Closure and container having the same closure

A closure and a container having the same closure are provided. The closure includes a sealing portion assembled to an aperture of a container to seal the container; a plurality of locking protrusions, each lock protrusion connected to a hinge extending from a lower rim of the sealing portion to protrude inwards and fixed to a locking flange formed on the container; a cover portion having a ring shape and assembled to an outside of the sealing portion to be vertically movable with respect to the sealing portion; and a plurality of fixing protrusions protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the cover portion to support the locking protrusions.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a closure and a container having the same closure, and more particularly, to a closure, which is used in a container containing liquid such as water, beverage, etc. is conveniently used by just one touch opening/closing scheme and ensures excellent airtightness, and a container having the same closure.

BACKGROUND ART

A container for storing beverages, powder or other contents is generally provided with a closure which is required to have a variety of functions depending on the usage of the container or the contents to be stored in the container.

For example, a carbonated drink container should keep its internal pressure over the atmospheric pressure, so it is important to maintain the airtightness of its closure during the distribution procedure.

In case of a container with a relatively larger capacity, it is preferred that the container has a closure which can be conveniently resealed after the closure is opened, so that the contents remaining in the container can be stored without deterioration. For example, a cork closure ensures excellent airtightness but has some inconvenience in that the cork closure may not be easily opened.

As another example, a screw top frequently used for general beverage containers is inconvenient because the screw top should be rotated. In particular, many children are inexperienced in rotating the screw top to open or close the container, so they may feel inconvenience in using the screw top.

The screw top should be strongly fastened in order to prevent contents from leaking out. In this case, however, the fastened screw top may not be easily opened again. To the contrary, if the screw top is not so tightly closed that the screw top can be easily opened again, the contents of the container may be leaked out.

In order to solve the above problems, the inventor of the present invention has proposed a closure structure ensuring convenient use, as disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-575259 (issued on Apr. 24, 2006), Korean Patent No. 10-757795 (issued on Sep. 5, 2007) and Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-385497 (issued on May 21, 2005). The closures as disclosed in the above documents can be opened or closed by just one touch, so that they can be more conveniently used in comparison to a screw top.

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention is conceived to improve the conventional closure structures. Therefore, the present invention is directed to providing a closure and a container having the same closure, which may ensure sufficient airtightness as well as convenient use even if the contents are stored in a container under a predetermined pressure.

Technical Solution

In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a closure, which includes a sealing portion assembled to an aperture of a container to seal the container; a plurality of locking protrusions, each lock protrusion being connected to a hinge extending from a lower rim of the sealing portion to protrude inwards and fixed to a locking flange formed on the container; a cover portion having a ring shape and assembled to an outside of the sealing portion to be vertically movable with respect to the sealing portion; and a plurality of fixing protrusions protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the cover portion to support the locking protrusions.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a container, which includes a container body having a locking flange protruding from an outer circumferential surface of an aperture of the container body; and a closure coupled to the aperture to seal the container, wherein the closure includes: a sealing portion assembled to an aperture of a container to seal the container body; a plurality of locking protrusions, each lock protrusion being connected to a hinge extending from a lower rim of the sealing portion to protrude inwards and fixed to a locking flange formed on the container body; a cover portion having a ring shape and assembled to an outside of the sealing portion to be vertically movable with respect to the sealing portion; and a plurality of fixing protrusions protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the cover portion to support the locking protrusions.

Advantageous Effects

If the closure or the container having the same closure according to the present invention is used, the closure may be opened or closed by just one touch by means of relative upward and downward movements of the sealing portion and the cover portion, thereby ensuring convenient manipulation as well as excellent airtightness.

BEST MODE

Referring toFIG. 1, a closure according to the present invention may be made of a resin material as a whole by an injection molding. The closure includes a sealing portion110assembled to surround an aperture of a container for airtightness, and a cover portion120assembled to an outside of the sealing portion110to be vertically movable with respect to the sealing portion110.

A lower end of the sealing portion110is connected to an upper end of the cover portion120by means of a coupling band130shaped as a thin strip, and the coupling band is so thin that the coupling band may be folded.

The sealing portion110has a plurality of locking protrusions112which are configured to be rotationally symmetrical so that the locking protrusions112may be fixed to a locking flange formed on the container. The number of the locking protrusions112may be suitably determined in consideration of the size of the closure, the degree of airtightness, etc.

Each locking protrusion112is connected to a hinge111extending from a lower rim of the scaling portion110, and configured to protrude inwards.

The hinge111is thinner in comparison to its locking protrusion112so each locking protrusion112may be rotated about its corresponding hinge111served as the rotational axis.

Each locking protrusion112may have a groove112awhich is inwardly concaved at a lower end of the locking protrusion, wherein a fixing protrusion121formed on an inside of the cover portion120is supported by the groove112a.

The cover portion120may have a gripping protrusion122which protrudes outwards at a lower end of an outer circumferential surface of the cover portion120so that a user may easily grip the cover portion120upon the opening or closing operation of the closure. Preferably, two gripping protrusions may be located to be opposite to each other.

For reference,FIG. 1shows a state in which the sealing portion is entirely withdrawn from the cover portion, for the purpose of illustrating the entire configuration of the closure according to the present invention. The opening or closing operation of the closure may be performed while the sealing portion has been inserted into the cover portion, as will be explained in detail below with reference to other drawings.

Referring toFIG. 2, the locking protrusions112provided at the lower end of the sealing portion110are fixed to the locking flange formed on the container, and each locking protrusion112preferably has a concavely curved surface112bwhich would face the locking flange of the container, so that the locking protrusions112may be easily elastically deformed when the locking protrusions112are fixed to or released from the locking flange.

FIG. 3shows a state in which the closure is assembled to a container so that the closure comes into a closed state, wherein the locking protrusions112at the lower end of the sealing portion110are locked to the locking flange210of the container200, so the container may maintain its airtight state. At this time, the upper end of the sealing portion110coincides with the upper end of the cover portion120, so that the upper end of the sealing portion110is flush with the upper end of the cover portion120.

Each fixing protrusion121of the cover portion120which is located outside the sealing portion110is seated into its corresponding groove II2aat the lower end of its corresponding locking protrusion112, so that all the locking protrusions112may not be widened outwards but firmly fixed to the locking flange210of the container200.

A lower inner surface of each locking protrusion112is composed of an inclined surface112c, so that the inclined surface112cprevents each locking protrusion112from being locked by the locking flange210of the container while allowing the closure to be assembled.

A rib113may be additionally formed on a lower surface of the sealing portion110so that the rib113may be inserted into the aperture of the container to increase the airtight state.

The cover portion120is fittingly assembled to an outside of the sealing portion110so that the cover portion120may be moved upwards and downwards with respect to the sealing portion110, and the upward and downward operation between the sealing portion110and the cover portion120allows the closure to be opened or closed.

It is preferable that a gap between the cover portion120and the sealing portion110is configured to be minimized as long as the cover portion120and the sealing portion110can be easily moved upwards and downwards with respect to each other.

As shown inFIG. 4, the coupling band130shaped as a thin strip is provided between the upper end of the cover portion120and the lower end of the sealing portion110, so that the cover portion120and the sealing portion110are connected to each other to be rolled into one. The coupling band is so thin that the coupling band130may be folded without disturbing the relative upward and downward movement between the cover portion and the sealing portion.

Hereinafter, the simple usage of the closure according to the present invention as configured above will be described.

As shown inFIG. 5, if a user grips the gripping protrusion122, move the cover portion120upwards and presses the sealing portion110from above while the closure100is assembled to the container200, the fixing protrusions121supporting their corresponding locking protrusions112are moved upwards along with the cover portion120as the cover portion120is moved upwards. At this time, as the fixing protrusions121move over their corresponding locking protrusions112, the locking protrusions112which would have been fixed to the locking flange210of the container200are widened outwards with respect to the hinge111served as the axis, so that the closure100may be opened.

Meanwhile, if a user pulls up only the cover portion120without pressing and fixing the sealing portion110in order to open the closure, both the cover portion120and the sealing portion110should be moved upwards in a state that the locking protrusions112have been supported by the fixing protrusions121. However, since the locking protrusions112are supported by the fixing protrusions121at this time, the locking protrusions112may not be easily separated from the locking flange210.

Thus, if a user pulls up only the cover portion without pressing and fixing the sealing portion in order to open the closure, the closure may not be opened. To the contrary, the closure may be opened only through its normal opening manipulation in which both the sealing portion and the cover portion are simultaneously manipulated as explained above. In this way, the closure according to the present invention serves as a safe closure which may be opened only through the normal opening manipulation of the closure as explained above.

Now,FIG. 6shows a state in which the closure is opened, wherein each fixing protrusion121is located outside its corresponding hinge111. At this time, the upper end of the sealing portion110is located below the upper end of the cover portion120.

The closure may be assembled to the container by pressing the closure over the container. At this time, while the upper end of the locking flange210of the container is in contact with the inclined surface112cwhich corresponds to the lower surface of each locking protrusion112, each locking protrusion112moves over the locking flange210of the container to be fixed thereto. Simultaneously, the cover portion120is moved downwards, and each fixing protrusion121is inserted into its corresponding groove112aof the locking protrusion112. As such, each fixing protrusion121supports the locking protrusion112to prevent each locking protrusion112from being widened outwards, so that the container may be closed (seeFIG. 5).

FIGS. 7 to 10show exemplary modifications of the locking protrusion which may be employed in the closure according to the present invention.

FIG. 7is an enlarged view showing a portion of a locking protrusion shown inFIG. 3. As explained above, if a user moves the cover portion upwards and simultaneously presses the sealing portion in order to open the closure, the closure may be opened.

In this opening procedure, the fixing protrusion121supporting the locking protrusion112moves upwards from the groove112aof the locking protrusion112, so that the fixing protrusion121may be separated from the groove112a. During this opening procedure, the fixing protrusion121and the locking protrusion112are compressed and elastically deformed.

Accordingly, in order to open the closure, a larger manipulating force is required in the displacement d1as far as the fixing protrusion121is entirely separated from the groove112aof the locking protrusion112.

FIG. 8is a graph for briefly illustrating a relation between the manipulating force F and the vertical displacement d between the cover portion and the sealing portion while the closure having the locking protrusion as shown inFIG. 7is opened. Here, a user needs a larger manipulating force F1up to the vertical displacement d1in order to open the closure.

As explained above, the manipulating force required for opening the closure may be determined by depending on the size of the fixing protrusion (the degree of protrusion) and the depth of the groove of the locking protrusion, etc., and therefore the manipulating force may be selected in accordance with the usage of the closure. For example, if the content of the container has a larger inner pressure like carbonated beverages, the closure is preferably designed not to be easily opened. In this case, the size of the fixing protrusion and the depth of the groove of the locking protrusion, etc. may be selected to require a larger manipulating force. Otherwise, the number of the fixing protrusions and the number of the locking protrusions in the closure may be increased.

FIG. 9shows one exemplary modification of the locking protrusion which may be employed in the closure according to the present invention. In the closure of the present invention, the locking protrusion112may have an inclined surface112dwhich is inclined with respect to a vertical direction at the lower end of the locking protrusion112, wherein the fixing protrusion121is supported by the inclined surface112d.

FIG. 10is a graph for briefly illustrating a relation between the manipulating force F and the vertical displacement d between the cover portion and the sealing portion while the closure having the locking protrusion as shown inFIG. 9is opened. Here, since the fixing protrusion121is moved along the inclined surface of the locking protrusion112during the opening procedure, a user may open the closure with a relatively smaller manipulating force F2up to the vertical displacement d1which correspond to a border line of the inclined surface, in comparison to the exemplary modification shown inFIG. 7.

As mentioned above, the magnitude of the manipulating force required for opening the closure may be varied depending on the shape of the locking protrusion, and therefore the manipulating force may be selected in accordance with the usage of the closure.

For example, if only easy opening/closing of the closure is considered as an important issue for the container, the container may be designed to be easily opened or closed just with a relatively smaller manipulating force as shown in the modification ofFIG. 9. However, in case the container contains drugs or chemicals, which should not be easily opened by children, or contents with a relatively larger inner pressure such as carbonated beverages, the closure may be selected to require a larger manipulating force as shown in the modification ofFIG. 7.

It has been illustrated that the magnitude of the manipulating force required for opening the closure may be varied by changing the shape of the locking protrusion with reference toFIGS. 7 and 9. However, additionally or alternatively, it would be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art that the magnitude of the manipulating force required for opening the closure may be set in various ways by changing the size and/or the shape of the fixing protrusion.

Now,FIGS. 11 to 13show other embodiments of the closure according to the present invention. In the closure100according to the present invention, a lever protrusion114which protrudes upwards from the upper end of the locking protrusion112may be additionally provided.

As shown inFIG. 11, two lever protrusions114protrude upwards from upper ends of both sides of the locking protrusion112adjacent to the hinge111.

After the closure is opened, each lever protrusion114may prevent any interference between the locking protrusion and the locking flange of the container during the reassembling process of the opened closure to the container, so that the closure may be easily reassembled to the container without any inconvenience.

For example,FIG. 6shows that the locking protrusion112should not be folded inwards after the closure is opened. If the locking protrusion112is folded inwards, the locking protrusion112might be locked by the locking flange210of the container during the reassembling process of the opened closure, so the closure might not be closed.

Thus, the lever protrusion114allows the locking protrusion112to be permanently widened outwards after the closure is opened, so that the lever protrusion114may prevent any interference between the locking protrusion and the locking flange of the container during the reassembling process of the closure to the container, thereby preventing the closure from being incorrectly reassembled to the container.

More specifically,FIG. 12shows that after the opening of the closure through the same procedure as explained above, the fixing protrusion121is located near the hinge so that the fixing protrusion121may allow the lever protrusion114to be pushed inwards and the locking protrusion112connected to the hinge11lmay be widened outwards.

Since the locking protrusion is permanently widened outwards after the opening of the closure as described above, the locking flange210of the container is always in contact with the inclined surface112cin the lower end of the locking protrusion112during the reassembling process of the opened closure, so that the closure may be easily assembled to the container.

FIG. 13shows an exemplary modification of the lever protrusion employed in the closure according to the present invention, wherein one lever protrusion314may protrude upward near the center of a locking protrusion312which is connected by two hinges311.

A groove312ainto which the fixing protrusion may be inserted is formed near the lower end of the locking protrusion312to which the lever protrusion314is located. The opening or closing procedure of the closure is identical to the embodiments as described above. The sealing portion is denoted by the reference number310and the cover portion is denoted by the reference number320.

FIGS. 14 to 16show still other embodiments of the closure according to the present invention.

As shown inFIG. 14, in the closure according to the present invention, at least two guide bars140may be additionally fixed to the lower rim of the sealing portion110in the vertical downward direction so that lower ends of the guide bars140may be brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the cover portion120.

For reference,FIG. 14shows an appearance of the closure manufactured by the injection molding as shown inFIG. 1. In the initially injection-molded state of the closure, the sealing portion110is located above. However, if the sealing portion110is coupled with the container to close the closure as explained above, the upper end of the sealing portion110is flush with the upper end of the cover portion120(seeFIG. 3).

In the closure manufactured by the injection molding as shown inFIG. 14, the sealing portion and the cover portion are connected to each other by means of only the thin coupling band. Thus, if there is no additional auxiliary means for supporting the sealing portion and the cover portion, the weakness of the thin coupling band may cause the coupling band to be easily torn or damaged through the handling or transport procedure of the closure until the closure manufactured by the injection molding is assembled to the container.

Thus, the guide bars provided in the closure according to the present invention serve to prevent the coupling band from being damaged during the handling procedure of the closure until the closure manufactured as described above is assembled to the container and then to guide the relative upward and downward movement between the sealing portion and the cover portion after the closure is assembled to the container.

Referring toFIG. 15, through the injection molding, an upper end140aof the guide bar140fixed to the sealing portion110may be so thick that the upper end140amay be firmly fixed to the sealing portion110, while a lower end140bof the guide bar140fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the upper end of the cover portion120may be so thin that the lower end140bmay be weakly connected to the upper end of the cover portion120in comparison to the upper end140a.

Meanwhile, in the initial assembling procedure of the injection-molded closure to the container, if the sealing portion110is strongly pressed downwards while the closure is provisionally assembled to the aperture of the container, the sealing portion110may be moved downwards and assembled to the container while the connection between the lower end140bof the guide bar140and the cover portion120is broken down.

As shown inFIG. 16, after the closure is assembled to the container, the guide bar140may be moved vertically along with the sealing portion110. Since the guide bar140is moved along the inner wall of the cover portion120, the guide bar140makes up for a gap between the sealing portion and the cover portion, so that the guide bar140may perform the guiding function for facilitating the upward and downward movement of the sealing portion and the cover portion.

FIG. 17shows a still further embodiment of the closure according to the present invention. Although the former embodiments illustrate that the sealing portion and the cover portion are connected to each other by means of the coupling band, the sealing portion and the cover portion need not to be connected by means of the coupling band in this embodiment.

It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that even if the sealing portion410and the cover portion420are manufactured by separate processes and then assembled into one unit as a closure as shown inFIG. 17, the closure may be operated in the same way as described in the former embodiments.

Meanwhile, an auxiliary band thinly connected between the cover portion and the coupling band may be additionally provided so that the auxiliary band may be broken down when the closure is initially opened by applying a manipulating force over a certain level.

A user may check whether the contents in the container have been already used or not by inspecting whether the auxiliary band is broken.

The above embodiments should be construed as only examples for illustrating the spirit of the present invention in detail, and therefore the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the drawings nor the embodiments.