US20190329941A1

US20190329941A1 - Container Having Automatically Opening and Closing Lid

Info

Publication number: US20190329941A1
Application number: US16/344,715
Authority: US
Inventors: In Yong CHUNG
Original assignee: CTK Co Ltd
Current assignee: CTK Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-11-02
Filing date: 2016-11-08
Publication date: 2019-10-31
Also published as: KR101782803B1; WO2018084348A1; JP2019535598A; EP3536629A4; CN109843736A; CN109843736B; EP3536629A1; JP6761902B2

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.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a container for storing various contents. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container having an automatically opening and closing lid, the container being configured such that an upper lid is automatically opened when the container is lifted from a surface, and the upper lid is automatically closed when the container is put down on a surface after use, whereby the container can be used without a separate opening and closing operation of the lid and thus is highly convenient and sanitary.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, containers are used to contain and pack various contents in the form of liquid, gel, and powder.
Such a container is comprised of a container body and an upper lid coupled to an upper portion of the container body and configured to be openable and closable.
Such a conventional container is configured such that when a user wants to withdraw contents from the container, the user can open the upper lid provided on the upper portion of the container body or can open a separate opening and closing port provided at the upper lid, thus withdrawing the contents to be used.
In other words, conventionally, the user needs to open the upper lid or the opening and closing port of the upper lid separately to withdraw the contents to be used from the container, and then close the upper lid or the opening and closing port of the upper lid after use. This may cause a problem in that withdrawal of the contents to be used is very inconvenient.
In particular, in the case of using contents such as cosmetic materials, when the user closes the upper lid or opening and closing port after use, the container may slip from the hand of the user due to the cosmetic materials applied thereon. This may causes a problem in that it is more inconvenient to operate the upper lid or the opening and closing port, further causing the container to become contaminated with an unsanitary residue of the cosmetic materials on the outer surface of the container.
In an effort to solve such problems, a technique has been disclosed in which contents of a container are automatically withdrawn for use, thus improving convenience of use. For example, a pair of ball valves, which are configured to be oppositely operated by a tension coil spring and a compression coil spring, are provided in an outlet of a container lid, such that when the container is pressurized by being lifted, the valve is automatically opened by a pressing force acting thereon, allowing the contents to be discharged, and when the container is put down to stand upright and the pressing force of the container is released, the valve is closed, allowing the contents remaining in the outlet to flow back into the container.
However, due to the fact that the valve is opened to withdraw the contents to be used by the pressing force acting thereon when the container is pressurized by being lifted, and the fact that the valve is closed when the container is put down again to stand upright after the pressing force of the container is released, the above-described container according to the related art adapts a semi-automatic opening and closing method in which the operation of pressurizing the container is required additionally to the operation of lifting the container in order to open the valve. Therefore, the container according to the related art is problematic in that convenience of use may be limited.
Furthermore, the container according to the related art is still problematic in that when the container is in use in a standing position or is carried and stored in a bag or the like, the container may be easily tipped over, and when an external force is applied to the container and the valve is unintentionally opened, the contents of the container may be unnecessarily discharged therefrom. Currently, there is no separate technique for preventing this.
It is to be noted that previously proposed related arts include Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0018478, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0067812, and Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2006-0035531.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and an objective of the present invention is to provide a container configured such that when the container is lifted from a surface, an upper lid is automatically opened, and when the container is put down again on a surface after use, the upper lid is automatically closed, whereby the container is used without a separate opening and closing operation of the lid and thus is highly convenient and sanitary.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a container having a locking function that limits an automatic opening operation of an upper lid, thus preventing leakage of contents during carrying and storage of the container and ensuring safe use.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a container having a suction plate that is additionally provided at the bottom of the container, wherein when the container is lifted from a surface, suction is automatically is released, and when the container is put down again on a surface after use, suction is automatically created, thus preventing leakage of contents that may occur when the container is tipped over or is placed on its side while improving convenience of use.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a container having an automatically opening and closing lid, the container including: a hollow-shaped outer container; an inner container inserted into the outer container and configured to be elastically movable upward and downward by a tension member inserted between the outer container and the inner container; a contents container inserted into the inner container and fixedly coupled to the outer container, the contents container being charged with contents therein; an upper lid having a cap-shaped upper lid body coupled to an upper portion of the outer container, a contents supply hole formed through an upper side portion of the upper lid body, an opening and closing piece provided over the contents supply hole, and an opening and closing piece actuating portion configured to open and close the contents supply hole by allowing the opening and closing piece to horizontally slide in cooperation with an upward and downward movement of the inner container; and a lower support comprised of an upper fixed member fixedly coupled to a lower portion of the outer container, and a lower actuating member coupled to a lower portion of the upper fixed member and configured to be moved upward and downward in cooperation with the movement of the inner container, wherein when the outer container is lifted from a surface, the inner container is moved downward by the tension member, and when the outer container is put down on a surface, the inner container is moved back upward while compressing the tension member, whereby the opening and closing piece automatically opens and closes the contents supply hole.
The contents container may have a discharge port formed in an upper side portion thereof; the discharge port may be inserted and fixed in a coupling hole formed in an upper side portion of the outer container; and a sealing cap may be coupled to the opening and closing piece at a location corresponding to the contents supply hole, and a ring-shaped sealing member may be inserted into the contents supply hole and into the discharge port of the contents container so as to cooperate with the sealing cap in an airtight manner.
The opening and closing piece actuating portion may be provided at left and right sides thereof with a fixed member and a movable member connected to the opening and closing piece and having an inclined portion, with an elastic spring inserted between the fixed and movable members, and a stopper of the inner container may be provided on a front side of the inclined surface of the movable member in close contact therewith, such that the movable member moves the opening and closing piece while being moved leftward and rightward in cooperation with the upward and downward movement of the inner container.
The fixed member and the movable member may be engaged with each other by rails and rail grooves so as to guide a sliding movement, and the fixed member may have a supporting plate provided at a lower portion thereof and inserted and fixed in a lower portion of the upper lid body, and a tube provided at a side portion of the supporting plate and inserted and fixed in the coupling hole formed at the upper side portion of the outer container together with the discharge port.
The opening and closing piece of the upper lid may be inserted into a guide groove formed horizontally in the upper portion of the upper lid body so as to be moved along the guide groove, and the opening and closing piece and the movable member may be assembled by a coupling protrusion and a coupling groove.
The lower actuating member of the lower support may have an insertion tube provided at an upper center thereof and guide walls circumferentially provided at equiangular locations outside the insertion tube, and the insertion tube and the guide walls may be respectively coupled to an insertion hole formed in a center of the upper fixed member and guide holes 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 may be limited by a stop protrusion protruding from a side portion of each of the guide walls and by a vertical guide groove vertically formed in a partition wall provided inside the upper fixed member and along which each of the stop protrusions is vertically moved.
A locking groove may be connected to an upper portion of each of the vertical guide grooves by horizontally extending in a circumferential direction such that when the stop protrusions are inserted into the locking grooves, an upward and downward movement of the upper fixed member and the lower actuating member is limited.
The lower actuating member of the lower support may have a suction plate assembled to a lower surface thereof and having a suction hole formed in the center of an upper portion thereof, and the suction plate may be configured such that when the outer container is put down on a surface, an actuating protrusion of a lower cap coupled to a lower portion of the contents container is inserted into the suction hole to close the suction hole, thus creating suction, and when the outer container is lifted from a surface, the actuating protrusion of the lower cap is separated from the suction hole, thus releasing suction.
The lower cap may have a guide tube protruding from a lower portion thereof outside the actuating protrusion and inserted into an insertion tube of the lower actuating member so as to be moved upward and downward therealong, and the guide tube may have slits vertically formed therethrough at equiangular locations.

Advantageous Effects

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.
Furthermore, through the provision of the lower support having a locking function, even when the outer container is lifted from a surface, the opening and closing piece of the upper lid can be prevented from being automatically opened in cooperation with the movement of the inner container and the lower support. This makes it possible to prevent leakage of the contents during carrying and storage of the container and thus ensure safe use.
Furthermore, through the provision of the suction plate additionally provided on the lower surface of the lower support, when the container is lifted from a surface, suction is automatically released, and when the container is put down again on a surface after use, suction is automatically created. This makes it possible to preventing leakage of contents that may occur when the container is tipped over or is placed on its side while improving convenience of use.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

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

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1.

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

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

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion “A” of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion “B” of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway perspective view of FIG. 1.

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

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a partially cutaway perspective view of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is an operational view illustrating an opening and closing operation of the upper lid according to the present invention.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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.
The outer container 10 includes a hollow body 11 and an upper and lower coupling portions 11 a and 11 b 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 11 a and 11 b, And a lower pedestal 50 is coupled to the coupling portions 11 a and 11 b, respectively.
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.
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.
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.
The discharge port 32 is inserted and fixed in a coupling hole 12 formed in an upper side portion of the outer container 10.
The upper lid 40 includes: a cap-shaped upper lid body 41 coupled to the upper portion of the outer container and fixed so as to be prevented from being separated and to be prevented from being rotated by engagement between an assembly slot 49 a and an assembly protrusion 49 b engaged along a longitudinal (vertical) direction, and having a contents supply hole 42 formed through an upper side portion thereof at a location corresponding to the discharge port 32; an opening and closing piece 43 configured to horizontally slide from over the contents supply hole of the upper lid body to a location 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 slide in a second side direction 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 slide to an original position thereof in cooperation with an upward returning movement of the inner container 20 when the outer container is put down on a surface.
Herein, the opening and closing piece 43 is inserted into a guide groove 41 a formed horizontally in the upper portion of the upper lid body 41 so as to be moved along the guide groove leftward and rightward in a horizontal direction.
Furthermore, the opening and closing piece actuating portion 44 is provided at left and right sides thereof with a fixed member 44 a and a movable member 44 b connected to the opening and closing piece 43 and having an inclined portion 44 b-1, with an elastic spring 46 inserted between the fixed and movable members. A stopper 23 of the inner container is provided on the front side of the inclined surface 44 b-1 of the movable member 44 b in close contact therewith, such that the movable member 44 b moves the opening and closing piece 43 while being moved leftward and rightward in cooperation with an upward and downward movement of the inner container.
In other words, when the stopper 23 is moved upward, the opening and closing piece 43 is moved rightward to close the contents supply hole 42. When the stopper 23 is moved downward, the opening and closing piece 43 is moved leftward to open the contents supply hole 42.
At this time, the fixed member 44 a and the movable member 44 b are engaged with each other by rails 47 a and rail grooves 47 b so as to guide a sliding movement.
Furthermore, an upper portion of the movable member 44 b and a lower portion of the opening and closing piece 43 are assembled by a coupling protrusion 48 a and a coupling groove 48 b. The upper lid body 41 has a slot 41 b formed at a location corresponding to the guide groove 41 a and along which the coupling protrusion 48 a is moved.
Furthermore, the fixed member 44 a has a supporting plate 44 a-2 provided at a lower portion thereof and inserted and fixed in a lower portion of the upper lid body 41, and a tube 44 a-1 provided at a side portion of the supporting plate and inserted and fixed in the coupling hole 12 formed at the upper side portion of the outer container 10 together with the discharge port 32.
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.
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.
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 57 a protruding from a side portion of each of the guide walls and by a vertical guide groove 54 a vertically formed in a partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member and along which each of the stop protrusions is vertically moved.
At this time, a locking groove 54 b is connected to an upper portion of each of the vertical guide grooves 54 a by horizontally extending in a circumferential direction such that when the stop protrusions 57 a 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).
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.
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 the center of an upper 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.
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 37 a 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.
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 56 a 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.
Reference numerals 38 a and 38 b 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.
Hereinafter, the operation and action of the present invention configured as described above will be described.
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.
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.
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.
In particular, the upper fixed member 51 is moved downward within an upward and downward movement range in which the stop protrusions 57 a protruding from the side portions of the guide walls are moved along the vertical guide grooves 54 a vertically formed in the partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member.
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.
The outer container 10 moved downward as described above causes the movable member 44 b of the upper lid 40, which is elastically supported by the stopper 23 provided at the upper portion of the inner container, to be moved toward the fixed member 44 a along the inclined portion 44 b-1 while compressing the elastic spring 46.
In this process, the movable member 44 b is constantly moved along the rails 47 a and the rail grooves 47 b.
At the same time, the opening and closing piece 43 assembled to the upper portion of the movable member 44 b is horizontally moved along the guide groove 41 a of the upper lid, thus closing the contents supply hole 42 formed in the upper side portion of the upper lid.
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.
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.
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.
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 the center of the upper portion of the suction plate 61 coupled to the lower surface of the lower actuating member, thus creating suction of the suction plate 61.
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.
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.
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.
Herein, the lower actuating member 55 has a limited downward movement distance within an upward and downward movement range in which the stop protrusions 57 a protruding from the side portions of the guide walls are moved along the vertical guide grooves 54 a vertically formed in the partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member.
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 center of the upper 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.
At this time, air is introduced into the insertion tube 56 through the notches 37 a vertically formed through the guide tube 37, causing the actuating protrusion 36 to be easily separated from the suction hole 62 formed in the center of the upper portion of the suction plate.
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.
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 inclined portion 44 b-1 of the movable member 44 b elastically supported by the stopper 23 of the inner container is moved forward to the opposite side of the fixed member 44 while being inclinedly moved by the elastic force of the elastic spring 46 provided between the fixed member 44 a and the inclined portion 44 b-1.
In this process, the movable member 44 b is constantly moved along the rails 47 a and the rail grooves 47 b.
At the same time, the opening and closing piece 43 assembled to the upper portion of the movable member 44 b is horizontally moved along the guide groove 41 a of the upper lid, thus automatically opening the contents supply hole 42 formed in the upper side portion of the upper lid.
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.
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.
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.
At this time, the stop protrusions 57 a protruding from the side portions of the guide walls of the lower actuating member 55 are moved upward along the vertical guide grooves 54 a vertically formed in the partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member.
In this state, when the lower actuating member 55 is rotated in one direction along the upper fixed member 51, the stop protrusions 57 a are inserted into the locking grooves 54 b connected to the upper portions of the vertical guide grooves 54 a 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).
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.
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.
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.
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.

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 cap-shaped upper lid body (41) coupled to an upper portion of the outer container, a contents supply hole (42) formed through an upper side 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 horizontally slide 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 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 side portion thereof; the discharge port (32) is inserted and fixed in a coupling hole (12) formed in an upper side 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) is provided at left and right sides thereof with a fixed member (44 a) and a movable member (44 b) connected to the opening and closing piece (43) and having an inclined portion (44 b-1), with an elastic spring (46) inserted between the fixed and movable members, and a stopper (23) of the inner container is provided on a front side of the inclined surface (44 b-1) of the movable member (44 b) in close contact therewith, such that the movable member (44 b) moves the opening and closing piece (43) while being moved leftward and rightward in cooperation with the upward and downward movement of the inner container.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the fixed member (44 a) and the movable member (44 b) are engaged with each other by rails (47 a) and rail grooves (47 b) so as to guide a sliding movement, and the fixed member (44 a) has a supporting plate (44 a-2) provided at a lower portion thereof and inserted and fixed in a lower portion of the upper lid body (41), and a tube (44 a-1) provided at a side portion of the supporting plate and inserted and fixed in the coupling hole (12) formed at the upper side portion of the outer container (10) together with the discharge port (32).

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing piece (43) of the upper lid (40) is inserted into a guide groove (41 a) formed horizontally in the upper portion of the upper lid body (41) so as to be moved along the guide groove, and the opening and closing piece (43) and the movable member (44 b) are assembled by a coupling protrusion (48 a) and a coupling groove (48 b).

6. 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 (57 a) protruding from a side portion of each of the guide walls and by a vertical guide groove (54 a) vertically formed in a partition wall (54) provided inside the upper fixed member and along which each of the stop protrusions is vertically moved.

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

8. 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 the center of an upper 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.

9. The container of claim 8, 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 (37 a) vertically formed therethrough at equiangular locations.