IE54460B1

IE54460B1 - A stackable lid for a disposable container

Info

Publication number: IE54460B1
Application number: IE2068/83A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Wachsmuth Gerd
Priority date: 1982-09-02
Filing date: 1983-09-02
Publication date: 1989-10-11
Also published as: EP0104446B1; ES283047U; ES283047Y; NO153883C; DK159920B; ATE17335T1; DK392383D0; FI75133C; IE832068L; FI75133B; DK392383A; NO833068L; NO153883B; FI833086A0; FI833086A; DK159920C; EP0104446A1; DE3361790D1

Abstract

1. Stackable lid (29) for one-way containers, more especially for meal trays of aluminium foil or the like, with a profiled formation which is formed in the lid surface asymmetrically of the centre of the lid, with an externally enclosing rim-forming and gripping strip (16) arranged almost at right-angles but sloping slightly outwards, on which are provided, on two opposite sides of the lid, gripping strip extensions (7, 10) of different length and projecting outwardly approximately at right-angles, which extensions are provided with profiles arranged offset relatively to one another, characterised in that the longer gripping strip extension (7) is divided into two portions (8, 9) by a central recess or cut-out (11) and that the shorter gripping strip extension (10) extends substantially over the entire straight portion of the side of the lid or only over a central section of the side of the lid.

Description

The invention relates to a stackable lid for a disposable container, particularly for meal dishes made of aluminium foil and the like material the container being provided, with a profiling constructed in the lid surface which is asymmetrical to the centre of the lid, with an externally encircling substantially rectangular outwardly inclined flange and handle strap strip, on which strip handle strap extensions of different lengths are provided on opposite lid sides projecting substantially rectangularly outwards, the profilings being arranged mutually staggered, according to DE-A-31 46 676.

In order to improve the facility for unstacking a stack of lids according to the above German Patent Application, the longer handle strap extension is bisected by a median recess, and the shorter handle strap extension extends along substantially the total straight part of the lid side or only along a median section of the lid side.

According to the invention there is provided a stackable lid for a disposable container, particularly for meal dishes made of aluminium foil or the like material, the container being provided with a profiling constructed in the lid surface which is asymmetrical to the centre of the lid and with an externally encircling substantially rectangular outwardly inclined flange and handle strap strip, on which strip handle strap extensions of different lengths are provided on two opposite lid-sides the extensions projecting substantially rectangularly outwards the profilings //54460 being arranged mutually staggered and wherein the longer handle strap extension is bisected by a median recess and the shorter handle strap extension extends along approximately the total straight part of the lid side or only along a median section of the lid side.

The construction according to the invention makes it possible, by mutually rotating consecutive lids to be stacked through 180° each, to realise a three-point retention means, namely by the two lateral parts of the longer handle strap extension (two points) on the one side and by a central retention of the handle strap extension (third point) on the other side, so that the lids can be reliably removed individually from the stack. The construction according to the invention -1460 facilitates manual unstacking, because the individual lids can be gripped easily by the handle strap extensions. The construction according to the invention further makes unstacking by means of machines possible in a simple and reliable manner.

Advantageous and convenient further developments of the solution to the problem according to the invention are characterised, in the subordinate claims.

The invention will he explained more fully 10 below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an exemplary embodiment is illustrated, and wherein: Fig. 1 shows a plan of a lid constructed according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a section through the lid according to Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 shows further embodiments of the lid.

Identical components of the lid are designated by the same reference numerals in the figures of the drawing.

The drawing shows a lid 2 with an encircling upwardly domed edge 4 and, adjoining the latter, with a downwardly angled flanged edge and handle strap strip 6. The strip 6 exhibits upwardly directed handle strap 25 extensions 7, Ί0 on two opposite lid sides.

The lid has a rectangular shape with curved corners 12, 14, 16 and 18. The handle strap extensions 7, 10 are constructed on the short rectangle sides 2C, 22. The handle strap extensions may also be constructed 4 4 6 0 on. the longer rectangle sides 24, 26 or on all the sides.

The handle strap extension 7 is constructed longer than the handle strap extension 10; it therefore projects farther from the strip 6 than the extension 10. The handle strap extension 7 exhibits a median arcuate recess 11, which divides the handle strap extension 7 into two lateral parts 8 and 9· The recess 11 need not be arcuate, it may also be rectangular or triangular for example.

The one-piece handle strap extension 10 is arranged medially in the sides 22 and exhibits a width which corresponds to the maximum width of the recess 11. However, it may also extend along the total straight part of the side 22 of the lid (shown by dash lines). The depth of the recess 11 corresponds approximately to the length of the two parts 8 and 9.

The possible connecting web between the two parts 8 and 9 should in any case be narrower than the length of the handle strap 10.

This construction ensures that, in a stack of lids, in which the lids are arranged consecutively rotated through 180° each, the lateral parts 8, 9 of the handle strap extension 10 overhang and the median handle strap extension 10 projects in the region of the arcuate recess 11 of the adjacent lid. The possibility of realising a three-point retention means of the lids for an automatic unstacking process is created by this means. Manual unstacking is also simplified, because 4 4 6 0 the lids can be gripped without difficulty by one of the handle strap extensions.

In the case of a lid flanged on a container, the recess 77 may simultaneously serve as the start of an encircling tearing line provided in the edge region of the lid, in that the part 8 or 9 is gripped and the cover foil is torn open outwards towards the lid edge.

An asymmetrically arranged profiling 30 is arranged on the lid surface 28, having in the drawing io the form of a circular eccentric elevation 32, from which eight ribs 34 depart radiately and end at the domed edge 4. The radiately constructed ribs 34 are mutually connected by an encircling elevation 36 oriented parallel to and at an interval from the edge 4. The centre 38 of the circular elevation 32 lies upon the longer median line 40 of the rectangular lid 2, namely at an interval from the centre 42 of the lid. The centre 38 may also lie on the shorter median line 43 or at any desired point outside the centre 42 of the lid.

The elevations are approximately trapeziform in section (Fig. 2) and are preferably made by the deep drawing process.

The profiling need not have the uniform con25 figuration with mirror image symmetry to an axis 44 shovzn in the drawing. Any desired configuration is possible. Also the cross-section of the elevations or ribs need not be trapeziform; it may also be of rectangular or domed construction. 4 4 6 0 The profiling may also consist of individual elevations distributed, over the lid. surface. It need only be ensured, that these individual elevations are distributed irregularly, or in the case of regular arrangement according to a grid are arranged asymmetrically relative to the centre or to the axes of symmetry of the lid.

The handle strap extensions may likewise be provided with a profiling 46 as shown, here in the form of rib-like elevations along the length of the handle strap extensions. The elevations of the two handle strap extensions are arranged mutually staggered relative to the median line 40 of the lid 2.

The one-piece handle strap extension 10 preferably exhibits a median crease 46, which additionally stiffens the handle strap extension. A further crease 50, 52 at an interval from the crease 48 may be arranged on each side, as shown.

The one-piece handle strap extension 10 may, as shown in Fig. 3, be constructed as an arcuate strap 34 with lateral flanks 56 and 58 merging gradually into the lid edge. It may also be constructed similarly to the handle strap extension 10 according to Fig. 1 (reference numeral 59), although with lateral flanks 60, 62 merging gradually into the edge of the lid. The flanks may also be of straight construction with very slight inclination. The gradual mergings of the flanks increase the rigidity of the handle strap extension 10.

In this case the merging of the flanks into the 4 4 6 0 edge region of the lid may end at a definite interval from the curved corners 14 and 16 of the lid, as shown. However, the flanks may also emerge from the curves, as shown by chain-dotted lines for a flank 64 of the handle strap extension 59As already mentioned ahove, the handle strap extensions 7 and 10 are devised so that a three-point retention or support means can be realised for each lid. The three points of the retention means are formed by the two parts 8 and 9 of the two-part handle strap 7, and the third point by the one-piece handle strap 10, namely by its median region which is formed substantially by the median crease 48.

During stacking the lids constructed according to the above description need only be consecutively rotated each through 180° relative to the adjacent lid in order to prevent the superposed lids jamming togetiier. Unstacking is considerably facilitated by this means.

Due to the fact that the lids are stacked super20 posed consecutively mutually rotated through 180°, a shorter one-piece handle strap extension 10 and the two parts 8 and 9 of the longer handle strap extension 7 are located superposed alternately on each of two opposite sides of the stack of lids. The shorter one-piece handle strap extensions10 are then accessible or grinpable or fixable in the region of the median recesses 11 of the longer handle strap extensions ?, whereas the two parts 8 and 9 of these longer handle strap extensions 7 project relative to the shorter handle strap ί) ·;> lieu extensions 10 and are laterally accessible or grippable or fixable.

If it is now ensured that at least the two top lids of a lid stack are retained by means of retaining pawls, then the top lid in each case can be removed, for example by means of at least two suction heads, without involving the danger of one or more underlying lids being lifted simultaneously. Preferably, three retaining pawl arrangements are provided for each of the two sides of the lid stack, the median one in each case being in engagement with the shorter handle strap extensions 10 and the two outer retaining arrangements in each case with the two parts 8 and 9 of the longer handle strap extensions. -1460

Claims

1. A stackable lid for a disposable container, particularly for meal dishes made of aluminium foil or the like material, the container being provided with 5 a profiling constructed in the lid surface which is asymmetrical to the centre of the lid and with an externally encircling substantially rectangular outwardly inclined flange and handle strap strip, on which strip handle strap extensions of different lengths are 10 provided on two opposite lid sides the extensions projecting substantially rectangularly outwards the profilings being arranged mutually staggered and wherein the longer handle strap extension is bisected by a median recess and the shorter handle strap extension extends 15 along approximately the total straight part of the lid side or only along a median section of the lid side.

2. A lid as claimed in claim 1, in which the median recess of the longer handle strap extension is of arcuate, rectangular or triangular construction. 20

3. A lid as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the width of the recess is in the range from one to two times the width of a lateral part of the longer handle strap extension.

4. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, 25 in which the maximum depth of the recess is equal to -the length of the handle strap extension. 5. 4 16 0 :1 1

5. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, in which the recess simultaneously constitutes the start of a tearing line encircling the lid in its edge region.

6. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, in which the width of the shorter one-piece medially arranged handle strap extension corresponds approximately to the width of the recess at the widest point thereof.

7. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, in which the one-piece handle strap extension exhibits medially a crease which is oriented at right angles to the lid edge.

8. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, in which the one-piece handle strap extension is of substantially arcuate construction.

9. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, in which the lateral flanks of the one-piece handle strap extension gradually merge with slight outward curvature into the encircling flange and handle strap strip.

10. A lid as claimed in claim 9, in which the merging of the lateral flanks into the lid edge and into the flange and handle strap strip ends at a definite interval before the curved lid corners.

11. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, in which the lateral flanks of the one-piece handle strap extension are inclined to the lid edge so that the external angle formed with the lid edge is an obtuse angle.

12. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, in which the one-piece handle strap extension exhibits additionally to the median crease, two further creases arranged at an interval therefrom. 5

13. A lid as claimed in any one of the previous claims, in which the handle strap extensions form a three-point retention or support means, in that two lateral parts of the handle strap extension form two points on the one side of the lid, and the one-piece 10 handle strap extension forms the third point of this retention or support means in the centre.

14. A stackable lid according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.