Abstract:
Exemplary embodiments include a seal between an open body end of a container body and an edge of a lid. The lid is pressable into the open end of the body in a sealing manner. The components may be made from a light gauge sheet metal. The lid can be removable affixed to the body. The seal is configured to securely attach to the body to provide a safe seal of the container to be capable of withstanding impacts, such as from a shock or fall. Accordingly, the embodiments are applicable to containers which contain hazardous materials.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of PCT Application DE2005/001691, filed on Sep. 23, 2005, German Patent Application 10 2004 046 677.7, filed Sep. 24, 2004, and German Patent Application 10 2004 049 225.5, filed Oct. 8, 2004, the content of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The disclosure relates to a seal between the open body end of a container and an edge of a lid that may be pressed into the open body end. The lid may be removable. Both components may be made from (relatively) light gauge sheet metal. It is of primary concern to provide for a particularly safe seal, in particular for liquid hazardous materials, capable to also withstand mechanical impact such as from shock or fall. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A seal for a sheet metal container is shown in WO-A 1992/04248 (Baltics). This seal assembly provides for an intermediate ring that receives a seal ring and that contributes to the mechanical safeguarding of the appropriate engagement of the lid in the closed position. For safety an adhesive is applied to the respective interacting sealing surfaces which interconnects the compound. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     According to an embodiment of the present disclosure a seal may be provided which may possess the requisite high standards pertaining to such seal applications, and may be simpler and more economical to produce. 
     The insertable lid herein may be essentially similar to existing shapes of lids, allowing for the use of prevailing manufacturing methods and tools. Technical modifications can thus be held to a minimum, constituting an attendant objective of the disclosure rather than impeding the same. 
     According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a high degree of leak tightness may be achieved through the (direct) interaction between open body end (end of body) and lid edge (edge of the lid), rendering the use of an additional intermediate ring redundant. In the area of a sharp bend, the open body end may abut against (directly, or indirectly through a residual compound welt) the lid sheet metal (the defining edge) within its at least partially rolled edge (rolled edge) and thus may provide for a seal through direct contact, preferably with an expandable surface, under a reciprocal radial preload. 
     This area may be, at the same time, covered in the radially peripheral area by the sealing material (compound) provided within the rolled edge of the lid, in particular provided as a swelling compound. 
     In the course of a closing process, the body end with its bending radius comes into contact with the sealing material on the outside of the defining edge of the lid. 
     Subsequently several exemplary embodiments illustrate and supplement the disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows the components of the lid and the open body end of a sealed, or sealable container, or a container that can be opened, which may be relevant to the seal, each in an axial sectional view and with the seal open. 
         FIG. 2  shows the components as in  FIG. 1 , but in the closed position. 
         FIG. 3  shows a further embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The lid  1  as a component of the seal has an edge (edge section  1 ) with the lid surface  3  connected through a relatively deep, channel-like bead  4 , which can also serve to dampen for example mechanical impacts. Its outer defining edge  5  extends in axial direction past the lid surface  3  and transitions into an outward bent rolled edge  7 , whose sheet edge  8  ends at a (distinct) radial distance from the upper section  5 a of the defining edge  5 . The rolled edge has a sufficiently sized bending radius allowing for a sealing material  9  of appropriate volume to be received within it, which extends downward beyond the lower opening slot d 8  of the rolled edge  7 , over a certain distance alongside the defining edge  5 . 
     The barrel  2   a , 10  of the container  2  (the body) may be bent outward by 180″ with a small bending radius  11  in order to provide for the opening of the body or container. The sheet metal  18  extends from the bending radius in the radial distance Δr predetermined by the dimension of the bending radius, in parallel with the barrel  10  of the body and axially downward with a longitudinal dimension L 18 , which distinctly exceeds the diameter d 7  of the rolled edge  7  of the lid  1 . 
     Subsequently, the sheet metal is bent outward in a radially and axially rising manner in order to form a support shoulder  12 . At the peripheral edge of the support shoulder, the sheet metal is axially bent downward and ends in a roll-in  13  provided with a large diameter as compared to the rolled edge  7  of the lid or to the diameter dimension d 11  of the small or sharp bend  11 , the diameter being chosen such that the roll-in  13  is adjacent to the body wall  10  with its radially interior section or even abuts against it. 
     In a modification the body sheet metal can be shaped, at least in a given section, between the support shoulder  12  and the roll-in  13 , into an outwardly protruding opening aid  16 , as depicted in dashed lines in  FIG. 1 , as a protruding lug  16 . 
     In order to mechanically secure the engagement of the lid with the body end after closing, the body wall  10  and the outer defining edge  5  of the lid  1  each possess a corrugation  15  or  14 , or a similar engaging element.  FIG. 1  shows the lid in a position facing the open body end immediately prior to the initiation of the insertion process according to the arrow  17 .  FIG. 2  shows the final closed position. 
     The open body end  10  with the bend  11  extends as far as possible into the interior of the rolled edge  7 , approximately to the transition  6  between the outer defining edge  5  and the rolled edge  7  of the lid. The body barrel  10  enters into (direct or indirect) contact with the outer defining edge  5 . This contact extends along the surfaces of the wall segments  5  and  10  and may occur under a radial preload as suggested schematically in  FIG. 2  by the overlap of the sheet metal sectional surfaces. A residual layer of compound  9 , which was displaced here, may be present on the outside. This also represents a contact of the defining edge  5  by the open body end. 
     By means of this contact, which is being established under preload, a reliable seal may already be accomplished by mechanical means between the two participating elements of the seal. 
       FIG. 2  further illustrates, that the radial distance of the sheet edge  8  from the defining edge  5  may be selected so that on the one hand the container neck with its bending radius  11  safely slide itself into the rolled edge  7  and that on the other hand the sealing material  9  within the rolled edge  7  and also outside in the are of the shoulder support may maintain a reliably continuous cross section. The sealing material herein may be maintained under pressure within the rolled edge  7 , as well as between same and the support shoulder  12 , thus substantially augmenting the sealing effect and making the application of an adhesive in the area of the sealing surfaces redundant. 
     The deep and wide channeled bead  4 , the large rolled edge  7 , the radial distance between the wall sections  10  and  18 , the beveled support shoulder  12 , and the large volume roll-in  13  at least adjacent to the body  10 , in combination form a very effective cushioning and damping system, which may be capable of safely absorbing any impacts from pressure or shock, that may affect the area of the seal from the outside, without compromising seal effectiveness under these impacts. 
     The description and illustration of the seal clarifies, that the body end  10  with all elements of the seal— 11 ,  18 ,  12 ,  13 , and, if applicable,  16 —can be formed from a single sheet metal blank. An additional intermediary ring is not required. 
     The lid can be essentially manufactured with known methods and means. The entire seal can thus be produced in a simple and economical manner, providing for excellent stability and tightness, thus making it suitable for hazardous materials containers. 
     In a further embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , reference can be made for the purpose of illustration to the unsealed state (depicting the state at the beginning of the closing process)—according to  FIG. 1 . Similarly, the closed state according to  FIG. 2  can be transposed to  FIG. 3  and is not depicted separately here. 
     The modification compared to the earlier described embodiments pertains to the body corrugation  15 , which may be formed as a corrugation  15 ′ in a more pronounced radial and outward manner, thus providing for a supporting effect to the annular roll-in  13 . According to  FIG. 1 , the annular roll-in may be provided adjacent to the container body  10  (specifically the upper body section of container body  2 ), in particular in a contacting manner. If the corrugation  15  is moved to a higher axial position, a radial support of the roll-in  13  will result over a certain distance, thus additionally stabilizing the position of the support shoulder  12 , possibly also the opening aid  16  as depicted (dashed lines) in a further exemplary embodiment. 
     The body or container corrugation  15 ′ may also be provided axially more extended, but similarly also less extended, for example such as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The section  14 ′ of the lid which is engaging into the corrugation  15 ′ may be formed such that positive locking and/or a friction engagement may be achieved when assuming its closed position within the corrugation  15 ′. An at least partial degree of lateral support may also be provided, whereby the axial upward pressure of the corrugation  14 ′ within the lid can be utilized for the further support of the corrugation  15 ′ in the container, wherein both corrugations can jointly support the annular roll-in  13  in the radially inward, and the axially downward direction. 
     An interconnection of support corrugations and roll-ins, which join from all adjacent elements of the seal area, may be created.