Receptacles – Closures – Having means for securing or retaining closure in its closed...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-08
2001-11-13
Castellano, Stephen (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Having means for securing or retaining closure in its closed...
C220S320000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315146
ABSTRACT:
The invention concerns a closure for containers comprising a locking ring which in situ surrounds the container along the whole of its outer periphery, at least one area of said container closure comprising means which allow a substantially reversible increase in the circumference of the locking ring.
With existing systems, the opening and closing of containers of various kinds gives rise to great difficulties, especially for the elderly and handi-capped, in that they do not have the finger strength necessary to open a tightly closed container, nor are they able to close the container tightly and in a proper manner after use. Investigations have thus shown that between 80 and 100% of elderly and handicapped have difficulties in opening everyday containers, e.g. such as conserve glasses with screw tops and the like. Where the rest of the population are concerned, it has shown that about 50% of these experience the same problems.
From Danish patent application no. 5474/89, a locking system is known in the form of a partly surrounding locking ring with an integrated eye part. This eye part can be tightened or loosened as required by means of a handtool, whereby the locking ring loosens or tightens its grip around the container. However, in the first place the system requires the use of a handtool, and secondly it is not an automatically reversible system from the point of view of activation, which means that the plastic deformation which takes place in the course of time may give rise to a break around the eye part.
From the same publication, there is also known a lid system comprising the lid itself, which at its periphery is shaped to receive a locking part. The locking part thus constitutes an accessory for the lid, which is configured to be able to receive the locking part.
In order to be able to manipulate the locking part, the use of a tool is required. Moreover, good precision is required between the individual parts.
A closing system is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,326,885, this consisting of a wire and tongues which are in engagement with the container, and where the wire can be activated with the fingers to change its encirculation around the container, so that the tongues lose their engagement in the recesses which are formed in the container for said engagement. In the first place this system requires the use of considerable finger strength, and secondly the system can not be used for all forms of containers, in that it is required that the container is provided with recesses which correspond to the positioning of the tongues. Moreover, great precision is required between the individual parts in order for the container to be tightly closed.
It is the object of the invention to provide a closure system for containers which is not encumbered with the disadvantages of the existing systems, and where the container can be opened even by persons with very weak hands, and whereby it is possible to effect a subsequent closing of the container so that this is closed tightly. The handling takes place without the use of any kind of tool.
This object is achieved with a closure for containers of the kind described in the introduction, and where the container closure also comprises at least one lock-release part on the radially external side of the locking ring, and which in at least one end part is fastened to or constitutes an integrated part of the locking ring, and which under the influence of a force results in an increase in the circumference of the locking ring.
The resilient locking ring gives rise to a tight closing around the container and for the whole of its circumference. When the closure is desired to be removed, this is effected by pressing with a finger on the projecting lock-release part, whereby the locking ring is deformed locally and slightly opened, in that the locking ring increases its circumference, whereby the underpressure is equalized. The lid can now be removed from the container without the use of tools of any kind. When the closure is to be mounted again, this is effected by pressing the locking ring, which is resilient, down over the container and which thus closes tightly again. The closure can be used not only for foils which are desired to lie tightly up against a container and thus form a lid, but is also suitable in forming an integrated part of an actual lid made of a plastic material, and is thus moulded into the lid.
By configuring the container closure according to claim
2
, the possibility is provided of increasing the circumference of the locking ring. By discontinuous is meant that the locking ring has an area in which it is not joined.
By configuring the container closure according to the invention and as disclosed in claims
3
and
4
, an expedient way is achieved of creating the locking ring's flexibility, in that as disclosed in claim
4
, a pressure on the lock-release part results in a change in the dimension of the locking ring, while at the same time the locking ring with its change in dimension continues to surround the whole of the closing part.
By configuring the container closure according to the invention as disclosed in claim
5
, an expedient way is achieved of increasing the tension and thus of obtaining a tighter closing and firmer grip around the periphery of the container.
By configuring the container closure according to the invention as disclosed in claims
6
and
7
, a function-friendly configuration of the lock-release part is achieved.
By configuring the container closure according to the invention as disclosed in claim
8
, an effective counter-pressure is provided when the lock-release part is activated by pressure inwards against the container, in that there is hereby effected a controlled movement of the resilient locking ring.
By configuring the container closure according to the invention as disclosed in claim
9
, it is achieved that no uncontrolled displacement of the locking ring takes place when the container is exposed to an overpressure. On the contrary, the pressure will seek equalization in the areas in which the bulge is situated.
By configuring the container closure as disclosed in claim
10
, a tight and quite definite positioning of the locking ring is achieved.
By configuring the container closure as disclosed in claim
11
, an inexpensive and simple way of forming the container enclosure is achieved, in that round wire results in greater geometric freedom, e.g. when compared with flat wire, when this is closed and formed.
By configuring the container closure as disclosed in claim
12
, a tight closing of the container is achieved. This tight closing could, for example, also be achieved by incorporating a spiral spring in the ring.
By configuring the container closure according to the invention as disclosed in claim
13
, the possibility is provided of using the system also with containers which require a strong pre-stressing of the locking ring in order to obtain a tight closure, since the lid can thus be taken off by activating the lock-release part via the beam, in that use is made of the beam's tightening arrangement. The beam, which grips around the lock-release parts, presses these against each other, after which the underpressure in the container is equalized and the lid, either in the form of a proper lid or a piece of foil which is laid over, can be removed.
By configuring the container closure according to the invention as disclosed in claims
14
and
15
, the lid thus achieved is one which not only closes tightly, but which can also be easily loosened again.
The invention is especially applicable in connection with the moulding of the closure into plastic material in providing a lid with integrated opening/closing system, such as disclosed in claim
16
.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1062532 (1913-05-01), Blair
patent: 1738951 (1929-12-01), Hulbert
patent: 1767217 (1930-06-01), Kraft
patent: 2412603 (1946-12-01), Dauphinais
patent: 3032229 (1962-05-01), Sohoepe et al.
patent: 3532244 (1970-10-01), Yates
patent: 3616955 (1971-11-01), Owens-Illinois
patent: 3926333 (1975-12-01),
Castellano Stephen
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
Lid Systems A/S
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