US20090242502A1

US20090242502A1 - Flip-cap arrangement for container

Info

Publication number: US20090242502A1
Application number: US12/079,718
Authority: US
Inventors: Jack Jie Qin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-28
Filing date: 2008-03-28
Publication date: 2009-10-01

Abstract

A container includes a container body, a dispenser head and a flip-cap arrangement. The flip-cap arrangement includes a retention body, a flipping cap and a flipping joint. The retention body is mounted at the container body around the opening thereof. The flipping cap is sat on the retention body to enclose the dispenser head. The flipping joint is integrally linked between edge portions of the retention body and the flipping cap to retain the flipping cap among a fully closed position, a fully opened position, and a flipping position, wherein at the flipping position, the flipping cap is pivotally lifted up from the fully closed position to allow the flipping cap being flipped to the fully opened position, such that the flipping cap requires a two-step flipping operation to fold from the fully closed position to the fully opened position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a container comprising a flip-cap arrangement which is capable of allowing a two-step flipping operation of a flipping cap.
2. Description of Related Arts
A conventional spraying container usually comprises a container body having a storage cavity and a spraying head provided on top thereof, a cap movably provided on top of the container body, and a flipping joint mounted between the container body and the cap for moving the cap between a closed position and an opened position, wherein in the closed position, the cap is pivotally moved to completely enclose the spraying head so as to protect it from dirt and other environmental contaminants. When the cap is in the opened position, the cap is pivotally moved with respective to the container body for exposing the spraying head to an exterior of the spraying container.
A main disadvantage of this kind of conventional spraying container is that the user needs two hands to operate the cap for moving it from the closed position to the opened position. More specifically, when a user needs to open the cap of the spraying container, he needs to use one of his hands to hold the container body while opening the cap by the remaining head. After that, the user has to use one of his hands to activate the spraying head for initializing the spraying action of the liquid stored in the storage cavity.
As a matter of fact, the user may wish to open the cap by only one of his hands. For example, he may hold the container body by one of his palms and open the cap by the initializing an upward pushing force by the corresponding thumb. The problem for this is that the cap, although disengaging from the container body, will remain at a position substantially covering the spraying head such that the user will not be able to completely expose the spraying head to his thumb for initializing the spraying action. As a result, the user has to use both of his hands for opening the cap and initializing the spraying action of the spraying head.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a container comprising a flip-cap arrangement which is capable of allowing a two-step flipping operation of a flipping cap.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a container comprising a flip-cap arrangement, wherein a flipping cap is driven to move between a fully closed position, a fully opened position and a flipping position, wherein a user is able to move the flipping cap from the fully opened position to the fully closed position through only one of his hands.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a container comprising a flip-cap arrangement which allows the user to open the flipping cap and actuate a dispenser head by merely one of his hands. In other words, the present invention facilitates easy and convenient use by the user and allows a wide range of applications.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a container comprising a flip-cap arrangement which is simple in structure and does not involve expensive and complicated mechanical components, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the present invention.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a container, comprising:
a container body having a storage cavity and an opening communicating with the storage cavity;
a dispenser head affixed to the container body at the opening thereof to communicate with the storage cavity; and
a flip-cap arrangement, comprising:
a retention body mounted at the container body around the opening thereof;
a flipping cap sat on the retention body to enclose the dispenser head; and
a flipping joint integrally linked between edge portions of the retention body and the flipping cap to retain the flipping cap among a fully closed position, a fully opened position, and a flipping position, wherein at the fully closed position, the flipping cap is mounted at the retention body to enclose the dispenser head, wherein at the fully opened position, the flipping cap is pivotally flipped at least 90° from the retention body to maximize an exposure of the dispenser head for being accessed, wherein at the flipping position, the flipping cap is pivotally lifted up from the fully closed position to allow the flipping cap being flipped to the fully opened position, such that the flipping cap requires a two-step flipping operation to fold from the fully closed position to the fully opened position.
These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the container according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are schematic views of the container according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the container according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, and FIG. 4 of the drawings, a container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, in which the container comprises a container body 10, a dispenser head 20, and a flip-cap arrangement 30. The container body 10 has a storage cavity 11 and an opening 12 communicating with the storage cavity 11. On the other hand, the dispenser head 20 is affixed to the container body 10 at the opening 12 thereof to communicate with the storage cavity 11.
The flip-cap arrangement 30 comprises a retention body 31, a flipping cap 32, and a flipping joint 33. The retention body 31 is mounted at the container body 10 around the opening 12 thereof. The flipping cap 32 is sat on the retention body 31 to enclose the dispenser head 20.
The flipping joint 33 is integrally linked between edge portions 311 of the retention body 31 and the flipping cap 32 to retain the flipping cap 32 between a fully closed position, a fully opened position, and a flipping position, wherein at the fully closed position, the flipping cap 32 is mounted at the retention body 31 to enclose the dispenser head 20, wherein at the fully opened position, the flipping cap 32 is pivotally flipped for at least 90° from the retention body 31 to maximize an exposure of the dispenser head 20 for being accessed, wherein at the flipping position, the flipping cap 32 is slightly and pivotally lifted up from the fully closed position to allow the flipping cap 32 being flipped to the fully opened position, such that the flipping cap 32 requires a two-step flipping operation to fold from the fully closed position to the fully opened position.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container body 10 is adapted to store a predetermined amount of liquid into the storage cavity 11, wherein the dispenser head 20 comprises a mounting base 21 sealed and secured at the opening 12 of the container body 10, a depressible spraying head 22 movably mounted on the mounting base 21, and a guiding hose 23 extended from the depressible spraying head 22 to the storage cavity 11 through the opening 12, such that the depressible spraying head 22 is depressed to generate a suction effect from the storage cavity 11 through the guiding hose 23 for withdrawing the liquid in the storage cavity 11.
It is worth mentioning that the container body 10 has an engagement shoulder 13 formed on an upper portion of the container body 10 wherein the retention body 31 is arranged to detachably engage with the engagement shoulder 13 for mounting the flip-cap arrangement 30 on top of the container body 10.
Accordingly, the retention body 31 comprises an outer shell 312 mounted at an outer wall of the container body 10 and an inner shell 313 mounted at a surrounding edge of the opening 12 of the container body 10 so as to substantially retain the retention body 31 in position. More specifically, the outer shell 312 of the retention body 31 is arranged to engage with the engagement shoulder 13 of the container body 10 so as to be supported on top thereof. As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the inner shell 313 comprises a plurality of retention walls 3131 extended from the inner top surface of the outer shell 312 to stand on the container body 10 for enhancing a stability of the retention body 31 mounting on top of the container body 10.
The flip-cap arrangement 30 further contains a locking groove 34 indently formed at the retention body 31 and comprises a locking protrusion 35 integrally protruded from the flipping cap 32 to align with the locking groove 34, such that when the flipping cap 32 is pivotally folded at the fully closed position, the locking protrusion 35 is engaged with the locking groove 34 to retain the flipping cap 32 at the fully closed position. Accordingly, the flipping cap 32 has a cross section substantially the same as that of the retention body 31 so that when the locking groove 34 is fittedly engaged with the locking protrusion 35, the flipping cap 32 and the retention body 31 is arranged to complete enclose the dispenser head 20 within the retention body 31.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flipping cap 32 and the retention body 31 are formed in an elliptical cross section that the flipping joint 33 is aligned along a major axis of the flipping cap 32 while the dispenser head 20 is aligned at a center of the retention body 31, in such a manner that when the flipping cap 32 is in the fully opened position, a user's thumb is able to conveniently without difficulty depress the depressible spraying head 22 of the dispenser head 20.
The flipping joint 33 comprises a flexible flipping member 331 integrally extended between the retention body 31 and the flipping cap 32 to allow the flipping cap 32 being pivotally folded from the fully closed position to the fully opened position, and two spaced apart flexible flaps 332 integrally extended between the retention body 31 and the flipping cap 32 to retain the flipping cap 32 at the fully opened position.
Moreover, the flipping member 331 comprises an upper leaf 3311 integrally extended from the flipping cap 32 and a lower leaf 3312 integrally extended from the upper leaf 3311 to the retention body 31 such that when the flipping cap 32 is pivotally folded at the fully closed position, the upper leaf 3311 is overlapped on the lower leaf 3312, and when the flipping cap 32 is pivotally folded at the fully opened position, the upper leaf 3311 is extended to align with the lower leaf 3312. In other words, the upper leaf 3311 and the lower leaf 3312 possess a predetermined amount of inherent elasticity in such a manner that when the flipping cap 32 is upwardly pushed by the user of the present invention, the inherent elasticity of the upper leaf 3311 and the lower leaf 3312 prevents the flipping cap 32 from being flipped over to the fully opened position (i.e. retains the flipping cap 32 at the flipping position).
It is worth mentioning that each of the flexible flaps 332 is made of bendable material that each of the flexible flaps 332 is bent inwardly when the flipping cap 32 is folded at the fully closed position and is bent outwardly when the flipping cap 32 is folded at the fully opened position. Moreover, each of the flexible flaps 332 has a trapezoid shape and a top slanted edge 3321 integrally extended from the flipping cap 32 and a bottom slanted edge 3322 integrally extended from the retention body 31, wherein the flipping member 331 is positioned between the two flexible flaps 332 to enhance the flipping cap 32 being stably retained at the fully opened position.
The operation of the present invention is as follows: the flipping cap 32 is normally at the fully closed position for enclosing the dispenser head 20 within the retention body 31. When a user wishes to open the flipping cap 32 to access the dispenser head 20, the user is required to slightly push the flipping cap 32 upwardly to disengage the flipping cap 32 from the retention body 31 so as to move the flipping cap 32 from the fully closed position to the flipping position. Due to the inherent elasticity of the flipping joint 33, the flipping cap 32 is retained at a position where it still significantly encloses the dispenser head 20 but loosely and suspendedly dangling above the retention body 31. The user needs to upwardly push the flipping cap 32 again to move the flipping cap 32 form the flipping position to the fully opened position in order to access the dispenser head 20. All these steps can be performed by a user's single hand.
One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.
It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a container body having a storage cavity and an opening communicating with said storage cavity;

a dispenser head affixed to said container body at said opening thereof to communicate with said storage cavity; and

a flip-cap arrangement, comprising:

a retention body mounted at said container body around said opening thereof;

a flipping cap sat on said retention body to enclose said dispenser head; and

a flipping joint integrally linked between edge portions of said retention body and said flipping cap to retain said flipping cap among a fully closed position, a fully opened position, and a flipping position, wherein at said fully closed position, said flipping cap is mounted at said retention body to enclose said dispenser head, wherein at said fully opened position, said flipping cap is pivotally flipped at least 90° from said retention body to maximize an exposure of said dispenser head for being accessed, wherein at said flipping position, said flipping cap is pivotally lifted up from said fully closed position to allow said flipping cap being flipped to said fully opened position, such that said flipping cap requires a two-step flipping operation to fold from said fully closed position to said fully opened position.

2. The container, as recited in claim 1, wherein said flipping joint comprises a flexible flipping member integrally extended between said retention body and said flipping cap to allow said flipping cap being pivotally folded from said fully closed position to said fully opened position, and two spaced apart flexible flaps integrally extended between said retention body and said flipping cap to retain said flipping cap at said fully opened position.

3. The container, as recited in claim 2, wherein said flipping member comprises an upper leaf integrally extended from said flipping cap and a lower leaf integrally extended from said upper leaf to said retention body such that when said flipping cap is pivotally folded at said fully closed position, said upper leaf is overlapped on said lower leaf, and when said flipping cap is pivotally folded at said fully opened position, said upper leaf is folded to align with said lower leaf in a planar manner.

4. The container, as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said flexible flaps is made of bendable material that each of said flexible flap is bent inwardly when said flipping cap is folded at said fully closed position and is bent outwardly when said flipping cap is folded at said fully opened position.

5. The container, as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said flexible flaps is made of bendable material that each of said flexible flap is bent inwardly when said flipping cap is folded at said fully closed position and is bent outwardly when said flipping cap is folded at said fully opened position.

6. The container, as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said flexible flaps, having a trapezoid shape, has a top slanted edge integrally extended from said flipping cap and a bottom slanted edge integrally extended from said retention body.

7. The container, as recited in claim 5, wherein each of said flexible flaps, having a trapezoid shape, has a top slanted edge integrally extended from said flipping cap and a bottom slanted edge integrally extended from said retention body.

8. The container, as recited in claim 2, wherein said flipping member is positioned between said two flexible flaps to enhance said flipping cap being stably retained at said fully opened position.

9. The container, as recited in claim 5, wherein said flipping member is positioned between said two flexible flaps to enhance said flipping cap being stably retained at said fully opened position.

10. The container, as recited in claim 7, wherein said flipping member is positioned between said two flexible flaps to enhance said flipping cap being stably retained at said fully opened position.

11. The container, as recited in claim 1, wherein said retention body comprises an outer shell mounted at an outer wall of said container body and an inner shell mounted at a surrounding edge of said opening of said container body so as to substantially retain said retention body in position.

12. The container, as recited in claim 5, wherein said retention body comprises an outer shell mounted at an outer wall of said container body and an inner shell mounted at a surrounding edge of said opening of said container body so as to substantially retain said retention body in position.

13. The container, as recited in claim 10, wherein said retention body comprises an outer shell mounted at an outer wall of said container body and an inner shell mounted at a surrounding edge of said opening of said container body so as to substantially retain said retention body in position.

14. The container, as recited in claim 1, wherein said dispenser head comprises a mounting base sealed and secured at said opening of said container body, a depressible spraying head movably mounted on said mounting base, and a guiding hose extended from said depressible spraying head to said storage cavity through said opening, such that said depressible spraying head is depressed to generate a sucking effect from said storage cavity through said guiding hose.

15. The container, as recited in claim 10, wherein said dispenser head comprises a mounting base sealed and secured at said opening of said container body, a depressible spraying head movably mounted on said mounting base, and a guiding hose extended from said depressible spraying head to said storage cavity through said opening, such that said depressible spraying head is depressed to generate a sucking effect from said storage cavity through said guiding hose.

16. The container, as recited in claim 13, wherein said dispenser head comprises a mounting base sealed and secured at said opening of said container body, a depressible spraying head movably mounted on said mounting base, and a guiding hose extended from said depressible spraying head to said storage cavity through said opening, such that said depressible spraying head is depressed to generate a sucking effect from said storage cavity through said guiding hose.

17. The container, as recited in claim 1, wherein said flip-cap arrangement further contains a locking groove indently formed at said retention body and comprises a locking protrusion integrally protruded from said flipping cap to align with said locking groove, such that when said flipping cap is pivotally folded at said fully closed position, said locking protrusion is engaged with said locking groove to retain said flipping cap at said fully closed position.

18. The container, as recited in claim 10, wherein said flip-cap arrangement further contains a locking groove indently formed at said retention body and comprises a locking protrusion integrally protruded from said flipping cap to align with said locking groove, such that when said flipping cap is pivotally folded at said fully closed position, said locking protrusion is engaged with said locking groove to retain said flipping cap at said fully closed position.

19. The container, as recited in claim 16, wherein said flip-cap arrangement further contains a locking groove indently formed at said retention body and comprises a locking protrusion integrally protruded from said flipping cap to align with said locking groove, such that when said flipping cap is pivotally folded at said fully closed position, said locking protrusion is engaged with said locking groove to retain said flipping cap at said fully closed position.

20. The container, as recited in claim 17, wherein said flipping cap and said retention body are formed in an elliptical cross section that said flipping joint and said locking unit are aligned along a major axis of said flipping cap while said dispenser head is aligned at a center of said retention body.

21. The container, as recited in claim 18, wherein said flipping cap and said retention body are formed in an elliptical cross section that said flipping joint and said locking unit are aligned along a major axis of said flipping cap while said dispenser head is aligned at a center of said retention body.

22. The container, as recited in claim 19, wherein said flipping cap and said retention body are formed in an elliptical cross section that said flipping joint and said locking unit are aligned along a major axis of said flipping cap while said dispenser head is aligned at a center of said retention body.