Patent Publication Number: US-2013240532-A1

Title: Sealing cover

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sealing cover and, more particularly, to a sealing cover with enhanced sealing effect while allowing easy operation. 
     A conventional sealing box generally includes a sealing cover having a soft annular gasket pressing against an inner periphery of the box body to provide the desired sealing effect. However, the user must apply larger force to the sealing cover for closing the box body with, which results in difficulties in removal of the sealing cover from the box body. The sealing effect is adversely affected if the tightness between the annular gasket and the inner periphery of the box body is reduced to permit easy removal of the sealing cover. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a sealing cover that can be pressed to seal or unseal a box body, providing operational convenience. 
     The sealing cover includes a sealing unit and a control unit. The sealing unit includes a base, a gasket, and a lower lid. Each of the base and the lower lid includes an engagement edge. The lower lid is mounted on top of the base. The lower lid is movable relative to the base in a vertical direction to change a spacing between the engagement edge of the base and the engagement edge of the lower lid. The gasket is made of a soft and deformable material and mounted between the engagement edges of the base and the lower lid. The control unit includes a seat, a pressing member, an upper lid, and a positioning ring. The seat is fixed to the base. The seat includes a plurality of annularly spaced upper abutment protrusions and a plurality of annularly spaced lower abutment protrusions. An upper groove is defined between two adjacent upper abutment protrusions. A lower groove is defined between two adjacent lower abutment protrusions. The pressing member is mounted on the seat and movable in the vertical direction. The pressing member includes an upper end having a plurality of teeth. The upper lid is mounted on top of the lower lid and includes a positioning hole. The positioning hole includes an inner periphery having a plurality of annularly spaced higher positioning grooves and a plurality of annularly spaced lower positioning grooves. Each of the plurality of lower positioning grooves is located between two adjacent higher positioning grooves. The positioning ring is mounted in the positioning hole of the upper lid. The positioning ring includes a lower end having a plurality of lower positioning protrusions corresponding to the plurality of upper abutment protrusions and the plurality of lower abutment protrusions. The positioning ring includes an upper end having a plurality of upper positioning protrusions corresponding to the plurality of higher positioning grooves and the plurality of lower positioning grooves. 
     When the upper lid is pressed and moved downward relative to the lower lid, the plurality of teeth of the pressing member presses against the plurality of upper positioning protrusions of the positioning ring, causing rotational movement of the positioning ring through an angle. The spacing between the abutment edges of the base and the lid is changed. 
     When the upper lid is released, the upper lid is moved upward by resilience of the gasket, moving the plurality of upper positioning protrusions of the positioning ring into the plurality of higher positioning grooves or the plurality of lower positioning grooves. The plurality of lower positioning protrusions is aligned with the plurality of upper abutment protrusions or the plurality of lower abutment protrusions of the seat, 
     The gasket is not squeezed and does not extend beyond the outer periphery of the base when the plurality of upper positioning protrusions is engaged in the plurality of lower positioning grooves, such that the sealing cover is in an unsealing state. 
     The gasket is squeezed and extends beyond the outer periphery of the base when the plurality of upper positioning protrusions is engaged in the plurality of higher positioning grooves, such that the sealing cover is in a sealing state. 
     The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an exploded, perspective view of a sealing cover according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a sealing unit and two supports of the sealing cover of  FIG. 1  after assembly. 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the sealing cover of  FIG. 1  and a portion of a box body to which the sealing cover is mounted, with the box body not sealed. 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross sectional view taken along section line A-A of  FIG. 3 , with the sealing cover not pressed. 
         FIG. 5  shows a plan view of the sealing cover, with a positioning ring in an unsealing state. 
         FIG. 6A  shows a partial, cross sectional view of the sealing cover in the unsealing state. 
         FIG. 6B  is a view similar to  FIG. 6A , with an upper lid pressed. 
         FIG. 6C  is a view similar to  FIG. 6B , with the upper lid released. 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the sealing cover and the box body, with the sealing cover in a sealing state. 
         FIG. 8  shows a plan view of the sealing cover, with the positioning ring in the sealing state. 
         FIG. 9  shows a cross sectional view taken along section line B-B of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1-5  show a sealing cover according to the present invention in an unsealing state. The sealing cover includes a base  1 , a lower lid  2 , a gasket  3 , two supports  4 , a seat  5 , a pressing member  6 , an upper lid  7 , a positioning ring  8 , and a shield  9 . The base  1 , the lower lid  2 , and the gasket  3  form a sealing unit  10 . The seat  5 , the pressing member  6 , the upper lid  7 , and the positioning ring  8  form a control unit  20 . The base  1  includes an outer periphery having an engagement edge  11 . The base  1  further includes a central portion having an abutment face  12  and an engaging portion  13 . A plurality of pivotal columns  14  and an annular groove  15  are defined in a top face of the base  1 . A first spring  16  is received in the annular groove  15  and abuts a bottom wall of the annular groove  15 . 
     The lower lid  2  is mounted on top of the base  1  and includes a bottom wall  21  and an annular wall  22  formed along an outer periphery of the bottom wall  21 , with an engagement edge  23  provided below the annular wall  22  The bottom wall  21  includes a central portion having a through-hole  24  aligned with the abutment face  12  of the base  1 . A plurality of slots  25  is defined in the bottom wall  21  and corresponds to the pivotal columns  14 . A plurality of receiving holes  26  is defined in corners of the upper side of the bottom wall  21 . A second spring  27  is received in each receiving hole  26  and has an end abutting an end wall of the receiving hole  26 . The lower lid  2  is mounted on top of the base  1 , with the pivotal columns  14  extending through the slots  25 . The upper lid  2  is movable relative to the base  1  in a vertical direction. The other end of the first spring  16  abuts the lower lid  2 , with the first spring  16  providing the lower lid  2  with resilience to move relative to the base  1 . 
     The gasket  3  is made of a soft and deformable material. The gasket  3  is mounted between the outer peripheries of the base  1  and the lower lid  2 . The gasket  3  includes an upper end abutting the engagement edge  23  of the lower lid  2  and a lower end abutting the engagement edge  11  of the base  1 , providing the lower lid  2  with returning force. 
     The supports  4  are mounted above the bottom wall  21  of the lower lid  2 . Each support  4  includes pivots  41  pivotably connected to the pivotal columns  14  of the base  1 . Each support  4  further includes an abutment portion  42  on a side thereof for abutting the bottom wall  21  of the lower lid  2 . A pressing portion  43  extends upward from the other side thereof of each support  4  and abuts the upper lid  7 . 
     The seat  5  is fixed to the engaging portion  13  of the base  1  and includes upper and lower blocks  51  and  52 . The upper block  51  includes a plurality of annularly spaced upper abutment protrusions  53 , with an upper groove  55  defined between two adjacent upper abutment protrusions  53 . The lower block  52  includes a plurality of annularly spaced lower abutment protrusions  54 , with a lower groove  56  defined between two adjacent lower abutment protrusions  54  and not aligned with the upper grooves  55 . The lower abutment protrusions  54  are not aligned with the upper abutment protrusions  53 . 
     The pressing member  6  is annular and has a diameter larger than that of the seat  5 . The pressing member  6  is mounted around the seat  5  and aligned with the through-hole  24  of the lower lid  2 . The pressing member  6  includes a lower, abutment end  61  abutting the abutment face  12  of the base  1 . A plurality of continuously arranged and annularly spaced teeth  62  is provided on a top end of the pressing member  6 , with each tooth  62  having an inclined guiding face  63 . A guiding protrusion  64  is provided on an outer periphery of the pressing member  6  to restrain movement of the pressing member  6  in the vertical direction. 
     The upper lid  7  includes an annular wall  71  mounted around the annular wall  22  of the lower lid  2 . A positioning hole  72  is defined in a center of the upper lid  7  and aligned with the through-hole  24  of the lower lid  2 . An inner periphery of the positioning hole  72  includes a plurality of annularly spaced higher positioning grooves  73  and a plurality of annularly spaced lower positioning grooves  74 , with a lower positioning groove  74  located between two adjacent higher positioning grooves  73 . Each higher positioning groove  73  includes a slant  75  for guiding purposes. The guiding protrusion  64  of the pressing member  6  is received in one of the higher and lower positioning grooves  73  and  74 . The upper lid  7  further includes an engagement hole  76  for engaging with the shield  9 . The pressing portions  43  of the supports  4  and the other end of each second spring  27  abut the lower end of the upper lid  7 . 
     The positioning ring  8  is rotatably mounted in the positioning hole  72  of the upper lid  7 . The positioning ring  8  includes a center having a through-hole  81  through which the seat  5  extends. The positioning ring  8  includes an upper annular portion  82  and a lower annular portion  83  spaced from the upper annular portion  82  in the vertical direction. A plurality of annularly spaced lower positioning protrusions  84  is formed on an inner edge of the lower annular portion  83  for abutting the upper and lower abutment protrusions  53  and  54  of the seat  5 . The lower positioning protrusions  84  are inserted through the upper and lower grooves  55  and  56  of the seat  5  in an inclined angle to a position aligned with the lower abutment protrusions  54  or the upper abutment protrusions  53 . A plurality of annularly spaced upper positioning protrusions  85  is formed on an outer edge of the upper annular portion  85  of the positioning ring  8 . Each upper positioning protrusion  85  includes an inclined guiding face  851  engaged with one of the slants  75  of the positioning groove  72 . The upper annular portion  82  further includes a plurality of annularly spaced indexes  821 . A third spring  86  is provided on top of the lower annular portion  83 , with an end of the third spring  86  abutting the lower annular portion  83 . 
     The shield  9  is mounted on top of the positioning hole  72  of the upper lid  7 . The shield  9  include a button  91  for engaging with the engagement hole  76  of the upper lid  7  to shield the positioning ring  8  and the seat  5 . An inner side of the shield  9  abuts the other end of the third spring  86 . The shield  9  includes at least one window  92  for viewing the indexes  821 . 
     Since the lower positioning protrusions  84  are inserted through the upper and lower grooves  55  and  56  of the seat  5  in an inclined angle to a position aligned with the lower abutment protrusions  54  or the upper abutment protrusions  53 , the lower positioning protrusions  84  abut the lower abutment protrusions  54  or the upper abutment protrusions  53  after assembly, such that the positioning ring  8  can not be removed in an axial direction of the positioning hole  72 . Furthermore, due to provision of the positioning ring  8 , the upper lid  7  is retained on top of the lower lid  2  without the risk of disengagement. 
     In a case that the sealing cover is mounted to a box body  100 , when the upper positioning protrusions  85  are located in the lower positioning grooves  74 , an opening of a box body  100  can be covered by the sealing cover, as shown in  FIG. 6A . Furthermore, the lower positioning protrusions  84  abut the upper abutment protrusions  53  at location a. With reference to  FIG. 4 , since the spacing between the engagement edge  11  of the base  1  and the engagement edge  23  of the lower lid  2  is larger, the gasket  3  is not squeezed. Thus, the sealing cover according to the present invention can easily be mounted to cover the opening of the box body  100 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 6B , when the upper lid  7  is pressed downward to make the lower, pressing end  61  of the pressing member  6  presses against abutment face  12  of the base  1  and to cause the pressing member  6  to move upward relative to the positioning hole  72  of the upper lid  7  in the axial direction, the inclined guiding faces  63  of the teeth  62  of the pressing member  6  press against the inclined guiding faces  851  of the upper positioning protrusions  85  of the positioning ring  8 , causing rotational movement of the positioning ring  8  such that the upper positioning protrusions  85  are moved to a position corresponding to the higher positioning grooves  73 . At the same time, the lower positioning protrusions  84  can move downward through lower grooves  56 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 6C , and  7 - 9 , when the upper lid  7  is released, the inclined guiding faces  851  of the upper positioning protrusions  85  of the positioning ring  8  slide along the slants  75  and are reliably retained in the higher positioning grooves  73  under the action of the resilience of the gasket  3 . In this case, the lower positioning protrusions  84  are located below and abut the lower abutment protrusions  54  at location b. The spacing between the engagement edge  11  of the base  1  and the engagement edge  23  of the lower lid  2  is reduced, such that the gasket  3  is squeezed outward. Thus, the gasket  3  presses against the inner periphery of the opening of the box body  100  at location c ( FIG. 9 ), providing a sealing effect. 
     During pressing operation of the lid  7 , the windows  92  of the shield  9  allow the user to see the indexes  821  of the positioning ring  8  and, thus, be aware of the state (sealing or unsealing) of the sealing cover, providing operational convenience. The upper lid  7  can be pressed and rotated to the unsealing state shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  to allow easy removal of the upper lid  7  while providing reliable positioning effect. The supports  4  provide a levering function to save the force required for operation. The second springs  27  avoid undesired skew of the upper lid  7  while pressing the upper lid  7 , providing enhanced stability during operation. By repeatedly pressing the upper lid  7 , the upper positioning protrusions  85  can be repeatedly move into the higher positioning grooves  73  or the lower positioning grooves  74  to seal or unseal the box body  100 . 
     It can be appreciated that the pressing member  6  does not have to be annular. 
     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the essence of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.