U.S. patent application number 12/227136 was filed with the patent office on 2009-04-23 for closure with hinged lid for bottles and the like with an automatic lid opening system comprising an improved button.
Invention is credited to Max Cano-Pey, Josep Fort-Prades.
Application Number | 20090101619 12/227136 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37565127 |
Filed Date | 2009-04-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090101619 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cano-Pey; Max ; et
al. |
April 23, 2009 |
Closure with Hinged Lid for Bottles and the Like with an Automatic
Lid Opening System Comprising an Improved Button
Abstract
Closure with hinged lid for a bottle and the like with an
automatic lid opening system including an improved button. The
closure has an elastic element made from elastomer material that
exerts a spring-back force on the lid towards an open position
thereof, and an anchoring member between a main body and the lid.
The button includes a movable area, made from material of the main
body, with a front portion defined in a side wall of the main body
and joined thereto by a pivoting line. The anchoring member
includes a first part formed in the movable area of the main body
and a second part formed on the lid for being anchored in the first
part.
Inventors: |
Cano-Pey; Max; (Torello
(Barcelona), ES) ; Fort-Prades; Josep; (Tona
(Barcelona), ES) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700, 1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
37565127 |
Appl. No.: |
12/227136 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
May 15, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2007/004319 |
371 Date: |
November 7, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/245 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2251/1066 20130101;
B65D 47/0828 20130101; B65D 2251/1025 20130101; B65D 2251/1033
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
215/245 |
International
Class: |
B65D 45/20 20060101
B65D045/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 18, 2006 |
ES |
200601274 |
Claims
1-4. (canceled)
5. Closure with a hinged lid for a container having an automatic
lid opening system, comprising: a main body, provided with a supply
mouth to be applied to a neck of the container, wherein said main
body has a side wall and an upper base on which said supply mouth
is provided; a hinged lid joined to said main body by a hinge
joint, so that said lid can pivot between an open position and a
hinged position in which the lid blocks said supply mouth, wherein
said main body and said lid are molded from rigid plastics
material; an elastic element arranged between said main body and
said lid to apply a spring-back force on said lid towards said open
position, wherein said elastic element is made from an elastomer
material other than said rigid plastics material; an anchoring
member between said lid and said main body for retaining said lid
in its hinged position; and a button for releasing said anchoring
member so that by operating said button the lid is opened due to
the action of the spring-back force applied by said elastic
element, wherein said button includes a movable area molded
integrally with said main body in rigid plastics material, so that
said movable area and said main body form an integral part molded
from rigid plastics material, wherein said movable area includes at
least one front portion delimited on said side wall and joined at a
lower end to said side wall by a joining line that defines a
pivoting axis of said movable area, wherein said front portion has
a pressing surface for receiving a user's finger, and wherein said
anchoring member including a first part formed in said movable area
and a second part formed in said lid for being anchored in said
first part, wherein said movable area is delimited on said main
body by a deformable contour defined by a weakness in a wall of
said main body, said deformable contour defining a continuous
joining surface between said movable area and a remainder of said
main body; and said deformable contour has an upper section that
defines in said upper base an upper part of the movable area and
respective side sections that define in said side wall the front
portion of the movable area, wherein said side sections extend the
ends of said upper section as far as said joining line.
6. Closure according to claim 5, wherein the weakness has, in
section, a toggled shape and a reduced thickness with respect to
adjacent areas of said wall.
7. Closure according to claim 6, wherein said weakness shapes said
deformable contour in the form of a groove which, in said side
sections, has a depth that decreases towards lower ends of said
side sections.
8. Closure according to claim 5, wherein said anchoring member
includes an opening formed in said front portion of the movable
area and a hook-shaped projection formed on said lid.
9. Closure according to claim 6, wherein said anchoring member
includes an opening formed in said front portion of the movable
area and a hook-shaped projection formed on said lid.
10. Closure according to claim 7, wherein said anchoring member
includes an opening formed in said front portion of the movable
area and a hook-shaped projection formed on said lid.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to the field of closures with hinged
lids for bottles and the like. More particularly, the invention
relates to a closure with a hinged lid for bottles and the like
having an automatic lid opening system comprising an improved
button, said closure comprising: [0002] a main body, having a
supply mouth, suitable for being applied to the neck of a bottle or
the like; [0003] a hinged lid joined to said main body by a hinge
joint, so that said lid can pivot between an open position and a
hinged position in which it blocks said supply mouth; said main
body and said lid being moulded from rigid plastics material;
[0004] an elastic element arranged between said main body and said
lid so that it exerts a spring-back force on said lid towards its
open position, said elastic element being made from an elastomer
material other than said rigid plastics material; [0005] anchoring
means between said lid and said main body suitable for retaining
said lid in its hinged position; and [0006] a button suitable for
operating the release of said anchoring means, so that by acting
upon said button the lid is opened automatically and completely due
to the action of the spring-back force exerted by said elastic
element.
STATE OF THE ART
[0007] Various closures of the type indicated at the beginning are
known.
[0008] For example, documents EP0826606, EP0839735 and EP0975526
describe a closure of the type described at the beginning. A first
characteristic of this closure is that the elastic element made
from elastomer material extends over the lid and the main body
covering the anchoring means, so that said anchoring means are
pleasant to touch when the user acts upon them to release them.
However, these anchoring means do not form a proper button and
suffer from the drawback that an additional amount of elastomer
material is required that must be moulded according to a relatively
complicated shape, which has a negative affect on the closure's
manufacturing cost.
[0009] A second characteristic of the closure disclosed by said
documents EP0826606, EP0839735 and EP0975526 is that the elastic
element has an extendible section that passes from one side to the
other of the hinge joint when the lid pivots between its open and
hinged positions. Consequently, said extendible section is extended
to the maximum when the lid is in an intermediate position, whereby
the lid has two rest positions: the open position and the hinged
position. When the lid is in the hinged position and the user wants
to open it, he must release the anchoring means and push the lid
against the force of the elastic element, beyond the intermediate
position. This mode of operation suffers from the drawback that it
complicates the lid opening operation for the user, and does not
open the lid automatically and completely with one simple pressing
action.
[0010] A third characteristic of the closure disclosed in said
documents EP0826606, EP0839735 and EP0975526 is that, in addition
to forming an extendible section on level with the hinge joint so
as to produce a spring-back function for the lid, the elastomer
material also extends over part of the lid to ensure the seal of
the supply hole. In particular, the elastomer material extends over
the outer wall of a pin that is provided on the lid and which is
forcibly inserted into the supply mouth, whereby the elastomer
material is compressed between the outer wall of the pin and the
inner wall of the supply mouth. This solution suffers from the
drawback that the pin is firmly wedged in the supply mouth, and so
considerable force is required to open the lid.
[0011] Document EP0976663 discloses a closure of the type
considered at the beginning, but which is different to the closure
disclosed in the said documents EP0826606, EP0839735 and EP0975526
because the lid's only rest position is the open position, which
corresponds to a minimum extension of the extendible section of the
elastic element. This mode of operation is obtained by virtue of
the elastic element having an extendible section that is arranged
between two ribs that form the hinge joint, and is joined to said
ribs, so that said extendible section cannot pass freely from one
side to the other of the hinge joint. With respect to the opening
system, in this case the closure comprises an elastic button made
from the elastomer material. The user presses said elastic button
to release the anchoring means and thus causes the lid to open
automatically thanks to the spring-back force exerted on said lid.
As for the seal of the supply mouth, in this case the lid is
provided with a pin that is inserted into said supply mouth, but
contrary to the closures cited above, the elastomer material does
not extend over the pin, instead it forms the top edge of the
supply mouth on the main body. In order to open the lid
considerable force is required to extract the pin inserted into the
supply mouth. Therefore, so that the lid opens automatically once
the anchoring means have been released, the extendible section of
the elastic element must exert a strong spring-back force.
Furthermore, said extendible section has limited elasticity, since
it is attached to the ribs forming the hinge joint. Consequently,
the lid's opening movement is fairly abrupt, which is not very
pleasant for the user. Also, the design of the push button formed
by the elastomer material has a negative affect on the closure's
manufacturing costs.
[0012] Document JP8113260 relates to a closure that resembles the
type of closure referenced in the invention, but wherein the
anchoring means are not released by means of a button, but rather
by traditional means, pulling a visor provided on the lid. In this
case, the elastomer material only performs the lid's spring-back
function, and it consists of a separate part that fits at its ends
into housings provided in the lid and in the main body of the
closure, and has an intermediate extendible section that is freely
positioned externally with respect to the hinge joint. The lid's
only rest position is the open position, which corresponds to a
maximum extension of the extendible section. This is achieved by
virtue of a projection, provided on the outer surface of the lid,
which receives and supports said extendible section and keeps it
positioned externally with respect to the hinge joint. This
projection arrangement suffers from the drawback that it imposes
significant restrictions on the lid's external design. For example,
it makes it impossible to design a lid with a clear outer surface.
Another drawback of this arrangement is that the projection has a
reduced support surface that causes localised tension and wears the
extendible section of the elastic element. Moreover, by arranging
said projection it is not possible to manufacture the closure as an
integral part by overmoulding the elastomer material, since the
part cannot be stripped from the mould.
[0013] Document WO2004110889 discloses a type of closure in which
the hinge joint is made from the actual elastic element arranged as
a single connection means between the lid and the main body. This
solution is different to the type of closure described in the
invention and suffers from the drawback that it considerably
complicates closure manufacturing. Moreover, in this case the
closure does not comprise anchoring means in the strict sense; the
function of maintaining the lid in its hinged position is carried
out by the actual pin provided on the lid, which is inserted into
the supply mouth to seal it and remains fixed therein by virtue of
friction. The closure is provided with a button that is operated by
pressing the lid upwards until the pin withdraws from the supply
mouth. This opening system suffers from the drawback that the user
must act upon the button, moving it sufficiently to remove the pin
from the supply mouth. This is not very comfortable and differs
from the operation of a proper button, which must act
instantly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The aim of the invention is to provide a closure of the type
indicated at the beginning, which enables the lid to be opened
automatically and completely by acting upon a button with a simple,
comfortable action, and which does not suffer from the drawbacks of
the known closures mentioned above.
[0015] In particular, the main aim of the invention is to provide a
closure with a button that acts quickly releasing the anchoring
means between the lid and the main body, without it being necessary
to use elastomer material to form the button and without
significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
[0016] This aim is achieved by means of a closure of the type
indicated at the beginning, characterised in that the main body has
a side wall and an upper base on which the supply mouth is
provided; the button is made up of a movable area that is moulded
integrally together with said main body in rigid plastics material
and which comprises at least one front portion delimited on said
side wall and joined at its lower end thereto by a joining line
that defines a pivoting axis for said movable area, said front
portion having a pressing surface that is suitable for receiving a
user's finger; and the anchoring means comprises a first part
formed in said movable area and a second part formed on said lid
and suitable for being anchored in said first part.
[0017] This closure according to the invention does not require
using elastomer material to form the button; it is based on local
geometric forms defined in the actual rigid plastics material of
the main body and the lid. Moreover, thanks to the fact that the
first part of said anchoring means is provided in the movable area
of the main body, when the button is activated, the second part of
the anchoring means are released directly and the lid is opened.
The surface for activating the button is located in the actual
movable area, whereby the user acts directly on the movable area.
This direct activation and release, combined with the spring-back
force exerted by the elastic element provided between the lid and
the main body, easily and effectively opens the lid. In order to
activate the button, the user acts upon the pressing surface
defined on the front portion of the button, in other words on the
side wall of the main body, so that the lid can be opened
comfortably with one simple finger movement, while holding the
bottle in one hand.
[0018] Preferably, said movable area is delimited on said main body
by a deformable contour defined by a geometric weakening of the
actual wall of said main body. This deformable contour makes the
button more robust and, since it is deformable, allows the movable
area limited but sufficient pivoting around the joining line.
[0019] Preferably, the geometric weakening of the wall of the main
body that forms said deformable contour has, in section, a toggled
shape and a reduced thickness with respect to the adjacent areas of
said wall. By virtue of this particular shape, the deformable
contour can be slightly stretched and contracted, allowing the
movable area sufficient movement to release the anchoring means.
Moreover, this geometric arrangement can be obtained easily during
the moulding operation for the closure's main body.
[0020] Advantageously, said deformable contour has an upper section
that defines in said upper base an upper part of the movable area
and respective side sections that define in said side wall the
front portion of the movable area, said side sections extending the
ends of said upper section as far as said joining line. With this
arrangement a particularly robust button is obtained. When using
the finger to press the pressing surface, the movable area is
pivoted with little effort because the contour of the upper section
contracts and the side sections are deformed sideways. The button
only works if the pressing area is pressed in a direction that is
noticeably perpendicular to the closure's side wall, thereby
minimising the possibility that the lid opens accidentally when it
comes into contact with some external element.
[0021] Preferably, said geometric weakening forms said deformable
contour in the shape of a groove the depth of which decreases in
said side sections towards the lower ends thereof, which reinforces
the button without considerably affecting the pivoting of the
deformable area around the joining line.
[0022] Preferably, the anchoring means consist of a window in said
front portion of the movable area and a hook-shaped projection
formed on the lid. When the user acts upon the pressing surface,
the moveable area is moved away from the side wall thereby
unhooking the projection from the window.
[0023] Preferably, said deformable contour defines a continuous
joining surface between said movable area and the rest of said main
body, thereby preventing dirt or any external element from entering
through the deformable contour.
[0024] The invention contemplates, optionally, some advantageous
embodiments including characteristics regarding the elastic element
and the parts of the main body and the lid that interact with it to
perform the lid's spring-back function. These characteristics, in
combination with those described above in connection with the
button, contribute to obtaining an improved performance of the
lid's automatic opening, in particular, a more effective opening
that is not too abrupt, and which does not negatively affect
closure manufacturing costs.
[0025] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the closure
is shaped as follows: [0026] the elastic element has at least one
first joining area fixedly attached to said main body and at least
one second joining area fixedly attached to said lid, with at least
one extendible section of said elastic element being defined
between said first and second joining areas; [0027] the main body
of the closure comprises at least one projection that defines a
seating surface positioned externally with respect to said hinge
joint; and [0028] said extendible section of the elastic element
extends freely in front of said seating surface, so that when the
lid pivots towards its hinged position said seating surface
receives said extendible section of the elastic element, which
rests on said seating surface, and keeps said extendible section
positioned externally with respect to the hinge joint. This
arrangement ensures that the extendible section of the elastic
element is always positioned externally with respect to the hinge
joint, whereby the lid's only rest position is the open position
that corresponds to a minimum extension of the elastic element's
extendible section. By virtue of the fact that the extendible
section is arranged freely opposite the seating surface, its
elasticity is not affected by interference with the rigid elements
of the closure. Moreover, providing said projection on the main
body of the closure maintains the freedom of the lid's design,
making particularly advantageous solutions possible.
[0029] One of these advantageous solutions consists in the
projection defining the seating surface extending from a lower end
of the main body next to said first joining area of the elastic
element, to an upper end that projects from said main body and that
is next to said second joining area of the elastic element when the
lid is in its hinged position. By virtue of this arrangement, when
the lid is in the hinged position the extendible section of the
elastic element rests its entire length on the seating surface,
thereby avoiding localised tension and wear. Also said extendible
section is prevented from catching on any outside body while the
bottle incorporating the closure is in transit or being
handled.
[0030] Preferably, said seating surface has a convex shaped section
on which the elastic element's extendible section rests in the
lid's hinged position, therefore providing gentle support that
prevents localised tension.
[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said second
joining area of the elastic element has an elongated shape that
extends parallel to the axis of said hinge joint, and said elastic
element has two of said first joining areas, separated by an open
space facing said hinge joint, and two of said free extendible
sections defined between said first joining areas and said second
joining area, said main body comprising two of said projections
that respectively define two of said seating surfaces positioned
externally with respect to the hinge joint and respectively facing
said two extendible sections of the elastic element. This
arrangement distributes the elastic effort between two extendible
sections, thereby allowing an improved spring-back force
adjustment. Also, it makes it easier to form the hinge joint, which
is framed at the sides by the two extendible sections.
[0032] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said main
body and said lid have a contour that is truncated by respective
flat surfaces joined by a bridge that forms said hinge joint, said
projection protruding from the flat surface of the main body, and
said flat surface of the lid having at least one window through
which said projection and said extendible section of the elastic
element protrude when the lid is in the hinged position. This
embodiment of the closure has the advantage that it is particularly
compact.
[0033] The invention also contemplates, optionally, some
advantageous embodiments including characteristics regarding the
lid's seal of the supply mouth. These characteristics are intended
to provide a closure wherein the interaction between the lid and
the supply mouth does not produce significant friction between
these elements, so that when the anchoring means are released by
acting upon the button, the lid opens without any impediment,
stretched by the spring-back action of the elastic element, without
the latter having to exert any significant force to unblock the
supply mouth.
[0034] So, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, said lid is
provided on its inner surface with a flat contact area made from
elastomer material and facing said supply mouth in the lid's hinged
position, so that said flat contact area of the elastic element is
applied against the upper edge of said supply mouth. This flat
contact area made from elastomer material ensures the supply mouth
has an airtight seal, without any outer or inner coupling with the
supply mouth, whereby said supply mouth is unblocked simply by
lifting the lid, without it being necessary to overcome any strong
friction force.
[0035] Preferably, the inner surface of said lid has a hollow area
that houses said flat contact area, and makes it easier to join it
to the lid when manufacturing the closure.
[0036] Preferably, said elastic element made from elastomer
material that ensures the lid's spring-back action, also forms said
flat contact area. This avoids having different pieces of elastomer
material and facilitates the closure manufacture process by
overmoulding the elastomer material over the rigid plastics
material of the main body and the lid.
[0037] Preferably, said elastic element comprises a connection
strip that extends between said flat contact area and the part of
the elastic element where the second joining area is provided, and
the inner surface of said lid has a channel that leads into said
hollow area and houses said connection strip. In particular, this
solution facilitates forming the elastic element made from
elastomer material with an overmoulding method, because the channel
and the hollow area act as a mould.
[0038] Preferably, said flat contact area and said connection strip
are arranged level with said hollow area and said channel,
respectively, thereby preventing any projections on the inner
surface of the lid where dirt could accumulate.
[0039] Preferably, the elastic element made from elastomer material
is overmoulded on the piece of rigid plastics material made up of
said main body and said lid, for example using a bi-injection
method. In an advantageous solution, said elastic element goes
through the thickness of said lid from said contact area and forms
an outer layer of elastomer material that extends over at least
part of the lid's outer surface. This way the elastomer material
can be injected over the lid's outer surface and, at the same time,
an outer coating of elastomer material can be obtained that is
suitable for forming a publicity or geometric motif that
personalises the closure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0040] Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will
be appreciated from the following description which, in a
non-limiting manner explains preferable embodiments of the
invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0041] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, a lower, side and upper view
of a closure according to a first embodiment of the invention, with
the lid in the open position;
[0042] FIG. 4, an upper perspective view of said closure;
[0043] FIGS. 5 and 6, lower perspective views, respectively front
and back, of said closure;
[0044] FIGS. 7 and 8, respectively, upper and lower perspective
views of said closure, sectioned along a middle plane;
[0045] FIG. 9, a side view of said closure sectioned along a middle
plane, with the lid in the hinged position;
[0046] FIGS. 10 and 11, upper perspective views of said closure,
with the lid in the open position; FIG. 11 is a fictitious
breakdown of FIG. 10 wherein the elastic element made from
elastomer material has been shown apart as it appears in the
position shown in FIG. 10.
[0047] FIGS. 12 and 13, upper perspective views of said closure,
with the lid in the hinged position; FIG. 13 is a fictitious
breakdown of FIG. 12 wherein the elastic element made of elastomer
material has been shown apart as it appears in the position shown
in FIG. 12;
[0048] FIG. 14, a side view, sectioned along a middle plane, of a
closure according to a second embodiment that differs from the
first only in that the elastomer material extends along the outer
surface of the lid;
[0049] FIGS. 15 and 16, upper perspective views of a third
embodiment of the closure, which differs from the previous ones in
that the elastic element has one single extendible section in the
central position; FIG. 16 is a fictitious breakdown of FIG. 15
wherein the elastic element made of elastomer material has been
shown apart as it appears in the position shown in FIG. 15; and
[0050] FIG. 17, a partial perspective view, sectioned along a
middle plane, of the closure in FIGS. 15 and 16.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0051] FIGS. 1 to 13 illustrate a first embodiment of a closure
according to the invention, which is intended to be applied to
bottles of water and which enables the lid to be opened easily with
the same hand that is holding the bottle, by using a finger to
press a button provided on the closure's main body.
[0052] The closure is made up of a main body 1, which has a supply
mouth 2, and a lid 3 that is joined to the main body 1 by a bridge
4 that performs the functions of a hinge joint. Main body 1 and lid
3 are moulded as an integral part in a rigid plastics material, for
example polypropylene. Lid 3 can pivot with respect to the axis
formed by the hinge joint 4 between an open position and a hinged
position wherein lid 3 blocks supply mouth 2. An elastic element 7,
made from elastomer material, for example a thermoplastic elastomer
(TPE), joins main body 1 and lid 3 so that it exerts a spring-back
force on lid 3 towards its open position. As will be explained in
detail below, elastic element 7 has an extendible section 7c freely
positioned externally with respect to hinge joint 4, so that when
lid 3 is closed, making it pivot from its open position, extendible
section 7c gradually becomes tenser and therefore always exerts a
spring-back force on lid 3 towards its open position.
[0053] Main body 1 has an overall cylindrical shape, with a side
wall 11 and an upper base 12 in which supply mouth 2 is provided,
and it has a movable area 5 delimited by a deformable contour 8
defined by a geometric weakness in the actual wall of main body 1,
as can be seen in greater detail in FIGS. 4 to 6. The geometric
weakness that shapes deformable contour 8 has, in section, a
toggled shape and a reduced thickness with respect to the adjacent
areas of the wall of main body 1, and defines a continuous joining
surface between said movable area 5 and the rest of main body 1, as
can be seen in particular in FIGS. 7 to 9. The thus formed
deformable contour 8 has a U-shaped upper section 8a provided in
upper base 12 of main body 1 and respective side sections 8b that
extend into side wall 11 extending the ends of upper section 8a and
defining in said side wall 11a front portion 5a of movable area 5.
The lower end of said front portion 5a, in to which the two side
sections 8b lead, is joined to side wall 11 forming a joining line
22 around which movable area 5 pivots. As can be seen in FIGS. 4 to
6, the depth of the groove formed by the geometric weakness that
shapes contour 8 decreases towards the lower ends of side sections
8a, as far as joining line 22. A pressing surface 13, suitable for
receiving a user's finger, is provided on front portion 5a of
movable area 5.
[0054] The closure comprises anchoring means between lid 3 and main
body 1 consisting of a window 6a in front portion 5a of movable
area 5 and a hook-shaped projection 6b formed on lid 3. In order to
close lid 3, the user pivots it by acting against the spring-back
force of elastic element 7, until the lid reaches the hinged
position shown in FIG. 9, wherein projection 6b is anchored in
window 6a.
[0055] The thus formed movable area 5 forms a button suitable for
operating the release of said anchoring means 6a, 6b and causing
the subsequent automatic opening of lid 3. To do this, the user
presses pressing surface 13 with his finger causing movable area 5
to pivot slightly, the top part of which moves away from wall 11,
whereby projection 6b withdraws from window 6a and releases lid 3,
which pivots to its open position thanks to the spring-back force
exerted by elastic element 7. The pivoting of movable area 5 around
joining line 22 is accompanied by a transverse contraction of upper
section 8a and a sideways deformation of side sections 8b and the
longitudinal sides of said upper section 8a.
[0056] This embodiment of the closure according to the invention
also includes some particular characteristics regarding elastic
element 7, and the parts of main body 1 and lid 3 that interact
with it to perform the spring-back function of lid 3. As can be
seen in particular in FIGS. 10 to 13, elastic element 7 has two
joining areas 7a integral with main body 1 and one second joining
area 7b integral with lid 3. Between the first joining areas 7a and
the second joining area 7b respective extendible sections 7c of the
elastic element are provided, which are freely positioned
externally with respect to hinge joint 4. The first joining areas
are separated by an open space 23 that faces said hinge joint 4.
Main body 1 comprises two projections 9 that define seating
surfaces 10 positioned externally with respect to hinge joint 4 and
face the elastic element's extendible sections 7c. Each projection
9 extends from a lower end located on main body 1, next to a first
joining area 7a of the elastic element, to an upper end that
projects from main body 1 and is located next to the second joining
area 7b of the elastic element in the lid's hinged position 3.
Surface 10 formed on each projection 9 has a convex shaped section
at the top thereof, whereas the lower part is flat to facilitate
mould stripping.
[0057] Main body 1 and lid 3 have a contour that is truncated by
respective flat surfaces 19, 20 joined by the bridge 4 that forms
the hinge joint. Projections 9 project from flat surface 19 of the
main body and flat surface 20 of the lid has respective windows 21
through which projections 9 and extendible sections 7c of elastic
element 7 protrude in the hinged position of lid 3, as can be seen
in FIGS. 11,12 and 13.
[0058] When lid 3 pivots towards the hinged position illustrated in
FIGS. 9, 12 and 13, seating surfaces 10 receive and support
extendible sections 7c of elastic element 7 and keep them
positioned externally with respect to hinge joint 4. By virtue of
this arrangement, in any position of lid 3 between its open and
hinged positions, extendible sections 7c are extended elastically,
with respect to their state in said open position of lid 3, whereby
said open position is the only rest position of lid 3. As can be
seen in said figures, in the lid's hinged position the entire
length of each extendible section is applied against surface
10.
[0059] Also, this embodiment of the closure according to the
invention includes particular characteristics regarding the lid's
airtight seal of the supply mouth. Elastic element 7 made from
elastomer material extends, from the part where the second joining
area 7b is provided, along a connection strip 15 to form at the end
of the latter a flat contact area 14 between lid 3 and supply mouth
2. The inner surface of lid 3 has a channel 16 that leads into said
central hollow area 17. Elastic element 7 made from elastomer
material is formed by an overmoulding method over the piece of
rigid plastics material formed by main body 1 and lid 3, so that
connection strip 15 and flat contact area 14 are provided on level,
respectively, with said channel 16 and said hollow area 17. As can
be seen in FIG. 9, in the hinged position of lid 3 flat contact
area 14 made from elastomer material is applied against the upper
edge of supply mouth 2, without being inserted therein through
friction.
[0060] FIG. 14 illustrates a second embodiment that is a variant of
the first. In this case, lid 3 has a central hole through which the
elastomer material is injected in the overmoulding process, so that
elastic element 7 that is made from elastomer material and is
formed by this process goes through the thickness of lid 3 from
said flat contact area 14 and forms an outer layer 18 of elastomer
material that extends over part of the outer surface of lid 3. The
shape and appearance of said external layer 18 can be personalised
for each closure.
[0061] Finally, FIGS. 15 to 17 illustrate a third embodiment of the
invention wherein an elastic element 7 has been provided with a
single joining area 7a joined to the second joining area 7b by a
single extendible section 7c. Main body 1 has a single central
projection 9. In this case, main body 1 and lid 3 do not have a
contour that is truncated on level with hinge joint 4 as in the
preceding embodiments, instead said contour is substantially
circular. Hinge joint 4 is made up of two parts arranged on each
side of central projection 9.
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