Patent Abstract:
Disclosed is an airtight container comprising: a container body having an opening portion and a flange formed along an outer circumference of the opening portion; and a lockable lid that is disposed to cover the opening portion of the container body and that has a locking wing at an edge, wherein the locking wing further comprises upper and lower supporting protrusions disposed on an inner surface of the locking wing at an interval that permits engagement of the flange between the upper and lower supporting protrusions.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0122415, filed on Dec. 4, 2008, the contents of which in their entirety are herein incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This disclosure relates to a receptacle (container, vessel, jar, cup, and the like, hereinafter, referred to as “airtight container”) to which a lid is fastened in a lockable type and a mold for press-forming the airtight container. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view illustrating an existing airtight container  14  having a container body  10  and a screw lid  12  which is fastened to the body  10 . 
         [0006]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in general, on the container body  10  to which the screw lid  12  is fastened, a spiral line  18  is formed along the outer circumference of an opening portion  16  of the container body  10 . In addition, a spiral line  20  which is engaged with the spiral line  18  is formed along the inner peripheral surface of the lid  12 . The lid  12  and the container body  10  employ an opening and closing structure in which the lid  12  and the container body  10  are fastened to or released from each other as the spiral lines  18  and  20  are engaged or disengaged. 
         [0007]    However, in the screw opening and closing structure, in order for the lid  12  to be fastened to or removed from the container body  10 , the lid  12  has to be rotated continuously. To do so, a lot of finger movement and manual effort are needed for a user. Therefore, it is annoying and takes time to open and close. 
         [0008]    In addition, when the lid  12  is screwed tight on the container body  12  to prevent leakage, it is not easy to rotate the lid  12  to open it, and there is a problem in that it is difficult to open the container body  10 . 
         [0009]    When the user exerts too much force in order to open the screw lid  12  that is screwed tight, pain and damage may be may be applied to the wrist of the user, and the pain makes the user feel inconvenient. Thus, for the users with weak muscle or grasping power, for example, women, the weak and the aged, it is very difficult to open the screw lid  12 . 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The disclosure provides an airtight container having a container body of which an opening portion can be easily opened and closed with a small force while maintaining convenience and promptness of the airtight container having a type in which a lid is screwed on the container body, in order to solve problems of the screw-type opening and closing structure. 
         [0011]    The disclosure also provides a mold for press-forming the airtight container. 
         [0012]    In one aspect, there is provided an airtight container including: a container body having an opening portion and a flange formed along an outer circumference of the opening portion; and a lockable lid that is disposed to cover the opening portion of the container body and that has a locking wing at an edge, wherein the locking wing further comprises upper and lower supporting protrusions disposed on an inner surface of the locking wing at an interval that permits engagement of the flange is engaged between the upper and lower supporting protrusions. 
         [0013]    A convex protrusion may be formed at an end portion of the upper supporting protrusion to engage an upper surface of the upper supporting protrusion, and the convex protrusion may comprise a surface that is curved toward the lower supporting protrusion. 
         [0014]    In addition, an outer surface of the convex protrusion may be formed as a curved surface, and a concave groove having an arc-shape may be formed at an upper surface of the flange to be in contact with and to be engaged with the curved outer surface of the convex protrusion. 
         [0015]    In another aspect, there is provided a mold for press-forming an airtight container including: a first mold that is formed vertically to press-form a flange having upper area and an opening portion; a second mold that is disposed outside the first mold to press-form a lower area of the flange; and a third mold that is disposed under the second mold to press-form a container body lower area below the flange, wherein the first mold further comprises a convex protrusion protruding downward at a press-formed portion of the first mold corresponding to a spot where the flange opening portion and a root of the flange meet each other and wherein the flange upper area further comprises a groove press-formed by the convex protrusion during the press-forming. 
         [0016]    Accordingly, in the airtight container, closing the container body tight by fastening the lid or opening the container body becomes easy while maintaining convenience and promptness of the airtight container of which the lid is screwed on the container body to open and close. In addition, there is an advantage in that a smaller force is required to open and close the lid. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the disclosed exemplary embodiments will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view illustrating an existing airtight container having a container body and a screw lid which is fastened to the body; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an airtight container according to an embodiment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view taken along line I-I of  FIG. 2 , which illustrates a lockable lid in a locking procedure; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view illustrating a mold according to an embodiment for press-forming the container body; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view illustrating a portion of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Hereinafter, an airtight container and a mold for press-forming the airtight container according to embodiments now will be described more fully with reference to the attached drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth therein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the airtight container  30  according to the embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view taken along line I-I of  FIG. 2 , which illustrates a lockable lid  32  in a locking procedure. 
         [0025]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the airtight container  30  of the embodiment includes a container body  34  and the lockable lid  32  which covers the upper surface of an opening portion  16  of the container body  34 . 
         [0026]    A flange  36  is formed along the outer circumference of the opening portion  16  so that the container body  34  is locked with the lockable lid  32 . The lockable lid  32  includes locking wings  38  rotatably extending from the edge, and upper and lower supporting protrusions  40  and  42  which are fixed to the inner surface of the end portion of each locking wing  38  to be disposed at an interval D in the width direction. 
         [0027]    According to the embodiment, on the upper surface of the flange  36 , an arc-shaped concave groove  44  is formed. In addition, an arc-shaped convex protrusion  46  is formed at the end of the upper supporting protrusion  40  which is to be engaged with the concave groove  44 . The convex protrusion  46  is curved and inclined with respect to a direction toward the lower supporting protrusion  42 . 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 3 , a reference numeral  48  denotes a sealing packing. 
         [0029]    According to the embodiment, as described above, the inner surface of the concave groove  44  and the outer surface of the convex protrusion  46  are “arc-shaped” curved surfaces, but not limited thereto. The inner and outer surfaces of the concave groove  44  and the convex protrusion  46 , respectively, may be formed to have any shape to be smooth curved surfaces such that the concave groove  44  accommodates the convex protrusion  46  and the convex protrusion  46  can be smoothly released from the concave groove  44 . 
         [0030]    In addition, as described above, the convex protrusion  46  is curved in the direction toward the lower supporting protrusion  42 , but not limited thereto. As long as the convex protrusion  46  presses the upper surface of the flange  36 , the convex protrusion  46  may be formed to be horizontal with the upper supporting protrusion  40  without being curved. 
         [0031]    In the locking structure of the airtight container according to the embodiment, the lockable lid  32  is disposed to cover the opening portion  16  of the container body  34 , and the locking wing  38  is rotated in a locking direction so that the flange  36  of the container body  34  is engaged between the upper and lower supporting protrusions  40  and  42  of the locking wing  38 , thereby enabling locking of the airtight container. 
         [0032]    More specifically, in the locking procedure, while the convex protrusion  46  meets the upper surface of the flange  36  and moves toward the concave groove  44 , the upper supporting protrusion  40  is lifted and the interval D is slightly increased as compared with the initial state. 
         [0033]    In addition, while the convex protrusion  46  moves toward the concave groove  44 , the flange  36  is naturally engaged between the upper and lower supporting protrusions  40  and  42 , so that the convex protrusion  46  meets the concave groove  44 . 
         [0034]    As described above, when the convex protrusion  46  meets the concave groove  44 , due to the restoring force of the upper supporting protrusion  40  which is lifted, the convex protrusion  46  comes in contact with the concave groove  44  to be accommodated, and the arc-shaped surfaces are in contact to be engaged with each other. Specifically, in the engaged state where the upper and lower supporting protrusions  40  and  42  grasp the upper and lower surfaces of the flange  36 , respectively, due to complicated effects such as the grasping force exerted to press the flange  36  by the convex protrusion  46  and engagement between the convex protrusion  46  and the concave groove  44 , the lockable lid  32  and the container body  34  can be maintained in a tightly locked state or tightly engaged state. 
         [0035]    Both of the convex protrusion  46  and the concave groove  44  have arc-shaped curved surfaces. Accordingly, when the locking wing  38  is rotated outward in the engaged state, the convex protrusion  46  can be smoothly separated from the convex groove  44 . 
         [0036]    In addition, after the convex protrusion  46  is slightly misaligned from the concave groove  44 , the sliding action proceeds more smoothly. Accordingly, the locking wing  38  can be easily released from the flange  36  of the container body  34  with less force. 
         [0037]    As described above, since locking and releasing can be easily performed with a small force, force is not exerted excessively on the convex protrusion  46  and the flange  36  during the locking and releasing. Therefore, problems such as deformation or breakage of the convex protrusion  46  and the flange  36  do not occur. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view illustrating a mold according to an embodiment for press-forming the container body  34 , particularly, the container body  34  made of a glass material.  FIG. 5  is an enlarged view illustrating a portion denoted by a reference numeral  48  of  FIG. 4 . A description of the container body  34  is provided with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         [0039]    Here, press-forming the container body  34  that is to be shaped in the embodiment is performed in the state where the concave groove  44  is not formed at the flange  36  yet and the shape of container body  34  is not exactly formed as a semi-finished product. In addition, the container body  34  is sectioned to be press-formed. 
         [0040]    Specifically, the mold includes a first mold  50  which is formed vertically to press-form a flange upper area a in addition to the opening portion  16 , a second mold  52  which is disposed outside the first mold  50  to press-form a flange lower area b, and a third mold  54  which is disposed under the second mold  52  to press-form a container body lower area c below the flange  36 . 
         [0041]    As described above, when the container body  34  as the semi-finished product is transferred to a molding apparatus, the first mold  50  which reciprocates vertically comes in contact with the upper portion  16  and the flange upper area a, and the second and third molds  52  and  54  which move horizontally then come in contact with the flange lower area b and the container body lower area c, respectively, to exert pressure together, thereby performing press-forming. 
         [0042]    Here, a convex protrusion  58  protruding downward is formed at a press-formed portion  56  of the first mold  50  corresponding to a spot S where the opening portion  16  and the root of the flange  36  meet each other, so that the concave groove  44  formed by the convex protrusion  58  during the press-forming can be formed at the upper surface of the flange  36 . 
         [0043]    While the exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0044]    In addition, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of this disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that this disclosure not be limited to the particular exemplary embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure such as the aforementioned containers, vessels, jars, cups, and the like, but that this disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1