EP1775231A1

EP1775231A1 - Lid and container for the dosing of products in grains, granules, flakes and the like

Info

Publication number: EP1775231A1
Application number: EP06425691A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pietro Alessio
Original assignee: Internova SNC Di Alessio Pietro & C
Current assignee: Internova SNC Di Alessio Pietro & C
Priority date: 2005-10-13
Filing date: 2006-10-09
Publication date: 2007-04-18
Also published as: ITPD20050303A1

Abstract

Structure of a lid for the dosing of products in grains, granules, flakes and the like, comprising a closing body (10) to close the opening for the introduction of such products arranged on a container body (11) so as to define a holding chamber for such products. A group of holes (16) is provided on said closing body, so as to allow said products to pour out from the holding chamber. The structure also includes obstructing means (17) to obstruct said group of holes to prevent the products from spilling out. The obstructing means are mobile between an obstructing position and a non-obstructing position of the group of holes. The particular feature of this structure consists in that it comprises elastic means (24) acting on said obstructing means to recall the obstructing means from their non-obstructing position to their obstructing position, so as to prevent the products from spilling out accidentally and making undesirable contacts.

Description

The present invention refers to a structure of a lid for the dosing of products in grains, granules, flakes and the like, and a structure of a container incorporating such a structure of a lid. The invention finds particular, yet not exclusive application in the container manufacturing sector for the dosing of foodstuffs, such as grated cheese, rice, small size noodles and spices.
According to the known art, the structures of such a lid for the dosing of such products are constituted of a closing body to close an opening for the introduction of such products arranged on a containment body. In this way, the closing body and the containment body coupled to each other define a holding chamber for the mentioned products. Their pouring out from the holding chamber occurs through holes of various shapes and sizes, made in the closing body according to an appropriate arrangement. Suitable obstructing means are provided for the purpose of obstructing the holes provided on the closing body. These obstructing means are generally of a type to be manually shifted from an obstructing to a non-obstructing position and vice-versa. In the specific case, the obstructing means are prevalently in a position of obstructing the holes on the closing body, and are moved by hand from this position to a non-obstructing position only to effect the dosing operations.
In order to dose the products contained in a containing body fitted with such a closing body, one proceeds as follows. The right hand grips the container body and orients it so that the closing body is turned downward. At this point, the left hand moves the obstructing means in one direction, so as to shift them from the obstructing position to a non-obstructing position regarding the holes on the closing body. The left hand then leaves the obstructing means in a non-obstructing position. The right hand proceeds to vigorously agitate the container body to promote the exit of the products from the holding chamber through the subject holes. Once the dosing is done, the left hand moves the obstructing means in the opposite direction in order to return the obstructing means from the non-obstruction position to the obstructing position of the mentioned holes.
The drawback most evident in these lid structures is found in the that the operation of moving the obstructing means from an obstructing to a non-obstructing position on the holes of the closing body occurs in a manual manner. After his dosing operation, the user then often lays down the container body while leaving the obstructing means in their non-obstructing position. This means that in case of an accidental impact of the container body with its consequent falling or turning over, the products contained in the same easily escape from the container body. This means also that the contents easily contact contaminating agents and parasites such as mildews and insects that easily penetrate in the holding chamber through the holes on the closing body.
The aim of the present invention consists in setting up a lid structure for dosing products in grains, granules, flakes and the like and a container structure incorporating such a lid structure able to solve the drawbacks found in the known art.
Within this aim, an object of the invention consists in setting up a lid structure for dosing the subject products able to prevent accidental spills and contacts with contaminating agents and parasites of the products contained in a container body fitted with such a lid structure.
Another object of the invention consists in setting up a lid structure for an easy and intuitive use.
A further object of the invention consists in setting up a lid structure that is easily adapted to the numerous types of container bodies available on the market.
Not the last object of the invention consists in setting up an inexpensive lid structure.
This aim, as well as these and other objects which will become better apparent in the following, are achieved by a lid structure for dosing products in grains, granules, flakes and the like and by a container structure incorporating such a lid structure according to the attached claims.
According to main features of the invention, the object of preventing accidental spills and undesired contaminations of the products contained in the container body is achieved thanks to the automatic return, after the dosing operation, of the obstructing means from a non-obstructing to an obstructing position of the holes on the closing body.
According to secondary features of the invention, the lid structure proves to be of a simple and intuitive use, as the obstructing means are actuated simply by the action of one finger of the hand gripping the container body.
Again based on secondary features, the lid structure may be implemented in various shapes such as square, rectangular, polygonal or circular depending on the various types of bodies typically encountered on the market.
Further characteristics and advantages will be more clearly evident from the description of preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrated for exemplifying yet not limiting purposes in the five attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 represents a prospective front view of a container structure incorporating the lid structure according to the invention, wherein the obstructing means are in an obstructing position;
Figure 2 represents a prospective front view of the container structure and the lid structure of the preceding figure, wherein the obstructing means are in a non-obstructing position;
Figure 3 represents a ground view, seen from above, of the container structure and of the lid structure of Figure 1;
Figure 4 represents a longitudinal sectional view, according to the line of the section plane IV - IV of Figure 3, of the container structure and of the lid structure of Figure 1;
Figure 5 represents a ground view, seen from above, of the container structure and of the lid structure of Figure 2;
Figure 6 represents a longitudinal sectional view, according to the line of the section plane IV - IV of Figure 5, of the container structure and of the lid structure of Figure 2;
Figure 7 again represents a ground view, seen from above, of the container structure and of the lid structure of Figure 2;
Figure 8 represents a transversal sectional view, according to the line of the section plane VIII - VIII of Figure 7, of the container structure incorporating the lid structure.

With reference to the Figures in the attached drawings and initially to the Figures 1 and 2, the lid structure, indicated as a whole by the reference number 9, comprises a closing body, indicated as a whole by the reference number 10. This closing body 10 closes the opening provided for introducing the products in a container body 11 shaped like a cup. The closing body 9 and the containment body 11 define a holding chamber 12 for the products, designated as a whole by the number 13, in the form of grains, granules or flakes. The closing of the closing body 9 on the containment body 11 is advantageously achieved by coupling the peripheral rim 14 of the closing body 9 with the peripheral rim 15 of the containment body 11 surrounding the opening. The closing body 9 is fitted with a group of holes 16 as needed for the pouring out of the products 14 from the holding chamber 13. The lid structure 9 also provides obstructing means, designated as a whole by the reference number 17, suitable for obstructing the mentioned group of holes 16 so as to prevent the products 13 from spilling out. These obstructing means 17 are mobile between an obstructing position as illustrated in the Figures 1, 3 and 4 and a non-obstructing position as illustrated in the Figures 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8. The closing body 9 is also fitted with a recess 18 accessible from outside the containment body 11 next to the peripheral rim 14, which is able to receive the tip of at least one finger of a hand, so as to act on the obstructing means 17. The closing body 9 is further provided with a pair of parallel guides, as indicated by the reference number 19, serving to guide the motion of the obstructing means 17 mentioned above. These guides 19 are projecting from the outer face of the closing body 9 and are shaped like an upturned "L", so as to hold the obstructing means 17 in adherence to the outer face of the closing body 9. The group of holes 16 on the closing body 9 is appropriately made in the area comprised between the pair of guides 19. The mentioned obstructing means 17 in turn comprise a plate-like body 20 resting on the outer surface of the closing body 9 and laterally constrained by the pair of guides 19, so as to allow it to move only in a forward and backward direction. This plate-like body 20 is fitted with a group of holes 21 of an arrangement, shape and size as used for the group of holes 16 made on the closing body 9. This plate-like body 9 is further fitted with an extension 22 that extends from one of the unrestrained sides toward the recess 18, and with a half ring 23 seated in the latter. The obstructing means 17 are therefore in a non-obstructing position when the group of holes 21 on the plate-like body 20 is superimposed on the group of holes 16 made on the closing body 10. Vice-versa, the obstructing means 17 are in an obstructing position when the group of holes 21 on the plate-like body 20 is pulled back with respect to the group of holes 16 made on the closing body 10. The lid structure 10 is also fitted with elastic means acting on said obstructing means 17. The purpose of said elastic means consists in recalling the obstructing means 17 from a non-obstructing to an obstructing position, once the dosing operation has been completed. This solution ensures obstructing the group of holes 16 on the closing body 10, so as to prevent the products 14 from accidentally spilling out and making undesirable contacts 14. These elastic means are constituted of a pair of appendices 24 projecting from both sides of the plate-like body 20 and abutting the ends of the pair of guides 18 turned toward the recess 16. In the specific case, these appendices 24 project from the connecting zone between the extension 22 and the half ring 23 and their terminal portions are curved in a divergent sense, so as to ensure an appropriate support on the extremities of the guides 19. The plate-like body 20 finally comprises stops to prevent the loss of contact between the pair of appendices 24 and the pair of guides 19. These stops are advantageously realized with a pair of bumps 25 projecting from the constraining sides of the plate-like body 20 so as to abut against the extremities of the pair of guides 19 turned toward the opposite side of the recess 16, whenever the mentioned obstructing means 17 are in an obstructing position. The container structure finally comprises a protective film 26 applied to the rim 15 of the containment body 11 that surrounds the opening to be removed prior to use.
Again with reference to the Figures of the enclosed tables, the usage of this lid structure 10 applied to a containment body 11 for the dosing of product in grains, granules and flakes 13 occurs as follows. The first operation consists in removing the protective film 26 by detaching it from the rim 15 of the containment body 11. The containment body 11 is gripped in one hand, while inserting the end of the thumb or index finger into the recess 18. The containment body 11 is then oriented to turn the lid structure 9 downward. A finger pressure is applied on the half ring 23, as schematically illustrated by the arrow in Figure 3, so as to move onward the obstructing means 17 from an obstructing to a non obstructing position of the group of holes 16 designed to pour out the products 13. The plate-like body 20 rests on the peripheral rim 15 of the containment body, so as to prevent the plastic deformation, or worse the breaking of the elastic means. To proceed with the dosing of the products 13 it suffices to shake the containment body 11 while keeping the obstructing means 17 in the non-obstructing position, as schematically shown by the arrow in Figure 5. When the dosing is over, the finger is lifted from the half ring 23, so as to allow the elastic means to perform their recalling action on the obstructing means 17, pulling them from the non-obstructing position to the obstructing position. The pair of appendices 24 in fact returns, from the elastically deformed position illustrated in Figure 5, to the original disposition as shown in Figure 3, thus recalling the obstructing means 17 back to their obstructing position.
It has in practice been verified that the lid structure for the dosing of products in grains, granules, flakes and the like and the structure of the container incorporating such a lid structure achieve their expected aim and objects, while overcoming the drawbacks encountered in the state of the art. The automatic return, after the dosing operation, of the obstructing means from a non-obstructing to an obstructing position of the holes on the closing body achieves the object of preventing accidental spillages and undesired contaminations of the products contained in the container body. The lid structure also offers a simple and intuitive usage, as moving the obstructing means is simply done by one finger of the hand gripping the container body. Finally, the lid structure may be executed in various forms such as square, rectangular, polygonal, and circular depending on the functional types of the containers typically available on the market.
In a practical embodiment, the materials employed, the shapes, sizes, and executive details may differ from those outlined above, provided they are technically equivalent, depending on the requirements and necessities.

Claims

Structure of a lid for the dosing of products in grains, granules, flakes and the like, comprising a closing body to close the opening for the introduction of such products arranged on a containment body so as to define a holding chamber for said products, a group of holes made on said closing body for pouring said products out of said holding chamber and obstructing means to obstruct said group of holes so as to prevent said products from spilling out, where said obstructing means are mobile between an obstructing position and a non-obstructing position of said group of holes, characterized in that it comprises elastic means acting on said obstructing means to recall said obstructing means from said non-obstructing position to said obstructing position, so as to prevent said products from accidentally spilling out and making undesired contacts.
Structure, according to claim 1, characterized in that said closing body comprises a peripheral rim that can be coupled with the peripheral rim of said containment body surrounding said opening.
Structure, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said closing body comprises a recess accessible from the outside of said closing body next to said peripheral rim, so as to receive the tip of at least one finger of a hand.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said closing body comprises a pair of parallel guides to guide the motion of said obstructing means.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said guides are projecting from the outer face of said closing body and profiled like an upturned "L", so as to hold said obstructing means in adherence to said outer face of said closing body.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said group of holes is made in the area of said closing body delimited by said pair of guides.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said obstructing means comprise a plate-like body resting on the outer surface of said closing body and laterally constrained by said pair of guides, so as to allow said plate-like body to move in only one forward or backward direction.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate-like body comprises a group of holes made on said closing body.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate-like body comprises an extension that extends from one of the unconstrained sides toward said recess and a half ring fitted in said recess supported by said extension.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said obstructing means are in a non-obstructing position when said group of holes of said plate-like body is superimposed on said group of holes of said closing body and that said obstructing means are in an obstructing position when said group of holes is in a retracted position with respect to said group of holes of said plate-like body.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said elastic means comprise a pair of appendices projecting from both sides of said plate-like body ending at stops on the extremities of said pair of guides which are turned toward said recess.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said appendices depart from the connecting area between said extension and said half ring.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the terminal portions of said appendices are curved in a divergent direction.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate-like body comprises stops to prevent the loss of contact between said pair of appendices and said extremities of said pair of guides.
Structure, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stops comprise a pair of bumps projecting from said sides constrained by said plate-like body that abut against the extremities of said pair of guides turned toward the side opposite the recess when said obstructing means are in an obstructing position.
Structure of a container incorporating a lid structure for the dosing of products in grains, granules, flakes or the like, comprising a containment body fitted with an opening to introduce said products and a closing body to close said opening, so as to define a holding chamber for said products, a group of holes made on said closing body for the pouring out of said products from said holding chamber, and obstructing means to obstruct said group of holes so as to prevent a spillage of said products, where said obstructing means are mobile between a obstructing position and a non-obstructing position of said group of holes, characterized in that it comprises elastic means acting on said obstructing means so as to recall said obstructing means from said non-obstructing position to said obstructing position so as to prevent said products from accidentally spilling out and making undesired contacts.
Structure of a container, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a protective film applied to said peripheral rim of said containment body that surrounds said opening.