ES2765743T3 - Container lid - Google Patents

Abstract

Container lid (1) for mounting over an access opening of a container container (40), said container is particularly adapted to pack a powdered or granular food product and comprises a bottom and a circumferential wall having an upper edge away from the bottom, said upper edge defines the opening of the container, where the lid (1) comprises an upper side (2) that in a mounted state extends over the opening of the container (40) and a skirt (3) that extends from the upper side (2) towards a lower end (30), where the skirt (3) has on an internal side (31) the same elastic elements (35) adapted to cooperate with an outward projecting ridge (42 ) on an external side of the circumferential wall of the container (40) to secure the lid (1) to the container (40), characterized in that the elastic members are formed as elastic elongated strips (35) having two ends (36) attached to the inner side (31) of skirt (3) and they are formed as an arc which, in an unloaded state, has an increase with respect to the inner side (31) of the skirt (3).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Container lid

[0001] The present invention relates to a container lid for mounting on an (access) opening of a container container, said container being particularly adapted for packaging a powdered or granular food product and comprising a bottom and a wall circumferential having an upper edge away from the bottom, said upper edge defines the opening of the container. The lid comprises an upper side that in an assembled state extends over the opening of the container and a skirt that extends from the upper side towards a lower end, where the skirt has elastic members on its inner side adapted to cooperate with a ridge that projecting outward on an outer side of the circumferential wall of the container to secure the lid to the container.

[0002] Containers combined with lids for packaging powdered or granulated food products are well known in the art. The typical powdered food products for which this type of packaging is used are infant formulas or dietary supplements. Often these types of containers are provided with a spoon by which a measured dose of powdered product can be taken from the container. The containers may be cylindrical in shape or may be box-shaped with a substantially rectangular cross section.

[0003] US 2015/0129597 describes an example of such a package. This known container includes a lid comprising an annular base that is attached to an upper end of the container. A cover lid is hingedly attached to the base and can be moved between a closed position where the container is sealed and an open position where the user has access to the contents of the container. An interlocking assembly is present between the base and the cover lid to keep the cover lid in a closed position when no powdered food product has to be removed from the container. The annular base has a series of flexible lips distributed on its internal circumference. The flexible lips each have a hook member at a lower end thereof to engage behind an edge of a series of slits formed in the circumference of the container. During mounting of the lid on the container, the hook members slide on the surface of the upper portion of the container. In this way, the flexible lips flex outward. When the hook members reach the indentations, the hook members fit into the indentations due to the elasticity of the lips. This known container requires a precise match between the dimensions of the lid and the container. In general, the lid can only be mounted in a container with precisely matched peripheral dimensions. In practice, different tolerances in the manufacture of the lid and the container can lead to problems in the compatibility between the lid and the container. A container lid is also known according to the preamble of claim 1 of patent DE651344C.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a lid in which the lid can be mounted on containers having different peripheral dimensions within a predefined range (thus mitigating the problem induced by manufacturing tolerances).

[0005] This objective is achieved by means of a container lid according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein the elastic members are formed as elongated elastic strips that have two ends attached to the inner side of the skirt and are formed as an arch which, in the unloaded, it has an increase with respect to the inner side of the skirt.

[0006] The container lid according to the invention is mounted on the container container by placing the skirt with the lower end around the upper end of the container and then pushing it downwards. The bow-shaped strips flatten when they come in contact with the crest of the outward-projecting container and move beyond. When the arch-shaped strips are beyond the outward projecting ridge, they break below said ridge to block removal of the container lid. The arc shaped strips extend radially inward as far as the outer side of the circumferential wall of the container allows. Therefore, depending on the outer dimension of the container, the bow will return to its original shape or a partially flattened shape. This provides flexibility in construction that allows for dimensional variations in the container and lid due to manufacturing tolerances.

[0007] The container lid according to the invention is preferably made of plastic material by injection molding. The suitable plastic material could be a PP or PE resin. It is also possible to make the cover from a combination of materials, such as a combination of PP and TPE. The arched strips are preferably arranged circumferentially distributed on the inner surface of the skirt.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the container lid, the strips extend in a substantial tangential direction from the inner wall of the skirt.

[0009] In a further embodiment, the strips have a leading edge to facilitate compression of the arch of the strip while moving the strip past said outwardly projecting ridge during mounting of the lid on the container. The leading edge guides the strip to the protruding ridge and induces compression of the strip arch. In this way, movement of the strip over and beyond the ridge becomes easier. So it becomes easier cover the container.

In a possible embodiment, said entrance edge has an inclined surface. This facilitates the edge guiding effect on the ridge.

[0010] In a further embodiment, the leading edge may have a curved or pointed shape, where, seen in a radial direction of the cap, the leading edge at the ends of the strip is located closer to the lower end of the skirt. than the center of the strip. This shape has the effect that the strip is gradually compressed towards the center of the strip by the ridge projecting out of the container. This gradual compression reduces the resistance caused by the strips when mounting the lid on the container.

[0011] In a further embodiment, the strips have a retention edge opposite the inlet edge to engage an underside of said ridge that projects outward to retain the lid on the container. When the lid is mounted on the container, the arched strips are compressed first when they are moved along the protruding ridge of the container. When the strips have moved past said protruding ridge, they expand again and the retaining edge of the strip engages behind the protruding ridge. The retention edge forms a stop for said ridge that prevents the lid from being removed from the container.

[0012] Preferably, the retention edge is straight between the ends of the strip, which provides a tight fixation of the lid on the container.

[0013] The retention edge is preferably perpendicular to a front side of the strip. An acute angle may also be possible between the retention edge and a front side of the strip. In this way, it is almost impossible to remove the lid of the container without the use of excessive force.

[0014] In a possible advantageous embodiment, the strips are adapted to break if the lid is removed from the container. In this way, the strips constitute a tamper-proof feature indicating that the lid has been removed from the container.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the container lid according to the invention, the arc is formed as a pointed segmented arc comprising two segments extending from the ends of the respective strip towards a joint where the two segments are joined under a obtuse angle to each other. In a possible specific embodiment, the segments are substantially linear. In another possible specific embodiment, the segments are substantially curved.

In an alternative embodiment, the arch has a continuous curved shape.

[0016] In another possible alternative embodiment, the arch is substantially "W" shaped.

In a practical embodiment of the lid according to the invention, the lid is of the type having a hinged lid. The lid comprises an annular base that includes said skirt attachable to the container and defining an access opening, and the lid further comprises a cover that is hingedly connected to the annular base and can be moved between an open position in which the access opening is free and a closed position in which the access opening is covered. This embodiment is in practice a convenient lid for use with containers containing infant formula or other powdered food product. The lid can be easily opened each time the product has to be removed from the container, for example with a spoon, and can then be easily closed again. The lid according to this practical embodiment can be formed in one piece, so that the annular base and the cover are formed with an integral active hinge that connects them. Another option is that the lid is an assembled part in which the base and cover are separately formed and assembled and connected by a hinge structure.

[0017] In another conceivable embodiment of a cap according to the invention, the skirt comprises a lower portion of the skirt and an upper portion of the skirt. The upper portion of the skirt is integrally connected to the upper side of the cap. The lower portion of the skirt contains the bow-shaped straps. The lower portion of the skirt and the upper portion of the skirt are connected by one or more frangible connections. The frangible connection may be constituted, for example, by frangible connection members or for example by a continuous line of weakening (tear line) provided in the skirt. Such a lid can be mounted as described above. To open the lid for the first time, the bottom portion of the skirt and the top portion of the skirt must be separated by breaking the frangible connection. The lid with the upper portion of the skirt can be replaced after first opening and will be retained by some snap or clamp connection between the upper portion of the skirt and the container or lower portion of the skirt.

[0018] The invention also relates to a process for making a lid as described above.

[0019] In particular, the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a container lid, where the lid comprises an upper side and a skirt extending from the upper side, and where the skirt has elastic strips on its inner side. elongated having two ends attached to the inner side of the skirt and formed as an arch which, in an unloaded state, has an elevation with respect to the inner side of the skirt. In the procedure, an injection mold defining a cavity for molding the container lid is provided, said injection mold comprises two mold halves, movable central parts to define at least a part of the inner surface of the skirt and the upper edge of the strips, the central parts define the reverse of the strips, and a mobile ejector. A plastic resin melt is injected into the mold cavity defined by the mold halves and the center portions. After the melt has been injected and sufficiently cured, the movable core parts move inward to release the strips, and the ejector pushes the formed cap away from the middle of the mold and past the movable core parts to release from the mold the shaped container lid.

[0020] The invention will be explained in the following description with reference to the drawing, where:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a container lid according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a detail of the cap of Figure 1 seen from below, with an elastic member in an expanded state;

Figure 3 shows the same detail as Figure 2, but with the elastic member in a compressed state; Figure 4 shows a part of a cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the container of the lid of figure 1 mounted on a container with a certain diameter;

Figure 5 shows the same detail as Figure 4, but with the lid mounted on a container with a smaller diameter;

Figure 6 shows a cross section along the line II-II indicated in Figure 5 of a detail of the lid of Figure 1 mounted on a container container;

Figure 7 shows in perspective another embodiment of a container lid according to the invention;

Figure 8 shows in cross section a part of a mold in which the lid of Figure 1 is formed; Figure 9 shows in cross section the open mold of Figure 8 during a first ejection step; Figure 10 shows in cross section the open mold of Figure 8 during a second ejection step; Figure 11 shows a part of a lid from below with an elastic member having another shape as shown in Figures 1-6; and

Figure 12 shows a part of a lid from below with an elastic member having yet another shape.

[0021] A container lid 1 is shown in Figure 1 for mounting in a container, eg baby formula, or other powdered or granular food product. The cover comprises an upper side 2 and a skirt 3 which extends from the upper side 2 towards a lower end 30 of the skirt. In the shown embodiment, the top side is a closed plate.

[0022] In another embodiment of a lid according to the invention, which is shown as an example in figure 7, the lid comprises an annular base 4 including a skirt 3 that can be attached to the container and that defines an access opening . In this embodiment, the cover further comprises a cover 5 which is hingedly connected to the annular base 4 by a hinge 6 and which can be moved between an open position in which the access opening is free and a closed position (shown in Figure 7) where the access opening is covered.

[0023] Either type of cap is an injection molded product made of a plastic resin, such as a PP or PE resin. The entire lid, including the elastic straps, is then formed from the same material.

[0024] It is also possible that the cap is made by a 2K injection molding procedure. An example could be a cap made up of the components polypropylene (PP) and a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). A 2K injection molding procedure could also allow the strips to be made of a different material such as the skirt.

[0025] For further explanation of the invention, reference is made to Figure 1, but it should be understood that the features also apply to a cap of the type shown in Figure 7.

[0026] The skirt 3 has an inner side 31. Distributed over the circumference are ribs 32 formed on the inner side 31 of the skirt 3. The ribs 32 extend in an axial direction. The ribs 32 have a lower end 33 that rests on an upper edge of the container when the lid 1 is mounted on the container. The ribs 32 have an upper end that can be attached to the upper side 2 as shown in Figure 1, but in In another embodiment, the upper end of the rib 32 can also be separated from the upper side 2. The ribs 32 have a reinforcing effect and make the lid 1 more rigid.

[0027] It is observed here that the ribs 32 are practical but not essential. Furthermore, a narrowing in the skirt or a circumferential edge on the inner side of the skirt can provide a stop for the upper edge of the container and provide a reinforcing effect.

[0028] On the inner side 31 of skirt 3, near a lower end thereof, elastic strips 35 are formed which are formed as an arch. The elastic straps 35 are distributed over the circumference of the skirt 3.

[0029] Each strip 35 has two ends 36 attached to the inner side 31 of the skirt 3. The strips 35 extend substantially in the tangential direction of the skirt 3 as can be seen in Figure 1. In an unloaded state, shown in Figure 1 and in more detail in Figure 2, the arch has an elevation h with respect to the inner side 31 of skirt 3.

[0030] The arc is, in the specific embodiment shown in Figures 1-6, a pointed segmented arc comprising two substantially linear segments 37 extending from the respective ends of the strip 36 towards a junction 38 in the center, where the two segments 37 are joined below an obtuse angle with respect to each other as best seen in Figure 2.

[0031] It is noted that the shape of the arch may also have a different shape as shown in Figures 1 to 6. Figure 11 shows an example where an elastic strip 35 'is formed having a continuously curved arc shape. . Another example is shown in Figure 12 where an elastic strip 35 '' is formed which generally has a "W" shape. The examples given are not to be construed as limiting the invention; Also other arc shapes are conceivable within the scope of the invention.

[0032] Figure 6 shows a detail of the lid 1 mounted on a container 40. The container 40 has at its upper end a ridge 42 projecting outwards. Each of the strips 35 has a bottom edge 35A that is sloped. This is best seen in the cross-sectional view of Figure 6. The sloping edge 35A functions as a leading edge which facilitates compression of the arc of the strip 35 while moving the strip 35 beyond the outwardly projecting ridge 42 during the assembly of the lid 1 in the container. A compressed strip 35 is shown from above in Figure 3.

[0033] In front of the leading edge, each of the strips 35 has a straight top edge 35B. This straight top edge 35B functions as a retention edge that engages an underside of said ridge 42 that projects outward to retain the lid 1 in the container 40. This is best seen in the cross-sectional view of Figure 6.

[0034] The arcuate strips 35 provide flexibility in construction allowing compensation for variations in the outside diameter of the container wall 41 or variations in the inside diameter of the lid due to manufacturing tolerances. The container lid 1 is mounted on the container container by placing the skirt 3 around the upper end of the container 40 and then pushing it down. The arc-shaped strips 35 flattened when they come into contact with the ridge 42 of the outwardly projecting container 40 and move beyond it. When the arc-shaped strips 35 are beyond the outwardly projecting ridge 42, they break below said ridge 42 to block removal of lid 1 from container 40. The arc-shaped strips 35 extend radially inward as much as the outer side of the circumferential wall 41 of the container 40 allows. Depending on the outer dimension of the container 40, the arch will return to its original shape as shown in Figure 5 or to a partially flattened shape as shown in Figure 4. Therefore, the problem of the different dimensions is solved, for example due to the manufacturing tolerances of the different parts.

[0035] In the examples given in the figures, the container and the lid have a circular cross section. However, it is noted that other forms of cross section of the container and the corresponding lid are also conceivable. Consider, for example, an essentially rectangular cross section with rounded corners, which is a fairly common shape for infant formula containers.

[0036] In figures 8 to 10 a possible work of a mold for the production of a cover of figure 1 is shown. Only a part of the cross section of the mold and the cover 1 are shown.

[0037] In Figure 8, the mold 50 is shown in a closed state just after the cap 1 is formed from a suitable plastic resin, such as a polypropylene (PP) resin. Mold 50 has mold halves 51 and 52. In addition, the mold has center portions 53 and 56, movable center parts 54, each operable by a pin 55. The mold also includes an ejector comprising a movable ejector ring 58 operable by one or more pins 57.

[0038] In the shown embodiment, center 53 and mobile center 54 have an inclined interface 59. When the Center 54 moves, slides along inclined interface 59. When moving center 54 moves away from half of mold 52, it simultaneously moves radially inward and vice versa.

[0039] The mold half 52 defines the front side and the sloping edge 35A of the strips 35. The central part 56 forms the rear side of the strips 35 as can be clearly seen in figure 8. Furthermore, the retention edge straight 35B of the strips 35 is defined by the moving center 54.

[0040] Figure 9 shows a first ejection step in which the mold half 51 is separated from the mold half 52. The movable center part 54 and the ejector ring 58 move away from the mold half 52, by whereby the lid 1 is ejected from the half of the mold 52. The movable central part 54 also moves radially inward, whereby the strips 35 formed on the inner side of the skirt 3 can pass beyond the central part.

[0041] Figure 10 shows that the movable central part 54 has stopped and that the ejector ring 58 moves in a second ejection step to raise the upper side 2 of the cover 1 of the movable central part 54 and move the strips elastic 35 beyond the movable center 54. In this way, the skirt 3 of the cover 1 is completely ejected from the half of the mold 52 and the central parts 56.

Claims (15)

1. Container lid (1) for mounting on an access opening of a container container (40), said container is particularly adapted for packaging a powdered or granular food product and comprises a bottom and a circumferential wall having a upper edge away from the bottom, said upper edge defines the opening of the container, where the lid (1) comprises an upper side (2) that in an assembled state extends over the opening of the container (40) and a skirt (3) that extends from the upper side (2) towards a lower end (30 ), where the skirt (3) has on an internal side (31) of the same elastic elements (35) adapted to cooperate with an outwardly projecting ridge (42) on an external side of the circumferential wall of the container (40 ) to secure the lid (1) to the container (40), characterized in that the elastic members are formed as elongated elastic strips (35) that have two ends (36) attached to the inner side (31) of the skirt (3) and are formed as an arch that, in an unloaded state, has an increase with respect to the inner side (31) of the skirt (3). 2. Container lid according to claim 1, wherein the strips (35) extend in a substantial tangential direction from the inner side (31) of the skirt (3). Container lid according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the strips (35) have a leading edge (35A) to facilitate compression of the arch of the strip (35) while moving the strip (35) beyond said ridge projecting outward (42) during mounting of the lid (1) on the container (40). 4. Container lid according to claim 3, wherein the leading edge (35A) has an inclined surface. 5. Container lid according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the leading edge (35A) has a curved or pointed shape, where, seen in a radial direction of the lid (1), the leading edge (35A) in the The ends (36) of the strip (35) are closer to the lower end (30) of the skirt (3) than in the center (38A) of the strip (35). 6. Container lid according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the strips (35) have a retention edge (35B) opposite to the entrance edge (35A) to hook a lower side of said outwardly projecting ridge (42) to retain the lid (1) in the container (40). 7. The container lid according to claim 6, wherein the retention edge (35B) is straight between the ends (36) of the strip (35). Container lid according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the arch is formed as a pointed segmented arch comprising two segments (37) extending from the ends of the respective strip (36) towards a joint (38) where the two segments (37) are joined at an obtuse angle to each other. 9. Container lid according to claim 8, wherein said segments (37) are substantially linear or substantially curved. 10. Container lid according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the arch has a continuous curved shape. Container lid according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (1) comprises an annular base (4) that includes said skirt (3) that can be attached to the container and that defines an access opening, and where the lid it further comprises a cover (5) that is hingedly connected to the annular base (4) and that can be moved between an open position in which the access opening is free and a closed position in which the opening is covered. access. 12. Container lid according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the skirt comprises an upper skirt portion and a lower skirt portion, with the upper skirt portion integrally connected to the upper side of the lid and the lower skirt portion containing the arc-shaped strips, where the lower skirt portion and the upper skirt portion are connected by one or more frangible connections. 13. Container lid according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (1) is made of plastic material. 14. Container lid according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (1) is injection molded, preferably it is formed by 2K injection molding, where the strips (35) are formed of a material other than the skirt (3). 15. Procedure for manufacturing a container lid, where the lid (1) comprises an upper side (2) and a skirt (3) extending from the upper side (2), and where the skirt (3) has an inner side (31) of the same elongated elastic strips (35) having two ends (36) attached to the inner side ( 31) of the skirt (3) and formed as an arch that, in the unloaded state, has an elevation with respect to the internal side (31) of the skirt (3), in which method an injection mold (50) is provided that defines a cavity for molding the container lid (1), said injection mold comprises two mold halves (51, 52), mobile center parts (54) to define at least a part of the inner surface of the skirt (3) and the upper edge of the strips, center portions (56) to define the back side of the strips (35), and a movable ejector (57, 58), in which a plastic resin melt is injected into the mold cavity defined by mold halves and center parts, and where after the melt has been injected and sufficiently cured, the moving center portions (54) are moved inward to release the strips (35), and the ejector (57, 58) pushes the formed lid (1) away from the middle of the mold (52) and past the movable central parts (54) to release the formed container lid (1) from the mold (50).