Container and cap

Abstract

A container ( 100 ) comprising: a substantially circular opening ( 406 ); and a radially projecting curled lip ( 408 ) extending around the opening for securing a substantially circular cap over the opening by way of a snap-fit, wherein the radial dimension of the curled lip varies around the opening.

1 . A container comprising:
 a body;   a substantially circular opening; and   a radially projecting curled lip extending around the opening for securing a substantially circular cap over the opening by way of a snap-fit,   wherein the radial dimension of the curled lip varies around the opening for allowing regions of a perimeter of a cap to deform radially outward, while other regions of the perimeter of the cap deform radially inwards during snap-fitting.   
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the curled lip projects radially outward. 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the varying radial dimension provides the curled lip with two or more radially projecting wings. 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 3 , wherein the curled lip comprises four wings around the circumference of the opening. 
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 3 , wherein the radial dimension of the curled lip varies between a minimum dimension in the range 0 mm to 1.5 mm and a maximum dimension in the range 1.6 mm to 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 5 , wherein the radial dimension of the curled lip varies between a minimum dimension in the range 0.5 mm to 1 mm and a maximum dimension in the range 1.8 mm to 2 mm. 
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 3 , wherein the radial dimension of the curled lip varies between a minimum dimension and a maximum dimension, wherein the minimum dimension is in the range from 0% to 75% of maximum dimension. 
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 7 , wherein the minimum dimension is in the range from 20% to 55% of the maximum dimension. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the varying radial dimension of the curled lip is arranged to require a maximum force of 300 N to snap-fit a cap about the curled lip. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 9 , wherein the maximum required force is 200 N. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 9 , wherein the maximum required force is 140 N. 
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 9 , wherein the force required to snap-fit a cap about the curled lip is in the range from 100 N to 150 N. 
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the curled lip forms a continuous arc. 
     
     
         14 . A container according to  claim 13 , wherein a first section of the curled lip extends radially inwardly and a second section of the curled lip extends radially outwardly. 
     
     
         15 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein, at the maximum radially projecting wings, the second section of the curled lip continues until the curled lip extends vertically downward. 
     
     
         16 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the curled lip forms a rounded inner edge of the substantially circular opening. 
     
     
         17 . A container according to  claim 3 , wherein at the radially projecting wings, the curled lip forms a rounded outer edged of the substantially circular opening. 
     
     
         18 . A cap for snap-fitting to a substantially circular opening of a container, the cap comprising:
 a substantially cylindrical and resiliently deformable wall; and   a radially projecting lip extending around the wall for securing the cap over a curled lip extending around the opening,   wherein the radial dimension of the lip varies around the wall for allowing regions of a wall to deform radially outward, while other regions of the wall deform radially inwards during snap-fitting.   
     
     
         19 . A cap according to  claim 18 , wherein the varying radial dimension of the lip provides the lip with two or more radially projecting wings. 
     
     
         20 . A container and a cap combination comprising:
 the container comprising a body, a substantially circular opening, and a radially projecting curled lip extending around the opening,   the cap comprising a resiliently deformable wall and a radially projecting lip extending around the wall, the cap being configured to snap-fit to the substantially circular opening of the container;   wherein a radial dimension of the curled lip varies around the opening for allowing regions of a perimeter of a cap to deform radially outward, while other regions of the perimeter of the cap deform radially inwards during snap-fitting or a radial dimension of the lip varies around the wall for allowing regions of a wall to deform radially outward, while other regions of the wall deform radially inwards during snap-fitting.