GB2261593A

GB2261593A - A receptacle suitable for spices

Info

Publication number: GB2261593A
Application number: GB9203816A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victoria Mary Layton
Original assignee: SANDINO INT Ltd
Current assignee: SANDINO INT Ltd
Priority date: 1991-11-21
Filing date: 1992-02-21
Publication date: 1993-05-26
Also published as: IE914058A1; LU88080A1; NL9200344A; FR2684075A3; BE1005564A6; GB9203816D0

Abstract

It is known to provide receptacles for. e.g. spices comprising a cup-like base part, a perforated lid and a hinged or rotatable outer lid which can be arranged to close the apertures. A receptacle comprises a cup-like base part (2) and a perforated lid (3), the perforations (12, 13) being divided into two groups of differently sized perforations, each group of perforations being separately closeable by means of one or more covers (10, 11) secured to the lid and including a plurality of protrusions (16, 17). The or each cover is moveable between a first position in which the perforations are uncovered and a second position in which the protrusions occupy the perforations. <IMAGE>

Description

A RECEPTACLE This invention relates to a receptacle, in particular but not exclusively a receptacle in synthetic material of the type that is primarily meant to contain spices or the like.

Several receptacles for spices or the like are already known, which substantially always consist of a receptacle in the shape of a cup, tube or the like that is closed at the bottom and a lid provided with dredging holes.

These dredging holes are commonly closed, either by a second lid that clicks over the first lid, or by a second lid that is screwed over the first, or else a second lid that is rotatable in relation to the first lid and in which holes are applied, so that the holes of the first and second lid can be placed co-axially or that the holes in the first lid can be covered by the second lid.

All these known embodiments have the major disadvantage that always a second lid has to be provided, on the one hand, and that, except in the case of a screw lid, the sealing leaves much to be desired, on the other hand.

According to the invention there is provided a receptacle comprising a receptacle proper in the shape of a cup, tube or the like, which is closed at the bottom; and a lid with apertures, whereby according to the invention the lid is provided with two series of apertures of differing sizes each of which series can respectively be closed by a flap, whereby the or each flap is provided, on the side towards the apertures, with protrusions the shape and lay-out of which correspond with the shape and lay-out of the corresponding apertures, in order to obtain, when closing said flaps, the penetration of the protrusions into the apertures.

Thus, the invention relates to a receptacle for spices or the like that only consists of two main parts, so that its cost price, in relation to the known receptacles consisting of three parts, is conslaerably lower.

Another- advantage of the receptacle according to the invention is that a perfect sealing is obtained in a very simple way.

A further advantage of the receptacle according to the invention is that its opening and closing, despite the perfect sealing, is very simple and only requires little effort.

Another advantage of the recipient according to the invention is that - two series of dredging holes are provided, namely a first series of fine dredging holes and a second series of large dredging holes, which can be opened respectively closed separately.

An additional advantage of the receptacle according to the invention, which is especially important in case the dredging holes are very small, can be seen in the fact that, by means of the chosen sealing, namely the penetration of protrusions in the dredging holes, these dredging holes, should they eventually be clogged by the dredging products, which is sometimes the case when one dredges above a steaming cooking pot or the like, are automatically re-opened by closing the recipient.

In order to better indicate the characteristics of the present invention, a preferred embodiment is described below by way of an example without any limiting character, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: figure 1 represents a perspective view of a receptacle according to the invention in closed position; figure 2 is a similar view to figure 1 but with the receptacle in an opened position; figure 3 represents an overhead view of the receptacle more specifically according to arrow F3 in figure 2; figure 4 represents a cross section according to line IV-IV in figure 1; figure 5 is an enlarged representation of the part indicated by F5 in figure 4.

The figures represent a receptacle 1, sometimes referred to as a recipient, according to the invention, which substantially consists of two parts, namely a recipient proper 2 which is cup-shaped or tubular and closed at the bottom, and a lid 3 that is attached to the open end of this recipient 2.

The recipient proper 2 can have any form whatsoever, the open end whereof shows a flange 4 that is directed outwards.

The lid 3 substantially consist of a cap 5 which internally shows a groove 6, which can cooperate with the flange 4 of the recipient 2 in order to connect the lid 3 suitably on the recipient.

The upper surface of the cap 5 is, in the closed position of the recipient, completely level. It shows in its thickness two recesses or excisions,: respectively 8 and 9, with parallel edges that run to the circumference of the upper surface 7. The excisions are, in the closed position of the recipient, filled by flaps, respectively 10 and 11.

In the bottom of the excisions 8 and 9, apertures or holes are applied, respectively small holes 12 in the bottom of excision 8 and relatively large holes 13 in the bottom of excision 9, which can act both as filtering or dredging holes, respectively for fine filtering or dredging.and coarse filtering or dredging.

The excision 8 will be considerably smaller, as well length-wise as width-wise, than the excision 9.

The flaps 10 and 11 form one whole with the upper surface 7 of the lid 3, but are only connected to this upper surface 7 by a small connection, respectively 14-15, which acts as a hinge.

On the inner surface of the flaps 10 and 11, in other words the surface which is, in the closed position of the recipient, directed s > *s the dredging holes 12, respectively 13, c ar protrusions are provided, respectively 16 and 17, the number and lay-out whereof equals the number of the corresponding dredging holes and the lay-out of these dredging holes 12-13.

The. outer diameter of these circular protrusions 16-17 is determined in such a way in relation to the diameter of the dredging holes 12-13, that, when the flaps 10 and 11 are placed in the excision 8 and 9, the protrusions 16-17 are softly clinched in the corresponding dredging holes 12-13. In other words, there is resistance to the withdrawal of the protrusions from the apertures.

The free ends 18-19 of the circular protrusions 16-17 are bevelled, so that they, when the flaps 10 and 11 are closed, easily penetrate the corresponding dredging holes 12 and 13, whereby the circular construction of these protrusions entails a slight transformation.

The protrusions 16-17 show a height which is at least equal to, but preferably somewhat greater than the thickness of the upper surface 7 at the place of the excisions 8-9.

Even though the diameter of the dredging holes 12 and 13 can be chosen freely, in the ebodiment shown i.e. is some 1.5 to 3 mm for the dredging holes 12 and some 6 to 10 mm for the dredging holes 13.

In order to open the flaps 10 and 11, preferably, either in the bottom of the excisions 8-9, more specifically in the middle of their outer edge, or in the inner surface of the flaps 10-11, or else as well in the bottom of said excisions as in the inner surface of the flaps 10-11, a small deepened part will be provided, respectively 20-21-22-23, in which for example a finger nail can be placed to open the flaps 10 and 11.

It is clear that in this way a recipient is obtained that consists only of two parts, that can be produced in a simple and cheap way, that shows a very effective sealing, and whereby according to the need one can dredge finely or coarsely.

The present invention is of course not limited in any way to the embodiment described above and represented in the accompanying drawings, but the recipient according to the invention can be realized in different shapes and dimensions.

Claims

1. A receptacle comprising a receptacle proper in the shape of a cup, tube or the like that is closed at one end; and a lid with apertures, wherein the lid is provided with two series of apertures of differing sizes each of which series can be respectively closed by means of a flap, whereby the or each flap is provided on the side directed towards the apertures with protrusions the shape and lay-out whereof corresponds with the shape and lay-out of the corresponding apertures, in order that, when closing the receptacle, the protrusions penetrate or occupy the apertures.

2. A receptacle according to Claim 1 including a plurality of flaps, wherein the flaps are provided in excisions or recesses in the thickness of the upper surface of the lid, so that when closed, the lid has a level upper surface.

3. A receptacle according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the edges of the excisions or recesses are parallel to each other and extend from one edge of the flap to the circumferencial edge of the lid.

4. A receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said edge of each flap includes a connection between the flap and the lid, whereby this connection acts as a hinge.

5. A receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protrusions on the inner surface of the flap are circular.

6. A receptacle according to Claim 5, wherein the free ends of the circular protrusions are bevelled.

7. A receptacle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the diameters of the protrusions are such that, when the flap is closed, there is resistance to withdrawal of the protrusions from the apertures.

8. A receptacle according to any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the height of the protrusions is equal to or greater than the thickness of the upper surface at the place of the excisions or recesses.

9. A receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the excisions or recesses include, at the outer edge of the lid, a deepened part.

10. A receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner surface of the flaps, at a place of the most outwards part, shows a deepened part.

11. A receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one series of apertures comprises apertures having a diameter of some 1.5 to 3 mm.

12. A receptacle according to any of Claims 1 to 10, wherein one series of apertures comprises apertures having a diameter of some 6 to 10 mm.

13. A receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle proper includes at its free upper end an externally directed flange and the lid includes an internal groove with which said flange can cooperate.

14. A receptacle comprising a cup-like base part; a lid having a plurality of perforations formed therein and securable to the base part; and one or more covers secured to the lid, the perforations being divisible into two groups of differently sized perforations, the or each cover having a plurality of protrusions correspondingly divisible into two groups and at least one of the covers being moveable with respect to a group of perforations between a first position in which the perforations of said group are uncovered and a second position in which the perforations are occupied by the corresponding protrusions.

15. A receptacle generally as herein described, with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. Any novel combination or sub-combination disclosed and/or illustrated herein.