CA2522210A1

CA2522210A1 - Container

Info

Publication number: CA2522210A1
Application number: CA002522210A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Chi Hung Law
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-04-18
Filing date: 2004-04-16
Publication date: 2004-10-28
Also published as: HK1070239A2; US20040206766A1; KR20060011949A; AU2004229604A1; HK1089737A1; IES20040186A2; JP2004315090A; CN100491207C; CN1777536A; CN2690303Y; FR2854134A3; WO2004092027A1; FR2854134B3

Abstract

A container (10) has a body (100) and a lid (200). The body (100) has a peripheral wall (120) having a circumferential edge portion (122) that turns outwardly along its entire length to have a first cross-section(122C) . The lid (200) has a circumferential edge portion (222) that turns downwardly along its entire length to have a second cross-section (222C) complementary in shape to and for enclosing the first cross-section (122C) for surface sealing engagement therewith. The lid edge portion (222) includes four side flaps (226) which are foldable inwardly and upwardly to provide respective resiliently self-expanding hooks (226H) for bearing resiliently at an acute angle against an outer surface (120B) of the body wall (120) to thereby maintain the sealing engagement, with the lid edge portion (222) forming a gap with the body surface (120B) across which the hooks (226H) extend.

Description

CONTAINER
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a container particularly but not exclusively for containing food, whose lid engages with the container body against accidental opening.
BACKG$OUND OF THE INVENTION
Containers of this type in general have been known, such as the one as disclosed in US Patent No. 4,915,292 and shown in Figures 10 and 11 of the accompany drawings.
This container essentially has an upright tubular body 1, of given cross-section, provided with. outwardly .turned edges 2. Y~Tith the tubular body ~., tse~o box-like lids 3 and 3' cooperate, having mating cross-sections, and provided with inwardly turned edges 4 and adapted. to close respective t~p and bottom ends of the body 1.
The lids 3 of this container are secure and cannot be removed without destruction,. Despite of the secure disposition, the lids 3 are not sealingl.y engaged with the body 1, and this makes the container unsuitab3~e for containing matter that can leak such as powder or liquid.
The invention seeks to mitigate or at least alleviate such a drawback by providing an improved container.

SUi~IARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a container comprising a body and a lid for closing an opening of the body. The body has a base and a peripheral wall upstanding therefrom to define a receptacle. The peripheral wall defines the . opening which has a circumferential edge portion that turns outwardly along its entire length to have a first cross-section. The lid has a circumferential edge portion that turns downwardly along its entire length to have a second cross-section complementary in shape to and for enclosing the first cross-section for surface sealing ezagagement therewith.
The lid edge portion includes at least two flaps on different sides of the~lick which are foldable inwardly and upwardl~a to be resiliently s~:lf-e~spanding for. 3ac~aring resiliently at an acute angle against an outer surface of the bode ~rs.ll to there~ay maar~tai.n the seala.nc~ engagement, with the lid edge portion forming a gap ~,a~ith the body wall outer surface across which the flaps extend.
Preferably, the body wall is inclined from bottom to top at an acute angle outwardly.
It is preferred that the gap has a width and the flaps have a dimension measured from the lid edge portion that is larger than. the width of the gap such that the flaps are resiliently flippable outwardly. through an over-centre action while bearing against the body wall outer surface upon removal of the lid from the body.
It is further preferred that the body wall is inclined from bottom to top at an acute angle outwardly.
In a preferred embodiment, the lid edge portion turns upwardly along its entire length before turning downwardly to thereby form an annular rib including the second cross-section.
More .preferably, the annular rib includes an inner side that has a profile complementary in shape to that of a tap Ia~.rt of an inner surface of the body wall for surface sealing engagement therewith.
More preferably, the lid edge portion turns downwardiy along' its entire length. before turning up~,sarc~.l~- to ac.~ oin the annular rib~ ,thereby farming an annular groove immediately within the annular rib.
It is preferred that the flaps are integrally connected to the lid edge portion slang fold lines such that the flaps are readily foldable.
Qreferably, the body wall outer surface has a relatively rough surface tea~ture for frictional. engagement by the flaps,.

More preferably, the body is moulded from paper pulp.
Further more preferably, the lid is also moulded from paper pulp.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 is a top perspective view crf an embodiment of a container in a.ecord.arace with the invention~ ~~hich has a ~.5 body and Iid for closing the body;
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container of fio~ure 1,. showing ita body and la.d~ seps.rately;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the body of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the body of Figure 3, taking along tine IV-IV;
~5 Figure 5 is another doss-sectional side view of the body of Figure 3, taking along line V-V;
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the lid of figure 2;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the lid of Figure 6, taking along line VII-VII;

5 Figure 8 is another cross-sectional side view of the lid of Figure 6, taking along line VIII-VIII;
Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional side view of the container of Figure 1, illustrating inter-engagement between the lid and the body;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a prior art container, which has a body and top and bottom lids closing the body;
and Figure 13. is a cross-section,s.l side: viewer of the conte.inea of Figure 10, illustrating inter-engagement between the lids a.nd the body.
DETAIbED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIPlEN'r Referring to Figures 1 to 9 of the drawings, there is shown a container 10 embodying the invention, which M
container 10 comprises a body 100 having a top opening and a separate lid 200 fox closing the opening of the body 100. The body 100 and the lid 200 are both moulded from virgin paper pulp for example. 'The body 100 has a generally square base 110 and a four-sided peripheral wall 120 upstanding integrally therefrom, while gradually axpar~,ding, to define .a receptacle for containing matter such as food and in particular food with liquid content (i.e. juice, sauce or soup) ar mere liquid. The 5~~peripheral wall 3.20 is inclined slightly outwards from bottom to top at an acute angle of about 15°.
The body wall 120 defines the opening that has a circumferential edge portion 3.22 which turns outwardly along its entire length to have a cross-section 1220.
Mare specifically, the body edge portion 122 is smoothly cv.rved outwardly and then, slightly downwardly such that the crass-section 122 has a relatively shallow inverted tT- shape .
The lid 200 is of a generally square shs.pe, having a.
central panel 21.0 and an integrally connected peripheral portion 220 4urrounding the panel 25Ø The peripheral portion 220 has a circumferential edge portion 222 that turns upwardly and then downwardly along its entire length to farm a hollow annular rib 2228 of a second cross-section 2220 for enclosing the first cross-section 1220 of the body edge portion 1,22. The second ,cross-section 2220 has a relati~rely deep .inverted T7-shape including an upper part that is complementary in shape to and matches with the first cross-section 1220 for surface sealing engagement therewith.

The circumferential rib 2228 of the lid 200 has opposite inner and outer sides slightly diverging downwardly. The rib's inner side has a profile complementary in shape to that of the top part of an inr~er surface 120A of the body wall 120 for surface sealing engagement therewith.
Downwardly, the rib's outer side is slightly taller than the rib's inner side and extends beyond the body edge portion 122 to form an annular gap 223 with and around an outer surface 120B of the body wall 120.
As between the central panel 210 and the circumferential rib 2228, the peripheral portion 220 turns initially dawnwardly along its entire length from the panel 210 and then outwardly before turning upwardly to adjoin the rib 2228, thereby farming an annular groove 2246 iediately within the annular rib 222,. The presence of the groove 2246 allows the adjacent inner side of the rib 2228 to r e~,tend rela.tivel~~ deeper int~ the container bod~° 100.
This enlarges the area of se ling engagement of the lid edge portion 222 with the body edge portion 122 dawnwardly from the top of the-inner surface 120A of the body wall 120, whereby the lid 200 can seal more effectively with the body 100 against leakage of liquid content.
The lid edge portion 222 includes four flaps (or tabs) 226 on respective opposite sides of the lid 200, which are intearallv~ connected to the lid edge portion 222 along respective vureakened fold lines 225 farmed by, for example, punched slots or pressed dashes or simply a pre-formed crease such that the flaps 226 are readily foldable about these lines 225. Hefore the lid 200 is used, the flaps~226 should first be folded about the lines 225 inwardly and upwardly into the rib 2228, thereby providing respective hooks (or clasps) 226H. By reason of the integral connection along the fold lines 225, the in-turned hooks 226H are resiliently self expanding.
The upward angular disposition of the hooks 226H enables .
easy placement of the lid 200 onto the body 1.00. When the lid 200 closes upon the body opening~ the hooks 226H of the lid 200 are pressed to contract through pivoting about their fold. linsa 225 upo~x hitting the edge portion, 122 of the body 100, thereby giving way to the body edge portiora 1.22 which is then ses.lingly engaged b~ the lid edge portion 222. ~s soon. as the hooks 226H are lowered ?0 past the body edge portion ,122, they immediately flip back and expand by resiliency a.nd thus bear with their distal en.ds/edges upwardly , resiliently against the inclined outer surface x20 of the body wall 120 at positions below and inwardly of the body edge porti~n 122.
In .such a closed condition of the container 14, the hooks 226H extend at an acute angle (about 45°) inwardly and upwardly across the gap 223. Given that the body wall outer surface 1208 is inclined outwardly (and downwardly), the hooks 2~26H act at an acute angle upon and bear against the inclined wall surface 1208 to thereby encourage and maintain the sealing engagement between the lid 200 and the body 100, counteracting removal of the lid 200 from the body 100, In this regard, the wall, surface 1208 is made to have a relatively rough surface texture for frictional engagement by the hooks 226H.
The lid 200 can easily be opened by being pulled, conveniently at one corner or on one Side thereof, upwardly away from the body 100. In this regard, the gaga 223 has a width G and the hooks ~~26H have a ci.ix~en.sion H
measured from the lid edge portion 222 that is ls.rger than the gap width G. Thus, upon lifting of the lid 200 i f~:om the body 100, the h~o~~s 226H s.re resiliently flippable downwardly and outwardly through aaa over-centre action, with their distal ends/edges continuing to grip the body wall outer surface 1208 for the time being, to thereby release the body 100. By over-centre action, the hooks 226H pivot pastN a "centre" angular position at which compression of the hooks 226H maximizes.
It is envisaged that the subject container l0 can be designed to have any other su~.table shapes, for example includia~g a generally rectangular, triangular or circular base. The number of sides of the container body wall 120 is not restricted, nor is the number of flaps/hooks 226H.
Thus, in the case of a three-sided container body 100, the associated lid 200 may have only two flaps 226H
5 (ir~,stead of three) on different i.e. adjacent (rather than opposite) sides.
The invention has been given by way of e~cample only, and various other modifications of andlor alterations to the 10 described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A container comprising:
a body having a base and a peripheral wall upstanding therefrom to define a receptacle, the peripheral wall defining an opening having a circumferential edge portion that turns outwardly along its entire length to have a first cross-section; and a lid for closing the opening of the body and having a circumferential edge portion that turns downwardly along its entire length to have a second cross-section complementary in shape to and for enclosing the first cross-section for surface sealing engagement therewith;
wherein the lid edge portion includes at least two flaps an different sides of the lid, which are foldable inwardly and upwardly to be resiliently self-expanding for bearing resiliently at as acute angle against an outer surface of the body wall to thereby maintain the sealing engagement, with the lid edge potion forming a gap with the body wall outer surface across which the flaps extend.

2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body wall is inclined from bottom to top at an acute angle outwardly.

3. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gap has a width and the flaps have a dimension measured from the lid edge portion that is larger than the width of the gap such that the flaps are resiliently flippable outwardly through an over-centre action while bearing against the body wall outer surface upon removal of the lid from the body.

4. The container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the body wall is inclined from bottom to top at an acute angle outwardly.

5. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid edge portion turns upwardly along its entire length before turning downwardly to thereby form an annular rib including the second cross-section.

6. The container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the annular rib includes an inner side that has a profile complementary in shape to that of a top part of an inner surface of the body wall for surface sealing engagement therewith.

7. The container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lid edge portion turns downwardly along, its entire length before turning upwardly to adjoin the annular rib, thereby forming an annular groove immediately within the annular rib.

8. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flaps are integrally connected to the lid edge portion along fold lines such that the flaps are readily foldable.

9. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body wall outer surface has a relatively rough surface texture for frictional engagement by the flaps.

10. The container as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body is moulded from paper pulp.

11. The container as claimed in claim 10, wherein the lid is also moulded from paper pulp.