipped with the lower press-fit element is located opposite the upper press-fit element; one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element include a vertical protrusion having one or more vertically offset flares extending horizontally from the vertical protrusion; the one or more vertically offset protrusions on one or both of the lower and upper press-fit elements are properly received within corresponding recesses on one or more opposing faces of the lower and upper press-fit elements; the upper closure body and the lower closure body define a central horizontal plane along which the upper closure body and the lower closure body join; the lower pressure shield has at least one pressure resistant element extending at least partially across the central horizontal plane along an inner profile of the interior volume of the elastomeric container, and the upper pressure shield does not extend across the central horizontal plane; 1. An elastomeric envelope wherein, in cross section, the upper pressure shield thickness increases continuously along the entire surface of the upper pressure shield inner surface and, in cross section, the lower pressure shield thickness decreases continuously along the entire surface of the lower pressure shield inner surface below the central horizontal plane.

14. The elastomeric container of claim 13 , wherein the upper pressure shield and the lower pressure shield sealingly contact each other but are not locked together.

15. The elastomeric container of claim 13 , wherein the at least one pressure resistant element has a rectangular cross-section.

16. The elastomeric container of claim 13 , wherein the lower pressure shield thickness is constant above the central horizontal plane.

17. the upper pressure shield having an upper pressure shield lower surface and the lower pressure shield having a lower pressure shield upper surface; The elastomeric container of claim 13 , wherein when the seal is closed, the upper surface of the lower pressure shield contacts the lower surface of the upper pressure shield.

18. An elastomer container, comprising: an upper closure made of an elastomer having a hardness of 40-90 on the Shore A durometer scale and a lower closure made of an elastomer having a hardness of 40-90 on the Shore A durometer scale, said upper closure and said lower closure being configured to provide an interior volume of said elastomeric container; an elastomeric seal configured to open and close the elastomeric container; Equipped with The seal is A lower press-fit element and an upper press-fit element; a lower pressure shield disposed between the lower press-fit element and the interior volume, the lower pressure shield including a lower pressure shield top surface and a lower pressure shield inner surface facing the interior volume; an upper pressure shield disposed between the upper press-fit element and the interior volume, the upper pressure shield comprising an upper pressure shield lower surface and an upper pressure shield inner surface facing the interior volume; Equipped with the lower press-fit element is located opposite the upper press-fit element; one or both of the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element include a vertical protrusion having one or more vertically offset flares extending horizontally from the vertical protrusion; the one or more vertically offset protrusions on one or both of the lower and upper press-fit elements are properly received within corresponding recesses on one or more opposing faces of the lower and upper press-fit elements; an upper surface of the lower press-fit element corresponds to a lower surface of the upper press-fit element; the lower press-fit element and the upper press-fit element mate with each other to seal the elastomeric container; the upper closure body and the lower closure body define a central horizontal plane along which the upper closure body and the lower closure body join; in cross section, the upper pressure shield thickness increases continuously along the entire surface of the upper pressure shield inner surface, and in cross section, the lower pressure shield thickness decreases continuously along the entire surface of the lower pressure shield inner surface below the central horizontal plane; the lower pressure shield has at least one pressure resistant element extending at least partially across the central horizontal plane along an inner profile of the interior volume of the elastomeric container, and the upper pressure shield does not extend across the central horizontal plane; the lower pressure shield thickness is constant above the central horizontal plane; An elastomeric container, wherein when the seal is closed, the lower pressure shield upper surface at least partially contacts the upper pressure shield lower surface.

19. The elastomeric container of claim 18 , wherein the at least one pressure resistant element has a rectangular cross-section.

20. the upper pressure shield has an upper length extending along the upper pressure shield inner surface, and the lower pressure shield has a lower length extending along the lower pressure shield inner surface; 20. The elastomeric container of claim 18, wherein the length of the upper side is less than the length of the lower side.

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