EP0960055B1

EP0960055B1 - Receptacle with cover for containing a fluid medium

Info

Publication number: EP0960055B1
Application number: EP98902962A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Soren Mikkelsen Kjaer; Per Lund Christensen
Original assignee: Glud and Marstrand AS
Current assignee: Glud and Marstrand AS
Priority date: 1997-02-14
Filing date: 1998-02-16
Publication date: 2003-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2018-02-16
Also published as: NO993612L; NO993612D0; DE69814357D1; WO1998035882A1; ATE239646T1; DK0960055T3; EP0960055A1; AU5982398A

Abstract

The invention relates to a container (4) with a lid (1) and comprising a conical body (5) provided with a closed bottom and an open uppermost end (6) comprising a cross-sectionally substantially semi-circular, outwardly facing first curled bead (7). The lid (1) is provided with a central part (2) radially circumscribed by a U-shaped stiffening groove (3), whose upwardly radially outermost branch (11) forms a conical surface (11) fitting to the inner uppermost portion (10) of the body (5) of the container (4). In order to ensure easy removal and reapplication of the lid (1) on the container (4) without deforming these parts the radially outermost branch (8) of the lid's U-shaped groove (12) is provided with a second curled bead (14) facing inwardly toward a first curled bead (7) of a closed container with lid applied so as to form a first space (12) housing a sealing compound between the respective curled beads (14, 7) of the lid (1) and the container (4). During this operation, the bottom (15) of the inverted U-shaped groove (12) of the lid (1) engages the uppermost end (6) of the container. The locking connection between the conical surfaces (10, 11) of the container (4) and the lid (1) is provided by means of indentations (9, 16) on the container (4) and the lid (1), said indentations snap-engage each other when the lid (1) is completely applied onto the container (4).

Description

Technical Field

The invention relates to a container of the type described in the preamble to claim 1.

Background Art

A container of this type is for instance known from US patent No. 5.152.417. This container is also intended to store paints, varnishes, stains and other liquids and has a lid comprising a sealing compound arranged between the top of the container and the bottom of the inverted U-shaped groove in the lid which is applied onto the top of the container in the applied state of the lid. In the construction disclosed therein the lid is retained by means of an inwardly extending locking indentation on the external branch of said inverted U-shaped groove of the lid. When the lid is applied the locking indentation grips in under the semi-circular and outwardly facing curled bead at the upper end of the container. Furthermore the inverted U-shaped groove of the lid has an additional stiffening curled bead at the outermost free end of the outermost branch of the U. The known container with lid is opened by inserting a screwdriver in under the additional curled bead on the lid. At said opening the relevant outermost edge of the lid is slightly deformed such that the reapplied lid on the container is not completely tight.

From FR published specification No 2535687 a container with lid of the type described is also known and where the sealing compound between the body and the lid is achieved by means of sealing compound. In the container known from this both the uppermost position of the body and the position of the lid fitting hereto are cylindrical surfaces, which means that the lid indentation during opening and closing is to be compressed flexibly during the whole passage through the uppermost position of the body. It is the relatively steep flange angle of the lid indentation which is to compress the lid, whereby considerably force is required and consequently also the risk of lasting deformation of the lid as well as of the body opening is increased.

From FR patent No 2.387.855 a container is also known, where the uppermost position of the body as well as the position of the lid fitting hereto have cylindrical surfaces, so that it also applies here that the lid indentation is to be compressed flexibly during the whole passage through the uppermost position of the body, and thus there is a risk of deformation of the lid as well as of the body opening for this container as well. In the container known herefrom no sealing compound is used, but a packing which may consist of caoutchouc or a suitable plastic material. The packing is compressed between the lid and the uppermost position of the body, so that the positions mentioned are not kept pressed against each other here either.

Brief Description of the Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a container with lid of the above type, the lid being effortlessly removed and reapplied, if the contents of the container is not used all at once. Moreover, the reapplied lid must be so tight so as to ensure that the residual paint does not dry out, even if the lid has been removed and reapplied numerous times, ie. the lid must not become deformed.

The object is according to the invention obtained by container with lid indicated in the introduction being characterised by the subject-matter stated in the characterising clause of claim 1.

As a consequence of the fact that both the uppermost position of the body and the corresponding radial outermost branch are conical surfaces, the lid is easily caught in the body when engaged, and the conicity helps to gradually utilize the flexibility of the lid to be compressed when pressed down, until the lid indentation engages the indentation of the body and locks the lid, at the same time as the lid is kept pressed against the uppermost position of the body and the sealing compound fills in the space between the curled beads of the lid and of the body or the beads.

When the container is opened the conicity effects that as soon as its indentation at the opening is disengaged by the indentation of the body, the lid will automatically slide up through the conical part and opens without any further use of power, for which reason is not deformed when removed either and consequently it is easy to engage againg.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is an axial cross-sectional view of the upper rim of a portion of the container with the lid applied.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a slightly larger portion of the lid and of the container and a container stacked thereon, and

Fig. 3 is diagrammatic view of a diagonal cross-section of the lid in a considerably smaller scale.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The container described in the following is made of sheet metal by bending and curling. It is possible to make a similar container with lid of plastics, but in this case the container bucket is moulded and solid beads are prepared instead of curled beads.

It is thus within of the scope of the invention to make the container and lid of plastics. In the following a container made of bend sheet metal or tin is described.

Fig. 3 illustrates a lid according to the invention denoted in its entirety by the reference numeral 1. The lid has a central part 2 being radially circumscribed by a cross-sectionally U-shaped stiffening groove 3. The lid 1 on Fig. 3 is shown with its normal upwardly facing surface, turned to the left on the drawing.

The details of the lid and the container are more evident from Figs. 1 and 2, in which a substantial portion of the lid 1 is shown together with a substantial portion of the container denoted in its entirety by the reference numeral 4. The shown container 4 has a closed bottom (not shown) and a body 5 of a slightly conical upwardly increasing shape and extending upwardly therefrom, said body having at its upper end 6 a cross-sectionally substantially semi-circular, outwardly facing first curled bead 7. The outwardly facing branch of this curled bead, which as shown is formed as an inverted U, is denoted on the drawing by the reference numeral 8.

Slightly below the upper end 6 of the container, the body 5 is provided with a circumferential, outwardly facing recess or indentation 9. The distance between said indentation 9 and the uppermost end 6 is described in detail below. In the illustrated embodiment the uppermost portion (denoted by the reference numeral 10) of the body of the container 4 being above the indentation 9 has a slightly larger cone angle than the substantially larger portion of the body 5 being below the indentation 9.

Figs. 1 and 2 also illustrate a portion of the lid 1 inserted on to the container 4. Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the U-shaped stiffening groove 3 of the lid. The upward radial outermost branch 11 of said U-shaped stiffening groove 3 forms a conical surface fitting to the internal, uppermost portion 10 of the body of the container 4 and ends in an inverted U-shaped groove 12. Even though this part 12 is referred to as a groove, in the shown embodiment it does not resemble a groove as explained in the following.

The radially outermost branch 13 of the inverted U-shaped groove 12 of the lid is thus provided with a second curled bead 14 facing inwardly toward a first curled bead 7 of a container with a sealed lid so as to form a first space 12 between

curled beads

14 and 7 of the lid and the container, respectively.

Furthermore the lid 1 is provided with a circumferential indentation 16 on its conical surface 11. The indentation is arranged a slight distance, eg a third of the height of the conical surface from the bottom 24 of the groove 3.

The indentation 9 is spaced apart from the uppermost end 6 of the container such that the two indentations 9,16 on the container 4 and on the lid 1, respectively interlock when the lid 1 is applied, ie when the bottom 15 of the U-shaped groove 12 engages the uppermost end 6 of the container 4.

In the manner described the container 4 with lid 1 functions as intended. When removing the lid 1, the lid is lifted against the locking forces acting between the two indentations 9,16. The sealing compound in the groove 12 or in the space between the

curled beads

14,7 of the lid 1 and the container 4 offer only poor frictional resistance against the removal of the lid 1. At the removal of the lid the sealing compound remains substantially attached to the lid. When the lid 1 is reapplied the sealing compound once again contribute to preventing leakage or evaporation from the interior of the container.

According to a preferred embodiment a third curled bead 17 is, however, provided on the container under the semi-circular in cross-section, outwardly facing curled bead 7, said third bead 17 forming a second space 18 between the upper edge 19 thereof and the second curled bead 14 of the applied lid 1. This second space 18 may also contain sealing compound extending integrally with the above sealing compound. As seen in cross-section in Figs. 1 and 2, the shape of the third curled bead 17 is such that a curved portion 20 of the curled bead 17 abuts in a supportive manner the outer surface of the body 5 of the container or rather the portion 10 of the body 5 being above the indentation 9. As a result the outermost end 21 of the curved portion 20 abuts a cross-sectionally flat area 22 of the curled bead 17.

Accordingly, when the lid 1 is to be removed from the container, a screwdriver can be inserted between the curled bead 14 of the lid and the uppermost portion 19 of the curled bead 17 of the container.

As it appears from Fig.2, filled containers of this type are suitable for stacking. Fig. 2 thus illustrates the lowermost portion of a second container, viz a portion of the bottom 23 and body 5 of this container. However, this stackability does not form a direct part in the present invention.

Claims

Container (4) with lid (1) preferably intended for storing liquids, such as paints, said container comprising:

a cylindrical or conical body (5) provided with a closed bottom and an open uppermost end (6) ending in an outward and downward facing uppermost bead, in particular a curled bead (7), said body (5) having a substantially semi-circular outward facing indentation (9) for interlocking with a corresponding outward facing indentation (16) arranged on the conical, outermost branch (11) of the lid (1),

a lid (1) with a central part (2) radially circumscribed by a U-shaped stiffening groove (3), whose upwardly radially outermost branch (11) fits to the inner uppermost portion (10) of the body (5) being above the indentation (9), said radially outermost branch (11) of the lid (1) provided with a second curled bead (14) or bead facing inwardly toward the bead (7) of a container (4) with the lid (1) applied so as to define a first space (12) receiving a sealing compound between the respective curled beads (14,7) of the lid (1) and the body (5), and the lid (1) abutting the uppermost end (6) of the body (5) when applied onto the body (5), said indentation (16) of the lid (1) in the closed position of the lid snap-engaging the corresponding indentation (9) of the body (5), at the same time as the sealing compound fills the space (12) between the curled beads (14,7) or beads of the lid (1) and is kept pressed against the uppermost end (6) of the body (5), said end engaging the lid (1), characterised in that the uppermost portion (10) of the body (5) being above the indentation (9) and the radially outermost branch (11) of the lid (1) both are conical surfaces (10,11) respectively with the same cone angle, the conical surface (11) of the lid (1) is retained in a closely fitting position against the conical surface (10) by means of the indentation (16) of the lid (1).
Container according to claim 1, and in which the body (5) is cylindrical or conical, characterised in that the uppermost portion of the body (5) being above the indentation (9) has a slightly larger cone angle than the substantially larger portion of the body (5) being below the indentation (9).