Container Assembly

Abstract

A container assembly comprising a container ( 2 ) and a cover ( 4 ), wherein the container has a peripheral wall defining a rim ( 8 ) enclosing an opening at one end thereof, and wherein the cover is provided for releasably closing the opening, the assembly being provided with at least one locking member ( 12 ) that is hingeable between an unlocked position and a locked position, the at least one locking member having a locking member engagement feature which engages with a corresponding engagement feature ( 20 ) on the cover and/or the container in the locked position to lock the cover to the container, in which the locking member passes over the rim of the container and/or a rim of the cover as the locking member hinges between the unlocked and locked positions such that the locking member locks onto the container rim.

1 . A container assembly comprising a container and a cover, wherein the container has a peripheral wall defining a rim enclosing an opening at one end thereof, and wherein the cover is provided for releasably closing the opening, the assembly being provided with at least one locking member that is hingeable between an unlocked position and a locked position, the at least one locking member having a locking member engagement feature which engages with a corresponding engagement feature on the assembly in the locked position to lock the cover to the container, in which the locking member passes over the rim of the container or a rim of the cover as the locking member hinges between the unlocked and locked positions such that the locking member locks onto the container rim. 
   
   
       2 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the locking member hinges upwardly from the unlocked to the locked position. 
   
   
       3 . A container assembly according to  claim 2  wherein the cover has a closing surface for closing the opening and the or each locking member hinges onto the closing surface of the cover. 
   
   
       4 . A container assembly according to  claim 3  in which the at least one locking member hinges so as to dispose their free ends within the area defined by the rim. 
   
   
       5 . A container assembly according to  claim 4  in which the free ends of the at least one locking member lie substantially flush with the upper or outer surface of the cover, or at least disposed below the level of the rim or inside the outer surface of the cover. 
   
   
       6 . A container assembly comprising a container and a cover, wherein the container has a peripheral wall defining a rim enclosing an opening at one end thereof, and wherein the cover is provided for releasably closing the opening, the assembly being provided with at least one locking member that is hingeable between an unlocked position and a locked position, the at least one locking member having a locking member engagement feature which engages with a corresponding engagement feature on the cover the container, or both of the assembly in the locked position to lock the cover to the container, in which the locking member hinges upwardly from the unlocked to the locked position. 
   
   
       7 . A container assembly according to any one of  claim 2  in which the cover has a closing surface for closing the opening of the container, and a skirt depending from the closing surface, the at least one locking member being hingeably connected to the skirt, preferably the or each locking member is integrally formed with the skirt, more preferably the or each locking member is integrally formed with the skirt by a live hinge. 
   
   
       8 . A container assembly according to  claim 7  in which the at least one locking member is hinged to the skirt at a lower free edge of the skirt. 
   
   
       9 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the at least one locking member is hingeably connected to the container. 
   
   
       10 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the locking member is hingeably connected to the cover at a position which is radially inward of the rim. 
   
   
       11 . A container assembly according to  claim 10  in which the at least one locking member is integrally formed with the cover. 
   
   
       12 . A container assembly according to  claim 10  in which the at least one locking member hinges downwardly from the unlocked to the locked position. 
   
   
       13 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the locking member locks onto the container rim directly by engaging with the container rim. 
   
   
       14 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the cover includes a sealing surface which engages with an inside surface of the peripheral wall of the container to form a seal therebetween. 
   
   
       15 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the at least one locking member is arranged to snap-fit onto the assembly cover or the container. 
   
   
       16 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the at least one locking member is arranged to snap-fit over a rim of the container or over a rim of the cover. 
   
   
       17 . A container assembly according to  claim 7  in which a window is formed in a or the skirt at the peripheral location of the at least one locking member whereby the at least one locking member fits into the window in the locked position. 
   
   
       18 . A container assembly according to  claim 17  in which the locking member fits into the window such that it lies substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the skirt in the locked position. 
   
   
       19 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the at least one locking member includes an engagement feature which engages over a rim of the cover and/or the rim of the container in the locked position. 
   
   
       20 . A container assembly according to  claim 19  in which the rim of the cover is arranged to lie within the peripheral wall of the container adjacent the rim of the container. 
   
   
       21 . A container assembly according to  claim 20  in which the thickness of the rim of the cover is locally increased in the region of the or each locking member. 
   
   
       22 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  comprising two or more of said locking members. 
   
   
       23 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the container and the cover are of generally circular configuration. 
   
   
       24 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the surface of the cover for closing the opening of the container comprises a channel that is arranged to receive the rim of the container. 
   
   
       25 . A container assembly according to  claim 24  in which the or each locking member lies substantially flush with the outer surface of the channel when in the locked position. 
   
   
       26 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the locking member includes an aperture, and an edge of the aperture defines the engagement feature at least one of the or each locking member. 
   
   
       27 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the at least one locking member is provided with at least one locking member engagement feature, and the cover is provided with at least one corresponding cover engagement feature, such that the corresponding at least one engagement features engage with each other when the locking member is in the locked position. 
   
   
       28 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the at least one locking member is provided with an engagement feature at a position radially inward of the rim, for engagement with an inside surface of the container peripheral wall, or an inside surface of a rim of the cover in the locked position. 
   
   
       29 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the cover has a closing surface for closing the opening and the surface of the cover for closing the container lies substantially flush with the top of the at least one locking member when in the locked position. 
   
   
       30 . A container assembly according to  claim 7  in which the at least one engagement feature of the container is provided on the peripheral wall of the container in the form of an outwardly directed projection extending at least partially around the outer surface of the peripheral wall adjacent the opening, and the corresponding engagement feature on the at least one locking member is an inwardly directed projection provided on the skirt for cooperating with the outwardly directed projection of the container, the projections engaging with each other in the locked position. 
   
   
       31 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the cover, the container, or both is plastic. 
   
   
       32 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the container is a paint container. 
   
   
       33 . A container assembly according to  claim 1  in which the engagement features comprise inwardly or outwardly directed projections. 
   
   
       34 . Closure arrangement for a container, wherein the container has a peripheral wall defining a rim enclosing an opening at one end thereof, the peripheral wall having at least one outwardly-directed projection extending at least partially around the outer surface of the wall adjacent the opening, and wherein a cover is provided for releasably closing the opening, the cover having a surface for closing the opening of the container and a skirt depending therefrom to enclose the projection of the container, the skirt being provided with at least one hinged locking member that has (a) an inwardly-directed projection for co-operating with the outwardly-directed projection of the container, and (b) a lip for passing over the rim of the container at the opening thereof and engaging onto the cover, thereby to lock the cover to the container, with the respective inwardly- and outwardly-directed projections engaging with each other. 
   
   
       35 . A container assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   
   
       36 . A closure arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   
   
       37 . A container assembly according to  claim 3  in which the at least one locking member hinges so as to dispose their free ends within the area defined by the rim. 
   
   
       38 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  in which the cover has a closing surface for closing the opening of the container, and a skirt depending from the closing surface, the at least one locking member being hingeably connected to the skirt. 
   
   
       39 . A container assembly according to  claim 38  wherein each locking member is selected from locking members that are integrally formed with the skirt, or locking members integrally formed with the skirt by a live hinge. 
   
   
       40 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  in which the at least one locking member is hingeably connected to the container. 
   
   
       41 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  in which the locking member is hingeably connected to the cover at a position which is radially inward of the rim. 
   
   
       42 . A container assembly according to  claim 41  in which the at least one locking member is integrally formed with the or each locking member integrally formed with the cover by a live hinge. 
   
   
       43 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  in which the locking member locks onto the container rim directly by engaging with the container rim. 
   
   
       44 . A container assembly according  claim 6  in which the cover includes a sealing surface which engages with an inside surface of the peripheral wall of the container to form a seal therebetween. 
   
   
       45 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  in which the at least one locking member is arranged to snap-fit onto the assembly cover or the container or both. 
   
   
       46 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  in which the at least one locking member includes an engagement feature which engages over a rim of the cover, the rim of the container or both in the locked position. 
   
   
       47 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  comprising three of said locking members. 
   
   
       48 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  in which the surface of the cover for closing the opening of the container comprises a channel that is arranged to receive the rim of the container. 
   
   
       49 . A container assembly according to  claim 6  in which the cover, the container, or both is plastic comprised of molded plastic or injection molded plastic.