D E S C R I P T I O N

"Plastic container"

Technical Field of the Invention.-

The present invention relates to a plastic container comprising a vessel and a corresponding lid for hermetically closing it. The container object of the present invention is advantageously applicable for containing semi-liquid or liquid products, such as paint.

Background of the Invention.-

A type of container formed by a vessel and a corresponding lid is currently known in which the opening of the vessel, which is formed of one piece, is provided with an inner rim, projecting from the inner face of the wall of the vessel, provided with a ring-shaped rib the function of which is to cooperate with a respective projection arranged in the lid of the vessel for retaining said lid in the closed position.

It has been verified that in special circumstances, such as for example after accidentally dropping the full container or as a result of being struck with an adjacent container during the storage or transport operations of the full containers, in which the pressure inside the container increases, the lid comes out of its hermetically closed position, part of the stored product being able to spill out.

The main objective of the present invention is to disclose a container which improves the performance of containers such as that previously described, and especially having a better capacity for securing and retaining the lid to the vessel.

Disclosure of the Invention.- The container object of the invention is of the type comprising a cylindrical vessel and a corresponding lid for hermetically closing it, the inner face of the wall of the vessel being provided, at a short distance below its upper edge, with a peripheral ring-shaped rib which in its lower edge determines a reentrant step.

The container is essentially characterized in that the lid is a one-piece lid

with a general disc-shaped configuration the outermost portion of which is provided with a first downward inner section and with a second upward outer section, which is outwardly inclined and with a general uneven configuration, which is suitable for being at least partially applied on the upper portion of the inner face of the wall of the vessel and provided with a peripheral ring-shaped rib which is arranged below the reentrant step of the opening of the vessel in the closed position of the lid, and in that said first and second sections are joined by means of a joining portion provided with the flexibility necessary for acting as a hinge and allowing, upon the occurrence of an internal overpressure in the container as a result of a blow or a drop, a relative movement between the mentioned first and second parts causing an expansion in the lid which secures the peripheral ring-shaped rib of the lid below the reentrant step of the opening of the vessel and prevents its accidental release, and consequently the opening of the container. The hinge advantageously causes an effect of absorbing the blows or deformations which can occur in the wall of the container, close to the area of its opening, accidental openings thereof being prevented.

According to another feature of the container, the joining portion is formed by a ring-shaped portion the thickness of which provides it with the desired flexibility, being preferably formed by a portion with smaller section than that of the first or second sections.

According to another feature of the invention, the mentioned second upward outer section of the cross-section of the outermost portion of the lid comprises, from inside to outside, a first inclined-plane upward segment, a second short essentially vertical upward segment, a third upwardly and outwardly inclined-plane segment, a fourth also essentially vertical upward segment and a fifth outwardly horizontal segment, and close to the joining between the first and the second segments a second portion is arranged the thickness of which determines in the lid a corresponding second peripheral ring-shaped portion suitable for acting as a flexible hinge.

By means of this particular configuration, in addition to favoring the securing of the lid by interlocking the ring-shaped rib of said lid in the step of the opening of the container, the tightness of the assembly is improved since portions of the second to fifth segments are applied, by elastic deformation of the hinge,

against the inner wall of the opening of the container.

According to another feature of the invention, a groove is made in the fifth segment of the second upward outer section of the lid which allows access, through the body of the lid, to a reentrant cavity of the edge of the lid arranged in at least the third and fourth segments of the edge of the lid, said groove determining in the periphery of said fifth segment, a thin strip suitable for being broken, like a seal, when a tool is introduced through the groove for the purpose of taking the lid off the container.

The opening of the container can thus be achieved without needing to have to previously handle the container, as occurs with the protrusion in known containers, in addition to not giving up on providing the container with a seal or tamper-proof system for detecting if it has been previously opened.

Reinforcing ribs are preferably arranged between the outer face of the first section and the outer face of the reentrant cavity of the second section of the lid, joining the outer wall of said reentrant cavity with said first section.

Brief Description of the Drawinqs.-

The attached drawings show, by way of a non-limiting example, an embodiment of the assembly formed by an opening of a cylindrical container and the corresponding lid for hermetically closing said container. Specifically:

Figures 1 and 2 are respective perspective views of a vessel and of a lid forming a container according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective sectional view according to a diametric plane of the upper portion of the vessel and of the lid of Figures 1 and 2, respectively, in which the lid is conveniently applied in the opening of the vessel, closing it at the upper part; and

Figures 4 and 5 are respective views of a detail of areas A and B, respectively, of Figure 3.

Detailed Description of the Drawinqs.-

The assembly of vessel 1 and lid 2 depicted in Figures 1 and 2, respectively, are made in a plastic material and are one-piece.

The vessel 1 generally has a cylindrical shape and its side wall 3, in the area adjacent to its opening, has a practical thickness slightly greater than that of

-A- the rest of the wall of the container. The opening of the vessel 1 comprises an essentially planar upper edge 4 and a peripheral ring-shaped rib 5 in its inner face suitable for retaining the lid 2 in a hermetically closed position of the container. Said lid 2 has a general disc-shaped configuration and its outer edge is configured for allowing its safe coupling in the opening of the vessel 1. For such purpose, the outer edge is also provided with a peripheral ring-shaped rib 6, intended to be arranged below the peripheral ring-shaped rib 5 of the vessel 1 , in the hermetically closed position of the lid 2.

Whereas the vessel 1 is formed from a body of revolution, the lid 2 has an angular opening area 7 the profile of the outer edge of which slightly varies with respect to the profile of the rest of the lid 2, as will be explained in more detail below.

Figure 3 depicts the lid 2 applied in the opening of the vessel 1 . The depicted vessel 1 and lid 2 are sectioned by a diametric plane of section passing through the angular opening area 7 of the lid 2.

Both detailed depictions of areas A and B of Figure 4 and 5 show the contour of the inner face of the area of the opening of the vessel 1 . It can be seen in said Figures 4 and 5 that the inner face of the vessel 1 comprises from top to bottom a first vertical section 8 joined without a solution of continuity with a second downwardly inclined section 9 forming the peripheral ring-shaped rib 5, which determines a reentrant step 10 in its lower edge.

With regard to the lid 2, the cross-section of its edge slightly varies in the angular opening area 7. Said cross-section, depicted in Figure 4, is provided with a first downward inner section 1 1 , which is rectilinear and essentially vertical, and with a second upward outer section 12, which is outwardly inclined and with an uneven configuration complementary to the profile of the inner face of the vessel 1.

Both first and second sections are joined to one another by means of a first portion 13 with a smaller section determining in the lid a corresponding peripheral ring-shaped portion suitable for acting as a flexible hinge.

It is further seen that the mentioned second upward outer section 12 of the cross-section of the edge of the lid 2 comprises, from inside to outside, a first inclined-plane upward segment 14, a second short essentially vertical upward segment 15, a third upwardly and outwardly inclined-plane segment 16, a fourth

also essentially vertical upward segment 17 and a fifth outwardly horizontal segment 18 intended to be supported against the upper edge 4 of the edge of the opening of the vessel 1 in the closed position of the lid 2.

The second upward outer segment 12 is that which is provided with an outwardly projecting protuberance determining the peripheral ring-shaped rib 6 suitable for being arranged below the reentrant step 10 of the opening of the vessel 1 and for collaborating with said step in securing the lid 2 in the hermetically closed position.

It can also be seen in Figure 4 that in the joining between the first and second segments 14 and 15 of the second upward outer section 12 of the cross- section of the edge of the lid 2 a second portion 19 with a smaller section is arranged determining in the lid a corresponding second peripheral ring-shaped portion also suitable for acting as a flexible hinge.

If the full container is accidentally dropped, the deformation of the side wall 3 of the container would generate an internal overpressure which would cause the deformation of the lid 2, the portions of the lid 2 being hinged at both sides of the portions 13 and 19 with a smaller section, the lid 2 being expanded and the interlocking of the peripheral ring-shaped rib 6 below the reentrant step 10 of the vessel 1 being increased. The profile of the edge of the lid 2 in the opening area 7 is depicted in detail in Figure 5. Figure 5 shows that a groove 25 is made in the fifth outwardly horizontal segment 18 of the second upward outer section 12 of the cross-section of the edge of the lid which allows access, through the body of the lid 2, to a reentrant cavity 21 of the edge of the lid 2 arranged in at least the third 16 and fourth 17 segments of the edge of the lid 2, said groove 25 determining in the periphery of the fifth segment 18, a thin strip 22 suitable for being broken, like a seal, when a tool is introduced through the groove 25 for the purpose of taking the lid off the container.

As shown in Figure 2, reinforcing ribs 23 are arranged between the outer face of the first downward inner section 1 1 and the outer face of the reentrant cavity 21 of the second section 12 of the cross-section of the edge of the lid 2, joining the outer wall of said reentrant cavity 21 with said first downward inner section 1 1 . Specifically two ribs 23 are arranged each at an end of the groove 25 (one of which is depicted in Figure 5).

Additionally, it can also be seen in Figure 2, how the lid 2 is provided on the outer face of the third 16 and fourth 17 segments of the second upward outer section 12 with a series of radial and vertical fillets 26, which are regularly distributed along the mentioned second upward outer section 12. The upper edges of said fillets 26 are intended to receive the support of an identical overlapping lid 2, stably stacking lids 2 prior to their application in corresponding containers being allowed.

Finally it must be stated that the vessel 1 is provided at its base with a peripheral ring-shaped groove 24 (see Figure 1 ) suitable for receiving the insertion of a corresponding ring-shaped rib 27 provided for such purpose in the lid 2.