A container with an improved closure arrangement restricting spillage

Abstract

A container (10, 20, 30) comprising a wall 2 having an outer side, an inner side, a closed base (4) at one end and a generally curved rim (5) at an opposite end, the container further comprising a pair of substantially arcuate crease lines (7, 8) formed in the wall of the container at opposite sides of the wall below the rim; each crease line has first and second ends (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) coinciding with the rim; each crease line and the portion of the rim between the first and second ends of the crease line define a flap (70, 80) having an outer face (70a, 80a) and an inner face (70b, 80b); each crease line acts as a hinge allowing each flap to toggle between an open upright position and a closed lowered position; a closure arrangement to restrict at least one flap opening (100a, 100b) defined at or adjacent the positions where the ends of each crease line coincide with the rim of the container when the flaps are in the closed lowered position; the closure arrangement comprises a closure leaf (130, 230, 330) attached to the inner side of the container wall so as to be movable by and with a movement of the first one of the flaps at least a portion of the closure leaf extends underneath and downwardly spaced from said flap opening when the flaps are in the closed lowered position; and the closure leaf is resiliently bendable and has a portion (133, 233, 333) extending below the crease line of the first flap.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to containers for cold and hot beverages or food, and in particular to containers, which may be disposable or reusable, made from flexible resilient material, such as paperboard or plastics.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0002]Known containers, whether disposable or reusable, such as, for example, those used in fast food outlets or in vending machines usually comprise a body in the form of an inverted truncated cone having a closed base and an open top. To prevent spilling of the contents of the container, a lid is usually placed over the opening of the container. Such lids are typically moulded from a plastics material. Such lids may also be formed from paper. A supply of matching lids needs to be maintained available for a user near the supply of containers at the vending location. Obviously, a lid has to be compatible with the opening of the container so as to fit securely over the rim of the container and to prevent spillage....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a closure system for containers that allows for the use of a lighter material in the manufacture of larger containers. The closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the container wall below the crease line, so it does not need to protrude out beyond the rim of the first flap when the first flap is in the open upright position. This allows the closure leaf to extend substantially fully or substantially level with the rim of the first flap when the first flap is in the closed lowered position. The closure leaf is positioned upright and concentric with the first flap when the first flap is in the open upright position. The closure leaf is made of a resilient material that allows it to relax and return to its original unbent state without the need for an external force. The closure leaf is shaped to allow for the passage of container contents and can be stacked into each other in a space efficient manner. The closure leaf is attached to the first flap by a portion distal from the flap opening. These technical effects improve the manufacturing process, storage, and user experience of the closure system.

Problems solved by technology

There are a number of disadvantages associated with the use of such lids.

Maintaining a stock of matching lids for every container size involves additional expense, requires additional storage space and managerial resources.

Furthermore, it is often difficult to place even a matching lid over the container opening in a single attempt and typically some manipulation is required before the lid is finally properly put in place.

Moreover, if the lid is pressed a little too hard against the rim of the container, the container can tumble and cause the contents inevitably to escape the container.

Since most lids are provided with a spout / opening, there still remains a relatively high risk of spillage through the spout, e.g. when a person who is carrying the container walks or manipulates other objects, such as keys, mobile phone, etc.

Whilst many containers are made from paperboard, which are renewable and recyclable, lids are often made from plastics which are far less environmentally friendly.

However, the cup contents can also splash or spill through the openings if the cup is shaken or otherwise subjected to impact.

Whilst providing an efficient barrier to reduce splashes and spillages and facilitating stacking, there are a number of drawbacks associated with this arrangement.

The first drawback is that in cups of larger volumes and / or with a wider top opening diameter, the seal created by the countervailing pressure between the first closure flap and the second closure flap when the cup is in the closed position (i.e. by static opposing forces acting between the flaps), becomes weaker as the diameter of the cup becomes wider.

Furthermore, the stiffness of the cup wall near the rim diminishes to the extent that the cup wall may become easily deformable when the cup is ordinarily gripped by a user.

Also, when the cup is used for hot beverages or food, the material of the cup often becomes softer so that the cup wall can be easily deformed at the top when ordinarily gripped and the seal created by the countervailing pressure (static opposing forces acting between the flaps) is further weakened.

This increasing weakness in the seal is accentuated by a user gripping or squeezing the cup.

The combined effects of a wider cup diameter, hot contents and gripping by a user undermine the structural strength of the cup and the seal that is generated by the countervailing pressure between the first closure flap and the second closure flap (static opposing forces acting between the flaps) when the cup is in the closed position.

The increased deformability results in a greater risk of spillages in larger cups designed to hold a larger volume of contents.

However, this would lead to the increase of material usage per cup, and the resulting increases in manufacturing cost and disposal burden.

A second drawback is that when the cup is in the closed position lateral ends of the closure leaf (which is shaped approximately similarly to the shape of the closure flap) are prone to sagging out of the planar position, thereby reducing the structural strength that a more planar and rigid closure leaf would provide to the cup.

A third drawback with the current design, in instances where the closure leaf extends or protrudes above the rim of the container when the container is in the open position, is that (1) the protruding portion of the closure leaf is more easily prone to be damaged as it is more exposed, (2) the protruding portion of the closure leaf makes the containers more difficult to stack and also more difficult to load into cup dispensing units, (3) the protruding portion of the closure leaf increases the overall height of the container causing it to not fit under some beverage dispensing machines, (4) the protruding portion impairs the user experience by impeding access to the body of the cup for adding sugar, stirring or the option of drinking from the cup while leaving the closure flaps in the open position, and (5) the protruding portion of the closure leaf makes stacking and handling of the container more difficult during the container manufacturing process.

Images