JP2004522664A - Integrated container and cap assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention (10, 11) provides an integrated container (20) and cap assembly (30) having a shape that allows the assembly (10, 11) to be joined to another assembly having a profile.

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Integrated caps and containers are known in the art, particularly for product packaging. However, these prior art arrangements generally have no utility other than storage, storage and / or packaging of articles.
[0002]
The teachings of the prior art have included the efforts of some efforts to provide product packaging with additional uses, such as toys. U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,249 discloses an interengageable upper and lower end of a container that provides a resilient clamping force between the connections of the container when the container engages a complementary connection of another container. A container having each of the connections is disclosed. In addition, the container has an upper end with a laterally extending annular flange and a lower end. The container flanges and lower ends have connections where multiple containers can be interconnected.
[0003]
The connection is made up of an opening or recess and a complementary peg. Preferably, the peg and the recess are located at the lower and upper ends of the container, respectively, and the recess is located within the flange. The pegs of one container are inserted into the recesses of the adjacent container, and the clamping force keeps the pegs engaged in the recesses to prevent them from being degraded and removed. The clamping force is provided by the characteristic dimensions of the peg with respect to the recess, at least a portion of the recess being smaller than the peg for clamping engagement with the peg. The recess may be circularly closed or arcuate and greater than 180 °. As the peg is inserted into the recess, a clamping force is provided by radial movement or distortion of the flange material adjacent the recess. In this regard, a relatively large peg inserted into a relatively small recess causes a radial movement or distortion of the flange adjacent the recess, thereby creating a clamping force. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,249 column 2, line 35 to column 3, line 32.
[0004]
U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,304 discloses a container (10) for a sandwich or the like having a lid (12) hinged to a base (16) at one hinge (14) in a known manner. . The container (10) can be used for hamburgers and other sandwiches, along with salads, potatoes, breakfast foods, and the like. With the exception of the protrusion (20) and the socket (18), such containers are commonly available in fast food restaurants.
[0005]
A protrusion (20) is provided on the lid (12) of the container (10), and a socket (18) is provided on the bottom surface of the base (16). It can be seen that the socket (18) projects inside the bottom wall of the base (16) as shown in FIG.
[0006]
The protrusions (20) are dimensioned such that each fits into the socket (18) in a sliding fit so as to effect a coupling operation between each of a plurality of containers of the type of FIGS. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,304, column 3, lines 12-27.
[0007]
U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,071 discloses a sealable food container or building block element having an open upper portion and a lower portion, wherein at least a portion of the upper portion and at least one lower portion are provided. There are provided two connecting means, wherein the plurality of containers or elements are connectable to each other by engaging with said connecting means and sliding towards each other along said connecting means, thus reducing the original use as a food container. When complete, a sealable food container or building block element is disclosed for use of the container / element as a toy. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,071, column 2, lines 32-42.
[0008]
In one embodiment of the present invention, a one-piece cap and container assembly, wherein the cap and the container are joined together by a hinge, comprises at least one member capable of joining the assembly to at least one other assembly. Has a combined profile. The assembly has a tubular portion, closed at the container bottom and open at the upper container end. Profiles are provided at the bottom and top of the container that allow the assembly to be joined to a similar assembly provided with a complementary profile. Further, the cap portion of the assembly may be provided with a profile on the upper surface of the container structure or a profile provided on the lower portion of the container structure, which can join the profile to the profile of another assembly. Because the assemblies can be joined together, one can construct any number of things. Thus, the present invention has its first utility as a container or package of articles, and later has its second utility as a medium in which toys, entertainment articles, artistic imaginations or designs are expressed. By way of example, a manufacturer can use the assembly to package a consumable item such as a candy. After the candy has been sold to the consumer and eaten or otherwise removed from the assembly, joining the assembly to the other assembly by securing the complementary profile of each container Can be. Since each assembly has additional utility as a structural component, the consumer often needs a large number of assemblies to create what they want to construct, so the consumer has to package It should be readily apparent that there is a reason to purchase additional items that have been made.
[0009]
The cap has a base having an outer periphery and a tubular skirt extending around the outer periphery of the base and perpendicular to the base. At a first end, the cap has a tab for easy opening and closing of the container, and at a second end, the cap is attached to a hinge attached to the container. The tabs and hinges extend outwardly at right angles to the skirt of the cap.
[0010]
The opening at the top of the container, whose size and dimensions can be determined by the container side wall, constitutes a profile. Another profile is provided at the bottom of the container, a portion of which may be reduced in size to fit (or, in some cases, fit over) the profile at the top of the container. it can. Such a profile can be formed by reducing or increasing the thickness of the sidewall at the location of the profile.
[0011]
An additional profile can be provided at the bottom of the container and that profile can be joined to the cap of another assembly. Such a profile may be a groove formed inside the container bottom at a position adjacent to the junction of the container bottom and the container side wall. The groove is sized and positioned to receive a ridge projecting downward from the cap.
[0012]
The assembly is preferably molded from plastic. In yet another embodiment, the assembly is integrally molded of plastic to form a hinge between the plastics.
[0013]
In a further embodiment, the hinge of the assembly has a recess. The recess forms two elements, the first element is attached to the skirt of the cap and the second element is attached to the container. In a further embodiment, the recess functions as a bending point during opening and closing of the container.
[0014]
The profile does not significantly change the shape or appearance of the assembly. That is, the shape of the profile can be seen during assembly, and the functionality of the profile should not be directly apparent, and the observer will be prompted by the functionality of the profile until it is shown how the assembly will be joined together. Would not recognize. This is in contrast to the profiles on the containers shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,447,249, 5,709,304 and 5,310,071 in which the shape significantly changes the appearance of the container. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,447,249 and 5,709,304 describe plugs extending from the container sidewall and / or container bottom and complementary recesses or holes extending inward from the container sidewall and / or container top. It is shown. These additional shapes are directly evident, and even if the observer does not immediately realize that they are provided so that these types of assemblies can be joined together, You will hardly be surprised about the reason. In other words, the profile of the prior art assembly involves significant changes in the shape and appearance of the assembly, whereas the profile or assembly of the present invention, at best, incorporates minor changes that are incorporated into existing container structures. Do.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows an integrated cap and container assembly 10, 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The assemblies 10, 11 have a container 20 having a base 28, an inner cavity 27, an outer wall 25, an upper end 21 and a lower part 26. Optionally, the container 20 is provided with a rim 22 at the upper end 21. The assemblies 10, 11 have a cap 30 having a base 31 and a tubular skirt 33 extending outwardly at right angles around the outer circumference of the base 31. The cap 30 has opposing ends, at one end the cap 30 has a tab 36 to facilitate opening and closing of the container, a hinge 40 is attached at the other end, and the hinge is attached to the container 20. Have been. Tabs 36 and hinges 40 are located at opposite ends of the cap and extend perpendicularly and outwardly from skirt 33 of cap 30.
[0016]
The container may have a flange 24 projecting radially outward from an outer surface 25 of the container 20. Hinge 40 may be attached to the container at flange 24. The hinge 40 has a recess 42 that functions as a bending point during opening and closing of the container.
[0017]
Suitable materials for the assembly include plastics (eg, thermoplastics such as polypropylene and polyethylene). In one embodiment, the assembly can be integrally molded of plastic. The assembly can be manufactured according to the operations disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,783,056 and 4,812,116, or can be manufactured according to U.S. Patent No. 5,723,085. The disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.
[0018]
Recess 42 of hinge 40 is characterized by a relatively thin portion of plastic material bridging relatively thick portions 40A, 40B. The recess 42 is a relatively easily bendable position and functions as a position where the hinge folds when the lid is closed, and as a position where the hinge is open when the lid is open. The assembly 10 can be opened by applying upward pressure to the tab. The assembly can be closed by applying front down pressure to the container to obtain a seal. As an example, the user may place the thumb parallel or on the top of the tab (i.e., the front portion of the container) and hear the audible clicking sound and see the cap positioned evenly around the flange. Apply one downward pressure until
[0019]
FIG. 1 shows a first assembly 10 located on a second assembly 11. The size and size of the opening 23 at the upper end 21 of the container 20 of the second assembly 11 are determined by the container wall 25, and constitute one profile 40. Another profile 50 is provided at the bottom of the container of the first assembly 10. Profile 50 has a cross-sectional area slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area of wall 25. In FIG. 1, a cylindrical container is shown, which is obtained by reducing the outer diameter of the container in the profile area 50. In the region of the profile adjacent to the container bottom, the profile is provided with a rim 52 extending outwardly from the container. The cross section of the rim is slightly larger than the cross section of the remaining profile 50.
[0020]
The profile 52 at the bottom of the container 20 of the first assembly 10 forms an interference fit with the profile 40 corresponding to the opening of the container 20 of the second assembly 11 and is dimensioned to remain engaged with the profile 40. Have been. One possible way to achieve this is to make the profile at the bottom of the second assembly only a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the container opening. A suitable assembly is machined and the difference between the profiles 50, 52 is about a few thousandths of an inch, for example 0.05 mm (0.002 inches).
[0021]
Referring to FIG. 2, another assembly 60 can be provided on the container base so that it can be tied to a profile located on the cap of another assembly. The cap is provided with a ridge 62 projecting from the base 31 of the cap 30 and the profile 60 of the container base 31 can have a groove 64 formed on the container bottom inside the container side wall. As shown in FIG. 2, groove 64 is located adjacent the junction of container base 37 and container side wall 25, groove 61 is sized to receive a ridge 62 projecting from base 31 of the cap and To position. Further, the profile 60 at the container base is slightly smaller than the profile 70 of the cap, and the profile 62 at the base of the container forms an interference fit with the interior of the skirt 33 of the cap 30. It should be understood that the cap is dimensioned to mate with the top surface of the container and the profile at the bottom of the container is approximately the same size as the opening at the top of the container. Further, it should be appreciated that the ridges 62 can be eliminated from the profile 70 of the cap 30, eliminating the need for having the groove 64 as part of the profile on the second assembly 11.
[0022]
The assembly is preferably molded of plastic. Molding the assembly from plastic material facilitates forming the various profiles used to form the components to be joined. In yet another embodiment, the assembly is integrally molded of plastic such that the hinge is formed between the plastics.
[0023]
In a further embodiment, the hinge of the assembly has a recess. The recess forms two elements, the first element is attached to the skirt of the cap and the second element is attached to the container. In a further embodiment, the recess functions as a bending point during opening and closing of the container.
[0024]
In one possible application, manufacturers first use the assembly as a package for consumer goods, such as candy products. In the assembly line, the assembly is filled with candy, the lid is closed, and a hermetic seal, such as shrink wrap, is placed over the joint between the container and the cap.
[0025]
The candy is later purchased by the consumer. In prior art packaging, it is anticipated that consumers will select products based on candy alone, and that the packaging with the candy therein will have little or no relevance at the time of selection. However, because the present invention is an assembly, the assembly, which once functioned as a product package, is a secondary component as a structural component used to make, design, or artistically express toys. effective. This creates an incentive for consumers to purchase a large number of items packaged in the assembly. In essence, the need to obtain multiple assemblies, together with the secondary benefits flowing to the manufacturer or seller of the packaged items within the assemblies, may promote packaging royalties. For example, a child can envision making up a race car with an assembly. Artists can also envision the construction of sculptures. All benefits are gained by the deformability of the assembly from packaging to structural components.
[0026]
Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Thus, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically disclosed herein.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG.
FIG. 5 is a side view of a container and cap assembly of one embodiment of the present invention having a complementary engagement profile prepared and aligned for engagement.
FIG. 2
FIG. 11 is a side view of another embodiment of the container and cap assembly of the present invention having a complementary engagement profile in the engaged state.
FIG. 3
FIG. 10 is a side view of a hinge of the assembly that joins the container and the cap.

Claims (4)

An integrated cap and container assembly having a profile capable of engaging and joining an assembly to another assembly, comprising:
A container having side walls and closed at its lower end and open at its upper end;
A cap having a base having an outer periphery, and a skirt extending perpendicular to the base;
A hinge attached to the container at a first end of the container, and attached to the cap at a first end of the cap;
A tab attached to the cap at a second end of the cap extending away from the container;
A profile provided at a lower end of the container, the profile sized to fit within an opening of another assembly when the cap is in the open position. An integrated cap and container assembly having a profile that allows the volume to be engaged and joined to another assembly. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the profile is an area extending along a portion of a side wall of the container, and a cross-sectional area of the profile is slightly smaller than a cross-sectional area of the remaining side wall of the container. A second profile is provided at the bottom of the container, the second profile comprising a groove located at the bottom of the container, the groove receiving a ridge extending downward from a base of the cap. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is positioned to: The hinge has a recess, the recess forming two elements, one of the two elements is attached to the skirt of the cap, and the other of the two elements is attached to the container. The assembly according to claim 1.