IMPROVED FLIP TOP PLASTIC LID

Abstract

A closure for a container is described where the container has an open end and a closed end, the closure being configured to engage the open end of the container, wherein the closure comprises: a collar configured to engage the container; a lid connected to the collar by at least one hinge; wherein to facilitate engagement the collar is configured to extend over and surround the open end of the container such that an inner surface impinges on, or is immediately adjacent to, an outer surface of the open end of the container; characterised in that a plurality of beads extend outwardly from the inner surface of the collar to fixedly hold the collar in engagement with the container, wherein said beads are located substantially uniformly relative to each other and occupy less than 50% of the inner surface of the collar. A container is also described in which is provided with a docking on an inner wall of the collar suitable for releasably suspending a scoop.

Claims

1. A closure for a container wherein the container has an open end and a closed end, the closure being configured to engage the open end of the container, wherein the closure comprises: a collar configured to engage the container; a lid connected to the collar by at least one hinge; wherein to facilitate engagement the collar is configured to extend over and surround the open end of the container such that an inner surface impinges on, or is immediately adjacent to, an outer surface of the open end of the container, wherein a plurality of beads extend outwardly from the inner surface of the collar to fixedly hold the collar in engagement with the container, and wherein the plurality of beads are located substantially uniformly relative to each other and occupy less than 50% of the inner surface of the collar.

2. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of beads are located in the same plane or an adjacent horizontal plane.

3. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the open end of the container is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical and the inner surface is correspondingly cylindrical or substantially cylindrical, and wherein the beads of the container are located in the same plane or in an adjacent radial plane relative to each other.

4. The closure according to claim 1, wherein between 6-8 beads are provided.

5. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the beads occupy between 10-45% of the inner surface of the collar.

6. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the beads are located in two adjacent planes, and wherein the beads in each plane are located uniformly to each other and are offset with the location of the beads in the adjacent plane.

7. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the closure is configured to permit a capping force of less than 70 kg capping force to be required to fixedly engage the closure, in use, to the container.

8. The closure according to claim 2, wherein the beads are provided in one of two shapes to define primary beads and secondary beads, and wherein the beads in the same plane are of the same shape.

9. The closure according to claim 8, wherein the primary beads and the secondary beads have a general shape defined by a lowermost part that is shallow and extends away from the inner surface of the collar in at least one of a curved, sloped, linearly or substantially linearly manner or a combination thereof before arriving at a lip, and wherein each of said lips are in the same or substantially the same radial plane.

10. The closure according to claim 9, wherein the lips extend from the inner surface substantially perpendicular.

11. The closure according to claim 9, wherein the container is provided with a crimp at the uppermost edge thereof and wherein the lips of the primary beads and secondary beads are in the same radial plane to collectively engage the crimp.

12. The closure according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of vertical or substantially vertical ribs extending from the inner surface of the collar, and wherein the collar is provided with a rim at the uppermost part thereof which is spaced apart from the inner surface of the collar, and wherein said ribs support the rim.

13. The closure according to claim 12, wherein said ribs are sized to provide an abutment means to limit the travel of the container into the collar.

14. The closure according to claim 12, wherein the lid is provided with a double wall that is sized such that when the closure is in a closed orientation an outer wall and an inner wall of the lid surround the rim of the collar.

15. The closure according to claim 1, wherein a scoop is provided, the scoop comprising: a measuring container connected to an elongate handle; and a tab that extends from the measuring container remote from the handle, and wherein a docking element is provided for the scoop, said docking element being provided on an inner wall of the collar such that in a docked orientation the scoop is suspended across the collar by the docking element supporting or engaging the tab of the scoop and the handle.

16. The closure according to claim 15, wherein the docking element is provided by two shaped receiving members extending from the inner wall of the collar to face each other.

17. The closure according to claim 16, wherein the shaped receiving members define a channel, wherein said channel is sized to accommodate at least a portion of the tab and at least a portion of the handle therein to support same, preferably the shaped receiving members are V-shaped.

18. The closure according to claim 15, wherein one or more retaining ribs is provided on an inner surface of the lid, wherein said retaining rib(s) is sized to extend from the lid toward the scoop when the scoop is retained in the docking element when the closure is in a closed orientation.

19. The closure according to claim 18, wherein the retaining rib(s) is triangular in shape or V-shaped.

20. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the granular powder or power is infant formula.

21. A closure for a container wherein the container has an open end and a closed end, the closure being configured to engage the open end of the container, wherein the closure comprises: a collar configured to engage the container; a lid connected to the collar by at least one hinge; wherein to facilitate engagement the collar is configured to extend over and surround the open end of the container such that an inner surface impinges on, or is immediately adjacent to, an outer surface of the open end of the container; wherein a plurality of beads extends outwardly from the inner surface of the collar to fixedly hold the collar in engagement with the container; and wherein a docking element is provided on an inner wall of the collar suitable for releasably suspending a scoop, the scoop comprising: a measuring container connected to an elongate handle across an open part of the collar; and a tab that extends from the measuring container remote from the handle.

22. The closure according to claim 21, wherein the docking means is provided by two shaped receiving members extending from the inner wall of the collar to face each other.

23. The closure according to claim 22, wherein the shaped receiving members define a channel, and wherein said channel is sized to accommodate at least a portion of the tab and at least a portion of the handle therein to support same; preferably the shaped receiving members are V-shaped.

24. The closure according to claim 21, further comprising one or more retaining ribs on an inner surface of the lid, wherein said retaining rib(s) is sized to extend from the lid toward the scoop when the scoop is retained in the docking element when the closure is in a closed orientation.

25. The closure according to claim 24, wherein the retaining rib(s) is triangular in shape or V-shaped.

26. The closure according to claim 21, wherein the granular powder or power is infant formula.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a closure according to the present invention in an open configuration;

[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a closure according to the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates a secondary bead;

[0032] FIG. 4 illustrates a primary bead; and

[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a closure according to the present invention in a closed configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a closure 1 in an open configuration. The closure 1 comprises a collar 2 and a lid 3 which are connected to each other by hinge 4. The collar 2 is sized to fit over an open end of a correspondingly shaped container (not shown) such that the inner surface 5 of the collar impinges or is immediately adjacent to an outer surface of the container.

[0035] As can be seen in FIGS. 2-4, the inner surface 5 of the collar 2 is provided with a plurality of beads 6,7. The beads 6,7 extend outwardly from the inner surface 5 of the collar 2 to fixedly hold the collar 3 in engagement with the container. The beads 6,7 are located substantially uniformly relative to each other and occupy less than 50% of the inner surface of the collar. The beads are illustrated as provided in two formats, primary beads 6 and secondary beads 7. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention there are three primary beads 6 located in the same radial plane substantially uniformly relative to each other and in an adjacent radial plane there are provided three secondary beads 7 located in the same radial plane substantially uniformly relative to each other.

[0036] For the avoidance of doubt, positional terms such as upper, lower, side, top, bottom, vertical, horizontal, etc. refer to the closure 1 and container when in the orientation shown in the drawings. It is to be acknowledged that the skilled person will recognize that positional closures 1 and containers can assume different orientations when in use.

[0037] In use the closure 1 would be forced into engagement with the open end of the container by application of force, commonly referred to as capping force. The bead 6 arrangement of the present invention is preferably configured to permit a capping force of less than 70 kg capping force to be required, and even more preferably a force of between approximately 60-65 kg capping force to be required.

[0038] The mechanism of fixedly engaging the closure 1 with the container initially requires the three primary beads 6 to come into contact with an edge of the open end of the container. As the closure is forced further toward the container the three secondary beads 7 contact the edge of the of the open end of the container. The beads 6,7 are each provided with a lip 8,9 located in the same radial plane to better engage the open end of the container. The container is preferably provided with a crimp for improved engagement with the lips 8,9.

[0039] The collar 2 is further provided with a scoop 10 releasably retained within a docking means 14. The scoop 10 comprises a measuring container 11 with an elongate handle 12 extending from one side and a tab 13 extending from the opposite side. The docking means 14 comprises two V-shaped protrusions 15 which are sized to respectively receive the handle 12 and tab 13 therein to suspend the scoop 10 across the collar 2. A retaining rib 16, preferably partially triangular in shape, is provided on an inner surface of the lid 3. The retaining rib 16 is sized to restrict the movement of the handle 12 when the closure 1 is in a closed configuration as shown in FIG. 5.

[0040] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0041] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0042] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.