TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a container that comprises a vessel and a lid coupled
to said vessel, such that it has a simple and inexpensive configuration.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many types of container are known used to store different types of products, whether
food stuffs or other, such as toys, school material, etc.
[0003] In some of these products, particularly those for food stuffs, it is sometimes necessary
to have a hermetic seal of the lid on the vessel for a correct conservation of the
food stuffs, without liquids leaving or entering the container during its storage.
[0004] Several solutions are known for achieving this hermetic seal of the union between
the lid and the vessel that use watertight gaskets or other sealing methods to retain
liquid in the container.
[0005] However, it is not always possible to seal the container correctly, with areas in
the union between the lid and the vessel allowing liquid to enter or exit the container.
[0006] In addition, in some known solutions it is difficult to know whether the lid is uniformly
engaged in the vessel, leading to liquid spills in case of slight impacts or shaking
of the container.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the foregoing, the present invention relates to a container comprising
a vessel, a lid, and a gasket housed in an internal groove of the lid. This lid with
gasket is coupled to said vessel.
[0008] This lid has a central portion surrounded by a side edge that extends downward from
the central portion. The central portion and the side edge conform an internal space
of the lid.
[0009] The side edge has at least two handles as portions of said lateral lip, disposed
on opposite sides of the lid, regardless of its shape.
[0010] The vessel has a base wall surrounded by at least one side wall, the top end of which
ends at a peripheral edge, the base wall and side wall conforming an internal space
of the vessel.
[0011] In this way, the side wall of the vessel can be configured with a cylindrical shape
having a circular or oval base, or a prism shape with a triangular, square, rectangular,
pentagonal, hexagonal etc. base.
[0012] In order to achieve a correct coupling of the lid and the vessel, the configuration
of the central portion and the side edge of the lid will depend on the cross section
defined by the side wall or walls of the vessel, that is, circular, oval, triangular,
square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.
[0013] The container is characterised in that it has at least two retainer tabs located
near each handle. These retainer tabs project from the side edge into the internal
space of the lid.
[0014] Thus, when the lid is coupled to the vessel, the side edge of the lid, in the areas
near the handles, is deforms outwards, and the retainer tabs of the lid engage some
coupling areas of the peripheral edge of the vessel, thereby closing the vessel against
the lid.
[0015] Advantageously, a hermetic seal of the container is obtained in a simple manner with
a low cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] This specification is supplemented with a set of drawings illustrating the preferred
embodiment, which are never intended to limit the invention.
Figure 1 represents a front perspective view of the container.
Figure 2 represents a lower perspective view of the container.
Figure 3 represents an exploded perspective view of the container.
Figure 4 represents a cross sectional enlarged view of one of the areas of the peripheral
edge of the vessel where the retainer tabs engage the lid.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0017] As shown in figure 1, the container comprises a vessel (2) and a lid (1) that is
coupled to said vessel (2).
[0018] The lid (1) has a central portion (1.1) surrounded by a side edge (1.2) that extends
downward from the central portion (1.1). The central portion (1.1) and the side edge
(1.2) conform an internal space of the lid (1).
[0019] The side edge (1.2) has at least two handles (1.3) that are portions of said side
edge (1.2) disposed on opposite sides of the lid (1). These handles (1.3) extend outward
from the side edge (1.2) with a curved bevelled lip shape.
[0020] The handles (1.3) allow opening and closing the container. For this purpose, at least
two retainer tabs (4) are disposed very near each handle (1.3).
[0021] As seen in figures 2 and 3, the retainer tabs (4) jut out from the side edge (1.2)
towards the internal space of the lid (1) and are shaped as curved hooks that extend
towards the central portion (1.1) of the lid (1).
[0022] These retainer tabs (4) can be disposed in the same area.
[0023] Figure 3 also shows how the side edge (1.2) can include an internal groove (6) disposed
along the entire perimeter of the upper part, which projects into the internal space
of the lid (1).
[0024] The internal groove (6) houses a gasket (7), providing a hermetic seal of the vessel
(2) against the lid (1).
[0025] The vessel (2) has a base wall (2.1) surrounded by at least one side wall (2.2) to
define an internal space of the vessel (2).
[0026] The vessel (2) can be formed by a single side wall (2.2) with a cylindrical shape
having a circular or oval base, or by a plurality of side walls (2.2), determining
a prismatic shape with a triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.
base.
[0027] The upper end of the side wall (2.2) ends at a peripheral edge (2.3) that defines
a trunco-conical section leading away from the internal space of the vessel (2).
[0028] The lid (1) rests on the peripheral edge (2.3) when it is coupled to the vessel (2).
For this reason, this peripheral edge (2.3) has union areas (2.3.1) reinforced with
stiffening ribs (5).
[0029] The configuration of the central portion (1.1) and the side edge (1.2) of the lid
(1) will depend on the cross-section of the vessel (2) defined by its side wall or
walls (2.2), that is, circular, oval, triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal,
hexagonal, etc., in order to achieve a correct coupling of the lid (1) to the vessel
(2).
[0030] When the lid (1) is coupled to the vessel (2), the side edge (1.2), in its areas
next to the handles (1.3), is momentarily deformed outward, and the retainer tabs
(4) of the lid (1) engage the union areas (2.3.1) of the peripheral edge (2.3) of
the vessel (2).
[0031] In this way, a hermetic seal is obtained for the container in the union of the lid
(1), gasket (7) and vessel (2), with great simplicity and low cost.
1. Container comprising a vessel (2) and a lid (1) that is coupled to said vessel (2),
wherein the lid (1) has a central portion (1.1) surrounded by a side edge (1.2) that
extends downward from the central portion (1.1), said central portion (1.1) and side
edge(1.2) conforming an internal space of the lid (1), the side edge (1.2) having
at least two handles (1.3) as portions of said side edge (1.2) disposed on opposite
sides of the lid (1); and the vessel (2) having a base wall (2.1) surrounded by at
least one side wall (2.2), these base wall (2.1) and side wall (2.2) conforming an
internal space of the vessel (2); the upper end of the side wall (2.2) ending at a
peripheral edge(2.3), characterised in that it has at least two retainer tabs (4) located near each handle (1.3), which project
from the side edge (1.2) towards the internal space of the lid (1); when the lid (1)
is coupled to the vessel (2), the side edge (1.2) is deformed outward in its areas
near the handles (1.3), and the retainer tabs (4) of the lid (1) engage some union
areas (2.3.1) of the peripheral edge (2.3) of the vessel (2), thereby closing the
vessel (2) against the lid (1).
2. Container according to claim 1 wherein the handles (1.3) extend outward from the side
edge (1.2) in the form of curved bevelled lips.
3. Container according to claim 1 wherein the retainer tabs (4) are shaped as curved
hooks extending towards the central portion (1.1) of the lid (1).
4. Container according to claim 3 wherein the retainer tabs (4) are in the same area.
5. Container according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge (2.3) defines a trunco-conical
section leading away from the internal space of the vessel (2).
6. Container according to claims 1 or 4 wherein the union areas (2.3.1) of the peripheral
edge (2.3) include stiffening ribs (5).
7. Container according to claim 1 wherein an internal groove (6) runs along the lateral
edge (1.2) that extends towards the internal space of the lid (1).
8. Container according to claim 6 wherein the internal groove (6) houses a gasket (7).
9. Container according to claims 1 and 7 wherein between the cover (1) and the vessel
(2) is included the gasket (7), achieving a hermetic seal of the vessel (2) against
the lid (1).