Particularly for beverages, snap-action inseparable connection between cap and container
By using a snap-fit connection between the cap and the container, and utilizing the snap-fit protrusions and slot design in the non-contact section, the problem of complex and expensive connections and insufficient sealing in the prior art is solved, thus achieving simplified assembly and sealing under high pressure.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- REEND SP ZOO
- Filing Date
- 2020-10-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing plastic containers and caps have complex and expensive connection structures, and are difficult to maintain a tight seal and be easy to assemble under the high pressure of carbonated beverages.
The system employs a snap-fit, non-separable connector between the lid and the container, including interlocking snap-fit surfaces on the top of the container and in the lid, utilizing snap-fit protrusions and slots in non-contact sections to ensure a tight connection.
It simplifies the assembly process, ensures sealing under high pressure, and prevents structural components from deforming, breaking, or detaching, making it suitable for containers of various shapes.
Smart Images
Figure CN115803180B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a snap-fit, non-separable connector between a lid and a container, particularly for beverages, especially carbonated beverages. The solution is particularly suitable for containers and lids made of plastic. Background Technology
[0002] Given that material recycling has become an important factor in the production and sale of containers, it is highly desirable that they be made of the same materials.
[0003] One problem encountered in the production of plastic containers is ensuring a proper connection between the container and its lid that is secure enough to withstand the internal pressure generated by carbonated beverages.
[0004] Because plastic containers come in various shapes, it is desirable to provide a uniform connection that meets the above requirements and ensures that the lid fits easily onto the container.
[0005] Patent document US4487326A discloses a plastic container sealed with a flexible plastic cap, which is intended for use with pressurized beverages. The cap is characterized by a convex surface (projecting inwards towards the interior of the container) and an rim comprising an annular axial wall, a radial wall, and a circumferential wall, the circumferential wall interlocking with the rim wall of the container. Additionally, the cap has a sealing surface.
[0006] Patent document US4640435A discloses a plastic can for carbonated beverages, which is fitted with a plastic lid that snaps onto the can. The can includes a neck portion terminating at an outwardly extending blocking flange having an inverted V-shaped cross-section. The lid has a concave top wall that fits into the can opening and is characterized by a circumferential edge that curves outward and downward to form a downward-facing blocking groove having an inverted V-shaped cross-section.
[0007] The known connection structures between lids and containers made of plastic require complex and expensive forming processes, and do not provide easy assembly or guarantee sufficient sealing and the ability to withstand high pressure during the long shelf life of carbonated beverages. Summary of the Invention
[0008] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and is independent of the shape of the container or lid.
[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a universal and tight, non-separable snap-fit connection between a lid and a container, which will ensure easy assembly (partly due to the reduced number of connected components) and eliminate the need for threaded connections.
[0010] According to the present invention, a snap-fit non-separable connector between a cap and a container comprises a snap-fit profile formed in the top portion of the container surrounding an opening for filling the container and a snap-fit profile formed in the cap, wherein the profiles interlock, characterized in that the snap-fit profiles in the top portion of the container are formed into non-contacting segments on the front surface of the portion, wherein at least one snap-fit protrusion is formed on the side surface of each segment, a slot is provided in the top portion of the cap, at least one snap-fit shoulder is formed on the side surface of the slot, the number of slots in the cap is equal to the number of segments, the segments are fitted into the slots in the cap such that the snap-fit protrusion of the segment rests on the snap-fit shoulder in the slot in the cap, and the top portion of the segment above the snap-fit protrusion is in close contact with the slot in the cap, and the bottom surface of the cap contacts the front surface of the top portion of the container.
[0011] Preferably, a socket for receiving the container flange is formed in the lid and surrounds its bottom edge above the snap shoulder.
[0012] Preferably, the front surface of the top portion of the container surrounding the inner edge of the container opening includes a support shoulder.
[0013] Preferably, the segment is longitudinal, and the snap-fit protrusion is formed as a flange on its longitudinal outer side surface, while the opposite longitudinal inner side surface of the segment extends outward at an angle relative to the vertical cross-section of the container, and a snap-fit shoulder is formed on the longitudinal side surface closer to the side edge of the lid. Below the snap-fit shoulder, the longitudinal side surface extends outward at an angle relative to the vertical cross-section of the lid, while the opposite longitudinal side surface in the slot extends inward at an angle relative to the vertical cross-section of the lid, such that the inclined surface of the segment is in close contact with the inclined surface in the slot opposite to the snap-fit shoulder.
[0014] Preferably, the longitudinal surface of the side extending at an angle within the slot below the snap-fit shoulder is rounded.
[0015] Preferably, the length of the snap-on shoulder in the slot is shorter than the length of the snap-on protrusion in the section.
[0016] Preferably, a sealing element is fitted at the contact point between the bottom surface of the lid and the front surface of the top portion of the container.
[0017] The solution according to the invention ensures that the plastic container is tightly and inseparably sealed by the plastic cap, and protects the closed area from deformation, breakage, tearing, rotation, cracking, or detachment of the interlocking structural elements under high pressure within the container. Because the snap-fit surfaces are in the form of non-contacting segments, the invention can be used in containers of various shapes.
[0018] The technical means used in the solution according to the invention can be implemented in standard thermoplastic molding processes and can use existing equipment to seal containers with lids. For the reasons stated above, no new production infrastructure needs to be developed, and high processing efficiency is guaranteed. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Referring to the accompanying drawings, these and other features of the invention will become clear from the following description of preferred embodiments (non-limiting examples) with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] Figure 1 A 3D view taken from above shows the top portion of the container and the lid before assembly;
[0021] Figure 2 The top portion of the container with a lid is shown in a 3D view taken from above.
[0022] Figure 3 This represents the orthographic projection of the cover as viewed from the top;
[0023] Figure 4A , 4B The top portion of the container without a lid is shown in a 3D view from the top, in different variations A and B.
[0024] Figure 5 The lid attached to the container is shown as a top-view projection;
[0025] Figure 6A , 6C A 3D view from top shows the snap-fit shoulder on the surface of the slot formed in the cover in different variations A and C;
[0026] Figure 7A The 3D view shown from the bottom represents, for example Figure 6A The buckle protrudes from the shoulder;
[0027] Figure 7C The 3D view shown from the bottom represents, for example Figure 6C The buckle protrudes from the shoulder;
[0028] Figure 8A , Figure 8B The 3D view, taken from the bottom, shows the sections formed on the front surface of the top portion of the container in different variations A and B, as shown in the figure. Figure 6A The buckle shoulder is compatible;
[0029] Figure 8C The 3D view, taken from the bottom, shows the section formed on the front surface of the top portion of the container, as shown in the figure. Figure 6C The buckle shoulder is compatible;
[0030] Figure 9A The top portion of the container and the lid are shown in sectional view before assembly;
[0031] Figure 10A The top portion of the container and the lid are shown in cross-section during the assembly process, such as... Figure 9A As shown;
[0032] Figure 11A The connection between the lid and the container is shown in a sectional view, such as... Figure 9A , Figure 10A As shown;
[0033] Figure 9B The top portion of the container and the lid are shown in sectional view before assembly;
[0034] Figure 10B The top portion of the container and the lid are shown in cross-section during the assembly process, such as... Figure 9B As shown;
[0035] Figure 11B The connection between the lid and the container is shown in a sectional view, such as... Figure 9B , Figure 10B As shown;
[0036] Figure 9C The top portion of the container and the lid are shown in sectional view before assembly;
[0037] Figure 10C The top portion of the container and the lid are shown in cross-section during the assembly process, such as... Figure 9C As shown;
[0038] Figure 11C The connection between the lid and the container is shown in a sectional view, such as... Figure 9C , Figure 10C As shown;
[0039] Figure 12A A 3D view showing the cross-sectional view of the connection between the lid and the container, such as... Figure 11A As shown;
[0040] Figure 12B A 3D view showing the cross-sectional view of the connection between the lid and the container, such as... Figure 11B As shown;
[0041] Figure 12C A 3D view showing the cross-sectional view of the connection between the lid and the container, such as... Figure 11C As shown;
[0042] Figure 13A A 3D view shows the longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container, such as... Figure 11A , Figure 11B As shown;
[0043] Figure 13C A 3D view shows the longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container, such as... Figure 11C As shown;
[0044] Figure 14A The longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container is shown in orthographic projection, such as... Figure 13A As shown;
[0045] Figure 14C The longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container is shown in orthographic projection, such as... Figure 13C As shown;
[0046] Figure 15A A 3D view shows the horizontal cross-section of the connection between the lid and the container, such as... Figure 11A , 11B As shown;
[0047] Figure 15C A 3D view shows the horizontal cross-section of the connection between the lid and the container, such as... Figure 11C As shown;
[0048] Figure 16A The horizontal section of the connection between the lid and the container is shown in orthographic projection, such as... Figure 15A As shown;
[0049] Figure 16C The horizontal section of the connection between the lid and the container is shown in orthographic projection, such as... Figure 15C As shown;
[0050] Figure 17 The 3D view shows a segment of the top part of the container and a segment of the lid before assembly in another variation.
[0051] Figure 18 The connection between the lid and the container is shown in 3D view, such as Figure 17 As shown;
[0052] Figure 19 A 3D view shows the longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container, such as... Figure 18 As shown;
[0053] Figure 20 The longitudinal section of the connection between the lid and the container is shown in orthographic projection, such as... Figure 18 As shown;
[0054] Figures 21 to 23 The 3D view shows the top part and lid of the container in various shapes before assembly. Detailed Implementation
[0055] An exemplary snap-fit, non-separable connector between the lid 1 and the container 6 includes a snap-fit profile formed on the top portion 8 of the container 6 and a snap-fit profile formed in the lid 1. These profiles interlock.
[0056] like Figure 1 , Figure 4A As shown, the snap-fit surface on container 6 surrounds the opening 7 for filling container 6, forming non-contacting longitudinal sections 9 on the front surface 8A. Snap-fit protrusions 10, in the form of flanges, are formed on the side longitudinal outer surface 9a of each section. The side longitudinal inner surface 9b extends outwards and upwards at a certain angle relative to the vertical cross-section of container 6. Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, a slot 2 is provided along the edge 3 in the top surface 1a of the top portion of the cover 1, wherein a snap-fit shoulder 4 is formed on the longitudinal surface 2a of the side portion 1b of the slot in the cover 1, and below the snap-fit shoulder 4, the longitudinal surface 2a' extends outward and downward at a certain angle relative to the vertical section of the cover 1; preferably, the snap-fit shoulder is rounded. Figure 7A , Figure 9A , Figure 10A , Figure 12A ), while the opposing side longitudinal surface 2b in the slot 2 of the cover 1 extends inward at a certain angle downward relative to the vertical section of the cover 1 ( ), Figure 9A The edge 3 of the cover extends above the top surface 1a of the top portion of the cover 1. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 9A The number of slots 2 in the lid 1 is equal to the number of segments 9 formed around the opening 7 of the container 6. The length of the snap-fit shoulder 4 on the longitudinal side surface 2a of the slot 2 formed in the lid 1 is less than the length of the snap-fit protrusion 10 on the segment 9 formed on the top surface 8a of the top portion 8 of the container 6, as shown below. Figure 13A , Figure 14A , Figure 15A , Figure 16A As shown. Section 9 of container 6 is fitted into slot 2 in lid 1 such that the snap-fit protrusion 10 of section 9 rests on snap-fit shoulder 4. A socket 5 is provided along the bottom edge in the side portion 1b of lid 1 to receive flange 11 of container 6. The top portion of section 9 above snap-fit protrusion 10 is in close contact with slot 2 in lid, and the side longitudinal inner surface 9b of section 9 opposite snap-fit protrusion 10 is in close contact with the opposite side longitudinal surface 2b of slot 2, wherein the surfaces are positioned opposite snap-fit shoulder 4, thereby tightly closing slot 2 in lid 1, as shown. Figure 2 , Figure 5 , Figure 11A As shown, the bottom surface of the lid 1 contacts the front surface 8a of the bottom portion 8 of the container 6. This tightly closes the opening 7 in the container 6, as... Figure 2 , Figure 11A , Figure 12A , Figure 13A and Figure 15A As shown.
[0057] Another example embodiment of the present invention is in Figure 4B , Figures 6C to 12B The Chinese side indicated that...
[0058] In this embodiment, as described in the example above, the front surface 8a of the top portion 8 of the container 6, which surrounds the inner edge of the opening 7 of the container 6, includes a support shoulder 8a' that additionally secures and stabilizes the connection.
[0059] Additionally, a sealing element may be fitted at the contact point between the bottom surface of the cover 1 and the front surface 8a of the top portion 8 of the container 6.
[0060] In other embodiments, the snap-fit protrusions on the segment and the snap-fit shoulders in the slot can be formed on other surfaces of the segment and slot that differ from the examples described above, for example, to form a specular reflection, such as... Figures 8C to 16C As shown, or formed on a transverse surface, such as Figures 17 to 20 As shown. Moreover, the sections and slots can take other shapes, such as cylindrical shapes.
[0061] The section may be formed laterally on the front surface 8a of the top portion 8 of the container.
[0062] The connection between the lid and the container can be used in containers of various shapes, such as... Figure 1 , Figures 21 to 23 As shown in the example.
[0063] The top surface 1a of the top portion of the cover 1 is fitted with any suitable technical device to open the container (not shown) for emptying it.
[0064] The process of sealing the container with the lid is as follows. The lid 1 is placed on the filled container 6 and secured in place by the flange 11, wherein the positioning of the lid occurs on a section 9 of the container. Then, the lid 1 is pressed firmly against the container 6, under which the snap protrusion 10 of the section 9 slides onto the snap panel 4 in the slot 2 and interlocks, wherein the top portion of the section 9 is in close contact with the slot 2 in the lid 1, thereby sealing them, wherein the bottom surface 1c of the lid 1 contacts the front surface 8a of the container between the sections 9, and when the container is fitted with the flange 11 and / or the support shoulder 8a', the surface also contacts their surfaces, thereby sealing the opening 7 of the container 6.
[0065] Because the side edge 3 protrudes above the top surface of the lid, the closed containers can be stacked.
[0066] Reference number list
[0067] 1-Lid
[0068] 1a - Top surface of the top portion of the cover
[0069] 1b - Side portion of the lid
[0070] 1c - Bottom surface of the top portion of the lid
[0071] 2- The slot in the lid
[0072] 2a-Side longitudinal surface in the slot of the cover
[0073] 2a' - The rounded corner portion of the longitudinal side surface in the slot in the cover below the snap-fit shoulder
[0074] 2b- Opposite side longitudinal surfaces in the slot of the cover
[0075] 3- Top edge of the lid
[0076] 4-Snap shoulder in the slot of the lid
[0077] 5-Socket in the cover
[0078] 6-Container
[0079] 7-Container opening
[0080] 8-Top part of the container
[0081] 8a - Front surface of the top portion of the container
[0082] 8a' - Support shoulder on the front surface of the top portion of the container
[0083] 9- Section of the top part of the container
[0084] 9a-Section's lateral longitudinal outer surface
[0085] 9b-Section's lateral longitudinal inner surface
[0086] 10-section buckle protrusions
[0087] 11-Container flange
Claims
1. A snap-fit, non-separable connector between a lid and a container, comprising a snap-fit profile formed in the top portion of the container surrounding an opening for filling the container and a snap-fit profile formed in the lid, wherein, The snap-fit surfaces formed in the top portion of the container and the snap-fit surfaces formed in the lid interlock. The snap-fit surfaces in the top portion (8) of the container (6) are formed as segments (9) that do not contact each other. At least one snap-fit protrusion (10) is formed on the side surface of each segment. There is a slot (2) in the top portion of the lid (1). At least one snap-fit shoulder (4) is formed on the side surface of the slot (2). The number of slots (2) in the lid (1) is equal to the number of segments (9) formed around the opening (7) of the container (6). The segments (9) are fitted into the slots (2) in the lid (1) such that the snap-fit protrusion of the segment (9) The section (10) rests on the snap shoulder (4) in the slot (2) in the cover, the top portion of the section above the snap protrusion (10) closely contacts the slot (2) in the cover (1), the bottom surface (1c) of the cover (1) contacts the front surface (8a) of the top portion (8) of the container (6), characterized in that the snap action surface in the top portion of the container is formed on the front surface (8a) of the top portion of the container (6), the slot (2) is located on the top surface (1a) of the top portion of the cover (1), and the socket (5) is formed in the cover and above the snap shoulder (4) surrounding the bottom edge of the cover for receiving the flange (11) of the container (6).
2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front surface (8a) of the top portion (8) of the container (6) surrounding the inner edge of the opening (7) of the container (6) includes a supporting shoulder (8a').
3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The segment (9) is longitudinal, and the snap-fit protrusion (10) is formed in the form of a flange on the longitudinal outer side surface (9a) of the segment, while the opposite longitudinal inner side surface (9b) of the segment (9) extends outward at an angle relative to the vertical section of the container (6), and the snap-fit shoulder (4) is formed on the longitudinal side surface of the slot (2) of the cover (1) closer to the side edge (3) of the cover (1), wherein, below the snap-fit shoulder (4), the longitudinal side surface extends outward at an angle relative to the vertical section of the cover (1), while the opposite longitudinal side surface in the slot (2) extends inward at an angle relative to the vertical section of the cover (1), so that the opposite longitudinal inner side surface (9b) of the segment (9) is in close contact with the opposite longitudinal side surface in the slot (2) opposite to the snap-fit shoulder (4).
4. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The longitudinal side surface extending at a certain angle within the slot (2) is rounded below the snap shoulder (4).
5. The connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The longitudinal side surface extending at a certain angle within the slot (2) is rounded below the snap shoulder (4).
6. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The length of the buckle shoulder (4) in the slot (2) is shorter than the length of the buckle protrusion (10) in the segment (9).
7. The connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The length of the buckle shoulder (4) in the slot (2) is shorter than the length of the buckle protrusion (10) in the segment (9).
8. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sealing element is fitted at the contact point between the bottom surface of the cover (1) and the front surface (8a) of the top portion (8) of the container (6).
9. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: A sealing element is fitted at the contact point between the bottom surface of the cover (1) and the front surface (8a) of the top portion (8) of the container (6).
10. The connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: A sealing element is fitted at the contact point between the bottom surface of the cover (1) and the front surface (8a) of the top portion (8) of the container (6).