DE VOS, Adrianus (Beneden Havendijk 17, XB 's-Gravendeel, NL-3295, NL)
| CLAIMS 1. Container for holding at least one product, the container comprising: - a holder which defines a space for holding the product and comprises at least one opening for access to the space; - at least one cover for selectively leaving clear or closing the opening of the holder, the cover being connected by means of at least one hinge to the holder with connecting elements between the hinge and the cover and between the holder and the hinge; and - a control at least associated with the cover for selective pivoting movement of the cover relative to the holder, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the connecting elements are curved and pliable elements (14, 15) with which the hinge (8) is at least held at the cover (4)■ 2. Container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control comprises a first control element and a second control element. 3. Container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the hinge is held substantially between the cover and the holder by means of the elements (14, 15). 4. Container as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a part of the control associated with the cover extends substantially parallel to the cover. 5. Container as claimed in at least one of the foregoing claims, wherein a part of the control associated with the holder forms a handgrip. 6. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the hinge is resilient or is at least manufactured from resilient material. 7. Container as claimed in at least one of the foregoing claims, further comprising a locking, in particular a snap locking, for' selectively locking the cover relative to the holder . 8. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the container comprises an additional hinge between the cover and the holder. 9. Container as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control is situated between the hinge and the additional hinge. 10. Container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, further comprising an additional cover for selectively leaving clear or closing the opening of the holder, the additional cover being pivotally connected to the holder. 11. Container as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the cover and the additional cover is configured to selectively cover at least a part of the opening of the holder. 12. Container as claimed in at least one of the foregoing claims, wherein the holder and the cover, as well as the connection, of the container are formed integrally. 13. Container as claimed in at least one of the foregoing claims, wherein a seal is arranged over the opening and under the at least one cover. 14. Container as claimed in claim 13, wherein the seal is at least one of air and gas-tight, watertight and gas-permeable. 15. Container as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the container is at least one of filled with inert gas and under vacuum. |
The present invention relates to a container for holding at least one product, the container comprising:
- a holder which defines a space for holding the product and comprises at least one opening for access to the space;
- at least one cover for selectively leaving clear or closing the opening of the holder, the cover being connected by means of at least one hinge to the holder.
A generally known container comprises a cover which is attached to the container. The container further comprises an opening which is selectively left clear or closed by the cover. When the opening is left clear, a space in the container is accessible. The cover must be moved away from the opening in order to clear the opening. Movement of the cover can be realized by a user exerting a force on the cover itself.
Further known from NL-2.001.106 is a container additionally having a control at least associated with the cover for selective pivoting movement of the cover relative to the holder. A user can hereby open the container and gain access to the space for holding the product without exerting force on the cover.
The control for the known container does however protrude quite far outward, this being inconvenient during use and moreover resulting in a decreased transport capacity during shipment of a number of the known containers.
The present invention has for its object to obviate or at least alleviate the above stated and/or other drawbacks of the known art, for which purpose according to the invention the connecting elements are curved and pliable elements (14, 15) with which the hinge (8) is at least held at the cover (4).
The invention has diverse preferred embodiments which are defined in the dependent claims and/or will become apparent from the following description of several such embodiments. The advantages and the inventive features of the invention in all its aspects, including the measures defined in the dependent claims, are by no means limited to the considerations stated above and/or below.
An embodiment of the container according to the invention has the feature that the hinge is held substantially between the cover and the holder by means of the elements (14, 15} . A part of the control associated with the cover preferably extends substantially parallel to the cover.
Yet another embodiment of the container according to the invention has the feature that a part of the control associated with the holder forms a handgrip. Such a handgrip can be gripped by the user in order to thus actuate the control more easily. It is noted that the handgrip can be formed by a part of the holder, or that a part of the holder serves as handgrip. It is possible here to envisage at least a part of a bottom of the holder being able to serve as handgrip. It is simple to form a container according to the invention in this way.
A further embodiment of the container according to the invention has the feature that the hinge is resilient. By providing a resilient hinge between the cover and the holder it is possible for the cover to have a rest position. This rest position depends on the properties of the hinge, but it is a possibility that the opening of the holder is not covered in the rest position. It is particularly recommended that the hinge is manufactured from resilient material. An advantage hereof is that the hinge remains structurally simple. In addition, the manufacture of such a hinge is relatively simple.
It is favourable here for the container according to the invention to comprise a locking, in particular a snap locking, for selectively locking the cover relative to the holder. When a product has been placed in the container, it is then generally desirable to protect the product from the environment. A result hereof is that for instance no contamination from outside or vermin can penetrate to the product, or the chance thereof is at least reduced. Now, it is possible to imagine shocks occurring, for instance during displacement of such container, whereby the cover comes open. By providing a locking the cover will no longer come open, or is at least less likely to, when jolting occur during for instance transport. It is noted here that the locking can be at least partially associated with the cover and/or the holder.
It is favourable here for the container to comprise an additional hinge between the cover and the holder and for the control to be situated between the hinge and the additional hinge. An advantage of this embodiment of the container according to the invention is that a force exerted by a user is distributed over the container such that the cover will display a slight curvature. An advantage of this slight curvature can be that the above locking becomes relatively easier to operate. This is because a result of the curvature of the cover is that the locking can be at least partially released.
Yet another embodiment of the container according to the invention comprises an additional cover for selectively leaving clear or closing the opening of the holder, the additional cover being pivotally connected to the holder. The additional cover is preferably arranged opposite the cover relative to the space. Each of the cover and the additional cover is configured here to selectively cover at least a part of the opening of the holder. An advantage of this embodiment is that the weight of the cover is low. A result hereof is that it becomes relatively even simpler for the user to selectively move the cover pivotally relative to the holder. This is because, due to the lever effect and the lower weight of the cover, less force is necessary to move the cover pivotally relative to the holder. By providing an additional cover the opening of the holder can still be closed off sufficiently from the environment.
Yet another embodiment of the container according to the invention has the feature that the holder and the cover, as well as the connection, of the container are formed integrally. An advantage of integral manufacture of such container is that the container can be formed in one process step. A much used technique is injection moulding, and such a container can be manufactured using at least one mould. The costs of a production process for such container can hereby be reduced considerably and/or the production process remains simple in nature.
Following below is a description of several embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, which are only provided by way of example and in which the same or similar parts, components and elements are designated with the same reference numerals, and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a container for the purpose of elucidating a lever effect;
Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a wall of the container through the control in the closed position;
Figure 4 shows the cross-section of figure 3 in the opened position; and
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a container in another embodiment according to the present invention.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container 1 according to the invention. Shown in the figure is a holder 2 which has an opening 3. Provided for the purpose of selective closure of opening 3 or for allowing access is a cover 4 formed from two cover parts 5, 6 forming a cover and an additional cover. Provided on cover 4 and the holder (or therebetween) is a locking 7, in particular a snap locking, which ensures that cover 4 does not release from a closed position, for instance due to jolting. Cover 4 is connected by means of a hinge 8 to holder 2. A control 9 is arranged on cover 4 for selective pivoting movement of cover 4 relative to holder 2. A possibility here is that a part 10 of the bottom of cover 2 serves as handgrip for selective actuation of the control, and thus the selective pivoting movement of cover 4 relative to holder 2.
Figure 2 shows a container 1 with a user 11 gripping cover 4. An object of this embodiment is a lever effect which is realized by the control 9 lying adjacently of space 3 at the hinge
8. When a force is exerted on control 9 by user 11, cover 4 will be released from the (snap) locking 7 and move pivotally in the direction of arrow M relative to holder 2. A user of container 1 need apply little force to release cover 4 from (snap) locking 7 and cause it to move pivotally relative to holder 2.
Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a wall 16 of container 1 through control 9. This figure shows clearly that control 9 lies a short distance adjacently of a space 13 in the interior of holder 2 bounded by wall 16. In the figure control 9 is formed by means of two surfaces on cover 4 and under an edge collar 17 round holder 2. When a user squeezes the surfaces together, curved and pliable elements 14, 15 deform between respectively holder 2 and hinge 8 and between cover 4 and hinge 8. Such an assembly of control 9 and the curved and pliable elements 14, 15 realizes a considerable lever effect when the control is selectively actuated by a user 11, this in surprising manner without members or components that protrude far outward being required for this purpose.
Figure 4 shows an opened position relative to that shown in Figure 3. In this opened position cover 4 is connected by means of hinge 8 to holder 2. User 11 has applied a force to control
9. Due to the force exerted by user 11 the cover 4 is moved rotatably round hinge 8 in the direction M relative to holder 2.
Figure 5 shows an embodiment with additional
features/measures compared to the other shown embodiments. In the case of container 20 in figure 5 a seal 18 is arranged over opening 3 and under the at least one cover 4. Seal 18 can for instance be attached with a hot-melt process or using an adhesive or sticking agent on the edge of opening 3, and so around the opening, and is at least one of air and gas-tight, watertight and gas-permeable. Container 20 can be filled with inert gas or be under vacuum. Food products can thus be stored for a longer period by final consumers. When such a final consumer releases seal 18 by grasping and pulling tab 19 to tear seal 18 loose from the edge round opening 3, the cover can subsequently be closed in the above described manner. In the meantime, during which the final consumer removes seal 18, cover 4 cannot be lost and is easy to close and reopen in order to for instance take food products out the holder, which can then be easily reclosed and reopened again.
After examination of the foregoing many alternative and additional embodiments will occur to the skilled person, all lying within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Only when an embodiment departs from the letter or spirit of the specific definitions of the scope of protection, in particular the independent claim, is it no longer an embodiment according to the invention.
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