AU2015264786A1 - Container body and storage container having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A container body and a container having the container body are provided. The container body of the container has a circular shape and a coupling circumferential portion is formed on a circumference of the container body, a lower hooking groove is formed in a lower part of the coupling circumferential portion, and an upper hooking groove is formed in an upper part of the coupling circumferential portion. Selected Drawing: FIG. 2

Description

DESCRIPTION CONTAINER BODY AND STORAGE CONTAINER HAVING THE SAME The present application is a divisional application from Australian Patent Application No. 2013318845, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a container body and a container having the container body, and more particularly, to a container body to which a cover can be coupled in an arbitrary direction and a container having the container body. BACKGROUND A reference herein to a patent document or other matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that document or matter was known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims. Throughout the description and claims of the specification, the word "comprise" and variations of the word, such as "comprising" and "comprises", is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. In recent years, sealing containers have been used more and more to extend a storage period of food and to sanitarily store food. In the 1 related art, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a sealing container 10 includes a cover 12 and a container body 16, coupling wings 14 are disposed on the circumference of the cover 12, and a hooking protrusion 18 to which four coupling wings 14 are hooked is formed on the circumference of the container body 16. In order to couple the cover 12 to the container body 16 to completely seal the container body 16, the four coupling wings 14 have to be pulled down and be hooked to the hooking protrusion 18. In order to decouple the cover 12 from the container body 16, the four coupling wings 14 have to be pulled up and be decoupled from the hooking protrusion 18. In this way, since the coupling wings 14 have to be pulled down or pulled up in the course of coupling or decoupling the cover 12, the sealing container 10 in the related art has a problem with inconvenient use. Particularly, when one coupling wing 14 out of the four coupling wings 14 is not hooked in the course of decoupling or coupling the cover 12, there is a problem in that contents in the container body 16 flow out or air flows in the container body 16 to damage the contents. The sealing container 10 in the related art has a structure in which the cover 12 can be coupled to the container body 16 in only a specific direction. Accordingly, the sealing container 10 in the related art has a problem in that the cover 12 cannot be coupled to the container body 16 in an arbitrary direction and the cover 12 has to be coupled to the container body 16 after the direction thereof is adjusted. Since the sealing container 10 in the related art has a configuration in which only one cover 12 can be coupled to the container 2 body 16, the purpose of the sealing container 10 is limited. Accordingly, the container body 16 of the sealing container 10 in the related art cannot be used for multipurpose such as a food container, a powder container, and a liquid container. SUl4ARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore desirable to provide a container body to which a cover can be coupled in an arbitrary direction for convenient use and a container having the container body. It is also desirable to provide a container body which can be used for multipurpose by changing a cover for a single container body and a container having the container body. Other advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the below-described embodiments. According to the present invention there is provided a container comprising: a cover; and a container body, wherein a coupling member is disposed on one side of the cover so as to be rotatable, and wherein a pressing protrusion formed in the coupling member is hooked to a side surface of the container body to move the cover to the opposite side of the coupling member to decouple the cover from the container body in the course of decoupling the coupling member from the side surface of the container body. The technology of the present invention may also relate to a container comprising: a cover; and a container body, wherein a coupling member is disposed on one side of the cover so as to be rotatable, and -3 wherein an inner surface of the coupling member comes in contact with a side surface of the container body to move the cover to a side of the coupling member and the cover goes down to seal the container body to seal the container body in the course of coupling the coupling member to the side surface of the container body. In one embodiment, the container body has a circular shape and a coupling circumferential portion is formed on a circumference of the container body, wherein a lower hooking groove is formed in a lower part of the coupling circumferential portion and an upper hooking groove is formed in an upper part of the coupling circumferential portion, and wherein the coupling member includes a sealing protrusion which is coupled to the lower hooking groove and a pressing protrusion which is hooked to the upper hooking groove. In another embodiment the coupling circumferential portion is formed on the entire circumference of the container body, or the coupling circumferential portion may be formed at regular intervals on the circumference of the container body. In another embodiment the cover includes a hooking protrusion which is hooked to the coupling circumferential portion when the coupling member is coupled to the side surface of the container body. In another embodiment the cover may include two or more coupling members. According to the invention, it is possible to provide a container body to which a cover can be coupled in an arbitrary direction for convenient use and a container having the container body. 4 According to the invention, it is possible to provide a container body which can be used for multipurpose by coupling covers having different structures to a single container body and a container having the container body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a sealing container in the related art. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a container according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a container body of the container illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state before a slide type cover is coupled to the container body of the container illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating the state illustrated in Fig. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the slide type cover is coupled to the container body in the state illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the state illustrated in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the slide type cover is decoupled in the state illustrated in FIG. 6. 5 DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The invention can be modified in various forms and can have various embodiments. Specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, the embodiments are not intended to limit the invention, but it should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and replacements belonging to the concept and the technical scope of the invention. When it is determined that detailed description of known techniques involved in the invention makes the gist of the invention obscure, the detailed description thereof will not be made. The terms used in the following description are intended to merely describe specific embodiments, but not intended to limit the invention. An expression of the singular number includes an expression of the plural number, so long as it is clearly read differently. The terms such as "include" and "have" are intended to indicate that features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof used in the following description exist and it should thus be understood that the possibility of existence or addition of one or more other different features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof is not excluded. Terms such as first and second can be used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited to the terms. The terms are used only for distinguishing one element from another element. Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the 6 invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are referenced by like reference numerals or signs regardless of the drawing numbers and description thereof is not repeated. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a container 100 according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a container body 140 of the container 100 illustrated in FIG. 2. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the container 100 according to this embodiment includes the container body 140 and a cover 110 which is coupled to the container body 140 in a sliding manner. In the container 100 according to this embodiment, the cover 110 slides and is coupled to the container body 140 to provide a sealing force by one locking process using one coupling member 128 formed on a side surface of the cover 110. The container body 140 according to this embodiment may be coupled to a cover (not illustrated) including four (or two or more) coupling members as in the related art, in addition to the over 110 which is opened and closed in a sliding manner. Accordingly, the container body 140 of the container 100 according to this embodiment can be coupled to two covers having different coupling manners and can be used for multipurpose, thereby having high availability. The cover 110 according to this embodiment is coupled to the container body 140 in a sliding manner. Accordingly, the cover 110 includes one coupling member 128 and a hooking protrusion 116 which can be hooked to a coupling circumferential portion 142 of the container body 140 is formed inside a rim 114 of the cover 110. The cover 110 has a circular 7 top surface 112 to correspond to the shape of the container body 140. Since the cover 110 and the container body 140 according to this embodiment have a circular cross-sectional surface, the cover 110 can be coupled to the container body 140 in an arbitrary direction. The diameter of the cover 110 is larger than the diameter of the coupling circumferential portion 142 of the container body 140. Accordingly, the cover 100 can be easily put on the container body 140 and can move by a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction in a state in which the cover is put on the container body 140. The rim 114 which is formed with a predetermined height on the circumference of the cover 110 is formed over the entire circumference of the cover 110, and an opening 122 having an opened structure is formed in a part in which the coupling member 128 is formed. By the opening 122, the coupling member 128 can be coupled to the circumference of the container body 140 without interfering with the rim 114. A protruding portion (not illustrated) for forming a groove into which a packing (not illustrated) is inserted may be formed inside the rim 114, and the height of the rim 114 may be larger than that of the protruding portion. Accordingly, even when the cover 110 is put in a state in which the top surface 112 faces the upper side as illustrated in FIG. 2, the inside portion (including the protruding portion) does not come into contact with the floor by the rim 114 and thus the container can be sanitarily and conveniently used. A protrusion (not illustrated) protruding downward with a predetermined length may be formed on the lower end of the rim 114. The protrusion serves as a support of the cover 110 8 and does not bring the inside portion of the cover 110 into contact with the floor. A pair of hooking protrusions 116 is symmetrically formed inside the rim 114. The hooking protrusion 116 is a portion which slides and is hooked to the lower part of the coupling circumferential portion 142 when the coupling member 128 is coupled to the coupling circumferential portion 142 of the container body 140, whereby the cover 110 can provide a sealing force to the container body 140 using only one coupling member 128. The hooking protrusion 116 includes a hooking inclined surface 118 formed to be inclined downward to the coupling member 128. The hooking inclined surface 118 is formed so as to allow the hooking protrusion 116 to easily slide to the lower part of the coupling circumferential portion 142. The cover 110 of the container 100 according to this embodiment includes a single coupling member 128. The coupling member 128 is rotatably formed on the side surface of the cover 110 and a pressing protrusion 132 and a sealing protrusion 134 are formed inside the coupling member 128. An end of the coupling member 128 is bent upward to facilitate grasping thereof. The coupling member 128 couples the cover 110 to the container body 140 by hooking. In the course of locking and coupling the coupling member 128 to the container body 140, the hooking protrusion 116 is hooked to the coupling circumferential portion 142 such that the cover 110 seals the container body 140. The pressing protrusion 132 formed inside the coupling member 128 is 9 hooked to an upper hooking groove 144 formed in the coupling circumferential portion 142 to push up the cover 110 when the coupling member 128 is decoupled from the coupling circumferential portion 142, whereby the cover 110 can be easily decoupled (see FIG. 8). The pressing protrusion 132 may have various shapes such as a curve bent inward, in addition to a rectangular shape. The sealing protrusion 134 is formed on one surface of the pressing protrusion 132. The sealing protrusion 134 is hooked to the lower part of the coupling circumferential portion 142 of the container body 140, whereby the coupling member 128 is coupled and locked to the container body 140. An end of the sealing protrusion 134 is inserted into a lower hooking groove 148 formed in the coupling circumferential portion 142. It has been described in this embodiment that the cover 110 and the container body 140 of the container 100 have a circular cross-section, but the cover and the container body may have various shapes such as a rectangle, a polygon, and an ellipse. In FIGS. 1 and 2, a packing is not coupled to the inside of the cover 110, but a packing may be disposed inside the rim 114 so as to further enhance the sealing force. The container body 140 is a section which contains contents (not illustrated) and the coupling circumferential portion 142 is formed on the circumference thereof. The coupling circumferential portion 142 is a portion to which the coupling member 128 is coupled and locked or to which the hooking protrusion 116 is hooked by sliding and protrudes with a predetermined length from the side surface of the container body 140. An upper end portion 152 of the container body 140 protrudes upward from the 10 top of the coupling circumferential portion 142. The coupling circumferential portion 142 may be formed to protrude laterally from the upper end portion 152 of the container body 140. The coupling circumferential portion 142 includes an upper hooking groove 144, a coupling inclined surface 146, and a lower hooking groove 148. The upper hooking groove 144 is formed on the top surface of the coupling circumferential portion 142 by intaglio. In the course of decoupling the coupling member 128 from the coupling circumferential portion 142, the pressing protrusion 132 of the coupling member 128 is inserted into the upper hooking groove 144 and the coupling member 128 pushes up the cover 110. A nib (not illustrated) may be formed at regular intervals in the upper hooking groove 144 so as to reinforce the strength of the coupling circumferential portion 142. The nib is not formed by intaglio unlike the upper hooking groove 144 and is a portion in which the thickness of the coupling circumferential portion 142 is reinforced The coupling inclined surface 146 corresponds to a linear or curved inclined surface which is formed on the lower side surface of the coupling circumferential portion 142. Thanks to the coupling inclined surface 146, the hooking protrusion 116 can easily enter the lower part of the coupling circumferential portion 142. In the container 100 according to this embodiment, the hooking protrusion 116 has the hooking inclined surface 118 and the coupling circumferential portion 142 has the coupling inclined surface 146, but the 11 inclined surface may be formed in only one of the hooking protrusion 116 and the coupling circumferential portion 142. The lower hooking groove 148 is a groove which is formed in the lower part of the coupling circumferential portion 142 by intaglio. When the coupling member 128 is coupled and locked to the coupling circumferential portion 142, the sealing protrusion 134 is inserted into the lower hooking groove 148. The coupling and decoupling processes of the container 100 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state before the slide type cover 110 is coupled to the container body 140 in the container 100 illustrated in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating the state illustrated in FIG. 4. In FIG. 5, the lower hooking groove 148 of the coupling circumferential portion 142 is indicated by a dotted line. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, since the diameter of the rim 114 of the cover 110 is greater than that of the coupling circumferential portion 142 of the container body 140, the cover 110 can be put on the container body 140 such that the rim 114 of the cover 110 accommodates the whole coupling circumferential portion 142. When the cover 110 is put on the container body 140, the hooking protrusion 116 is located outside the lower hooking groove 148 of the coupling circumferential portion 142. That is, when the coupling member 128 is not coupled and locked to the container body 140, the hooking protrusion 116 is located outside the coupling circumferential portion 142. When the cover is put on the container body 140, an end of the 12 pressing protrusion 132 is located inside the upper hooking groove 144. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the cover 110 is coupled to the container body 140 in the state illustrated in FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the state illustrated in FIG. 6. In FIG. 7, the lower hooking groove 148 of the coupling circumferential portion 142 is indicated by a dotted line. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, by inserting the sealing protrusion 134 into the lower hooking groove 148 by the rotation of the coupling member 128, the coupling member 128 is coupled and locked to the container body 140. At this time, the pressing protrusion 132 formed inside the coupling member 128 is located outside the upper hooking groove 144. In the course of coupling and locking the coupling member 128 to the coupling circumferential portion 142, the inner side surface thereof rotates in a state in which the inner side surface is in contact with the end of the coupling circumferential portion 142, whereby the cover 110 moves to the left. In the course of coupling and locking the coupling member 128 to the coupling circumferential portion 142, the cover 110 moves horizontally by a predetermined distance to the left in FIG. 6. In the course, the hooking protrusion 116 enters the lower part of the coupling circumferential portion 142 and is hooked to the lower hooking groove 148. The hooking inclined surface 118 is formed in the hooking protrusion 116. Accordingly, when the hooking protrusion 116 enters the lower part of the coupling circumferential portion 142, the cover 110 can strongly press the container body 140. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the 13 slide type cover 110 is decoupled in the state illustrated in FIG. 6. In FIG. 8, an arrow indicates the moving direction of the cover 110. Referring to FIG. 8, when the coupling member 128 is pulled up to decouple the cover 110 from the container body 140, the sealing protrusion 134 is decoupled from the lower hooking groove 148. In this course, the pressing protrusion 132 is hooked to the upper hooking groove 144 and the cover 110 is moved to the lateral upper side (right-upper side in FIG. 8) by the force for pulling up the coupling member 128. In the course of pulling up the cover 110 using the pressing protrusion 132, the cover 110 moves horizontally (to the right in FIG. 8) and the hooking protrusion 116 is detached from the coupling circumferential portion 142. As described above, the container 100 according to this embodiment has an advantage of convenient use, because the cover 110 can be coupled to and decoupled from the container body 140 by one operation using the coupling member 128. In the container 100 according to this embodiment, since the cover 110 is pulled up by the pressing protrusion 132 in the course of decoupling the coupling member 128 from the coupling circumferential portion 142, the cover 110 can be easily decoupled. Since the container 100 according to this embodiment includes the circular cover 110 and the circular container body 140, the cover 110 can be coupled to the container body 140 in an arbitrary direction. In FIGS. 2 to 8, the cover 110 includes the single coupling member 128 and the hooking protrusion 116 slides in the lower part of the coupling circumferential portion 142 in the course of coupling the coupling member 128 to the container body 140, whereby the cover 110 is 14 coupled to the container body 140. However, since the lower hooking groove 148 to which the sealing protrusion 134 of the coupling member 128 can be coupled is formed in the coupling circumferential portion 142, a cover (not illustrated) including two or more coupling members 128 may be coupled to the container body 140 by coupling and locking of the coupling members 128. In this way, since the conventional cover including two or more coupling members 128 as well as the slide type cover 110 illustrated in FIG. 2 can be used for the container body 140 according to this embodiment, the container 100 can be used for multipurpose using the single container body 140. For example, when the cover (not illustrated) including two or more coupling members 128 is used, the container 100 can be used as a liquid container or a food container for containing wet foods. When the slide type cover 110 illustrated in FIG. 2 is used, the container 100 can be used as a container for containing powder. The end of the coupling member 128 in the cover 110 according to this embodiment is formed to be adjacent to the top surface 112, and the rim 114 is not formed but the opening 122 is formed in the part in which the coupling member 128 is formed. However, the opening 122 may not be formed in the cover 110 and the rim 114 may have a circular shape. In this case, the coupling member 128 may be formed to be rotatably coupled to the lower end of the rim 114. In the container body 140 of the container 100 according to this embodiment, the coupling circumferential portion 142 is formed over the whole circumference of the circular container body 140, but plural 15 coupling circumferential portions may be formed at regular intervals. While the invention is described above with reference to the embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention can be modified and changed in various forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the appended claims. 16

Claims (6)

1. A container comprising: a cover; and a container body, wherein a coupling member is disposed on one side of the cover so as to be rotatable, and wherein a pressing protrusion formed in the coupling member is hooked to a side surface of the container body to move the cover to the opposite side of the coupling member to decouple the cover from the container body in the course of decoupling the coupling member from the side surface of the container body.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container body has a circular shape and a coupling circumferential portion is formed on a circumference of the container body, wherein a lower hooking groove is formed in a lower part of the coupling circumferential portion and an upper hooking groove is formed in an upper part of the coupling circumferential portion, and wherein the coupling member includes a sealing protrusion which is coupled to the lower hooking groove and a pressing protrusion which is hooked to the upper hooking groove.

3. The container according to claim 2, wherein the coupling circumferential portion is formed on the entire circumference of the 17 container body.

4. The container according to claim 2, wherein the coupling circumferential portion is formed at regular intervals on the circumference of the container body.

5. The container according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the cover includes a hooking protrusion which is hooked to the coupling circumferential portion when the coupling member is coupled to the side surface of the container body.

6. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cover includes two or more coupling members. 18