WO1994020381A1

WO1994020381A1 - Container with clip-on lid

Info

Publication number: WO1994020381A1
Application number: PCT/CH1994/000034
Authority: WO
Inventors: Werner Fritz Dubach
Original assignee: Createchnic Ag
Priority date: 1993-03-11
Filing date: 1994-02-17
Publication date: 1994-09-15

Abstract

A clip-on lid (20) can be fitted on an open container (1) with a circumferential rim (6). The clip-on lid (20) has a clamping rim (20') which engages with a rim (6) on the container. The clip-on lid (20) is divided into two one-piece joined halves by a main film hinge (23) extending from one side (20') of the clamping rim to the other. The main film hinge (23) is bridged by spring components (24) engaging with both lid sections. One of the two lid sections can be secured to the container (1) by anchoring means (29). After the container has been closed for the first time, the clip-on lid (20) becomes a hinged snap-fastening lid.

Description

Container with slip lid

The present invention relates to an open container with an edge encircling the container opening and a tight slip lid encompassing the edge and completely covering the container opening.

The system, known per se, with an initial use package and a refill package that can be used therein, was developed from the endeavor, on the one hand, to offer a high-quality packaging that meets all the requirements of use, and on the other hand to reduce the packaging to a minimum for ecological reasons. This type of packaging is known in specialist circles under the term "pack-in-box". In particular, a laundry powder has recently been on the market, which is sold in the first-time use pack in a relatively expensive cardboard box with a pivoting lid. The laundry powder to be refilled is brought onto the market in sealed paper bags. Despite the relatively complex and costly use packaging made of cardboard, this is often not recognized by the consumer as packaging that can be used multiple times. There are also other material-related problems with this packaging. For example, the alternating bending stress of cardboard in the area of hinge folds very limited. The material fatigue also means that the lid hardly closes completely after repeated use. This can lead to lumps in the washing powder, especially in a humid atmosphere. It cannot be ruled out that the packaging will be placed on damp surfaces. In the worst case, this can lead to the bottom of the cardboard packaging absorbing the moisture and becoming soft.

Attempts to manufacture such plastic packaging have so far failed. The reasons for this are varied. Large containers with a one-piece integrated lid require very large injection molds and, accordingly, it is hardly possible to produce thin areas such as are required for film hinges because the necessary material flow through these thin areas cannot be achieved in the time available. The attempt to manufacture large containers with snap-on hinged lids that could be firmly attached to them also failed. An important point is that all snap hinge covers known today with a main film hinge in the area of the spring elements had to have leakage points in the form of slots.

Accordingly, only open containers made of cardboard or plastic have prevailed until today, which are closed with a slip-on lid made of plastic. Slip-on lids, however, are not particularly popular with consumers popular because they often don't open and close very easily.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a container with a slip-on lid, according to the preamble of patent claim 1, the lid acting after the initial slip-on in further use as a snap hinge lid. The disadvantages of the known solutions are to be avoided here.

This object is achieved by an open container with a slip-on lid with the features of the characterizing part of patent claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the subject matter of the invention emerge from the dependent patent claims and their meaning and mode of action are set out in the description below.

A preferred embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing and explained in the description below. It shows:

Figure 1 is a view from above into the open container, with the slip lid omitted;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the container according to FIG. 1 partly in section and Figure 3 again the same container in front view again half in section.

FIG. 4 shows the slip-on lid fitting onto the container according to FIGS. 1 to 3 in a view of its underside, which comes to lie in the interior of the container;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the slip lid according to Figure 4 along the line A-A and

6 shows a cross section through the cover according to FIG. 4 along the line B-B on a larger scale.

FIG. 7 is a partial section through the snap hinge of the cover,

FIG. 8 shows an enlarged partial section to clarify the interaction between the peripheral edge of the open container and the slip-on lid, and finally shows

Figure 9 shows the anchoring of the slip lid with the container.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show the open container according to the invention in different views. Im here showed example, it is a roughly rectangular container with slightly tapered walls towards the bottom. For the implementation of the invention, the external shape of the container is insignificant; the only important thing is the presence of a circumferential, at least approximately flat edge 6. In the example shown here, the open container 1 has two identical side walls 2 lying opposite one another and a front wall 3 and a rear wall 4, which are also identical to each other. The base 5 is slightly cambered in the center, so that an annular standing surface remains. The curvature of the floor towards the inside results in stiffening on the one hand and a flat footprint on the other. At the top, centrally on the outer side walls 2, cams 7 are injection molded, which are used to fasten a carrying strap. This is also an element that can be designed differently and is not important for the invention. The circumferential edge 6 of the container is typically designed in the form of a flange for containers which are designed with a slip lid. This outwardly projecting, sharp-edged edge 6 serves as a rear grip for a slip-on bead on a slip-on cover. This will be explained in detail later.

The reference number 20 relates to the entire slip-on cover. Overall, this is so large that it completely covers the entire opening of the open container 1 and with is able to grasp the peripheral edge 6 of the open container 1 by its protruding edge 20 '. Similar to the bottom 5 of the container 1, the cover surface 21 has a trough-shaped depression 21 which serves to stiffen the cover. The circumferential protuberance edge 20 'has on its inner wall surface a protuberance bulge 22 which is directed towards the center and which can be more or less circumferential or can only be divided into partial bulges. In the attached state of the slip-on cover, this slip-on bead 22 engages behind the peripheral edge 6, as can be seen in detail from FIG. The lip 20 ′ can be extended downward in an arc in the front, central region and thus form a grip tab 8. In the area of this grip tab 8, the bulge 22 is divided into two bulges 22 ', which are slightly raised compared to the rest of the bulge 22. This makes sense because when the lid is opened, a pulling force is applied to the handle tab 8, which causes a certain elastic deformation of the fitting edge 20 'in this area. The previous description of the slip-on cover would apply to many already known slip-on covers. Such slip-on lids are always removed in their entirety from the container for the removal of the contents, and then completely slipped back on.

New and inventive are the additional features now to be described, which change the slip-on lid after the first closing into a snap-hinge lid. The we- The most important feature here is a main film hinge 23, which extends from the opening edge to the opening edge. In the example shown here, the main film hinge 23 extends parallel to a longitudinal edge of the slip-on lid in the region near the slip-on edge 20 '. However, this is by no means necessary if, for example, the container does not need to be opened completely. In particular, if the open container 1 has a circular outline, the main film hinge 23 can be any chord and in extreme cases lie on one diameter. The main film hinge 23 thus divides the slip-on lid 20 into two lid parts. As will be described below, one cover part is anchored to the container 1, while the other cover part remains pivotally connected to the fixed cover part. Of course, the cover part to be fixed need not necessarily be the smaller part in terms of area. In order to design this hinge into a snap hinge, at least one spring element must be provided. In the example shown here, two spring elements 24 are arranged in the lateral areas. The spring elements 24 bridge the main film hinge 23 and are each connected to the cover 20 with a cover part on both sides of the main film hinge. The exact design can be seen in particular from FIGS. 6 and 7. The spring elements 24 are designed here as U-shaped bending springs. In this case, the apex line of the U-shaped spiral springs lies exactly vertically below the main film hinge 23. elements as U-shaped spiral springs, it is not necessary that the apex line of the spiral spring runs vertically below the film hinge 23, but the apex line of the U-shaped spiral spring must run parallel to the main film hinge. This condition arises for manufacturing reasons. Such a spring element 24 is namely formed either with a side pull or a slide in the injection mold, which can only be moved in the direction of the main film hinge. This is particularly the case when the two ends of the spring element 24 are attached to brackets 26. The connection between the brackets 26 and the spring elements 24 is realized by secondary film hinges 25. The arrangement of the spring element 24 on brackets 26 increases the elasticity of the snap hinge. This is by no means insignificant since the implementation of large snap hinges poses considerable problems. If the spring elements 24 are designed too large, the forces of the spring elements cause a deformation of the main film hinge 23 and can even lead to a considerable deformation of the cover itself. However, their functionality is questioned. However, a large number of small, relatively closely spaced spring elements 24 are out of the question for manufacturing reasons. However, if one wants to take countermeasures by increasing the thickness of the film hinge in order to absorb the forces of the spring element 24, the main film hinge 23 becomes so stiff that the snap action is lost. Which he- The invention now solves this problem by, on the one hand, not engaging the spring elements 24 directly on the two cover parts, but instead introducing the spring forces into the cover via the brackets 26 and, on the other hand, by varying the width of the main film hinge 23 over its entire extension length becomes. If the width of the main film hinge 23 is narrow, it is able to absorb more forces, but is more difficult with respect to the pivoting movement and correspondingly easier to move if the width of the main film hinge is larger. In the embodiment shown here, the main film hinge is divided into different areas 28, 28 'and 28''. The width of the main film hinge 23 is greatest in the unproblematic, central region 28 ″. This width 28 '' can also be realized on the side areas. The areas 28 'which are between the widest area 28''and the areas which are bridged by the spring elements 24 are designed to be somewhat narrower. The width here is equal to Y, as can be seen from FIG. 9. The main film hinge 23 is narrowest in the region 28, which is bridged by the spring elements 24. This is also where the forces acting on the main film hinge are greatest. The width of the main film hinge is equal to X here, as can be seen from FIG. 7.

At least one of the two parts of the slip-on lid 20 formed by the main film hinge 23 must now be anchored to the open container 1. Here are the two Anchoring means 29 formed on the underside of the lid, as shown in FIG. 4. The two anchoring means 29 are arranged relatively close to the two spring elements 24, since the forces from the spring elements can thus be introduced as directly as possible into the open container 1 via the anchoring means 29. FIG. 9 shows the exact design of the anchoring means and the connection to the container 1. The anchoring means 29 is realized here in the form of a plate 30 which has a hook 31 at the end. The circumferential edge 6 in the region of the rear wall 4 has an opening 32 which tapers downwards in a conical slot-like manner, for which purpose a retaining lip 33 is formed, which the hook 31 engages behind in the end position. The connection is consequently only partially reversible by pushing the retaining lip 33 to the side using a tool. In principle, however, it is also possible to make the connection irreversible by gluing or welding the anchoring means 29 in the opening 32. The opening 32 in the edge 6 can also open into a blind hole, in which a rib is formed, behind which the terminal hook 31 engages.

In order to increase the closing force of the cover in the front area in the vicinity of the grip tab 8, vertical stiffening walls 34 can be provided, as can be seen in FIG. 8. When closing, these stiffening walls 34 press the peripheral edge 6 on the front wall 3 behind the slip-on bead portions 22 '.

As already explained further above, the main film hinge 23 can cross over the cover 20 at any point. However, if one wants to achieve the widest possible opening of the cover, the main film hinge 23 should run as close as possible to the peripheral edge 6. For this purpose, it can be useful if the rear wall 4 has bulges 35 in the area of the spring elements 24.

So that the two parts on both sides of the main film hinge 23 can actually pivot about the main film hinge 23, the circumferential protruding edge 20 'must be divided on both sides in the area of the main film hinge 23 by means of a cut 27. This severing 27 does not necessarily have to lie on the axis of the main film hinge 23.

The technical details are important for the functionality, but can be varied in any case. The basic idea of the invention, however, is to design a slip-on lid so that the container can be filled industrially without a lid and then how a simple, known slip-on lid can be put on, while in subsequent use as a snap hinge lid works.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Open container (1) with an edge (6) running around the container opening and a tight cover (20) that surrounds the edge (6) and completely covers the container opening, characterized in that the cover (20 ) has a straight main film hinge (23) which crosses the cover surface (21) of the cover (20) from edge (20 ') to edge (20') and which is provided on the underside of the cover surface (21) by at least one spring element ( 24) is bridged, which is connected in one piece in an articulated manner to a cover part on each side of the main film hinge (23), and that the edge (20 ') of the slip-on cover (20) is severed on both sides near the main film hinge (23).

2. Container with slip lid according to claim 1, characterized ge indicates that the bilateral severing (27) of the edge (20 ') of the slip lid (20) is exactly aligned with the main film hinge (23).

3. Container with slip lid according to claim 1, characterized ge indicates that the at least one spring element (24) is U-shaped and on both sides of the main film hinge (23) via a secondary film hinge (25) with a Console (26) is connected to a cover part.

4. Container with slip lid according to claim 1, characterized ge indicates that the width (X, Y) of the main film hinge (23) varies over its entire extension length from edge (20 ') to edge (20').

5. container with slip lid according to claim 4, characterized ge indicates that the width (X) of the main film hinge (23) in the areas (28) of the bridging spring elements is narrower than in the remaining areas (28 ', 28' ') .

6. container with slip lid according to claim 4, characterized ge indicates that the width of the main film hinge (23) in the region near the edge (28 '') is wider than in the remaining regions (28 ').

7. container with slip lid according to claim 1, characterized ge indicates that one of the two lid parts formed by the Hauptfilm¬ hinge (23) anchoring means (29) for irreversible or partially reversible connection of that lid part to the container (1), which at first put the cover (20) on the container.

8. container with slip lid according to claim 7, characterized ge indicates that the anchoring means (29) at least are plates (30) projecting approximately vertically from the underside of the cover surface with a terminal hook (31).

9. container with slip lid according to claim 7, characterized ge indicates that the peripheral edge (6) of the container (1) has openings (32) into which the anchoring means (29) of the slip lid engage.

10. Container with slip-on lid according to claim 7, characterized in that the container in the region near the edge has pocket-hole-like receptacles in which the anchoring means (29) engage.

11. A container with a cover according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one U-shaped spring element (24) has an apex line which runs parallel to the main film hinge (23).

12. Container with slip lid according to claim 9, characterized in that a retaining lip (33) is provided on the circumferential edge (6) of the container (1) in the region of the opening (32), behind which the anchoring element (29,30,31) intervenes.

13. Container with slip-on lid according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge (20 ') of the slip-on lid is extended at the center front and a grip tab (8) forms.

14. Container with slip-on lid according to claim 13, characterized in that vertical stiffening walls (34) are arranged on the underside of the slip-on cover (20) in the region of the grip tab (8), which are placed on the peripheral edge (6) of the container (1) act.