U.S. patent application number 10/535079 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-29 for container with a safety seal.
Invention is credited to Jens Bartusel, Richard Kellerer.
Application Number | 20060138156 10/535079 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32327492 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060138156 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kellerer; Richard ; et
al. |
June 29, 2006 |
Container with a safety seal
Abstract
A container, in particular a plastic container, preferably in
the form of a pail, having a lid for closing the container. The lid
having a receiving area in which, when the container is in the
closed state, the container lip limiting the container opening
engages and is held, mutually interacting catch members and sealing
surfaces being provided in the receiving area of the lid and on the
lip of the container opening. The catch members being configured
such that when the container is in the closed state, the sealing
surfaces are pressed together reliably to form seals, and, in
particular, can only be released by destroying the lid and/or the
rim.
Inventors: |
Kellerer; Richard;
(Feldkirchen, DE) ; Bartusel; Jens; (Rosenheim,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VAN OPHEM & VANOPHEM, PC;REMY J VANOPHEM, PC
51543 VAN DYKE
SHELBY TOWNSHIP
MI
48316-4447
US
|
Family ID: |
32327492 |
Appl. No.: |
10/535079 |
Filed: |
October 13, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
October 13, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP03/11313 |
371 Date: |
October 14, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/782 ;
220/760 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00509
20130101; B65D 2543/00027 20130101; B65D 2543/00629 20130101; B65D
2543/0074 20130101; B65D 2543/00092 20130101; B65D 2543/00472
20130101; B65D 2543/00407 20130101; B65D 2543/00796 20130101; B65D
43/0237 20130101; B65D 2543/00537 20130101; B65D 2543/00555
20130101; B65D 2543/00685 20130101; B65D 43/0239 20130101; B65D
2543/0087 20130101; B65D 2543/00296 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/782 ;
220/760 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/32 20060101
B65D025/32; B65D 41/18 20060101 B65D041/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 15, 2002 |
DE |
102 53 371.7 |
Dec 20, 2002 |
DE |
102 60 225.5 |
Claims
1. A container, in particular a plastic container, preferably in
the form of a pail, having a lid for closing the container, said
lid having a receiving area in which, when said container is in the
closed state, the container lip limiting the container opening
engages and is held, wherein mutually interacting latch-detent hook
members and sealing surfaces are provided in said receiving area of
said lid and on said lip of said container opening, said catch
members being configured such that when said container is in the
closed state, said sealing surfaces are pressed together reliably
to form seals, and, in particular, can only be released by
destroying said lid and/or the rim.
2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving area
of said lid and said lip of said container opening are engineered
such that closure of said container with said lid is effected
essentially by a translational movement or, in particular, by
pushing or clipping said lid onto said container from above.
3. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two,
preferably three or more latch-detent hook member pairs are
provided, at least one of said latch-detent hook member pair
preferably being engineered such that the catch is released by way
of a different, in particular an opposing movement to that required
to disengage the other of said latch-detent hook member pairs, so
that in order to release the catch mechanism comprising differently
acting said latch-detent hook member pairs, at least part of said
lid's receiving area or of said lip of said container opening must
be moved in different directions, especially opposite
directions.
4. A container according as claimed in claim 1, said sealing
surfaces are provided separately from said latch-detent hook
members and/or on the catch members.
5. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one,
preferably several of said seals are provided in said receiving
area and/or on said lip of said container opening, said seals
preferably being in the form, in particular, of inserted or
injected gaskets.
6. A container as claimed in claim 1, the wherein said receiving
area of said lid and/or said lip of said container opening and
further comprises a predetermined partition location for detachment
of a part of said receiving area and/or of said lip, in particular
of that part that has the differently functioning said latch-detent
hook member pair(s), so that only identically functioning said
latch-detent hook member pairs remain, in order to permit openings
of said container closed with said lid.
7. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross-section of
said receiving area is essentially U-shaped and is open at the
bottom, said lip of said container opening being at least
partially, in a first section, straight in said cross-section and
being defined between two legs of said U-shaped receiving area,
and, further comprising detent hooks, latches and/or engagement
grooves that interlock on closure being provided on an inner side
of one of said leg and on the corresponding side of the first
section of said lip, while on the inside of the other of said leg
and on the corresponding side of said first section of said lip of
said container opening, said sealing surfaces are provided.
8. The container as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least two of
said detent hooks are provided on the inside of said outer leg of
said receiving area, and at least one of said detent hook on the
outside of said outer leg.
9. The container as claimed in claim 7, wherein said lip of said
container opening is at least partially--in particular in a second
section extending over a portion of said lip insertable into the
said receiving area--double-walled, said outer leg of said
receiving area engaging at least partially in the space between the
two walls of said lip.
10. The container as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an
outer element in said second section of the double-walled lip has
an undercut or a latch-detent hook member, which interacts with
said detent hooks on the outside of said outer leg of said
receiving area, and, in particular, forms said latch-detent hook
member pair which, compared with said latch-detent hook members on
the inside of said outer leg of said receiving area and with said
latch-detent hook members on the outside of said element of the
first section of the double-walled lip of said container opening,
requires a different, in particular an opposing, opening movement
in order to release said catch.
11. A container as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said
outer leg of said receiving area of said lid has a predetermined
partition location in the form of a film hinge for the purpose of
parting with a cutting tool, in particular a knife, said
predetermined partition location preferably being positioned such
that the lower segment of said outer leg of said receiving area,
which segment contains the two, in particular differently
functioning, said latch-detent hook member pairs, is detached and
remains, in particular, in said double-walled portion of said lip
of said container opening.
12. A container as claimed in claim 7, wherein the connecting area
of said legs of said receiving area, further comprises a gasket, in
particular an O-ring, is provided, which, when said container is in
the closed state, is pressed into said receiving area by the upper
end of said lip of said container opening.
13. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said catch members
are arranged as circumferential hooks or latches on said lip of
said container opening and/or on said receiving area.
14. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said container with
said lid is securely and tightly closed at inside pressures of up
to 1 bar, particularly up to 0.8 bar in the case of liquid and
pasty substances in particular, and, in particular, satisfied the
UN licensing conditions for the transport of hazardous liquid
substances.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of German Patent
Application No. 102 53 371.7, filed Nov. 15, 2002, and German
Patent Application No. 102 60 225.5, filed Dec. 20, 2002 and
International Application No. PCT/EP03/11313, filed Oct. 13,
2003.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0003] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] This invention relates in general to container closures and
specifically sealing container closures utilizing multiple
latch-detent catch members.
[0005] Containers for the safe transport of liquid or pasty
hazardous substances have been known for a long time. One feature
that these containers have in common is that they must be
sufficiently leak-proof to prevent any escape of the transported
hazardous substances. Secondly, they must be equipped with a
closure that ensures safe closing of the container even under
extreme conditions. In particular, containers of this kind and
their closures must withstand loads that may occur also in the
event of an accident, for example falling of the container from a
certain height.
[0006] Containers of this type are known in the prior art and
generally include, in particular, pails or drum-like containers
whose lids are screwed on firmly to form a screw closure. To secure
the closure, metal clips may be provided additionally, which press
the lid onto the container or prevent the screw closure from
unscrewing. There are also closure systems where the lid, after
being fitted onto the container, is appropriately flanged to make
the arrangement leak-proof. Systems are furthermore known in which
the lid or closure is bonded or welded, or in which additional
sealing films are bonded or welded.
[0007] The disadvantage common to all of these containers or
closure systems is that they are complicated and difficult to
handle; this is particularly problematic in view of the need for
largely automated handling of such objects, including the closure
process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The object of this invention is thus to provide a leak-proof
and securely closable container that is suitable for the transport
of liquid or pasty hazardous substances, both the production and
handling of said container being uncomplicated and effective.
[0009] This object is established by means of a container having
the features of claim 1. Useful embodiments form the subject matter
of the dependent claims.
[0010] The container of the invention, which is preferably
configured as a pail or in drum-like form, has a lid for closing
the container, the lid having a receiving area in which, in the
closed state, the lip of the container opening engages and is held
there. In so far, the container of the invention is based on known
containers.
[0011] Compared to the prior art, however, this invention pursues a
completely different approach to solve the problem at hand. The
container of the invention is based on the realization that by
providing positively interconnectable catch members and
correspondingly interacting sealing surfaces, it is possible to
close a container securely and tightly. The use of positive
connections formed by latch-detent hook pairs or catch members and
of appropriate sealing surfaces ensures that both handling and
production are kept simple. Effective use of the container is thus
ensured.
[0012] The positive connections formed by catch members are
preferably configured such that the lid of the container can only
be loosened if at least part of the lid of the container is
destroyed. The user thus has a verifiable first-opener guarantee,
since only a container that has never been opened is undamaged,
whereas a container that has already been opened will have a
visibly damaged lid.
[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the container, the
receiving area of the lid and the lip of the container opening,
which engage on closure of the container, i.e. the catch members
that form the positive connection, and the sealing surfaces are
engineered such that putting on of the lid, i.e. closing of the
container, is effected by way of translational movement of the lid
relative to the container. It is particularly advantageous if the
lid is simply pushed onto or clipped onto the container from above.
This permits automatic closing of the container by a machine, since
a translational movement or pushing or clipping on operations can
easily be performed by a machine.
[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, at least two,
preferably three or more pairs of catch members are provided within
the receiving area of the lid and the lip of the container opening,
since a plurality of catch-member pairs makes it possible to secure
the lid at several points and thus helps to close the container
securely. The term "catch-member pair" does not refer here to just
two catch members that lock positively together, but may also refer
to a large number of catch members, which, however, on account of
their similar configuration and identical mode of action, are
deemed to be just one catch-member pair. This applies, for example,
to catch members formed simply by a sub-division.
[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the container, the at
least two, preferably three or more catch-member pairs are
engineered such that at least one of these catch-member pairs is
configured differently to the other catch-member pairs in such
manner that the movement necessary to disengage some of the
catch-member pair differs from that for other catch-member pairs.
This means that not all the catch-member pairs can be disengaged at
once by way of a single movement of part of the lid, that is, of
the receiving area of the lid, or of the lip of the container
opening. On the contrary, the different movements required to
disengage the catch-member pairs in their entirety ensure that a
complex movement is necessary. It has proved particularly useful to
provide at least two kinds of catch-member pairs, which require
opposing movements to disengage the catch. A particularly
interesting approach here, for example, is to necessitate a portion
of the receiving area to move both outwards and inwards for
purposes of opening the container. This measure, in particular,
thus goes beyond that of the need for different, in particular
opposing, movements to disengage circumferential catch members
located on opposing sides. Here, it is performed that catch-member
pairs that opposing movement to disengage are located close by each
other, for example, one above the other require.
[0016] The provision of different kinds of catch-member pairs that
differ in the different type of movement needed to disengage the
catch has the additional advantage that in this way, with the
members that form the positive connection, an adequate clamping
action may also be generated for the sealing surfaces, provided
likewise in the receiving area of the lid and at the lip of the
container opening. Even if the pressure of the sealing surfaces
against each other is already effected by appropriate dimensioning
of the lid and the container opening, the provision of different
kinds of catch-member pairs, as described above, ensures an
additional contact pressure that can be reliably upheld in many
stress situations.
[0017] In addition to separately located sealing surfaces, it is of
advantage to provide matching sealing surfaces on the catch members
forming the positive connection, since, particularly where
different kinds of catch-member pairs are used that necessitate
movements in different directions in order to disengage the catch,
mutual keying can be effected which results in the
positively-locking catch members pressing against each other to a
certain extent and thus forming sealing surfaces.
[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, additional seals may be
provided in the receiving area of the lid and/or in the lip area of
the container, particularly in the form of inserted or injected
gaskets.
[0019] To realize the first-opening guarantee, as it is called, it
may also be advantageous to provide a predetermined partition
location in the receiving area of the lid and/or in the lip area of
the container opening in order that those areas which guarantee a
safe and unreleasable connection can be easily detached. In
particular, it is of advantage here to provide--in the receiving
area of the lid or on the lip of the container opening--a
predetermined partition location which results in being able to
detach that part of the receiving area and/or of the lip that has
the differently functioning catch-member pair(s), as this kind of
catch-member pair, in particular, may prevent the positive
connection from being released.
[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of
the receiving area of the lid is essentially an inverted U-shape,
the receiving area being open at the bottom in order to
accommodate, from there, the lip of the container opening. The legs
of the U-shaped receiving area straddle the lip of the container
opening and hold it firmly, in positive-locking manner, by means of
the catch members. The sealing surfaces, meanwhile, are pressed
firmly together, thus ensuring the sealing effect.
[0021] While it is of course possible to provide a large number of
different combinations of detent hooks, latches, snap-in grooves
etc., and appropriately configured sealing surfaces, the preferred
embodiment of this invention has an inverted U-shaped receiving
area formed by an outer and an inner leg, two latches or detent
hooks are located on the inside of the outer leg, these two latches
or detent hooks interacting with two latches located on the outside
of the lip of the container opening. On the outer leg of the
inverted U-shaped receiving area there is located a further detent
hook that interacts with an undercut shoulder in the lip of the
container opening, the undercut shoulder being provided in a
double-walled portion of the lip, on the outer arm of the lip. By
locating detent hooks or latches both on the inside and on the
outside of the outer leg of the inverted U-shaped receiving area,
and configuring corresponding undercuts or catch members on the lip
area of the container opening, two different types of catch-member
pairs are formed which differ in that the catch formed by the one
type of catch-member pair can be released by moving the outer leg
outwards, whereas to release the catch formed by the other type of
catch-member pair, the outer leg must be moved inwards.
[0022] This simple configuration of catch-member pairs ensures, for
one thing, that the lid can easily be put onto the container by a
vertical downward movement of the lid. For another, this triple
locking system ensures that the lid is fitted securely on the
container. The different kind of catch-member pairs with the
opposing opening movements ensures additionally that the lid cannot
be removed without incurring damage.
[0023] To permit easy opening of the container without the use of
any particular specialty tools, and to ensure that the lid is
easily put on, a constriction is engineered in the wall of the
outer leg of the inverted U-shaped receiving area, so that in this
area an integral hinge, or film hinge, forms, which constitutes a
lower segment of the outer leg. One effect of this film hinge is
that the lower segment of the outer leg can perform the movements
necessary to get past the latches or detent hooks and the undercuts
during closure of the container, that is, when the lid is put on.
The film hinge, i.e. the constriction, additionally offers the
possibility of detaching the lower segment by simply cutting along
the film hinge with a cutting tool such as a knife. Since the
receiving-area catch members for two different catch-member pairs
are preferably provided in the lower segment of the outer leg, only
one catch remains after detachment of the lower segment. This last
catch may be released via a slight outward movement of the outer
leg of the receiving area. This single remaining catch permits
continued use and renewed closure of the container after it has
first been opened, although it does not provide for secure closure
with a first-opening guarantee. This single remaining catch also
permits continued use and re-closure of the container after it has
first been opened, although secure closure with a first-opening
guarantee is no longer ensured.
[0024] To permit uniform closure of the container, it is preferable
if the catch members or catch-member pairs are located
circumferentially around the container opening and lid;
interruption or sub-division of a catch member by recesses, lands,
etc. may result in the formation of a corresponding plurality of
catch members, although, as defined in this invention, the purpose
of uniform closure and treatment as one catch member or two catch
members making up one catch-member pair is upheld.
[0025] Thanks to the measures described above, standard materials
can be used for the container of the invention, without the need
for special measures. Polyolefin-based plastics are preferred, in
particular polyethylene and polypropylene. The sealing aids
preferably used in addition need not fulfill any special
requirements either regarding the choice of material, although,
depending on the application in question, special requirements
regarding the choice of material may exist. Alone the dimensioning
of the components, for example the wall thicknesses, must be
adjusted to suit the application in order to withstand the
necessary forces also in the case of exceptional loads, caused, for
example, by accidents.
[0026] Further advantages, characteristics and features of this
invention become clear from the following detailed description of
an embodiment and the attached drawings. The figures are purely
schematic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a partially cut-away side view of a container
with its lid on;
[0028] FIG. 2 shows details of FIG. 1 at various stages of closure
(FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c);
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view along the line D-D of
FIG. 2b;
[0030] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view along the line D-D of
FIG. 2c;
[0031] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the container with its
lid on;
[0032] FIG. 6 shows a perspective partial view of the container
with its lid off;
[0033] FIG. 7 shows two containers stacked one inside the
other;
[0034] FIG. 8 shows a transverse view (FIG. 8a) of two lids stacked
on top of the other, and details (FIG. 8b) of FIG. 8a; and
[0035] FIG. 9 shows a top view of the container lid.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0036] FIG. 1 shows a partially cut-away side view of a closed
container 1 according to the invention, that is, with its lid 2 on.
In the embodiment shown, the container 1 is in the form of a pail
to which, to facilitate carrying, a rotatable handle 27 is
attached.
[0037] As can be seen in the partially cut-away section of FIG. 1,
the container 1 has a slightly inward-arching or convex closed
bottom 30 that has supporting feet 31 at its outer edge. There is
thus a small space between the closed bottom 30 and the surface on
which the pail stands. The container 1 furthermore has a slightly
conical, albeit essentially cylindrical, outer shape terminating in
an open end, so that empty containers can be nested.
[0038] FIGS. 2a to 2c show details of the upper portion of the
cutaway section of FIG. 1, with the receiving area 4 and the lip 3
of the container open end, at various stages of closure of the
container 1.
[0039] In FIG. 2a, the container is still completely open. The lid
2 is resting lightly on the open end of the container, that is, on
the lip 3 of the open end of the container. As is clearly evident
in this detailed view, the receiving area 4 at the periphery of the
lid 2 is essentially inverted U-shaped, with the receiving area
open at the bottom so as to accommodate from there the element 9 of
the lip 3 of the open end of the container. The receiving area 4 of
the lid 2 thus has two legs 5 and 6, namely an outer leg 5 and an
inner leg 6, which are interconnected in the connecting area 7 at
the foot of the U. The inner part 32 of the lid 2 is connected via
the lip connection 22 with the receiving area 4. The lip connection
22 forms an opposing U with the inner leg 6 of the receiving area
4, so that the inner part 32 of the lid 2 is located at the level
of the upper portion of the receiving area 4. The receiving area 4
in the embodiment shown forms a circumferential stacking edge 4a,
so that closed containers 1 can be stacked one above the other. Any
shifting relative to one another is largely prevented by the
stacking edge 4a of the receiving area 4.
[0040] On the inside of the outer leg 5 of the receiving area 4,
two latches 12 and 13 each in the form of a raised rib are
provided, while on the outside of the outer leg 5, almost at the
bottom thereof, a detent hook 14 is integral with the end of the
outer leg 5. The latches 12 and 13 and the detent hook 14 are
spaced at approximately equal distances apart along the outer leg
5. In the immediate vicinity of the latch 13, in the area between
the latch 12 and the latch 13, a constriction is provided in the
outer leg 5 of the U-shaped receiving area 4, so that an integral
hinge 15, or film hinge 15 is formed. The integral or film hinge on
the inside of the outer leg 15, immediately adjacent to the latch
13, is partially formed by a grooved depression 2a along the inside
of the outer leg 15.
[0041] The side of the inner leg 6 that is opposite to the inside
of the outer leg 5 is engineered as a smooth sealing surface. This
sealing surface is angled somewhat relative to the vertical.
[0042] Directly in the area 7 connecting the legs 5 and 6 of the
inverted U-shaped receiving area 4, in the curvature of the
U-shaped receiving area, a space 29 is provided for accommodating a
gasket that is not shown.
[0043] At its open end, the container I has a lip 3 that is
double-walled in the lower portion. In this lower portion of the
lip 3 of the container 1 there is, in addition to the inner element
9, also an outer element 8 that forms the double wall. The lip 3 of
the container 1 is thus made up of two sections, namely an upper
first section in which the lip 3 defines the element 9 that is
single-walled, and a lower second section in which the lip 3
defines the outer element 8 and the inner element 9, making it
double walled. In the first upper section of the lip 3 of the
container 1, on the outside of the element 9, two detent hooks 10
and 11 are provided which, in cross-section, are configured in
cross-section as almost triangular shaped projections. The second
lower section of the lip 3 of the container 1 has openings 25 at
the top. At the same time, the outer element 8 with the edge of the
opening 25 forms an undercut shoulder 21.
[0044] On the inside of the inner element 9 of the lip 3 of the
container 1, a smooth sealing surface 17 is engineered, which
matches the sealing surface 16 on the outside surface of the inner
leg 6 of the receiving area 4 of the lid.
[0045] The closing stages are shown in FIGS. 2b and 2c. FIG. 2b
shows that on closure of the container 1 with the lid 2, the
element 9 is inserted into the U-shaped receiving area 4, with the
latch 13 first sliding past the detent hook 10, while the lower end
of the outer leg 5 with the detent hook 14 is introduced into the
opening 25 of the double-walled section of the lip 3 of the
container 1.
[0046] As the container 1 is closed further with the lid 2, as
shown in FIG. 2c, the latch 12 also slides past the detent hook 10,
and the latch 13 past the second detent hook 11. The latches 12 and
13 and the detent hooks 10 and 11 are configured such that they
have complementary leading inclined surfaces which permit the
latches to slide past the hooks in the direction of closure,
whereas they are prevented from sliding back again by the
positive-locking catch due to the configuration of the detent hook.
At the same time, on complete closure, the lower the part of the
outer leg 5 is accommodated completely in the double-walled section
of the lip 3, the detent hook 14 coming to rest beneath the
undercut shoulder 21. It becomes evident here that on closure, the
lower segment 33 of the outer leg 5 is on the one hand pressed
outwards by the detent hook 11, whereas, on the other hand, the
lower segment 33 of the outer leg 5 has to be bent inwards by the
detent hook 14 in order for it to be inserted into the opening 25
of the double-walled lip 3. This is made possible, in particular,
also by the configuration of the film hinge 15, which permits a
different movement of the lower segment 33 depending on the stage
of closing with the lid 2.
[0047] In the completely closed state as shown in FIG. 2c, it is
evident that the latches 12 and 13 form positive connections with
the detent hooks 10 and 11, while the detent hook 14 forms a
positive connection with the undercut shoulder 21. To release all
three latch-detent hook member pairs, it would be necessary to move
the outer leg 5 outwards to disengage the latch-detent hook member
pairs 12 and 10 and 11 and 13, while an inward movement would be
necessary to disengage the latch-detent hook member pair 14 and 21.
As a result of the leading inclined surface 13, which is supported
on the latch 11, the catch effect of the latch-detent hook member
pair 14 and 21 is further reinforced, as a lever effect acts in the
direction of the catch position. It is therefore impossible to
release the catch mechanism without destroying the receiving area
4, i.e. without cutting or detaching the lower segment 33 along the
film hinge 15. Only when the lower segment 33 has been detached by
cutting along the film hinge can the still-remaining catch formed
by latch-detent hook member pair 12 and 10 be released. This has
added advantage that after the container has been opened the first
time, which is visible to everyone due to the lower segment 33
remaining in the double-walled section of the lip, the container is
still suitable for continued use and can be closed again with only
the latch-detent hook member pair 12 and 10.
[0048] Besides the formation of the latch-detent hook member pairs,
a seal is generated on closure of the container due to the sealing
surfaces 16 and 17 coming into direct contact, in particular, being
squeezed together by appropriate adjustment of the dimensions of
the lid 2 to those of the container 1 or the lip 3 of the
container, and to the appropriate configuration of the catch
mechanism between the receiving area 4 and the lip 3. In addition,
the latch-detent.sub.13 hook member pairs, in particular the
latch-detent hook member pair 12 and 10, also press sealing
surfaces together, in this case the sealing surfaces 18 and 19, as
shown in FIG. 2c. In the curvature zone 29 of the U-shaped
receiving area an additional gasket that is not shown may be
included, which is pressed by the upper end of element 9 against
the inside surface of the connecting area 7 in the receiving area
4, thus producing an additional sealing effect.
[0049] As is also evident from FIG. 2c, the positive connection
formed by the latch-detent hook member pair 13, 11 is further
reinforced by a groove 20 engineered on the inside at the film
hinge 15, into which groove the detent hook 11 is engineered to
engage.
[0050] FIGS. 3 and 4 show, in cross-section, details from FIGS. 2b
and 2c, in each case along the line D-D. FIGS. 3 and 4 show how the
element 9 engages between the outer leg 5 and the inner leg 6 on
closure of the container 1. The cross-section views make it clear
that both between the outer element 8 and the inner element 9 of
the lip 3 and between the inner leg 6 and the lip connection 22 of
the lid 2, partitions 23 and reinforcing walls 24 are provided, so
that the second, lower, double-walled section of the lip 3 has
openings 25 at the top that are essentially rectangular in
cross-section. The lower the area of the outer leg 5 is accordingly
provided with complementary recesses into which the partitions 23
can engage in the closed state.
[0051] FIG. 4, like FIG. 2c, show part of the handle 27, which is
likewise hinged in the double-walled portion of the lip 3.
[0052] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the container 1 with its
lid 2 on it. This perspective view shows especially well how the
handle 27 is rotatably hinged to the double-walled portion of the
lip 3, in particular to the outer element 8.
[0053] The partitions 23, the reinforcing walls 24 and the openings
25 can also be seen very clearly in this projection. FIG. 5 also
shows the configuration of the stacking supports 26, which are
located on the outside of the container 1, underneath the lip 3, in
the vicinity of the hinging points for the handle 27. FIG. 7 shows
more clearly how the stacking supports work.
[0054] The lid 2 also has a pull means or handle 28 attached to it,
with which the lid 2 may be removed after the lower segment 33 of
the outer leg 5 of the receiving area 4 (as shown above) has been
detached.
[0055] FIG. 6 likewise shows a perspective view of part of the
container 1 and of a lid 2 which has been removed therefrom. It is
additionally evident from this projection that the outer leg 5 of
the receiving area 4, at the lower end of which leg the detent hook
14 is provided, has a plurality of recesses 34 so that the outer
leg 5 can engage the openings 25 and the partitions 23 have room in
the area of the recesses 34.
[0056] FIG. 7 shows, in a partially cut-away side view, two
containers 1 and 1' stacked one inside the other. It becomes clear
here how the stacking supports 26 and 26' work, which, when the
containers are nested, rest on the upper edge of the element 9.
This prevents the nested pails from jamming and ensures a defined
load distribution. The side view illustrated in FIG. 7 also shows
clearly that the detent hooks 10 and 11 are engineered as
circumferential ridges on the lip 3, that is, on the outer
periphery of the element 9.
[0057] As is evident from FIGS. 8a and 8b, not only the containers
can be nested, but also the lids, as shown in FIG. 8a. As
illustrated in the detailed drawing of FIG. 8b, the connecting area
7 of the receiving area 4 forms a circumferential stacking rim into
which the lower end of the inner leg 6 of the lid 2' positioned
above can engage. In the cross-sectional view illustrated in FIGS.
8a and 8b, however, a reinforcing wall 23 prevents the inner leg 6
from being clearly apparent. The outer leg 5 is dimensioned such
that the lower end of the leg 5 with the detent hook 14 is somewhat
shorter than the lower end of the inner leg 6, so that the outer
leg 5 ends above the connecting area 7 of a lid 2 positioned
underneath.
[0058] FIG. 9 shows, in a top view of the lid 2, the uniform
subdivision of the perimeter of the lid 2 with the receiving area 4
by the reinforcing walls 24 and the recesses 34 and detent hooks
14. Although, of course, a large number of detent hooks are formed
around the perimeter by the recesses 34, this plurality of detent
hooks 14 is to be understood for the purpose of this application as
one catch member, since, in particular, all the detent hooks 14
interact with the circumferential undercut shoulder 21 and
therefore form one latch-detent hook member pair. By analogy, of
course, and in the meaning of the term as it is used here, one
latch-detent hook member pair can also be formed from a large
number of detent hooks and latches.
* * * * *