Container Having Automatically Opening and Closing Lid

Abstract

A container having an automatically opening and closing lid and for storing various contents is disclosed. To this end, the present invention includes: an outer container (10); an inner container (20); a contents container (30); an upper lid (40) having an upper lid body (41), a contents supply hole (42), an opening and closing piece (43), and an opening and closing piece actuating portion (44); and a lower support (50) comprised of an upper fixed member (51) and a lower actuating member (55). Therefore, the present invention can be used without a separate opening and closing operation of the lid and thus is highly convenient and sanitary.

Claims

1. A container having an automatically opening and closing lid, the container comprising: a hollow-shaped outer container (10); an inner container (20) inserted into the outer container and configured to be elastically movable upward and downward by a tension member (70) inserted between the outer container (10) and the inner container; a contents container (30) inserted into the inner container (20) and fixedly coupled to the outer container (10), the contents container being charged with contents therein; an upper lid (40) having a dome-shaped upper lid body (41) coupled to an upper portion of the outer container, a contents supply hole (42) formed through an upper center portion of the upper lid body, an opening and closing piece (43) provided over the contents supply hole, and an opening and closing piece actuating portion (44) configured to open and close the contents supply hole by allowing the opening and closing piece to be rotated upward and downward in cooperation with an upward and downward movement of the inner container (20); and a lower support (50) comprised of an upper fixed member (51) fixedly coupled to a lower portion of the outer container, and a lower actuating member (55) coupled to a lower portion of the upper fixed member and configured to be moved upward and downward in cooperation with the upward and downward movement of the inner container (20), wherein when the outer container (10) is lifted from a surface, the inner container (20) is moved downward by the tension member (70), and when the outer container is put down on a surface, the inner container is moved back upward while compressing the tension member (70), whereby the opening and closing piece (43) automatically opens and closes the contents supply hole (42).

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the contents container (30) has a discharge port (32) formed in an upper portion thereof; the discharge port (32) is inserted and fixed in a coupling hole (12) formed an upper center portion of the outer container (10); and a sealing cap (45) is coupled to the opening and closing piece (43) at a location corresponding to the contents supply hole (42), and a ring-shaped sealing member (33) is inserted into the contents supply hole (42) and into the discharge port (32) of the contents container so as to cooperate with the sealing cap (45) in an airtight manner.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing piece actuating portion (44) of the upper lid (40) has shaft pins (43b) coupled to shaft holes (43a) formed on the opening and closing piece along a rotating axis of the opening and closing piece, and a torsion spring (46) having a first end fixed to the upper lid body (41) and a second end fixed to the opening and closing piece (43) and fitted over each of the shaft pins, such that the opening and closing piece (43) is elastically biased downward, and the opening and closing piece (43) is also elastically supported by a stopper (23) provided at an upper end of the inner container (20) such that the opening and closing piece is rotated in cooperation with the upward and downward movement of the inner container (20).

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing piece (43) of the upper lid (40) is inserted into a guide groove (41a) formed horizontally in the upper portion of the upper lid body (41) so as to be moved along the guide groove.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the lower actuating member (55) of the lower support (50) has an insertion tube (56) provided at an upper center thereof and guide walls (57) circumferentially provided at equiangular locations outside the insertion tube, and the insertion tube and the guide walls are respectively coupled to an insertion hole (52) formed in a center of the upper fixed member (51) and guide holes (53) circumferentially formed at locations outside the insertion hole so as to be moved upward and downward therealong, wherein an upward and downward movement distance of the insertion tube and the guide walls is limited by a stop protrusion (57a) protruding from a side portion of each of the guide walls and by a vertical guide groove (54a) vertically formed in a partition wall (54) provided inside the upper fixed member and along which each of the stop protrusions is vertically moved.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein a locking groove (54b) is connected to an upper portion of each of the vertical guide grooves (54a) by horizontally extending in a circumferential direction such that when the stop protrusions (57a) are inserted into the locking grooves, an upward and downward movement of the upper fixed member and the lower actuating member is limited.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the lower actuating member (55) of the lower support (50) has a suction plate (61) assembled to a lower surface thereof and having a suction hole (62) formed in an upper center portion thereof, and the suction plate is configured such that when the outer container is put down on a surface, an actuating protrusion (36) of a lower cap coupled to a lower portion of the contents container is inserted into the suction hole (62) to close the suction hole, thus creating suction, and when the outer container is lifted from a surface, the actuating protrusion (36) of the lower cap is separated from the suction hole (62), thus releasing suction.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the lower cap (35) has a guide tube (37) protruding from a lower portion thereof outside the actuating protrusion (36) and inserted into an insertion tube (56) of the lower actuating member so as to be moved upward and downward therealong, and the guide tube (37) has slits (37a) vertically formed therethrough at equiangular locations.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating a closed state of a container according to the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a cut-away exploded perspective view illustrating a main portion of an upper lid of FIG. 2.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a cutaway exploded perspective view illustrating a main portion of a lower support of FIG. 2.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 1.

[0030] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG. 5.

[0031] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion B of FIG. 5.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway perspective view of FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 9 is an external perspective view illustrating an opened state of the container according to the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of FIG. 9.

[0035] FIG. 11 is a partially cutaway perspective view of FIG. 9.

BEST MODE

[0036] Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] A container 100 having an automatically opening and closing lid according the present invention includes an outer container 10, an inner container 20, a contents container 30, an upper lid 40, and a lower support 50.

[0038] The outer container 10 includes a hollow body 11 and upper and lower coupling portions 11a and 11b provided at upper and lower sides of the body such that the upper lid 40 and the lower support 50 are coupled to the upper and lower coupling portions 11a and 11b, respectively.

[0039] The inner container 20 is inserted into the outer container 10, and a tension member 70 is inserted between the outer container 10 and the inner container 20 such that the inner container 20 is elastically movable upward and downward.

[0040] In other words, when the outer container 10 is lifted from a surface, the inner container 20 is moved downward by the tension member 70, and when the outer container is put down on a surface, the inner container is moved back upward while compressing the tension member 70.

[0041] The contents container 30 is charged with contents therein. Furthermore, the contents container is inserted into the inner container 20 and has a discharge port 32 formed in an upper portion thereof and a lower cap 35 coupled to a lower portion thereof.

[0042] The discharge port 32 is inserted and fixed in a coupling hole 12 formed in an upper center portion of the outer container 10.

[0043] The upper lid 40 includes: a dome-shaped upper lid body 41 having a contents supply hole 42 formed through an upper center portion thereof at a location corresponding to the discharge port 32; an opening and closing piece 43 shaft-provided at the upper lid body 42 so as to be rotatable from over the contents supply hole to a side lower portion of the upper lid body away from the contents supply hole; and an opening and closing piece actuating portion 44 configured to open and close the contents supply hole 42 by allowing the opening and closing piece 43 to be rotated downward in cooperation with a downward movement of the inner container 20 when the outer container is lifted from a surface and by allowing the opening and closing piece 43 to be rotated upward in cooperation with an upward returning movement of the inner container 20 when the outer container is put down on a surface.

[0044] Herein, the opening and closing piece 43 is formed to have the same curved surface as the dome-shaped upper lid body 41 and is inserted into a guide groove 41c formed from the upper portion of the upper lid body 41 to the side lower portion thereof so as to be rotated along the guide groove.

[0045] Furthermore, the opening and closing piece actuating portion 44 has shaft pins 43b coupled to shaft holes 43a formed the opening and closing piece 43 along the rotating axis of the opening and closing piece, and a torsion spring 46 having a first end fixed to the upper lid body 41 and a second end fixed to the opening and closing piece 43 fitted over each of the shaft pins, such that the opening and closing piece 43 is elastically biased downward.

[0046] At this time, the opening and closing piece 43 is also elastically supported on a lower portion thereof by stoppers 23 provided at an upper end of the inner container 20, such that the opening and closing piece automatically opens and closes the contents supply hole 42 while being rotated downward and upward in cooperation with an upward movement and a downward returning movement of the inner container 20.

[0047] Furthermore, a sealing cap 45 is coupled to the opening and closing piece 43 at a location corresponding to the contents supply hole 42, and a ring-shaped sealing member 33 is inserted into the contents supply hole 42 of the upper lid body and into the discharge port 32 of the contents container so as to cooperate with the sealing cap 45 in an airtight manner.

[0048] The lower support 50 is divided into an upper fixed member 51 fixed to a lower portion of the outer container and a lower actuating member 55 coupled to a lower portion of the upper fixed member so as to be movable upward and downward in cooperation with an upward and downward movement of the inner container 20.

[0049] The lower actuating member 55 has an insertion tube 56 provided at an upper center thereof and guide walls circumferentially provided at equiangular locations outside the insertion tube. The insertion tube and the guide walls are respectively coupled to an insertion hole 52 formed in the center of the upper fixed member 51 and guide holes 53 circumferentially formed at locations outside the insertion hole so as to be moved upward and downward therealong. Herein, the upward and downward movement distance of the insertion tube and the guide walls is limited by a stop protrusion 57a protruding from a side portion of each of the guide walls and by a vertical guide groove 54a vertically formed in a partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member and along which each of the stop protrusions is vertically moved.

[0050] At this time, a locking groove 54b is connected to an upper portion of each of the vertical guide grooves 54a by horizontally extending in a circumferential direction such that when the stop protrusions 57a are inserted into the locking grooves by rotation of the lower actuating member 55, an upward and downward movement of the upper fixed member and the lower actuating member is limited (locking operation).

[0051] In other words, even when the outer container 10 is lifted from a surface, the inner container 20 and the lower actuating member 55 of the lower support 50 are prevented from being moved upward and downward, whereby the opening and closing piece 43 maintains the contents supply hole 42 a closed state.

[0052] Furthermore, the lower actuating member 55 of the lower support 50 has a suction plate 61 assembled to a lower surface thereof and having a suction hole 62 formed in an upper center portion thereof. The suction plate is configured such that when the outer container is put down on a surface, an actuating protrusion 36 provided at a lower portion of the lower cap is inserted into the suction hole 62 to close the suction hole, thus creating suction, and when the outer container is lifted from a surface, the actuating protrusion 36 provided at the lower portion of the lower cap is separated from the suction hole 62, thus releasing suction.

[0053] At this time, the lower cap 35 has a guide tube 37 protruding from the lower portion thereof outside the actuating protrusion 36 and inserted into the insertion tube 56 of the lower actuating member so as to be moved upward and downward therealong. The guide tube 37 has slits 37a vertically formed therethrough at equiangular locations and functioning to allow the guide tube to be elastically operated inward and outward upon assembly, thus improving the assembling performance and to allow outside air to be introduced upon suction or release of suction.

[0054] Furthermore, the suction plate 61 is configured such that coupling protrusions 66 of a coupling piece 65 coupled to a lower surface of the suction plate are inserted into assembly holes 63 of the suction plate and into coupling grooves 56a that are circumferentially formed in a lower end of the insertion tube 56 of the lower plate 55, thus being prevented from being separated therefrom.

[0055] Reference numerals 38a and 38b denote locking protrusions that are provided at ends of the guide tube 37 and the insertion tube 56, respectively, and engaged with each other and locked so as to prevent separation, and reference numeral 41a denotes a shaft pin assembly groove.

[0056] Hereinafter, the operation and action of the present invention configured as described above will be described.

[0057] First, when the container according to the present invention is put down on a surface, the lower support 50 provided at the lower portion of the outer container 10 is seated on the surface.

[0058] At the same time, the lower support 50 provided at the lower portion of the outer container 10 is operated such that the upper fixed member 51 is moved downward along the lower actuating member 55 due to the weight of the outer container.

[0059] At this time, the insertion hole 52 formed in the center of the upper fixed member 51 is moved downward along the insertion tube 56 provided at the center of the lower actuating member 55, and the guide walls 57 of the lower actuating member 55 are moved downward along the guide holes circumferentially formed at locations outside the insertion hole.

[0060] In particular, the upper fixed member 51 is moved downward within an upward and downward movement range in which the stop protrusions 57a protruding from the side portions of the guide walls are moved along the vertical guide grooves 54a vertically formed in the partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member.

[0061] At the same time, the outer container 10 is moved down while compressing the tension member 70 provided between the outer container and the inner container 20.

[0062] The outer container 10 moved downward as described above causes the opening and closing piece 43 of the upper lid, which is supported by the stoppers provided at the upper end of the inner container, to be pushed upward, whereby the opening and closing piece 43 is rotated upward about the shaft pins 43b.

[0063] At this time, the opening and closing piece 43 is rotated along the guide groove 43a formed in the upper lid body 41 of the upper lid in a state of being inserted thereinto.

[0064] Then, the opening and closing piece 43 rotated upward closes the contents supply hole 42 formed in the upper center portion of the upper lid.

[0065] At this time, the sealing cap 45 of the opening and closing piece 43 is brought into close contact with the ring-shaped sealing member 33 inserted into the contents supply hole 42 and the discharge port 32 of the contents container, thus closing the contents supply hole 42 in an airtight manner.

[0066] Through the operation of putting the outer container 10 down on a surface as described above, the opening and closing piece 43 of the upper lid automatically closes the contents supply hole 42.

[0067] At the same time, when the outer container 10 is put down on a surface, the contents container 30 provided in the outer container is also moved downward while the outer container 10 and the upper fixed member 51 of the lower support are moved downward.

[0068] Then, the guide tube 37 provided at the lower portion of the lower cap 35 coupled to the lower portion of the contents container is moved downward along the insertion tube 56 of the lower actuating member, causing the actuating protrusion 36 protruding inside the guide tube 37 of the lower cap to be inserted into the suction hole 62 formed in an upper center portion of the suction plate 61 coupled to the lower surface of the lower actuating member, thus creating suction of the suction plate 61.

[0069] In other words, when the outer container 10 is put down on a surface, the suction plate 61 at the bottom of the container is automatically sucked on the surface. This makes it possible to prevent the container from tipping over due to an external force.

[0070] When a user wants to use the contents of the container in such a state, the user can lift the outer container 10 from the surface again while holding the outer container with the hand. As a result, the lower actuating member 55 of the lower support and the inner container 20 are moved downward from the outer container 10 due to an elastic force exerted by the tension member 70 provided between the outer container 10 and the inner container 20 and due to the weight of the inner container 20 and the lower actuating member 55 of the lower support.

[0071] At this time, the insertion tube 56 provided at the center of the lower actuating member 55 is moved downward along the insertion hole 52 formed in the center of the upper fixed member 51, and the guide walls 57 of the lower actuating member 55 are moved downward along the guide holes 53 circumferentially formed at locations outside the insertion hole.

[0072] Herein, the lower actuating member 55 has a limited downward movement distance within an upward and downward movement range in which the stop protrusions 57a protruding from the side portions of the guide walls are moved along the vertical guide grooves 54a vertically formed in the partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member.

[0073] At this time, the insertion tube 56 of the lower actuating member is moved downward along the guide tube 37 provided at the lower portion of the lower cap 35 coupled to the lower portion of the contents container, causing the actuating protrusion 36 protruding inside the guide tube 37 of the lower cap and inserted into the suction hole 62 formed in the upper center portion of the suction plate 61 to be separated therefrom, thus releasing suction of the suction plate 61. This makes it possible to easily lift the outer container from a surface.

[0074] At this time, air is introduced into the insertion tube 56 through the slits 37a vertically formed through the guide tube 37, causing the actuating protrusion 36 to be easily separated from the suction hole 62 formed in the upper center portion of the suction plate.

[0075] In other words, when the outer container 10 is lifted from a surface, suction of the suction plate 61 at the bottom of the container is automatically released, thus easily lifting and the container from the surface.

[0076] When the outer container 10 is lifted from the surface and the inner container 20 is moved downward by the tension member 70 as described above, the opening and closing piece 43 of the upper lid supported by the stoppers 23 of the inner container is rotated downward by the opening and closing piece actuating portion 44.

[0077] This is because the opening and closing piece 43 that is rotatable about the shaft pins 43b coupled to the shaft holes 43a is rotated downward due to the elastic force exerted by the torsion springs 46 that are fitted over the shaft pins and have the first ends fixed to the upper lid body 41 of the upper lid and the second ends fixed to the opening and closing piece 43.

[0078] At this time, the opening and closing piece 43 is rotated along the guide groove 43a formed in the upper lid body 41 of the upper lid in a state of being inserted thereinto.

[0079] The opening and closing piece 43 rotated downward as described above automatically opens the contents supply hole 42 that is in a closed state.

[0080] In other words, through the operation of lifting outer container 10 from a surface, the contents supply hole 42 is automatically opened, thus making it possible for the user to easily withdraw the contents to be used from the container.

[0081] On the other hand, when the container according to the present invention is carried and stored, the container is locked so as to prevent the opening and closing piece 43 of the upper lid from being automatically opened and closed.

[0082] This is realized by pressing the outer container 10 downward or pressing the lower actuating member 55 upward from the lower support 50 provided at the lower portion of the outer container, thus moving the lower actuating member 55 upward along the upper fixed member 51.

[0083] At this time, the stop protrusions 57a protruding from the side portions of the guide walls of the lower actuating member 55 are moved upward along the vertical guide grooves 54a vertically formed in the partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member.

[0084] In this state, when the lower actuating member 55 is rotated in one direction along the upper fixed member 51, the stop protrusions 57a are inserted into the locking grooves 54b connected to the upper portions of the vertical guide grooves 54a by horizontally extending in a circumferential direction, thus limiting an upward and downward operation of the upper fixed member and the lower actuating member (locking operation state).

[0085] At this time, the opening and closing piece 43 of the upper lid is horizontally moved as described above, thus maintaining the contents supply hole 42 in a closed state.

[0086] In other words, in the locking operation state, even when the outer container 10 is lifted from or put down on a surface, the inner container 20 and the lower actuating member 55 of the lower support 50 are not moved upward and downward, allowing the opening and closing piece 43 to maintain the contents supply hole 42 in a closed state. This makes it possible to safely carry and store container inside the bag or the like.

[0087] As described above, the present invention has a configuration including the outer container, the inner container inserted into the outer container to be movable upward and downward, the contents container inserted into the inner container and fixedly coupled to the outer container, the upper lid coupled to the upper portion of the outer container and opening and closing the contents supply hole with the opening and closing piece, and the lower support coupled to the lower portion of the outer container to be movable upward and downward. Accordingly, when the container is lifted from a surface, the opening and closing piece of the upper lid automatically opens the contents supply hole in cooperation with a downward movement of the inner container and the lower support, and when the container is put down again on a surface after use, the opening and closing piece of the upper lid automatically closes the contents supply hole in cooperation with an upward movement of the inner container and the lower support. Therefore, the present invention can be used by automatically opening and closing the lid without a separate opening and closing operation thereof and thus is highly convenient and sanitary.

[0088] Although the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.