IL25488A - Hinge construction for a container - Google Patents

Description

25488/2 may τ»ι A hinge construction for a container REXALI DRUG AND QHBMIOAL COMPANY Ci24270 This invention relates to a new and improved hinge construction particularly adapted for pouring spout lids which are usually pivoted as for instance to the cover of a plastic refrigerator container or the like, and the principal object of the invention reside s in the provision of a new and improved hinge construction wherein there is a reduced likelihood of such being accidentally detached during the opening and closing procedures thereof and wherein the lid is more accurately aligned to the spout which it close s for ease in said opening and closing procedures .

The objects of the invention also include the provision of a new and improved hinge construction as des cribed embodying a pair of spaced boss members upwardly and integrally extending from the cover portion of the containe rs utilized herein wherein said bos se s have cavities the rein for accomodating the spindles or trunnions of a pivoted hinge construction, the se trunnions being further provided with flange members spaced inwardly thereof and apart from each other and adapted for bearing contact with inner surfaces of such bos ses .

The objects of the invention furthermore include the provision of a new and improved hinge construction as described embodying the use of a pivoted lid closure member wherein trunnion means are provided therewith for re silient snap engage -ment with bearing openings formed within upstanding spaced bos s members whe rein such re silient snap fit engagement is provided by constricted entrances to such bearing openings which are side -wardly directed away from the spout opening in the container top closure surface in a manner so as to reduce the tendency of such trunnions being accidentally dislodged from their pivotal socket positions during the use thereof, which drawback is prevalent among prior art constructions of this type .

With the above and other objects in view that will herinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly under -stood by reference to the following detailed de scription, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective showing a container and closure therefor with portions of the containe r cut away and disclosing the general construction of the trunnion and spout opening illustrative of the present invention; Figure 2 is a pe rspective view of a modified form of containe r top closure member with portions broken away also embodying the construction principles of the present invention; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the containe r closure shown in Figure 1 of the drawings wherein the pivotal lid membe r is shown in its closed position; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the modified container closure shown in Figure 2 of the drawings wherein the pivotal lid membe r thereof is shown in closed position; Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 5 - 5 of Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is also a sectional view but on an enlarged scale taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3; Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the construc tional embodiments of the pivotal lid member of the present invention; Figure 8 is a sectional view of such pivotal lid member ■ shown in Figure 7 and taken along the line 8 -8 the reof; Figure 9 is a sectional view of a container top closure and pivoted lid member thereof similar to the showing in Figure 6 of the drawing but showing the pivoted lid membe r in open position; Figure 9a is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the detail of the upstanding boss shown in Figure 9; Figure 10 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 9 of the drawing whe rein a prefe rred embodiment directed to the orientation of the restricted entrance s to the cylindrical openings within the bos s members is clearly apparent; and, Figure 10a is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the detail of the upstanding bos s shown in Figure 10.

Throughout the specification, like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts .

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Figure s 1 and 5 thereof, a container 10 having a top closure 1 1 is illustratively set forth. The open end 1 of the container 10 is surrounded by an upstanding flange portion 13 outwardly flared for receipt of a downwardly directed U-shaped pe ripheral lip 14 provided on the top closure 1 1. Such U-shaped lip 14 is provided with an inner wall 1 5 and an outer wall 16 connected by connecting wall 1 7 and an outwardly extending flange 18 as be st shown by Figure 6. The top closure 1 1 is further provided with a depres sed central wall portion 19 having an opening 20 provided therein which opening is preferably offset from the center thereof as shown. Such opening 20 is surrounded by an upstanding peripheral flange 21 which by particular reference to Figure s 3 and 6 it may be readily as ce rtained that such flange is adapted for engagement with a downwardly opening U - shaped peripheral lip 22 formed in the pivotal lid member 23 and shaped similarly to the U -shaped lip 14 of the top closure 1 1 .

The central wall 19 of the top closure is further provided with a pair of spaced bos ses 24 integral with and extending up-wardly therefrom.

The constructional details of each of the bos se s 24 are apparent from refe rence to Figure 9a of the drawing in which a cylindrical opening 25 is provided through each of the bos ses .

It should be noted that the se cylindrical openings are axially aligned to each other for receipt of trunnion means as will hereinafte r be brought out. The bos ses are als o spaced an equal distance to each side of a Plane x-x pas sing through the central line of the spout opening 20 as be st shown by Figure 3 of the drawing. Each bos s is furthe r provided with shoulde rs 26 which define a re stricted entrance 27 to the cylindrical opening 25 whe rein such entrances are of a width les s than the diamete r of the cylindrical openings 25.

Refe rring now in particular to Figure s 7 and 8 of the drawing, the detailed construction of the pivoted lid member 23 will become more apparent. Such lid member 23 is provided with a closure portion 28 for engagement with the upstanding flange 21 of the spout opening 20. Such closure portion 28 is further provided with an imperforate depres sed central portion 29 and is further provided at its peripheral portions with an inner, outer and connecting walls 30, 31 and 32, respectively, so as to define a U -shaped pe ripheral opening for receipt of the upstanding flange 21 as best shown in Figure 6 of the drawing. A connecting strap 33 is also provided on the lid member and extends late rally therefrom in the manner shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. Integral with such connecting strap 33 is a substantially rod-like axle member 34 having an enlarged flange 35 spaced from eithe r end the reof integral therewith and in spaced relationship to each other. Those portions of the axle member 34 which extend past the flange s 35 at either end thereof are de signated as trunnions 36 and are of a general cylindrical cros s -sectional configuration and of a dimension so as to generally approximate that of the cylindrical openings 25 for bearing pivotal contact therewith. It should be brought out that the bos ses 24 are formed of yieldable flexible plastic such as polyethylene so that the trunnions 36 can be forced inwardly through the re spective re stricted entrance s 27 and be substantially held against removel therefrom by the shoulders 26. Such relationship may be more clearly understood by reference to Figure s 2 through 4, 9 and 9a whe rein the re stricted openings 27 the reof are shown in an upward orientation and whe rein the lid member 23 may be engaged therewith by forcing such an engagement with the bos ses 24 in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 9.

Thus as sembled, the flange s 35 serve to control or preferably eliminate the extent to which the pivotal lid member 23 may move late rally in the cylindrical openings 25 with respect to the top closure 1 1. By thus controlling the lateral movement of such lid member 23, the likelihood of the trunnions 36 slipping from the cylindrical openings 25 which serve as bearing surface s therefor is reduced and accordingly the accidental displacement of the lid member 23 in re spect to the top closure 1 1 is also reduced.

Furthermore, when the outer surface of the flanges 35 engage the inner surface s of the re spective bos ses 24 a smoother and more positive pivotal movement of the lid membe r 23 in engagement and disengagement with the flange 21 of the spout opening 20 is brought about. Als o as previously disclosed in relationship with Plane x-x of Figure 3, the flange s 35 se rve to as sure the positive positioning of the pivotal lid member 23 so that its peripheral U -shaped opening is in receiving aligned relationship to the upstanding flange 21 of the spout opening 20 and thus se rve s as a means by which the lid member may be more readily engaged and disengaged therewith.

While the constructional embodiments of the invention as above disclosed have been made in particular relationship with Figure s 1 , 3 and 5 through 9a, it should be pointed out at this time that an alternate form of the invention is shown in Figures 2 and 4 to which the above description equally applie s . It should be further noted that reference numerals corresponding to said aforementioned de scriptions have been applied to Figures 2 and 4 of the drawing but with the addition of a small numeral a in each case to de signate such alternate embodiments . In such alternate embodiments it should be noted by comparison with those of Figure s 1 , 3 and 5 through 9a that the connecting strap 33a the reof is conside rably shorter and the bosse s 24a thereof are of increased height in relationship to the spout 21 a so that there is no flexing of the connecting strap such as present with connecting strap 33 as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings . This construc tion affords a more accurate alignment in the longitudinal direction between the lid member 23a and the upstanding flange 21 a of the spout opening 20a.

It should also be brought out at this time that both of the constructional modifications above de scribed permit the lid member 23 and 23a to be pivotally swung in an arc approximating 180° and is limited only by contact therewith by corresponding portions o£ the top closure 1 1 rather than being limited by the constructional aspects of the trunnion and boss means which permit such move ment in an arcuate direction.

Turning now to Figure s 10 and 10a of the drawing, an embodi -ment is the rein disclosed which for some constructional applications is preferred. In such case a re stricted entrance 47 somewhat corresponding to entrance 27 of the previous embodiments is shown as sidewardly opening in a direction distal from the position of the upstanding flange 21 of the spout opening 20. In such case the entrance 47 is of a diameter le s s than that of cylindrical openings 45 provided in each of the upstanding bos se s 44 made pos sible by means of shoulder portions 46. The placement of the pivotal lid member 23 for operational engagement with such modified boss 44 is similar to that as set forth in the previous embodiments with the exception that the connecting movement is provided in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 10 of the drawing. This constructional embodiment is preferred e specially in case s where the engagement of the U- shaped peripheral lip of the lid member 23 is dimensioned so as to provide an extra tight seal engagement with the upstanding flange 21 as for the containment of fluids which will be subje ct to rather violent shaking action and wherein the removal of the lid member from the upstanding flange 21 requires a force of increased magnitude to be upwardly applied thereto by the user' s thumb or finger. In such cases, it has been noticed that there is a tendency for the axle , flange and trunnion portions of the lid members to become dislodged from the bos ses through the upward movement thereof through the restricted entrances 27 which tendency is materially reduced by the sideward placement of the entrances 47.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantage ous provisions have been made for carrying out the de sired ends. However, attention is directed to the fact that variations may be made in the example hinge construction dis closed he rein without de parting from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS 25488/2 1 · A hinge construe tion for a pivoted lid member comprising a container top wall supporting surface, a spout opening having an upstanding peripheral flange in said supporting surface, the lid member selectively opening and closing the opening by engagement with said peripheral flange thereof, (a) a pair of spaced bosses integral with and extending upwardly from said supporting surface and adjacent to said spout opening, each of sai bosses having a cylindrical opening therethroug said cylindrical openings being axially aligned (b) means forming shoulders defining restricted entrances to each one of said cylindrical openings, said of a width less than the diameter of said cylindrical openings, (c) said lid member comprising a closure portion for engagement with the upstanding flange of said spout opening, a connecting strap integral with said closure portion, an axl% member on said strap at the end thereof distal from said closure portion, said axle member having a pair of flanges each integral and coaxial with said axle member and spaced apart a distance generally equal to the spacing of said bosses, a trunnion on either end of said axle member outwardly of said flanges and in general prolongation and axial alignment with said axle member, said trunnions being of a diameter substantially less than said flanges -1 0- 25488/3 cylindrical openings of said bosses, (d) said bosses being formed of yieldable flexible plastic so that Raid trunnions can be for^ d inwardly through the respective restricted entrances so as to be substantially held against removal therefrom by said shoulder forming means whereby the axle member is located adjacent said supporting surface and located in a plane spaced from that in which the closure portion is located, the arrangement being such that said .strap flexes during closing and so serves as spring during opening. 2 · A hinged construction for a pivoted lid member substantially as hereinbefore described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the Applicants DR. RS