Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21633û6
CONT,2~ T~12
The present invention related to a container and in
particular to a container lid and container body
locking mechanism which mechanism will prevent contents
from the container body from flowing out when the
container body is displaced from its vertical axis. The
invention further relates to a container lid and
container body locking mechanism which does not
separate or leak when the container is subjected to
fall from a height of about 5 metres.
Ordinary plastic bucket containers with covers suffer
distinct disadvantages. The bucket containers normally
cannot effectively seal the container on resealing
after the cover has been opened once. Bucket containers
which have effective sealing device are usually
elaborately designed and are relatively expensive.
Further the conventional plastics bucket locking
mechanism cannot withstand force exerted externally
from normal use. The conventional plastics buckets are
not capable of being stacked on top of another in a
warehouse, as the lower units get out of shape or
become disorted.
This it is an object of the present invention to
provide a container cover and container body locking
mechanism where a tight and leak proof seal is created.
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It is another object of the present invention to
provide a container cover and container body locking
mechanism which can withstand strong force applied
along the vertical and/or radial axis of the locking
mechanism.
Other objects of the present invention are to provide a
sealable container to hold flowable substances, which
is inexpensive to manufacture, reusable to provide an
airtight or liquid tight locking mechanism a great
number of times and functions efficiently, easily and
reliably when sealed.
The invention discloses a sealable container comprising
of a container body, and cover lid. The container body
has an open top with a rim therearound, a plurality of
annular flanges spaced apart and extending radially
outwards from the external wall of container body. The
flanges are integrally formed with the container body.
The annular flange furthest from the rim includes an
annular skirt extending radially outwards from the
underneath of the said annular flange. The cover lid
has an annular skirt which includes a plurality of
annular rings formed thereon in the same spatial
relationship as the annular flanges in the container
body whereby each of the annular ring is snap
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fastenable over the corresponding annular flange. The
cover lid further includes an annular curtain disposed
from the undersurface of the lid configured to be in a
tight fitting contact with the inner wall of the
container body.
- In another aspect a plurality of fins are disposed
between the annular skirt of the container body and the
external wall of the container body, said fins being
integrally formed with the annular skirt and the
container body. A further plurality of fins are
disposed between the annular curtain of the lid and the
underneath of the lid cover, said fins being integrally
formed with the lid cover and the annular curtain.
The annular skirt of the cover lid includes a tear-off
annular strip formed by an groove above the penultimate
annular ring.
In order that the invention may be easily understood
and carried into effect, it will now be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings as an example of
an embodiment of the invention, wherein :
Fig 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
container and cover in use.
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Fig 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown Fig
1.
Fig 3 is a vertical cross section of a plastic bucket
without the cover.
Fig 4 is a cross section of the cover and cover's edge
Fig S is a detailed enlarged view of the container edge
Fig 6 is a detailed enlarged view of a cover lid.
Fig 7 is a vertical cross-section of the bucket and
cover lid in its closed tightly locked position.
The container body (10) has an open top (12) with a rim
(14) therearound. The rim l14) includes three annular
flanges (16, 18, 20) around the rim, extending from the
top edge of the rim. The first annular flange (16) is
at the extreme edge of the rim. The annular flange (20)
extends marginally outwards and downwards around the
side walls (22) of the container (10). The distance
apart between the respective annular flange is constant
around the container body. An annular skirt (24)
extends radially outwards from the bottom surface of
the third annular flange (20).
21633~
To provide rigidity and to provide a means to absorb
lateral impact force applied onto the skirt (24), a
plurality of a bumper jags or fins (26) is provided to
connect the underside of the skirt and the container
body. The bumper jags (26) comprise of a plurality of
substantially vertical fins extending from the extreme
lower inner edge of the skirt (24) to third annular
flange (20). From a side elevational view the firis (26)
are not observable (Fig 3,5 and 6).
The cover or lid (30) (Fig 6) includes an annular skirt
member (32) with a plurality of notch rings (34, 36,
38) in spatial relationship with the three annular
rings of the container body. The first notch ring (34)
is in the inner side of thç annular skirt (32) and is
configured to slip below and be in contact with the
first annular ring (16) of the container body. (see Fig
7).
Similarly the second annular notch ring (36) is
configured to slip below the second annular (18), and
the third annular notch ring (36) is configured to slip
below and third annular ring of the container body. The
lid (30) further includes an annular curtain (40)
disposed beneath the lid.
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The central region of the lid (30) is depressed, as to
receive the base of another container placed on top of
the lid of a covered container body (See Fig 7). The
cover includes a plurality of bumper jags or fins (42)
connecting the annular curtain and the depressed wall
(44) portion of the lid to strengthen the distal end
region of the lid.
The cover further preferably includes at least one
venting orifice (52) on the planer portion of the cover
(30). The venting orifice at the upper surface exposed
to the outside is covered by a thin membrane (54) of
about 0.2 mm thickness. This membrane is preferably
integrally formed with the body of the cover lid (30)
during the manufacturing process. When the container
containing solvent is exposed to elevated ambient
temperatures, the air above the liquid contents
expands. In addition or in the alternative, at such
elevated temperatures, solvent induced gases are also
released by the liquid contents such as paints
contained in the container. When the air pressure
within the container exceeds a pre-determined level,
the membrane ruptures to allow equalisation of pressure
on inside and outside of the container.
7 21633~S
As the diameter of the venting orifice is small, about
0.5 mm, the overall strength or steadiness of the cover
lid (30) is not compromised. At such dimensional level
of the diameter of the orifice, no water from the
external environment enters into the cover through the
orifice. No degradation of the contents contained in
the container occurs.
The venting orifices (52) is preferably located on the
elevated rim of the. container lid.
.
It will observed that the annular flanges and the notch
rings are designed and dimensionally configured to
provide a tight fitting lid notingly fitted over the
container body.
In another aspect of the invention, a portion of the
skirt member (32) below the annular first notch ring is
detachable. A weakened portion (40) of the skirt member
in the form of a groove is provided between the first
and second annular notch ring (34, 36) to enable the
lower portion of the skirt member to be detached or
torn off from the skirt member. To further enable the
lower portion to be detached, a second weakened portion
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(48) is provided on the skirt (32). This weakened
portion is substantially vertical in relation to the
first weakened annular groove (46). To prevent leakage
of liquid from the container, a plurality of leak proof
seal rings (50) are provided on the underside of the
lid in the area which is in registration with the top
edge of the container body (See Fig 6 ~ 7).
It will be appreciated that the lid sits easily over
the container body. When pressure is applied from the
top of lid vertically towards the container, the
plurality of annular rings (34, 36, 38) snap
fasteningly fits over the notch annular flanges (16,
18, 20). Once in a closed position, the lid cannot be
removed from the container body unless the tear off
portion of the lid is detached from the annular skirt
(32) of the lid (30). Once the tear off portion is
removed it cannot be re-attached to the lid without
showing evidence of tampering.
It will be appreciated by those ski~led in the art,
that the number of annular flanges in the container
body and the number of annular notches in the lid need
not be limited to three as in the present embodiment.
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The material used to make the container and the lid is
generally resiliently malleable plastics. In the
present embodiment, the container body is a mixture of
70~ of Poly Propylene Copolymer 2563 H or 2500 H and
30~ of 2300 K. The container body is preferably a
mixture of high denslty poly-ethylene R 1760, low
density poly-ethylene JJ 4324 and low density poly-
ethylene LL 2020 in the ratio 6:5:1 respectively.
It has been tested and found that a container sealed
with liquid and put to the following tests did not
break or leak the contents.
i) dropped vertically on base - 1.5 metre
ii) dropped horizontally on side - 1.0 metre
iii) dropped 45~ on base - 1.5 metre
iv) dropped 45~ on lid - 0.5 metre
v) dropped flat on lid - 0.5 metre
vi) rolling on edge - 3 metre high
vii) stacking - 7 - 9 metre high
The gross weight of the filled container in the above
tests was 27kg and the tests were conducted at an
ambient temperature of 34~C.
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The annular skirt (32) of the lid when fitted onto the
rim (14) of the container is substantially flush with
annular skirt (24) of the container body.
While the invention has been described by means of the
specific example and in the specific embodiment, the
invention is not limited thereto, for obvious
modifications will occur to those skilled in the art
without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
