GB2029203A

GB2029203A - Combined container closure and handle

Info

Publication number: GB2029203A
Application number: GB7835461A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: FREDLUNDS INGENJORSBYRA AB
Current assignee: FREDLUNDS INGENJORSBYRA AB
Priority date: 1978-09-04
Filing date: 1978-09-04
Publication date: 1980-03-19

Abstract

An element 6 for reclosing containers 1 holding e.g. dairy products after each occasion of use, is essentially tubular with a lengthwise slit 5 designed to clampingly enclose the container opening, thus providing an air-tight seal. The size of the element is chosen to allow the member, in its applied position on the container, to serve as a carrying handle. The element may be of plastics or aluminium and may have wings 7, 8, Fig. 4, to facilitate opening of the slit 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A reclosing element for containers used for milk, cream and similar products The subject invention relates to an element designed to reclose containers holding milk, cream and similar products, which have been opened to make their contents accessible.

Once such containers have been opened their contents have a tendency to splash over when the containers are handled. Containers of this kind are designed to allow their contents to be conveniently poured out when the container is open without risk of spilling and mess, provided the container is treated with care. On the other hand, problems might arise when a new (full) container is opened and placed on e.g. a table, because when the container is handled and moved the contents therein might be set in motion and therefore easily splash over through the container opening, when the container is positioned on the table. This risk of splashing is furthermore increased through the pressure exerted on the container on opposite sides thereon when the container is grasped and thus compressed, whereby the colume of the container is reduced radically.

Obviously, this considerably increases the risk of splashing.

Various kind of reclosing elements to be used with opened containers are known. A common feature in all such reclosing elements is that they are comparatively small and only cover the very opening, and that they are primarily intended to reclose the con tainerto prolong the freshness of the container contents. Normally, they are not either mounted on the container when best needed, i.e. during handling of an opened, full container when the risk of splashing of the contents is at the highest. It cannot either be expected that a reclosing element, intended to make the container contents keep fresh longer will be applied on a newly opened container, when the latter is moved from one place to another.

When containers of this kind are handled and moved they are, as explained above, grasped and thus squeezed and slightly compressed, which further increases the risk that the container contents will splash over or even be squeezed out.

The problems outlined above are completely eliminated by the subject invention.

The reclosing element in accordance with the subject invention consists of an essentially tubular member of a resilient material, such as aluminium or plastics, which is formed with a longitudinal slit extending along the entire member. When the tubular member is applied on the container, it will clampingly enclose the container portions on both sides of the opening therein by means of its slit to close the opening.

The characteristic feature of the reclosing element in accordance with the subject invention is that it has such a size that in its applied position on the container it may serve as a carrying handle therefor.

Because the reclosing element is designed to serve also as a carrying handle there is no risk what soeverthatthe container will be squeezed orcom- pressed when handled and moved.

The invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container with which the reclosing element in accordance with the invention may be used, Fig. 2 illustrates the element of the invention applied on a container of the kind shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 illustrates the reclosing element in accordance with Fig. 2, Fig. 4 illustrates a reclosing element in accordance with a second embodiment, Fig. 5 illustrates a reclosing element in accordance with a third embodiment, and Figs. 6 to 9 illustrates various designs of the marginal portions adjacent a slit formed in the reclosing element.

Fig. 1 shows a container 1, intended e.g. for cream.

At one of the upper container corner sections an angular piece is cut off to form an opening 2. The portions immediately adjacent the opening 2 are designated 3 and 4.

The opening 2 may be reclosed in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 by means of a tubular member 6 having a slit 5 formed therein. the tubular member consists of a resilient material, such as e.g.

aluminium or a plastic material.

When the reclosing element is to be applied to the container, portions 3 and 4 of the container are pressed together and inserted into the slit at one end of the tube, whereupon the tube is slid over the opening until the latter is completely closed. The slit 5 is so narrow that it is necessary to force its edges somewhat apart to apply the element on the opening 2, and when the reclosing element is positioned over the opening, the slit exerts a strong clamping action on container portions 3 and 4.

In its applied position on the container, the reclosing element likewise serves as a carrying handle, as shown in Fig. 2.

A suitable reclosing element size is a length of appr. 10 cm and a diameter of appr. 2 cm. In Fig. 2, the tube is shown as applied on a cream container 1 having a volume of e.g. 200 ml, but the reclosing element is suitable for larger containers as well, e.g.

milk containers having a capacity of 1 liter. Also in the case of containers as heavy as 1 liter milk containers the reclosing element may serve as a carrying handle. When the container is to be carried, the tube is grasped, whereby the slit 5 is compressed further, which completely eliminates the risk of separation of the container from the tube.

Fig. 4 shows a somewhat modified embodiment of the reclosing element. In this case, the tubular member 6 is provided with two flanges 7 and 8 positioned some distance apart opposite the slit 5. In accordance with this embodiment, the slit 5 may be widened by pressing the two flanges 7,8 towards one another. Consequently, it is not necessary in accordance with this embodiment to slide the reclosing element lengthwise to apply itto or release it from portions 3,4 adjacent the opening 2 of a container but when the flanges 7 and 8 have been pressed towards one another to widen the slit the ele ment may be applied on or released from portions 3, 4 by moving the element at right angles to the open ing 2.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5 functions in the same manner as described above in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 4. The only difference is that the flanges 9 and 10 are shorter than flanges 7 and 8.

Figs. 6 to 9 show various embodiments of designs of the marginal portions of the tube 6 adjacent the slit 5. The choice of design for a particular purpose obviously depends on the nature and character of the container material. In case the container material is easily damaged the tube embodiment shown in Figs. 7 or 9 should be chosen and in case the container material is hard and its surface has a low friction coefficient the designs illustrated in Figs. 6 or 8 are preferable.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described in the aforegoing but several modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

The slit 5 in the reclosing element in accordance with Fig. 3 maybe slightlyflared atthe endstofacilitate introduction of the tube about the container opening.

The element in accordance with the invention obviously provides the same advantages as all prior-art elements of the same kind as regards improvement of the keeping qualities of the contents of the container.

The element in accordance with the invention could of course be given any other arbitrary shape than the cylindrical one illustrated, e.g. elliptical.

Claims

1. An element intended to reclose, after each occasion of use, containers which hold milk, cream and similar products and which have been opened to empty out part of the container contents, said element consisting of an essentially tubular member of a resilient material, such as e.g. aluminium or a plastic material, which is formed with a longitudinal slit extending along the entire member, such that the tubular member when applied in position on the container, clampingly encloses the container portions on both sides of the opening therein by means of the slit to close the opening, characterised in that the size of the tubular member is such that in its applied position on the container it may serve as a carrying handletherefor.

2. An element as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the tubular member is provided opposite the slit with two peripherally spaced flanges which extend in the lengthwise direction of the tube and which are arranged to serve as opening-out means to loosen the reclosing element from the container by said flanges being forced towards one another to widen the slit.

3. An element as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the tubular member is formed in the area around the slit on both sides thereof with a bent portion, whereby the clamping faces of the reclosing element are given a softly rounded configuration.

4. An element as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the edges of the tubular member extending along the slit are rounded.

5. An element as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the edges of the tubular member extending along the slit are pointed.

6. Any novel element, or combination of elements, herein described and/or shown in the accompanying drawings, irrespective of whether the present claim is within the scope of, or relates to the same invention as, any of the preceding claims.