GB2261655A - Container with snap fitting lid - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid-tight seal is formed between an outer, radial skirt 100 of a plastics cover and a rim 25 of a plastics container 5, for fluids such as paint or varnish, the cover being retained on the container by a ledge 35 on a flange 70 of the cover snap fitting over a lip 30 on the container rim. A levering platform is provided, comprising a radially inwardly directed flange 20 extending in from the wall of the container, whereby a suitable tool can be inserted between the platform and the cover flange and love red so as to disengage the cover and lip. The rim 25 and the levering platform are preferably provided as pan of a rim member which cooperates with a contained wall and which also provides a scraper 40 and a drip channel between the scraper 40 and rim 25, perforations (45, Figure 1) in the channel base allowing fluid to flow into the container. The cover preferably has screw driver slots (50, Figure 1). A recess 55 in the cover can interact with a bead on the container base for stacking purposes. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTAINER WITH LID The present invention relates to a container for fluids and a cover associable therewith, wherein a skirt at the periphery of the cover lockingly interacts with a rim of the container.

The type of container to which the present invention is directed is most frequently used for the storage of such fluids as paint and varnish. Accordingly, while the containers of the invention will frequently be referred to as, for example, paint pots, it will be appreciated that they may be employed to contain any other suitable fluids or even powdered or granulated solids, for example.

In general, paint pots are constructed from metals, with the lid also being made of metal. A recurved skirt portion around the periphery of the cover can be forced into the container so as to lock the cover in place.

Such a container and cover arrangement is traditional, but suffers from various drawbacks.

A primary drawback to this type of cover is that the paint, varnish or other fluid in the pot tends to accumulate around the rim of the pot after the first consumer use. When the cover is forced into the container, the paint forms a layer between the skirt and the rim of the container, which layer subsequently dries, thereby causing the cover to become stuck to the pot. Even where the contents of the container do not act in such a manner, they may cause stickiness or friction, making it more difficult to remove the cover.

Ultimately, the result of this type of problem is to cause disfigurement and damage to the container through the attempts of the user to remove the cover, if the container is repeatedly resealed while it contains paint or varnish.

A second problem with the traditional paint pots is that they are made from metal and, while this is not a problem in itself, it would be preferable to provide paint pots made of plastics1 as this would allow considerable design flexiblity and avoid corrosion, a common problem with tins.

The main problem with constructing paint pots from plastics materials lies essentially in providing an efficient seal between cover and lid. If there is distortion, the contents may leak. This is particularly a problem where larger quantities of fluid need to be held in one container. Accordingly, there is a need to achieve considerably better quality and performance of lid fit.

Very thick plastics walls could be employed to overcome the problem, but this tends not to be viable on two counts, namely shrinkage and the requirement for an uneconomic amount of material. If thinner walls are used, then strength and/or rigidity is lost, and the pots may bulge and otherwise lose their shape. This can easily lead to rupture of the seal, and subsequent messy spillage.

Various attempts have been made to overcome the above problems and, for example, GB-A-2 168 673 discloses a container and lid, both made of plastics, wherein the rim of the container has a peripheral, external undercut which is engaged by a flange extending inwardly from a depending skirt on the cover. The rim is strengthened by a series of internal ribs connected to a flange extending around the inside of the container. This disclosure seeks to overcome the problem with using plastics containers and lids, but does not address the problem of paint or varnish causing adhesion between cover and container.

GB-A-2 086 862 discloses a double walled container having a U-shape around the rim, into which a recurved flange from a cover can be inserted, and which is secured into place by the action of a bead. As with the disclosure of GB-A-2 168 673, this container and cover arrangement still suffers from the problem of paint adhesion, as well as from the problem of distortion of the container when trying to remove a stuck cover.

GB-A-2 085 415 discloses a cover having a reverse recurved skirt, so that the inside top of the recurve interacts with the rim of the container, the cover having two beads interacting with grooves in the rim of the container, and a further bead on the external skirt interacting with an external flange of the rim. This also suffers from the problems described above.

GB-A-2 199 311 discloses a plastics cover and container wherein the container has an inwardly extending flange supporting an upwardly directed skirt, and wherein the cover is so formed that an external flange sits over the groove defined at the rim of the container. Again, this suffers from the drawback that when the outer portion of the cover is levered upwards, there is no guarantee that the rest of the lid will follow.

GB-A-2 124 602 discloses a plastic container and lid conforming substantially to that generally provided by metal containers and lids, but having an internal bead around the rim which engages the recurved skirt of the cover. An internal circular paint scraper is also provided.

GB-A-2 213 459 discloses a plastic ring which can be placed inside a paint pot and which is provided with a plate so that paintbrushes may be scraped against it.

a a first aspect, the present invention provides an upstanding container and a cover sealable thereover, the container being suitable to contain fluids, a fluidtight seal being formed between an outer, radial skirt of the cover and the rim of the container in use, characterised in that there is provided a locking mechanism to retain the cover in place, the mechanism comprising at least one radially outwardly directed lip located on the rim of the container, and a flange projecting from the skirt of the cover such that it projects over the rim of the container and axially downward, the interior of the downwardly directed portion of the flange being so configured as to snap over the lip when the cover is forcibly positioned, a levering platform comprising a radially inwardly directed flange extending in from the wall of the container and on which the rim, at least at that point, is supported, whereby a suitable tool can be inserted between the platform and the cover flange and levered so as to disengage the cover and lip.

Both container and cover may be made of plastics, and are suitably made from injection mouldable plastics. Polyethylene and polypropylene are suitable examples.

It will be appreciated that the nature of the material, such as paint or varnish, intended to be provided in the container may be a determining factor in deciding the nature of the material from which the container and cover are made. For example, gloss paints may contain solvents which attack some plastics, so that it becomes necessary to either protect the plastics, such as by the application of a primer or other protective layer, or by the incorporation of a suitable protective material in the plastic, or to use another material not attacked by the fluid.

In general, it is an advantage of the present invention that the locking mechanism is not distant from the seal created between the cover and container, so that when the locking mechanism is unsnapped using, for example, a screwdriver, the leverage also causes the cover to lift. While this has been the intention of some of the previous plastic lids, the direction of levering was either such that the cover would become deformed, or the part of the lid which was levered comprised an extending flange, thereby allowing some considerable degree of leeway in bending the flange before any appreciable effect was noted on the cover.

After a couple of times of such levering, the effect on such lids is frequently to weaken the flange to such a degree that no appreciable lifting effect is exerted on the cover.

While it will be appreciated that there only needs to be a flange extending from the cover wherever a locking mechanism is provided, this is generally not preferred for two reasons, the first being that such a construction is generally fairly weak and, without suitable reinforcements, may not even be workable, and the second is from the point of view of manufacture.

Accordingly, it is preferred that an unbroken continuous flange extends around the periphery of the cover and over the rim of the container.

Likewise, it will also be appreciated that individual flanges extending inwardly from the container and supporting the rim may be provided to comprise the levering platform in each case, but this is even less preferred as, not only does it suffer from similar drawbacks to having a discontinuous flange on the lid, but it further suffers from causing the seal to be less regular, and may give rise to leaks, or difficulty in placing the cover on the container. Accordingly, it is preferred that the rim of the container is concentric with the walls of the container and is supported on a continuous flange extending inward from the walls. This is also has the advantage that specific areas of flange extending inward from the walls do not have to be configured so as to provide a levering platform, as any area of the flange can serve this purpose when it is located adjacent a locking mechanism.

The configuration of the interior of the downwardly directed portion of the cover flange may be any that is suitable to interact with the lip on the rim of the container. For example, there may be an inwardly directed projection, such as a ledge, which extends sufficiently far that at least a portion of the ledge cannot pass over the lip without having to distort the downwardly directed flange. Thus, when the cover is forcibly positioned on the container, any areas of downwardly directed flange comprising part of the locking mechanism will be forced outwards until the various ledges have passed over their corresponding lips. The flange will then resiliently readopt its former position, causing the cover to become locked on to the rim of the container.

It will be appreciated that many other embodiments of the locking mechanism are possible, the essence being that a snap-fit is provided. For example, rather than a ledge being provided, a recess may be provided which, therefore, provides a female portion of the cover to cooperate with the male lip. Such recesses and/or ledges may be formed either by configuring the plastics material first to provide such a recess or ledge, or they may effectively be provided by removal or addition of material.

It will also be appreciated that where, for example, a ledge is provided, then it is preferable to provide it integrally with the cover, both for reasons of strength, and for ease of manufacture.

Where a ledge and lip are provided to interact with each other to provide the snap-fit, it will be appreciated that the ledge and lip should be so configured that pressing the lid on is sufficient to cause the snap-fit, but that upward pressure on the cover will not be effective to break the lock. Suitable configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it may be that one or both of the ledge and lip are suitably configured. For example, the lip may be configured such that the outer, generally vertical face actually slopes slightly inwards towards the top of the rim. The ledge may be configured correspondingly, or may just be flat, for example, but with the proviso that, when the cover is fitted, the ledge can easily fit over the top of the sloping face of the lip, but not over the bottom.Thus, in order to slide the ledge over the lip, it is necessary to allow the downwardly extending flange to expand outwards.

When the cover is positioned, it is preferably so configured that the ledge and lip still cooperate, but via two generally horizontal abutment surfaces. Again, it may be advantageous to slope the surfaces for ease of release when leverage is applied.

An alternative configuration has the lip being square, with the ledge being curved on the underside and substantially flat on the top side, so that interaction with the lip when the cover is forced on to the container is via the curved surface and, once the cover is in position, removal of the cover is prevented by the flat abutment surface. In such an embodiment, it is also possible that the lip could have a curved top surface, or it may be that just the lip has a curved surface.

It is not preferred for the interior of the flange to be so configured as to provide a locking mechanism all of the way around the inside of the cover, although this is possible. In any instance, it is generally preferable that individual locking mechanisms are provided around the cover, and this may be effected, for example, by the provision of individual -lips around the rim or, equally, by the provision of a continuous lip around the rim, but only individual ledges within the cover flange. If the ledges within the cover flange are also continuous, it may be more difficult to remove the cover, and this is not preferred.

For aesthetic purposes, as well as practical purposes for preventing accidental removal of the cover, it is preferred that the downwardly extending flange, at its extremity, is flush with the inwardly extending flange from the walls of the container. It is generally preferred, although not essential, that the extremity of the cover flange is coterminous with the walls of the container.

It will be appreciated that the configuration described above could make it difficult to insert the blade of a screwdriver, so that it is also preferred that, where locking mechanisms are provided, the flange is so configured as to provide suitable openings. Thus, the edge of the flange may be raised in the vicinity of the locking mechanisms so as to provide open slots. The that the blade of a screwdriver may then be slid along the inwardly extending flange from the walls of the container and under the locking mechanism, so that, when the blade is levered, the locking mechanism unsnaps, and the lid is lifted at the same time.

A preferred design for the container comprises a standard open container, and a rim member insertable in the top thereof, which member provides both the inwardly directed flange and the rim over which the cover locks.

The member may be secured in the top of the container by any suitable means, such as glue, but preferably by ultrasonic welding. Ultrasonic welding avoids the possibility of glue either being dissolved or getting into the fluid in the container, causing possible discolouration, or allowing the release of the rim member.

The rim member may be configured in any suitable fashion, but it is generally preferred that it comprises an outer wall cooperable with the inner side of the walls at the open end of the container. The inwardly directed flange extends inward from this outer wall, but also extends slightly outwards, so as to sit on the walls of the container, thereby preventing the member from slipping inside the container before it is secured.

The rim onto which the cover snaps may be provided simply as an upstanding member from the inwardly directed flange, but preferably also extends downwards from the flange. Suitable ribs may then be provided between the downwardly extending portion of the rim and the outer wall of the rim member, thereby strengthening both the rim and the top of the container. This is a preferred embodiment.

It will be appreciated that it is preferred to provide the rim member in injection mouldable plastics material.

The radial skirt of the cover is preferably strengthened by being recurved. Thus, there may be a first skirt portion depending from the edge of the cover which is then curved back up to form the seal-forming skirt. The effect of this is to form something akin to a leaf spring, and serves to substantially reinforce the cover. Again, suitable ribs may be provided within the recurved portion to further reinforce the skirt.

In order to enhance cooperation of the cover with the rim, it may be desirable to provide suitable cooperable surfaces on the inside of the rim, and at the bottom of the skirt. Thus, in a similar manner to the cooperation between the lip and ledge described above, the bottom of the skirt may be slanted or curved inwards and/or the top of the inside of the rim may be slanted or curved outwards. This then allows some leeway in dropping the cover on to the container while still being able to expect the cover to centre properly. Pressure may then be applied directly to the lid to encourage the snap-fit, without there being any doubt as to whether the lid had properly centred. Such an aspect is preferred, as it prevents wastage on the assembly line.

It is also desirable to provide a brush scraper device within the container. One suitable device is that described in GB-A-2 213 459. However, this embodiment is not preferred.

The preferred embodiment providing a brush scraper device is one wherein the device is incorporated into the rim member, which provides the flange and rim.

Essentially, a further inwardly directed radial flange extends around the inside of the member and generally axially internal to the rim, and an upstanding wall extends from the inner edge of this flange. This inner upstanding wall provides the actual scraper, and the top of the wall is ideally located such that the cover, when positioned, does not come into contact with the scraper at any point. Accordingly, the top of the scraper will generally be below the level of the top of the rim.

However, if the skirt on the cover is provided by a recurved portion and the top of the skirt does not reach the same level as the main part of the cover, then the top of the scraper may be displaced accordingly, provided that it cannot contact the cover in use.

It will be appreciated that the formation of the scraper described above effectively provides a drip channel, wherein the paint or varnish may accumulate on the scraper, but will not contact the cover, thereby preventing the cover sticking to the container. It is further preferred to provide perforations in the bottom of the drip channel in order to allow any paint or varnish to return to the main body of fluid. There is no limitation on the size of the perforations, other than to ensure that sufficient support is provided for the scraper that it will remain intact when a brush is scraped against it. For example, it may be desirable to provide perforations that not only provide holes in the supporting flange, but also extend up the walls on either side.In general, however, it is preferred that the holes are sufficiently wide to effectively divide the supporting flange into a series of supporting ribs for the scraper, but not extending either into the rim, or up the scraper wall.

It will also be appreciated that the drip channel will effectively provide the recess into which the recurved portion of the cover supporting the skirt fits. Accordingly, it is preferred, but by no means essential, that the drip channel conforms substantially to the contours of the recurved portion of the cover, where such is provided. The radially outer portion of the drip channel comprises the rim, and this is necessarily in contact with the skirt when the cover is in position. However, it is preferred that the rest of the drip channel is not in contact, at any time, with the cover, so as to avoid the possibility, as much as possible, of paint or varnish causing the cover to stick to the container.

A particular advantage of the present invention is that the containers and covers may be provided in any suitable shape. As will be seen from the accompanying drawings, a preferred shape has an oblong crosssection. This is permitted by the style in which the container and cover are fashioned, and has not generally been feasible for containers in the art. Not only does this configuration have an aesthetic appeal, but it also has practical advantages in that round containers are the most inefficient manner of storing fluids or, indeed, any other substances. Thus, for example, a trader can fit more oblong paint pots on the shelf than he would otherwise normally do if he had the typical round containers.

The containers themselves may be fashioned in any suitable manner, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. One preferred configuration is to provide a bead around the bottom of the container which cooperates with the recess of the recurved part of the cover, so that the combination of container and cover is stackable. The bead on the bottom of the container need not be continuous, provided that it cooperates with the recess in the cover, and it may also be preferable to provide baffles within the recess in the cover to avoid the possibility of the bead of the stacked container becoming stuck in the recess of the cover. Such baffles may be provided by the ribs described above.

The containers of the invention may also comprise handles to facilitate lifting and handling, especially of larger containers. There is no particular restriction on the handles that may be employed, and suitable handles will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The container may also be decorated in any suitable manner, such as by shrink-wrapping or direct application of such materials as inks or transfers. Again, suitable forms of decoration will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The invention will now be further illustrated with respect to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view from above and at an angle of an exploded container, rim member and cover of the invention; and Figures 2 to 3 illustrate cross-sections through the areas of contact of the container, rim member and cover of various embodiments of the invention.

In Figure 1, the numeral 1 generally designates the open container, while 2 designates the rim member and 3 designates the cover. Referring first to the container 1, this comprises an upstanding wall 5 and has a bevelled bottom 8, and a shrink-wrap label 10, shown cut away and not yet shrunk.

The rim member 2 comprises an outer wall 15 which slots into and cooperates with wall 5 of the container.

Positioned astride outer wall 15 is flange 20 which extends slightly over wall 15 so as to allow the rim member 2 to sit on wall 5, and also extends inward to rim 25.

Rim 25 is provided with lips 30 which cooperate with ledges 35 provided in cover 3 (see Figure 2). Further provided on the rim member 2 is scraper 40, the top of which is positioned below the level of rim 25 (see Figures 2 to 4) so as to prevent contact between the cover and the surface of the container most likely to be associated with any wet paint or varnish, thereby preventing adhesion of the cover to the pot. Positioned in the drip channel formed by rim 25 and scraper 40 are holes, or perforations, 45 to allow the paint or other fluid to drip back into the container.

Cover 3 is shown having screwdriver slots 50 which allow levering action of a screwdriver blade between the cover 3 and the flange 20. Also shown on cover 3 is recess 55, which can be used to interact with a bead on the bottom of container 1 (not shown), to assist stacking.

During assembly of the container and cover, shrinkwrap label 10 is shrunk on to container 1; rim member 2 is inserted into container 1 and sonically welded; the container is filled with its contents; and cover 3 is then pressed on to the rim member 2 to lock.

In Figure 2, interaction of the various components is shown. Outer skirt 100 of the cover 3 is shown abutting rim 25 in a fluid-tight fit. Outer wall 15 is shown cooperating with wall 5 of the container, while flange 20 is shown resting on wall 5. Also shown is ledge 35 after having been forced over lip 30, so that the abutment surfaces, generally designated by the numeral 60, are in contact, and serving to lock outer skirt 100 in place against rim 25.

Outwardly extending flange 65 extends over rim 25 and then down, generally indicated at 70.

Rib 75 serves to strengthen the rim member between the outer wall 15, and the downwardly extending portion 80 of rim 25.

Rib 85 serves to strengthen the recurved portion 55 of cover 3, and also serves to prevent the bead (not shown) of a further container from becoming lodged in the recess 55.

The top 90 of scraper 40 is shown as being below the main portion 95 of cover 3, the main portion 95 actually being sightly below the level of flange 65. By allowing a gap between scraper 40 and cover 3, fluids can drain to the bottom of scraper 40.

Turning to Figure 3, there is shown a hole 45, which permits drainage of paint or varnish and such like into the main body of container 5.

Claims (16)

1. An upstanding container and a cover sealable thereover, the container being suitable to contain fluids, a fluid-tight seal being formed between an outer, radial skirt of the cover and the rim of the container in use, characterised in that there is provided a locking mechanism to retain the cover in place, the mechanism comprising at least one radially outwardly directed lip located on the rim of the container, and a flange projecting from the skirt of the cover such that it projects over the rim of the container and axially downward, the interior of the downwardly directed portion of the flange being so configured as to snap over the lip when the cover is forcibly positioned, a levering platform comprising a radially inwardly directed flange extending in from the wall of the container and on which the rim, at least at that point, is supported, whereby a suitable tool can be inserted between the platform and the cover flange and levered so as to disengage the cover and lip.

2. A container and cover according to claim 1, wherein both are made of injection mouldable plastics.

3. A container and cover according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an unbroken continuous flange extends around the periphery of the cover and over the rim of the container.

4. A container and cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the rim of the container is concentric with the walls of the container and is supported on a continuous flange extending inward from the walls.

5. A container and cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the configuration of the interior of the downwardly directed portion of the cover flange is such as to interact with the lip on the rim of the container, an inwardly directed projection extending sufficiently far that at least a portion of the ledge cannot pass over the lip without having to resiliently distort the downwardly directed flange.

6. A container and cover according to claim 5, wherein the ledge and lip are so configured that pressing the lid on is sufficient to cause a snap-fit, but that upward pressure on the cover will not be effective to break the lock.

7. A container and cover according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the cover is so configured that the ledge and lip cooperate via two generally horizontal abutment surfaces.

8. A container and cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the edge of the flange is raised in the vicinity of the locking mechanisms so as to provide at least one open slot such that the blade of a screwdriver can be slid along the inwardly extending flange from the walls of the container and under the locking mechanism, so that, when the blade is levered, the locking mechanism unsnaps with concomitant lifting of the lid.

9. A container and cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the radial skirt of the cover is strengthened by being recurved.

10. A container and cover according to any preceding claim, comprising a rim member insertable in the top of the container, which member provides both the inwardly directed flange and the rim over which the cover locks.

11. A container and cover according to claim 10, comprising a brush scraping device incorporated into the rim member, providing the flange and rim.

12. A container and cover according to claim 11, wherein the brush scraping device comprises a further inwardly directed radial flange extending around the inside of the member and generally axially internal to the rim, and an upstanding wall extending from the inner edge of this flange to define a drip channel, the inner upstanding wall providing the actual scraper, and the top of the wall being located such that the cover, when positioned, does not come into contact with the scraper at any point.

13. A container and cover according to claim 12, wherein perforations are provided in the bottom of the drip channel in order to allow any paint or varnish to return to the main body of fluid in the container.

14. A container and cover according to any preceding claim, having an oblong cross-section.

15. A container and cover according to any preceding claim, wherein a bead is provided around the bottom of the container, the bead being configured so as to cooperate with a corresponding recess defined a recurved part of the cover, so that a plurality of such containers with covers is stackable.

16. A container and cover substantially as described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings.