AU2012101863A4

AU2012101863A4 - A cap mechanism for a container

Info

Publication number: AU2012101863A4
Application number: AU2012101863A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Biaoqiang Zhang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-07-23
Filing date: 2012-12-21
Publication date: 2013-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-21
Also published as: CN202728817U; AU2012101863B4

Abstract

Abstract A cap mechanism for a container comprises a base fixed on the outlet of the container, a cap the rear end of which is hinged on the hinged shaft, and a locking component having two side walls, a pin and a spring. Wherein the front portions of the two side walls are respectively located at the two sides of the outlet, each side wall of the locking component includes an upper branch and a lower hook. At least one through hole for the lower hook and one positioning hole for the pin are formed at one side of the outer of the outlet. The cap mechanism for a container not only has simple structure, but also makes use of the rotation of the cap and the locking component along with the rotation of the pin and the lower hook to lock the cap on the outlet, which makes the container has good sealed capability and long service life. Fig. 1

Description

- 1 A Cap Mechanism for a Container Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a container, in particular to a cap mechanism for a container. Description of the Prior Art [0002] Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. [0003] The shape of the container is commonly in box or in bucket, such as oil drums, water buckets, oil boxes and kettles. The cap on the common container is mostly separated from the body of the container, or the cap connects with the body of the container through a ribbon, which easily results in the losing of the cap. Moreover, the cap usually connects with the outlet of the container through screw thread, after using a long time, abrasion of the screw thread will lead to the liquid spilling, therefore, the container has low sealed capability and short service life, and it is not benefit for storing and transportation of liquid. Some cap mechanisms has been invented, which are of complex structure and good sealing capability, such as a Chinese Patent CN102273927A, titled"A Cap Mechanism for a Kettle", which discloses a well sealed kettle. However, the structure of this kettle is too complex for nimiety components, it is difficult to manufacture, and will result in many assembling errors, which will effect the capability and service life of the cap mechanism. Summary of the Invention [0004] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

-2 [0005] To this end, the present invention provides a cap mechanism for a container, the container having an outlet, the cap mechanism comprises a base fixed on the outlet of the container, a hinged shaft provided on the rear end of the base, and a cap the rear end of which is hinged on the hinged shaft, being able to rotate around the hinged shaft to close or open the outlet, wherein the cap mechanism further comprises a locking component having two side walls with a distance, a pin and a spring disposed outside of the pin, wherein the front portions of the two side walls of the locking component are respectively located at the two sides of the outlet, each side wall of the locking component is in a branched structure, which includes an upper branch and a lower hook, each upper branch is respectively hinged to one end of a rotating shaft formed between the two upper branches, so that the locking component can rotate around the rotating shaft; at least one through hole and one positioning hole are formed at one side of the outer of the outlet, and one lower hook of the locking component can insert into the through hole during the rotation of the locking component. The positioning hole is located adjacent to the through hole, the pin rotatably runs through the positioning hole and can move forward and backward in a limited distance, the pin has a locking protrusion forming on the front end of the pin vertical relative to the length direction of the pin, and the lower hook has a locking hole located in the front of the through hole, after the lower hook is inserted into the through hole, the locking protrusion can be locked in the locking hole with the rotation of the pin. [0006] The rear end of the pin is provided with a flange surface, two ends of the spring respectively resists the flange surface and a surface at the rear end of the positioning hole. [0007] Preferably, the front portions of the base are respectively fixed on the two sides of the outer of the outlet, and the through hole and the positioning hole are just formed on at least one of the two front portions of the base.

-3 [0008] In order to make the connection more convenient, the rotating shaft is fixed on the top surface of the cap, two ends of the rotating shaft respectively extends to two sides of the cap for the two upper branches to hinge. [0009] In order to facilitate the rotation and locking of the pin, the pin is provided with at least two separated locking protrusions. [0010] Compared with the prior art, the cap mechanism for a container of the present invention, not only has a simple structure, but also makes use of the rotation of the cap and the locking component along with the rotation of the pin and the lower hook to lock the cap on the outlet, which makes the container has good sealed capability and long service life. [0011] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to". Brief Description of the Drawings [0012] One or more preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0013] FIG.1 is a perspective view of a cap mechanism for a container in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention. [0014] FIG.2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG.1 (when the pin is locked). [0015] FIG.3 is a perspective view of the cap mechanism when the pin is unlocked. [0016] FIG.4 is a perspective view of the cap mechanism when the locking component is unlocked.

-4 [0017] FIG.5 is a perspective view of the cap mechanism when the cap is fully open. Detailed description of the preferred embodiment [0018] To enable a further understanding of the innovative and technological content of the invention herein, refer to the detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings below: [0019] Figs.1 to 5 show a cap mechanism for a container of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The container has an outlet 10. The cap mechanism comprises a base 2 fixed on the outlet 10 of the container, a hinged shaft 21 provided on the rear end of the base 2, and a cap 3 the rear end of which is hinged on the hinged shaft 21, being able to rotate around the hinged shaft 21 to close or open the outlet 10. [0020] The cap mechanism further comprises a locking component 1 having two side walls with a distance, a pin 4 and a spring 5 disposed outside of the pin 4. The front portions of the two side walls of the locking component 1 are respectively located at the two sides of the cap 3, these two side walls connect with each other forming an integral piece through the rear end of the locking component 1. each side wall of the locking component 1 is in a branched structure , which includes an upper branch 111 and a lower hook 112. Each upper branch 111 is respectively hinged to one end of a rotating shaft 31 formed on the cap 3 and between the two upper branches 111 to enable the locking component 1 to rotate around the rotating shaft 31. Preferably, the rotating shaft 31 is fixed on the top surface of the cap 3, two ends of the rotating shaft 31 respectively extends to two sides of the cap 3 for the two upper branches 111 to hinge. [0021] The base 2 has two side walls the front portions of which are respectively located at the two sides of the outlet 1 0.One through hole 22 and one positioning hole 23 are formed at one side of the outer of the outlet 10. After the cap 3 rotates around the hinged shaft 21 and cover the outlet 10, the lower hook 112 on the lower portion of the -5 side wall of the locking component 1 can rotate around the rotating shaft 31 and insert into the through hole 22 for make the locking component 1 be locked primarily. [0022] The positioning hole 23 is located adjacent to the through hole 22, the pin 4, which is rotatably inserted into the positioning hole 23, can move forward and backward in a limited distance. In addition, the front end of the pin 4 locates at the front of the positioning hole 23, and the pin 4 has a locking protrusion 41 forming on the front end of the pin 4 vertical relative to the length direction of the pin 4. The lower hook 112 that inserts into the through hole 22 during the rotation of the locking component 1 is provided with a locking hole 12 which is located in the front of the through hole 22, the locking protrusion 41 of the front end of the pin 4 can insert into the locking hole 12 with the rotation of the pin 4 to make the locking component 1 be locked finally. Preferably, the opening direction of the locking hole 12 is downward. The rear end of the pin 4 is provided with a flange surface 42, two ends of a spring 5 respectively resists the flange surface 42 and a surface at the rear end of the positioning hole 23, enabling the pin 4 to keep backward. Thus, when the locking protrusion 41 is locked in the locking hole 12, the locking protrusion 41 can backward lock the locking hole 12 closely. The through hole 22, the positioning hole 23 and the pin 4 can be formed directly at either of the two sides of the outlet 10, while the base 2 only needs to be fixed on the rear end of the outlet 10. [0023] In order to facilitate the rotation and the locking for the locking protrusion 41, the pin 4 is provided with at least two separated locking protrusions 41, one is used for locking into the locking hole 12, others is for the user to handle the pin 4 to rotate. [0024] Fig.1 shows a view that the cap mechanism has covered the outlet 10 and is locked. To lock the cap mechanism, the cap 3 rotates forward around the hinged shaft 21 and covers on the top of the outlet 10, the read end of the locking component 1 rotates backward, and when the lower hook 112 is inserted into the through hole 22, rotating the pin 4 to make the locking protrusion 41 to be inserted in the locking hole 12, the whole cap mechanism is locked. When the cap mechanism is wanted to be unlocked, as shown in -6 Fig.3, rotating the pin 4 to make the locking protrusion 41 to get out of the locking hole 12, then rotating the locking component 1 to separate the lower hook 112 from the through hole 22, as shown in Fig.4, finally, rotating the cap 3 and the outlet 10 can be open. [0025] The cap mechanism for a container of the present invention, not only has a simple structure, but also makes use of the rotation of the cap and the locking component along with the rotation of the pin and the lower hook to lock the cap on the outlet, which makes the container has good sealed capability and long service life. [0026] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

1. A cap mechanism for a container, the container having an outlet (10), the cap mechanism comprising a base fixed on the outlet of the container, a hinged shaft provided on the rear end of the base, and a cap the rear end of which is hinged on the hinged shaft , being able to rotate around the hinged shaft to close or open the outlet; wherein the cap mechanism further comprises a locking component having two side walls with a distance, a pin and a spring disposed outside of the pin; wherein the front portions of the two side walls of the locking component are respectively located at the two sides of the outlet, each side wall of the locking component is in a branched structure, which includes an upper branch and a lower hook, each upper branch is respectively hinged to one end of a rotating shaft formed between the two upper branches, so that the locking component can rotate around the rotating shaft; at least one through hole and one positioning hole are formed at one side of the outer of the outlet, and one lower hook of the locking component can insert into the through hole during the rotation of the locking component; the positioning hole is located adjacent to the through hole, the pin rotatably runs through the positioning hole and can move forward and backward in a limited distance, the pin has a locking protrusion forming on the front end of the pin vertical relative to the length direction of the pin, and the lower hook has a locking hole located in the front of the through hole, after the lower hook is inserted into the through hole, the locking protrusion can be locked in the locking hole with the rotation of the pin; the rear end of the pin is provided with a flange surface, two ends of the spring respectively resists the flange surface and a surface at the rear end of the positioning hole.

2. The cap mechanism of Claim 1, wherein the front portions of the base are respectively fixed on the two sides of the outer of the outlet, and the through hole and the positioning hole are just formed on at least one of the two front portions of the base. -8

3. The cap mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the rotating shaft is fixed on the top surface of the cap, two ends of the rotating shaft respectively extends to two sides of the cap for the two upper branches to hinge.

4. The cap mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the pin is provided with at least two separated locking protrusions.

5. A cap mechanism for a container, the container having an outlet, the cap mechanism substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.