EP1780140B1 - Container for foodstuffs - Google Patents

Abstract

The food container has a slider (5) with fasteners for latching a cover (4) to a bowl (1). The fasteners create contact pressure between the cover and the edge of the bowl. The bowl comprises of a base and sidewalls (2,3). A soft flexible sealing material is provided at the edge of the bowl for secure connection with the cover.

Description

The invention relates to a container for food according to the preamble of claim 1. Accordingly, this container comprises a shell with a bottom, a side wall and a top circumferential shell edge, as well as on the shell edge, if necessary, tightly sealing lid. The lid is in the contact area to the shell edge of soft elastic sealing material or he is provided with such. Furthermore, fasteners are provided which releasably secure the lid to the shell, while forming a contact force between the lid and the shell edge.

In particular, food containers that serve as food containers for the storage and transport of food should close as close as possible to prevent the dripping of liquids, but also an exchange of air between the container interior and the environment. For this purpose, the lid of a container of the present type, at least in that area which is placed on the shell edge, made of soft elastic sealing material. Alternatively, a soft elastic seal in the contact area between the lid and the shell edge may be provided to ensure the air and drip-tight fit of the lid on the shell.

In order to ensure an actually airtight seat of the lid on the shell edge in larger containers with a volume of, for example, one liter and more, it is essential that a permanent contact force between the lid and the shell edge is maintained. This is it already known, provided on the lid separately operable fasteners in the form of hinged flaps, the clamping projections under grip on the outside of the shell and thereby press the lid against the shell edge, wherein the soft elastic seal in the contact area between the lid and the shell edge is pressed together. In rectangular-shaped or rectangular containers, however, there is the difficulty that the side wall of the shell dodges at least on the longer sides of this contact force between the lid and the shell edge, as a container of the present type is formed thin-walled for weight and cost reasons usually thin and the stability of the side wall so far is not always sufficient to apply the required airtightness counterforce against the contact force on the shell edge. Accordingly, it is necessary in such containers to provide on all four sides fasteners that press the lid on the shell edge.

It is obvious that the handling of a food container of the present type significantly deteriorates as a result. Because the user must open with his two hands in the aforementioned known container a total of at least four clamping, designed as a hinged flaps fasteners to remove the lid from the shell can. Of course, this is not done with one touch.

Based on this prior art, the present invention has the object to improve a container of the type mentioned in terms of its handling.

This object is achieved by a container having the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments and further developments of the container according to the invention are laid down in claims 2 to 12.

A container for food, which is formed according to the present invention, thus differs from the prior art essentially so that in each case two or more fasteners are combined to form an actuating unit, and that this actuating unit is designed as a slide. In a rectangular in its basic form container are then preferably two slides present, each actuate a plurality of fasteners, so that the fasteners generate the contact pressure between the lid and the shell edge not only in the area of the slide, but also circumferentially distributed on the two sliderless pages. The invention thus simplifies the handling of a container of the present type, on the one hand, in that only two actuating elements for actuating all circumferentially distributed fastening elements are present, ie the container can be opened or closed by means of a handle, and, on the other hand, that the actuating elements are designed as a slide, which in turn allows a comparison with the known hinged flaps simplified handling.

As already mentioned, it is advantageous if a substantially rectangular container, that is to say a container with a shell, which has two side walls and two end walls, is provided with a slider on each end wall, which slides actuate at least two fastening elements at the same time attack on the associated end wall as well as simultaneously on one or both side walls.

The fasteners may consist of on the one hand substantially horizontally extending retaining surfaces and on the other hand, bars which engage under the retaining surfaces when closing the fasteners. Preferably, the bars and / or the holding surfaces are each inclined to form a bevel against the horizontal, so that upon pushing the bolt on the support surface, a movement of the lid to the shell takes place and thereby the necessary contact pressure of the lid is generated at the shell edge.

Preferably, the bars are hook-shaped in cross-section and attached to the lid. This allows the holding surfaces on the other hand can be easily formed by a projection in the region of the shell edge on the shell and optionally have recesses through which dive the hook-shaped latch and can engage behind by horizontal displacement of the support surfaces.

Further advantages are obtained if at least one holding surface, expediently the holding surfaces on the side walls of the container, are provided with a guide surface extending in each case approximately perpendicularly to the holding surface, running essentially parallel to the direction of movement of the associated bar. Preferably, this guide surface is formed by a lateral guide web. The hook-shaped bars then ensure not only that the lid is positively fixed against upwardly acting forces on the shell, but also against a lateral displacement of the lid on the shell due to the lateral guide surface. It is obvious that in this way the tight fit of the lid on the shell is further improved.

Conveniently, the slide according to the invention are mounted on the lid and optionally connected to the also present on the lid bars; because when the slides are attached to the lid, they are at that point of the container that is already gripped by the user if he wants to loosen the lid from the shell. In addition, the shell is then free of moving parts, which is advantageous in terms of handling of the shell and in terms of contamination of the moving parts.

On the one hand to minimize the risk of injury by hook-shaped bars and on the other hand to obtain a still pleasing appearance, the lid and / or the slide are preferably provided with a roof-shaped edge surface which covers the bolt laterally. This can be such that the slides in the retracted state form the edge surface of the lid when two slides are present so form a kind of split ring, which extends over the entire circumference of the lid.

Figur 1:

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Lebensmittelbehälters nach der Erfindung;

Figur 2:

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Behälters aus Figur 1 mit entferntem Deckel;

Figur 3:

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Deckels;

Figur 4:

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines vom Deckel entfernten Schiebers;

Figur 5:

eine perspektivische Ansicht des geschlossenen Lebensmittelbehälters von unten;

Figuren 6a und 6b:

eine seitliche Schnittdarstellung der Stirnseite des Behälters, im entriegelten (Figur 6a) und verriegelten (Figur 6b) Zustand;

Figuren 7a und 7b:

teilgeschnittene Darstellungen des Seitenrandbereichs des Behälters;

Figur 8:

ein Detail aus Figur 5.

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1:

a perspective view of a food container according to the invention;

FIG. 2:

a perspective view of the container FIG. 1 with the lid removed;

FIG. 3:

a perspective view of the lid;

FIG. 4:

a perspective view of a lid removed from the slider;

FIG. 5:

a perspective view of the closed food container from below;

FIGS. 6a and 6b:

a side sectional view of the front side of the container, in unlocked ( FIG. 6a ) and locked ( FIG. 6b ) Status;

FIGS. 7a and 7b:

partially sectional views of the side edge portion of the container;

FIG. 8:

a detail from FIG. 5 ,

FIG. 1 shows in a perspective view obliquely from above the embodiment of a container according to the present invention described here. This container consists of a shell 1, whose basic shape is approximately rectangular and which accordingly has two end walls 2 and two side walls 3, as well as a lid 4, which in the present case is placed airtight on the shell 1. At the end faces of the lid 4 is provided with a slider 5, which is actuated by means of a gripping surface 6. The two slides 5 engage around the edge of the lid 4 so that they form a closed ring with a roof-shaped edge surface 7. This ring is divided approximately centrally, since the two slides 5 can be pulled outward to release the cover 4 for removal from the shell 1. Both the shell 1 as well as the lid 4 and the slide 5 are made of plastic, in particular polypropylene, which is lightweight, dimensionally stable and resistant.

FIG. 2 shows in a similar perspective as FIG. 1 the shell 1 of the container without a lid. This shell consists of a bottom 8 and the already mentioned above end walls 2 and side walls 3. Somewhat below a shell edge 9 is a circumferential projection 10 with recesses 11 for receiving (not shown here) bars that are attached to the sliders 5. The shell edge 9 carries in the present embodiment, no soft elastic seal, as this would interfere with the use of the shell for food. Instead, a soft elastic seal is provided in the lid 4, which will become apparent from the following figures. The shell 1 is also free of the slides according to the invention or other moving parts, so that it represents the user as a more or less conventional shell.

FIG. 3 again shows in a similar perspective view of the shell removed cover 4 with its two sliders 5. In order to remove the cover 4 of the shell 1, the two slides 5 have been pulled outward, so that approximately centrally now a gap between the two roof-shaped edge surfaces 7 of the two slides 5 can be seen. A visible in the gap contact area 12 of the lid 4 for placing on the shell edge 9 of the shell 1 is provided with an inserted, soft elastic seal 18, which, however, can not be seen here.

In the FIG. 3 of the roof-shaped edge surfaces 7 hidden latch are in FIG. 4 recognizable, which in turn in a similar perspective as in the previous figures shows an insulated slider 5. On the inside of the edge surface 7, a bolt 13 with a ramp 14 can be seen, which dips when placing the lid 4 on the shell 1 in one of the recesses 11 in the projection 10 of the shell 1 and the projection 10 engages behind the shutter 10 , This will be explained in more detail with reference to the following drawings. On the inside of the gripping surface 6 four (not visible here) are mounted vertical ribs, on the one hand form the slide 5 stable and on the other hand in the frontal recesses 11 in the projection 10 of the shell 1 ( FIG. 2 ) and make the seat of the lid 4 on the shell 1 mechanically even more stable.

FIG. 5 again shows the entire container, but in a perspective view from below. On the basis of this representation, it becomes clear how the lateral latches 13 each engage under a retaining surface 15 formed by the projection 10 and cause the desired pressing force of the cover 4 on the shell 1 in the region of the side walls 3 by means of the run-on slope 14 (not visible here). In the area of the end walls 2, the slides 5 are provided with locking surfaces 16, which engage under the projection 10 at the front, in order to produce the desired pressing force between the cover 4 and the shell 1 on the front side. Again, the holding surface 15 is formed by the underside of the projection 10.

As in FIG. 6a becomes clear, the just mentioned holding surface 15 on the end wall 2 of the shell 1, which is formed on the projection 10, provided with a ramp 14 to a movement of the lid 4 when pushing the locking surface 16 on the support surface 15 to the shell edge 9 out to effect. The contact portion 12 of the lid 4 to the shell edge 9 out is provided with a groove 17, in which a hollow chamber profile is inserted as a circumferential, soft elastic seal 18. When pressing the lid 4 on the shell edge 9, the seal 18 is compressed, whereby the airtightness of the lid closure is ensured. The slider 5 runs on a sliding surface 19 at the edge of the lid 4 and is guided there in corresponding (not shown) guides. The closed state of the slide 5 shows FIG. 6b ,

As mentioned, shows FIG. 6a the unlocked position of the slide 5, while FIG. 6b the locked position of the same shows. In a similar way shows Figure 7a in a partial section a detail of the container according to the invention in unlocked slide position, while FIG. 7b the locked position shows. In both FIGS. 7a and 7b the bolt 13 is shown as a fastener on a side wall 3 of the shell 1 in section and illustrates its interaction with the formed on the underside of the projection 10 holding surface 15 with the ramp 14 of the bolt 13. In Figure 7a It is also clear that the bolt 13 in pulled out slide 5 in the corresponding Recess 11 can dip into the projection 10 of the shell, which then when inserting the slide 5 (FIG. FIG. 7b ), the latch 13 engages under the holding surface 15 and causes by means of the ramp 14, a movement of the lid 4 to the shell 1 and a corresponding formation of a contact force. Also laterally, the lid 4 is provided with a sliding surface 19 for guiding the slider 5.

FIG. 8 shows a detail FIG. 5 in a plan view from below, namely the in FIG. 5 shown on the bottom right side latch 13, which is integrally formed on the slide 5 with its edge surface 7. The bolt 13 is shown in its closed position in which it engages under the holding surface 15. The holding surface 15 is provided in the embodiment shown here with a guide web 20 which forms on its side facing the shell 1 side a lateral guide surface for the bolt 13, which is approximately perpendicular to the support surface 15 and substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the bolt 13 , The slider 5, and with this the lid 4, are thus fixed horizontally and vertically by the bolt 13. In this figure, it is also easy to see that the recess 11 in the projection 10 of the shell 1 is dimensioned so that the released from its engagement with the support surface 15 and the guide bar 20 bolt 13 can be passed up through the recess 11 therethrough and insofar as a removal of the lid 4 in the open state of the slide 5 opposes any resistance.

That in the FIGS. 1 to 8 illustrated embodiment of a container according to the invention thus illustrates the inventive combination of frontal fasteners 15, 16 and lateral fasteners 13, 15, which are operated with one and the same slide 5. With the two slides 5 so the sealing contact force between the cover 4 and the shell edge 9 can be ensured not only the front side, but also on the side walls 3, and this still only two slides 5, each with a gripping surface 6 are present.

The slider 5 are mounted in the present embodiment on the cover 4, which offers advantages in handling, since the lid 4 is already taken to open and close and what the shell 1 of movable Relieving parts. However, the slider 5 according to the invention can of course also be attached to the shell 1, in which case the lid must have no moving parts. A combination of these two possibilities is conceivable, so that both the shell 1 and the lid 4 have moving parts. It is only important in each case that groups of fastening elements, which are formed in the present case by bolts 13, 16 and retaining surfaces 15, connected to an actuating element, namely a slide 5 and are uniformly summarized, so that in the present case only two slides 5 not only the front side, but also on the side walls 3, in this case at a total of six points, the contact pressure in the shell 1 and the lid 4 can be initiated.

Due to the present embodiment of the slide 5 with around the lid 4 pulled around edge surfaces 7 a pleasing appearance of the container designed according to the invention is given.

Claims (9)

1. Container for food, comprising a dish (1) with a base (8), two end walls (2), two side walls (3) and a dish rim (9) encircling the top, as well as a lid (4) which, if need be, forms a tight seal on the dish rim (9), wherein in the region of its contact (12) with the dish rim (9) the lid (4) is made from a gently resilient sealing material or is provided with a gently resilient seal (18), and wherein fixing elements (13, 15, 16) are mounted on the lid (4) and/or on the dish (1) for releasable fixing of the lid (4) on the dish (1) whilst developing a pressing force between the lid (4) and the dish rim (9), characterised in that the fixing elements (13, 15, 16) comprise on the one hand retaining surfaces (15) which extend substantially horizontally and on the other hand latches (13, 16) which engage behind the holding surfaces (15), wherein in each case two or more latches (13, 16) are connected to one another in such a way that in each case they can be moved jointly by a slider (5), and wherein two sliders (5) are provided and each slider (5) on each end wall (2) actuates latches (13, 16) which simultaneously engage retaining surfaces (15) both on the corresponding end wall (2) and on least one side wall (3).
2. Container as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the latches (13, 16) and/or the retaining surfaces (15) are inclined with respect to the horizontal in order to form a lead-in slope (14).
3. Container as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that the latches (13,16) are of hook-shaped construction in cross-section and are mounted on the lid (4).
4. Container as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in that the latches (13, 16) are connected to two sliders (5) which are mounted on the lid (4).
5. Container as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that the retaining surfaces (15) are formed by a projection (10) in the region of the dish rim (9).
6. Container as claimed in Claim 5, characterised in that recesses (11) are provided in the projection (10) in order to form the retaining surfaces (15).
7. Container as claimed in either Claim 5 or Claim 6, characterised in that at least one retaining surface (15) is provided with a guide surface, in particular a guide bar (20), which extends approximately perpendicular on the retaining surface and substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the appertaining latch (13).
8. Container as claimed in at least one of Claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the lid (4) and/or the slider (5) are provided with a roof-shaped rim surface (7) which laterally covers the latches (13).
9. Container as claimed in Claim 8, characterised in that in the inserted state the sliders (5) form the rim surface (7) of the lid (4).

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