Freshness-preserving container

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a package of the type described above which opens and closes in the same manner as a conventional package but which includes additional means for preserving the freshness of the contents of the package.
It is another object of the invention to provide an audible indication of closing or opening as a reminder to the user of the freshness-preserving characteristics of the package.
It is a further object of the invention to make it possible to effect a partial resealing of the package by the conventional closing operation.
A freshness-preserving container according to the invention has a container height and includes a lid member and a base member, each having a front wall and a back wall parallel to the front wall.
The back walls of the lid and base members are connected along a hinge line and are pivotable about the hinge line between a closed position and an opened position.
In the closed position the front walls of the lid member and the base member are next to each other, and in the open position the front walls of the lid member and the base member are spaced apart.
The lid member may be dimensioned to fit over the base member so that the front wall of the lid member has an inward facing surface which in the closed position is adjacent to an outward facing surface of the front wall of the base member.
The container further comprises freshness-preserving means between the adjacent inward and outward facing surfaces of the lid and base members for preserving the freshness of the contents of the container.
The freshness-preserving means may include a flap piece pivotably mounted on either the lid member or the base member, with a corresponding shoulder piece mounted on the other member.
When the box is closed, the flap piece will be dragged across the shoulder piece until it passes it, producing a clicking sound, and resulting in a latching effect to hold the container closed and prevent air flow, thus preserving freshness