Container for dragees and the like

The present invention relates to a container for packaging and dispensing granular products, in particular dragees, pastilles, tablets and the like, comprising a containment body and a cover associated therewith.

In particular, the invention relates to a small container of the type described in WO03/055765, wherein the containment body has a wall which is directed towards the cover and which defines an opening for dispensing the products and the cover is connected to the wall by engagement means which can allow rotational movement of the cover in accordance with an axis which is orthogonal relative to the plane in which the mouth contour of the opening is located in order to move the cover into an opened position.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved container which, similarly to the container described in WO03/055765, can be handled and opened with a single hand by the user and wherein the cover is able to take up various opened positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container, wherein the cover can take up a first opened position, with a restricted opening aperture, which allows the products contained to be dispensed, in limited numbers, by inverting the container itself, and at least a second opened position, with a greater opening aperture, which allows the user to remove the products from the containment body by taking them directly with the fingers of the hand.

In view of the above-mentioned objects, the invention relates to a container having the features set out in the appended claims .

Preferably, the containment body of the container according to the invention has an opening having a contour whose transverse extent is variable, with a restricted initial portion and an enlarged opposite end portion.

Preferably, the engagement means allow linear translation movement of the cover in a rectilinear direction from a travel start position, corresponding to the position in which the cover is closed, to a position in which the cover leaves the restricted initial portion of the opening uncovered.

Preferably, the engagement means are able to allow rotational movement of the cover only from a position in which the opening of the containment body is partially covered, preferably corresponding to the travel end position of the linear translation movement of the cover, and the engagement means do not allow rotational movement of the cover when the cover is in the position in which the containment body is closed.

Other characteristics and advantages of the container according to the invention will become clear from the following detailed description which is given with reference to the appended drawings which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the container of Figure 1 in the position in which the cover is closed;

Figure 3 is a top view of the container in a partially opened position;

Figure 4 is a top view of the container of Figure 1, in a completely opened position;

Figure 5 is a perspective detailed view of the container, when viewed from inside the containment body, in

the position in which the cover is closed, corresponding to Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a perspective view, similar to Figure 5, wherein the cover is in the position of Figure 3 ; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to Figure 5, wherein the cover is in the position of Figure 4.

With reference to the drawings, the container according to the invention comprises a containment body 2 with which a cover 4 is associated. The containment body 2 is of flat form and has a bottom wall 6 which, in the embodiment, is of ovoid form, and a side wall 8. The containment body 2 has, in a position facing the bottom wall, an opening 10 whose contour is delimited by a substantially planar wall 12 of the containment body 2.

In the embodiment illustrated, the containment body 2, comprising the bottom wall 6, side wall 8 and upper wall 12, is constructed integrally, for example, of plastics material. However, the containment body 2 may also be constructed in two separate parts, with a bottom portion comprising the bottom wall 6 and side wall 2 and an intermediate portion, comprising the wall 12 defining the opening 10, which can be engaged with the bottom portion.

The cover 4 is connected to the containment body 2 by engagement means which are associated with the cover and the wall 12 which delimits the opening 10. The cover has a concave body, with the concavity directed towards the interior of the containment body 2 , and an outer contour 14 which adjoins the side wall 12 in a flush manner so that the cover can slide, substantially in a flush manner relative to the upper wall 12. \

The engagement means comprise a slider 16 and a slider 18 which project from the surface of the cover that is directed towards the containment body 2, and which are mounted in a sliding manner in a respective slot 20 and 22 of the wall 12. The slider 16 is preferably in the form of a pin having a shank portion (of which the rectangular cross-section 24 is visible in Figures 5-7) and an end portion having an enlarged head 26. The shank portion 24 can slide in the slot 20 and the head 26 acts as a securing element which prevents, in the normal operating condition, the cover from being removed in the direction which is orthogonal relative to the wall 12. The slot 20 is rectilinear and has an enlarged end opening 28 which allows the head of the slider 16 to be inserted inside the slot itself; the slot further has a second intermediate opening 30 corresponding to the travel end position of the slider 16.

The slider 18 in turn has a head 32 which engages with the slot 22 in a sliding manner.

The slot 22 has a rectilinear portion 22a which extends parallel with the slot 20 and which has an enlarged end opening 34, in which the head 32 of the slider 18 can be inserted.

The slot 22 further has a branch 22b which extends in an arcuate manner from an intermediate position of the rectilinear portion 22a. The radius of curvature of the branch 22b corresponds to the distance between the axes of the slider 16 and the slider 18.

The opening 10 of the containment body 2 has a variable transverse extent, with an initial region 36 having a transverse extent which is restricted to a greater degree than the transverse extent of the end region 38.

The cover is connected to the containment body 2 by inserting the sliders 16 and 18 in the respective openings 28 and 34.

In the closed position of the container, in which the cover 4 completely covers the opening 10, the sliders 16 and 18 are in the position illustrated in Figures 2 and 5. From that position, the cover is capable of linear translation movement, in the rectilinear direction of the arrow Fl, in order to be brought into a travel end position which is illustrated in Figures 3 and 6 and in which the slider 16 is at the opening 30. The linear translation movement of the cover can be brought about by the user with a single hand, by acting with his thumb on the upper surface of the cover.

In the travel end position of Figures 3 and 6, the cover partially covers the opening 10, leaving the initial region 36 of smaller dimensions uncovered. In that position, the products contained in the containment body 2 can be dispensed by means of a movement involving inversion of the container.

In the initial closed position, the above-illustrated engagement means do not allow rotational movement of the cover about an axis which is orthogonal relative to the plane of the surface 12 in which the contour of the opening 10 is located.

From the partially opened position of the container of Figures 3 and 6, in which the slider 18 is at the branch 22b, the cover 4 can be caused to move in rotation in accordance with arrow F2 (Figure 4) about an axis, which is orthogonal relative to the plane of the wall 12 that is coincident with the axis of the slider 16. In that position, the slider 16 acts as an articulation pin and the slider 18 can slide along the arcuate slot portion 22b in the direction of arrow F3.

Typically, the rotational movement extends over an angle of from 90-120°.

The end position of the rotational movement of the cover is illustrated in Figures 4 and 7, in which the slider 18 is in the travel end position thereof at the end of the arcuate slot 22b.

In that position (Figures 4 and 7) , the cover 4 leaves substantially the entire opening 10 uncovered, or at least a portion of that opening, so as to allow the user to remove the products contained in the containment body 2 by introducing his fingers directly into the opening itself .

The rotational movement of the cover can also be brought about by the user, by gripping the container with one hand only and using his thumb to cause the cover to rotate .

The invention thereby provides a container which is extremely easy to handle and in which the cover can be selectively activated in order to allow the products contained therein to be dispensed and removed.

The container preferably has pocket-sized dimensions. The opening of the container by means of linear translation of the cover, in order to move the cover into a partially opened position, in which it is possible to dispense a limited number of products by inverting the container, is typical of its use as a pocket-sized container.

The possibility of rotating the cover, which allows the large opening for dispensing the products to be uncovered, also allows the container to be used as a table-top container.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the embodiments and construction details may be varied widely with respect to those described and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the appended claims.