GB2210859A

GB2210859A - Container

Info

Publication number: GB2210859A
Application number: GB8823002A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Taiichi Ono
Original assignee: CHO PLA INDUSTRY CO Ltd
Current assignee: CHO PLA INDUSTRY CO Ltd
Priority date: 1987-10-13
Filing date: 1988-09-30
Publication date: 1989-06-21
Also published as: KR890006189A; GB8823002D0; KR960000877B1

Abstract

A container includes: (a) a hollow body having a wall (1, 5) and an opening (29) formed through the wall; (b) a lid (13) pivotable between a first position which permits access to the space within the container through the opening 29, and a second, closed position; (c) pivot devices (24) for pivotally connecting the lid to the wall of the hollow body; and (d) a sealing device for sealing between the wall of the hollow body and the lid when the lid is held in the second position. <IMAGE>

Description

- CONTAINER FOR CONTAINING ARTICLES HEREIN The present invention relates to a container for containing or holding articles therein, and more particularly to improvements in sealing between a hollow, main body and a lid of the container when an opening of the hollow body is closed by the lid.

A plastic container is well known, which is used for containing small articles such as a cup, a glass, a nursing or baby bottle, etc. This container includes (a) a hollow, main body defining a space for containing the small articles therein and having an opening formed therethrough over an upper to front portion thereof (as viewed from the user), and (b) a lid pivotable between its operative (front or lower) position in which the lid closes the opening and its retracted (rear or upper) position in which the lid permits the user to gain access to the space in the hollow body through the opening. The container further has a pair of connecting devices for connecting the lid to the hollow body such that the lid is pivotable relative to the opening of the hollow body between its lower and upper positions, about a common, horizontal pivot axis of the pair of connecting devices.The pair of connecting devices are disposed on a right-hand and a left-hand side wall of the hollow body (or the lid), respectively. Such containers are widely used at homes, inns, etc.

The conventional containers as indicated above, however, have had a problem that the degree of sealing between the hollow body and the lid is low even when the opening of the hollow body is closed by the lid, namely, gaps which allow entering of small insects are left between the two members even when the lid is held in its operative position to close the opening of the hollow body.

Accordingly, when a cake or a glass filled with fruit juice, for example, is stored in the container with the opening of the hollow body closed by the lid, it is often seen that small insects, such as a fly or a small cockroach, enter the container through the gaps and creep about therein. It goes without saying that such containers are unsanitary.

Another disadvantage with the conventional plastic containers is that, if the lid is released by the user midway or part way from its upper (rear) position to its lower (front) position, more specifically at some location where the center of gravity of the lid has been displaced over from the rear side, to the front side, of the horizontal pivot axis of the connecting devices, then the lid is automatically or naturally pivoted toward the lower position due to its own weight and is impacted against a lower lip of the opening. Consequently, large, uncomfortable noise is generated, even though a cushioning member is provided on the lower lip of the opening.In this connection, it is noted that such a plastic container is adapted such that, when a lid thereof is pivoted from its upper or rear position to its lower or front position, a substantial weight (or the center of gravity) of the lid is moved from on the rear side, to on the front side, of the connecting devices.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container for containing articles therein, which is kept sanitary during use because of its freedom from entering of small insects, such as a fly or a small cockroach, owing to the sealing means employed.

It is another object of the invention to provide a container which is capable of restraining the pivotal movement of the lid for preventing the lid from being impacted against a lower lip of an opening of the hollow body, when the lid is automatically pivoted to its lower position due to gravity, thereby avoiding large, uncomfortable noise otherwise generated from the shock of impact between the lid and the lower lip of the opening.

The above objects have been achieved by the present invention, which provides a container for containing articles therein, comprising: (a) a hollow body having a wall and an opening formed through the wall, the hollow body defining a space therein; (b) a lid member pivotable between a first position thereof in which the lid member substantially wholly overlaps the wall of the hollow body, whereby the lid member permits access to the space in the hollow body through the opening, and a second position thereof in which the lid member closes the opening of the hollow body and partially overlaps the wall of the hollow body; (c) connecting means for pivotally connecting the lid member to the wall of the hollow body, such that the lid member is pivotable relative to the opening of the hollow body, about a pivot axis of the connecting means, between the first and second positions; and (d) sealing means for sealing between the wall of the hollow body and the lid member when the lid member is held in the second position, the sealing means including at least one sealing member for sealing between the overlapped portions of the lid member held in the second position and the wall of the hollow body.

The container of the present invention constructed as described above, is free from, or immune to, entering of small insects such as a fly, i a small cockroach and the like, when the lid member is held in its second position to close the opening of the hollow body, since the gap left between the lid member held in its second position and the hollow body is tightly sealed by the sealing means. Thus, the instant container can be kept sanitary during use.

According to a feature of the present invention, the connecting means comprises a pair of connecting devices provided apart from each other, and the pair of connecting devices have a common, horizontal pivot axis.

According to another feature of the invention, the wall of the hollow body includes a first and a second lip portion which cooperate with each other to define the opening, while the lid member includes a contact portion which is brought into abutment with the first lip portion when the lid member is placed in the second position, and an overlap portion which overlaps the second lip portion when the lid member is held in the second position. In the container, the at least one sealing member seals between the overlap portion of the lid member held in the second position and the second lip portion of the hollow body.

Preferably, the first lip portion of the hollow body extends horizontally.

When the lid member is pivoted relative to the opening of the hollow body between its first and second positions, the at least one sealing member is slidable on the hollow body or the lid member, resulting in restraining the pivotal movement of the lid member. This arrangement offers the advantage of preventing the contact portion of the lid member from being impacted against the first lip portion of the hollow body, for example when the lid member is released from the user's hand part way between the first (upper) and second (lower) positions and automatically pivoted to the lower position due to gravity. Thus, the instant container is free from uncomfortable, large noise otherwise produced due to the shock of impact between the two portions.

Preferably, the sealing means further comprises at least one groove formed in the overlap portion of the lid member, the at least one sealing member is fitted in the at least one groove, the at least one groove reaches at opposite ends thereof the contact portion of the lid member, and the at least one sealing member has a height sufficient to tightly contact the second lip portion when the lid member is held in the second position. In this case, it is preferred that the sealing means comprises at least one ridge provided on the second lip portion of the hollow body, that the ridge reaches at opposite ends thereof the first lip portion of the hollow body, the at least one sealing member is provided on the overlap portion of the lid member such that the at least one sealing member is brought into tight contact with the ridge when the lid member is placed in the second position.The at least one sealing member provided on the overlap portion of the lid member may have a height which is insufficient to contact the wall of the hollow body and sufficient to contact the ridge provided on the wall when the lid member is pivoted between the first and second positions.

Preferably, the sealing means further comprises at least one groove formed in the second lip portion of the hollow body, the at least one sealing member is fitted in the at least one groove, the at least one groove reaches at opposite ends thereof the first lip portion of the hollow body, and the at least one sealing member has a height sufficient to tightly contact the overlap portion when the lid member is held in the second position. It is preferred that the sealing means comprises at least one ridge provided on the overlap portion of the lid member, the ridge reaches at opposite ends thereof the contact portion of the lid member, and the at least one sealing member is provided on the second lip portion of the hollow body such that the at least one sealing member is brought into tight contact with the ridge when the lid member is placed in the second position.The least one sealing member provided on the second lip portion of the hollow body may have a height which is insufficient to contact the lid member and sufficient to contact the ridge provided on the lid member when the lid member is pivoted bewteen the first and second positions.

According to a feature of the invention, at least one of the wall of the hollow body and the lid member includes a part-cylindrical portion having a sectorial transverse cross-section, the connecting means is provided along a center line of the sectorial transverse crosssection of the part-cylindrical portion, and the at least one sealing member is provided on at least one of the second lip portion and the overlap portion such that the at least one sealing member is slidable on the partcylindrical portion when the lid member is pivoted between the first and second positions.

According to another feature of the invention, the first lip portion of the hollow body includes a body flange protruding outwardly from the wall, while the contact portion of the lid member includes a lid flange protruding outwardly from the lid member. In the container, the lid flange is brought into abutment with the body flange when the lid member is placed in the second position. It is preferred that the lid flange of the lid member includes a secondary flange protruding perpendicularly therefrom, and that the secondary flange covers the outwardly protruding body flange of the hollow body when the lid member is held in the second position. The secondary flange may include a handle portion used for pivoting the lid member between the first and second positions.It is also preferred that a cushioning member is provided on the body flange of the hollow body, so that the lid flange of the lid member is brought into abutment with the cushioning member when the lid member is placed in the second position.

Preferably, the at least one sealing member comprises a multiplicity of filaments. The filaments may be made of polypropyrene.

According to a further feature of the invention, the container further comprises a pair of stoppers for stopping the lid member in the first position, the pair of stoppers permit about 90 degrees pivotal movement oft the lid member between the first and second positions, and the stoppers are provided apart from each other on the wall of the hollow body.

According to yet another feature of the invention, the hollow body includes a box-like bottom member and a Aood-like top member connected at a lower open end thereof to an upper open end of the bottom portion.

Preferably, the hollow body and the lid member are formed of a plastic material.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the container of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part of a bottom box of the container of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom box and a top hood of the container of Fig. 1 with a lid member thereof removed; Fig. 4 is a partial cross sectional view taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 1, showing a sealing member for sealing between the top hood and the lid member and a connecting device for pivotally connecting the same members to each other; Fig. 5 is a right-hand side elevational view of the container of Fig. 1 with the lid member held in its operative position in which the lid member closes an opening defined by the bottom box and the top hood;; Fig. 6 is a right-hand side elevational view corresponding to Fig. 5, with the lid member held in its retracted position in which the opening is not closed by the lid member; Fig. 7 is a perspective view corresponding to Fig.

3, showing another embodiment of the container of the invention with the lid member removed; - Fig. 8 is a partial cross sectional view corresponding to Fig. 4, showing the container of Fig. 3 with the lid member secured to the top hood; and Fig. 9 is a partial cross sectional view corresponding to Figs. 4 and 8, showing yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 6, there will be described one embodiment of a plastic container according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 designates an upwardly open bottom box. The bottom box 1 has an outer flange 2 protruding horizontally outwardly from a rectangular edge at its upper end. A rear groove 3 (Fig. 2) is formed in a rear half of an upper surface of the outer flange 2, while a front groove 4 (Fig. 2) is formed in a front half of the same surface. A right and a left front-end portion of the rear groove 3 and a right and a left rear-end portion of the front groove 4 overlap each other over a suitable length, at a right and a left intermediate part of a right and a left side of the outer flange 2, respectively. The right and left front-end portions of the rear groove 3 are located inside the right and left rear-end portions of the front groove 4, respectively.

Reference numeral 5 designates a downwardly open top hood 5 formed of a plastic matrial. The top hood 5 has a fitting (not shown) protruding vertically downwardly from its lower end. The lower end of the top hood 5 has a generally U-shaped contour in a horizontal plane. The top hood 5 is secured to the bottom box 1 by fitting or bonding the fitting of the top hood 5 in or to the rear groove 3, whereby a rear half of the opening of the bottom box 1 is covered by the top hood 5. Thus, the bottom box 1 and the top hood 5 cooperate with each other to constitute a main, hollow body 6 of the instant container.

The top hood 5 has a stepped front edge including a pair of vertically extending lower edges 10, 10 and a vertically extending upper edge 10a. The hood 5 has an outer flange 8 protruding horizontally outwardly from a part of its lower edge which part is located at the rear of a vertical plane of the upper front edge 10a. With the top hood 5 secured to the bottom box 1, the hood outer flange 8 is held in contact with the upper surface of the box outer flange 2. The top hood 5 includes a part-cylindrical ceiling/back portion 5b which has a sectorial transverse cross section, and a right and a left side wall 5c, Sc through which a right and a left through-hole 9, 9 are formed.The pair of through-holes 9 are located along a horizontally extending center line of the sectorial transverse cross section of the ceiling/back portion 5b.

The front edge of the top hood 5 is smoothly stepped from the upper edge 10a to the pair of lower edges 10, 10 at as high a level as, or a slightly lower level than, that of the pair of through-holes 9, 9, respectively. As shown in two-dot chain lines in Fig. 1, a vertical plane of the right and left lower edges 10, 10 are aligned with a vertical plane of a right and a left edge 14 of a right and a left side wall 13b of a lid 13 (which will be described hereinafter), respectively, when the lid 13 is held in its open position (also see Fig. 6). The top hood 5 further has a right and a left stopper rib 11 which are provided at the rear of, and below, the corresponding through-holes 9.When the lid i3 is pivoted from its closed position (illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 1) to its open position (illustrated in two-dot chain lines in Fig. 1), the pivotal movement of the lid 13 is stopped by the stoppers 11 as a result of abutting of upper faces of the stoppers 11 with stepped portions 13c, 13c of the lid 13 (also see Fig. 6). Thus, the lid 13 is held in its open position while resting on the stoppers 11. As clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the stoppers 11 permit the lid 13 to be pivoted about 90 degrees between its open and closed positions. The main, hollow body 6 and the lid 13 cooperate with each other to constitute the instant container having a space 30 (see Fig. 3) for containing articles therein.

In Fig. 3, reference numeral 12 desigantes a cushioning member formed of a flexible plastic material and having a generally U-shaped contour. The cushioning member 12 has a fitting (not shown), similar to the fitting of the top hood 5, which protrudes vertically downwardly from a lower surface thereof. With the fitting of the cushion 12 fitted in, or bonded to, the front groove 4 of the box outer flange 2, the cushion 12 is secured to the bottom box 1. A right and a left rear end of the cushion 12 secured to the box 1 are in contact with a right and a left front end of the outer flange 8 of the top hood 5 secured to the box 1, respectively, and the interfaces of the secured cushion 12 and hood 5 are in alignment with the vertical plane of the upper front edge 10a of the top hood 5.Thus, the upper front edge 10a, lower front edges 10, 10 and an upper surface of the cushion 12 cooperate with each other to define a main opening 29 of the main body 6, as shown in Fig. 6. The upper surface of the cushion 12 extends horizontally, and constitutes a lower lip of the opening 29.

As illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 1, the lid 13 has a generally parallelepiped shape, and is open downward and rearward when held in its closed position to close the opening 29 of the hollow body 6. The lid 13 has a contact flange 15 whose lower surface is brought into uniform abutment with the upper surface of the cushion 12 and a right and left front-end portion of the hood outer flange 8, partly owing to a weight of the lid 13, when the lid 13 is placed in its closed position. The contact flange 15 includes a secondary flange 15a protruding perpendicularly from an outer edge thereof. The secondary flange 15a is adapted to cover the cushion 12 and the box outer flange 2 when the lid 13 is held in its closed position.A handle portion 16 protrudes from the secondary flange 15a, and is used for pivoting the lid 13 between its closed and open positions to close and open the opening 29.

The lid 13 held in its closed position overlaps, over an overlap portion 13a thereof, an upper lip portion 5a of the top hood 5. In Fig. 4, reference numeral 17 designates a groove 17 formed in an inner surface of the overlap portion 13a of the lid 13. The groove 17 has a U-shaped cross section and extends over the intermediate wall and pair of side walls of the lid 13 and reaches at opposite ends thereof the contact flange 15. The groove 17 extends along a vertical plane when the lid 13 is held in its closed position (indicated at solid lines in Fig. 1). A sealing member 18 is fitted in, or bonded to, the groove 17 so as to extend over from end to end of the groove 17. The sealing member 18 includes a multiplicity of polypropylene based piles or filaments 18a embedded in an associated base plate.The sealing member 18 fitted in the groove 17 has a height sufficient to tightly contact an outer surface of the upper lip portion 5a when the lid 13 is held in its closed position. Thus, the instant container is immune from entering of small insects, owing to the sealing member 18, when the lid 13 is held in its closed position in which the lid contact flange 15 is in uniform abutment with the cushion 12. With the lid 13 held in its closed position, the groove 17 and the sealing member 18 fitted therein are located at the front of the pair of through holes 9, whereby the center of gravity of the lid 13 is located on the front side of the through-holes 9. The lid 13 has a pair of through-holes 19 formed through the pair of stepped portions 13c.The pair of lid through-holes 19 are aligned with the corresponding hood through-holes 9, with the lid 13 mounted in place on the main body 6. The lid through-holes 19 have a diameter substantially equal to that of the hood through-holes 9.

The lid 13 is mounted on the main body 6 with the help of a pair of connecting devices, such that the lid 13 is pivotable relative to the body 6 between its open and closed positions. Each connecting device consists of a pivot-axis member 20, a washer 23 and a split pin 24. The pivot-axis member 20 includes a cylindrical head portion 21 which has an outer and an inner diameter of comparatively large dimension, and a cylindrical body portion 22 which is concentric with the head portion 21 and has an outer and an inner diameter of comparatively small dimension. Each pivot-axis member 20 is inserted in the corresponding hood through-hole 9 from inside. The washer 23 which is formed of a flexible plastic material having a comparatively high friction coefficient, such as EVA (ethylene vinylacetate copolymer), is fitted on the body portion 22 coming out of the through-hole 9. The washer 23 serves to restrain the pivotal movement of the lid 13 between the open and closed positions and also serves to isolate vibration generated by abutting of the lid 13 against the lower lip (cushion 12) of the opening 29, i.e., prevent tramsmittion of such vibration from the lid 13 to the main body 6.

- Each washer 23 is disposed in position between the top hood 5 and the lid 13 by inserting the body portion 22 of the corresponding pivot-axis member 20 into a hole of the washer 23 and the corresponding lid through-hole 19.

Subsequently, each split pin 24 is fitted, from outside, in a hole of the body portion 22 of the corresponding pivot-axis member 20. The split pin 24 includes a head portion 25 whose outer diameter is greater than the diameter of the lid through-hole 19, a pair of leg portions 26 protruding from the head portion 25, and a pair of stopper portions 27 protruding outwardly from respective free ends of the leg portions 26. With the stopper portions 27 of each pin 24 engaged with a stepped portion between the head and body portions 21, 22 of the corresponding pivot-axis member 20, the lid 13 is pivotably mounted on the top hood 5 (main body 6). Thus, the hood through-holes 9, lid through-holes 19, pivot-axis members 20, washers 23 and split pins 24 cooperate with each other to constitute connecting means 28 of the instant container.The connecting means 28 has a horizontal pivot axis passing through the hood and lid through-holes 9, 19.

In Fig. 5, there is shown the container with the lid 13 held in its closed position in which the sealing member 18 on the overlap portion 13a is in tight contact with the upper lip portion 5a of the top hood 5 and the contact flange 15 is in uniform abutment with the cushion 12 and the front-end portions of the hood outer flange 8.

-In Fig. 6, there is shown the container with the lid 13 held in its open position in which the lid 13 substantially wholly overlaps the top hood 5.

When the user moves the handle 16 of the lid 13 toward himself or herself, i.e., from its open position to its closed position, the center of gravity of the lid 13 is displaced over from the rear side, to the front side, of the horizontal pivot axis of the connecting means 28, whereby the lid 13 is brought into condition in which the lid 13 can automatically be pivoted to its closed position by its own weight. In other words, if the user releases the handle 16 of the lid 13 from his or her hand, the lid 13 can naturally be pivoted to its closed position to close the opening 29 of the main body 6.In the instant container, such automatical pivotal movement of the lid 13 is effectively restrained by provision of the pair of washers 23 (which have been described previously) and sliding of the sealing member 18 of the lid 13 on the part-cylindrical ceiling/back portion 5b of the top hood 5, i.e., friction between the two members 18 and 5, whereby noise otherwise produced upon abutting between the lid 13 and the lower lip (cushion 12) of the hood 5 is effectively avoided. The sealing member 18 also serves to prevent the rear portion of the lid 13 from being oscillated due to the abutting of the lid 13 against the lower lip, thereby contributing to damping noise.With the opening 29 closed by the lid 13, the gap left between the main body 6 and the lid 13 is tightly sealed by the sealing member 18, whereby the container is kept free from, or immune to, entering of small insects such as a fly and a small cockroach. Thus, the instant container is very sanitary.

While in the illustrated embodiment the sealing member 18 is constituted by the maltiplicity of polypropyrene- based filaments embedded in the associated base plate and mounted on the lid 13 by fitting thereof in the groove 17, it is possible to employ other sorts of sealing members having other shapes, and other methods of mounting the sealing member 18 on the container. For example, a sealing member (18) may be constituted by a base plate and one or more films which are formed of a flexible plastic material and embedded in an associated base plate.

Furthermore, while in the illustrated emodiment the sealing member 18 vis fitted in the groove 17 formed in the inner surface of the lid 13, it is possible to fit a sealing member (18) in a groove (17) formed in the outer surface of the hood 5 or mount sealing members (18) on both the inner surface of the lid 13 and the outer surface of the hood 5. The groove 17 is not an essential element for the present invention, therefore may be omitted. In the present invention, it is required that the gap between the main body 6 (hood 5) and the lid 13 be tightly sealed by the sealing member (18) when the lid 13 is held in its closed position. The sealing means for the illustrated embodiment may be otherwise modified, so long as it meets the above-indicated requirement.

Moreover, it is possible to employ a lid member (13) including a part-cylindrical portion having a sectorial transverse cross section, in place of, or in addition to, the part-cylindrical ceiling/back portion 5b of the top hood 5, and provide a sealing member (18) on the upper lip portion 5a. In this case, the sealing member (18) is slidable on the lid member (13) when the lid member (13) is pivoted between the open and closed positions.

Referring next to Figs. 7 and 8, there will be illustrated another embodiment of the present invention.

The same reference numerals as used in Figs. 1-6 for the preceding embodiment are used in Figs. 7 and 8to designate the corresponding elements for the present emodiment. The instant container is similar to the preceding container, except that a seal-supporting ridge 7 of a predetermined height is formed on an upper lip portion 5a of a top hood 5 of the instant container. The ridge 7 extends over an entire length of the upper lip portion 5a, namely, extends over a ceiling wall and a right and a left side wall of the top hood 5 and reaches at opposite ends thereof an outer flange 8 of the top hood 5. Thus, the ridge 7 has a generally U-shaped contour in a vertical plane. The hood outer flange 8 extends horizontally outwardly from a rear part of a lower edge of the top hood 5 which part is located at the rear of the vertical plane of the ridge 7.

With the top hood 5 secured to a bottom box 1, the hood -flange 8 is in contact with a rear half of an upper surface of an outer flange 2 of the bottom box 1. A cushioning member 12 is mounted on a front half of the upper surface of the box outer flange 2, such that a right and a left rear end of the cushion 12 are in contact with a right and a left lower end of the ridge 7 and a right and a left front end of the hood flange 8, respectively.

A groove 17 is formed in an inner surface of an overlap portion 13a of a lid 13, such that, when the lid 13 is held in its closed position, the groove 17 is entirely aligned with the ridge 7 on the upper lip portion 5a of the hood 5. The groove 17 has a generally U-shaped contour. A sealing member 18 is fitted in the groove 17 so as to extend from end to end of the groove 17. The sealing member 18 fitted in the groove 17 has a height sufficient to tightly contact the ridge 7 when the lid 13 is held in its closed position, however insufficient to contact a part-cylindrical ceiling/back portion 5b of the top hood 5 when the lid 13 is moved between its open and closed positions. In other words, the sealing member 18 is brought into tight contact with the ridge 7 when the lid 13 is held in its closed position. This arrangement offers an advantage that the top hood 5 is prevented from having unsightly scores on the surface thereof due to sliding of the sealing member 18 on the top hood 50, i.e., friction between the two members 18 and 5.

While in the present embodiment the ridge 7 is formed on the outer surface of the top hood 5 and the sealing member 18 is fitted in the groove 17 formed in the inner surface of the lid 13, it is possible to replace a ridge and a sealing member with each other. For example, as shown in Fig. 9 corresponding to Fig. 8, a ridge 107 is formed on an inner surface of a lid 13, while a sealing member 118 is fitted in a groove 117 formed in an outer surface of a top hood 5.

Alternatively, a ridge (7) and a sealing member (18) may be provided on both the outer surface of the top hood 5 and on the inner surface of the lid 13, such that each ridge (7) and the corresponding sealing member (18) are brought into tight contact with each other when the lid 13 is placed in its closed position. The groove (17) of the modified container may be omitted, similar to the groove 17 of the preceding emodiment.

While it is required that the gap left between the hood 5 and the lid 13 be tightly sealed by the sealing member 18, a lid (13) may be provided inside the top hood 5 (main body 6) so that the lid 13 may close the opening 29 from inside.

The instant container has the same advantages as those with the container shown in Figs. 1-6. For instance, automatical pivotal movement of the lid 13 due to its own weight and without restraint by the user is effectively restrained by sliding of the sealing member 18 on the ridge 7, especially the sliding immediately before the sealing member 18 is brought into entire tight contact with the ridge 7, namely, the contact flange 15 of the lid 13 is brought into uniform abutment with the lower lip (cushion 12) of the opening 29 of the main body 6. Thus, the instant container is free from uncomfortable, large noise otherwise generated by the shock of impact between the lid 13 and the lower lip of the opening 29. Further, the instant container is immune to entering of small insects such as a fly and a small cockroach, owing to the sealing member 18, when the lid 13 is held in its closed position. Thus, the container can be kept sanitary.

Claims

1. A container for containing articles therein, comprising: a hollow body having a wall (1, 5) and an opening (29) formed through said wall, said hollow body defining a space (30) therein; a lid member (13) pivotable between a first position thereof in which said lid member substantially wholly overlaps said wall of said hollow body, whereby the lid member permits access to said space through said opening, and a second position thereof in which said lid member closes said opening of said hollow body and partially overlaps said wall of the hollow body; connecting means (28; 9, 19, 20, 23, 24) for pivotally connecting said lid member to said wall of said hollow body, such that the lid member is pivotable relative to said opening of the hollow body, about a pivot axis (24) of said connecting means, between said first and second positions; and sealing means (17, 18, 7; 117, 118, 107) for sealing between said wall of said hollow body and said lid member when the lid member is held in said second position, said sealing means including at least one sealing member (18, 118) for sealing between the overlapped portions of the lid member held in the second position and the wall of the hollow body.

2. A container as recited in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises a pair of connecting devices (20, 23, 24) provided apart from each other, said pair of connecting devices having a common, horizontal pivot axis (24).

3. A container as recited in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said wall of said hollow body includes a first and a second lip portion (2, 5a) which cooperate with each other to define said opening, while said lid member includes a contact portion (15) which is brought into abutment with said first lip portion when the lid member is placed in said second position, and an overlap portion (13a) which overlaps said second lip portion when the lid member is held in the second position, said at least one sealing member sealing between said overlap portion of the lid member held in the second position and said second lip portion of the hollow body.

4. A container as recited in claim 3, wherein said first lip portion of said hollow body extendes horizontally.

5. A container as recited in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said sealing means further comprises at least one groove (17) formed in said overlap portion of said lid member, said at least one sealing member (18) being fitted in said at least one groove, the at least one groove reaching at opposite ends thereof said contact portion of the lid member, the at least one sealing member having a height sufficient to tightly contact said second lip portion when the lid member is held in said second position.

6. A container as recited in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said sealing means further comprises at least one groove (117) formed in said second lip portion of said hollow body, said at least one sealing member (118) being fitted in said at least one groove, the at least one groove reaching at opposite ends thereof said first lip portion of the hollow body, the at least one sealing member having a height sufficient to tightly contact said overlap portion when the lid member is held in said second position.

7. A container as recited in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein at least one of said wall of said hollow body and said lid member includes a part-cylindrical portion (5b) having a sectorial transverse cross-section, said connecting means being provided along a center line of the sectorial transverse cross-section of said part-cylindrical portion, said at least one sealing member being provided on at least one of said second lip portion and said overlap portion such that the at least one sealing member is slidable on said part-cylindrical portion when the lid member is pivoted between said first and second positions.

8. A container as recited in claim 5, wherein said sealing means comprises at least one ridge (7) provided on said second lip portion of said hollow body, said ridge reaching at opposite ends thereof said first lip portion of the hollow body, said at least one sealing member being provided on said overlap portion of said lid member such that the at least one sealing member is brought into tight contact with said ridge when the lid member is placed in said second position.

9. A container as recited in claim 6, wherein said sealing means comprises at least one ridge (107) provided on said overlap portion of said lid member, said ridge reaching at opposite ends thereof said contact portion of the lid member, said at least one sealing member being provided on said second lip portion of said hollow body such that the at least one sealing member is brought into tight contact with said ridge when the lid member is placed in said second position.

10. A container as recited in claim 8, wherein the at least one sealing member (18) provided on said overlap portion of said lid member has a height which is insufficient to contact said wall of said hollow body and sufficient to contact said ridge provided on the wall when the lid member is pivoted between said first and second positions.

11. A container as recited in claim 9, wherein the least one sealing member (118) provided on said second lip portion of said hollow body has a height which is insufficient to contact said lid member and sufficient to contact said ridge provided on the lid member when the lid member is pivoted bewteen said first and second positions.

12. A container as recited in any one of claims 3-11, wherein said first lip portion of said hollow body includes a body flange (2) protruding outwardly from said wall, while said contact portion of said lid member includes a lid flange (15) protruding outwardly from the lid member, said lid flange being brought into abutment with said body flange when the lid member is placed in said second position.

13. A container as recited in claim 12, wherein said lid flange of said lid member includes a secondary flange (15a) protruding perpendicularly therefrom, said secondary flange covering the outwardly protruding body flange of said hollow body when the lid member is held in said second position.

14. A container as recited in claim 13, wherein said secondary flange includes a handle portion (16) for pivoting said lid member between said first and second positions.

S5. k container as recited in any one of claims 12-14, further comprising a cushioning member (12) provided on said body flange of said hollow body, said lid flange of said lid member being brought into abutment with said cushioning member when the lid member is placed in said second position.

16. A container as recited in any one of claims 1-15, wherein said at least one sealing member comprises a multiplicity of filaments (18a).

17. A container as recited in claim 16, wherein said filaments are made of polypropyrene.

18. A container as recited in any one of claims 1-17, further comprising a pair of stoppers (11) for stopping said lid member in said first position, said pair of stoppers permitting about 90 degrees pivotal movement of said lid member between said first and second positions, said stoppers being provided apart from each other on said wall of said hollow body.

19. A container as recited in any one of claims 1-18, wherein said hollow body includes a box-like bottom member (1) and a hood-like top member (5) connected at a lower open end thereof to an upper open end of said bottom portion.

20. A container as recited in any one of claims 1-19, wherein said hollow body and said lid member are formed of a plastic material.

21. A container for containing articles therein, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 or Figures 1 to 6 modified as shown in any of Figures 7 to 9.