Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A CONTAINER WITH AN IMPROVED CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT RESTRICTING
SPILLAGE
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for cold and hot beverages or
food, and in
particular to containers, which may be disposable or reusable, made from
flexible resilient
material, such as paperboard or plastics.
Background to the Invention
Known containers, whether disposable or reusable, such as, for example, those
used in fast
food outlets or in vending machines usually comprise a body in the form of an
inverted
truncated cone having a closed base and an open top. To prevent spilling of
the contents
of the container, a lid is usually placed over the opening of the container.
Such lids are
typically moulded from a plastics material. Such lids may also be formed from
paper. A
supply of matching lids needs to be maintained available for a user near the
supply of
containers at the vending location. Obviously, a lid has to be compatible with
the opening
of the container so as to fit securely over the rim of the container and to
prevent spillage.
There are a number of disadvantages associated with the use of such lids.
Whilst having
the same general configuration of a truncated cone, such containers come in
different sizes
and, therefore, for each container size, a different lid is normally required.
Maintaining a
stock of matching lids for every container size involves additional expense,
requires
additional storage space and managerial resources.
Furthermore, it is often difficult to
place even a matching lid over the container opening in a single attempt and
typically some
manipulation is required before the lid is finally properly put in place.
Moreover, if the lid is
pressed a little too hard against the rim of the container, the container can
tumble and
cause the contents inevitably to escape the container. Since most lids are
provided with a
spout/opening, there still remains a relatively high risk of spillage through
the spout, e.g.
when a person who is carrying the container walks or manipulates other
objects, such as
keys, mobile phone, etc. Due to the incessant popularity of fast food
services, enormous
amounts of containers and lids are being used and discarded all over the world
on a daily
basis. Whilst many containers are made from paperboard, which are renewable
and
recyclable, lids are often made from plastics which are far less
environmentally friendly.
One known type of known container which seeks to provide an arrangement for
closing a
container in the form of a cup is disclosed in W02011/063835. This known
frusto-conical
cup is made from a flexible resilient material, having a circular rim defining
the top opening
of the cup. A pair of arcuate crease lines are formed at the opposing sides of
the wall of
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the cup below the rim defining a pair of flaps for closing the top opening of
the cup by
folding the flaps along the crease lines. Due to the resilience of the cup
material, each flap
can toggle between two stable positions on application of an initial external
force on the
flap, namely an open upright position in which the flap is convex and forms
part of the wall
of the cup, and a closed slanted position in which the flap changes its shape
to concave.
In the closed mode, the rim of one flap impinges against the inner face of the
second flap.
The flaps remain relatively rigid in the closed mode due to static opposing
forces acting
between the flaps. When the rim of one flap impinges against the inner face of
the second
flap there are gaps or flap openings between the flaps adjacent the ends of
the crease
lines, and these gaps provide openings through which the cup contents can be
consumed,
e.g. by tilting the cup or through a drinking straw. However, the cup contents
can also
splash or spill through the openings if the cup is shaken or otherwise
subjected to impact.
A closure arrangement to reduce or restrict splashing and spillage of the cup
contents
through the flap openings is described in W02017/207466. This closure
arrangement
provides a closure leaf attached to the inner side of one of the flaps so that
the closure leaf
is movable with that flap.
When the flaps of the cup are closed, the closure leaf is
positioned underneath the flap opening thereby restricting spillages. When the
flaps of the
cup are in the upright position, the closure leaf is also upright to allow
multiple cups to be
stacked efficiently. Whilst providing an efficient barrier to reduce splashes
and spillages
and facilitating stacking, there are a number of drawbacks associated with
this
arrangement. The first drawback is that in cups of larger volumes and/or with
a wider top
opening diameter, the seal created by the countervailing pressure between the
first closure
flap and the second closure flap when the cup is in the closed position (i.e.
by static
opposing forces acting between the flaps), becomes weaker as the diameter of
the cup
becomes wider. Furthermore, the stiffness of the cup wall near the rim
diminishes to the
extent that the cup wall may become easily deformable when the cup is
ordinarily gripped
by a user. Also, when the cup is used for hot beverages or food, the material
of the cup
often becomes softer so that the cup wall can be easily deformed at the top
when ordinarily
gripped and the seal created by the countervailing pressure (static opposing
forces acting
between the flaps) is further weakened. This increasing weakness in the seal
is
accentuated by a user gripping or squeezing the cup. The combined effects of a
wider cup
diameter, hot contents and gripping by a user undermine the structural
strength of the cup
and the seal that is generated by the countervailing pressure between the
first closure flap
and the second closure flap (static opposing forces acting between the flaps)
when the cup
is in the closed position. The increased deformability results in a greater
risk of spillages in
larger cups designed to hold a larger volume of contents.
While the countervailing
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pressure generated between the closure flaps, combined with the existing
closure leaf,
helps to maintain a satisfactory degree of rigidity in smaller cups, it does
so to a lesser
extent in larger cups. One partial solution to the above issues would be to
make the cup
from a thicker and/or stiffer material. However, this would lead to the
increase of material
usage per cup, and the resulting increases in manufacturing cost and disposal
burden. A
second drawback is that when the cup is in the closed position lateral ends of
the closure
leaf (which is shaped approximately similarly to the shape of the closure
flap) are prone to
sagging out of the planar position, thereby reducing the structural strength
that a more
planar and rigid closure leaf would provide to the cup. A third drawback with
the current
design, in instances where the closure leaf extends or protrudes above the rim
of the
container when the container is in the open position, is that (1) the
protruding portion of the
closure leaf is more easily prone to be damaged as it is more exposed, (2) the
protruding
portion of the closure leaf makes the containers more difficult to stack and
also more
difficult to load into cup dispensing units, (3) the protruding portion of the
closure leaf
increases the overall height of the container causing it to not fit under some
beverage
dispensing machines, (4) the protruding portion impairs the user experience by
impeding
access to the body of the cup for adding sugar, stirring or the option of
drinking from the
cup while leaving the closure flaps in the open position, and (5) the
protruding portion of the
closure leaf makes stacking and handling of the container more difficult
during the container
manufacturing process.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to alleviate
and mitigate the
above disadvantages and provide an improved closure arrangement for a
container,
whether disposable or reusable to further minimise the risk of spillage or
leakage of the
container contents.
Summary of the Invention
Accordingly, in a first aspect the present invention provides a container
comprising a wall
having an outer side, an inner side, a closed base at one end and a generally
curved rim at
an opposite end, the rim defining a top opening of the container, the
container further
comprising:
a pair of substantially arcuate crease lines formed in the wall of the
container at
opposite sides of the wall below the rim; wherein each crease line has first
and second
ends coinciding with the rim; wherein each crease line and the portion of the
rim between
the first and second ends of the crease line define a flap having an outer
face and an inner
face; wherein each crease line is configured to act as a hinge allowing each
flap to toggle
between two positions upon application of an initial external force on the
flap, the two
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positions being an open upright position in which the flap is convex and forms
part of the
wall of the container, and a closed lowered position in which the flap changes
its shape to
concave;
wherein the container further comprises a closure arrangement operable to
restrict
at least one flap opening defined at or adjacent the positions where the ends
of each
crease line coincide with the rim of the container when the flaps are in the
closed lowered
position, wherein the closure arrangement comprises at least one closure leaf
attached to
the inner side of the container wall;
wherein the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the container wall
so as to
be movable by and with a movement of the first one of the flaps;
wherein at least a portion of the closure leaf extends underneath and
downwardly
spaced from said flap opening when the flaps are in the closed lowered
position;
characterised in that the closure leaf is resiliently bendable and has a
portion
extending below the crease line of the first flap.
For ease of reference, the portion extending below the crease line of the
first flap
will hereinafter be referred to as a "leg portion". However, it will be
appreciated that the
term "leg portion" is not in any way limited to any particular size or shape
or configuration.
Indeed, while the "leg portion" can be provided, for example, in the form of
an extension to
a main portion of the closure leaf, the leg portion may also be a region or a
portion of the
closure leaf indistinguishable by any visual features from the whole of the
closure leaf.
Preferably, the closure leaf is resiliently bendable upon application of an
external
force to the closure leaf. Preferably, the closure leaf is capable of
returning into its original
unbent, i.e. relaxed, state upon withdrawal of the external force due to the
inherent
resilience of the material of the closure leaf.
In a first variation, the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the
container wall
at a location below the crease line of the first flap. Preferably, the closure
leaf is attached
to the inner side of the container wall at a location below the crease line of
the first flap by
the leg portion.
In a second variation, the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the
container
wall above the crease line of the first flap, i.e. to the first flap and above
the leg portion.
Preferably, the closure leaf is attached to the first flap at a location
spaced from the position
where the ends of the crease lines coincide with the rim at the flap opening
being restricted.
Preferably, the leg portion extends below the crease line of the first flap
when the
first flap is in the open upright position and when the first flap is in the
closed lowered
position.
Preferably, in the open upright position of the first flap, the closure leaf,
including the
leg portion is relaxed.
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Preferably, in the closed lowered position of the first flap, at least a
portion of the
closure leaf extends underneath the first flap and across the top opening of
the container
and the closure leaf assumes a resiliently bent state as the leg portion
becomes biased
against the inner side of the container wall below the crease line of the
first flap. Thus,
5 when the first flap is in the closed lowered position, the leg portion
causes the closure leaf
to apply pressure on the inner side of the container wall, effectively causing
the closure leaf
to act as a spring on the container wall, applying pressure from the inside
and imparting an
extra degree of rigidity on the upper portion of the container by resisting
displacement and
rendering the container less prone to deformation when the container is
gripped or
squeezed by a user. This effectively reduces the risk of spills or leakage.
Preferably, in the bent state of the closure leaf, lateral bent edges of the
closure leaf
abut or impinge on the inner side of the container wall at locations
downwardly spaced from
the positions where the ends of each crease line coincide with the rim of the
container. The
spring-like pressure generated by bending the closure leaf and anchoring the
leg portion
against the wall of the container helps to maintain the bent region of the
closure leaf in a
straight line in the direction between the lateral edges downwardly spaced
from the flap
openings and prevents peripheral portions of the closure leaf from sagging.
This imparts
rigidity onto the container by pressing against the inner side of the
container wall when the
flap is closed. The lateral bent edges of the closure leaf impart additional
stiffness on the
upper portion of the container by resisting displacement when the container is
gripped or
squeezed by a user. In this regard, the distance between the opposite lateral
bent edges
of the closure leaf in the direction parallel to the line of bending of the
closure leaf is
preferably sufficient to allow the lateral edges of the closure leaf to abut
or impinge on the
inner side of the container wall when the closure leaf is in a bent state
thereby imparting
increased rigidity onto the upper portion of the container. The
spring-like pressure
generated by bending the closure leaf also enhances a positive contact between
the rim of
the first flap and the inner side of the second flap when the flaps are
closed, by pressing the
first flap upward, thus improving a seal which may form between the flaps.
Each of the
above described first and second variations of the closure leaf are capable of
imparting
sufficient and effective rigidity onto the upper portion of the container,
while the rigidity
provided by the first variation, i.e. in which the closure leaf is attached to
the container wall
below the crease line, has been found to be somewhat greater and more reliable
than the
rigidity provided by the closure leaf of the second variation, i.e. the one in
which the closure
leaf is attached to the container wall above the crease line.
Thus, the closure leaf of the invention when in the closed position helps the
upper
portion of the container to keep its shape relatively rigid and helps to
maintain the structural
strength of the container and thereby prevents the upper portion of the
container from being
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deformed when the container is ordinarily gripped.
Thus, the present invention allows
thinner or less dense material, e.g. thinner paper, plastic or other material,
to be used to
make the container or eliminates the necessity to use thicker or denser
material for
containers of larger volume. The invention also helps to maintain the shape of
the top part
of the container when the container is heated by hot contents. The invention
also helps to
improve the strength of the seal which may be formed between the closure flaps
when the
flaps are in the closed position.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it allows a lighter
material to be
used than would otherwise be required in the manufacture of containers of a
larger size.
An additional advantage of the above described first variation of the closure
leaf lies
in that, because the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the
container wall below the
crease line, the closure leaf does not need to protrude out beyond the rim of
the container
when the first flap is in the open upright position in order to be able to
extend fully or
substantially fully across the top opening of the container and to restrict
the flap openings
efficiently when the first and second flaps are in the closed lowered
position. The closure
leaf may have a top edge which his substantially level with the rim of the
container or even
below the rim when the closure flap is in the open upright position. When the
first flap is
moved down, the first flap will slide over the closure leaf as it bends the
closure leaf down
because the closure leaf is not attached to the first flap, but instead is
attached to the inner
side of the container wall below the crease lines delineating the first flap.
This relative
sliding of the first flap over the closure leaf allows the top edge of the
closure leaf to
protrude beyond the rim of the first flap when the closure leaf and the first
flap are in the
closed lowered position. This allows the closure leaf to extend substantially
fully across the
top opening of the container when the first flap is closed but not necessarily
when the first
flap is open. The
absence in the closure leaf of a protrusion beyond the rim of the
container when the first flap is in the open upright position facilitates
manufacture, storage
and stacking of multiple containers, filling of containers and improves user
experience. In
contrast, in the closure leaf of the second variation, in order to be able to
extend fully or
substantially fully across the top opening of the container, the top edge of
the closure leaf
needs to protrude out beyond the rim of the container when the first flap is
in the open
upright position. This is because the closure leaf is attached to the first
flap and the first
flap therefore does not slide over the closure leaf when the first flap is
lowered into the
closed position.
Upon return of the first flap into the open upright position, the closure leaf
relaxes
and returns into its original unbent state due to the inherent resilience of
the closure leaf.
Preferably, the inherent resilience of the closure leaf allows the closure
leaf to return into
the unbent state without the requirement for an external force to be applied
to the closure
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leaf.
Preferably, the bending of the closure leaf is achieved through the
resiliently
deformable elastic properties of the material of the closure leaf.
Preferably, the closure leaf is positioned upright and, preferably,
concentrically with
the first flap when the first flap is in the open upright position. In one
arrangement, the
closure leaf is superimposed on the first flap. When
the first flap is being closed, the
closure leaf is moved down by and together with the first flap so that the
closure leaf is
positioned substantially across the top opening of the container when the
first flap is in the
closed lowered position and the closure leaf becomes resiliently bent and the
leg portion
becomes biased against the inner side of the container wall below the crease
line of the first
flap in the closed lowered position of the first flap.
When the flaps are in the closed lowered position, the flap opening(s) is/are
restricted by the closure leaf in that spills are prevented or reduced when
the container is
generally upright and is shaken or otherwise subjected to impact.
However, the flap
opening is preferably not sealed off completely by the closure leaf and
passage of the
container contents is still possible through the flap opening when the
container is tilted,
enabling drinking or pouring from the container. For this purpose, the closure
leaf may be
shaped appropriately, e.g. smaller than the top opening of the container
and/or with suitable
one or more cut-outs, notches, holes or similar arrangements for allowing
contents moving
out from the container to bypass the closure leaf and exit the container
through the flap
opening. In some arrangements however, e.g. in food containers, the closure
leaf may be
sized and shaped to close off the top opening of the container fully. When the
first flap is
moved into the open upright position, the closure leaf is also pivoted
together with the first
flap away from the position in which the closure leaf restricts the flap
opening and assumes
the upright orientation together with the first flap. This allows multiple
containers to be
stacked into each other in a space efficient manner. Also, the top opening of
the container
is unobstructed during pouring, filling or emptying.
When it is necessary to close the
container by the flaps, the closure leaf is moved into the position in which
the closure leaf
restricts the flap opening in one motion simultaneously with the first flap.
No separate
action is necessary to move the closure leaf into the position in which the
closure leaf
restricts the flap opening. Furthermore, it is ensured with a high level of
accuracy that the
closure leaf is positioned correctly underneath the flap opening.
Preferably, in the second variation described above, a portion of the closure
leaf
proximal to the flap opening(s) is unattached to the first flap and the
closure leaf is attached
to the first flap by a portion distal from the flap opening.
In one arrangement, when the flaps are in the closed lowered position, the
closure
leaf extends tangentially in relation to the first flap, such that a portion
of the closure leaf
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proximal to the flap opening is spaced apart from the first flap and the
portion of the closure
leaf distal from the flap opening is in contact with the first flap.
The closure leaf is preferably made from a suitable elastic resiliently
deformable
material, such as, for example, a suitable type of paperboard or plastics. The
closure leaf
may be substantially planar, convex or concave when the flaps are in the
closed lowered
position and may bend to conform to the arcuate shape of the first flap and
the inner side of
the container wall when the flaps are in the open upright position.
Preferably, in the second variation described above, the closure leaf is
attached to
the first flap at a location spaced from the portion of the rim and the crease
line which
define the first flap. Preferably, the closure leaf is attached to the first
flap at a location
intermediate opposite ends of the portion of the rim and the crease line which
define the
first flap. The closure leaf may be attached to the first flap at a central
location on the first
flap.
As described above, the closure leaf may impinge against the inner side of the
container wall underneath and downwardly spaced from the flap opening when the
first flap
is in the closed lowered position. The portion of the closure leaf which
impinges against the
inner side of the container wall may have an edge portion shaped to conform to
the inner
side of the container wall to further ensure that the contents of the
container do not spill
from the flap opening. Accordingly, splashing is minimised and the rate of
spillage if the
container is knocked over is reduced. The present invention thus improves the
spill-
resistant properties of the container, whilst, if required for drinking or
pouring, permitting the
container to allow the passage of the container contents when tilted for
drinking and
pouring.
The closure leaf may be of any suitable shape as required or desired, and may
be
adapted to have a shape specifically suited to the shape of the container and
the function
that is to be performed. For example, the closure leaf may be substantially
round, oval,
polygonal or irregular shaped as needed. Furthermore, the closure leaf may be
formed
with suitable one or more cut-outs, notches, holes or similar arrangements for
allowing
contents moving out from the container to bypass the closure leaf and exit the
container
through the flap opening. The closure leaf may be shaped to restrict only one
flap opening
of the container. The closure leaf may be shaped to restrict a pair of
opposite flap
openings of the container. If needed, the closure leaf may be shaped to close
the top
opening of the container fully when the flap which moves the closure leaf is
closed. One,
two or more closure leaves may be provided, to restrict the top opening of the
container or
the flap openings as required.
The closure leaf may be made of the same material as the container, or may
alternatively be made of a heavier gauge or a lighter gauge and/or an
alternative material
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for additional strength or functionality.
In use, in order to close the container, the first flap, i.e. the one to which
the closure
leaf is either attached directly or attached in a position downwardly spaced
from the first
flap, is closed first and the other flap is closed second.
Each crease line may be configured such that the open upright position in
which the
flap is convex and forms part of the wall of the container, and the closed
lowered position in
which the flap changes its shape to concave are stable positions; wherein the
resilience of
the flap material causes the flap to complete the toggle and prevents the flap
from stopping
in a position intermediate the open upright and the closed lowered positions.
The length of
each crease line and the shortest distance between a point of the crease line
axially most
remote from the rim of the flap and the rim may be selected such that when the
flaps are
moved to the closed lowered position, each flap assumes a slanted orientation
in relation to
the base of the container, wherein the rim of a first flap impinges against
the inner face of
the second flap and wherein the two flaps form a double slope roof across the
top opening
of the container.
In one arrangement, when the flaps are closed a spill-tight seal may be formed
between the rim of the first flap and an inner face of the second flap.
When one of the flaps, e.g. the first flap, is allowed to move fully into the
closed
lowered position, the second flap may be prevented from moving fully into the
closed
lowered position by the rim of the first flap. The rim of the first flap may
be prevented from
being deformed by the second flap due to the resilience of the material of the
container, so
that the second flap remains statically forced against the rim of the first
flap towards the
closed lowered position due to the resilience of the container material. The
counteracting
forces between the rim of the first flap and the inner face of the second flap
may be
sufficient to push the respective rim and the inner face together into a
positive contact,
which in some instances may help to form a seal between the flaps. The closure
leaf of
the present invention helps to increase both the structural strength of the
container and the
seal that is generated by the countervailing pressure between the first
closure flap and the
second closure flap (i.e. by static opposing forces acting between the flaps)
when the
container is in the closed position. The spring-like characteristics generated
by the closure
leaf of the invention when in the closed position also helps to maintain and
increase the
strength of the seal created by the countervailing pressures between the
closure flaps.
The flap openings remaining at or adjacent the location where opposite ends of
the
crease lines coincide with the rim of the container serve as drinking
apertures, but, in
absence of a closure arrangement, spillage of the container contents can also
occur
through these flap openings. It will be appreciated that only one flap opening
may be
formed when the flaps are in the closed lowered position. The provision of a
closure leaf,
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according to the invention, is operable to restrict or protect the flap
openings formed at the
rim of the container when the flaps are moved into the closed lowered
position, and so
provides a means to prevent or improve against splashing of the container
contents through
the flap openings and reduce the rate of spillage if the container is knocked
over. The
5 present invention thus improves the spill-resistant properties for the
container, whilst, if
required for drinking or pouring, permitting the container to allow the
passage of the
container contents when tilted for drinking and pouring. The closure leaf of
the present
invention also permits stacking of multiple containers, unobstructed pouring
of contents into
the container and provides for correct positioning of the closure leaf
underneath the flap
10 opening in one movement simultaneously with the downward movement of the
first flap.
The closure leaf may be connected to the inner side of the container wall by
an
adhesive, by an ultrasonic weld and/or with the use of heat sealing.
The closure leaf may be integrally formed with the container.
In the first variation described above, the closure leaf may be provided as an
insert
for removably inserting the closure leaf into the container. The closure leaf
may include an
insert portion, the insert portion being adapted to be inserted into the
container and
attached to the inner side of the container wall. The insert portion may be
shaped to
conform to the shape of the inner side of the container wall, wherein upon
insertion into the
container, the insert portion snugly engages the inner side of the container
wall and is
retained in position due to cooperation with the container wall. The retention
of the insert
portion in snug engagement with the inner side of the container wall may be
achieved in a
number of ways apparent to a skilled person. For example, the insert portion
may be
provided in the form of a leaf spring which needs to be compressed to be
inserted into the
container and expands upon being located inside the container so as to engage
inner side
of the container wall. The insert portion may be provided as a ring or a
portion of a ring.
If the container wall is tapered, the insert portion may be provided as a ring
or a portion of a
ring having a taper matching that of a specific section of the container wall,
so that upon
insertion of the insert portion into the container, the insert portion is
retained in the specific
section of the container by the tapered wall of the container. The provision
of the container
as an insert simplifies the manufacturing process of the container of the
invention and
dispenses with the need to use adhesives or other fastening means in order to
attach the
closure leaf to the inner side of the container wall. The insert portion is
preferably provided
at the leg portion of the closure leaf.
Preferred materials for the container are flexible resilient materials such as
paperboard or plastics, the paperboard being a more preferred material due to
its ability to
be recycled.
Preferably, the container is a cup. Alternatively, the container is a jug, a
carton or a
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vessel for drinking or for carrying or storing a liquid, semi-solid or solid
contents.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a container comprising a
wall
having an outer side, an inner side, a closed base at one end and a generally
curved rim of
at an opposite end, the rim defining a top opening of the container, the
container further
comprising:
at least one substantially arcuate crease line formed in the wall of the
container
below the rim; wherein the crease line has first and second ends coinciding
with the rim;
wherein the crease line and the portion of the rim between the first and
second ends of the
crease line define a flap having an outer face and an inner face; wherein the
crease line is
configured to act as a hinge allowing the flap to toggle between two positions
upon
application of an initial external force on the flap, the two positions being
an open upright
position in which the flap is convex and forms part of the wall of the
container, and a closed
lowered position in which the flap changes its shape to concave;
wherein the container further comprises a closure arrangement operable to
restrict
at least one flap opening defined between the portion of rim defining the flap
and the inner
side of the container wall when the flap is in the closed lowered position;
wherein the closure arrangement comprises at least one closure leaf on the
inner
side of the container wall;
wherein the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the container wall
so as to
be movable by and with the first flap; and
wherein the closure leaf extends across the flap opening in plan view when the
first
flap is in the closed lowered position;
characterised in that the closure leaf is resiliently bendable and has a
portion
extending below the crease line of the flap.
The closure leaf is substantially as described in connection with the first
aspect of
the invention.
The closure leaf may extend underneath the flap opening in side view when the
flap
is in the closed lowered position.
Such an arrangement may be particularly useful in a food container for holding
viscous or solid foods (e.g. soup or finger food). The closure leaf in this
arrangement
prevents the contents from spilling, whereas the flap does not come into
contact with the
contents and remains clean on the inside and the outside when the flap is
lifted into the
open position.
Any food particles will remain on the closure leaf and not on the flap.
Accordingly, the container wall remains un-stained and the user receives a
pleasant
experience from using the container.
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In a third aspect, the invention provides a container comprising a wall having
an outer side,
an inner side, a closed base at one end and a generally curved rim at an
opposite end, the
rim defining a top opening of the container, the container further comprising:
a pair of substantially arcuate crease lines formed in the wall of the
container at
opposite sides of the wall below the rim; wherein each crease line has first
and second
ends coinciding with the rim; wherein each crease line and the portion of the
rim between
the first and second ends of the crease line define a flap having an outer
face and an inner
face; wherein each crease line is configured to act as a hinge allowing each
flap to toggle
between two positions upon application of an initial external force on the
flap, the two
positions being an open upright position in which the flap is convex and forms
part of the
wall of the container, and a closed lowered position in which the flap changes
its shape to
concave;
wherein the container further comprises a closure arrangement operable to
restrict
at least one flap opening defined at or adjacent the positions where the ends
of each
crease line coincide with the rim of the container when the flaps are in the
closed lowered
position, wherein the closure arrangement comprises at least one closure leaf
attached to
the inner side of the container wall;
wherein at least a portion of the closure leaf extends underneath and
downwardly
spaced from said flap opening when the flaps are in the closed lowered
position;
characterised in that the closure leaf has a portion, which can be referred to
as a
"leg" portion for brevity, extending below the crease line of the first flap;
and
wherein the closure leaf is provided as an insert for removably inserting the
closure
leaf into the container.
The closure leaf is substantially as described in connection with the first
aspect of
the invention, however, it need not necessarily be resiliently bendable and
not necessarily
movable by and with a movement of the first one of the flaps.
The insert portion of the closure leaf is preferably attached to the inner
side of the
container wall below the crease lines.
It will be appreciated that features of the first aspect of the invention can
be
incorporated into the second and third aspects mutatis mutandis. The features
of the
second and third aspects can be combined as appropriate.
It will be appreciated that the terms "inner", "inwardly", "outer",
"outwardly", "axially",
"longitudinally" or similar are used in relation to a central longitudinal
axis of the container.
Accordingly, the terms "convex" and "concave" are to be understood as,
respectively, "bent
outwardly and inwardly in relation to the central axis". It will also be
appreciated that the
terms "up", "upper", "upright", "down", "lower", downward", "lowered" and
"slanted" are used
in relation to the base of the container.
Also, the terms "container" and "cup" are
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interchangeable.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings which
show, by way of example only, embodiments of a container according to the
invention. In
the drawings:
Figs. 1 to 7 are various views of a container formed as a cup according to the
prior
art;
Fig. 8 is a perspective schematic view of a container formed as a cup showing
a
closure arrangement according to a variation of the first aspect of the
invention;
Fig. 9 is a plan view of the cup of Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a fully closed cup of Fig. 8 and Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a plan view of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a cross-section of the cup of Fig. 11 made along the lines X ¨ X in
Figure
11;
Fig. 13 is a perspective schematic view of a container formed as a cup showing
a
closure arrangement according to another variation of the first aspect of the
invention;
Fig. 14 is a plan view of the cup of Fig. 13;
Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a fully closed cup of Fig. 13 and Fig. 14;
Fig. 16 is a plan view of Fig. 15;
Fig. 17 is a cross-section of the cup of Fig. 16 made along the lines Y ¨ Y in
Figure
16;
Fig. 18 is a perspective partially cutaway view of a fully closed cup of Fig.
13 to Fig.
17;
Figs. 19 and 20 are respectively a perspective and a plan view of a variation
of the
cup of Figs. 13 to 18;
Fig. 21 is a schematic plan view of a container formed as a cup showing a
closure
arrangement according to a variation of the second aspect of the invention;
Fig. 22 is perspective view of a partially closed cup of Fig. 21;
Fig. 23 is a schematic plan view of a container formed as a cup showing a
closure
arrangement according to another variation of the second aspect of the
invention; and
Fig. 24 is perspective view of a partially closed cup of Fig. 23.
Since the present invention is defined in the appended claims, the embodiments
described below should not be construed as limiting the claimed invention. For
example
only, in the following description the features of the present invention will
be described as
they relate to a container embodied as a cup. However, it will be understood
that other
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embodiments for a container are also envisaged, such as a jug, a carton, and a
vessel for
drinking or for carrying or storing a liquid, a semi-solid or solid contents,
and that therefore
reference in the following description to a container formed as a cup only
should in no way
be seen as limiting.
Referring initially to Figs. 1 to 7, a cup in accordance with the prior art is
indicated
generally by reference numeral 1. The cup 1 is made from a flexible resilient
material,
such as paperboard or a plastics material.
The cup 1 has a wall 2 having a shape of a truncated cone having a central
axis 3, a
closed base 4 of an optionally smaller diameter at one end and a generally
circular rim 5 of
optionally larger diameter at an opposite end. It will be appreciated that the
invention is not
limited to a circular cross-section of the cup wall. Indeed, a generally
curved, e.g. oval or
other shape cross-section of the cup is within the scope of the present
invention. It is also
within the scope of the present invention to have a protruding spout or
drinking opening.
The rim 5 defines a top opening 6 of the cup 1. The rim 5 and base 4 may also
be of the
same diameter. The base may be of any shape, including, but not limited
thereto, circular,
oval, square, rectangular or other complex or irregular shape.
A pair of substantially arcuate crease lines 7, 8 is formed in the wall 2 of
the cup 1 at
opposite sides of the wall 2 below the rim 5. Each crease line 7, 8 has first
and second
ends 7a, 8a and 7b, 8b, respectively. The ends of the crease lines 7a, 8a, 7b,
8b coincide
with the rim 5. Also, each end 7a, 7b of a first crease line 7 substantially
coincides with a
corresponding end 8a, 8b of the second crease line 8 on the rim 5 of the cup,
although it
will be understood that in order to provide a container having a drinking or
pouring spout or
funnel, the ends 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b of the crease lines 7,8 may not coincide with
each other at
the rim 5 so as to create a sufficiently wide opening at the rim 5, as shown
in Fig. 7 by gaps
5a, 5b, thereby creating a drinking or pouring funnel or opening 100a, 100b.
Each crease line 7, 8 and the respective portion 57, 58 of the rim 5 between
the
respective first and second ends 7a, 7b; 8a, 8b of the crease line 7, 8 define
a flap 70, 80,
respectively. Each flap 70, 80 has an outer face 70a, 80a and an inner face
70b, 80b,
respectively.
Each crease line 7, 8 is configured using a suitable method (e.g. by bending,
scoring or differential forming, such as in the case of plastic cups, the
material of the wall 2)
to act as a hinge to allow each flap 70, 80 to toggle between two stable
positions upon
application of an initial external force on the flap 70, 80. One of the two
stable positions is
an open upright position in which the flap 70, 80 is convex and forms part of
the wall 2 of
the cup, for example, as shown in Fig. 1. The second of the two stable
positions is a
closed lowered position in which the flap 70, 80 changes its shape to concave,
for example,
as shown in Fig. 4 and 5.
In the presently described embodiment, a flap 70, 80 is
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prevented from remaining in a position intermediate the open upright and the
closed
lowered positions due to the resilience of its material and because in an
intermediate
position the flap 70, 80 becomes distorted, e.g. corrugated, because the
length of the flap
70, 80 in the circumferential directions is greater than the length of a plane
defined by the
5 respective crease line 7, 8. When pushed into an intermediate position by
an external
force and upon subsequent removal of the external force, the flap 70, 80
assumes either
the concave shape in the closed lowered position or the convex shape in the
open upright
position under the influence of the inherent resilience of the cup material.
The resilience of
the cup material causes the flap 70, 80 to complete the toggle without the
need for the
10 continued application of the external force and prevents the flap 70, 80
from stopping in a
position intermediate the open upright and the closed lowered positions.
It will be
appreciated that in other embodiments, the two positions need not be stable.
The length of each crease line 7, 8 and the distance between points P1 and P2,
as
shown in Fig. 1, respectively, of the crease line 7, 8 axially most remote
from the rim
15 portions 57, 58 of the flap 70, 80 and the rim 5 are such that when the
flaps 70, 80 are
closed, each flap 70, 80 assumes a lowered, curved and/or angled orientation
in relation to
the base 4 of the cup 1. Furthermore, a first flap, e.g. flap 70, is allowed
to move fully into
the closed lowered position as shown in Fig. 4. The second flap, i.e. flap 80,
is prevented
from moving fully into the closed lowered position by the rim portion 57 of
the first flap which
impinges against the inner face 80b of the second flap 80 substantially along
the full length
of the rim portion 57 of the first flap 70. The rim portion 57 of the first
flap 70 is prevented
from being deformed by the second flap 80 due to the resilience of the
material of the first
flap 70 (i.e. the material of the cup 1), while the second flap 80 remains
statically forced
against the rim portion 57 of the first flap 70 towards the fully closed
lowered position due to
the resilience of the material of the second flap 80 (i.e. the material of the
cup 1), as shown
in Fig. 5. Due to the continuous forced contact between the rim portion 57 of
the first flap
70 and the inner face 80b of the second flap 80, a spill-tight seal may be
formed along the
length of the rim portion 57 of the first flap 70. As shown in Figs. 5 to 7,
the two flaps 70,
80 form a double-slope roof across the top opening 6 of the cup 1. It will be
appreciated
that in other embodiments, the flaps may not be required to impinge against
each other or
to form a double-slope roof or a seal.
When the flaps 70, 80 are closed, there are noticeable gaps or flap openings
100a,
100b located near the ends 57a, 57b, 58a, 58b of the rim portions 57, 58 where
the ends of
the crease lines 7a, 8a and 7b, 8b coincide with the cup rim 5, and these
openings provide
an outlet through which spillage of the contents of the cup 1 may occur. The
present
invention now provides an improved closure arrangement to restrict or protect
the flap
openings 100a, 100b to thereby prevent or improve against splashing of the
container
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contents when the container is in a generally upright position and reduce the
rate of spillage
if the container is knocked over. The present invention thus improves the
splash-resistant
and spill-resistant properties for the container, whilst, if required for
drinking or pouring,
permitting the container to allow the passage of container contents when
tilted for drinking
and pouring. It will be understood that the ends of the crease lines 7a, 8a
and 7b, 8b may
not coincide with the rim 5 in order to create a sufficiently wide opening at
the rim 5 for the
formation of a drinking and/or pouring spout or funnel.
Referring now to Figs. 8 to 18, two variations of a cup in accordance with a
first
aspect of the invention, indicated generally by reference numerals 10, 20,
respectively, will
be described. The cup 10,20 includes most of the features of the prior art cup
1 and for
brevity parts of the cup 10, 20 which are common with the prior art cup 1 have
been
indicated using common reference numerals. Also, like parts of the cup 10, 20
have been
indicated using like reference numerals.
In the cup 10, 20, the closure arrangement
comprises at least one closure leaf 130, 230 for restricting each of the
opposite gaps or flap
openings 100a, 100b formed when the flaps 70, 80 are folded. Although the
closure leaf
130, 230 is shown in the drawings to restrict both flap openings 100a, 100b,
it will be
understood that the cup 10 may require the closure leaf 130, 230 to restrict
only one flap
opening where a single flap opening is to be sealed or where only one flap
opening is
provided in the cup 10, 20. For example, and depending on the specific
application of the
invention, it may be desirable to allow the container contents to have an
unimpeded flow
through one of the two flap openings, and to restrict flow through the other
of the two flap
openings, in which case the inclusion of a closure leaf 130, 230 to restrict
only one of the
flap openings would be required. Reference to the closure leaf 130, 230 as
restricting one
flap opening or restricting two opposite flap openings should therefore in no
way be seen as
limiting. Thus, depending on the specific requirements, the closure leaf 130,
230 may be
shaped to restrict only one flap opening of the cup 10, 20. The closure leaf
130, 230 also
may be shaped to restrict both flap openings 70,80 of the cup 10, 20.
Furthermore, a pair
of (or multiple) closure leaves 130, 230 may be provided on the same flap, to
restrict
respective opposite flap openings 70, 80.
In the presently described embodiment, in use, the closure leaf 130, 230 is
shaped
to restrict the openings 100a, 100b from within the cup 10, 20 to reduce
splashing of the
container contents.
The closure leaf 130 in Figures 8 to 12 is attached on the inner side of the
cup wall
2 to a first one of the flaps 70, 80, for example, the flap 70, at a location
A spaced from the
position where the ends 7a, 8a, 7b, 8b of the crease lines 7, 8 coincide with
the rim 5 at the
flap opening 100a, 100b and the closure leaf 130 is movable with the first
flap 70. In the
presently described arrangement, the closure leaf 130 is attached to the first
flap 70 at a
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central location on the first flap 70 spaced from the portion of the rim 5 and
the crease line 7
which define the first flap 70.
The closure leaf 230 in Figures 13 to 18 is attached to the inner side of the
cup wall
2 at a location B below the crease line 7 of the first flap 70.
The closure leaf 130, 230 is attached to the inner side of the container wall
2 so as
to be movable by and with the first flap 70.
In use, in order to close the cup 10, 20, the first flap 70 is closed first
and the other
flap 80 is closed second, as indicated by respective arrows I and ll in
Figures 8, 10, 13 and
15.
The closure leaf 130, 230 is resiliently bendable and has a portion 133, 233
extending below the crease line 7 of the first flap 70. For ease of reference,
the portion
133, 233 extending below the crease line of the first flap 70 will hereinafter
be referred to as
a "leg portion". However, it will be appreciated that the term "leg portion"
is not in any way
limited to any particular size or shape or configuration. Indeed, while the
leg portion 133,
233 can be provided, for example, in the form of an extension to a main
portion of the
closure leaf 130, 230, the leg portion 133, 233 may also be a region or a
portion of the
closure leaf 130, 230 indistinguishable by any visual features from the whole
of the closure
leaf 130, 230. The closure leaf 130, 230 is resiliently bendable upon
application of an
external force to the closure leaf 130, 230 and is capable of returning into
its original
unbent, i.e. relaxed, state upon withdrawal of the external force due to the
inherent
resilience of the material of the closure leaf 130, 230. The leg portion 133,
233 extends
below the crease line 7 of the first flap 70 when the first flap 70 is in the
open upright
position and when the first flap 70 is in the closed lowered position.
The closure leaf 230 is attached to the inner side of the cup wall 2 at a
location
below the crease line 7 of the first flap 70 by the leg portion 233.
In the open upright position of the first flap 70, the closure leaf 130, 230
is relaxed
(Figures 8, 9, 13 and 14).
In the closed lowered position of the first flap 70, at least a
portion of the closure leaf 130, 230 extends broadly horizontally and
underneath the first
flap 70 and across the top opening of the cup 10,20 and the closure leaf 130,
230 assumes
a resiliently bent state as the leg portion 133, 233 is biased against the
inner side of the cup
wall 2 below the crease line 7 of the first flap 70 in the closed lowered
position of the first
flap 70 (Figures 10 to 12 and 15 to 18).
The bending of the closure leaf 130, 230 is
achieved through the resiliently deformable elastic properties of the material
of the closure
leaf 130, 230
Accordingly, when the first flap 70 is in the closed lowered position, the leg
portion
133, 233 causes the closure leaf 130, 230 to apply pressure on the inner side
of the cup
wall 2, effectively acting as a spring on the cup wall 2, applying pressure
from the inside.
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This spring-like pressure caused by the closure leaf helps the upper portion
of the cup 10,
20 to keep its shape relatively rigid and prevents the upper portion of the
cup 10, 20 from
being deformed when the cup 10, 20 is ordinarily gripped. Thus, the present
invention
allows thinner or less dense material, e.g. thinner paper or plastic or other
material, to be
used to make the cup or eliminates the necessity to use thicker or denser
material for cups
of larger volume. A further advantage of the present invention is that it
allows a lighter
material to be used than would otherwise be required in the manufacture of
cups of a larger
size. The invention also helps to maintain the shape and structural strength
of the top part
of the cup 10, 20 when the cup 10, 20 is heated by hot contents as well as
improves the
strength of the seal which may be formed between the flaps 70, 80 when the
flaps 70, 80
are closed.
The spring-like pressure generated by bending the closure leaf 130, 230
imparts an
extra degree of stiffness on the upper portion of the cup 10, 20 by resisting
displacement
and rendering the cup 10, 20 less prone to deformation when the cup 10, 20 is
gripped or
squeezed by a user. This effectively reduces the risk of spills or leakage.
In the bent state of the closure leaf 130, 230, lateral bent edges 137, 237 of
the
closure leaf 130, 230 abut or impinge on the inner side of the cup wall 2 at
locations
downwardly spaced from the positions where the ends 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b of each
crease line 7,
8 coincide with the rim 5 of the cup 10, 20. The spring-like pressure
generated by bending
the closure leaf helps to maintain the bent region of the closure leaf 130,
230 in a straight
line in the direction between the lateral bent edges 137, 237 and prevents
peripheral
portions of the closure leaf 130, 230 from sagging. This reduction in sagging
of the
peripheral portions of the closure leaf imparts rigidity onto the cup 10, 20
and also
enhances a positive contact between the rim 57 of the first flap 70 and the
inner side of the
second flap 80 when the flaps 70, 80 are closed thus improving a seal which
may form
between the flaps 70, 80. By pressing against the inner side of the cup wall 2
below the
flap opening 100a, 100b when the flap 70 is closed, the more rigid lateral
bent edges 137,
237 of the closure leaf 130, 230 impart a further additional stiffness on the
upper portion of
the cup 10, 20 by resisting displacement when the cup 10, 20 is gripped or
squeezed by a
user. In this regard, the distance between the opposite lateral bent edges
137, 237 of the
closure leaf 130, 230 in the direction parallel to the line of bending of the
closure leaf 130,
230 is preferably sufficient to allow the bent edges 137, 237 of the closure
leaf 130, 230 to
abut or impinge on the inner side of the cup wall 2 when the closure leaf 130,
230 is in a
bent state thereby imparting stiffness onto the upper portion of the cup 10,
20. Each of the
closure leaf 130 and 230 is capable of imparting sufficient and effective
stiffness onto the
upper portion of the cup 10, 20. However, the stiffness provided by the
closure leaf 230
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has been found to be somewhat greater and more reliable than the stiffness
provided by
the closure leaf 130.
An additional advantage of the closure leaf 230 of Figures 13 to 18 lies in
that,
because the closure leaf 230 is attached to the inner side of the cup wall 2
below the
crease line 7 at, or in-or-about, the location B, the closure leaf 230 does
not need to
protrude out beyond the rim 5 of the cup 20 when the flap 70 is in the open
upright position
in order to be able to extend fully or substantially fully across the top
opening of the cup 20
and to restrict the flap opening 100a, 100b efficiently when the flap 70 is in
the closed
lowered position. The closure leaf 230 may have a top edge 245 which is
substantially
level with the rim 5 of the cup 20 or even below the rim 5 when the flap 70 is
in the open
upright position. When the flap 70 is moved down / closed, the flap 70 will
slide over the
closure leaf 230 as it bends the closure leaf 230 down because the closure
leaf 230 is not
attached to the flap 70, but instead is attached to the inner side of the cup
wall 2 below the
flap 70 at, or in-or-about, location B. This relative sliding of the flap 70
over the closure leaf
230 allows the top edge 245 of the closure leaf 230 to protrude beyond the rim
5 of the flap
70 when the closure leaf 230 and the flap 70 are in the closed lowered
position (Figures 15
to 18). This allows the closure leaf 230 to extend substantially fully across
the top opening
of the cup 20 when the flap 70 is closed but not when the flap 70 is open. The
absence in
the closure leaf 230 of a protrusion beyond the rim 5 of the cup 20 when the
flap 70 is in the
open upright position facilitates manufacture, storage and stacking of
multiple cup 20,
makes filling of cups easier and improves user experience. In contrast, in the
closure leaf
130 of the cup 10, in order to be able to extend fully or substantially fully
across the top
opening of the cup 10, a top edge 145 of the closure leaf 130 needs to
protrude out beyond
the rim 5 of the cup 10 when the flap 70 is in the open upright position. This
is because the
closure leaf 130 is attached to the flap 70 at the location A and the flap 70
therefore does
not slide over the closure leaf 130 when the flap 70 is lowered into the
closed position.
Upon return of the first flap 70 into the open upright position, the closure
leaf 130,
230 relaxes and returns into its original unbent state due to the inherent
resilience of the
closure leaf 130, 230. The inherent resilience of the closure leaf 130, 230
allows the
closure leaf 130, 230 to return into the unbent state without the requirement
for an external
force to be applied to the closure leaf 130, 230.
In the presently described arrangement, the closure leaf 130, 230 is
substantially
superimposed on the first flap 70. Also, in the presently described
arrangement, when the
flaps 70, 80 are in the open upright position, as shown in Figures 8, 9 and
13, 14, the
closure leaf 130, 230 is positioned upright and concentrically with the first
flap 70. When
the flaps 70, 80 are in the closed lowered position, as shown in Figures 10 to
12 and 15 to
18, the closure leaf 130, 230 extends underneath the flap opening 100a, 100b
downwardly
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spaced from the flap opening 100a, 100b. When the first flap 70 is moved down
into the
closed position, the closure leaf 130, 230 is moved down by and together with
the first flap
70 so that the closure leaf 130, 230 is positioned substantially across the
top opening of the
cup 10, 20 when the first flap 70 is in the closed lowered position and the
closure leaf 130,
5 230 becomes resiliently bent and the leg portion 133, 233 becomes biased
against the
inner side of the cup wall 2 below the crease line 7 of the first flap 70 in
the closed lowered
position of the first flap 70.
When the flaps 70, 80 are in the closed lowered position, the flap opening
100a,
100b is restricted by the closure leaf 130, 230 in that spills are prevented
or minimised
10 when the cup 10, 20 is generally upright and is shaken or otherwise
subjected to impact.
However, the flap opening 100a, 100b is not sealed off completely by the
closure leaf 130,
230 as the closure leaf 130, 230 does not completely block the top opening 6
of the cup 10,
20 and passage of the cup contents is still possible through the flap opening
100a, 100b
when the cup 10, 20 is tilted, enabling drinking or pouring from the cup 10,
20. In the
15 presently described arrangement, the closure leaf 130, 230 provides a
cut-out 140, 240 to
permit passage of cup contents and also to allow the flap 70 and the closure
leaf 130, 230
to be held together to move them into the open upright position. In other
arrangements,
however, e.g. in food containers, the closure leaf 130, 230 may be shaped to
close off the
top opening 6 of the container fully. When the flap 70 is moved into the open
upright
20 position, the closure leaf 130, 230 is also pivoted together with the
flap 70 away from the
position in which the closure leaf 130, 230 restricts the flap opening 100a,
100b and
assumes the upright orientation together with the flap 70. This allows
multiple cups 10, 20
to be stacked into each other for efficient storage. Also, the top opening 6
of the cup 10,
20 is unobstructed during filling. When it is necessary to close the cup 10,
20 by the flaps
70, 80, the closure leaf 130, 230 is moved into the position in which the
closure leaf 130,
230 restricts the flap opening 100a, 100b in one motion simultaneously with
the first flap 70.
No separate action is necessary to move the closure leaf 130, 230 into the
position in which
the closure leaf 130, 230 restricts the flap opening 100a, 100b. Furthermore,
it is ensured
that the closure leaf 130, 230 will be positioned correctly underneath the
flap opening 100a,
100b.
In the variation of Figures 8 to 12, a portion of the closure leaf 130
proximal to the
flap opening 100a, 100b is unattached to the first flap 70 and the closure
leaf 130 is
attached to the first flap 70 at the location A by a portion distal from the
flap opening 100a,
100b.
As shown in Figures 10 and 15 when the flaps 70, 80 are in the closed lowered
position, the closure leaf 130, 230 extends tangentially in relation to the
first flap 70, such
that a portion of the closure leaf 130, 230 proximal to the flap opening 100a,
100b is spaced
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apart from the first flap 70 and the portion of the closure leaf 130, 230
distal from the flap
opening 100a, 100b is in contact with the first flap 70.
Since the closure leaf 130, 230 is
made from an elastic resiliently deformable material, such as, for example, a
suitable type
of paperboard or plastics, the closure leaf 130, 230 may be substantially
planar, or slightly
convex or concave, when the flaps 70, 80 are in the closed lowered position
and may bend
to conform to the arcuate shape of the first flap 70 and the inner side of the
container wall 2
when the flaps 70, 80 are in the open upright position.
In one arrangement, when the flaps 70, 80 are in the closed lowered position,
a
spill-tight seal may be formed between the rim 5 of the first flap 70 and the
inner face of the
second flap 80.
The closure leaf 130, 230 may impinge against the inner side of the cup wall 2
at a
location underneath and downwardly spaced from the flap opening 100a, 100b
when the
flaps 70, 80 are in the closed lowered position. Preferably, the portion of
the closure leaf
130, 230 which impinges against the inner side of the cup wall 2 has an edge
portion 135,
235 shaped to conform to and engage the inner side of the cup wall 2 to
provide additional
structural strength to the cup 10, 20 and to further ensure that the contents
of the cup 10,
do not splash out of the flap opening 100a, 100b. Accordingly, splashing is
minimised
and the rate of spillage if the cup 10, 20 is knocked over is reduced. The
present invention
thus may improve the spill-resistant properties for the cup 10, 20 by
strengthening the seal
20 which may be formed between the flaps 70, 80 in the closed position of
the flaps 70, 80,
whilst, if required for drinking or pouring, permitting the cup 10, 20 to
allow the passage of
the cup contents when tilted for drinking and pouring. This also imparts extra
rigidity and
overall structural strength on the cup 10, 20 in that the cup 10, 20 is less
prone to
deformation when it is gripped by a user's hand.
The closure leaf 130, 230 of the present invention also permits stacking of
multiple
cups 10, 20, unobstructed pouring of contents into the cup 10, 20 and provides
for correct
positioning of the closure leaf 130, 230 underneath the flap opening 100a,
100b in one
movement, simultaneously with the downward movement of the first flap 70.
It will be understood that the closure leaf 130, 230 may be of any suitable
shape as
required or desired, and may be adapted to have a shape specifically suited to
the shape of
the cup 10, 20 and the function that is to be performed. For example, the
closure leaf 130,
230 may be substantially round, oval, polygonal or irregular shaped as needed.
Furthermore, the closure leaf 130, 230 may incorporate one or more suitable
cut-outs,
notches, holes or similar arrangements for allowing contents moving out from
the cup 10,
20 to bypass the closure leaf 130, 230 and exit the cup 10, 20 through the
flap opening
100a, 100b. If needed, the closure leaf 130, 230 may be shaped to close the
top opening 6
of the container fully when the flap 70 is closed. The leg portion 133, 233
can be of any
CA 03109012 2021-02-08
WO 2020/030683 PCT/EP2019/071198
22
suitable shape. Indeed, the leg portion 133, 233 may be simply a region or a
portion of the
closure leaf 130, 230. The attachment location A, B as shown in the drawings
is indicative
and may vary in its position.
The closure leaf 130, 230 may be made of the same material as the cup 10, 20,
or
may alternatively be made of a heavier or lighter gauge and/or alternative
material for
additional strength or functionality.
Figs. 19 and 20 show a cup 30 which is a variation of the cup 20 of Figs. 13
to 18.
In the cup 30, the closure leaf 330 is substantially the same as the closure
leaf 230 of Figs.
13 to 18, but instead of being affixed to the inner side of the cup wall 2 at
a location B, the
closure leaf 330 is provided as an insert for removably inserting the closure
leaf 330 into the
cup 30. The closure leaf 330 is secured to the inner side of the cup wall 2 by
an insert
portion 400. The insert portion 400 is adapted to be inserted into the cup 30
and attached
to the inner side of the cup wall 2. The insert portion 400 is shaped to
conform to the shape
of the inner side of the cup wall 2. Upon insertion into the cup 30, the
insert portion 400
snugly engages the inner side of the cup wall 2 and is retained in position.
The retention of
the insert portion 400 in snug engagement with the inner side of the cup wall
2 may be
achieved in a number of ways apparent to a skilled person. For example, the
insert portion
400 may be provided in the form of a leaf spring (not shown) which needs to be
compressed to be inserted into the cup 30 and expands upon being located
inside the cup
30 so as to engage inner side of the cup wall 2. The insert portion 400 may be
provided
as a ring or a portion of a ring. In Figs. 19, 20, the cup wall 2 is tapered
and the insert
portion 400 is provided as a ring having a taper matching that of a specific
section of the
cup wall 2. Upon insertion of the insert portion 400 into the cup 30, the
insert portion 400 is
retained in the specific section of the cup 30 by the tapered wall 2 of the
cup. In Figs. 19,
20, the insert portion 400 is provided at the leg portion 333 of the closure
leaf 330. In
another variation (not shown), the closure leaf 330 need not necessarily be
resiliently
bendable and not necessarily movable by and with a movement of the first flap
70.
Referring now to Figs. 21 to 24, two variations of a cup in accordance with a
second
aspect of the invention, indicated generally by reference numerals 110, 210,
respectively,
will be described. The cup 110, 210 includes some of the features of the cup
10,20 and
for brevity parts of the cup 110, 220 which are common with the cup 10, 20
have been
indicated using common reference numerals. In the container 110, 220, only one
flap 70 is
defined by one crease line 7 and the portion of the rim 5 between the first
and second ends
7a, 7b of the crease line. A flap opening 200 is defined between the portion
of rim 5
defining the flap 70 and the inner side of the container wall 2 when the flap
70 is folded
down. The closure arrangement of this aspect of the invention comprises at
least one
closure leaf 138, 238 on the inner side of the container wall 2 for
restricting the flap opening
CA 03109012 2021-02-08
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23
200. The closure leaf 138 of the cup 110 is the same as the closure leaf 130
of the cup 10
of Figures 8 to 15. The closure leaf 238 of the cup 210 is the same as the
closure leaf 230
of the cup 20 of Figures 13 to 18. The closure leaf 138 is attached to the
flap 70 at a
location spaced from the position where the ends 7a, 7b of the crease line 7
coincide with
the rim 5. The closure leaf 238 is attached to the inner side of the cup wall
2 below the
crease line 7. The closure leaf 138, 238 is movable by and with the flap 70
and extends
across the flap opening 200, in plan view, and underneath the flap opening 200
as viewed
from a side, when the flap 70 is in the closed lowered position. A free outer
edge portion
139, 239 of the closure leaf 138, 238 may impinge against and/or conform to
the shape of
the inner side of the container wall 2 when the flap 70 is in the closed
lowered position.
Such an arrangement may be particularly useful in a food container for holding
viscous or solid foods (e.g. soup, noodles or finger food). The closure leaf
138, 238 in this
arrangement prevents the contents from spilling, whereas the flap 70 does not
come into
contact with the contents and remains clean on the inside and the outside when
the flap 70
is lifted and the container is opened. Any food particles will remain on the
closure leaf 138,
238 and not on the flap 70. Accordingly, the cup wall 2 remains un-stained and
the user
receives a pleasant experience from using the cup 110, 210.
The closure leaf 138, 238 has a leg portion 142, 242 substantially as
described in
connection with the embodiments of Figures 8 to 12 and Figures 13 to 18 and
functions in
substantially the same manner as the leg portion 133, 233 of the closure leaf
130, 230 of
those embodiments. The closure leaf 238 of the cup 210 may be provided as an
insert and
have an insert portion 400 of Figures 19, 20 instead of being affixed to the
inner side of the
cup wall 2 at a location B.
In other modifications, the cup 110, 210 may include two or multiple flaps, as
in the
cup 10, 20. Other features of the cup 10, 20 can be incorporated into the cup
110, 210
mutatis mutandis. The closure leaf 138, 238 may be provided as in insert
described above
in relation to cup 30.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations and
modifications can
be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the
appended
claims.
