GB2111374A - Improvements in or relating to containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A jug or similar container comprises a body (1) and a lip member (9) which are sealingly engaged with each other by means of an internal screw-thread (13) provided on the lip member (9) and an externally screw-threaded neck portion (12) provided on the body (1). Disengagement of the lip member (9) from the neck portion (12) is prevented by means of an annular ratchet means (16), which is non- rotatably retained on a downturned flange (14) of the lip member (9) which fits into the top of the body member (1), and a cooperating means (17), which is integrally formed with the body (1) inwardly of the externally screw-threaded neck portion (12) and which cooperates with the ratchet means (16) to prevent unscrewing of the lip member (9) from the body (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to containers This invention reiates to jugs and similar containers and, in particular, to a means of fastening a lip band, which may, for example, carry a spout, lid and handle, to a body of a jug.

In the past, the lip band has generally been fastened to the body by screw threading the body into the lip band. For example, our UK Patent Specification No. 1,529,141 describes and illustrates a coffee pot comprising a body having an externally screw-threaded neck portion and a lip band which is internally screw-threaded to sealingly engage the body. The lip band is further provided with a downturned flange which is spaced inwardly from the screw-thread to define a recess into which the neck portion of the body snugly fits when the two screw-threads are fully engaged. In this condition, the downturned flange and the screw-threaded portion of the lip band abut respective horizontal shoulder portions of the body which are formed one inside and one outside the neck portion.However, to ensure that the body and the lip band do not accidentally come apart, it has become general practice to fasten the same together, either by using adhesive in the screw thread or by applying a rivet into the screw thread to prevent the same from becoming unthreaded.

However, the application of the adhesive and/or rivet is labour and time consuming and, more importantly, the adhesive may attack the body (made of, fnr example, plastics materials) or a stress may be created by the application of the rivet which is sufficient to craze or crack the body.

According to the present invention there is provided a jug or other container which comprises a lip member and body member engaged through the intermediary of cooperating screw-threads, the lip member or the body member being provided with ratchet means that engage with appropriate cooperating means on the lip member or the body member not provided with the respective ratchet means. The ratchet means conveniently comprises a ring retained in a nonrotatable manner to a part of the lip member which fits into the top of the body member.Of course, the appropriate cooperating means with which the ratchet means engages could also comprise a ring retained in a non-rotatable manner on a part of the body member, although it is generally preferred that such appropriate cooperating means be formed as an integral part of the body, inwardly of the screw thread that engages with the screw-thread of the lip member.

Our UK Patent Specification No. 1,529,141 discloses a container for liquids to which the present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, suited.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be put into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a side view, partly in section, of a container in accordance with the present invention, FIGURE 1 a shows a sectional view on the line AA of Figure 1, illustrating the ratchet means and cooperating means, FIGURE 2 shows a side view, partly in section, of the body of the container of Figure 1 and a side view in the direction of the arrow, FIGURE 2a shows a cross-sectional view of the area A of Figure 2 on an enlarged scale, FIGURE 3 shows a plan view of the body of the container of Figure 1, FIGURE 4 shows an underneath plan view of the lip member of the container of Figure 1, FIGURE 5 shows a side view, partly in section, of the lip member of Figure 4, FIGURE 6 shows an underneath plan view of the ratchet means of the container of Figure 1, FIGURE 7 shows a view of the ratchet means of Figure 6, FIGURE 8 shows a partial side sectional view of a modified form of the container illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, FIGURE 9 shows an elevational view of a neck portion of the container of Figure 8, FIGURE 10 shows a section taken on the line X-X of Figure 9, FIGURE 11 shows a plan view of the neck portion shown in Figure 9, FIGURE 1 2 shows a side elevational view of a ratchet means of the container of Figure 8, FIGURE 13 shows a section taken on the line XIll-XIlI of Figure 12, and FIGURE 14 shows a plan view of the ratchet means of Figure 12.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 7, the general construction of the container is similar to that of the container described and illustrated in UK Patent Specification No. 1,529,141. The container comprises a body 1 which is formed of a cupshaped base portion 2, made of stainless steel or similar material, and a shell portion 3, made of a transparent or translucent tough plastics material such as polycarbonate material, which sealingly engages the cup-shaped base portion 2. For this purpose, the base portion 2 is provided at its upper edge with a flange 4 defining a recess 5 and a lip 6 which is opposed to the recess 5. Also, the shell portion 3 is provided at its lower edge with a rib 7 which engages between the lip 6 and the portion of the flange 4 defining the recess 5 and which has a depending bead 8 which fits snugly into the recess 5.Thus, both lateral and vertical movement of the shell portion 3 relative to the base portion 2 are prevented. Of course, the flange 4 and the rib 7 extend all the way round the container.

In addition to the body 1, the container comprises a lip member 9 having a spout 10 for pouring and integrally formed with, or fixed to, a handle 11. A lid may be pivoted to the handle 11 but is not shown here. So that the body 1 and the lip member 9 can be joined together, the body 1 is provided with an externally screw-threaded neck portion 12 and the lip member 9, which may be formed in one piece from opaque black or coloured plastics material, is provided with an internal screw-thread 1 3 for engaging the neck portion 12.The lip member 9 is also provided with a downturned flange 14 which is spaced inwardly from the internal screw-thread 1 3 and is provided with a plurality of keying members 1 5 which extend radially outward from the downturned flange 14 and are of substantially uniform horizontal cross-section.

In order to prevent the body 1 and the lip member 9 becoming disengaged once they have been screwed together, there are provided a ratchet means 1 6 and a cooperating means 17.

The ratchet means 16, which may be formed from a plastics material, is substantially annular and is provided on the inner face thereof with a plurality of keyways 1 8 which are adapted to cooperate with the keying members 1 5 of the downturned flange 14 of the lip member 9. The ratchet means 1 6 is also provided with a plurality of axially extending deformable teeth 1 9. The cooperating means 1 7 is provided on and integrally formed with the shell portion 3 just inside the neck portion 12 and comprises a plurality of parallel, horizontal ridges or teeth 20 defined by alternating vertical and sloping faces.

In use, to assemble the container, the ratchet means 1 6 is first slidingly engaged with the lip member 9 by means of the keying members 1 5 and the keyways 18, with the deformable teeth 1 9 pointing downwards as viewed in Figure 1, and the lip member 9 is then screwed onto the neck portion 12 by means of the internal screwthreading 1 3. Rotation of the ratchet means 1 6 relative to the lip member 9 is prevented by the cooperation between the keying members 1 5 and the keyways 18 and so during the last stage of screwing the lip member 9 onto the neck portion 1 2 the deformable teeth 1 9 ride up respective sloping faces of the cooperating means 1 7 and then engage behind respective vertical faces of the cooperating means 1 7 so as to prevent unscrewing.

Referring now to Figures 8 to 14, the container illustrated is substantially similar in construction to that described above with reference to Figures 1 to 7 and, accordingly, features common to the two embodiments have been designated by the same reference numerals in the drawings.

However, the cooperating means 1 7 has been modified in that in place of the plurality of parallel horizontal ridges or teeth 20 defined by alternating vertical and sloping faces there is provided a plurality of parallel vertical ridges or teeth 21 defined by alternating radial and nonradial faces as can be seen in Figures 9 to 11.

Similarly, as can be seen in Figures 12 to 14, the axially extending deformable teeth 1 9 of the ratchet means 16 have been repiaced by similar radially extending deformable teeth 22 which, in use, engage the ridges 21 in exactly the same manner as described above with reference to Figures 1 to 7 to prevent unscrewing of the lip member 9 from the body 1. As can be seen in Figure 8, the spacing between the downturned flange 14 and the screw-thread 1 3 of the lip member 9 is also slightly enlarged to accommodate the modified ratchet means 1 6 and cooperating means 1 7.

As will be appreciated, with the present invention, the lip member and the body can be reliably fastened together, without the use of adhesive and without causing unnecessary and/or undue strain in either the body or the lip member.

Claims (8)

1. A container which comprises a lip member and a body member engaged through the intermediary of cooperating screw threads, the lip member or the body member being provided with ratchet means that engage with appropriate cooperating means on the lip member or the body member not provided with the respective ratchet means.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the ratchet means comprises a ring retained in a non-rotatable manner to a part of the lip member which fits into the top of the body member.

3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the appropriate cooperating means comprises a series of sloping teeth integrally formed with the body.

4. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises a cup-shaped base portion made of metal and a shell portion permanently secured at its lower edge in liquid Sight manner to the upper edge of the base portion, the shell portion being made of a plastics material and being at least partially transparent or translucent.

5. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises a jug.

6. A container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A container, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 8 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.

8. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.