FR3109770A1 - Container with dual aesthetic function and product distribution - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a container for the conservation and distribution of products, which can be transformed into a decorative object, the means of attachment to the cap of which are discreet while allowing hermetic sealing. The container according to the invention comprises a pot cover (10) having an open end (12a) receiving a fixing ring (20) having an internal face (22) delimiting a through passage (23), the fixing ring (20) comprising, on the internal face (22), a first locking means (24) of a stopper (30) intended to close off said through passage, and on an external face (21), a second locking means (25) of the fixing ring in the cache-pot (10). Figure for abstract: Fig. 2

Description

CONTAINER WITH DUAL AESTHETIC FUNCTION AND PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION

The invention relates to a container with a dual aesthetic and product distribution function, as well as to a method of implementation.

The invention aims to provide a container whose primary function is the conservation and distribution of a product, but which can be reused for aesthetic purposes, for example, but not exclusively, as a vase to contain flowers, or even as a simple decorative object.

The recycling of packaging, in particular containers for storing and dispensing products, can sometimes have an unfavorable energy balance.

Also, some containers are strong enough to be simply washed and reused, either for the same function or for another function.

Glass containers lend themselves particularly well to this reuse and we know of many possible reuses of mustard jars or jam jars, for example.

However, not all containers are suitable for this, because the primary destination of the container is found in its structure. Thus, to transform a mustard jar into a drinking glass, the edge of the jar must be smooth, which imposes particular technical choices for the means of closing the jar when it is first intended: a waterproof lid glued to the edge of the jar and which is removed on first use, is a repositionable flexible plastic lid which is inserted in force around the edge of the jar for subsequent uses, but which cannot in any case have a decorative character because of the functional obligations that he must fulfill.

Similarly, it is difficult to imagine reusing a jam jar as a vase for flowers, because the jam jar includes a neck fitted with a relatively unsightly screw thread, because it is very visible, to allow a hermetic screwing of the lid.

In general, the means of fixing the lid, necessary to correctly fulfill the primary function of the container, are often unsightly and prevent many types of reuse of the container, in particular for aesthetic and decorative purposes.

Since the means of closure prevent decorative reuse, the shape of the containers is also not very sought after, since in any case they will not be used for decorative purposes.

The invention aims to provide a container that can be transformed into a decorative object, the closing system being very discreet and almost invisible, especially when the container is made of glass. This container would make it possible to be reused in many different ways, and would allow the designers of this container to consider very decorative shapes for the second function of the container, and to propose, for example, limited series of decorative containers, thus increasing their value.

Of course, the closure system must also be able to allow the container to fulfill its primary function of preserving and dispensing a product by ensuring a good sealing seal.

Another object of the invention is to be able to propose a container comprising a decorative part and an interchangeable part for preserving and dispensing product constituting a product refill, so that the decorative part can be reused several times while the product is sold in the form of a non-decorative and inexpensive refill, a good fixing between the refill and the decorative part being nevertheless ensured to be able to be sold together if necessary.

More specifically, the subject of the invention is a container for the preservation and distribution of products, in particular food, the container comprising a pot cover having an open end receiving a fixing ring having an internal face delimiting a through passage, the fixing ring comprising, on the internal face, a first means for locking a stopper intended to close said through passage, and on an external face, a second means for locking the fixing ring in the cache-pot.

Thanks to the intermediate ring, it is possible to firmly and hermetically fix the stopper, and when the container is empty, the stopper and the ring are removed, leaving only the part of the second locking means visible on the pot cover which can be very discreet, which allows a decorative use of the cache-pot.

According to particular embodiments taken individually or in combination:
• the fixing ring can be secured to a pot containing said product, the pot having an inner face in contact with the product;
• the first unlocking means can be configured to require an unlocking force less than an unlocking force of the second locking means;
• the cap may comprise a fixing cylinder configured to cooperate with the first locking means, the fixing cylinder being surmounted by a support shoulder on the cache-pot;
• the first locking means carried by the inner face of the ring can be a thread, the fixing cylinder being provided with a thread complementary to the thread of the ring;
• the screw thread can extend over a quarter turn;
• the thread carried by the internal face of the ring can be a groove and the screw thread carried by the fixing cylinder of the cap can be a rib;
• the rib may comprise a notch and the groove comprises a locking relief arranged to engage reversibly and in force in the notch at the end of screwing;
• the second means for locking the ring on the cache-pot can be a bayonet system, the external face of the ring comprising a locking lug and an internal face of the cache-pot comprising an L-shaped groove in which meshes the locking lug when fixing the ring in the cache-pot;
• the second locking means of the ring on the cache-pot can be a bayonet system, the internal face of the cache-pot comprising a locking lug and the external face of the ring comprising an L-shaped groove in which meshes the locking lug when fixing the ring in the cache-pot;
• the L-shaped groove may include a locking bead above which the locking lug must pass by force;
• the shoulder of the stopper can be provided with an annular hermetic seal against the cache-pot;
• the ring may include a collar arranged so as to bear against the pot cover when the fixing ring is locked in the pot cover, the collar comprising, on an upper surface facing the shoulder of the cap, at the at least one annular sealing ring arranged to bear hermetically against the stopper when the latter is locked in the fixing ring; and or
• the collar of the ring may comprise a lower surface facing the cache-pot provided with at least one annular sealing ring arranged to bear hermetically against the cache-pot when the fixing ring is locked in the cache- jar.

The invention also relates to a method for disassembling the previous closed container, the method comprising the following steps:
a) unlock the cap and remove it from the ring;
b) pass your fingers through the through passage of the ring and grasp it to unlock it and remove it from the cache-pot;
c) use the cache-pot alone.

The invention also relates to a method for reusing the previous container, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
a) unlock the cap and remove it from the pot fitted with the ring;
b) pass the fingers through the through passage of the ring and grasp it to unlock it;
c) remove the pot from the cache-pot;
d) inserting into the cache-pot a refill of product consisting of a new pot filled with product provided with a ring and a hermetically sealed stopper in the pot;
e) activating the second locking means to lock the ring of the new pot in the cache-pot.

Other characteristics of the invention will be set out in the detailed description below given with reference to the appended figures, given by way of example, and which represent, respectively:

, a schematic exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a container according to the invention;

, a schematic exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a container according to the invention;

, a schematic exploded perspective view of the pot/cap subassembly of the second embodiment of FIG. 2, which can be sold as a product refill;

, a schematic partial perspective view of a variant of the female part, carried by the internal face of the pot, of the first means for locking the cap on the ring;

, a schematic partial perspective view of the male part, carried by the outer face of the cap, and complementary to the female part of FIG. 4, of the first means for locking the cap on the ring;

, a partial cross-sectional schematic view of the first means for locking the cap on the ring, in the locking position;

, a schematic exploded perspective view of the pot/pot cover subassembly of the second embodiment of FIG. 2 in the locked position;

, a partial perspective schematic view of a variant of the female part, carried by the internal face of the cache-pot, of the second means for locking the ring in the cache-pot;

, a schematic partial perspective view of the male part, carried by the outer face of the pot ring, and complementary to the female part of FIG. 8, of the second ring locking means in the pot cover;

, a schematic view in partial cross section of the second means for locking the ring of the pot in the cache-pot, in the locking position;

, a schematic view in front section of a third embodiment of a container according to the invention, the stopper of which comprises an annular seal on the cachepot;

, a schematic view in front section of a fourth embodiment of a container according to the invention, the ring of which comprises a shoulder provided with a sealing ring which can be crushed by the stopper in the locking position;

, a schematic view in partial front section of the fourth embodiment of FIG. 12, in the hermetically sealed position;

, a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a container cap according to the invention having both a technical function and a decorative function; and or

, a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a container according to the invention having both a technical function and a decorative function.

Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a container 1 according to the invention.

The container 1 essentially comprises three elements: a cache-pot 10, a fixing ring 20 of a stopper 30 on the cache-pot 10.

The cache-pot 10 comprises a body 11 which may have decorative features.

The body 11 comprises a cavity 12 intended to receive a product to be stored and dispensed, either directly as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 11, or indirectly, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 2, 3, 7, 12 and 15.

The cavity 12 has an open end 12a intended to receive the fixing ring 20.

Figure 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment, in which the fixing ring 20 is secured to a pot 40 containing the product, the pot having an internal face 41 in contact with the product (not shown).

In other words, the ring 20 is extended by a pot 40, that is to say that the ring 20 overcomes and is an integral part of the pot 40. In other words, the ring 20 constitutes the rim of the pot 40, c i.e. the open end part of the pot. The junction 42 between the ring 20 and the pot 40 is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 by a dashed-dot line to facilitate understanding, but does not appear in reality.

In this embodiment, the fixing of the stopper 30 in the pot 40 at the level of the ring 20 is hermetic so that the assembly can be sold separately from the cover pot 10, in the form of a 20-40-30 refill. independent of the cachepot 10, as shown in Figure 3.

In both embodiments, the fixing ring 20 has an outer face 21 intended to face the cache-pot 10, in the position of use, and an inner face 22 delimiting a through passage 23.

According to the invention, the fixing ring 20 comprises, on its inner face 22, a first locking means 24 of the cap 30 which is intended to close said through passage. On its outer face 21, the fixing ring 20 comprises a second locking means 25 of the fixing ring 20 in the cache-pot 10, that is to say in the cavity 12 of the body 11 of the cache-pot 10 .

More specifically, the cap 30 comprises a fixing cylinder 31 configured to cooperate with the first locking means 24. In other words, the fixing cylinder 31 is provided with a first part of the first locking means 24 and the face internal 22 of the ring 20 is provided with the second complementary part of the first locking means 24 in order to allow the fixing of the fixing cylinder 31 of the stopper 30 in the fixing ring 20.

The fixing cylinder 31 of the stopper 30 is surmounted by a support shoulder 32 on the cache-pot 10. The support shoulder 32 is advantageously carried by a gripping member 33 which makes it possible to grasp the stopper to deactivate the first fixing means and remove the cap 30 from the ring 20.

As shown in Figure 14, the cap 30 can be made in two parts: a decorative grip cap 35 and a technical insert 36 comprising the shoulder 32 and the fixing cylinder 31 for fixing to the ring 20. This design allows to provide several aesthetic gripping covers 35, of different shapes and/or colors and/or materials, while having a single fixing insert 36, which rationalizes manufacturing costs.

In an advantageous embodiment, the first locking means 24 carried by the internal face 22 of the ring 20 is a thread, the fixing cylinder 31 being provided with a thread 34 complementary to the thread 24 of ring 20.

In the variant embodiment illustrated, the screw thread extends over a quarter turn.

The first locking means may be circumferential, that is to say make at least one complete turn, to seal the closure, or partially circumferential to seal the bottom surface 32 of the cap against the surface. upper 16 of the pot, advantageously using a seal.

Preferably, the screw thread carried by the internal face 22 of the ring 20 is a groove 24a and the screw thread carried by the cap fixing cylinder is a rib 34a. The groove 24a acts as a screw ramp for the rib 34a.

In an advantageous embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, the rib 34a comprises a notch 34b and the groove 24a comprises a locking relief 24b arranged to engage reversibly and in force in the notch 34b at the end of screwing.

In this way, the first locking means 24 comprises a reversible locking hard point at the end of screwing which ensures that the cap 30 does not unscrew on its own and which preferably ensures compression of the cap 30 against the ring 20, ensuring the seal between the two.

The second locking means 25 of the ring 20 in the cache-pot 10 is advantageously a bayonet system.

In a first variant, the outer face 21 of the ring 20 comprises a locking lug 25a and the inner face 13 of the pot cover comprises an L-shaped groove 25b in which the locking lug 25a engages when fixing the the ring 20 in the cache-pot 10.

In a second variant illustrated in Figures 7 to 10, the inner face 13 of the pot cover 10 comprises a locking lug 25a (Figure 9) and the outer face 21 of the ring 20 comprising an L-shaped groove 25b (Figure 8) in which engages the locking lug 25a when fixing the ring in the cache-pot.

The second bayonet fastening means 25 is very discreet because it extends over a small surface. Thus, when the cap 30 and the ring 20 (possibly extended by a pot 40) are removed, only a very small structure remains on the inner face 13 of the pot cover 10, which is all the less visible if the cachepot is made of glass. Furthermore, if the cache-pot carries the groove 25b, there is no protruding structure in the cavity 12 of the cache-pot.

In an advantageous embodiment, the L-shaped groove 25b comprises a locking bead 25c above which the locking lug 25a must pass in force during screwing, preferably at the end of screwing (Figure 10).

In this way, the second locking means 25 comprises a reversible locking hard point at the end of screwing.

Advantageously, the locking pin 25a is made of a less hard material, that is to say more deformable than the locking bead 25c: for example, the locking pin 25a can be made of plastic and the locking bead 25c can be glass.

Advantageously, the ring is made of a less hard material, that is to say more deformable than the cachepot: the ring is made of plastic and the jar is made of glass.

Advantageously, the first unlocking means 24 is configured to require an unlocking force less than an unlocking force of the second locking means 25, which ensures that the ring 20 does not unlock from the pot cover when the user unlocks the plug 30 out of ring 20.

When the first and second locking means 24-25 comprise locking hard points, the locking hard point of the first unlocking means 24 is configured to require an unlocking force less than the unlocking force necessary to unlock the hard point of locking of the second locking means 25.

Figure 9 illustrates a structure of the locking lug 25a which makes it possible to modulate the necessary unlocking force. In the example shown, the locking lug comprises an inclined plane in the direction of screwing and a straight plane in the direction of unscrewing, to form a locking notch. This structure being applicable to the locking relief 24b for the first locking means, it is possible to ensure that the cap unscrews from the ring before the ring unscrews from the cache-pot.

Preferably, as shown in Figure 7, the first and second locking means 24-25 are arranged so that the upper face 26 of the ring 20 is flush with the upper face 14 of the pot cover 10, i.e. that is, the upper faces 26 and 14 are in the same plane.

To ensure hermetic closure, an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11 of the container according to the invention provides that the shoulder 32 of the stopper 30 is provided with an annular seal 37 for hermetic closure against the cachepot, in particular against the upper face 14 of the cache-pot 10.

In addition, the first locking means 24 is arranged so as to ensure compression of the annular seal 37 of the stopper 30 against the upper face 14 of the pot cover 10, ensuring the seal between the two.

Alternatively, to ensure hermetic closure, an embodiment illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 of the container according to the invention provides that the ring 20 comprises a flange 27 arranged so as to bear against the cache-pot, in particular against the upper face 14 of the cache-pot, when the fixing ring 20 is locked in the cache-pot 10.

The flange 27 comprises, on an upper surface 27a facing the bearing shoulder 32 of the stopper 30, at least one annular sealing ring 28 arranged to bear hermetically against the bearing shoulder 32 of the stopper 30 when the latter is locked in the fixing ring 20.

Alternatively or in combination, in an embodiment not illustrated, the flange of the ring may comprise a lower surface facing the cache-pot provided with at least one annular sealing ring arranged to bear hermetically against the cache-pot. pot when the fixing ring is locked in the cache-pot.

Preferably, the upper face 14 of the cache-pot 10 comprises an annular rabbet 14a around the opening 12a of the cavity 12, shaped to receive the flange 27 of the ring 20 so that the ring is flush with the upper face of the flowerpot. In other words, the upper surface 27a of the collar 27 is in the same plane as the upper face 14 of the cache-pot 10.

Figure 12 also illustrates the possibility of providing an annular space 50 between the pot 40 and the pot cover 10, which allows easy insertion and removal of the pot 40 from the pot cover 10.

Figure 15 illustrates an embodiment in which the cachepot 10 has a decorative structure 15, and the stopper 30 also has a decorative cap 35.

The stopper 30 and the ring 20 provided with the pot 40 constitute a refill of product which can be locked in the cache-pot, the time of consumption of the product which it contains, for example honey.

When the pot is empty, the user unlocks the cap 30 and it is removed from the ring 20. Then, the user passes his fingers through the through passage 23 of the ring 20 and grasps it to unlock it and remove it from the cover. jar 10.

The planter can then be used alone, for example as a decorative vase.

Alternatively, the user can insert into the pot cover 10 a product refill consisting of a new pot filled with product and a hermetically sealed cap in the pot, the latter comprising, of course, a fixing ring as described above.

The user then activates the second locking means to lock the ring of the new pot in the cache-pot.

Claims (16)

Container (1) for the conservation and distribution of products, in particular food, characterized in that it comprises a pot cover (10) having an open end (12a) receiving a fixing ring (20) having an internal face (22) delimiting a through passage (23), the fixing ring (20) comprising, on the internal face (22), a first locking means (24) of a plug (30) intended to close off the said through passage, and on a external face (21), a second locking means (25) of the fixing ring in the cache-pot (10). Container according to Claim 1, in which the fixing ring is integral with a pot (40) containing the said product, the pot having an internal face (41) in contact with the product. A container according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the first locking means (24) is configured to require an unlocking force less than an unlocking force of the second locking means (25). Container according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the stopper (30) comprises a fixing cylinder (31) configured to cooperate with the first locking means (24), the fixing cylinder being surmounted by a shoulder (32) support on the cache-pot (10). Container according to claim 4, in which the first locking means carried by the internal face of the ring is a thread, the fixing cylinder being provided with a thread complementary to the thread of the ring. Container according to claim 5, in which the screw pitch extends over a quarter turn. Container according to any one of Claims 5 or 6, in which the screw thread carried by the internal face of the ring is a groove (24) and the screw thread carried by the fixing cylinder of the stopper is a rib (34 ). Container according to Claim 7, in which the rib comprises a notch (34b) and the groove comprises a locking relief (24b) arranged to engage reversibly and in force in the notch at the end of screwing. Container according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, in which the second locking means (25) of the ring on the cachepot is a bayonet system, the outer face (21) of the ring comprising a locking lug (25a) and an internal face (13) of the cache-pot (10) comprising an L-shaped groove (25b) in which the locking lug (25a) engages when fixing the ring in the cache-pot . Container according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, in which the second means for locking the ring on the pot cover is a bayonet system, the internal face of the pot cover comprising a locking lug and the external face of the ring comprising an L-shaped groove in which the locking lug engages when fixing the ring in the cache-pot. Container according to either of Claims 9 and 10, in which the L-shaped groove (25b) comprises a locking bead (25c) above which the locking lug (25a) must pass by force. Container according to any one of Claims 4 to 11, in which the shoulder (32) of the stopper is provided with an annular seal (37) for hermetic closure against the cache-pot. Container according to any one of Claims 4 to 12, in which the ring comprises a collar (27) arranged so as to bear against the cache-pot when the fixing ring is locked in the cache-pot, the collar comprising , on an upper surface (27a) facing the shoulder (32) of the plug, at least one annular sealing ring (28) arranged to bear hermetically against the plug when the latter is locked in the fixing ring . Container according to Claim 13, in which the flange (27) of the ring comprises a lower surface (27b) facing the cache-pot provided with at least one annular sealing ring arranged to bear hermetically against the cache-pot. pot when the fixing ring is locked in the cache-pot. Method of dismantling the closed container according to any one of claims 1 to 14 to use the cache-pot alone, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
a) unlock the plug (30) and remove it from the ring (20);
b) pass the fingers in the through passage (23) of the ring and grasp it to unlock it and remove it from the cache-pot (10);
c) use the cache-pot alone. Process for reusing the closed container according to any one of Claims 2 to 14, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
a) unlock the cap (30) and remove it from the pot (40) provided with the ring (20);
b) passing the fingers through the through passage (23) of the ring and grasping it to unlock it;
c) removing the pot (40) from the cache-pot;
d) inserting into the cachepot (10) a product refill consisting of a new pot (40) filled with product provided with a ring (20) and a cap (30) hermetically sealed in the pot;
e) activating the second locking means (25) to lock the ring of the new pot in the cache-pot.