U.S. patent application number 12/583091 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-17 for container cover with sealable arrangement and its method thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sinoglass Co., Ltd. Invention is credited to Yongmei Shang.
Application Number | 20110036837 12/583091 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43587989 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110036837 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shang; Yongmei |
February 17, 2011 |
Container cover with sealable arrangement and its method
thereof
Abstract
A container cover for sealing a container body includes a cover
panel detachably coupling with an opening of the container body to
enclose a receiving cavity thereof, and a sealable arrangement
which includes a sealing element movably supported underneath the
cover panel, and an actuation unit operatively mounted on top of
the cover panel to move the sealing element between an unsealed and
sealed position. At the unsealed position, the cover panel is free
to detachably support at the opening, and at the sealed position,
the sealing element is radially and outwardly moved to seal at and
bias against the opening edge of the container body so as to seal
the receiving cavity in an air-tight manner and to retain the cover
panel in position.
Inventors: |
Shang; Yongmei; (Qingdao,
CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVID AND RAYMOND PATENT FIRM
108 N. YNEZ AVE., SUITE 128
MONTEREY PARK
CA
91754
US
|
Assignee: |
Sinoglass Co., Ltd
|
Family ID: |
43587989 |
Appl. No.: |
12/583091 |
Filed: |
August 13, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/240 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 45/34 20130101;
B65D 45/32 20130101; B65D 45/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/240 |
International
Class: |
B65D 53/00 20060101
B65D053/00 |
Claims
1. A container, comprising: a container body having a receiving
cavity, and an opening defining around an opening edge; and a
container cover, which comprises: a cover panel detachably coupling
with said opening of said container body to enclose said receiving
cavity thereof; and a sealable arrangement which comprises: a
sealing element movably supported underneath said cover panel,
wherein said sealing element has a size smaller than a size of said
opening edge of said container body such that when said cover panel
couples at said opening of said container body, said sealing
element is encircled within said opening edge of said container
body; and an actuation unit operatively mounted on top of said
cover panel to move said sealing element between an unsealed
position and a sealed position, wherein at said unsealed position,
said cover panel is free to detachably support at said opening of
said container body, and at said sealed position, said sealing
element is radially and outwardly moved to seal at and bias against
said opening edge of said container body so as to seal said
receiving cavity in an air-tight manner and to retain said cover
panel in position.
2. The container, as recited in claim 1, wherein said sealing
element, having a ring shape, has a size-adjustable diameter that
when said sealing element is moved at said unsealed position, said
size-adjustable diameter is smaller than a diameter of said opening
of said container body, and when said sealing element is moved at
said sealed position, said size-adjustable diameter is larger than
said diameter of said opening of said container body.
3. The container, as recited in claim 2, wherein said sealing
element is made of deformable material that said sealing element is
enabled to be squeezed to increase said size-adjustable
diameter.
4. The container, as recited in claim 1, wherein said sealing
element has an upper edge, a lower edge, and a sloped surface
upwardly and outwardly extended from said lower edge to said upper
edge, such that when said lower edge of said sealing element is
pressed upwardly, said upper edge of said sealing element is
radially and outwardly pushed to seal at and bias against said
opening edge of said container body.
5. The container, as recited in claim 2, wherein said sealing
element has an upper edge, a lower edge, and a sloped surface
upwardly and outwardly extended from said lower edge to said upper
edge, such that when said lower edge of said sealing element is
pressed upwardly, said upper edge of said sealing element is
radially and outwardly pushed to seal at and bias against said
opening edge of said container body.
6. The container, as recited in claim 3, wherein said sealing
element has an upper edge, a lower edge, and a sloped surface
upwardly and outwardly extended from said lower edge to said upper
edge, such that when said lower edge of said sealing element is
pressed upwardly, said upper edge of said sealing element is
radially and outwardly pushed to seal at and bias against said
opening edge of said container body.
7. The container, as recited in claim 1, wherein said actuation
unit comprises a pressing panel supported underneath said sealing
element and a hand-operated member coupling on said cover panel and
arranged to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said
sealing element between said pressing panel and said cover panel so
as to move said sealing element at said sealed position, and to
drop down said pressing panel for uncompressing said sealing
element so as to move said sealing element at said unsealed
position.
8. The container, as recited in claim 3, wherein said actuation
unit comprises a pressing panel supported underneath said sealing
element and a hand-operated member coupling on said cover panel and
arranged to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said
sealing element between said pressing panel and said cover panel so
as to move said sealing element at said sealed position, and to
drop down said pressing panel for uncompressing said sealing
element so as to move said sealing element at said unsealed
position.
9. The container, as recited in claim 6, wherein said actuation
unit comprises a pressing panel supported underneath said sealing
element and a hand-operated member coupling on said cover panel and
arranged to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said
sealing element between said pressing panel and said cover panel so
as to move said sealing element at said sealed position, and to
drop down said pressing panel for uncompressing said sealing
element so as to move said sealing element at said unsealed
position.
10. The container, as recited in claim 9, wherein said upper edge
of said sealing element is biased against a bottom side of said
cover panel while said lower edge of said sealing element is
affixed to a top side of said pressing panel such that when said
pressing panel is lifted up, said upper edge of said sealing
element is radially and outwardly extended to increase said
size-adjustable diameter of said sealing element.
11. The container, as recited in claim 7, wherein said
hand-operated member comprises an actuation shaft upwardly,
coaxially, and integrally extended from said pressing panel through
said cover panel, and a pivot handle pivotally coupled with said
actuation shaft at a position on top of said cover panel, in such a
manner that when said pivot handle is pivotally moved to lay on
said cover panel, said pressing panel is lifted up to reduce a
distance between said cover panel and said pressing panel.
12. The container, as recited in claim 8, wherein said
hand-operated member comprises an actuation shaft upwardly,
coaxially, and integrally extended from said pressing panel through
said cover panel, and a pivot handle pivotally coupled with said
actuation shaft at a position on top of said cover panel, in such a
manner that when said pivot handle is pivotally moved to lay on
said cover panel, said pressing panel is lifted up to reduce a
distance between said cover panel and said pressing panel.
13. The container, as recited in claim 10, wherein said
hand-operated member comprises an actuation shaft upwardly,
coaxially, and integrally extended from said pressing panel through
said cover panel, and a pivot handle pivotally coupled with said
actuation shaft at a position on top of said cover panel, in such a
manner that when said pivot handle is pivotally moved to lay on
said cover panel, said pressing panel is lifted up to reduce a
distance between said cover panel and said pressing panel.
14. A method of air-sealing a container body with a container cover
by a sealable arrangement, comprising the steps of: (a) disposing
said container cover at said container body at a position that a
cover panel of said container cover is freely supported at an
opening of said container body to enclose a receiving cavity
thereof while a sealing element of said sealable arrangement is
encircled within an opening edge of said container body; and (b)
actuating said sealing element to move between an unsealed position
and a sealed position, wherein at said unsealed position, said
cover panel is free to detachably support at said opening of said
container body, and at said sealed position, said sealing element
is radially and outwardly moved to seal at and bias against said
opening edge of said container body so as to seal said receiving
cavity in an air-tight manner and to retain said cover panel in
position.
15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein, in the step (b),
said sealing element is moved between said unsealed position and
said sealed position by adjusting a size-adjustable diameter of
said sealing element such that at said unsealed position, said
size-adjustable diameter of said sealing element is smaller than a
diameter of said opening of said container body, and at said sealed
position, said size-adjustable diameter of said sealing element is
larger than said diameter of said opening of said container
body.
16. The method as recited in claim in claim 15 wherein, in the step
(b), said sealing element is made of deformable material that said
sealing element is enabled to be squeezed to increase said
size-adjustable diameter.
17. The method as recited in claim in claim 16 wherein, in the step
(b), said sealing element has an upper edge, a lower edge, and a
sloped surface upwardly and outwardly extended from said lower edge
to said upper edge, such that when said lower edge of said sealing
element is pressed upwardly, said upper edge of said sealing
element is radially and outwardly pushed to increase said
size-adjustable diameter so as to seal at and bias against said
opening edge of said container body.
18. The method as recited in claim in claim 17 wherein, in the step
(b), said sealing element has an upper edge, a lower edge, and a
sloped surface upwardly and outwardly extended from said lower edge
to said upper edge, such that when said lower edge of said sealing
element is pressed upwardly, said upper edge of said sealing
element is radially and outwardly pushed to increase said
size-adjustable diameter so as to seal at and bias against said
opening edge of said container body.
19. The method, as recited in claim in claim 16, wherein the step
(b) further comprises the steps of: (b.1) supporting a pressing
panel of said sealable arrangement underneath said sealing element;
(b.2) actuating a hand-operated member on top of said cover panel
to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said sealing element
between said pressing panel and said cover panel so as to move said
sealing element at said sealed position; and (b.3) actuating said
hand-operated member to drop down said pressing panel for
uncompressing said sealing element so as to move said sealing
element at said unsealed position, such that said cover panel of
said container cover is free to remove from said container
body.
20. The method, as recited in claim in claim 18, wherein the step
(b) further comprises the steps of: (b.1) supporting a pressing
panel of said sealable arrangement underneath said sealing element;
(b.2) actuating a hand-operated member on top of said cover panel
to lift up said pressing panel for compressing said sealing element
between said pressing panel and said cover panel so as to move said
sealing element at said sealed position; and (b.3) actuating said
hand-operated member to drop down said pressing panel for
uncompressing said sealing element so as to move said sealing
element at said unsealed position, such that said cover panel of
said container cover is free to remove from said container
body.
21. The method, as recited in claim 19, wherein said upper edge of
said sealing element is biased against a bottom side of said cover
panel while said lower edge of said sealing element is affixed to a
top side of said pressing panel such that when said pressing panel
is lifted up, said upper edge of said sealing element is radially
and outwardly extended to increase said size-adjustable diameter of
said sealing element.
22. The method, as recited in claim 20, wherein a pivot handle of
said hand-operated member is pivotally coupled with said pressing
panel that when said pivot handle is pivotally moved to lay on said
cover panel, said pressing panel is lifted up to reduce a distance
between said cover panel and said pressing panel, and when said
pivot handle is pivotally moved away from said cover panel, said
pressing panel is dropped down to increase said distance between
said cover panel and said pressing panel.
23. The method, as recited in claim 21, wherein a pivot handle of
said hand-operated member is pivotally coupled with said pressing
panel that when said pivot handle is pivotally moved to lay on said
cover panel, said pressing panel is lifted up to reduce a distance
between said cover panel and said pressing panel, and when said
pivot handle is pivotally moved away from said cover panel, said
pressing panel is dropped down to increase said distance between
said cover panel and said pressing panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a container, and more
particularly to a container cover with a sealable arrangement,
wherein the sealable arrangement not only allows the container
cover freely coupling with the container body when the sealable
arrangement is held at its unsealed position but also ensures the
container cover sealing with the container body when the sealable
arrangement is held at its sealed position.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Arts
[0004] It is advantageous for a container to be sealed, so that it
is not permeable to liquid or air, so as to well preserve a content
received in the container. Conventionally, the container has a
container cover for sealably covering the container body. For some
examples, a desiccant, powder, or such water absorbing material
should be kept in an air-tight container to prevent water
absorption from the atmosphere. Food items might be kept in an
air-tight container to keep them from spoiling. Liquid might be
sealed in a container so as to minimize the chance of a spill. In
each case, the content of the container may be frequently accessed
for removal or further storage, but the content remaining in the
container must be resealed in the original condition for the
original reasons. Thus, it is advantageous to provide a container
cover that can repeatedly seal a container in an air-tight manner
after removal.
[0005] A rudimentary form of sealing a container is described in US
patent having a U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,338. Containers with such a
seal rely on matching ridges on the container and the container
cover to create banks against liquid flow. Because the container
and container cover assembly relies on a small pressure between the
ridges on the container and the container cover, the fit between
the two parts is loose. Regardless of the quality of the fit
between the interlocking rims of container body and cover, there is
a significant gas between the ridges. Therefore, the container is
relatively permeable to liquid and air.
[0006] Another typical type of container body and cover uses
multiple ridges and a screw mechanism for fitting as described in
US patents having the U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,503,468 and 7,388,506. In a
basic screw sealing assembly, only the interlocking ridges in the
screw mechanism is used to seal the container, which may not be as
air-tight as desired. In the U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,468, an additional
sealing rib is provided to provide better sealing to the container,
while the invention in U.S. Pat. No. 7,388,506 provides a disc or
ring mounted at the inner surface of the top of the container cover
to contact with the edge of the opening of the container to provide
a better seal.
[0007] Both solutions have the shortcoming that the user must
provide a large amount of force to seal the container properly, and
it is difficult for the user to know when he has applied sufficient
force. Neither invention solves the problem of requiring a
container cover that specifically fits with the container, because
the ridges on the container and the container cover must match each
other.
[0008] US patent having the U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,867 provides a
container cover that is easier to operate than a screw mechanism
and does not require that the container be specifically constructed
to accommodate the container cover. It does, however, require a
container of the correct radius of opening. The container cover
features an elastic ring and a plurality of extendable poles
starting at the center of the ring and extending out radially; both
the ring and the poles are between two circular boards with radii
equal to the relaxed radius of the elastic ring; the container
cover features an operating mechanism above the container cover,
which can be manipulated to cause the extendable poles to push the
elastic ring. The container cover is inserted into a container with
a circular opening of radius slightly larger than the radius of the
circular board, and the operating mechanism is operated so that the
extendable poles push the elastic ring against the walls of the
container, thereby creating a seal.
[0009] Such a seal has the shortcoming of being uneven: The points
at which the poles push against the ring are sealed tightly, but on
the arcs between the points of contact between the poles and the
ring, the distance between the ring and the center of the ring tend
to be smaller than the length of the pole because of the elasticity
of the ring. Therefore, the seal provided by such a container cover
is weakened at many points along the ring. The seal may be improved
by increasing the number of poles, but such a solution increases
the cost of the container, and there always remains an unevenness
of the seal between where the poles push against the ring and where
the poles do not.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0010] A main object of the present invention is to provide a
container cover, which has a sealable arrangement for sealing a
container body via the container cover in an air-tight and
liquid-tight manner.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
container cover, wherein the sealable arrangement not only allows
the container cover freely coupling with the container body when
the sealable arrangement is held at its unsealed position but also
ensures the container cover sealing with the container body when
the sealable arrangement is held at its sealed position.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
container cover, wherein the sealable arrangement requires a one
single operation movement to move between the unsealed position and
the sealed position, so as to simplify the operation of the
container.
[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
container cover, wherein the sealable arrangement the container
cover is securely retained at the opening of the container body to
enclose the receiving cavity thereof when the sealable arrangement
is held at its sealed position.
[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
container cover, wherein the sealable arrangement is able to
liquid-and-air-tightly seal the container body without the use of
any tools beyond the container body and the container cover.
[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
container cover, which is able to conveniently reseal the same
container body after the container cover has been removed from a
container.
[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
container cover, wherein the opening of the container body for
being sealed by the container cover does not require a specific and
complicated structure for receiving the container cover to seal the
container body, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost.
[0017] Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, a
container cover of the present invention comprises:
[0018] a container body having a receiving cavity, and an opening
defining around an opening edge; and
[0019] a container cover, which comprises:
[0020] a cover panel detachably coupling with the opening of the
container body to enclose the receiving cavity thereof; and
[0021] a sealable arrangement which comprises:
[0022] a sealing element movably supported underneath the cover
panel, wherein the sealing element has a size smaller than a size
of the opening edge of the container body such that when the cover
panel couples at the opening of the container body, the sealing
element is encircled within the opening edge of the container body;
and
[0023] an actuation unit operatively mounted on top of the cover
panel to move the sealing element between an unsealed position and
a sealed position, wherein at the unsealed position, the cover
panel is free to detachably support at the opening of the container
body, and at the sealed position, the sealing element is radially
and outwardly moved to seal at and bias against the opening edge of
the container body so as to seal the receiving cavity in an
air-tight manner and to retain the cover panel in position.
[0024] These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the container with
a sealable arrangement according to the preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the sealable arrangement
according to the above preferred embodiment of the present
invention, illustrating the container cover freely coupling with
the container body when the sealable arrangement is held at its
unsealed position.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the sealable arrangement
according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
illustrating the container cover sealing with the container body
when the sealable arrangement is held at its sealed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a container with
sealable arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention is illustrated, wherein said container comprises
a container body 10 and a container cover 20.
[0029] The container body 10 has a receiving cavity 12 and defines
an opening 14 around an opening edge 16 of the container body 10.
Thus, the container cover 20 is supported at the opening 14 for
sealing the receiving cavity 12 in an air-tight manner.
[0030] The container cover 20 comprises a cover panel 22 detachably
coupling with the opening 14 of the container body 10 to enclose
the receiving cavity 12 thereof, and a sealable arrangement 30 for
air-sealing the receiving cavity 12 of the container body 10 in an
air-tight manner and retaining the cover panel 22 of the container
cover 20 in position.
[0031] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
sealable arrangement 30 comprises a sealing element 40 movably
provided underneath the cover panel 22, wherein the sealing element
40 preferably has a shaped size generally conform a peripheral edge
of the cover panel 22, which has a circumference slightly smaller
than a peripheral circumference of the cover panel 22. Therefore,
when the container cover 20 is supported at the opening 14 of the
container body 10, the sealing element 40 is encircled within the
opening edge 16 of the container body 10 to allow the cover panel
22 to move freely, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0032] According to the preferred embodiment, the cover panel 22
has an upper covering portion 222 and a lower retaining portion
223, wherein a diameter of the upper covering portion 22 of the
cover panel 22 is larger than a diameter of the lower retaining
portion 223 thereof to define a shoulder portion between the upper
covering portion 222 and the lower retaining portion 223. In
addition, the diameter of the upper covering portion 22 of the
cover panel 22 is at least equal to the diameter of the opening 14
of the container body 10 while the diameter of the lower retaining
portion 223 of the cover panel 22 is smaller than the diameter of
the opening 14 of the container body 10. Therefore, when the cover
panel 22 is disposed at the opening 14 of the container body 10,
the shoulder portion of the cover panel 22 is held at the opening
edge 16 of the container body 10 at a position that the upper
covering portion 222 of the cover panel 22 is supported on the
opening edge 16 of the container body 10 while the lower retaining
portion 223 of the cover panel 22 is encircled within the opening
edge 16 of the container body 10.
[0033] Accordingly, the sealable arrangement 30 further comprises
an actuation unit 50 provided preferably for being operatively
mounted on top of the cover panel 22 to move the sealing element 40
between an unsealed position and a sealed position. At the unsealed
position, as shown in FIG. 2, the cover panel 22 is able to be
freely and detachably supported at the opening 14 of the container
body 10. When the sealing element 40 is being moved via the
actuation unit 50 at the sealed position, as shown in FIG. 3, the
sealing element 40 is radially and outwardly moved to seal at and
bias against the inner side of the opening edge 16 of the container
body 10, so as to seal the receiving cavity 12 in the air-tight
manner and to retain the cover panel 22 in position.
[0034] As best show in FIG. 3, the sealing element 40 is embodied
as a ring shaped sealing element 40, which could be relatively more
evenly distribute a movement force for moving the sealing element
40 between the sealed and unsealed position via the actuation unit
50. It will be readily appreciated that sealing element 40 may have
a variety of configuration having the shaped size to generally
conform the circumference shape of the cover panel 22 for providing
a means for sealing the receiving cavity 12 in a deformable manner.
For example, the sealing element may also be an ellipse shape.
Preferably, the ring shaped sealing element 40 is relatively easy
for manufacturing and evenly sealing and supporting at the opening
14 of the container body 10.
[0035] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the sealing
element 40 has a size-adjustable diameter, so that when the sealing
element 40 is moved to the unsealed position to release the sealing
element 40 from the opening edge 16 of the container body 10, the
sealing element 40 has a diameter slightly smaller than a diameter
of the opening 14, as shown in FIG. 2. Conversely, when the sealing
element 40 is moved via the actuation unit 50 at the sealed
position, the size-adjustable diameter of the sealing element 40 is
larger than the diameter of the opening 14 of the container body 10
to bias against an inner surface of the opening edge 16, as shown
in FIG. 3. Accordingly, while the sealing element 40 is encircled
within the opening 14, the opening edge 16 of the container body 10
will limit the expansion of the sealing element 40. Therefore, even
though the size-adjustable diameter of the sealing element 40 at
the sealed position is larger than the diameter of the opening 14
of the container body 10, the sealing element 40 will be deformed
to bias against the inner surface of the opening edge 16 of the
container body 10 so as to fittingly match with the diameter of the
opening 14 of the container body 10.
[0036] It is worth to mention that through the size changeable of
the diameter of the sealing element 40, the receiving cavity 12 of
the container body 10 is able to be completely sealed by enlarging
the diameter of the sealing element 40 in the air-tight manner. The
sealing element 40 is preferably made by a deformable material,
such as rubber, for applying a sealing force thereon, such as
squeezing to deform an original shape of the sealing element 40 to
enlarge the diameter of the sealing element 40, so that during the
force is applied on the sealing element 40, the container cover 20
is sealing the receiving cavity 12 at the sealed position.
Conversely, when the external force, which may be applied via the
actuation unit 50, is disappeared, the sealing element 40 returns
to its original shape for the sealing element 40 detaching from the
opening edge 16, so as to return to the unsealed position.
[0037] It is appreciated that through the changeable diameter or
circumference of the sealing element 40, the deformable sealing
element 40 is able to increase its diameter or circumference to
firmly contact with the opening edge 16 of the container body 10,
so as to entirely seal the receiving cavity 12 of the container
body 10 in the air-tight and water-tight manner.
[0038] The actuation unit 50 is adapted for providing a mechanism
for moving or deforming the sealing element 40 between the sealed
and unsealed position. In the presently preferred embodiment of the
present invention, the actuation unit 50 may further comprises a
pressing member, embodied as a pressing panel 52 supported
underneath the cover panel 22, and a hand-operated member 54
coupled or secured to the cover panel 22 preferably arranged to
lift up the pressing panel 52 for applying the force on the
size-adjustable diameter of the sealing element 40. In other words,
the pressing panel 52 is adapted for being upwardly and downwardly
moved to compress and uncompress the sealing element 40 at the
sealed position and the unsealed position respectively.
[0039] Accordingly, the sealing element 40, supported at a position
between the cover panel 22 and the pressing panel 52, has an upper
edge 42 and a lower edge 44 to define a slope surface 46 inclinedly
extended between the upper edge 42 and the lower edge 44. The upper
edge 42 is preferably supported at a position to bias against a
bottom side of the cover panel 22, while the lower edge 44 is
affixed to a top side of the pressing panel 52. Thus, when the
pressing panel 52 is moved to decrease a distance between the cover
panel 22 and the pressing panel 52 to apply a compressing force to
the sealing element 40, the sealing element 40 is radially and
outwardly extended to increase the diameter or circumference
thereof. In other words, the upper edge 42 of the sealing element
40 will be forced to radailly and outwardly slide at the bottom
side of the cover panel 22 to increase the diameter of the sealing
element 40.
[0040] The slope surface 46 is preferred to upwardly and inclinedly
extend from the pressing panel 52 to the cover panel 22. The
pressing panel 52 may further has a groove 521 provided at a
peripheral side edge thereof, so that the lower edge 44 of the
sealing element 40 is able to be received within the groove 521 to
affix thereon and to extend toward the bottom side of the cover
panel 22. It will be appreciated that the sealing element 40 may be
supported underneath the cover panel 22 in relation to a pressing
member by a means for providing the deformation force on the
sealing element 40, so that through the diameter change of the
sealing element 40, the container cover 20 is able to seal and
unseal the container body 10. Therefore, the sealing member may be
elastically affixed on the peripheral edge of the pressing panel 52
and/or the bottom side of the cover panel 22. The slop surface 46
of the sealing element 40 may be downwardly and inclinedly extended
from the cover panel 22 to the pressing panel 52, as another
example.
[0041] The hand-operated member 54 further comprises at least one
actuation shaft 56 and a pivot handle 58 preferably provided at a
position on the top of the cover panel 22, wherein the pivot handle
58 is preferably for operatively moving the pressing panel 52 to
reduce a distance between the pressing panel 52 and the cover panel
22 through the actuation shaft 56. Therefore, the pressing panel 52
is preferred to be lifted to move toward the bottom side of the
cover panel 22 to increase the diameter of the sealing member 40 at
the sealed position, and to move away the cover panel 22 to
increase the distance between the cover panel 22 and the pressing
panel 52 to release the force on the sealing element 40 at the
unsealed position.
[0042] More specifically, the actuation shaft 56 is upwardly and
integrally extended from a center of the pressing panel 52 through
the cover panel 22 via one end, and pivotally coupled with the
pivot handle 58 via the other end of the actuation shaft 56 at a
position that the pivot handle 58 is coupled on the top of the
cover panel 22 for pivotally lifting the pressing panel 52 between
the sealed and unsealed position.
[0043] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pivot handle 58 has a flatten
bottom surface 581 and a cornering surface 582 extended therefrom.
Accordingly, when the pivot handle 58 is pivotally folded at the
unsealed position, the flatten bottom surface 581 of the pivot
handle 58 is biased against the top side of the cover panel 22.
When the pivot handle 58 is pivotally folded from the unsealed
position to the sealed position, the pivot handle 58 is slid at a
position that the cornering surface 582 of the pivot handle 58 is
biased against the top side of the cover panel 22. In other words,
once the pivot handle 58 is turned after the corner between the
flatten bottom surface 581 and cornering surface 582, the pressing
panel 52 is driven to be lifted upwardly.
[0044] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the cover
panel 22 in combination with the pressing panel 52 provides a means
for compressing the sealing element 40 for sealing the receiving
cavity 12 and retaining the container cover 20 at the opening 14 in
position. The pressing cover 52 may also be provided at a position
above the cover panel, so that the pressing panel 52 may be
downwardly pressed to increase the diameter of the sealing element
40 and retained in position via the actuation unit 50.
[0045] In the present invention, the actuation shaft 56 is
preferred to coaxially extend from a center portion of the pressing
panel 52 through a center portion of the cover panel 22, so that
the actuation shaft 56 is able to vertically and evenly lift up the
pressing panel 52, so as to evenly seal the receiving cavity 12 via
evenly compressing the sealing element 40. As will be appreciated,
there are may be two or more actuation shafts 56 are provided to
evenly distribute the compressing force on the sealing element 40,
such as two actuation shafts 541 provided at two ends of the
diameter of the pressing panel 52 to pivotally coupling with a half
ring shaped pivot handle respectively to be pivotally folded
between the sealed and unsealed position.
[0046] In the presently preferred embodiment, the top side of the
cover panel 22 has an indented portion 221 having a shape generally
conform to the pivot handle 58, which is coupling on the top of the
cover panel 22, such that when the pivot handle 58 is pivotally
folded to lift up the pressing panel 52, the pivot handle 58 is
laying within the indented portion 221 to substantially form the
same surface of the top side of the cover panel 22. It is worth to
mention that when the pivot handle 58 is folded at the sealed
position on the same surface of the top cover panel 22, the
containers are capable of being stacked on one another for storage
purpose.
[0047] As best shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the pivot handle 58
may have an approximately ring shape or U shape, so that when the
pivot handle 58 is pivotally folded at the unsealed position, the
ring or U shaped pivot handle 58 may be easily withheld for
removing the container cover 20 from the opening 14 of the
container body 10. The pivot handle 58 may also have a tilting end
5421 for conveniently and pivotally flipping the pivot handle 58,
so as to operatively control the sealing element 40 between the
sealed and unsealed position in the pivotal manner.
[0048] A plurality of reinforcing member may further provided at
top side of the pressing panel 52 and/or the bottom side of the
cover panel 22, so that the actuation unit 50 is able to relatively
more efficient to provide the force for compressing the sealing
element 40, so as to increase the durability of the container cover
20.
[0049] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the pivot
handle 58 pivotally driving the actuation shaft 56 to move the
pressing panel 52 is only one of the examples. There is variety of
mechanisms for compressing the sealing member 40 between the
unsealed and sealed position via changing the diameter or
circumference of the sealing element 40. For other example, the
actuation shaft 56 may be actuated to compress the sealing element
40 through a spiral handle to spirally rotate the actuation shaft
56 to vertically move a pressing member, such as pressing panel 52,
so as to deform the sealing element 40.
[0050] The actuation shaft 56, in this preferred embodiment, may
have a through hole 561 at a pivot end, and the pivot handle 58 may
has a pair of apertures 581, such that the pivot handle 58 may be
pivotally secured to the actuation shaft 56 via a snap pin
mechanism. It is worth to mention that the pivot handle 58 allows
the container cover 20 simply sealing at the opening 14 of the
container body 10 and being retained in position, in such a manner
that the container cover 20 is able to conveniently open and close
the container cover 20 simply via the pivotally folding mechanism
without involving complicated operation. Also, the force for
sealing and unsealing the container cover is relatively smaller by
simply applying a force on the pivot handle 58 to fold between the
unsealed and sealed position.
[0051] The container cover 20 is able to incorporate with any
conventional container body which has an opening size matching the
size or shape of the container cover 20 for enclosing and sealing
the receiving cavity within the container body, such as traditional
cylindrical shaped container body made by glasses or plastic
material.
[0052] Accordingly, the operation of the container is shown as the
following steps.
[0053] (1) Dispose the container cover 20 at the container body 10
at the position that the cover panel 22 of the container cover 20
is freely supported at the opening 14 of the container body 10 to
enclose a receiving cavity thereof while the sealing element 40 of
the sealable arrangement 30 is encircled within the opening edge 16
of the container body 10.
[0054] (2) Actuate the sealing element 40 to move between the
unsealed position and the sealed position. Accordingly, the sealing
element 40 is moved between the unsealed position and sealed
position by adjusting the size-adjustable diameter of the sealing
element 40, in the step (2).
[0055] In addition, the step (2) further comprises the steps of
(2.1) supporting the pressing panel 52 of the sealable arrangement
30 underneath the sealing element 40; (2.2) actuating the
hand-operated member 54 on top of the cover panel 22 to lift up the
pressing panel for compressing the sealing element 40 between the
pressing panel 52 and the cover panel 22 so as to move the sealing
element 40 at the sealed position; and (2.3) actuating the
hand-operated member to drop down the pressing panel 52 for
uncompressing the sealing element 40, so as to move the sealing
element 40 at the unsealed position, such that the cover panel 22
of the container cover 20 is free to remove from the container body
10.
[0056] According to the preferred embodiment, the step (2.2)
further comprises a step of (2.2.1) pivotally folding the pivot
handle 58 to lay on the top surface of the cover panel 22 of the
container cover 20, so as to lift up the pressing panel 52 for
compressing the sealing element 40. The step (2.3) further
comprises a step of (2.3.1) pivotally folding the pivot handle 58
to drop down the pressing panel 52 for uncompressing the sealing
element at the unsealed position.
[0057] One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment
of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described
above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.
[0058] It will thus be seen that the objects of the present
invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The
embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of
illustrating the functional and structural principles of the
present invention and is subject to change without departure from
such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all
modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the
following claims.
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