GB2453187A

GB2453187A - Lid with Integrated Lever for use with a Container

Info

Publication number: GB2453187A
Application number: GB0803203A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert James Blakeborough
Original assignee: Plastic Can Co Ltd
Current assignee: Plastic Can Co Ltd
Priority date: 2008-02-21
Filing date: 2008-02-21
Publication date: 2009-04-01
Also published as: GB0803203D0

Abstract

An injection-moulded plastics lid (3) for use on a receptacle (2) to form a container for paint or the like has an integral opener (4) which is releasably retained on the lid by means of a hook (14) on the opener fitting around a flange (10) on the lid. There is a gap between the outer periphery of the flange and the receptacle, and a space beneath the underside of the flange which accommodate the hook. Upward movement of the other end of the opener causes the outer arcuate profile of the hook to cam against a corresponding curved profile on the inner top of the rim of the receptacle such as to urge the lid out of the receptacle. The opener allows the lid to be used with existing filling machinery, is unlikely to get lost and yet is easy to use. The opener may be injection moulded optionally followed by stretch blow moulding from a plastic material.

Description

1 2453187 Lid with Integrated Lever for use with a Container

Background of the Invention

This invention relates to a tool for opening a container having a press-in, lever-off lid, and a means for attaching the tool to the lid. The invention provides a container comprising a receptacle, a lid, and an opener for removing the lid from the container, a press-in lid for a container with an opener attached for removing the lid from a container, and a method of removing a lid from a receptacle.

The invention is particularly suitable for use with wide-mouth containers having press-in, lever-off lids, in the nature of cans or pots, such as those typically used to store paint or other such liquid materials. The term Mwide-mouth is well understood by the skilled person; in the industry it is understood to relate to a container with a mouth greater than approximately 35mm. The invention is further particularly suitable for use with a plastic lever lid, for example as described in International Patent Applications WO 97/19801 and WO 00/46118, in which the container is made, for example, from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by stretch blow moulding, although its use is not limited to such containers.

Containers with press-in lids, which can be levered off using the rim of the container as a fulcrum, are well known in the art. These have traditionally been produced in metal, although plastic containers have also been produced as described in the above patents. The lever-off functionality of the lids is usually achieved by having a portion of the rim of the receptacle laterally outside of a lip of the lid; thus, when a tool is inserted under the lip of the lid, a portion of the rim can act as a fulcrum for a tool, enabling the lid to be levered off.

The typical lever lid container, whether it is made from metal or plastic, requires the use of a tool to open it. Generally, the tool that is used is a flat-bladed screwdriver. This presents some significant problems, including: (i) a separate tool (e.g. a screwdriver) is required in order to open the container; such a suitable tool may not always be readily available; (ii) the applicants have appreciated that the method of using a separate tool can lead to difficulties in operation. Specifically, in order to successfully lift the lid, the tool must initially have one end accurately positioned under the circumferential edge of the lid. Then, in operation, the tool must be pushed inwards (i.e. towards the centre of the lid) to prevent the end slipping out, whilst the other end (the free end) of the tool must be pulled down in order to lift the lid. Such action may require a high level of both dexterity and strength, which may be an issue for certain users; and (iii) in addition to the problems described above, the applicants have appreciated that a further problem may arise because the tool can slip relative to the lid/container. This is particularly the case if both can and tool are not gripped firmly (e.g. if the user has insufficient strength or experience to grip the tool firmly).

Thus, a solution for opening lever lid containers is required that negates the need for a separate tool, and which overcomes the other disadvantages presented above.

US 3,610,076, of C. W. A. Martens, discloses a metal lever-type can opener device adapted to be storably mounted on the lid of a can; this overcomes the need for a separate tool when opening the can. However, the can opener device of US 3,610,076 must be unclipped from the lid before it may be used to lever off the lid in the conventional manner (i.e. in the same way as a screwdriver as described above). Thus, similar problems caused by possible slipping and a minimum requirement of strength and dexterity may be encountered, as mentioned previously. These problems may be worsened due to the relatively small size of the tool disclosed: this small size makes it difficult to hold, and hence difficult to apply the necessary inward downward forces that are required to open the can.

GB 327,363, of W. E. Read, discloses openers for cans having a lever lid in which the opener is permanently attached and pivoted to the edge of the lid. This also overcomes the need for a separate tool, and also decreases the problems encountered with slipping and difficulty of opening.

However, the applicants have appreciated another important design consideration, which is the ease of application of the tool, and the lid once the tool is fitted, particularly with reference to the filling and sealing process. For example, it is commonplace in the container manufacturing industry, in particular in the paint container industry, for cans and lids to be provided to the company ready moulded (or at least partially moulded in the case of the container body), after which they may be filled and sealed. Thus, the filling plants already have lid-application machinery and it is therefore necessary that the lid of the present invention, when fitted with the tool, may be used in conjunction with the machinery that is already in place with little or no modification. It is also desired that the lid fitted with tool is interchangeable (with respect to the lid fitting process) with a lid without the tool; the filing company may require this flexibility when specifying a new feature. As a general rule, the more changes to the filling line machinery that a filling company is required to make in order to accommodate a new feature, the higher the cost.

Since the opener disclosed in GB 327,363 is permanently attached to lid, a filling company would be required to use a completely different lid if they choose not to supply the container with an integrated opener. This would increase the cost of manufacture for the reasons set out above -changes to the machinery would be required to fit the lid.

GB 342,849, of F. Robinson and Company, also discloses an opener for removing the lid of lever lid containers. When the lid is on the tin, the opener is retained in position between the rim and the lid; the opener is not secured in any way to the lid before it is applied to the tin. As described above, lids are usually provided to the filling company ready moulded, and it is therefore very important that the lid and tool can be supplied to the filling company pre-assembled (i.e. with the tool retained on the lid before it is fitted to the can). GB 342,849 does not disclose that the opener is retained on the lid prior to fitting on a container; this would cause problems during the lid application process, and would likely require significant alterations to be made to the lid application machinery.

Thus, the applicants have appreciated the need for an opener for removing the lid from lever lid containers, which removes the need for a separate toot, which is retained on the lid of the container before the lid is applied in order to increase the ease of lid application, and which remains retained by the lid and container during the lid opening process in order to increase the ease of opening the container.

Summary of the Invention

The invention in its various aspects is defined in the independent claims below, to which reference may now be made. Advantageous features are set forth in the appendant claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. One particular embodiment described has an injection-moulded plastics lid for use on a receptacle to form a container for paint or the like. An integral opener is releasably retained on the lid by means of a hook on the opener fitting around a flange on the lid. There is a gap between the outer periphery of the flange and the receptacle, and a space beneath the underside of the flange which accommodate the hook. Upward movement of the other end of the opener causes the outer arcuate profile of the hook to cam against a corresponding curved profile on the inner top of the rim of the receptacle such as to urge the lid out of the receptacle. The opener allows the lid to be used with existing filling machinery, is unlikely to get lost and yet is easy to use.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side sectional view through a container embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a side sectional view through the lid of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side sectional detail through the rim of the receptacle of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a side sectional view and an underside view of the opener embodying the present invention; Figure 5 is a side sectional detail through the rim, lid and opener of Figure 1, when all the components of the container are assembled; Figures 6 and 7 are side sectional details through the container of Figure 1, showing the operation of the lid removing opener; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a lid and lid removing opener embodying the present invention; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a lid fitted with a lid removing opener embodying the present invention; Figure 10 is a selection of perspective views of an alternative lid removing opener and lid embodying the present invention; Figure 11 is a perspective view of the opener and lid of Figure 10 with the opener attached to the lid; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the lid and opener of Figure 10 when fitted to a receptacle; Figure 13 is a selection of plan views of alternative lid removing openers embodying the present invention, included to illustrate the different shape possibilities (a = conventional ring pull' shape, b= representation of a Crown-shaped' logo, and c = paste spreader' tool).

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

A first and second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The receptacle and lid shown in the figures is based on that disclosed in WO 00/46118, to which reference should be made for further details of their construction; the receptacle, rim and lid shown in the figures are therefore not described herein in full detail. For clarity, however, several features are described below. While the present invention is described with reference to a container based on that described in WO 00/46118, it will be appreciated that the present invention could be used in conjunction with other press fit lever-lid containers.

Figure 1 is a side sectional view through a container I embodying the present invention. The container may be of generally cylindrical shape as shown here, or may be square or other shape according to market demand. The container I comprises a receptacle 2, a lid 3, and an opener 4 for removing the lid from the container. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show a sectional view of each of the components of the container of Figure 1 before they are fitted together; Figure 5 shows a sectional detail of the rim, lid and opener when all the components are fitted together, as would be the case after the container is filled and sealed.

The receptacle 2 may be stretch blow moulded by the technique described, for example, in WO 97/19801; the lid 3 may be injection moulded.

As seen in Figure 3, the receptacle 2 has an annularly grooved profiled rim 8. The lid 3, shown in Figure 2, is a press fit into the rim. It may be injection moulded as a generally flat disc 5, optionally having a recess 15 at its centre (shown in this embodiment), with an upstanding annular rib 6 near its periphery and beyond that a profiled rim 7 that co-operates with the rim 8 of the receptacle. At the periphery of the disc 5, there is a small step down and out to a depending skirt, or downwardly extending portion, 9 with an external annular projection 16 at its bottom edge. The skirt 9 thickens outwardly at a step near the top and provides the inner limb of an inverted annular channel with a narrow base 17 and a wider mouth 18. The outer limb 19 of this channel returns to about the mid-height of the skirt 9 and also provides the inner limb of an upwardly open channel 20. Channel 20 may contain slim stiffening webs 42 (Figures 10 and 12) in planes radial to the axis of the lid (and receptacle). The outer limb 21 of the channel 20 terminates in an outwardly projecting flange, or outer laterally extending portion 10, level with the top of the base 17. Both channels are slightly flared. The rim 7 closely conforms to the inner part of the rim 8 and its flange 10 overhangs a space in the rim 8 which enables the lid 3 to be levered off using the extreme outer top edge of the rim 8 as a fulcrum.

In cross section, the rim 8 has from the inside, an upstanding flange 22 defining the inside of a U-shaped channel 23 whose outer side 24 is lower than the flange 22. A horizontal, laterally extending flange 11 projects outwardly from the top of the side 24, and a skirt 25 depends from its outer edge. At the bottom of the skirt there is a small annular outwardly extending rib 26 used in holding the perform during moulding (those skilled in the art will appreciate that an inwardly extending circumferential groove could confer the same function). At the outer top corner, or the periphery, of the flange 11 there is an outset and upstanding, or upwardly extending, further flange 12 whose rounded top is just higher than the top of the flange 22. The flange 11 and upstanding further flange 12 are shaped such that together their inner side form part of an arc of a circle in cross section. In other words, there is a smooth transition from the horizontal flange 11 to the vertical flange 12. The rim may contain slim ribs in planes radial to the axis of the receptacle (not Shown) as described in WO 00/46118.

Prior to the stretch blow moulding of the receptacle, the preform body will extend downwards from the bottom of the upstanding flange 22. Upon stretch blow moulding, the upper part of the body of the preform will be urged outwards until it reaches the walls of the mould to form the receptacle walls 28. A portion 27 of the preform body will extend laterally outwards from the bottom of the flange 22. This portion 27 will contact the bottom of the skirt 25, and the bottoms of the slim ribs in planes radial to the axis of the receptacle (not shown) to form a box- like cross section in the rim. A more detailed description of the Stretch blow moulding process and the formation of the box-section in the rim is provided in WO 97/19801 and WO 00/46118.

When the lid 3 is fitted, the skirt 9 locates inside the flange 22, the flange 22 enters the channel 17,18 and the portion forming the channel 20 enters the channel 23 with which it closely conforms. The projection 16 reaches the corner formed at the join between the flange 22 and the portion 27 and its hook snap engages under that. Also, at the same time, the top of the flange 22 seats in the base 17 of the inverted channel of the lid 3. The flange 10 projects towards but does not reach the flange 12-there is a gap between the outer edge of flange and the inner side of flange 12-and there is a space between the underside of flange 10 of the lid 3 and the flange 11 of the rim 8. Thus, the rim 7 of the lid 3 is not required to extend beyond the rim 8 of the receptacle 2; this would make the lid more susceptible to accidental damage, would be more expensive to manufacture and would take up more shelf space.

The opener 4 for removing the lid of the container is shown in Figures 1 and 5 in a first configuration where it has been fitted to the lid 3 and the lid 3 has been fitted to the receptacle 2. The opener is shown alone in Figure 4. The opener 4 has an elongate body 13, at one end 41 of which is a hook portion 14, with an outer profile 30 as seen in section, forming a cam surface which is convex and substantially the arc of a circle in profile. When fitted to the lid, the inside channel 29 of the hook portion 14 co-operates with the outwardly projecting flange 10 of the lid 3. Thus, the opener may be designed such that the inside channel 29 of the hook portion 14 is substantially the complement of the flange 10. This leads to advantages in attaching the opener to the lid prior to fitting and may lead to a smoother opening process (both described below); however, it will also be understood that a hook having a less close fit with the flange 10 could be used.

The body 13 of the opener 4 lies flat against, or is positioned on the top of, the disc 5, and the end 31 lies over a recess 15 (or depression) in the lid 3, which allows easier access to lift the end 31 of the opener 4. It will be appreciated that the body of the opener could be longer or shorter than as shown. In the opener shown, when fitted on the lid, no part of the opener extends above the annular rib 6; this allows the containers embodying the present invention to be stacked without significant problems.

When fitted on the lid, but prior to filling the lid on the receptacle, the opener 4 is releasably retained on the lid; this is an important consideration because the lids are generally supplied independently of the receptacle. This can be achieved, for example, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. In this embodiment, the upstanding annular rib 6 has a gap 33 which is just wide enough to accommodate the width of the body 13 of the opener 4, such that after the hook portion 14 has been fitted around the flange 10 the body 13 of the opener 4 may be snap engaged into the gap, as shown in Figure 9. The edges 34 of the gap 33 are sufficiently close that they engage, or closely co-operate, with the body 13 of the opener 4 such that the opener 4 is releasably retained on the lid 3-there must be sufficient friction to hold the opener 4. In this regard, it helps that the inside channel 29 of the hook portion 14 is a close fit with the flange 10, since this aids the retention of the opener. The edges 34 of the gap 33 may be slightly tapered as shown in Figure 8, with the top of the gap 33 being narrower than the bottom. In this way, the opener will be held on the lid until an external force causes it to snap out of its stored position. The close fit of the inner channel 29 of the opener 4 with the outer laterally extending portion 10 of the lid may also provide a second retention means. It will be appreciated that although it is preferred that both means of retention are used, it is possible for only one of the two means to be employed, provided the opener is retained on the lid with sufficient strength (i.e. during transportation and storage).

Thus, the lid may be supplied to, e.g., paint companies with the opener ready fitted, such that no significant modification is required to lid application machinery.

With the opener 4 fitted to the lid 3 as previously described, the lid can then be fitted to the receptacle. The various parts of the rim 7 of the lid 3 fit with the rim 8 of the receptacle 2 as described above -the presence of the opener 4 does not disrupt the lid fitting process. Figure 5 shows a sectional detail of the lid 3, fitted with the opener 4, and fitted to the receptacle 2. The opener 4 remains in the same position with respect to the lid 3 (i.e. with the inner channel 29 of the hook 14 engaged with the flange 10 and the opener retained by the gap 33), while the outer portion 30 of the hook 14 closely engages with the arc formed by the outwardly extending flange 11 and the upstanding flange 12 of the rim 8 (i.e. part of the outer portion is the complement of part of the rim 11,12). In this way, the opener 4 will be retained on the lid and receptacle (with it not being possible to remove the opener while the lid is closed) -the hook extends and is trapped between the flange 10 of the lid 3 and the flange 12 of the receptacle 2. Thus, it is preferable, as shown, for the outer portion 30 of the hook to closely conform to the surfaces of flanges 11 and 12 of the rim 8.

Figures 6 and 7 show the opener 4 embodying the present invention in use, removing the lid 3 from the receptacle 2. The opener 4 starts in a first configuration shown in Figure 5, with the body 13 substantially flush to the disc 5 of the lid 3. In use, the end 31 of the opener 4 is urged upwards (i.e. away from the disc 5) by a user (not shown). As the end 31 is raised, the hook 14 is urged to rotate as arc 30 slides across the surfaces of flanges 11 and 12 of the rim 8. The profile of the flanges 11 and 12 (and the complementary profile of the outside portion 30 of the hook 14) guides the hook 14 smoothly along its surface, causing the opener 4, and specifically the hook 14, to rotate about the point which is the centre of the arc 30. As the hook 14 rotates against the rim profile 11,12, its end 32 bears upon the underside of flange 10, urging it upwards at the point of contact with the end of the hook 32. This, in turn, causes the side of the lid 3 on which the opener is attached to be urged upwards. Hence, as the body of the opener is rotated past, for example, 90°, the lid 3 will be raised sufficiently on one side that it will be released from the rim 8. The action of the opener 4 may therefore be different to that of previously described openers which employ a lever-like action -the opener 4 employs a cam-action as described above.

Throughout the lid removal process (up to the point that the lid 3 is released from the rim 8), the opener is retained between the lid 3 and the rim 8: the flange 10 of the lid 3, and flanges 11 and 12 of the rim 8 continue to retain the hook 14 of the opener until the lid is sufficiently raised from its starting position. Thus, the opener 4 will not suffer the problems described previously due to slipping. Further, the opener requires substantially only a single rotational force in order to remove the lid; it does not require both a radially inwards and downwards force as is the case if the lid is removed by a screwdriver. This increases the ease of use, particularly for users who have insufficient strength and/or dexterity to open containers with a screwdriver or similar.

As seen in the underside (right-hand) view in Figure 4, the end 32 of the hook 14 is not straight, but is curved to follow the curved shape of the can. This has significant advantages, It means that the portions of the hook that actually make the major contact with the underside of the flange 10 as the opener is rotated are in fact the two opposed circumferential ends (sides) of the the end 32 of the hook.

This not only assists stability of the device, but also increases the leverage. This arises because the distance of these remote ends form the cam surface is greater than the distance of the centre portion of the end 32 from the cam surface. Thus there is an advantage in having the opener extend over a substantial circumferential extent, such as 20 degrees or more.

As also seen in that figure, the can be waisted in the central region of its length, in the region of notches 38 (described below), and consequently with a flare at its remote end in the region of the hook 14. This facilitates the action described in the preceding paragraph.

The opener embodying the present invention may be reused, simply by re-attaching the opener to the lid, in the same manner as described above, prior to re-fitting of the lid. In order to make it more obvious to user where the opener should be reattached, it is possible for the appropriate area of the lid to be visibly marked in some way (e.g. by shading, by a raised or recessed outline, or by an area of plastic which is rougher than the rest of the lid), in the shape of the opener. Thus, a user will intuitively understand where the opener should be refitted on the lid. However, if the user failed to refit the opener on the lid prior to resealing, the rim and lid of the container are designed such that the container may subsequently be opened in the conventional manner using a screwdriver.

Figure 10 shows another opener 4 and lid 3 embodying the present invention.

The lid 3 is similar in construction to that previously described and shown in the previous figures. However, the lid illustrated in Figure 10 has two upstanding annular ribs 6, one inside the other. The radially innermost rib 6a has a plurality of gaps 33 along its length, whilst the radially outermost rib 6b has only a single gap 33a which is positioned immediately adjacent to (i.e. centred about the same radius as) one of the gaps 33 of the inner rib 6.

The opener 4 shown in Figure 10 has a body 13 with a hook portion 14 at one end. The inner channel 29 of the hook portion 14 is designed such that it can closely co-operate with the outer laterally extending portion 10 of the lid 3. At the end opposite the hook portion, there is a ring shaped member 35 integrally formed with the body 13. This ring allows for easy use of the opener.

Furthermore, the applicants have found that providing the opener with a ring leads to more intuitive operation of the opener. It is believed that this is because the ring is similar in design to a wide range of ring-pull devices (e.g. on drink cans), with which the user of the opener will be familiar.

The opener 4 may have (as shown) a plurality of elongate recesses 36 running along the length of its body 13. These are designed such that they increase the strength of the opener, in particular its ability to resist bending along its length, but without increasing its weight and therefore cost. It will, of course, be appreciated that these recesses could be replaced by, or used in addition to, upstanding ribs, which would also increase the strength.

Figure 11 shows the opener 4 of Figures 10 attached to the lid 3. It can be seen that the inner channel 29 of the hook portion 14 is complementary in shape to the outer laterally extending portion 10 of the lid 3. Thus, the hook portion 14 closely co-operates and engages with the outer laterally extending portion 10. In this way the opener 4 may be provided with some degree of retention on the lid.

Figures 10 and 12 show an additional optional feature of the opener 4, namely a notch 38 on either side of its body 13. The pair of notches 38 are opposite each other, and are positioned such that when the opener 4 is fitted on the lid 3, the notches 38 engage with the edges 34 of the one of the gaps 33 of the upstanding annular ribs 6. Thus, when the opener 4 is applied to the lid, the notches 38 clip or snap onto the edges 34 of the gaps 33 of the upstanding annular ribs 6. This provides a sufficient degree of retention of the opener 4 on the lid 3 (e.g. such that the opener may be retained on the lid during transportation and fitting). It will be appreciated however, that sufficient retention may be achieved without the use of notches 38, for example as described in the previously described embodiment.

The opener 4 is therefore releasably retained on the lid by a combination of two mechanisms. First by the engagement of the hook portion 14 with the outer laterally extending portion 10 of the lid 3, and second by the engagement of the body 13 of the opener with the edges 34 of one or more gaps 33 of the upstanding annular ribs 6. It has been found that the opener 4 and lid 3 shown exhibit a satisfactory degree of retention, with the opener 4 being sufficiently retained on the lid that the lid could be supplied with the opener pre-fitted, but retained such that it is possible to manually remove the opener from the lid with relative ease. It will, of course be appreciated that whilst it is presently preferred to use both mechanisms, it is equally possible for only either one of the retention mechanisms to be incorporated in the design of the opener and lid.

The body 13 of the opener 14 also has a rib, or ridge, 37 on its underside (that is on the side of the body that will face the lid when it is attached). The ridge 37 is in the shape of an arc of a circle, although it could equally be in a straight line. With the opener 4 fitted to the lid 3, the ridge 37 is in contact with the flat disc portion 5 of the lid 3, resulting in the end 31 of the body 13 and the inner part of the ring 35 being slightly raised from the lid 3. This makes it easier for a user to get their finger and/or nail under the opener when it comes to operating the opener. In addition, the end 31 of the opener 4 and particularly the ring 35, may be positioned over the recess 15 in the centre of the lid 3 (shown in Figures 9, 11 and 12). This provides additional ease of operation.

In order to fit the opener 4 on the lid, the hook portion 14 may first be clipped over the outer laterally extending portion 10 of the lid 3. The body 13 of the opener 4 may then be urged downwards towards the lid, such that it snaps into the gaps 33 in the upstanding annular ribs 6. Thus, when properly fitted to the lid 3, at least part of the body 13 of the opener 4 is in contact with the top of the lid 3, and further the opener 4 does not extend above the height of the tallest rib 6, allowing for easy stacking of the container fitted with the opener.

Figure 12 shows the opener 4 fitted to a lid 3, with the lid 3 fitted to a receptacle 2. The receptacle 2 is substantially the same as that described previously with reference to Figure 3 and the lid 3 interacts with the rim 8 of the receptacle 2 in substantially the same manner as described previously.

With the opener 4 fitted on the lid 3 and the lid 3 fitted on the receptacle 2, the hook 14 of the opener 4 is held between the rim 8 of the receptacle 2 and the rim 7 of the lid 3. Specifically, the outwardly extending portion 10 of the lid 3 prevents upward movement of the hook 14, while the upwardly extending second flange 12 prevents the hook 14 from moving radially away from the lid 3. Thus, the opener 4 cannot be removed from the arrangement while the lid 3 remains fitted on the receptacle 2.

Operation of the opener 4 of Figures 10, 11 and 12, is substantially the same as that previously described with reference to Figures 6 and 7.

Figures 13(b) and 13(c) each show an additional embodiment of the opener 4 of the present invention. Figure 13(a) shows the opener 4 of Figures 10 to 12 for comparison. Note however that this sample is wider in circumferential extent and thus benefits more from the fact that the side ends of the end of the hook are what actually contacts the lid, as discussed above in relation to Figure 4. The flaring referred to aboce at the end regioon of the opener is also seen.

The opener 4 of Figure 13(b) incorporates a logo at the end 31; this may be desirable from a branding perspective to distinguish a particular company's container over its competitors. The opener 4 of Figure 13(c) incorporates (i) a paste spreader tool 39 at its end 31, which may be useful depending on the contents of the container with which the opener is used; and (ii) a spanner fitting 40, which may be generally useful, and still provides an easy way to lift the end 31 of the opener (similarly to the ring 35). It will be appreciated that additional or alternative tools may optionally be incorporated into the opener where it is believed that their functionality would be useful.

The receptacle 2 and lid 3 of the present invention can be of any size commonly used in the art. The receptacle could, for example, have a volume ranging from 0.25 litres to 5 litres, although the invention would work equally with smaller and larger receptacles. The dimensions of the opener will be determined by the size of the lid and the amount of leverage that is required to open it. The skilled person would appreciate this and would be able to modify the size of the opener to achieve the optimum dimensions for any given can. The width of the opener can be adjusted according to the stiffness required, while the gap(s) 33 in the upstanding ribs 6 of the lid may modified to suit. It should also have dimensions such that it may provide sufficient leverage in operation, whilst being sufficiently strong and stiff to withstand the opening process. For example with a typical 1-litre container, the receptacle might have a maximum diameter of 110mm while the smallest diameter of the rim of the receptacle is 75mm, with the downwardly extending portion 9 of the lid also having a diameter of 75mm such that it closely co-operates with the rim. The maximum diameter of the lid is 92mm. With such a container, the opener has a length of 56mm (i.e. from the hook end 14 to the other end 31) and the width of the body is 17.5mm. This width is substantially the same as the width of the gap 33 in the upstanding annular rib of the lid as previously discussed. The thickness of the body of the opener is approximately 2mm, whilst the channel formed by the hook is approximately 1.5mm in width.

The opener of the present invention may be made of metal, plastic or a combination of both. Its method of manufacture will depend upon the material, but could include metal stamping, individually injection moulding from a suitably stiff plastic material, insert moulding wherein a (possibly metal) body portion is made first and then placed into a mould before the hook or ring portions are moulded onto or around it. Alternatively, the lid and opener could be manufactured in a two-part injection moulding process in which first the lid itself is moulded, before being transferred to a second cavity where the opener is injection moulded directly onto or around the lid. These methods of manufacture are well known in the art; further detail will not be provided here since the skilled man would understand the various methods by which manufacture could be achieved.

The material used should be chosen such the cost of production of the opener remains relatively low. The incremental cost of including an opener on the container should be as low as possible, so that filling companies are more likely to specify the feature.

The opener may preferably be made of a plastic material such as polypropylene (PP) or high density polyethylene (HDPE). Such materials provide satisfactory stiffness of the opener during operation. Further, these materials may be less dense than the materials of the lid and/or container (for example PET); thus, they will be straightforward to separate from the recycling waste stream using flotation technology. If desired the plastic material could optionally have an additive to increase its strength and/or stiffness; it could, for example, be glass-filled polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

The containers are preferably made of a material which is susceptible to deformation when heated. Preferably the material is a plastics material, by which it is meant any of various organic compounds produced by polymerization, capable of being moulded, extruded, cast into various shapes and films, or drawn into filaments. Containers are more preferably made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), PET and PEN blends, and other blow mouldable plastics including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate, and polypropylene (PP). Preferred materials and methods of manufacture of the can are described in, e.g., WO 97/19801 or WO 00/46118.

The invention is particularly suitable for use with plastic containers having a rim formed by injection moulding, and a body formed by stretch-blow moulding. One

S

of the advantages of injection stretch blow moulding is that the neck opening and rim of the containers, and the structure of the lid are made to a high degree of precision and are unvarying, even when the form is complicated in shape. The present invention may take advantage of this high precision consistency to create a smoothly radiused profile to the container rim which both guides and retains the specifically shaped hook of the opener. Thus, the opener has sufficient retention on the lid, and on the lid and rim when the lid is fitted. It further means that operation of the opener occurs smoothly in a controlled manner, eliminating the problems caused by slipping of a conventional opening tool such as a screwdriver. However, in principle it is possible to use the invention with containers made of any material, assuming they have the necessary elements present in the rim and lid.

The device opens the lid of a can by using a cam action to convert a simple rotary action into a lifting force. It employs a lever principle to minimise the strength required, and is retained at all times, and particularly during operation, on the can lid, making it convenient for persons having limited manual dexterity.

Nevertheless, it is still possible to remove the lid using a screwdriver.

The system described has the advantage that the opener can be fitted to the lid by the manufacturer, and then used in a conventional paint filling line. After filling of the can, the can with the lid and opener fitted can be stored and transported as if it were a conventional can. Mimimal change to the machinery is required. Both the lids with openers fitted, and the filled cans, can be stacked as though the opener was not there.

Claims

1. A container comprising a receptacle, a lid, and an opener for removing the lid from the container, the receptacle having a rim defining an opening for the receptacle, and the lid being a press fit into the rim, wherein: the rim comprises an outwardly laterally extending first flange, from the periphery of which extends an upwardly extending second flange; the periphery of the lid comprises an inner downwardly extending portion which closely co-operates with the inside of the rim of the container, and an outer laterally extending portion that overlies the laterally extending first flange, arranged such that with the lid fitted to the receptacle, a gap is left between the outer edge of the outer laterally extending portion and the upwardly extending second flange, and a space is left between the underside of the outer laterally extending portion and the laterally extending first flange; characterised in that: the opener for removing the lid from the container comprises a body having a first end portion which is bent round to form a hook defining a channel, and a second end portion, wherein: with the opener fitted on the lid, the channel of the hook co-operates with the outer laterally extending portion of the lid, the opener being releasably retained on the lid with the body of the opener positioned on the top of the lid; with the opener fitted to the lid and the lid fitted to the receptacle, the hook of the opener extends through the gap between the outer edge of the outer laterally extending portion and the upwardly extending second flange, and into the space between the underside of the outer laterally extending portion and the laterally extending first flange, such that the opener is retained between the outer laterally extending portion and the upwardly extending second flange; and the opener, lid and receptacle are arranged such that in use, upward movement of the second end portion of the body of the opener causes the lid to be urged out of the receptacle, with the opener being retained on the lid until the container is substantially open.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein part of the upper side of the outwardly laterally extending first flange and part of the inner side of the upwardly extending second flange together form substantially an arc of a circle in section.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein the outside of the hook of the opener has at least a portion which is substantially the complement of the arc of a circle formed by part of the upper side of the outwardly laterally extending first flange and part of the inner side of the upwardly extending second flange.

4. A container according to any of claims 2 or 3 wherein the outside of the hook has a substantially arcuate outer profile.

5. A container according to any preceding claim wherein: the lid comprises an upstanding annular rib near its periphery; the upstanding annular rib comprises at least one gap defined by two edges; and the gap can accommodate the body of the opener, such that the edges of the annular rib that define the gap closely co-operate with the body of the opener.

6. A container according to claim 5 wherein the lid comprises more than one upstanding annular ribs, each of which has at least one gap immediately adjacent to the gaps of the other ribs.

7. A container according to any of claims 5 or 6, wherein the edges of the annular rib that define the gap, or gaps, are tapered such that the gap, or gaps, are narrower at the top than at the bottom.

8. A container according to any of claim 5 to 7, wherein the body of the opener comprises a pair of notches, one on each side, positioned such that when the opener is fitted on the lid, the notches engage with the edges of the annular rib that define the gap in such a way that the opener is releasably retained on the lid.

9. A container according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the body of the opener, when fitted to the lid, has a sufficiently small depth that it does not extend above the height of the tallest upstanding annular rib.

10. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the body of the opener has a substantially ring-shaped member integrally connected at its second end portion.

11. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the body of the opener comprises a plurality of ribs or recesses, positioned to provide additional strength along the length of the body.

12. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the body of the opener comprises a downwardly extending rib, positioned such that when the opener is fitted on the lid, there is a gap between the second end portion of the body of the opened and the lid.

13. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the lid has a recess substantially at its centre and wherein the body of the opener is designed such that when fitted to the lid, the second end portion of the body lies above part of the recess in the lid.

14. A container according to any preceding claim wherein: the receptacle has a rim projecting inwardly from adjacent walling; the rim of the receptacle has an upstanding third flange defining the opening for the receptacle forming the inner limb of an upwardly-open channel from whose outer limb laterally extends the outwardly lateratly extending first flange; the inner downwardly extending portion of the lid closely co-operates with the inside of the third flange; and the lid has an intermediate portion separated from the first portion by a downwardly- open channel which receives the third flange, while the intermediate portion closely conforms with the upwardly open channel.

15. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the opener, lid and receptacle are arranged such that, in use, upward movement of the second end portion of the body of the opener causes the end of the hook to bear upon the underside of the outer laterally extending portion of the lid, such that the lid is urged out of the receptacle.

16. A container according to any preceding claim wherein the opener is injection moulded from a plastic material.

17. A container according to claim 16 wherein the opener is made from polypropylene or high density polyethylene.

18. A container according to any preceding claim wherein at least one of the container and lid are made of a material which is susceptible to deformation when heated.

19. A container according to any preceding claim wherein at least one of the container and lid are made of a material selected from the list comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), a PET and PEN blend, and polypropylene (PP).

20. A container according to any preceding claim wherein at least one of the container and lid have been manufactured by injection moulding optionally followed by stretch-blow moulding.

21. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached for removing the lid from a container onto which the lid has been applied, wherein the periphery of the lid comprises an inner downwardly extending portion which, when the lid is fitted, may closely co-operate with the inside of the rim of a receptacle, and an outer laterally extending portion; charactensed in that: the opener for removing the lid comprises a body having a first end portion which is bent round to form a hook defining a channel, and a second end portion, wherein: with the opener fitted on the lid, the channel of the hook co-operates with the outer laterally extending portion of the lid, the opener being reteasably retained on the lid with the body of the opener positioned on the top of the lid; and the opener is arranged on the lid such that when the lid is fitted on a container, upward movement of the second end portion of the body of the opener causes the lid to be urged out of the receptacle.

22. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to claim 21, wherein the outside of the hook of the opener has at least a convex outer portion which is substantially the arc of a circle in section.

23. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 21 or 22, wherein the outside of the hook has a substantially cam-shaped profile.

24. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 21 to 23, wherein the outside of the hook of the opener is the complement of a portion of the rim of a container onto which the lid may be fitted.

25. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 21 to 24, wherein: the lid comprises an upstanding annular rib near its periphery; the upstanding annular rib comprises at least one gap defined by two edges; and the gap can accommodate the body of the opener, such that the edges of the annular rib that define the gap closely co-operate with the body of the opener.

26. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to claim wherein the lid comprises a plurality of upstanding annular ribs, each of which has at least one gap immediately adjacent to the gaps of the other ribs.

27. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 25 or 26, wherein the edges of the annular rib that define the gap are tapered such that the gap is narrower at the top than at the bottom.

28. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 25 to 27, wherein the body of the opener comprises a pair of notches, one on each side, positioned such that when the opener is fitted on the lid, the notches engage with the edges of the annular rib that define the gap in such a way that the opener is releasably retained on the lid.

29. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 25 to 28, wherein the body of the opener, when fitted to the lid, has a sufficiently small depth that it does not extend above the height of the tallest upstanding annular rib.

30. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 21 to 29, wherein the body of the opener has a substantially ring-shaped member integrally connected at its second end portion.

31. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 21 to 30, wherein the lid has a recess substantially at its centre and wherein the body of the opener is designed such that when fitted to the lid, the second end portion of the body lies above part of the recess in the lid.

32. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 211031, wherein the body of the opener comprises a plurality of ribs or recesses, positioned to provide additional strength along the length of the body.

33. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 2110 32, wherein the body of the opener comprises a downwardly extending rib, positioned such that when the opened is fitted on the lid, there is a gap between the second end portion of the body of the opener and the lid.

34. A press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 21 to 33, wherein the opener is arranged on the lid such that when the lid is fitted on a container, in use, upward movement of the second end portion of the body of the opener causes the end of the hook to bear upon the underside of the outer laterally extending portion of the lid, such that the lid is urged out of the receptacle.

35. A container according to any of claims I to 20 or a press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to any of claims 21 to 34, wherein the opener comprises an additional tool in its body.

36. A container or a press-in lid for a container with an opener attached according to claim 35, wherein the tool is a paste spreader or a spanner fitting.

37. A method of removing a lid from a receptacle, the receptacle having a rim defining an opening for the receptacle, and the lid being a press fit into the rim, wherein: the rim comprises an outwardly laterally extending first flange, from the periphery of which extends an upwardly extending second flange; the periphery of the lid comprises an inner downwardly extending portion which closely co-operates with the inside of the rim of the container, and an outer laterally extending portion that overlies the laterally extending first flange, arranged such that with the lid fitted to the receptacle, a gap is left between the outer edge of the outer laterally extending portion and the upwardly extending second flange, and a space is left between the underside of the outer laterally extending portion and the laterally extending first flange; comprising the steps of: providing an opener for removing the lid from the container, comprising a body having a first end portion which is bent round to form a hook defining a channel, and a second end portion; fitting the opener on the lid prior to fitting of the lid on the receptacle, with the channel of the hook co-operating with the outer laterally extending portion of the lid, with the opener being releasably retained on the lid and with the body of the opener being positioned on the top of the lid, wherein with the opener fitted to the lid and the lid fitted to the receptacle, the hook of the opener extends through the gap between the outer edge of the outer laterally extending portion and the upwardly extending second flange, and into the space between the underside of the outer laterally extending portion and the laterally extending first flange, such that the opener is retained between the outer laterally extending portion and the upwardly extending second flange; and urging the second end portion of the body of the opener upwardly so as to cause the lid to be urged out of the receptacle, with the opener being retained on the lid until the container is substantially open.

38. A method according to claim 37, in which the step of urging the second end portion of the body of the opener upwardly causes the end of the hook to

S

bear upon the underside of the outer laterally extending portion of the lid, such that lid is urged out of the receptacle.

39. A container comprising a receptacle, lid and opener for removing the lid from the container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures.

40. A lid with a an opener for removing the lid of a container attached onto which the lid may be applied substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures.

41. A method of removing a lid from a receptacle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures.