I

The present Invention relates to a container and lid arrangement, the container having bottom base, upright wall extendig from the base, a container opening at an upper end of the wall, and the lid being engageab!e with the container at the opening thereof by means of at least one locking device for releasable closing of the container opening, as stated in the preamble of claim 1.

It is previously known that large volume ciosable containers, in particular containers made from a plastics material have challenges as regards physical strength as well as how such containers may be closed and re-opened _> and their versatility as regards applications, in the prior art All 1 ,149,783-A, US 2G1G/I08556-A? . US 5,368, 182-A, and US

1 ,642,481 all disclose an arrangement ofa container and a lid, and with various ways of releasably interlocking the lid with the associated container.

The present invention has as an object to overcome well known deficiencies as regards such containers, and to obtain a light weight, large volume ciosable container, which is robust and easy to assemble and modify, and which is suitable for containing a wide range of materials or substances, both in solid and in fluid form.

In the present context the term large volume could imply e.g. 200 liters, although the volume could be less or even larger, e.g. dependent on handling procedures, type of material to be contained, specific gravity of such materials, and materials used for the container, the lid and other functional parts.

According to the invention, and as stated in the attached claim 1 , the container wall about its circumference has a plurality of angularly spaced of upright recesses extending from the base towards container opening, the recesses appearing as ribs viewed from inside of the container, each recess at its upper end is closed off by a member extending transversely of the recess, and the recess member has a gasket engagement face with a locking device entry hole therethrough. The main inventive features of the arrangement will appear from the attached claim 1. Further embodiments of the invention appear from the sub-claims 2 - 17.

The invention is now to be described with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate currently preferred embodiments of the invention. However, neither the description, nor the drawings should be eorj.sin.ied as being exhaustive of embodiments available according to the invention. Thus, the described embodiments and the related drawings are merely son-limiting examples of the present invention. in the drawings:

Fig, 1 illustrates a container and lid arrangement, according to the invention, in a perspective view from above.

Fig. 2 illustrates the container and lid arrangement of Fig, 1 in a perspective view from below.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a container of the arrangement in a perspective view from above and from below, respectively.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a major part of a lid of the arrangement in a perspective view from above and from below, respectively.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a cover forming a central and minor part of the lid and fitting into a centra! opening of the major part of the lid, as seen in a perspective view from above and from below, respectively.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate in a perspective view from above and from below, respectively, strainer to be installable into the central opening of the major part of the lid at a location below a location of the cover. Figs. O and 12 illustrate in a perspective view from above and from below,

respectively, one of a plurality of locking devices for interlocking of the lid and the container.

Fig, 13 is an exploded view of the container, the major part of the lid, the cover part of the lid, the strainer fitting into the lid major part, the locking devices, and gaskets of first and second type.

Fig. 14 is a partial cross- sectional view which iliustrates how the lid can be locked to the container using bayonet screw type of locking device.

Fig. !S is a partial cross-sectional view which iliustrates how the lid can he locked to the container using a screw and nut assembly type of locking device.

Fig, 16 shows in side view the screw and nut assembly illustrated on Fig, 15 prior to joining the screw and nut.

Fig. 17 shows the screw and nut in a a joined state. Fig. 1.8 is a perspective view from above of the screw. Fig.19 is a perspective vie from above of the nut. Fig.20 is a perspective view from below of the nut.

The overall arrangement 1 of the invention is shows) on Figs. 1 and , A container 2 has a lid 3 fitted onto the container 2 and locked there o by means of locking devices 4. ^' The lid has a major part S and a minor part constituted by a removable cover 6.

The container has a wail 7 which about its circumference has a plurality of angularl spaced of upright recesses § extending from a base 9 of the container 2 towards a container opening 10. Each recess 8 is at its upper, narrowest end closed off by a member 11 extending transversely of the recess 8, The recess member 1 has a gasket engagement iace with a locking device entry hole 12 therethrough.

The container base 9 has on its outside reinforcing and supporting ribs 13 at a location between adjacent pairs of said recesses 8, It is noted from Figs. 1 - 4 that each of said recesses 8 taper in width from the base region 9 towards the member 11 at said container opening 10. Thus, at the region of the member II, the recess may e.g. have a width dl which is less than the width d2 close to the base region 9 of the container. Further, from viewing Fig. 1 , it will be observed that a width 43 of the container at its base region is smaller than a width d4 at it upper region, yielding that pairs of or multiple of containers are staekab!e into each other. The recesses 8 which extend into the interior of the container are no bars to such stacking in view of their tapering.

It wi ll be appreciated that the recesses 8 will from inside of the container appear as ribs 8' of curved cross-section. The recesses 8 / ribs 8' will positively contribute to stiffening or enhanced rigidity of the container wall 7.

The container 2 has at its opening 10 has an upright circumferential rim 14 (see Figs, 3 _? 4, 13 and ). An upper end S t!vereof confi ured as a gasket engagement face for a gasket .

The lid 3 comprises a lid. face 17 with at least one gasket engagement iace. The lid face has a plurality of angularly spaced locking device apertures 18. An underside of the lid face 17 adjacent each of said apertures 18 is configured as a gasket accomodating de vice 1 for a first type of gasket 21) (see inter alia Fig. 14). in order to make the lid face 17 as strong as possible, it has a plurality of radially extending reinforcement ribs 21. It will be observed from in particular Fig- 14 that the lid 3 lias a circumferential member 22 integral with a lace 17 of the lid. The member 22 Is configured, when the [id 3 is fitted onto the container 2, to extend over the upright circumferential rim 14 of the container 2. The circumferential member 22 has a gasket engagement face 23 to accomodate the gasket 16 of a second type. The gasket ½ is engagable with said gasket engagement face 15 of the container circumferential rirn 14. It wiii be observed that in the currently preferred embodiment, the lid circumferential member 22 has a cross- sectional configuration of a substantially inverted J.

The outer surface of die lid circumferential member 22 has a plurality of spaced apart impact absorbing ribs 24. Such ribs may be advantageous if the arrangement 1 ai ls or is dropped by accident.

The major part 5 of lid 3 has a centrally located portion with a through opening 25 which is releasahly closabie by means of the cover 6. The cover ! has gripping ribs 26 in order to facilitate convenient turning of the cover 6 for engagement of its threads 27 with threads 28 on said major part S of the lid 3 at its opening 25, Further, the cover 6 may have a gasket 40 to prevent any leakage from the container interior to the outside of the container 2.

The arrangement 1. is suitable for e.g, receiving fluid waste, e.g. oil containing panicles. In such a case, the through opening is suitably configured to accomodate a strainer member 29 (se Figs, 9, 10 and 13) below a location in the opening 25 designated for said cover 6„ The strainer 29 is suitably bowl-shaped with a wall 30 and a bottom 31 with a large number of perforations, such as holes 32, The strainer may have a central gripping rod 33. The strainer 29 may not need a gasket, but if required a gasket or sealing lip 41 could be provided.

The arrangement 1 provides for a plurality of locking devices 4. Each locking device 4 has a bayonet locking configuration, i.e. like a bayonet type of screw, and comprises a head 34 at one end, a stem 35 extending therefrom and a pair of oppositely directed studs 36, 3? at the other end. The locking device is configured upon locking of the main part 5 of the lid 3 onto the container 2 to be Insertable through the locking device aperture 18 of the lid face and the looking device entry hole 12 of the container 2. Upon twisting of the locking device 4 through 90°, the head 34 is configured to engage a top side 17 of the lid 3 and the pair of studs 36, 3? is configured to engage an underside of ; the recess member I J . The stem 35 Is diametrically suitably not solid, but may instead have a ceniraf. axial longitudinal hole 39. This is of advantage in a easting operation of the locking device 4 to yield substantially uniform material thickness at any location on the locking device 4 to reduce an stresses in the material of the device,

! Suitably, the head 34 of the locking device 4 is provided with a tool engagement recess

38, e.g. of hexagonal cross-section.

An alternative locking device 4' is shown on Figs. 16 - 2 .

The arrangement I provides for a plurality of locking devices 4*. Each locking device 4 ^* has an assembly of a screw 42 and a nut 43. The screw omprises a hear! 44 at one end, a stem 45 extending therefrom and having a screw thread 46 at the other end.. The screw 42 of the locking device 4' is configured upon locking of the main part 5 of the lid 3 onto the container 2 to be insertable through the locking device aperture 18 of the lid face and into the threaded hole 47 of the nut 43, The nut 43 has at its upper region a ci cular hook-shaped snap-action portion 48 which is configured to snap onto a ledge 49 in the hole 12 of the recess member II . Further, the nut 43 has integral therewith, transversely of the not hole 47, a support member 50 which is conficured to engage an underside of the recess member 11, and the configuration of the member 50 is adapted to the cross-section of recess 8 adjacent said underside of the member 11 to effectively prevent the nut 43 from rotating in the hole 12 when snapped Into engagement with the hole 12.

Upon turning of the locking screw 42, the head 44 is configured to engage a top side 17 of the lid 3 at a ledge 51 in a screw head socket 52 of the lid. As shown on Fig. I S, the stem 45 is diametrically suitably not solid, but may instead have a central axial longitudinal hole 53. This is of advantage in a casting operation of the locking screw 42 to yield substantially uniform material thickness at any location on the locking screw 42 to reduce any stresses in the material of the device,

Suitably, the head 44 of the locking screw 4 is provided with a tool engagement recess 54, e.g. of hexagonal cross-section.

Suitably, both the screw 42 and the nut 43 are made from a plastics material although other materials such as e.g. metal could be used. From a view of thermal expansion, the screw and the nut as well as the container and lid could suitably all be made from plastics materials having similar properties..

Both Figs. 14 and ½ show the lid 3 comprising a lid face 17 with at least one gasket engagement face. As described earlier, the lid face has a plurality of angularly spaced locking device apertures IS. An underside of the lid face 17 adjacent each of said apertures 18 is configured as a gasket accomodating device 1.9 ibr a first type of gasket 20.

It is noted thai the stem 45 between the location of the head 44 and the thread 46 also has a ring shaped portion 55. From Fig. 15 it is noted that the ring shaped portion 55 fits inside the snap-action portion 48. In. the aperture 18, there is suitably right above the location of the gasket 20 a pair of lips 56 integral with the body of the lid 3 and which are intended to retain the screw 42 in the aperture 18 when the screw 42 does not engage the nut 43. Thus, the lips 56 will engage the upper face of the ring 50 if the scre 42 tends move in an upward direction in. the aperture 18, Thus, if the lid 5 is turned upside down before fitting onto the container or when removed from the container, the screws 42 will in such a ease be prevented from falling out of a respective aperture 18.

Both types 4 and 4' of locking device can be used as desired. However, the locking device being the assembly of the screw 42 and the nut 43 is a currently preferred embodiment. The gaskets 20 of the first type and the gasket 16 of the second type axe compressed upon said twisting of the locking devices 4 in order to prevent any leakage of suh ances, materials and/or fluids from the Interior of the container 2 and the lid 3 to the outside. Further, the compression of the gaskets 20 will yield that die locking devices 4 axe exposed to axial stress and will thus not easily move to disengage from a locking function, even if the container 2 arid In particular its lid 3 are exposed to rough handling.

In a currently preferred embodiment of the arrangement said container 2, said major pari 5 of the lid 3, said cover 6, said strainer 29 and said locking devices 4 are made of a plastics material. Suitably, they are made through a respective injection moulding process.

Further and accordi to a currently preterred embodiment the opening 25, the cover 6 and the strainer 29 all have a circular conilguraiion, yielding that neither the cover 6, nor the strainer 29 will be able to accidentiaily drop into the interior of the container 2 through the opening 25.

The gaskets 20 of the first type axe suitably made from rubber, resilient plastics or silicone material, and the gasket 16 of the second type is suitably of a O-ring configuration and is made from rubber, res lient plastics or silicone material.

Although the current drawings illustrate the container 2 and its lid to be oi a circular configuration, It will be appreciated that other configurations may bo envisaged, e.g. oval, elliptical, square, triangular or rectangular, without departing from the principles of the present Invention. Although the lid 3 and the opening 1( of the container may have such alternative contiguratlotg the bottom base region may have other

configuration, such as circular, in order to enable the container and lid to be rolled along e.g. a floor in a tilted state by using such a circular container base region as a «turaing wheel ».