Leak tight dispensing pot for a solid or paste product

Abstract

The pot comprises a body in which a cavity is formed with an upper opening and a lid, the lid and the body being fixed by a hinge. This pot is characterized in that: a) it comprises a closing means that can be activated by manual pressure, the closing means comprising an upper closing element fixed to the lid cooperating with a lower closing element fixed to the body, b) the lid comprises a seal, made of a material with elastic resilience, and c) the upper opening is surrounded by an upper rim that will cooperate with the seal when the pot is closed, such that the seal is compressed in a leak tight manner between the upper rim and the lid when the pot is closed.

1 . A pot for a paste or solid product comprising:
 a body having a cavity with an upper opening,   a lid for closing the upper opening, and   a hinge for connecting the lid and the body, the hinge formed by cooperation of a first hinge element fixed to the body and a second hinge element fixed to the lid,   the pot characterized in that:   a) the pot comprises a closing assembly activated by manual pressure, the closing assembly comprising an upper closing element fixed to the lid in cooperating engagement with a lower closing element fixed to the body for locking the lid with respect to the body,   b) the lid comprises a seal made of a material with elastic resilience, the seal cooperating with the upper opening when the pot is closed,   c) the upper opening is surrounded by an upper rim that cooperates with the seal when the pot is closed, the seal being compressed between the upper rim and the lid when the pot is closed.   
   
   
       2 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which the body comprises a central liner fixed to a lower frame, the lower frame surrounding the central liner and forming a support for the central liner. 
   
   
       3 . Pot according to  claim 2  in which the central liner comprises the upper rim at its upper end. 
   
   
       4 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which the upper rim is an axial rim with a width less than about 5 mm and height H R  equal to or greater than the thickness E J  of the seal in an uncompressed state facing the axial rim. 
   
   
       5 . Pot according to  claim 4  in which the axial rim is a rounded rim with curvature R R  between about 1 mm to about 5 mm. 
   
   
       6 . Pot according to  claim 2  in which the central liner is distinct from the lower frame, the body comprising an axial assembly obtained by axial snap fitting of the central liner in the lower frame. 
   
   
       7 . Pot according to  claim 2  in which the central liner and the lower frame form a single part. 
   
   
       8 . Pot according to  claim 2  in which the first hinge element of the body is fixed to the lower frame. 
   
   
       9 . Pot according to  claim 2  in which the lower frame comprises a lower skirt forming a generally vertical axial projection and a generally horizontal part fixing the lower skirt to the central liner through the upper rim. 
   
   
       10 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which the upper closing element comprises at least one upper attachment means activated by a push-button with elastic resilience, and in which the lower closing element comprises at least one lower attachment means, application of a manual pressure on the push-button making the push-button move along a travel distance, the upper attachment means being displaced with respect to the lower attachment means to unlock the lid from the body. 
   
   
       11 . Pot according to  claim 10  in which the lower attachment means is a hook fixed to the central liner and generally the upper rim. 
   
   
       12 . Pot according to  claim 10  in which the push-button is an axial push-button, and the upper attachment means being displaced an axial travel distance, the lid comprising an axial recess through which the axial push-button passes. 
   
   
       13 . Pot according to  claim 12  in which the axial recess is a central recess, the lid and the central recess generally having the same center or axis of symmetry. 
   
   
       14 . Pot according to  claim 10  in which, in the absence of the manual pressure, the push-button and the lid are continuous on the surface, the push-button and the lid having external surfaces continuous with a common tangent. 
   
   
       15 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which the lid comprises an outer shell comprising the axial recess or the central recess, the outer shell being fixed to the second fixed hinge element or forming a single-piece molded part with the second hinge element. 
   
   
       16 . Pot according to  claim 15  in which the outer shell comprises an upper skirt and an arch, the upper skirt and the arch joining each other at a fillet angle of about 90°. 
   
   
       17 . Pot according to  claim 16  in which at least a part of the upper skirt of the outer shell is an axial or straight upper skirt and the lower skirt of the frame is an axial or straight lower skirt, the outer surfaces of the upper skirt and lower skirt aligned with each other. 
   
   
       18 . Pot according to  claim 17  in which the lid comprises an inner plate having a central part forming a support for the seal, the seal insertable into the central part, and a peripheral part fixed to the outer shell. 
   
   
       19 . Pot according to  claim 18  in which the central part of the inner plate and the arch of the shell are spaced axially a distance greater than or equal to the axial travel distance of the push-button to enable axial displacement of the push-button. 
   
   
       20 . Pot according to  claim 19  in which the peripheral part of the inner plate comprises an axial border providing the axial spacing. 
   
   
       21 . Pot according to  claim 18  in which the central part and the peripheral part of the inner plate are connected to each other through an intermediate part in the form of an inverted “U” with axial elasticity, the central part having axial mobility with respect to the peripheral part, the lid applying an approximately uniform axial pressure on the part of the seal in contact with the upper rim when the pot is closed. 
   
   
       22 . Pot according to  claim 18  in which the upper attachment means is supported by a connecting part cooperating with the push-button, the travel distance of the push-button displacing the upper attachment means to unlock the lid. 
   
   
       23 . Pot according to  claim 22  in which the push-button includes an axial projection provided with a beveled lower plane, and the connecting part includes a horizontal projection provided with a beveled plane at its central end, the beveled planes cooperating with one another, the axial travel distance of the push-button radially or transversely displacing the connecting part and the upper attachment means. 
   
   
       24 . Pot according to  claim 10  in which the push-button comprises two lateral bending arms to form an elastic resilient means for the push-button when the manual pressure or the axial pressure is not applied. 
   
   
       25 . Pot according to  claim 22  in which the connecting part includes two front bending arms to form an elastic resilient means for the connecting part. 
   
   
       26 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which the seal is a plane seal closing off the upper opening when the pot is closed. 
   
   
       27 . Pot according to  claim 26  in which the plane seal forms or comprises a layer of a material forming a barrier to gases or aromas. 
   
   
       28 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which at least the body forms or comprises a layer of a material forming a barrier to gases or aromas. 
   
   
       29 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which the hinge comprises an automatic opening or pre-opening means, the automatic opening or pre-opening means comprising a spring to rotate the lid when the closing means has been activated manually. 
   
   
       30 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which the capacity of the body or the central liner is between about 15 cm 3  to about 200 cm 3 . 
   
   
       31 . Pot according to  claim 1  in which the body and the lid have the same cross-sectional shape. 
   
   
       32 . Pot according to  claim 1  having a height H between about 15 mm to about 60 mm.