Packaging comprising a container associated with a lid equipped with reversible and reusable locking means

Abstract

A packaging includes a container associated with a lid equipped with reversible and reusable locking element. The container includes a metallic body having a side wall whose upper border, which delimits the upper opening of the container, is finished by an upper edge; and the lid, made out of plastic material, includes a central closing panel prolonged by a peripheral border having a U reversed section, whose the bottom is equipped with a seal, the peripheral border being suitable to cap the upper edge of the container body, during the closing of the container by the lid. The lid includes, on its periphery, at least two locking legs each connected to its peripheral border via a one piece hinge whose articulation axis extends parallel or substantially parallel to the peripheral border; each locking leg includes at least a locking part suitable to cooperate with an outer circular structure.

1 . Packaging comprising a container ( 2 ) associated with a lid ( 4 ) equipped with reversible and reusable locking means,
 characterised in that said container ( 2 ) comprises a metallic body ( 3 ), obtained particularly either by stamping or by cutting, welding and rolling operations of a metallic sheet, provided with a side wall ( 6 ) whose lower border is associated with a bottom and whose upper border ( 7 ), which delimits the upper opening ( 9 ) of said container ( 2 ), is finished by an upper edge ( 10 ),   and in that said lid ( 4 ), made out of plastic material, comprises a central closing panel ( 14 ) prolonged by a peripheral border ( 15 ) having a U reversed section, whose the bottom is equipped with a seal ( 16 ), said peripheral border ( 15 ) being suitable to cap said upper edge ( 10 ) of body container ( 3 ) during the closing of said container ( 2 ) by the lid ( 4 ), said lid ( 4 ) comprising also, on its periphery, at least two locking legs ( 5 ) each connected to said peripheral border ( 15 ) via a one piece hinge ( 18 ) whose the articulation axis extends parallel or substantially parallel to said peripheral border ( 15 ), said locking legs ( 5 ) each comprising at least a locking part ( 19 ) suitable to cooperate in a removable way with an outer structure ( 13 ,  36 ), called “complementary locking structure”, arranged at the side of the upper border ( 7 ) of said body container ( 3 ), during a swivelling operation of said locking leg ( 5 ) in a “locked” position, the corresponding cooperation involving, simultaneously, a bringing nearer between said peripheral border ( 15 ) of lid ( 4 ) and said upper edge ( 10 ) of container ( 2 ), to obtain the crushing of said seal ( 16 ).   
   
   
       2 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper face of the locking part ( 19 ) of locking leg ( 5 ) and the lower face of the complementary locking structure ( 13 ) of container ( 2 ) have complementary or substantially complementary surfaces in curved general shape, suitable to cooperate one with the other during the swivelling operation of the locking legs ( 5 ) in locked position. 
   
   
       3 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper edge ( 10 ) of the container ( 2 ) consists in a roll, projecting towards outside, the complementary locking structure of container ( 2 ) being formed by the lower part ( 13 ) of said rolled edge ( 10 ). 
   
   
       4 . Packaging according to  claim 3 , wherein the rolled edge ( 10 ) comprises, successively, from the upper border ( 7 ) of the associated side wall ( 6 ), at least the following parts:
 an upper part ( 11 ) in shape of a roll having a general U section, open towards the lower border of the associated side wall ( 6 ), suitable to be capped by the peripheral border ( 15 ) of the lid ( 4 ), and   a lower part ( 13 ) in shape of a roll whose lower surface presents a section arranged in the general shape of half-circle or half-oval, forming the complementary locking structure and suitable to cooperate with the upper face of the locking part ( 19 ) of the lid ( 4 ).   
   
   
       5 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall ( 6 ) of the body of container ( 3 ) comprises, at the side of its upper border ( 7 ), a moulding ( 35 ) projecting towards the outside and whose the lower part ( 13 ) is shaped to constitute the complementary locking structure of the container ( 2 ), suitable to cooperate with the locking part ( 19 ) of the lid ( 4 ). 
   
   
       6 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein some at least of the locking legs ( 5 ) comprise a one piece lengthening ( 20 ) forming a kind of handle facilitating, for an user, the swivelling operation of said locking legs ( 5 ). 
   
   
       7 . Packaging according to  claim 6 , wherein the one piece lengthening ( 20 ) of the locking legs ( 5 ) comprises a principal part ( 20   a ), located at the side of the locking part ( 19 ), continued by an end part ( 20   b ), by the intermediary of a one piece folding line ( 22 ), said end part ( 20   b ) comprising, on the one hand, an opening ( 28 ) shaped to allow the passage of the fingers of an user and its gripping, in particular to allow its swivelling compared to said principal part ( 20   a ), and on the other hand, a one piece extension ( 24 ) extending in direction of the peripheral border ( 15 ) of the lid ( 4 ), suitable to come resting on the outside face in opposite of the side wall ( 6 ) of the container ( 2 ) during the swivelling operation of said end part ( 20   b ), this particularly to form a kind of lever and so as to facilitate the swivelling of the locking leg ( 5 ) from its locked position up to its unlocked position. 
   
   
       8 . Packaging according to  claim 7 , wherein, before its first opening, the principal part ( 20   a ) and the extension ( 24 ) forming lever of the end part ( 20   b ) of the locking legs lengthening ( 20 ) are also bound together via connections means ( 26 ) which are degradable in an irreversible way, for example of the pre-cut line(s) type or of the junction point(s) type, suitable to be broken during the swivelling operation of said end part ( 20   b ) compared to said principal part ( 20   a ), this to constitute witness of opening or tamper evident closure. 
   
   
       9 . Packaging according to  claim 7 , wherein the one piece extension ( 24 ) comprises, at the side of its lower face, a projecting structure ( 25 ) suitable to reinforce this extension and to constitute the leaning part for the unlocking operation. 
   
   
       10 . Packaging according to  claim 7 , wherein the folding line ( 22 ) extends transversely over the width of the one piece lengthening ( 20 ) of the locking legs ( 5 ), and wherein the end part ( 20   b ) of said lengthening ( 20 ) comprises:
 the opening ( 28 ) for the passage of the fingers, arranged at the side of the free external edge ( 27 ) of said one piece lengthening ( 20 ), opposed to the articulation hinge ( 18 ) of said locking leg ( 5 ),   a transversal wall ( 33 ), arranged to form a stop aiming at limiting the possibility of introduction of the fingers into said opening ( 28 ), and   the extension ( 24 ) forming lever, extending in the space of the principal part ( 20   a ), on a portion of its length and in direction of said articulation hinge ( 18 ) of the corresponding locking leg ( 5 ).   
   
   
       11 . Packaging according to  claim 2 , wherein the upper edge ( 10 ) of the container ( 2 ) consists in a roll, projecting towards outside, the complementary locking structure of container ( 2 ) being formed by the lower part ( 13 ) of said rolled edge ( 10 ). 
   
   
       12 . Packaging according to  claim 11 , wherein the rolled edge ( 10 ) comprises, successively, from the upper border ( 7 ) of the associated side wall ( 6 ), at least the following parts:
 an upper part ( 11 ) in shape of a roll having a general U section, open towards the lower border of the associated side wall ( 6 ), suitable to be capped by the peripheral border ( 15 ) of the lid ( 4 ), and   a lower part ( 13 ) in shape of a roll whose lower surface presents a section arranged in the general shape of half-circle or half-oval, forming the complementary locking structure and suitable to cooperate with the upper face of the locking part ( 19 ) of the lid ( 4 ).   
   
   
       13 . Packaging according to  claim 2 , wherein the side wall ( 6 ) of the body of container ( 3 ) comprises, at the side of its upper border ( 7 ), a moulding ( 35 ) projecting towards the outside and whose the lower part ( 13 ) is shaped to constitute the complementary locking structure of the container ( 2 ), suitable to cooperate with the locking part ( 19 ) of the lid ( 4 ). 
   
   
       14 . Packaging according to  claim 2 , wherein some at least of the locking legs ( 5 ) comprise a one piece lengthening ( 20 ) forming a kind of handle facilitating, for an user, the swivelling operation of said locking legs ( 5 ). 
   
   
       15 . Packaging according to  claim 8 , wherein the one piece extension ( 24 ) comprises, at the side of its lower face, a projecting structure ( 25 ) suitable to reinforce this extension and to constitute the leaning part for the unlocking operation. 
   
   
       16 . Packaging according to  claim 8 , wherein the folding line ( 22 ) extends transversely over the width of the one piece lengthening ( 20 ) of the locking legs ( 5 ), and wherein the end part ( 20   b ) of said lengthening ( 20 ) comprises:
 the opening ( 28 ) for the passage of the fingers, arranged at the side of the free external edge ( 27 ) of said one piece lengthening ( 20 ), opposed to the articulation hinge ( 18 ) of said locking leg ( 5 ),   a transversal wall ( 33 ), arranged to form a stop aiming at limiting the possibility of introduction of the fingers into said opening ( 28 ), and   the extension ( 24 ) forming lever, extending in the space of the principal part ( 20   a ), on a portion of its length and in direction of said articulation hinge ( 18 ) of the corresponding locking leg ( 5 ).   
   
   
       17 . Packaging according to  claim 9 , wherein the folding line ( 22 ) extends transversely over the width of the one piece lengthening ( 20 ) of the locking legs ( 5 ), and wherein the end part ( 20   b ) of said lengthening ( 20 ) comprises:
 the opening ( 28 ) for the passage of the fingers, arranged at the side of the free external edge ( 27 ) of said one piece lengthening ( 20 ), opposed to the articulation hinge ( 18 ) of said locking leg ( 5 ),   a transversal wall ( 33 ), arranged to form a stop aiming at limiting the possibility of introduction of the fingers into said opening ( 28 ), and   the extension ( 24 ) forming lever, extending in the space of the principal part ( 20   a ), on a portion of its length and in direction of said articulation hinge ( 18 ) of the corresponding locking leg ( 5 ).