GB2460226A

GB2460226A - Container with integrated lever-operated device for opening the lid

Info

Publication number: GB2460226A
Application number: GB0809072A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert James Blakeborough
Original assignee: Plastic Can Co Ltd
Current assignee: Plastic Can Co Ltd
Priority date: 2008-05-19
Filing date: 2008-05-19
Publication date: 2009-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-19
Also published as: GB0809072D0; GB2460226B

Abstract

A container (1) has a receptacle 2, a lid 3 and an opener 4 for opening the lid 3. A rim 5, which has a first portion 19 extending outwardly from its inner periphery, defines an opening for the receptacle 2. The lid 3 is a press fit into the rim 5 and has an outwardly-extending second portion 22, which overlies the outwardly-extending first portion 19 when the lid 3 is fitted to the receptacle 2. The opener 4 has a manually-rotatable portion 8, from which projects a fixed shaft 12 with a cam portion 10 at least at its end. The outwardly-extending first portion 19 is adapted to receive the cam portion 10. The rim 5, lid 3 and opener 4 are arranged such that the opener 4 may be rotatably retained on the rim 5 in a first position which allows the lid 3 to be fitted to the receptacle 2, and such that rotation of the manually-rotatable portion 8 of the opener 4 causes the cam portion 10 to be rotated and urged upwardly against the outwardly-extending second portion 22 of the lid 3, thus urging the lid 3 out of the receptacle 2 to open the container (1).

Description

Container with integrated lever-operated device for opening the lid

Background of the Invention

This invention relates to a container that accepts a press-in, lever-off lid, and which has an integrated lever-operated device set into the rim to open said lid. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a container, and a preform suitable for use in such a method.

Containers with press-in, lever-off lids are typically used to store paint or other liquid or finely divided solid materials. They may be made from metal or from plastic. The lever-off functionality of the lids is usually achieved by having a portion of the rim of the container laterally outside of the lid; thus, when a tool (e.g. a screwdriver) is inserted under the edge of the lid, the rim can act as a fulcrum for the tool, enabling the lid to be levered off.

This presents some problems, including: (i) a separate tool, which may not be readily available, is required to open the container; (ii) the applicants have appreciated that the use of a separate tool can lead to difficulties in operation. Specifically, in order to successfully lift the lid, the tool must initially have one end accurately positioned under the lip of the lid. Then, in operation, the tool must be both pushed inwards (i.e. towards the centre of the lid) to prevent it slipping out, whilst at the same time the other end is pulled or pushed down in order to lift the lid. If both container and tool are not gripped firmly (e.g. if the user has insufficient strength or experience to grip the tool firmly), the tool can slip relative to the lid I container with unfortunate consequences. Such action requires both dexterity and strength, which may pose a problem for certain users.

Thus, the applicants have appreciated the need for an opener for removing the lid from lever lid containers that removes the need for a separate tool, that is retained at all times so that it may easily be re-used, and does not require significant dexterity or strength to operate.

GB 325,532 A of A. J. Cooper discloses a lever attached to the side of a metal container and pivoting about the handle fixing point. The lever is shaped so that it engages with, and is moved by the handle when the handle is folded down on one side of the tin. The opposite end of the lever has a cam that, as the handle moves the lever, presses up against the lid (which is required to extend beyond the container rim), and pushes it off.

GB 544,292 of M. E. Bailey also discloses a side-mounted opener for removing the lid of lever lid containers. In this invention a pivoting cam riveted to the outside of the can is manually rotated in order to push the lid up and off the can. Again the lid is required to extend beyond the container rim.

However, the applicants have appreciated another important design consideration, which is the ease with which the containers incorporating the device may be used on existing container filling lines having handling and lid application machinery designed for conventional containers. Any requirement to alter the can filling line machinery to accommodate an external feature is likely to involve significant capital expenditure and so it would be advantageous if the opener could be used in conjunction with existing machinery with little or no modification. It is also desirable that a container incorporating the opening device be interchangeable (with respect to the filling process) with a container that does not have the device.

The applicants have also appreciated that any external feature, whether it be a lid that extends beyond the container rim, or a device fixed to the outside wall of the container, is unwelcome. This is not only because such a feature would be susceptible to accidental damage, but also for economic reasons. For example a lid that is required to extend beyond the container rim will not only require a greater volume of material in its manufacture than a lid of a smaller diameter, but also need additional space to accommodate it both when it is off and when it is on the container, and so will be inherently more expensive. In the present invention therefore the lid is not required to extend beyond the container rim, and nor does any part of the invention extend beyond the rim of the container.

The invention is particularly suitable for use with wide-mouth containers having press-in, lever-off lids, in the nature of cans or pots, such as those typically used to store paint or other such liquid materials. The term "wide-mouth" is well understood by the skilled person; in the industry it is understood to relate to a container with a mouth greater than approximately 35mm. The invention is further particularly suitable for use with plastic lever-lid containers, for example as described in International Patent Applications WO 97/1 9801 and WO 00/46118, although its use is not limited to such containers.

International Patent Application W097/19801 describes a two-step method of producing one-piece plastic lever-lid containers. In the first step an embryo container or preform is injection moulded. At this stage only the rim of the container is fully formed, while the body has the form of a dependant cone extending inwardly from the inner periphery of the rim. In a second step the preform is transferred to a blow mould wherein the cone is expanded outwardly to form the container body. International Patent Application W000/461 18 describes such a container with a more complex rim construction.

Summary of the Invention

The invention in its various aspects is defined in the independent claims below, to which reference may now be made. Advantageous features are set forth in the appendant claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment takes the form of a wide-mouth lever-lid container that has a body (forming a receptacle) and a rim defining an opening for the container comprising a first portion extending outwardly from the inner periphery of the rim, a further portion extending upwardly from the outer end of the outwardly-extending first portion and a downwardly projecting skirt depending from the outer periphery of the rim.

The lid of the container is adapted to be fitted to the receptacle (i.e. is complementary to the rim), and has an outwardly extending portion which, when the lid is fitted to the receptacle, overlies the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim. The container also comprises an opener, which has a manually-rotatable portion from which a fixed shaft projects, the shaft having a cam portion at least at its end. The outwardly-extending first portion of the rim is adapted to receive the cam portion. The adaptation of the outwardly-extending first portion may be in the form of a recess, adapted to receive the cam portion. The recess forms a closely fitting pocket into which the opening device may subsequently be fitted. The rim, lid and opener are arranged such that the opener may be fitted on the rim of the receptacle and retained on the rim in a first position which allows the lid to be fitted to the receptacle. In the first position, the cam portion lies in the recess and so does not interfere with the fitting of the lid. The opener is held in the first position, but is able to be rotated by a user wishing to open the container. Rotation of the manually-rotatable portion of the opener causes the cam portion to be rotated and urged upwardly against the outwardly-extending portion of the lid, thus urging the lid out of the receptacle to open the container. In order to accommodate the opener when fitted on the rim in the first position, the cylindrical skirt has a sector omitted in order to create space to accommodate the manually rotatable portion of the opener. Thus, the skirt may extend around � to of the circumference, such that the gap in the skirt may extend around 1/4 to 1/8 of the circumference. The shaped recess in the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim may be situated at one end of the missing portion of the skirt, but could be positioned anywhere along the length of the missing portion (i.e. the recess is radially adjacent to the gap in the skirt).

The manually-rotatable portion of the opening device may consist of a curved lever arm (although it may be straight), and may have a cross-section similar to that of the dependant cylindrical skirt and with a radius of curvature the same as the radius of the rim. In other words, with the opener positioned on the rim in the first position, the manually-rotatable portion is adapted to conform with the outer profile of the rim (i.e. such that the manually-rotatable portion does not extend outwardly, or radially, beyond the outer periphery of the rim). At one end of the curved lever arm, and projecting from it at right angles, is a short, preferably cylindrical, shaft, surmounted by a cam portion. By "cam portion" it is meant a projection on a rotating part which converts a rotational movement to a translational movement; in other words, cam portion encompasses any shaped portion which has the effect of urging the lid upwardly when the opener is rotated. The cam portion preferably has an eccentric lobe which may lie in the same plane as the curved lever arm. The recess or pocket in the rim, which may be of a size to exactly accommodate the shaft and cam, is positioned so that when the opener is clipped into it, the curve of the manually-rotatable portion, or lever arm, substantially reinstates the missing arc in the skirt to complete the circumference, although without projecting beyond it.

An injection-moulded press-in plastic lid is provided to seal the container.

With the opener clipped into the recess and the curved lever arm in the down position, the cam does not touch the lid, but when the lever arm is lifted, the opener pivots about the axis of the short cylindrical shaft so that the cam presses against the lid to urge it out of the container.

The container of the present invention is particularly suitable for use with containers made via a two-stage process involving injection moulding a preform and then subjecting the preform to stretch-blow moulding, for example as described in International Patent Applications WO 97/19801 and WO 00/46118. In such a method, the preform is made of a material which is susceptible to deformation when heated, and may comprise a rim defining an opening for the preform and a continuous body forming portion extending across the preform from the inner periphery of the rim; the rim is substantially fully formed in the preform. The preform may be made by injection moulding, which allows accurate forming of the rim and other parts. The preform is suitable for manufacturing a container as previously described; thus, the preform has a substantially fully-formed rim which is able to receive the opener of the present invention. The rim of the preform may therefore have the same features as described above, and in particular the opener of the present invention may be fitted on the rim of the preform in the first position as previously described.

Accordingly, the present invention also provides a method of manufacturing the container of the present invention. The method of the present invention comprises providing an opener having the features as previously described, preferably by injection moulding, and providing a preform also having the features as previously described, preferably by injection moulding. The preform has a rim which is substantially fully-formed. The opener is then fitted on the rim of the preform and retained in a first position, preferably with the cam portion lying flat in the recess and preferably with the manually-rotatable portion positioned in the gap in the skirt. In this configuration, the preform with opener fitted may be transferred to a moulding cavity of a pressure moulding apparatus, with the preform being located by means of the rim. The preform may be pre-heated (i.e. prior to positioning in the moulding cavity), or may be heated whilst in the moulding cavity. The first position of the opener, when fitted to the rim of the preform, is such that it does not interfere with the pressure moulding apparatus, and allows the final container to be moulded, without modification to the pressure moulding apparatus. This allows the opener feature to be specified by manufacturers without the need to modify their equipment. Once positioned in the moulding cavity, the body-forming portion of the preform is moved downwardly and outwardly whereby the body-forming portion expands in the cavity to form the receptable side and bottom walls, the body forming portion contacting the sides of the cavity top form a shape defined by the interior shape of the cavity.

In an alternative embodiment, the opener may be fitted to the receptacle after it has been fully moulded.

The details of this method are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be repeated here. Further details may be found, for example, in WO 97/19801 and WO 00/46118.

Thus, the container of the present invention may be opened without the need for a separate tool, can be manufactured from the preform on existing pressure-moulding machinery, and can be used in conjunction with existing machinery without the need for modification (allowing the opener feature to be specified by filling companies without the need to modify their equipment). Further, the opener is easy to use and does not suffer from the problem of slipping (e.g. as encountered when using a screwdriver). In addition, fitting of the opener to the preform or container does not interfere with stacking, and does not require the lid of the container to extend beyond the outer periphery of the rim. The opener may be retained at all times on the rim so that it cannot be lost, and is easy to use and reuse.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 (a) is a perspective view of a container fitted with a lid and opener embodying the present invention; Figure 1 (b) is a side elevation view of the top of the same container with the opener at the front; Figure 1 (C) is a side elevation view of the top of the same container with the opener at the left side; Figure 2 is a side sectional detail through the lid; Figure 3; is a side sectional detail through the container with the opener clipped into position on the left side; Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of the container of Figure 1 with the lid of Figure 2 fitted; Figure 5 (a) is a side elevation view of the preform without the opener; Figure 5 (b) is a perspective view from above of the same preform; Figure 5 (c) is a perspective view from below of the same preform; Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the rim embodying the present invention, showing the recess in detail; Figure 7 is two perspective views from different viewpoints of the opener embodying the present invention; Figure 8 (a) is a perspective view from above of the preform with the opener clipped into position; Figure 8 (b) is a side elevation view of the same preform and opener; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the container of Figure 1, after the opener has been partially rotated in order to release the lid, but before the lid has been removed; Figure 10 is a side sectional detail through the container of Figure 7, showing the operation of the opener; Figure 11 is a perspective detail view of the container of Figure 7, after the lid has been removed, and showing the upstanding cam.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The receptacle and lid shown in the figures is based on that disclosed in WO 00/46118, to which reference should be made for further details of their construction; the receptacle, rim and lid shown in the figures are therefore not described herein in full detail. For clarity, however, several features are described below. While the present invention is described with reference to a container based on that described in WO 00/46118, it will be appreciated that the present invention could be used in conjunction with other press fit lever-lid containers.

Figure 1 (a) is a perspective view of a container 1 fitted with a lid 3 and opener 4 embodying the present invention. The container may be of generally cylindrical shape as shown here, or may be square or other shape according to market demand. The container 1 comprises a receptacle 2, a cylindrical rim 5 and an opener (or opening device) 4 for removing the lid 3 from the container 1. Figure 1 (b) shows the top portion of the container 1 of Figure 1 from the side and with the container rotated so that the opening device 4 is at the front. Figure 1 (c) shows the container 1 of Figure 1 (b) with the container 1 rotated so that the opening device 4 is on the left side of the image. The receptacle 2 may be stretch blow moulded by the technique described, for example, in WO 97/19801; the lid 3 and the opener 4 may be injection moulded.

The first stage of the method is to form a preform. The preform 6 is shown in Figure 5 and is formed by injection moulding. It should be noted that the rim 5 of the preform is fully formed in this operation and adopts the shape required in the final container, shown in Figures 3 and 6 and described in further detail below. However, the wall of the container is not formed at this time, but instead the preform includes a continuous dished or bowl-shaped body-forming member 9, which is of reduced size compared to its final form. The preform 6 is made of a thermoplastic resin, and in particular is of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), a PET and PEN blend, or polypropylene (PP). Preferred materials and methods of manufacture of the container are described in, e.g., WO 97/19801 or WO 00/46118. Injection moulding apparatus are very well known and thus a detailed description of such apparatus need not be given here. The use of injection moulding allows the rim and body-forming portion to be formed with high accuracy, which provides good sealing of the lid, as well as providing the shaped recess or pocket in the rim with an accurate shape to accept the opening device when subsequently fitted.

Note that in this description the preform and eventual container are assumed to be in conventional orientation, that is with the mouth at the top and the base at the bottom. The terms "up", "down", "vertical", "horizontal", "raised" and "lowered" and the like and their derivatives should therefore be construed in this sense although in actual fact the orientation of the preform or container may be different from this.

Figure 5 (a) is a side elevation showing the embryo container or preform 6 before the opener has been clipped into the gap 23 and recess 7 in the rim 5. Figure 5 (b) and Figure 5 (c) are perspective views of the same preform from above and below respectively.

Figures 2 and 3 respectively are side sectional details through the lid 3 and the rim 5 of the container; and Figure 4 is a sectional detail showing the lid 3 fitted on the rim 5 with the opener 4 placed in the recess. The lid 3 is a press fit into the rim 5 (and is complementary to the rim). The rim 5 comprises an upstanding flange 28 at its inner periphery from which a first portion 19 extends outwardly. From the outer part of the first outwardly-extending portion 19 projects (e.g. extends upwardly) an upstanding portion 20, arranged such that parts 28, 19 and 20 together form an upwardly facing inside channel 15. From the upper part of the upstanding portion 19 extends a further outwardly-extending portion 29, from the outside edge of which depends a downwardly projecting skirt 21. This rim construction is described in more detail, for example, in WO 00/46118.

When the lid is fitted, the skirt 12 enters inside the container opening, while the outside of channel 13 enters the inside of channel 15 in the rim 5 of the container. The projection 14 around the periphery of the skirt 12 snap engages with the re-entrant corner 16 to hold the lid onto the container. With the lid fitted, a sufficient gap 17 remains between the outside of channel 13 of the lid 3 and the inside of the channel 15 of the rim 5 so that, provided the lever arm 8 of the opener 4 is in the down (i.e. first) position, cam 10 may clear or even just contact the lid 3, but does not push it up and does not therefore prevent the projection 14 around skirt 12 snap engaging with the re-entrant corner 16. Or to put it another way, the presence of the opener 4 does not disrupt the lid fitting process.

Figure 6 shows an enlarged perspective view of the rim embodying the present invention. As can be seen, the outwardly-extending first portion 19 has a recess 7, which is shaped to receive the cam portion of the opener.

In line with the recess 7 there is a gap 23 in the upwardly-extending portion 20, defined by two edges 24. The gap 23 is designed to snap engage with the shaft 12 of the opener, and has a narrowed constriction 18 formed at its top. Together with the shaped recess 7, the gap 23 provides sufficient retention to hold the opener on the rim in a first position, but allows the opener to be manually rotated by a user wishing to open the container. The edges 24 of the gap 23 extend in a radial direction, and the recess 7 extends along the length of the edges in a radial direction. Thus the gap 23 has base 30 (which may have the same shape as the recess 7). The extended edges 24 of the gap 23 provide some degree of guidance to the movement of the opener when fitted to the rim -they allow the opener to rotate about an axis substantially transverse to the rim (i.e. a radial axis), whilst limiting rotation about other axes which could lead to wobbling when attempting to use the opener.

The skirt 21 has a gap 25 defined by edges 26, as shown in Figure 5. This gap is positioned radially adjacent to the recess 7, and is sufficiently long to fit the manually-rotatable portion 8 when the opener 4 is fitted on the rim in a first position, as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 7 shows two perspective views of the opener 4 from different viewpoints. The opener 4 has a manually-rotatable portion 8 in the form of a curved lever arm, having a cross-section similar to that of the dependant cylindrical skirt and with a radius of curvature the same as the radius of the rim 5. At one end of the curved lever arm 8, and projecting from it at right angles (i.e. projecting along a radius of the curved lever arm 8), is a shaft 12 surmounted by a cam 10, the eccentric lobe 11 of which lies in the same plane as the curved lever arm. The opening device of the present -12-invention may be injection moulded, preferably from plastics materials.

Further detail will not be provided here since the skilled man would understand the method by which manufacture could be achieved. The opener may preferably be made of the same material as the container although other plastic materials such as polypropylene (PP) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) could also be used. The material used should be chosen so that the cost of production of the device remains relatively low. The incremental cost of including an opener with the container should be as low as possible, so that filling companies are more likely to specify the feature. Although plastics materials are presently preferred for the above reasons, It will be appreciated that alternative materials (e.g. metals) or methods of manufacture may also be used, as are well known in the art.

The gap 23 and the recess 7 (or pocket) in the rim 5, which are complementary in shape to the shaft 12 and cam 10 of the opening device 4 respectively, are positioned so that when the opener 4 is positioned on the rim in a first position (as shown in Figure 8), the curve of the lever arm 8 substantially reinstates the missing arc in the skirt to complete the circumference, although without projecting beyond it. There is sufficient clearance between the edges 26 and the manually-rotatable portion 8 to allow rotation of the opener 4 as described below.

The shaft 12 of the opener 4 may be snap engaged into the gap 23, which adjoins the recess 7, the sides 24 of which may be slightly tapered to form a constriction 18 as shown in Figures 5 and 6, with the top of the opening being narrower than the bottom. In this way, the shaft 12 of the opening device 4 will be a snap fit into the recess 7 in the rim 5, but once past the constriction 18, the shaft 12 is free to rotate. Thus the opener 4 is both securely retained in the recess in the rim, and able to rotate by up to 90 degrees as the opposite end of the lever arm 8 is raised from the horizontal to the vertical position.

Figure 8 shows perspective (a) and side elevation (b) views of the preform 6 with the opener 4 fitted into the rim 5 in a first position in which the curved lever arm 8 substantially reinstates the missing arc in the skirt to complete the circumference, although without extending beyond it. In the first position, the cam portion lies flat in the recess, thereby allowing a lid to be fitted. When the opener has been fitted in the recess in the rim, no part of the manually-rotatable portion of it protrudes, thus allowing preforms embodying the present invention to be packed stacked in columns. Thus, the preform may be delivered to the next step in the container forming process with the opening device pre-fitted.

The container is then formed by reheating the body-forming member 9 of the preform using infrared lamps before it is placed in a moulding cavity of a blow moulding apparatus with the preform being located by means of the rim. Because the opener in its recess does not project beyond the rim of the preform, no special provision is required in the blow moulding apparatus to accommodate it. The body-forming portion of the preform expands in the cavity to form the sidewalls and bottom wall of the container. The sidewall of the container contacts the outer part of the rim to form a box section that serves to increase the rigidity of the rim.

If the blow moulding apparatus is situated adjacent to the paint filling line, it could be advantageous for the preforms to be supplied with the opener pre-fitted since this would mean one less operation is required at this site.

However the opener does not have to be fitted into its recess in the rim of the preform before the container is formed, but can be inserted in a final step.

-14 -When a user wishes to open the container, the lever arm is raised by the user so that the eccentric lobe 11, which is connected to the lever arm by shaft 12, also rotates so that it projects upwardly from the recess 7. Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the upper portion of container 1 with the lever arm 8 of opener 4 lifted and rotated by approximately 45 degrees from the horizontal. With the lever arm so raised, the eccentric lobe 11 to which it is attached by shaft 12 has also rotated and is pushing up against the underside of channel 13 and beginning to lift up the lid, so that the projection 14 around skirt 12 no longer snap engages around the whole circumference with the re-entrant corner 16. This is clearly visible in Figure 10, which is a side sectional detail through the container of Figure 9.

Figure 11 shows a perspective detail view of container I after opener 4 has been further rotated to the fully upright position and the lid 3 has been removed. The viewpoint has been selected to more clearly show the eccentric lobe 11 of the cam 10 projecting up from its recess in the bottom of channel 15.

It will be appreciated that the direction of the eccentric lobe 11 relative to the arm 8 could be reversed (i.e. rotated relative to the arm through 180° in the plane of the arm). In such a configuration, downward movement of the lever arm 8 would result in the eccentric lobe 11 rotating such that it projects upwardly from the recess, thus opening the lid as described above. In this case the receptacle sidewall would need to be locally recessed to allow downward movement of the lever arm 8 (not shown).

Figure 1 clearly shows that with the lever arm in the down (that is, lid closed) position, the opener does not project beyond the rim of the container which may therefore be supplied to, e.g. paint companies, with -15-the opening device pre-fitted, since no significant modification is required to the handling machinery to accommodate the device.

The opener is retained throughout the lid removal process and so does not suffer the problems described previously due to slipping. Furthermore, the opener requires substantially only a single rotational force in order to remove the lid; and does not require combined inwards and downwards force as would be the case when a lever lid is removed with a screwdriver.

This increases the ease of use, particularly for users who have insufficient strength and/or dexterity to open containers with a screwdriver or similar.

Furthermore the opener embodying the present invention may be reused, simply by returning the lever arm to the first (or down) position before replacing the lid (although both the rim and lid of the container have been designed such that the lid may also be levered off in the conventional manner using a screwdriver).

The receptacle 2 and lid 3 of the present invention can be of any size commonly used in the art. The receptacle could, for example, have a volume ranging from 0.25 litres to 5 litres, although the invention would work equally with smaller and larger receptacles. The dimensions of the opener will be determined by the size of the rim, while the lever arm may be made longer if greater leverage is needed to open the lid. The skilled person would appreciate this and be able to modify the size of the opener to achieve the optimum dimensions for any given container and lid. -16-

Claims

CLAIMS1. A container comprising a receptacle, a lid and an opener for opening the lid of the container, the receptacle having a rim defining an opening for the receptacle, and the lid being a press fit into the rim, wherein: the rim comprises a first portion extending outwardly from the inner periphery of the rim; the lid comprises an outwardly-extending second portion, which when the lid is fitted to the receptacle overlies the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim; the opener comprises a manually-rotatable portion, with a fixed shaft projecting from it, the shaft having a cam portion at least at its end; the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim is adapted to receive the cam portion of the opener; and wherein the rim, lid and opener are arranged such that the opener may be rotatably retained on the rim in a first position which allows the lid to be fitted to the receptacle, and such that rotation of the manually-rotatable portion of the opener causes the cam portion to be rotated and urged upwardly against the outwardly-extending second portion of the lid, thus urging the lid out of the receptacle to open the container.
2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim has a recess adapted to receive the cam portion of the opener.
3. A container according to claim 2 wherein with the opener in the first position, the cam portion lies in the recess in the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim.
4. A container according to any of claims 2 or 3 wherein the rim further comprises a third portion extending upwardly from the outer end of the -17-outwardly-extending first portion, and wherein the upwardly-extending third portion defines a gap aligned with the recess of the outwardly-extending first portion, the edges of the upwardly-extending third portion defining the gap being adapted to rotatably retain the opener on the rim.
5. A container according to claim 4 wherein the edges defining the gap are tapered such that the gap is narrower at the top than at the bottom.
6. A container according to any of claims 4 or 5 wherein the edges defining the gap are adapted to closely engage with the shaft of the opener such that the opener may be retained on the rim in the first position.
7. A container according to any of claims 4 to 6 wherein the edges of the upwardly-extending third portion defining the gap are extended in a radial direction, such that with the opener fitted to the rim, the opener is substantially restricted to rotational movement about an axis defined by the shaft and substantially in the radial direction of the rim.
8. A container according to any of claims 2 to 7 wherein the rim and opener are adapted such that the opener may be retained on the rim in the first position, in which the cam portion lies in the recess in the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim, until an external force causes the opener to be rotated out of the first position.
9. A container according to any preceding claim wherein, with the opener fitted on the rim in the first position, the manually-rotatable portion of the opener is adapted to conform with the outer profile of the rim.
10. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the manually-rotatable portion of the opener is adapted such that, with the opener fitted -18-on the rim in the first position, the manually-rotatable portion does not extend outwardly beyond the outer periphery of the rim.
11. A container according to any of claims 2 to 10 wherein the rim comprises a downwardly projecting skirt depending from the outer periphery of the rim, and wherein the skirt has a gap, defined by two edges, extending around the skirt and radially adjacent to the recess in the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim.
12. A container according to claim 11 wherein the manually-rotatable portion of the opener has an outer profile substantially similar to that of the downwardly projecting skirt of the rim, and wherein the opener and gap in the skirt are adapted such that, with the opener fitted to the rim in the first position, the manually-rotatable portion fits in the gap defined in the downwardly projecting skirt.
13. A container according to claim 12 wherein the manually-rotatable portion of the opener, when fitted on the rim in the first position, substantially fills the gap defined in the skirt, thereby substantially completing the outer circumference of the rim.
14. A container according to any of claims 12 or 13 wherein the opener and gap in the skirt are adapted such that there is sufficient clearance between the manually-rotatable portion and the edges defining the gap in the skirt to allow manual rotation of the opener.
15. A container according to any of claims 11 to 14 wherein the skirt depending from the outer periphery of the rim extends around � to 7/ of the circumference, such that the gap in the skirt extends around 1/4 to 1/8 of the circumference. -19-
16. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the manually-rotatable portion of the opener is curved, with a radius of curvature substantially similar to the outer radius of the rim of the container.
17. A preform for use in making a container comprising a receptacle, a lid and an opener for opening the lid of the container, the preform being made of a material which is susceptible to deformation when heated, the preform comprising a rim defining an opening for the preform, an opener and a continuous body-forming portion extending across the preform from the inner periphery of the rim, wherein: the rim comprises a first portion extending outwardly from the inner periphery of the rim; the opener comprises a manually-rotatable portion with a fixed shaft projecting from it, the shaft having a cam portion at least at its end; the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim is adapted to receive the cam portion of the opener; and wherein the rim and opener are arranged such that the opener may be fitted on the rim and rotatably retained in a first position in which the cam portion does not project substantially upwardly, and such that manual rotation of the manually-rotatable portion causes the cam portion to be rotated and urged to project upwardly.
18. A preform according to claim 17 wherein the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim has a recess adapted to receive the cam portion, wherein in the first position the cam portion lies in the recess, and wherein manual rotation of the manually-rotatable portion causes the cam portion to be rotated and urged upwardly out of the recess.
19. A preform according to claim 18 wherein the rim further comprises a third portion extending upwardly from the outer end of the outwardly-extending first portion, and wherein the upwardly-extending third portion -20 -defines a gap aligned with the recess of the outward'y-extending first portion, the edges of the upwardly-extending third portion defining the gap being adapted to rotatably retain the opener on the rim.
20. A preform according to claim 19 wherein the edges defining the gap are tapered such that the gap is narrower at the top than at the bottom.
21. A preform according to any of claims 19 or 20 wherein the edges defining the gap are adapted to closely engage with the shaft of the opener such that the opener may be retained on the rim in the first position.
22. A preform according to any of claims 19 to 21 wherein the edges of the upwardly-extending third portion defining the gap are extended in a radial direction, such that with the opener fitted to the rim, the opener is substantially restricted to rotational movement about an axis defined by the shaft and substantially in the radial direction of the rim.
23. A preform according to any of claims 18 to 22 wherein the rim and opener are adapted such that the opener may be retained on the rim in the first position, in which the cam portion lies in the recess in the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim, until an external force causes the opener to be rotated out of the first position.
24. A preform according to any of claims 17 to 23 wherein, with the opener fitted on the rim in the first position, the manually-rotatable portion of the opener is adapted to conform with the outer-profile of the rim.
25. A preform according to any of claims 17 to 24 wherein the manually-rotatable portion of the opener is adapted such that, with the -21 -Oopener fitted on the rim in the first position, the manually-rotatable portion does not extend outwardly beyond the outer periphery of the rim.
26. A preform according to any of claims 18 to 25 wherein the rim comprises a downwardly projecting skirt depending from the outer periphery of the rim, and wherein the skirt has a gap, defined by two edges, extending around the skirt and radially adjacent to the recess in the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim.
27. A preform according to claim 26 wherein the manually-rotatable portion of the opener has an outer profile substantially similar to that of the downwardly projecting skirt of the rim, and wherein the opener and gap in the skirt are adapted such that, with the opener fitted to the rim in the first position, the manually-rotatable portion fits in the gap defined in the downwardly projecting skirt.
28. A preform according to claim 27 wherein the manually-rotatable portion of the opener, when fitted on the rim in the first position, substantially fills the gap defined in the skirt, thereby substantially completing the outer circumference of the rim.
29. A preform according to any of claims 27 or 28 wherein the opener and gap in the skirt are adapted such that there is sufficient clearance between the manually-rotatable portion and the edges defining the gap in the skirt to allow manual rotation of the opener.
30. A preform according to any of claims 27 to 29 wherein the skirt depending from the outer periphery of the rim extends around % to /8 of the circumference, such that the gap in the skirt extends around 1/4 to Y8 of the circumference.

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31. A preform according to any preceding claim wherein the manually-rotatable portion of the opener is curved, with a radius of curvature substantially similar to the outer radius of the rim of the container.
32. A container according to any of claims I to 16, or a preform according to any of claims 17 to 31, wherein the container or preform material comprises a plastics material.
33. A container according to any of claims I to 16, or a preform according to any of claims 17 to 31, wherein the container or preform material comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), a PET and PEN blend, or polypropylene (PP).
34. A method of manufacturing a container comprising a receptacle and an opener for opening the container, the receptacle having a rim defining an opening for the receptacle, comprising the steps of: providing an opener comprising a manually-rotatable portion with a fixed shaft projecting from it, the shaft having a cam portion at least at its end; providing a preform comprising a rim defining an opening for the receptacle and a continuous body-forming portion extending across the preform, the preform being made of a material which is susceptible to deformation when heated, wherein the rim comprises a first portion extending outwardly from the inner periphery of the rim; the outwardly-extending first portion of the rim has a recess adapted to receive the cam portion of the opener; and wherein the rim and opener are arranged such that the opener may be fitted on the rim and rotatably retained in a first position in which the cam portion lies in the recess, and such that manual rotation of the manually-rotatable portion causes the cam portion to be rotated and urged upwardly out of the recess; fitting the opener to the rim in a first position in which the cam portion lies in the recess; placing the preform in a moulding cavity of a pressure moulding apparatus with the preform being located by means of the rim; and moving the body-forming portion in the pressure moulding apparatus downwardly and outwardly whereby the body-forming portion expands in the cavity to form the receptacle side and bottom walls, the body-forming portion contacting the sides of the cavity to form a shape defined by the interior shape of the cavity;
35. A method according to claim 34 in which the manually-rotatable portion of the opener is adapted such that, after the opener is fitted on the rim in the first position, the manual-rotatable portion conforms with the outer-profile of the rim.
36. A method according to claim 34 in which the manually-rotatable portion of the opener is adapted such that, after the opener is fitted on the rim in the first position, the manually-rotatable portion does not extend outwardly beyond the outer periphery of the rim.
37. A method according to claim 34 in which the step of fitting the opener to the rim takes place after the step of blow-moulding the receptacle.
38. A method according to claim 34 in which the step of providing the preform comprises the step of injection moulding the preform in an injection moulding apparatus.-24 -
39. A method according to any of claims 34 or 38 in which the step of providing the opener comprises the step of injection moulding the opener in an injection moulding apparatus.
40. A method according to any of claims 34 to 39 in which the pressure moulding apparatus is a blow moulding apparatus.
41. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures.
42. A preform substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures.
43. A method of manufacturing a container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures.-25 -