Receptacles – Closures – Removable closure situated by resilient distortion and...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-02
2004-03-23
Hylton, Robin A. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Removable closure situated by resilient distortion and...
C215SDIG001, C206S508000, C220S792000, C220S795000, C220S787000, C220S790000, C220S658000, C220S659000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06708839
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a plastic container with a snap lid and with a snap element provided on the upper edge area of the container for the lid to snap onto, where the lid surrounds the top and outside of the container edge and sits tight against the container edge.
2. Prior Art
Plastic containers of this kind are used to transport various goods, particularly also in the industrial and food sectors, and have proven to be very effective for this purpose. However, transporting liquids or low-viscosity materials still involves the problem of the sufficient leak-proofness of the plastic containers, particularly also when transporting volatile or other types of critical goods, such as oils or mineral oils, where this leak-proofness should reliably be maintained, especially also in the event of external effects, such as blows or jolts, or of the plastic container falling. These high demands have not yet been fulfilled satisfactorily by previously known plastic containers, meaning that critical goods are still usually transported in metal containers.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a plastic container with snap lid, which reliably fulfills the special demands imposed on leak-proofness, particularly when exposed to external forces.
The object is solved by a plastic container with snap lid, in which the container edge on the side of the snap element facing the top edge of the container is provided with at least one integrally moulded reinforcing rib projecting radially inward and/or outward and extending over at least a segment of the circumference of the container. The reinforcing rib is thus located between the snap element and the top edge of the container. The reinforcing rib can be provided on the side of the container opposite the snap element, but is advantageously located on the same side. The snap element and the reinforcing rib are advantageously located on the outside of the container and engaged from above by the lid. The reinforcing rib further stabilises the top edge of the container and thus the sealing region between the container and the lid. In this context, the “reinforcing rib” is taken to mean a rib that is provided in addition to a snap projection and thus not associated with a corresponding snap edge of the lid.
The reinforcing rib preferably runs radially around the container, although it can also be divided and consist of several, e.g. segmented reinforcing areas that are distributed around the circumference. One or more additional reinforcing ribs, which can each run radially around the container, can alternatively or additionally be integrally moulded on the side of the snap element facing towards, or also away from, the top edge of the container. The thickness, i.e. height and/or width of the reinforcing rib can be in the region of half the wall thickness of the container, preferably in the region of the wall thickness or greater than it. If necessary, it can also be less than half the wall thickness, particularly if the rib is structured, as long as it significantly reinforces the upper region of the container.
The lid preferably sits on the radially outer or inner side of the reinforcing rib with or without pretension, so that lateral forces acting on the lid are immediately absorbed by the reinforcing rib. To this end, the radial edge of the reinforcing rib can have a plane area. The distance between the reinforcing rib and the snap element, or between them, can be designed to catch the snap edge of the lid, so that the lid can be pre-locked on the container.
Advantageously, the snap connection of the lid is also equally effective after the container has been opened once, i.e. the snap region and the sealing region are not separated by an area of thinner material, which serves as a tamper-proof seal, for example, and in which the lid area has to be partially or completely removed or folded over in order to open the container.
The upper edge of the container preferably has a circumferential collar region projecting radially outward and facing downward, on which a tamper-proof seal can be provided, for example. The circumferential collar region is preferably radially flush with the height of the lid rim, or projects radially beyond it. The snap edge is preferably integrally moulded on the circumferential collar. A reinforcing rib integrally moulded above the snap element and preferably facing outward can also be integrally moulded on the circumferential container collar, thus also reinforcing it, and/or above the circumferential collar region right on the container wall in the region of the top edge of the container. Due to the downward-facing collar region, which is spaced apart from the container wall, the snap region is isolated from the sealing region in terms of the forces acting on them. The reinforcing rib is preferably integrally moulded on the top edge of the circumferential collar, or on the container wall, right on the top edge of the container, without being restricted to this. For example, the reinforcing rib can also be located a small distance away from the top edge of the circumferential collar or the container collar, e.g. at distance of one or a few times the wall thickness or the thickness of the reinforcing rib.
The snap element and the reinforcing rib can also be integrally moulded on the container wall above the circumferential collar.
The downward-facing, circumferential collar region is preferably joined at the top edge of the container, i.e. at the height of the sealing region or at a distance of a few times the wall thickness away from it, e.g. one or two times the wall thickness, without being restricted to this.
The lid preferably has an outwardly-facing sliding bevel, which can be joined to the top edge of the lid or a region below it, preferably on an essentially vertical section. The sliding bevel can be located immediately above the reinforcing rib provided above the snap element on the outer wall of the container and a small distance away from it. The sliding bevel can be radially flush with the snap edge of the lid on the outside, or extend beyond it, although it preferably extends radially beyond the areas projecting away from the container wall.
The container preferably has a collar region projecting radially outward and facing downward, which is located below the lid when it is on the container and extends radially to the lid or also beyond it. This circumferential collar region can be integrally moulded on the container wall separately and, in this context, be flush with the bottom edge of the circumferential collar region with the snap edge, or spaced apart from it in terms of height. This circumferential collar region is preferably designed as a continuation of the collar region accommodating the snap element, i.e. as a shoulder continuing down and to the outside. A corresponding tamper-proof seal can be provided in this area. The bottom edge of the lid can sit on this collar region with or without pretension, or display a slight amount of play in relation to it, preferably such that the bottom edge of the lid cannot be reached under manually. This circumferential collar region can have a radial constriction for the partial or complete reception of the bottom edge of the lid.
The circumferential collar region or regions can be reinforced by vertical ribs, which can be mounted in the inside of the collar region and connected to the outer wall of the container. The reinforcing ribs preferably have a recess or notch at the bottom, due to which the collar region retains a certain degree of flexibility and can act as a deformation zone.
The sealing region between the container and the lid is preferably provided with a circumferential and possibly separate seal that sits tightly between the container and the lid when the lid is in place, where the seal is made of a material of greater elasticity than that of the lid and the bucket, particularly a rubber material.
It is particularly preferable for the flexible seal to be integrally
Browdy and Neimark , P.L.L.C.
Hylton Robin A.
Jokey Plastik Gummersbach GmbH
LandOfFree
Plastic container with snap lid and a sealing web located on... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Plastic container with snap lid and a sealing web located on..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Plastic container with snap lid and a sealing web located on... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3199019