WO2005090184A1

WO2005090184A1 - A lid for a container

Info

Publication number: WO2005090184A1
Application number: PCT/IB2005/000623
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shane James; David John Murgatroyd
Original assignee: Spec Tool & Die Cc
Priority date: 2004-03-18
Filing date: 2005-03-11
Publication date: 2005-09-29
Also published as: ZA200608493B

Abstract

The invention relates to a lid (16) for a container (12). The lid (16) comprises an integrally formed synthetic plastics body including an annular locating formation (18), for locating the lid (16) on the container part of a container (12), and a cover (20) that is connected to the annular locating formation (20) for hinged displacement in a flip-top lid fashion. The locating formation (18) defines a circular groove (22) therein which is configured to provide for the location of the lid (16) on the container part of a container (12), with a rim portion (24) of the container part fitting into the groove (18). The locating formation (18) also defines a peripheral seat formation (32) for the cover (20).

Description

A LID FOR A CONTAINER

THIS INVENTION relates to a lid for a container.

The invention relates particularly to a lid for a container of the type that has a container part that is in the form of a substantially cylindrical body and that is commonly referred to as a jar, i.e. a container of which the container part has a relatively large mouth. Such a container often is used for containing gels or creams. It must be appreciated, however, that the lid of the invention can be used also in conjunction with other forms of containers.

Furthermore, the lid for a container to which the present invention relates is a lid of the type that is commonly known as a flip-top lid. Such a lid, as is commonly known, comprises an integrally formed body of a synthetic plastics material, this integrally formed body including an annular locating formation, that fits securely around the rim portion that defines the mouth of a container part of a container in the operative configuration of the lid located on the container part of a container, and an integrally formed cover hingedly connected thereto. The hinged configuration of the cover with respect to the locating formation is such that the cover "flips" either into an open position, or into a closed position in which it seats on the rim portion referred to, where it is retained until manually displaced to a predetermined location with respect to its opposite position. Insofar as the general configuration of such a lid is well known and as this does not form a part of the present invention, this is not described further herein.

Any reference hereinafter to a flip-top lid must be interpreted as a reference to a lid of the above general type that has a cover that "flips" either into an open position or into a closed position with respect to the container part of a container and that is generally formed of a synthetic plastics material.

A known problem associated with the use of a flip top lid of the above type is that the cover thereof seats on the actual rim of the container part of the container of which the lid forms a part, with the annular locating formation being spaced from the rim. It often occurs during use of the container that the annular locating formation is displaced from its required position and this can then result in the cover not seating properly on the rim of the container part, i.e. the container part not being properly closed when the cover is in its closed position.

Also, because the annular locating formation of the lid fits around the rim part of the container part of the container of which the lid forms a part, in use, particularly when the container is used for containing a liquid substance, e.g. a cream, a gel, or the like, upon discharge or removal of such a substance from the container part, when the substance passes over the rim of the container part, some of the substance can "lodge" between the rim portion of the container part and the annular locating formation of the lid, which can be unhygienic.

It is thus an object of this invention to provide an improved flip-top lid for a container, i.e. a flip top lid with the use of which the above problems are at least ameliorated.

According to the invention there is provided a flip-top lid, for forming part of a container, which comprises an integrally formed synthetic plastics body including an annular locating formation for locating the lid on the container part of a container of which the lid is to form a part, and a cover that is hingedly connected to the locating formation, and in which the locating formation defines a circular groove therein, which is positioned and internally profiled to provide for secure location of the locating formation on the container part of the container of which the lid is to form a part with a rim portion of the container part fitting in the groove, and a peripheral seat formation that forms a seat for the cover.

The annular locating formation and the groove defined therein may be configured to cooperate with the rim portion of the container part of a container of which the lid is to form a part, for providing a secure fit of the locating formation on the rim portion by utilizing the inherent resilience of at least one of the material that forms the lid and the material that forms the container part. The annular locating formation particularly may define a peripheral rib formation that projects from a face portion thereof that operatively abuts against an opposing face portion of the container part of a container of which the lid is to form a part and cooperates with a complementary formation defined by the container part to provide for clipping of the lid on the container part.

Further according to the invention, the operative outer surfaces of the annular locating formation may be configured to provide for the surfaces to define substantially continuous surfaces with the adjacent surface portions of the container part of the container of which the lid is to form a part, in the operative configuration of the lid located on the container part. Also, the outer surface portion of the annular locating formation, that forms the open end of a container of which the lid is to form a part when located on the container part of the container, defines a smooth rounded surface extending from the inside of the container to the peripheral seat formation that forms a seat for the cover of the lid.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a container which includes a container part and a flip-top lid that includes an integrally formed synthetic plastics body including an annular locating formation, for locating the lid on the container part, and a cover that is hingedly connected to the locating formation, and in which the annular locating formation defines a circular groove therein in which the rim portion of the container part fits for the location of the lid on the container part, and a peripheral seat formation that forms a seat for the cover of the lid.

For the above container, the annular locating formation of the lid and particularly also the groove defined therein cooperate with the rim portion of the container part for providing a secure fit of the locating formation on the rim portion by utilizing the inherent resilience of at least one of the material that forms the lid and the material that forms the container part.

The annular locating formation of the lid of the container of the invention also may define a peripheral rib formation that projects from a face portion thereof that abuts against an opposing face portion of the container part and the container part may define a complementary formation that cooperates with the rib formation to provide for clipping of the lid on the container part for its secure location.

Still further for the container of the invention, the operative outer surfaces of the annular locating formation of the lid may be configured to provide for the surfaces to define substantially continuous surfaces with the adjacent surface portions of the container part of the container. Also, the operative outer surface portion of the annular locating body of the lid of the container, that forms the open end of the container, may define a smooth rounded surface extending from the inside of the container to the peripheral seat formation that forms a seat for the cover of the lid.

It will be appreciated that the flip-top lid, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, may be adapted for use with a particular container or for use with a particular range of containers, whereas containers also may be adapted for use with a particular flip-top lid. A flip-top lid, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, is described hereafter with reference to an example of such a lid which is illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in its operative configuration located on the container part of a container, thus forming a container in accordance with the second aspect of this invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a container, in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, which includes a flip-top lid, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, which is located on the container part of the container and which has its cover shown in its open position; and

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the container of Figure 1 , illustrating in detail the location of the lid of the container on the container part of the container and illustrating the cover of the lid in its closed position.

Referring to the drawings, a container, in accordance with the second aspect of this invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The container 10 includes a container part 12 that is in the form of a substantially cylindrically body and that defines a relatively large mouth 14, a container of this type being commonly referred to as a jar and being commonly used for containing gels, creams, and the like.

The container 10 includes also a flip-top lid, generally indicated by the numeral 16, that comprises an integrally formed synthetic plastics body including an annular locating formation 18, that locates the lid 16 on the container part 12 as described hereafter, and a cover 20. A hinge formation connects the cover 20 and the locating formation 18 in a configuration in which the cover is manually displaceable between its open position and its closed position, in a manner generally associated with flip-top lids.

The locating formation 18 of the flip-top lid 16 defines a circular groove 22 therein, the groove 22 and the rim portion 24, that defines the mouth of the container part 12, being configured so that the end of the rim portion 24 fits within the groove 22, with the inherent resilience of the material forming the locating formation 18 and of the material forming the container part 12 being such that the locating formation 18 is securely located on the container part 12, when the said end of the rim portion 24 fits into the groove 22. To further secure the location of the locating formation 18 on the rim portion 24 of the container part 12, the locating formation 18 defines a peripheral rib formation 26 that cooperates with a complementary formation 28 that is defined externally on the container part 12, effectively providing for the locating formation 18 to clip onto the container part 12, to thereby secure the location thereof on the container part 12.

As is clearly illustrated particularly in Figure 2 of the drawings, with the locating formation 18 of the flip-top lid 16 located on the container part 12 of the container 10, the locating formation 18 and the container part 12 define substantially continuous inner and outer surfaces, the operative end of the locating formation 18 that effectively forms the top of the container part 12 also defining a rounded surface 30 (as shown) which is particularly suitable for facilitating removal of a cream or gel from the container part 12, in use of the container 10. The substantially continuous surfaces as described and as shown clearly will prevent a cream or gel from "lodging" itself between the container part 12 and its flip- top lid 16.

The locating formation 18 of the flip-top lid 16 also defines a peripheral seat formation 32 which cooperates with the cover 20 for seating the cover 20 in its closed position, i.e. its position in which it closes-off access into the container part 12 of the container 10. The outer surface of the cover 20 and the adjacent outer surface of the locating formation 18, with the cover in its closed position, again define a substantially continuous surface that provides for the entire inner and outer surfaces of the container 10 to be smooth and substantially continuous.

The flip-top action of the cover 20 of the flip-top lid 16 with respect to the locating formation 18 is essentially conventional, the hinge arrangement being configured to effectively urge the cover into either its fully open position or its fully closed position and requiring displacement from one position to the other beyond a limit position, from which it will flip into its opposite position.

It is submitted that a container as above described is particularly suitable for containing creams and gels, with the arrangement of the flip-top lid being such that continuous effective closure of the container is ensured at all times. The container 10 is thus not associated with the disadvantages associated with known containers including flip-top lids of the general type, as is explained hereinabove.

It will be understood also that the exact configuration of the container of the invention and particularly of the flip-top lid is greatly variable and, as such, that the invention extends to all such variations of flip-top lids and of containers having flip-top lids that include all the features of the flip-top lid of the invention as hereinabove defined and described. Such containers and their flip-top lids generally will be formed of the same synthetic plastics material or of different synthetic plastics materials.

Claims

1. A flip-top lid, for forming part of a container, which comprises an integrally formed synthetic plastics body including an annular locating formation for locating the lid on the container part of a container of which the lid is to form a part and a cover that is hingedly connected to the locating formation, and in which the locating formation defines a circular groove therein, which is positioned and internally profiled to provide for secure location of the locating formation on the container part of the container of which the lid is to form a part with a rim portion of the container part fitting in the groove, and a peripheral seat formation that forms a seat for the cover.

2. A flip-top lid as claimed in Claim 1 , in which the annular locating formation and the groove defined therein are configured to cooperate with the rim portion of the container part of a container of which the lid is to form a part, for providing a secure fit of the locating formation on the rim portion by utilizing the inherent resilience of at least one of the material that forms the lid and the material that forms the container part.

3. A flip-top lid as claimed in Claim 2, in which the annular locating formation defines a peripheral rib formation that projects from a face portion thereof that operatively abuts against an opposing face portion of the container part of a container of which the lid is to form a part and cooperates with a complementary formation defined by the container part to provide for clipping of the lid on the container part.

4. A flip-top lid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the operative outer surfaces of the annular locating formation are configured to provide for these surfaces to define substantially continuous surfaces with the adjacent surface portions of the container part of a container of which the lid is to form a part, in the operative configuration of the lid located on the container part.

A flip-top lid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the operative outer surface portion of the annular locating formation, that forms the open end of a container of which the lid is to form a part when located on the container part of the container, defines a smooth rounded surface extending from the inside of the container to the peripheral seat formation that forms a seat for the cover of the lid.

6. A container which includes a container part and a flip-top lid that includes an integrally formed synthetic plastics body including an annular locating formation, for locating the lid on the container part, and a cover that is hingedly connected to the locating formation, and in which the annular locating formation defines a circular groove therein in which the rim portion of the container part fits for the location of the lid on the container part, and a peripheral seat formation that forms a seat for the cover of the lid.

7. A container as claimed in Claim 6, in which the annular locating formation and the groove defined therein cooperate with the rim portion of the container part for providing a secure fit of the locating formation on the rim portion by utilizing the inherent resilience of at least one of the material that forms the lid and the material that forms the container part.

8. A container as claimed in Claim 7, in which the annular locating formation defines a peripheral rib formation that projects from a face portion thereof that abuts against an opposing face portion of the container part and the container part defines a complementary formation that cooperates with the rib formation to provide for clipping of the lid on the container part for its secure location.

9. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8, in which the operative outer surfaces of the annular locating formation are configured to provide for the surfaces to define substantially continuous surfaces with the adjacent surface portions of the container part of the container.

10. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 9, in which the operative outer surface portion of the annular locating body, that forms the open end of the container, defines a smooth rounded surface extending from the inside of the container to the peripheral seat formation that forms a seat for the cover of the lid.

11. A flip-top lid, for forming part of a container, substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

12. A container substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.