Closure lid for open mouth containers

Abstract

A container lid for engagement within an open mouth container including upper and lower panels with the lower panel including a peripheral upwardly directed flexible flange seal, the upper panel being upwardly convex and, in cooperation with positioning posts on the lower panel, being selectively downwardly flexed toward the lower panel for an outward movement of the peripheral edge of the upper panel against the flange seal by an enhanced fulcrum action of the upper panel about a fulcrum extending upward from the lower panel in closely spaced inward relation to the flange seal.

1 . A container lid adapted to peripherally engage and seal to the interior surface of a container wall, said lid comprising a lower seal panel and an upper control panel, said lower panel having a continuous peripheral upwardly directed seal, said upper panel being upwardly convex and having a peripheral pressure edge immediately inward of and generally coextensive with said seal whereby selective outward movement of said pressure edge of said upper panel will engage and outwardly move said seal for sealing engagement with a container wall, said convex upper panel being downwardly flexible relative to said lower panel between an upper position with minimal engagement between the pressure edge and seal, and a lower flexed sealing position wherein the pressure edge is outwardly moved to effect outward movement of said seal into sealing engagement with a container wall, and means for releasably locking said upper panel in said sealing position. 
   
   
       2 . The container lid of  claim 1  wherein said seal comprises a seal flange having a lower edge joined to said lower panel and an upper edge vertically spaced above said lower edge. 
   
   
       3 . The container lid of  claim 2  wherein said lower panel includes an upwardly directed fulcrum inward of and generally paralleling said peripheral seal in closely spaced relation thereto, said upper panel overlying said fulcrum whereby downward pressure on said convex upper panel centrally thereof inward of said fulcrum will effect an upward movement of said pressure edge in conjunction with an outward movement thereof against said seal flange. 
   
   
       4 . The container lid of  claim 3  wherein said seal flange includes a laterally inwardly directed retaining lip along the upper edge thereof, said pressure edge of said upper panel engaging said seal flange below said retaining lip, said retaining lip retaining said pressure edge engagement with said seal flange. 
   
   
       5 . The container lid of  claim 4  wherein the upper panel in the upper position thereof, generally seats on the fulcrum with the seal edge positioned below and generally adjacent the seal flange retaining lip. 
   
   
       6 . The container lid of  claim 5  wherein said lower panel and flange seal are of a unitary molded construction with said flange seal being resiliently flexible, said lower panel, inward of said flange seal, being generally greater rigidity relative to said flange seal. 
   
   
       7 . The container lid of  claim 6  wherein said means for releasably locking said upper panel in said sealing position comprises post means on and extending upward from said lower panel generally centrally thereof, an aligned opening in said upper panel receiving said post means therethrough, said upper panel being vertically adjustable on said post means toward said lower panel upon downward flexing of said upper panel, and cooperating latch means on said post means and said upper panel for releasably retaining said upper panel downwardly flexed toward said lower panel. 
   
   
       8 . The container lid of  claim 7  wherein said post means extends above said upper panel and includes means for retaining said upper panel to said lower panel in the upper unflexed position of said upper panel. 
   
   
       9 . The container lid of  claim 8  wherein said post means comprises a pair of laterally spaced posts, said posts being resiliently flexible laterally from an unflexed position toward each other upon application of inwardly directed physical pressure on said posts, said posts having elastic memory and returning to their unflexed position upon release of said physical pressure. 
   
   
       10 . The container lid of  claim 9  wherein said latch means comprises a latching lug on and extending outward from each post at an intermediate position thereon, said latch means further comprising opposed locking edges defined by said upper panel opening and aligned with said posts for engagement below said latching lugs upon downward flexing of said upper panel and inward flexing of said posts to allow movement of said locking edges below said latching lugs. 
   
   
       11 . The container lid of  claim 10  wherein said means for retaining said upper panel in the unflexed position includes outwardly projecting retaining lugs on said positioning posts in upward spaced relation to said latching lugs. 
   
   
       12 . The container lid of  claim 11  including a handling knob extending upward from said upper panel and having a peripheral wall about said upper panel opening and said posts received therethrough, said peripheral wall having opposed access openings therein aligned with said locking edges of said upper panel and said posts for physical access to said posts for manipulation thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The container lid of  claim 12  wherein said knob includes a downwardly opening chamber receiving each post, each chamber having an inner wall generally paralleling the corresponding access opening for a housing of the corresponding post therebetween. 
   
   
       14 . The container lid of  claim 3  wherein said means for releasably locking said upper panel in said sealing position comprises post means on and extending upward from said lower panel generally centrally thereof, an aligned opening in said upper panel receiving said post means therethrough, said upper panel being vertically adjustable on said post means toward said lower panel upon downward flexing of said upper panel, and cooperating latch means on said post means and said upper panel for releasably retaining said upper panel downwardly flexed toward said lower panel. 
   
   
       15 . The container lid of  claim 14  wherein said post means comprises a pair of laterally spaced posts, said posts being resiliently flexible laterally from an unflexed position toward each other upon application of inwardly directed physical pressure on said posts, said posts having elastic memory and returning to their unflexed position upon release of said physical pressure. 
   
   
       16 . The container lid of  claim 15  wherein said latch means comprises a latching lug on and extending outward from each post at an intermediate position thereon, said latch means further comprising opposed locking edges defined by said upper panel opening and aligned with said posts for engagement below said latching lugs upon downward flexing of said upper panel and inward flexing of said posts to allow movement of said locking edges below said latching lugs. 
   
   
       17 . The container lid of  claim 16  including a handling knob extending upward from said upper panel with a peripheral wall about said upper panel opening and said posts received therethrough, said peripheral wall having opposed access openings therein aligned with said locking edges of said upper panel and said posts for physical access to said post for manipulation thereof, said knob including a downwardly opening chamber receiving each post, each chamber having an inner wall generally paralleling the corresponding access opening for a housing of the corresponding post therebetween. 
   
   
       18 . A container lid comprising a lower panel and an upper panel, said lower panel having a continuous peripheral upwardly directed flange seal defined about the peripheral edge thereof, said upper panel being upwardly convex and having a peripheral pressure edge immediately inward of said flange seal, an upwardly directed fulcrum on said lower panel in inwardly spaced relation to said flange seal, said upper panel overlying said fulcrum inward of said flange seal whereby downward flexing of said upper panel centrally inward of said fulcrum produces an upward and outward biasing of the pressure edge of the upper panel against said flange seal for an outward sealing movement thereof. 
   
   
       19 . The container lid of  claim 18  including means for releasably locking said upper panel in said sealing position, said means comprising post means on and extending upward from said lower panel generally centrally thereof, an aligned opening in said upper panel receiving said post means therethrough, said upper panel being vertically adjustable on said post means toward said lower panel upon downward flexing of said upper panel, and cooperating latch means on said post means and said upper panel for releasably retaining said upper panel downwardly flexed toward said lower panel. 
   
   
       20 . A container lid in accord with  claim 19  wherein said latch means comprises at least one latching lug on and extending outward from said post means at an intermediate position thereon, said latch means further comprising a locking edge defined by said upper panel opening and aligned with said post means for engagement below said latching lug upon downward flexing of said upper panel and movement of said locking edge below said latching lug, and means for retaining said upper panel on said post means upon release of said latch means including an outwardly projecting lug on said post means in upward spaced relation to said latching lug and selectively engaged by said upper panel locking edge.