AU2020204199B2

AU2020204199B2 - Container with a Cover Snapped to a Base

Info

Publication number: AU2020204199B2
Application number: AU2020204199A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jacky Wang; Ssu-Wei Wu
Original assignee: Relocks Co Ltd
Current assignee: Relocks Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-08-23
Filing date: 2020-06-24
Publication date: 2022-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 2040-06-24
Also published as: TWM595627U; TWI708720B; RU2756746C1; AU2020204199A1; EP3786080C0; PH12020050274A1; EP3786080B1; KR20210024414A; PH12020050274B1; JP7002784B2; JP3226972U; MY206092A; US20210053728A1; KR102402114B1; BR102020016779A2; TW202108456A; CA3086119C; SG10202007862TA; JP2021102486A; CN112407576B

Abstract

A container includes a base and a cover which is snapped to the base. The cover includes at least one recess defined in lateral face thereof. The base includes a peripheral wall which has a reception area. The 5 reception area includes a stop wall that extends from the peripheral wall, and a snapping member extends from the reception area and includes a protrusion. The at least one recess includes a wide top opening and a narrow bottom. The protrusion is shaped to be engaged with the at least one recess to connect the cover to the base. The base includes stop wall 10 which reinforces the base strength to avoid from being deformed. 18

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FORASTANDARDPATENT ORIGINAL TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT

Invention Title: Container with a Cover Snapped to a Base

Name of Applicant: Relocks Co., Ltd

Address for Service: A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys PO Box 833, Blackwood, SA 5051

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:

la

CONTAINER WITH A COVER SNAPPED TO A BASE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the invention

The present invention relates to a container, and more

particularly, to a container with a cover which is snapped to a base.

2. Descriptions of Related Art

The conventional containers are made by plastic or

paper-related material, wherein the containers with a cover that is able to

seal the base to keep food fresh are welcomed in the marked. Especially

for those container made by plastic are able to prevent liquid from splitting

out and are used in different ways.

An important feature of this type of plastic-made containers is the

stability and reliability of the cover that is connected to the base. For the

conventional plastic-made containers generally includes hooks formed

along sides of the cover, and the base includes lips which are hooked by

the hooks. However, this snapping engagement the snapping

engagement may be too lose to seal the base, or may be too firm to

release. For the first situation, the hooks simply engaged with the edge of

the lips so that the hooks cannot firmly engaged with the lips. The

engagement can be loosened by impact or squeeze. The hooks may also be disengaged from the lips due to the food in the container is heavy or the way that the users to gran the cover improperly. For the second situation, there are different forms of the hooks and lips, such as hooks engaged with recesses in ridges. If the hooks have an exaggerated curvature or the width of the lips is not properly set, or the hooks are too big when comparted with the recesses of the ridges. The friction between the hooks and lips will be significant so that the cover is difficult to be opened or even deforms the cover or the base.

Another snapping device for containers includes a male part and

a female part, wherein the male and female parts are engaged with each

other by way of surface-surface engagement. If there are tolerances

between the male and female parts, the resistance is significant so that

the cover is difficult to close and to open relative to the base. Besides, the

male parts have to be pressed hard so as to be connected with the female

parts, the male parts or the female parts may be deformed if there is no

reinforcement structure to support the pressing action. Because the

existed molding technology, it is difficult to form the male parts on lateral

sides of the base. The existed problems need to be further improved.

The present invention intends to provide a container composed

of a cover and a base to eliminate shortcomings mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a

container that includes a base and a cover which is snapped to the base.

The cover includes at least one recess defined in lateral face thereof. The

base includes a snapping member so that the snapping member includes

protrusion which is engaged with the at least one recess to connect the

cover to the base. The base includes a reception area which reinforces the

strength of the at least one recess to shorten the snapping member and to

reduce the cover height and the material needed so as to save material

and cost. The container includes a stable and simple structure. The

container is not deformed even being squeezed to reduce possibility of

disengagement and separation.

In order to achieve the above mentioned objective, the present

invention relates to a container that comprises a cover and a base. The

cover includes a cover top, and a lateral face extends from the periphery

of the cover top. A protruding portion is formed by the lateral face together

with the cover top. The lateral face has at least one recess which includes

a wide top opening and a narrow bottom. The base includes a top opening

which is defined by the peripheral wall. The cover is mounted to the top

opening of the base to form a space between the base and the cover. The peripheral wall of the base has a recessed area which forms a reception area located corresponding to the at least one recess of the cover. The reception area has a stop wall that extends from the peripheral wall. A snapping member extends from the reception area and has a protrusion.

The protrusion is shaped to be engaged with the at least one recess to

connect the cover to the base.

Preferably, a lip extends from the reception area along the top

opening of the base. The lateral face of the cover includes a skirt

extending therefrom. The skirt contacts the lip when the cover is mounted

to the base.

Preferably, a reception area is formed at the connection between

the lip and the snapping member. The reception area includes a stop wall

extending upward. When the cover is connected to the base, the at least

one recess is located between the stop wall and the snapping member.

Preferably, an extension portion member extends from the

protrusion of the base. The protrusion includes a recessed portion formed

in the rear side thereof. A bending portion is formed between the lip and

the snapping member.

Preferably, the at least one recess is located between two

reinforcement portions. A contact face is formed between the two reinforcement portions. The at least one recess is defined between the contact face and the two reinforcement portions.

Preferably, the base and the cover are shaped to include a curve

periphery or multiple sides.

Preferably, there are multiple recesses, and the snapping

member includes multiple protrusions. The number of the protrusions is

the same as the number of the recesses.

Preferably, there are multiple recesses and multiple snapping

members. The number of the protrusions of the snapping members is the

same as the number of the recesses.

Preferably, there are multiple recesses. The number of the

snapping members is the same as the number of the recesses, and each

snapping member includes a protrusion.

Preferably, the container comprises a handle, and a hole is

formed through each of two ends of the handle. The protrusions are

engaged with the two holes of the handle. A grip portion is formed

between the two ends of the handle.

In one embodiment, the recesses and the protrusions can be

switches. The protrusions are located on the base, and the recesses are located in the cover. Alternatively, the protrusions are located on the cover, and the recesses are located in the base.

The container may have the engagement parts on the

corresponding lateral sides of the base and the cover. Therefore, the

strength of the cover and the base is reinforced so that the cover and the

base are not deformed due to squeezing to separate the protrusions from

the recesses. The base has stop walls so that the snapping member can

be shortened to reduce the cover height. The stop wall reinforces the

strength of the recesses such that the protrusions are not disengaged

from the recesses due to squeezing, and the container is likely deformed.

Besides, the thickness of the cover can be reduced to achieve the

market's demand of thin cover and low cover.

The present invention will become more obvious from the

following description when taken in connection with the accompanying

drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred

embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the container of the present

invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view to show the container of the present

invention;

Fig. 3 is a side cross sectional view to show the snapping

member and the protrusion on the base wherein the protrusion is engaged

with the recess of the cover;

Fig. 4 shows the action of the protrusion engaged with the recess

of the cover;

Fig. 5 is a partial cross sectional side view to shown that the

protrusion is engaged with the recess;

Fig. 6 is a partial cross sectional top view to shown that the

protrusion is engaged with the recess;

Fig. 7 shows that the snapping member with multiple protrusions

which are engaged with multiple recesses;

Fig. 8 shows the handle for the container of the present invention,

and

Fig. 9 shows the container of the present invention is equipped

with the handle as shown in Fig. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the container of the present invention

can be made by paper or plastic, and comprises a base 1 and a cover 2.

The base 1 includes a top opening which is defined by a

peripheral wall 11. A lip 12 extends from the periphery of the top opening

and is bent downward. A reception area 14 is formed in a recessed area of

the lip 12 and the reception area 14 has a stop wall 141 that extends from

the peripheral wall 11 so as to reinforce the strength of the reception area

14. At least one snapping member 13 extends from the reception area 14

and includes a protrusion 132. In this embodiment, there are multiple

snapping members 13. The protrusion 132 includes a recessed portion

133 formed to its rear side. The connection between the snapping

member 13 and the lip 12 is a bending portion 134.

The cover 2 includes a cover top 24, and a lateral face 25

extends from the periphery of the cover top 24. A protruding portion 21 is

formed by the lateral face 25 together with the cover top 24. The cover 2 is

mounted to the top opening of the base 1 to form a space between the

peripheral wall 11 of the base 1 and the protruding portion 21 of the cover

2. The lateral face 25 of the cover 2 includes a skirt 22 extending

therefrom. The skirt 22 contacts the lip 12 when the cover 2 is mounted to

the base 1. The lateral face 25 includes at least one recess 23 which

includes a wide top opening and a narrow bottom. In this embodiment,

there are multiple recesses 23. Each recess 23 is located between two reinforcement portions 231. A contact face 233 (Fig. 3) is formed between the two reinforcement portions 231. Each recess 23 is defined between the contact face 233 and the two reinforcement portions 231. The reinforcement portions 231 reinforce the strength of the cover 2 to prevent the cover 2 from being deformed. The covers 2 are able to be piled and are not deformed. The contact face 233 provides a support when the protrusion 132 is engaged with the recess 23. The contact face 233 also prevents the protrusion 132 from slipping away from the recess 23.

The recessed area that the reception area 14 forms allows the

recess 23 of the cover 2 to be lowered and positioned in the reception

area 14. Therefore, the length of the snapping member 13 can be

shortened, and this also saves material needed. The height of the cover 2

can also be reduced to meet the requirement of a thin cover which needs

less material. The stop wall 141 provide a support to the recess 23 when

the protrusion 132 is engaged with the recess 23, the recess 23 moved

inward. In other words, because the stop wall 141 stops the recess 23

from further moving inward so that the recess 23 is supported by the stop

wall 141 and the protrusion 132 is easily engaged with the recess 23.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the first embodiment of the container of the

present invention.

The snapping members 13 of the base 1 are bent by the bending

portion 134 which is connected to the reception area 14. As shown in Fig.

3, the protruded area 135 of the protrusion 132 is integrally formed with

the protrusion 132 and can be made by plastic or paper, so that the

protruded area 135 is strong enough and is not deformed when the

protrusion 132 is slightly force-fitted in the recess 23.

When the cover 2 is mounted to the base 1, the user can press

the recessed portion 133 of the snapping member 13 to bend the

snapping member 133 by the bending portion 134 so as to engage the

protrusion 132 with the recess 23. When removing the cover 2 from the

base 1, the protrusion 132 is disengaged from the recess 23 by pulling the

extension portion member 131.

It is noted that when opening the cover 2 relative to the base 1 to

access the food in the container, the user simply separates the protrusions

132 of one snapping member 13 from the recesses 23, the cover 2 can be

pivoted 90 or 180 degrees from the base 1 by the bending portions 134. It

is not necessary to separate all the protrusions 132 of all of the snapping

members 13 from the recesses 23.

Besides, because the skirt 22 of the cover 2 is mounted to and

contacts the edge of the lip 12 of the base 1, so that when the protrusions

132 are engaged with the recesses 23, the cover 2 is securely mounted to

the base 1. Even the container is put upside down, the food does not leak

out.

Figs. 5 and 6 show that the protrusions 132 are engaged with the

recesses 23.

The recess 23 provides a space for the protrusion 132 to be

engaged with, and the space is formed between the reinforcement

portions 231 and the contact face 233. The width of the protrusion 132 is

slightly larger than the width of the recess 23 between the two

reinforcement portions 231. Therefore, the protrusion 132 can be securely

engaged with the recess 23 and contacts the contact face 233. Because

the recess 23 has a wide top opening and a narrow bottom, the protrusion

132 is even more securely engaged with the recess 23 when the container

is pressed or squeezed. Each recess 23 includes a wide top opening, and

the sidewalls of the reinforcement portions 231 are inclined walls with a

positive draft angle, both of which make the molding action be easily. In

other words, the recess 23 is not deformed to ensure the engagement

between the protrusion 132 and the recess 23. The contact face 233

prevents the protrusion 132 from dropping from the recess 23 when the

container is shaken or put upside down. The two reinforcement portions

231 are two protruded portions which include multiple faces to form a

strong structure to support the pressing action of the protrusion 132 to the

recess 23.

In the embodiment mentioned above, the number of the

snapping members 13 is the same as the number of the recesses 23, and

each snapping member 13 includes a protrusion 132. Alternatively, the

number of the recesses 23 can be single or multiple. When the number of

the recess 23 is one, then there is a snapping member 13. When the

number of the recesses 23 are multiple, then there is one or more than

one snapping members 13. Each snapping member 13 includes one or

more than one protrusions 132. The number of the protrusions 132 is the

same as the number of the recesses 23. In other words, the number of the

protrusions 132 of all of the snapping members 13 is the same as the

number of the recesses 23.

Fig. 7 shows the second embodiment of the container of the

present invention, wherein each snapping members 13 includes multiple

protrusions 132.

The differences between the second embodiment and the first

embodiment are that the base 1 includes two elongate snapping members

13 respectively formed on two sides thereof, and each snapping member

13 includes multiple protrusions 132. The number of the protrusions 132 of

the snapping members 13 is the same as the number of the recesses 23,

so that the protrusions 132 are engaged with the recesses 23

correspondingly.

Fig. 8 shows the handle 26 of the third embodiment of the

container of the present invention, and Fig. 9 shows the container of the

present invention is equipped with the handle 26.

The handle 26 includes a hole 261 formed through each of two

ends thereof. A grip portion 262 is formed between the two ends of the

handle 26. The protrusions 132 of two snapping members 13 are engaged

with the two holes 261 of the handle 26. The two protrusions 132

connected with the handle 26 are engaged with the recesses 23

corresponding thereto. The users may hold the grip portion 262 to carry

the container.

The container can be a rectangular or round container to include

a rectangular or round base 1 and cover 2. Of course, the base 1 and the

cover 2 can be shaped to include a curve periphery or multiple sides.

The recesses 23, the snapping members 13 and the protrusions

132 can be modified to include any size, number and arrangement. For

examples, the container may include multiple pairs snapping members 13 and recesses 23 to obtain better strength to the cover 2, so that the cover

2 is securely connected to the base 1. The positions of the recesses 23

and the protrusions 132 can be changed. The protrusions 132 can be

located on the base 1, and the recesses 23 can be located in the cover 2.

Alternatively, the protrusions 132 can be located on the cover 2, and the

recesses 23 are located in the base 1.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in

accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in

the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the

scope of the present invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A container comprising:

a cover having a cover top, a lateral face extending from a

periphery of the cover top, the cover having a protruding portion formed by

the lateral face together with the cover top, the lateral face having at least

one recess which includes a wide top opening and a narrow bottom, and is

located between two reinforcement portions, wherein a contact face is

formed between the two reinforcement portions, and the at least one

recess is defined between the contact face and the two reinforcement

portions, and

a base including a top opening which is defined by a peripheral

wall, the cover being mounted to the top opening of the base to form a

space between the base and the cover, the peripheral wall of the base

having a recessed area which forms a reception area located

corresponding to the at least one recess of the cover, the reception area

having a stop wall that extends from the peripheral wall, a snapping

member extending from the reception area and having a protrusion, the

protrusion being shaped to be engaged with the at least one recess to

connect the cover to the base, wherein a bending portion is formed

between the reception area and the snapping member, the at least one recess located between the stop wall and the snapping member when the protrusion of the base is engaged with the at least one recess of the cover.

2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lip extends

from the reception area along the top opening of the base, the lateral face

of the cover includes a skirt extending therefrom, wherein the bending

portion is formed between the lip and the snapping member.

3. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the skirt contacts

the lip when the cover is mounted to the base.

4. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein an extension

portion member extends from the protrusion of the base.

5. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion

includes a recessed portion formed in a rear side thereof.

6. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base and the

cover are shaped to include a curve periphery or multiple sides.

7. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are multiple

recesses, the snapping member includes multiple protrusions, a number

of the protrusions is the same as a number of the recesses.

8. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are multiple

recesses and multiple snapping members, a number of the protrusions of

the snapping members is the same as a number of the recesses.

9. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are multiple

recesses, a number of the snapping members is the same as a number of

the recesses, each snapping member includes a protrusion.