Snap-action non-separable connection between a lid and container, the latter intended particularly for beverages

Abstract

A snap-action non-separable connection between the lid and container, incorporating snap-action profiles formed in the top part of the container around the opening for filling the container, and snap-action profiles formed in the lid, where the said profiles interlock, is characterised in that the snap-action profiles in the top part of the container are formed on the front surface of that part into segments which do not contact one another, where formed on the side surface of each segment is at least one snap protrusion and where in the top part of the lid are slots on the side surface of which formed is at least one snap ledge, and where the number of the slots in the lid is equal to the number of the said segments.

Claims

1. A snap-action non-separable connection between a lid and a container, comprising snap-action profiles formed in a top part of the container around an opening for filling the container, and the snap-action profiles formed in the lid, where said profiles interlock, characterised in that the snap-action profiles in the top part (8) of the container (6) are formed on a front surface (8a) of the top part (8) into segments (9) which do not contact one another, where formed on a side surface of each segment is at least one snap protrusion (10), and where in the top part (1a) of the lid (1) are slots (2), on the side surface of which formed is at least one snap ledge (4), and where a number of the slots (2) in the lid (1) is equal to the number of said segments (9) formed around an opening (7) of the container (6), where said segments (9) fit into said slots (2) in the lid (1) so that resting on said snap ledges (4) in the slots (2) in the lid are said snap protrusions (10) of the segments (9), and the top parts of the segments above the snap protrusion (10) contact tightly the slots (2) in the lid (1), and a bottom surface (1c) of the lid (1) contacts the front surface (8a) of the top part (8) of the container (6), and wherein, formed in the lid the snap ledge (4) around its bottom edge is a socket (5) to accommodate a flange (11) of the container (6).

2. The connection according to claim 1, characterised in that the front surface (8a) of the top part (8) of the container (6) around the inner edge of the opening (7) of the container (6) incorporates a bearing ledge (8a).

3. The connection according to claim 1, characterised in that the segment (9) is longitudinal and the snap protrusion (10) is formed on its side lengthwise outer surface (9a) in the form of a flange, while an opposite lengthwise side inner surface (9b) of the segment (9) runs up at an angle, outwardly with respect to a vertical cross section of the container (6), and the snap ledge (4) is formed on the side lengthwise surface (2a) closer to the side edge (3) of the lid (1), where under the snap ledge (4) said side lengthwise surface (2a) runs down at an angle, outwardly with respect to a vertical cross section of the lid (1), while an opposite side lengthwise surface (2b) in the slot (2) runs down at an angle, inwardly with respect to the vertical cross section of the lid (1) so that said slanted surface (9b) of the segment (9) contacts tightly the slanted surface (2b) in the slot (2), located opposite the snap ledge (4).

4. The connection according to claim 1, characterised in that a side lengthwise surface (2a) which runs at an angle within the slot (2), under the snap ledge (4) is rounded.

5. The connection according to claim 1, characterised in that a length of the snap ledge (4) in the slot (2) is shorter than the length of the snap protrusion (10) of the segment (9).

6. The connection according to claim 1, characterised in that at a contact point between the bottom surface of the lid (1) and the front surface (8a) of the top part (8) of the container (6) is fitted with a sealing element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other characteristics of the invention will be clear from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows the top part of the container and the lid before assembly, in the 3D view from the top;

(3) FIG. 2 presents the top part of the container with the lid on, in the 3D view from the top;

(4) FIG. 3 depicts the lid in orthographic projection from the top;

(5) FIG. 4A, 4B presents the top part of the container without the lid, in the 3D view from the top, in different variants: A, B;

(6) FIG. 5 presents the lid connected with the container in orthographic projection from the top;

(7) FIG. 6A, 6C shows the snap ledge formed on the surface of the slot in the lid, in the 3D view from the top, in different variants: A, C;

(8) FIG. 7A depicts the snap ledge as in FIG. 6A, in the 3D view from the bottom;

(9) FIG. 7C shows the snap ledge as in FIG. 6C, in the 3D view from the bottom;

(10) FIG. 8A, FIG. 8B depicts the segment formed on the front surface of the top part of the container, in the 3D view from the bottom, in different variants: A, B, compatible with the snap ledge as in FIG. 6A;

(11) FIG. 8C presents the segment formed on the front surface of the top part of the container, in the 3D view from the bottom, compatible with the snap ledge as in FIG. 6C;

(12) FIG. 9A depicts the top part of the container and the lid before assembly, in cross section;

(13) FIG. 10A shows the top part of the container and the lid during the assembly, as in FIG. 9A, in cross section;

(14) FIG. 11A depicts the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 9A, FIG. 10A, in cross section;

(15) FIG. 9B presents the top part of the container and the lid, before assembly, in cross section;

(16) FIG. 10B shows the top part of the container and the lid, during the assembly, as in FIG. 9B, in cross section;

(17) FIG. 11B presents the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 9B, FIG. 10B in cross section;

(18) FIG. 9C depicts the top part of the container and the lid, before assembly, in cross section;

(19) FIG. 10C shows the top part of the container and the lid, during assembly, as in FIG. 9C, in cross section;

(20) FIG. 11C presents the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 9C, FIG. 10C, in cross section;

(21) FIG. 12A shows cross section of the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 11A, in a 3D view;

(22) FIG. 12B presents cross section of the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 11B, in a 3D view;

(23) FIG. 12C depicts shows cross section of the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 11C, in a 3D view;

(24) FIG. 13A shows longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, in a 3D view;

(25) FIG. 13C presents longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 11C, in the 3D view;

(26) FIG. 14A depicts the connection between the lid and the container, in longitudinal section, as in FIG. 13A, in orthographic projection;

(27) FIG. 14C shows the connection between the lid and the container, in longitudinal section, as in FIG. 13C, in orthographic projection;

(28) FIG. 15A presents horizontal section of the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 11A, 11B, in a 3D view;

(29) FIG. 15C depicts horizontal section of the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 11C, in a 3D view;

(30) FIG. 16A shows the connection between the lid and the container, in horizontal section, as in FIG. 15A, in orthographic projection;

(31) FIG. 16C presents the connection between the lid and the container, in horizontal section, as in FIG. 15C, in orthographic projection;

(32) FIG. 17 depicts a fragment of the top part of the container and a fragment of the lid, before assembly, in a 3D view, in yet another variant;

(33) FIG. 18 shows the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 17, in a 3D view

(34) FIG. 19 presents longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container, as in FIG. 18, in a 3D view;

(35) FIG. 20 depicts the connection between the lid and the container, in longitudinal section, as in FIG. 18, in orthographic projection;

(36) FIG. 21 to FIG. 23 present the top part of the container and the lid, in various shapes, before assembly, in a 3D view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(37) An exemplary snap-action non-separable connection between the lid 1 and the container 6 incorporates snap-action profiles formed on the top part 8 of the container 6 and snap-action profiles formed in the lid 1. The said profiles interlock.

(38) As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4A, a snap-action profiles on the container 6 are formed on the front surface 8a around the opening 7 for filling the container 6 into longitudinal segments 9 which do not contact one another, where on the side lengthwise outer surface 9a of each segment formed is a snap protrusion 10 in the form of a flange, and where the side lengthwise inner surface 9b runs up at an angle, outwardly with respect to the vertical section of the container 6. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, there are slots 2 in the top part 1a of the lid 1, along the edge 3, where formed on the side lengthwise surface 2a of the slots positioned closer to the side part 1b of the lid 1 is the snap ledge 4, under which the lengthwise surface 2a runs down at an angle, outwardly with respect to the vertical section of the lid 1; preferably, the snap ledge is rounded (FIG. 7A, FIG. 9A, FIG. 10A, FIG. 12A), whereas the opposite side lengthwise surface 2b in the slots 2 runs down at an angle, inwardly with respect to the vertical section of the lid 1 (FIG. 9A). The edge 3 of the lid is extends above the top part 1a of the lid 1 (FIG. 1, FIG. 2 FIG. 9A). The number of the slots 2 in the lid 1 is equal to the number of the segments 9 formed around the opening 7 of the container 6. The length of the snap ledge 4 formed on the side lengthwise surface 2a of the slot 2 in the lid 1 is smaller than the length of the snap protrusion 10 on the segment 9 formed on the top surface 8a of the top part 8 of the container 6, as shown in FIG. 13A, FIG. 14A, FIG. 15A, FIG. 16A. The segments 9 of the container 6 fit into the slots 2 in the lid 1 so that resting on the snap ledges 4 are the snap protrusions 10 of the segments 9. In the side part 1b of the lid 1, along the bottom edge, there is a socket 5 to accommodate the flange 11 of the container 6. The top parts of the segments 9 above the snap protrusion 10 contact tightly the slots 2 in the lid, and the slanted surfaces 9b of the segments 9 located opposite the snap protrusions 10 contact tightly the slanted surfaces 2b of the slot 2, where the surfaces are located opposite the snap ledge 4, thus closing tightly the slots 2 in the lid 1, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 5, FIG. 11A, while the bottom surface of the lid 1 contacts the front surface 8a of the bottom part 8 of the container 6, thus closing tightly the opening 7 in the container 6, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 11A, FIG. 12A, FIG. 13A and FIG. 15A.

(39) Another exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4B, FIG. 6B to FIG. 12B.

(40) In this embodiment, described in the above example, the front surface 8a of the top part 8 of the container 6 around the inner edge of the opening 7 of the container 6 incorporates the bearing ledge 8a, which additionally tightens and stabilizes the connection.

(41) In addition, the contact point between the bottom surface of the lid 1 and the front surface 8a of the top part 8 of the container 6 may be fitted with a sealing element.

(42) In other embodiments, the snap protrusions on the segments and the snap ledges in the slots may be formed on other surfaces of the segments and slots than in the example described above, for example formed in mirror reflection, as shown in FIG. 8C to FIG. 16C, or on transverse surfaces, as shown in FIG. 17 to FIG. 20. Moreover, the segments and slots may take other shapes, for example the shape of a cylinder.

(43) The segments may be formed transversely on the front surface 8a of the top part 8 of the container.

(44) The connection between the lid and the container can be used in containers of various shapes, as shown on the examples presented in FIG. 1, FIG. 21 to FIG. 23.

(45) The top part 1a of the lid 1 is fitted with any desired technical means to open the container (not shown on the drawing) for emptying it.

(46) The procedure of closing the container with the lid progresses as follows. The lid 1 is put on the filled container 6 secured in place with the flange 11, where the positioning of the lid takes place on one of the segments 9 of the container. Then, by engaging force the lid 1 is pressed against the container 6, in effect of which the snap protrusions 10 of the segments 9 are slipped onto the snap panels 4 in the slots 2 and interlock, with the top parts of the segments 9 contacting tightly the slots 2 in the lid 1, thus sealing them, where the bottom surface 1c of the lid 1 contacts the front surface 8a of the container between the segments 9, and if the container is fitted with the flange 11 and/or bearing ledge 8a, the said surface also contacts their surfaces, thus sealing the opening 7 of the container 6.

(47) Thanks to the side edge 3 protruding above the top surface of the lid the closed containers may be stacked.

LIST OF NUMERICAL REFERENCES

(48) 1lid 1atop part of the lid 1bside part of the lid 1cbottom surface of the top part of the lid 2slot in the lid 2aside lengthwise surface in the slot in the lid 2arounded part of the side lengthwise surface in the slot in the lid under the snap ledge 2bside lengthwise surface in the slot in the lid 3top edge of the lid 4snap ledge in the slot in the lid 5socket in the lid 6container 7container opening 8top part of the container 8afront surface of the top part of the container 8abearing ledge on the front surface of the top part of the container 9segment of the top part of the container 9aside lengthwise outer surface of the segment 9bside lengthwise inner surface of the segment 10snap protrusion of the segment 11container flange