Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Lid and container
The invention relates to a lid for a container, and addition-
ally to a container with lid, where the container displays a
container wall, a container bottom and a container opening with
an opening rim, and the lid is located on the radially inner
side of the opening rim, into which it can be snapped or
clamped.
A container with lid of this kind can, for example, be a paint
pot, where the container opening displays an opening rim pro-
jecting radially inwards from the container wall, in which the
lid is fixed by clamping or snap-fitting. Also open to consid-
eration are containers for other materials, especially liquid
materials, that display an opening rim on the radially inner
side of which the lid rests.
The opening rim can, as on the aforementioned paint pot, for
example, project inwards from the container wall and serve to
prevent the material held in the container, e.g. paint, varnish
and the like, from easily escaping through the container open-
ing in the event of movement of the container. Furthermore, an
inwardly projecting rim makes it possible to wipe off liquid
material held in the container, such as paint, varnish and the
like, from a tool, e.g. a brush.
The lid and the container can have any desired cross-sectional
shape, particularly a circular, oval, square or any desired
rectangular cross-section.
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As a rule, containers of this kind are opened in that a tool is
applied, over the opening rim of the container and under an an-
nular rim flange of the lid, the latter being detached from the
opening rim of the container by levering open with the help of
the tool. If the container is re-sealed with the lid, it cannot
be seen, possibly apart from slight marks made by the levering
tool, whether or not the lid has already been removed previ-
ously.
The object of the invention is to provide a lid, and a con-
tainer with lid, with an indicator that clearly shows whether
or not the lid has previously been lifted or detached from the
container.
According to the invention, the object is solved in that the
radially outer edge area of the lid displays an opening area,
through which a tool serving as a lever can extend through the
lid edge, and a rim of the lid is provided below the opening
area, under which the free end of the levering tool can act on
the lid and the lid can be at least partially lifted off the
container by pivoting the tool against the rim of the lid, and
the edge of the opening area displays at least one part that
can be torn off the lid, or broken, when the tool is inserted
into the opening area or the lid is levered open.
As a result of the part on the rim of the opening area that can
be torn off when the tool is used, it can unequivocally be seen
whether or not the lid has already been detached from the con-
tainer rim on a previous occasion. The opening area of the lid
with the tear-off part thus serves as a tamper-proof seal for a
container sealed with a lid.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening area is
designed as a through-hole in the edge area of the lid, through
which a suitable tool for levering open the lid can extend. The
through-hole can display a rim, facing towards the radially
outer side of the lid, that is designed as a narrow web and can
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thus be torn when levering off the lid.
In particular, the through-hole can be designed in the form of
a slot extending in the circumferential direction of the lid.
In another development of the invention, the opening area can
be sealed off by a cover before insertion of a tool, said cover
being connected to the edge of the opening area via ties, and
arranged and designed in such a way that a levering tool open
to consideration cannot be inserted into the opening area, and
up to the inner rim of the lid for application of the levering
tool, without breaking the ties.
The opening area originally at least partly sealed off by the
cover can display a rim section facing towards the radially
outer side of the lid. The rim section can likewise be de-
signed, e.g. as a narrow web, in such a way that it can be torn
when the lid is levered off by the tool.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the radially outer
edge area of the lid is designed in the form of an essentially
radially extending flange, adjacent to which in the radially
inward direction is an area with an essentially V-shaped cross-
section, specifically with an essentially axially extending an-
nular part with an indentation on the outer side, the radially
outer edge of which forms the rim of the lid for application of
the levering tool.
The indentation can particularly have the form of a radially
inward-facing right-angle bend.
Furthermore, the end of the indentation facing away from the
radially extending flange of the lid can display a radially
outward-facing annular projection, the outer side of which
transitions into an inwardly inclined surface.
The indentation on the outer side of the axially extending, an-
nular part of the lid serves to engage an inward-facing projec-
tion in the area of the container opening on the inside of the
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container to be sealed with the lid. The lid can thus be fas-
tened on the opening rim of the container opening by means of a
snap-fitting connection. On the other hand, the essentially
axially extending, annular part of the lid can also be clamped
into the radially inward-lying rim of the container opening. In
this case, the annular part of the lid interacting with the
container opening is expediently of slightly conical design.
The inwardly inclined surface adjacent to the radially outward-
facing, annular projection, or immediately adjacent to the in-
ward-facing right-angle bend, serves as a guide and centring
aid when fitting the lid on the inner rim.
An axial annular flange can be integrally moulded on the end of
the inclined surface pointing axially away from the edge area
of the lid.
Starting from the axial annular flange, the inclined surface or
the radially inward-facing right-angle bend of the essentially
axially extending annular part of the lid, an annular, conical
area is provided that extends radially inwards, axially to the
edge area of the lid and essentially up to the level of the
edge area of the lid, such that, starting from its edge area,
the cross-section of the lid is of essentially V-shaped design.
This V-shaped area transitions, via an essentially trapezoidal
section, into an axially inwardly offset, middle area of the
lid.
The outer edge of the radially extending flange of the lid can
be of inclined design in the direction of the radially extend-
ing part of the V-shaped area. As described in more detail be-
low, the purpose of the inclined outer edge of the lid is to
ensure that a tool open to consideration for levering open the
lid cannot reach between the rim area of the container opening,
on which the radially extending flange of the lid lies, or from
which it is separated by a very small gap, and the outer edge
of the radially extending flange of the lid. The inclined de-
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sign of the edge additionally prevents the tool from acting on
the outward-lying upper edge of the edge area in order to lever
open the edge area of the lid and enter the area between the
outer edge of the lid and the rim area of the container open-
5 ing.
The aforementioned object is also solved by a container with a
lid having the design features described above, where the con-
tainer displays a container wall, a container bottom and a con-
tainer opening with an opening rim, in which context the lid is
located on the radially inner side of the opening rim and can
be snapped or clamped into the container on the inside of the
container. In a preferred embodiment of the container, the con-
tainer opening displays an inwardly extending rim, against
which the radially outer edge of the lid rests.
In an expedient development of the container, the rim of the
container opening extending radially inwards transitions, on
the inside, into a flange part that is inclined relative to the
container bottom and displays a gap from the rim of the lid for
application of the levering tool, such that the free end of the
levering tool can be inserted between the flange part and the
application rim and act below the application rim.
The end of the inclined flange part pointing towards the con-
tainer bottom can be provided with a radially inward-facing,
circumferential projection that snaps into an indentation in
the essentially axially extending part of the V-shaped area of
the lid and leaves the rim for application of the levering tool
clear.
The projection is preferably designed with a T-shaped cross-
section.
A practical example of the invention is described in detail be-
low, based on the drawing. The Figures show the following:
Fig. 1 A longitudinal section through a practical example,
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comprising a container and a lid,
Fig. 2 An enlarged view of rim area A in Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 A top view of the lid of the container shown in Figs.
1 and 2,
Fig. 4 An enlarged view of rim area B in Fig. 3,
Fig. 5 A section along line C-C in Fig. 4,
Fig. 6 A longitudinal section through the lid shown Fig. 3,
and
Fig. 7 An enlarged view of rim area D in Fig. 6.
Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing show a container 1 with lid 2,
where container 1 displays a container wall 3, a container bot-
tom 4 and a container opening 5 with an opening rim 6. Lid 2 is
located on the radially inner side of opening rim 6 and can be
snapped or clamped into opening rim 6.
Container 1 with lid 2 is a paint pot, where container 1 and
lid 2 are manufactured by injection moulding.
Container opening 5 displays an opening rim 6 that extends ra-
dially inwards and on whose radially inner side the radially
outer edge 7 of lid 2 rests.
As can be seen in Figs. 3 to 5, radially outer edge area 8 of
lid 2 displays an opening area 9. The purpose of this opening
area 9 is that a levering tool can be inserted through it to
open the lid.
As shown in Fig. 5, in particular, lid 2 displays a rim 10 be-
low its edge area 8, i.e. at an axial distance from edge area
8, under which the free end of the levering tool can act on the
lid, and lid 2 can be at least partly lifted off container 1 by
pivoting the tool against rim 10. The edge of opening area 9
displays at least one part 11 that can be torn when the lid is
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levered open by the levering tool.
The condition of part 11 indicates whether lid 2 has not previ-
ously been detached from container 1, in which case part 11 is
undamaged, or whether lid 2 has already been detached from con-
tainer 1, in which case part 11 has been torn during levering
up of lid 2 by the tool, in which context the tool is supported
on opening rim 6 of container 1.
As indicated in Fig. 3, opening area 9 is designed in the form
of a slot extending in the circumferential direction of lid 2,
where part 11 of the edge of the slot has the form of a narrow
web extending on the outer side of opening area 9. If lid 2 is
lifted by the levering tool, in which context said tool is sup-
ported on part 11 and opening rim 6 of container 1, this causes
part 11 to tear.
As furthermore shown in Figs. 5 to 7, radially outer edge area
8 of lid 2 is designed in the form of an essentially radially
extending flange, adjacent to which in the radially inward di-
rection is an area with an essentially V-shaped cross-section.
Said area encompasses an essentially axially extending annular
part 12 with an indentation 13 on its outer side, whose ra-
dially outer rim 10 forms the rim for application of the lever-
ing tool. Indentation 13 is designed as a radially inward-
pointing right-angle bend of annular part 12.
Furthermore, the end of indentation 13 facing away from edge
area 8 of lid 2 displays a radially outward-facing annular pro-
jection 14, the outer side of which transitions into an in-
wardly inclined surface 15. An axial annular flange 16 is inte-
grally moulded on the end of inclined surface 15 facing axially
away from edge area 8 of lid 2. Extending from annular flange
16 is an annular, conical area 17 that extends radially in-
wards, axially to edge area 8 of lid 2 and essentially up to
the level of edge area 8 of lid 2. Starting from its edge area
8, the cross-section of lid 2 is of essentially V-shaped design
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in the radially inward direction. The V-shaped area transi-
tions, via an essentially trapezoidal section 18, into an axi-
ally inwardly offset, middle area 19 of lid 2.
Outer edge 7, and also part 11 of the edge of opening area 9 of
lid 2 designed as a narrow web, has an outward, downward incli-
nation, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The purpose of the inclined
design of edge 7 and part 11 is to ensure that a tool open to
consideration for levering open lid 2 cannot reach between
opening rim 6 of container opening 5, on which edge area 8 of
lid 2 lies, or from which it is separated by a very small gap,
and outer edge 7 or part 11 of lid 2. The inclined design addi-
tionally prevents the levering tool from acting on the upper
edge of edge 7 in order to lever open the edge area of lid 2
and enter the area between outer edge 7 of lid 2 and opening
rim 6 of container opening 5.
Lid 2 is connected to container 1 in the manner described be-
low, as can particularly be seen in Fig. 2.
The opening-side end of container 1 displays a separately in-
jection-moulded plastic frame 20, which is snap-fitted onto the
opening-side end of container 1. Frame 20 forms opening rim 6
of container 1, which projects radially inwards from container
wall 3. Opening rim 6 is designed as an essentially radially
extending annular flange, the radially inner end of which tran-
sitions into a conical flange part 21, which is inclined rela-
tive to container bottom 4. Conical flange part 21 is a dis-
tance away from rim 10 of lid 2, which is used for application
of the levering tool, such that the free end of the levering
tool can be inserted between conical flange part 21 and rim 10
and can be applied under rim 10. Located on the end of conical
flange part 21 pointing towards container bottom 4 is a ra-
dially inward-pointing annular projection 22, which can be
snapped into indentation 13 of axially extending annular part
12 of lid 2. Projection 22 is designed with a T-shaped cross-
section, with a radially extending annular web and an axially
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extending wider area, which snaps in between rim 10 and projec-
tion 14 of lid 2. Owing to the T-shaped design of projection
22, a gap remains between rim 10 of lid 2 and conical flange
part 21 of frame 20, through which the tool can extend to below
rim 10 in order to lever open lid 2.
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10 Lid and container
List of reference numbers
1 Container
2 Lid
3 Container wall
4 Container bottom
5 Container opening
6 Opening rim
7 Radially outer edge
8 Edge area
9 Opening area
10 Rim
11 Part
12 Annular part
13 Indentation
14 Projection
15 Surface
16 Annular flange
17 Conical area
18 Trapezoidal section
19 Middle area
20 Frame
21 Conical flange part
22 Projection
