Airtight container having deformable cover unit or deformable container unit
10633157 ยท 2020-04-28
Inventors
Cpc classification
B65D65/08
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D51/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D43/22
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D33/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D65/38
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D65/06
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D65/14
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D2565/381
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D55/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
B65D65/08
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D21/08
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D33/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D43/22
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D51/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D55/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65D65/38
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
Disclosed is an airtight container having a deformable cover unit or a deformable container unit, which ensures easy maintenance of the cover unit and allows the cover unit to be easily used with a large-capacity fixed container unit, or which includes an expandable accommodating space or an expandable inlet to accommodate various sizes of storage items therein in an airtight manner. The airtight container includes a deformable cover unit for useable with a fixed container unit. Alternatively, the airtight container includes first and second frames pivotably connected to each other so as to be selectively coupled to or come into contact with each other in order to seal a contact or coupling portion therebetween, and a deformable container unit disposed over the frames and configured to provide an accommodating space for a storage item therein. The first and second frames are disposed along the inlet rim of the container unit.
Claims
1. An airtight container adopting a deformable container unit, the container comprising: a first frame and a second frame pivotably connected to each other so as to be selectively coupled to or come into close surface contact with each other, the first frame and the second frame being configured to airtightly seal a surface contact portion or a coupling portion therebetween when coming into surface contact with or coupled to each other; and a deformable container unit disposed over the first frame and the second frame and configured to provide an accommodating space for accommodating a predetermined storage item therein, wherein the first frame and the second frame are disposed along a rim of an inlet of the container unit, wherein both ends of the first frame are pivotably connected to both ends of the second frame so as to define a space between the first frame and the second frame, and the space is utilized as the accommodating space in which the container unit is disposed, wherein the accommodating space is enlarged or narrowed depending on adjustment of a relative pivoting angle between the first frame and the second frame so that the accommodating space has a variable volume therein and an inlet of the accommodating space has a variable size, wherein the deformable container unit is configured to be entirely flush with the first and second frames when the first and second frames are pivoted away from each other and are disposed horizontally, and wherein the deformable container unit comprises an elastic membrane deformable according to a shape of the predetermined storage item accommodated therein.
2. The airtight container according to claim 1, wherein the container unit is formed as an elastic or non-elastic bag so as to be deformable in shape, and is formed of a material that prevents penetration of liquid or gas.
3. The airtight container according to claim 1, further comprising a connection-supporting portion configured to pivotably connect the first frame and the second frame to each other.
4. The airtight container according to claim 2, wherein a sum of a thickness of the first frame and a thickness of the second frame is equal to or greater than a length of an upper surface of the connection-supporting portion.
5. The airtight container according to claim 1, further comprising: a fixing portion provided on any one of the first frame and the second frame; and a connection portion connected to a remaining one of the first frame and the second frame so as to be caught by or fastened to the fixing portion.
6. The airtight container according to claim 5, wherein the fixing portion protrudes to extend outward, and wherein the connection portion is pivotably provided on any one of the first frame and the second frame so as to be caught by or fastened to the fixing portion.
7. The airtight container according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first frame and the second frame includes a viscous component or an elastically deformable component so that the first frame and the second frame come into close contact with each other.
8. The airtight container according to claim 1, wherein the deformable container unit is configured to be entirely flat when the first and second frames are pivoted away from each other and are disposed horizontally.
9. The airtight container according to claim 1, wherein the connection-supporting portion is interposed between adjacent ends of the first and second frames.
10. The airtight container according to claim 9, wherein the connection-supporting portion includes: a first end pivotably coupled with the end of the first frame; and a second end spaced apart from the second end and pivotably coupled with the end of the second frame.
11. The airtight container according to claim 9, wherein the adjacent ends of the first and second frames come in contact with an upper surface of the connection-supporting portion when the first and second frames are coupled to each other.
12. The airtight container according to claim 9, wherein the adjacent ends of the first and second frames spaced apart from an upper surface of the connection-supporting portion when the first and second frames are pivoted away from each other.
13. An airtight container adopting a deformable container unit, the container comprising: a first frame and a second frame pivotably connected to each other so as to be selectively coupled to or come into close surface contact with each other, the first frame and the second frame being configured to airtightly seal a surface contact portion or a coupling portion therebetween when coming into surface contact with or coupled to each other; and a deformable container unit disposed over the first frame and the second frame and configured to provide an accommodating space for accommodating a predetermined storage item therein, wherein the first frame and the second frame are disposed along a rim of an inlet of the container unit, wherein both ends of the first frame are pivotably connected to both ends of the second frame so as to define a space between the first frame and the second frame, and the space is utilized as the accommodating space in which the container unit is disposed, wherein the accommodating space is enlarged or narrowed depending on adjustment of a relative pivoting angle between the first frame and the second frame so that the accommodating space has a variable volume therein and an inlet of the accommodating space has a variable size, wherein the deformable container unit is configured to be entirely flush with the first and second frames when the first and second frames are pivoted away from each other and are disposed horizontally, and wherein the deformable container unit is configured to be entirely flat when the first and second frames are pivoted away from each other and are disposed horizontally.
14. An airtight container adopting a deformable container unit, the container comprising: a first frame and a second frame pivotably connected to each other so as to be selectively coupled to or come into close surface contact with each other, the first frame and the second frame being configured to airtightly seal a surface contact portion ora coupling portion therebetween when coming into surface contact with or coupled to each other; and a deformable container unit disposed over the first frame and the second frame and configured to provide an accommodating space for accommodating a predetermined storage item therein, wherein the first frame and the second frame are disposed along a rim of an inlet of the container unit, wherein both ends of the first frame are pivotably connected to both ends of the second frame so as to define a space between the first frame and the second frame, and the space is utilized as the accommodating space in which the container unit is disposed, wherein the accommodating space is enlarged or narrowed depending on adjustment of a relative pivoting angle between the first frame and the second frame so that the accommodating space has a variable volume therein and an inlet of the accommodating space has a variable size, wherein the deformable container unit is configured to be entirely flush with the first and second frames when the first and second frames are pivoted away from each other and are disposed horizontally, and wherein the connection-supporting portion is interposed between adjacent ends of the first and second frames.
15. The airtight container according to claim 14, wherein the connection-supporting portion includes: a first end pivotably coupled with the end of the first frame; and a second end spaced apart from the second end and pivotably coupled with the end of the second frame.
16. The airtight container according to claim 14, wherein the adjacent ends of the first and second frames come in contact with an upper surface of the connection-supporting portion when the first and second frames are coupled to each other.
17. The airtight container according to claim 14, wherein the adjacent ends of the first and second frames spaced apart from an upper surface of the connection-supporting portion when the first and second frames are pivoted away from each other.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(10) The advantages and features of the present invention and the way of attaining them will become apparent with reference to embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
(11) The present invention, however, are not limited to the embodiments disclosed hereinafter and may be embodied in many different forms. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be through and complete and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention should be defined by the claims.
(12) In addition, the terms used in this specification are provided to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.
(13) In this specification, the singular forms are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises and/or comprising, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated elements, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements.
(14) Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong.
(15) Hereinafter, in order to more concretely describe the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(16) As illustrated in
(17) The container unit 10 is formed of a metal, a polymer material such as a synthetic resin, or glass, has a fixed shape, and defines an accommodating space having a rated capacity therein.
(18) The cover unit 20 includes a first cover frame 21, which may be fixedly installed to a partial rim region 11a of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10, and a second cover frame 22, which may be fixed to or separated from a remaining rim region 11b of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10.
(19) The ends of the first cover frame 21 and the second cover frame 22 may be connected to each other, or may be located close to each other without connection therebetween.
(20) Each of the first cover frame 21 and the second cover frame 22 has the same shape as the corresponding partial rim region 11a or the corresponding remaining rim region 11b of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10.
(21) The cover unit 20 further includes a cover member 23, which may overlap the first cover frame 21 and the second cover frame 22 so as to cover the inlet 11 of the container unit 10.
(22) The cover member 23 may be formed of an elastic material, like a rubber member or a silicon member, or may be formed of a non-elastic material, like a plastic member. The cover member 23 may be formed of any other material so long as it has a shape so as to be folded or unfolded depending on the positional displacement of the second cover frame 22.
(23) The first cover frame 21 and the second cover frame 22 may have a rib shape or a grate shape.
(24) In order to allow the first cover frame 21 and the second cover frame 22 to come into close contact with the rim of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10, the first cover frame 21 and the second cover frame 22 may be formed of a viscous material or an elastically deformable material.
(25) Meanwhile, unlike the second cover frame 22, the first cover frame 21 needs to be continuously fixed to the partial rim region 11a of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10.
(26) Accordingly, the partial rim region 11a of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10 may be provided with a stepped portion (not illustrated), and the first cover frame 21 may be provided with a groove or a corresponding coupling stepped portion for coupling with the stepped portion of the partial rim region 11a.
(27) In addition, the remaining rim region 11b of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10 may be provided with a stepped portion (not illustrated), and the second cover frame 22 may be provided with a groove or a corresponding coupling stepped portion for coupling with the stepped portion of the remaining rim region 11b.
(28) Meanwhile, an additional fixing structure is provided to stably couple the first cover frame 21 to the container unit 10.
(29) The fixing structure includes a first fixing portion 31, which takes the form of a protrusion or a boss formed on the side surface of the container unit 10, and a first connection portion 41, which is connected to the first cover frame 21 so as to be caught by, connected to, or fastened to the first fixing portion 31.
(30) Although
(31) A plurality of first fixing portions 31 may be spaced apart from one another on the container unit 10. This description is equally applicable to the first connection portion 41.
(32) With the coupling of the first fixing portion 31 and the first connection portion 41, the first cover frame 21 and the partial rim region 11a of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10 may achieve stronger close contact therebetween.
(33) Meanwhile, the first connection portion 41 may be pivotably connected to the first cover frame 21, in order to be easily coupled to the first fixing portion 31.
(34) That is, the first connection portion 41 may be outwardly tilted before it is coupled to the first fixing portion 31, and then may be moved toward the first fixing portion 31 in order to be coupled to the first fixing portion 31.
(35) Meanwhile, another fixing structure may be provided to maintain close contact between the second cover frame 22 and the remaining rim region 11b of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10 when the cover member 23 completely closes the inlet 11 of the container unit 10.
(36) To this end, a second fixing portion 32 is provided on the side surface of the container unit 10, and a second connection portion 42 is connected to the second cover frame 22.
(37) The second connection portion 42 is configured so as to be fastened to, caught by, or coupled to the second fixing portion 32.
(38) In one example, as illustrated in
(39) Meanwhile, the second connection portion 42 may be pivotably connected to the second cover frame 22, in order to be easily fastened to, caught by, or connected to the second fixing portion 32.
(40) That is, the second connection portion 42 may be outwardly tilted before it is coupled to the second fixing portion 32, and then may be moved toward the second fixing portion 32 in order to be coupled to the second fixing portion 32.
(41) In order to put or take a storage item into or from the container unit 10, the second cover frame 22 may be moved away from the rim of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10, and may be tilted toward the first cover frame 21.
(42) In this case, the cover member 23, which has a free-formed or deformable shape, may be folded, or may be bent.
(43) In particular, the second cover frame 22 may be completely folded to the upper side of the first cover frame 21. This is possible because the cover member 23 is configured as a thin plastic (or vnyl) member or a thin rubber or silicon member. Thereby, the inlet 11 of the container unit 10 may be fully opened.
(44) Accordingly, the cover member 23 does not prevent a user from putting or taking an object into or from the container unit 10.
(45) Meanwhile, when it is desired to again seal the container unit 10 after completely putting or taking the object into or from the container unit 10, as illustrated in
(46) Subsequently, as illustrated in
(47) In this way, the entire lower surface of the second cover frame 22 may come into close contact with the rim of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10. This close contact state may be strengthened when the second fixing portion 32 is coupled to, connected to, fastened to, or caught by the second connection portion 42.
(48) The close contact state may further be improved when an increased number of the second fixing portions 32 and the second connection portions 42 are fastened to each other.
(49) Subsequently, the cover member 23, which has been folded as illustrated in
(50) Meanwhile, in the case where the cover member 23 is an elastic rubber or silicon member, or a plastic (or vinyl) member that may provide an extra space, even if the upper end of a storage item is higher than the upper end of the inlet 11 of the container unit 10 to thereby protrude upward from the container unit 10, the shape of the cover member 23 may be deformed so as to correspond to the protruding shape of the storage item.
(51) In addition, because the cover member 23 has elasticity, when the cover member 23 is slightly pushed, air inside the container unit 10 may be discharged outward, which further improves the airtight state inside the container unit 10.
(52) Meanwhile, as illustrated in
(53) In
(54) Although the reinforcement member 50 may take the form of a rib or grate structure, which is connected to the first cover frame 21 or the second cover frame 22, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any other structure may be provided so long as it may reinforce the cover member 23.
(55) Here, a plurality of reinforcement members 50 may be spaced apart from one another, and may be connected to the first cover frame 21 or the second cover frame 22.
(56) In
(57) Of course, each first reinforcement member 51 and each second reinforcement member 52 may meet each other so as to be connected to each other. In this case, the connection region between the second reinforcement member 52 and the first reinforcement member 51 may be provided with a folding portion (not illustrated) for easy folding of the cover member 23.
(58) The reinforcement members 50 described above may be disposed on the surface of the cover member 23, or may be inserted into the cover member 23.
(59) Meanwhile, since the reinforcement members 50 exist, user may place a light thing on the cover member 23.
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(61) The container unit 10 may have any of various other shapes, instead of a circular cylinder shape or a square box shape.
(62)
(63) In the case of a dish, unlike the container unit having a predetermined height illustrated in
(64) Accordingly, in the configuration of the cover unit 20 illustrated in
(65) The configurations of the cover member 23, the first and second cover frames 21 and 22, and the reinforcement members 50 illustrated in
(66) Accordingly, because the shapes, materials, interactive operations, and connection relationships are the same as the description made with reference to
(67) Hereinafter, an airtight container having a deformable container unit will be described.
(68) As illustrated in
(69) The container unit 100 may be configured as an elastic rubber or silicon member, or may be a non-elastic plastic bag.
(70) Although the arrangement of the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 may have a ring shape, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may have any other shape so long as the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 form a closed loop.
(71) The first frame 210 and the second frame 220 may be pivotably connected to each other. To this end, each of the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 is connected to and pivotably supported by a connection-supporting portion 230.
(72) That is, when the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 are tilted away from each other, they are spaced apart from each other, thereby defining a space 240. The space 240 may provide the space in which the first and second frames 210 and 220 may come into close contact with each other when they meet each other.
(73) Meanwhile, because each of the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 is similar to a reinforcement member having a fixed shape, when the container unit 100 is opened, the rim of the inlet may maintain a consistent shape by the first frame 210 and the second frame 220.
(74) In
(75) The connection portion 320 is pivotably connected to the second frame 220 in a hook shape. As such, the connection portion 320 may be configured so as to be connected to, coupled to, or fastened to the fixing portion 310 when the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 come into close contact with each other, in order to continuously maintain the close contact state.
(76) When the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 meet each other to thereby come into close contact with each other, the inside of the container needs to be sealed from the outside.
(77) To this end, a portion of the first frame 210 or the entire first frame 210, in particular, the surface of the first frame 210 that meets the second frame 220 may be formed of a viscous material, or an elastically deformable material.
(78) In addition, a portion of the second frame 220 or the entire second frame 220, in particular, the surface of the second frame 220 that meets the first frame 210 may be formed of a viscous material, or an elastically deformable material.
(79) In
(80) Meanwhile, in order to allow the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 to be folded and come into close contact with each other, the sum of the thickness of the first frame 210 and the thickness of the second frame 220 may be equal to or slightly greater than the length of the space 240 on the upper surface of the connection-supporting portion 230.
(81) This is because, when the sum of the thicknesses of the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 is less than the length of the space 240 on the upper surface of the connection-supporting portion 240, even if the first and second frames 210 and 220 wholly come into close contact with each other, a gap, which corresponds to the difference between the sum of the thicknesses of the first and second frames 210 and 220 and the length of the upper surface of the connection-supporting portion 230) may be formed near the connection-supporting portion 230, which may prevent complete sealing.
(82) As illustrated in
(83) Accordingly, in the present invention, advantageously, the container may be used as a cutting board as needed when a storage item is placed thereon.
(84) As illustrated in
(85) However, in the present invention, in the state in which the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 are unfolded from each other to the maximum extent, a large storage item, such as a watermelon, or a plurality of small storage items may be put in the container unit 100.
(86) Because the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 are pivotably connected to each other, the size of the inlet of the container unit 100 may be adjusted via adjustment in the distance between the first frame 210 and the second frame 220.
(87) That is, although the airtight container having a fixed shape fundamentally has a fixed inlet size, and there is a limitation on the extent to which an airtight bag such as a Ziploc bag can be opened and an inlet thereof can be enlarged, in the present invention, the ability to freely enlarge the inlet of the container unit 100 is considerably increased compared to a conventional plastic airtight bag.
(88) In this state, the user may grip and cause the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 to come into close contact with each other.
(89) In this case, the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 are upright so that the lower ends of the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 are respectively located on the upper surface of the connection-supporting portion 230 and the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 face each other so as to come into close contact with each other.
(90) The facing surfaces of the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 have excellent close contact ability because they may be formed of an elastic material or a viscous material, or may be respectively provided with a protrusion and a groove.
(91) In the state in which the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 come into close contact with each other, when the connection portion 320 is pivoted to surround the fixing portion 310 or to be fastened to or connected to the fixing portion 310, the close contact state of the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 is further strengthened by the fastening or connection force.
(92) Although
(93) Meanwhile, because the container unit 100 illustrated in
(94) The container unit 100 may remain airtight because liquid or gas could not penetrate the cover unit.
(95) Meanwhile,
(96) Even in this case, the size of an inlet of the container unit 100 may be adjusted via adjustment of the distance between the first frame 210 and the second frame 220. When the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 are moved away from each other to the maximum extent, the size of the inlet may be maximized and the inlet may be easily maintained in the open state, which ensures easy storage of items.
(97) In addition, when the first frame 210 and the second frame 220 are folded to come into close contact with each other and the connection portion 320 and the fixing portion 310 are fastened to, coupled to, or caught by each other, of course, the inside of the container unit 100 may be sealed from the outside.
(98) When the airtight container illustrated in
(99) Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, it is clear that the above description is merely given to concretely describe the present invention and the present invention is not limited thereto, and that alterations or improvements thereof are possible by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention.