Locking closure device for a container

Abstract

The present invention relates to a locking closure device for use with air-tight storage containers. The locking closure device has a closure member that is removably mounted to the container to removably seal the opening of the container. A lock, operable between locked and unlocked positions, is operably mounted to both the closure member and the container. When the lock is in the locked position, it both limits an access to the opening of the container and optimizes the seal existing between the closure member and the container. The location of the lock in relation to the closure device ensures that the seal around the opening of the container is optimized when the lock is in the locked position. To ensure that an operation of the lock occurs, the lock is biased in the locked position and moves to the locked position automatically during the association between the closure member and the container. A release is used move the lock from the locked to the unlocked position.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A locking closure device for a container comprising: 
 a closure member adapted to be removably mounted to the container by rotation and defining a first stop surface that contacts a second stop surface defined by the container when the closure member is in a closed position;    a lock operably mounted to the closure member and container and having a pin enclosed by the lock, the pin being biased towards a locked position and movable to the locked position through the rotation of the closure member, the pin located in the locked position when the closure member is in the closed position and movable to an unlocked position through the use of a magnetic field; and    a release operably associated with the magnetic field to move the pin from the locked position to the unlocked position.    
     
     
         2 . The closure device of  claim 1  wherein the lock includes a housing mounted to the closure member with the pin movably mounted within the housing, the lock further including a receiver mounted to the container and having a surface defining a void for receiving a lower end of the pin when in the locked position, the receiver having at least one ramp operable with the surface for guiding the lower end of the pin to the void during the rotation of the closure member.  
     
     
         3 . The closure device of  claim 1  wherein the pin includes a ferro-magnetic material and the release includes a magnet.  
     
     
         4 . The closure device of  claim 1  wherein the pin includes a magnet and the release includes a ferro-magnetic material.  
     
     
         5 . The closure device of  claim 2  wherein the first and second stop surfaces contact one another when the pin is centered over the receiver.  
     
     
         6 . The closure device of  claim 5  further including leading and trailing thread stop surfaces located between the closure member and container that contact one another when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         7 . The closure device of  claim 1  further including a gasket located between the closure member and container, the first stop surface in contact with the gasket when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         8 . The closure device of  claim 7  further including leading and trailing thread stop surfaces located between the closure member and container that contact one another when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         9 . The closure device of  claim 1  further including a gasket located between the closure member and container, the second stop surface in contact with the gasket when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         10 . The closure device of  claim 9  further including leading and trailing thread stop surfaces located between the closure member and container that contact one another when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         11 . The closure device of  claim 1  wherein the bias of the lock towards the locked position is gravity induced.  
     
     
         12 . A locking closure device for a container comprising: 
 a closure member having a first stop surface and adapted to be removably mounted by rotation to a frame attached to the container and defining a second stop surface, the first stop surface in contact with the second stop surface when the closure member is in a closed position;    a lock operably mounted to the closure member and frame and having a pin enclosed by the lock, the pin being biased towards a locked position and movable to the locked position through the rotation of the closure member, the pin located in the locked position when the closure member is in the closed position and movable to an unlocked position through the use of a magnetic field; and    a release operably associated with the magnetic field to move the pin from the locked position to the unlocked position.    
     
     
         13 . The closure device of  claim 12  wherein the lock includes a housing mounted to the closure member with the pin movably mounted within the housing, the lock further including a receiver mounted to the frame and having a surface defining a void for receiving a lower end of the pin when in the locked position, the receiver having at least one ramp operable with the surface for guiding the lower end of the pin to the void during the rotation of the closure member.  
     
     
         14 . The closure device of  claim 12  wherein the pin includes a ferro-magnetic material and the release includes a magnet.  
     
     
         15 . The closure device of  claim 12  wherein the pin includes a magnet and the release includes a ferro-magnetic material.  
     
     
         16 . The closure device of  claim 13  wherein the first and second stop surfaces contact one another when the pin is centered over the receiver.  
     
     
         17 . The closure device of  claim 16  further including leading and trailing thread stop surfaces located between the closure member and frame that contact one another when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         18 . The closure device of  claim 12  further including a gasket located between the closure member and frame, the first stop surface in contact with the gasket when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         19 . The closure device of  claim 18  further including leading and trailing thread stop surfaces located between the closure member and frame that contact one another when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         20 . The closure device of  claim 12  further including a gasket located between the closure member and frame, the second stop surface in contact with the gasket when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         21 . The closure device of  claim 20  further including leading and trailing thread stop surfaces located between the closure member and frame that contact one another when the lock is in the locked position.  
     
     
         22 . A method for removably applying a closure device to a container comprising: 
 rotatably moving a closure member on the container in a first direction;    moving a lower end of a ferro-magnetic pin operably mounted to a housing on the closure member into the housing with a receiver mounted to the container through further rotation of the closure member in the first direction;    creating a seal between the closure member and container and moving the lower end of the pin into a void located in the receiver through further rotation of the closure member in the first direction;    moving the lower end of the pin from the void to into the housing with a magnetic field; and    rotatably moving the closure member on the container in a second direction.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the seal is created by contacting first and second stop surfaces located between the closure member and container.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the seal is created by contacting a first or second stop surface with a gasket located between the closure member and container.