GB2281902A - Container with a snap closure - Google Patents

Description

CONTAINER WITH A SNAP CLOSURE This invention relates to a plastics

container for containing miscellaneous products, such as cosmetics, beauty and parapharmaceutical products, of the type comprising a base and a lid hinged together and provided with a snapclosure system at a point diametrically opposite the hinging point.

Containers of this type can be opened by a presser element which, when pressed, disengages a tooth provided on the lid from a suitable seat provided in the base, so as to be able to open the lid and gain access to the contents.

The construction of closure systems of the aforesaid briefly described type is relatively costly in that to form the base presser element which cooperates with the lid retention tooth, complicated moulds are required; in addition said presser element is visible from the outside, sometimes to the detriment of overall appearance.

Alternatively, it is also known to open the container simply by disengaging the retention tooth from its seat by exerting sufficient separation force between the base and lid.

However such closure systems are uncertain in that the snap engagement of the tooth in its seat must be such as to enable the container to be closed and then opened utilizing the elasticity of the material, without the application of excessive force by the user.

In addition such arrangements are not always aesthetic, requiring the presence of recesses and/or projections on the base and lid at which to apply the opening force by the fingers of the hand.

The general object of the present invention is to obviare the drawbacks of the known art by means of a container provided with a closure system which combines the operational reliability of those comprising a Dresser element for positively disengaging --.-.e retention tooth from its seat, with the structural simp c_ry of those provided simp' I Ly with a retention tooth on the 14 d, to be snap-engaged in an undercut seat provided in the base.

A further object of the invention is to provide an invisible closure system, so as not to negatively influence the overall avvearance of the container.

Said objects are attained by a container incorporating:he characteristics defined in the accompanying claims.

In the drawings, which are to an enlarged scale:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a container according to the invention in its closed state; Figure 2 is a plan view from below of the container of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the plane III-III of Figure 2, showing the container with the lid closed; Figure 4 is a cross-section on the plane IV-IV of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a longitudinal section similar to Figure 3, but showing the container with the lid open; Figure 6 is an elevation showing the presser element for opening the lid; Figure 7 is a plan view of the presser element of Figure 6; Figure 8 is an elevation in the direction of the arrow F of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a section on the plane IX-IX of Figure 7; and Figure 10 is a section on the plane X-X of Figure 6. With reference to the figures, the container of the invention is -he reference numeral 10 and is formed indicated overall by t structurally from a base 11, an intermediate ring 12, and a lid 13 (Figures 1, 3 and 4), all of plastics construct=. The base 11 and the ring 12 are stably connected together.

In the illustrated embodiment the container 10 is of generally flat circular shape.

is The lid 13 is closed onto the ring 12 by snap-closure by means of a tooth 14 which is inserted into a seat or aperture 15 in the ring 12 to engage the profiled edge 16 of said seat 15 by means of a corresponding notch 17.

In the case, for example, of a container for cosmetics products, the lid 13 can be provided internally with a mirror 18.

According to the present invention, the lid 13 is opened by rotating it about the pin 19 by means of a presser element in the form of a pushbutton 20.

As can be clearly seen from the drawings, the pushbutton 20 is housed in a cylindrical guide seat 21 extending from the base 11, and when in its rest position shown in Figure 3 said pushbutton 20 partly projects outwards into a cavity 22 in the base 11.

Said pushbutton 20 is unable to rotate but can move freely in the directions of the arrow 23 between the rest position of Figure 3 the lid 13 is closed, and the operational positlon of in which.1.

Figure 5 in which the lid 13 is open.

With reference to Figures 6-10, said pushbutton 20 is provided with tapered projections 24 which act on the tooth 14 of the lid 13, and with diametrically opposing elastically yieldable arms 25 which extend through slots 26 in the seat 21 to prevent rotation of the nushbutton 20, but not its translational movement.

In addition, said arms 25 cooperate with counteracting portions 27 of the ring 12. The purpose of said counteracting portions 27 is to load the elastic arms 25 to facilitate the automatic return of L-he from the position of Figure 5 to t.lat of Figure 3.

pushbutton 20 1 From the aforegoing description with reference to -he figures, it is is apparent that the lid 13 can be opened by simply pressing the pushbutton 20, which by moving from the position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 5 causes the tooth 14 to disengage from the profiled edge 16.

The object of the invention is hence achieved by providing an invisible opening system for the lid of a container for cosmetics and the like which is both functional and of simple and economical construction.

Claims (4)

1. A container for containing miscellaneous products, in which a base (11) and a lid (13) are hinged together and provided, at a point diametrically opposite the hinging point, with a snap s closure system consisting of a retention tooth (14) provided on the lid (13) for snapengaging in a seat (15) provided in the base (11), characterised in that with said retention tooth (14) there cooperates a presser element in the form of a pushbutton (20) which is housed in a seat (21) in the container and partly extends outwards from said base (11), said pushbutton (20) being freely movable between a rest position in which the lid (13) is closed, and an operational position urged against said tooth (14), to cause opening of the lid (13).

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that is said pushbutton (20) partly extends outwards from said base (11) into a cavity (22) therein.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said pushbutton (20) is provided with tapered projections (24) which act on the tooth (14) of the lid (13).

4. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said pushbutton (20) is provided with diametrically opposing elastic arms (25) which emerge through slots (26) in a cylindrical guide seat (21) extending f rom the base (11), said elastic arms (25) also cooperating with counteracting portions (27) of the ring (12).