Lightweight, hinged self-closing container covers and elastomer springs for use with such covers

Abstract

Lightweight, hinged self-closing container covers using elastomer springs to self-close the cover are provided. Several cover designs having gates that may be circular or non-circular and may occupy up to almost 100% of the surface of the cover are implemented using elastomeric springs placed either on a lower surface of the cover (i.e., inside the container) or on an external surface of the cover. By choosing the material properties of the elastomer, dynamics of the gate behavior may be controlled. The elastomeric springs may be formed and cured in situ or, alternately, may be precast and cured and applied to the covers with adhesive or the like when the cover is attached to the container. The gates may be implemented with a toggle action when required.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-closing cover for a container, comprising:
 a) an openable gate disposed in said container cover, said gate being surrounded by a frangible seam;   b) a panel surrounding said frangible seam;   c) an elastomer spring having a first portion affixed to said gate and a second portion affixed to said surrounding panel;   
       whereby, in response to an externally applied downward force on an outer surface of said gate, said frangible seam is ruptured thereby freeing said gate from said surrounding panel and moving at least a portion of said gate downward, and upon removal of said externally applied downward force, said elastomer spring returns said gate to its original closed position effectively resealing said container cover. 
     
     
         2 . The self-closing cover for a container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said gate has a geometric center, said geometric center being disposed in one of the locations selected from the group: coincident with a center of said container cover, and non-coincident with a center of said container cover. 
     
     
         3 . The self-closing cover for a container as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said elastomer spring is disposed on one of the locations selected from the group: on said external surface of said container cover, and on said internal surface of said container cover. 
     
     
         4 . The self-closing cover for a container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said container cover is configured to receive said externally applied, downward force proximate a central portion of said gate. 
     
     
         5 . The self-closing cover for a container as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said container cover is configured to receive said externally applied, downward force delivered by a heal of a palm of a person's hand. 
     
     
         6 . The self-closing cover for a container as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said container cover comprises an external surface disposed outside a container when said container cover is attached to that container, and an internal surface disposed inside that container when said container cover is attached to that container. 
     
     
         7 . The self-closing cover for a container as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said elastomer spring is disposed in one of the configurations selected from the group: an external top button configuration, an external chuck wall configuration, an internal configuration, and an external flush configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The self-closing cover for a container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said elastomer spring is formed and cured in one of the locations selected from the group: in situ, and external to said cover.