Container

Abstract

A container includes a body and a lid of plastics construction. The body defines a chamber having an open mouth with a central axis, and the lid is intended to cover the open mouth. The body and lid are configured to cooperate with one another to provide snap-fitting engagement therebetween, in order to releasably attach the lid to the body. The body has an external face, and the lid includes an internal face intended to overlap at least a portion of the external face of the body when the lid is releasably attached thereto and the lid is configured for sealing engagement with the body.

1 . A container comprising: a body and a lid of plastics construction; wherein the body defines a chamber having an open mouth with a central axis, and wherein the lid is intended to cover said open mouth; wherein the body and lid are configured to cooperate with one another to provide snap-fitting engagement therebetween, in order to releasably attach the lid to the body; wherein the body has an external face, and the lid includes an internal face intended to overlap at least a portion of said external face of the body when the lid is releasably attached thereto; wherein the lid is configured for sealing engagement with the body. 
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the open mouth of the chamber has an upper lip; and wherein the lid includes an annular and resilient tongue, which defines a cantilever, and which is configured so that an underside of said cantilever is in biased sealing contact with said lip when the lid is releasably attached to the body. 
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the lid comprises a cover coupled to a circumferential side wall, wherein the cover extends across the mouth of the body and the side wall overlaps at least a portion of the external face of the body when the lid is releasably attached to the body, wherein the tongue extends in a direction away from the cover and at an acute angle to said cover, when the lid is releasably attached to the body. 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 3 , wherein the tongue is configured to extend at an angle of between 40 and 50° from the cover of the lid. 
     
     
         5 . A container according  claim 3 , wherein the tongue is provided with a first surface facing the cover, and a second surface facing the internal face of the side wall of the lid, such that the first and second surfaces are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 3 , wherein the cover and the circumferential side wall are coupled via a transition portion, and wherein the tongue is configured to extend from the transition portion. 
     
     
         7 . A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the open mouth of the chamber comprises a rim, and wherein the tongue terminates at an upper surface of said rim, when the lid is releasably attached to the body, to provide sealing engagement between the lid and the body. 
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 7 , wherein a sacrificial bead is provided on the upper surface of the rim, wherein the bead is configured to seal a foil or film to the rim of the open mouth, and wherein the bead is provided at a region on the upper surface of the rim separate from the point of contact between the tongue and the upper surface of the rim. 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein said body has a central axis, and said external face of the body defines a first formation extending in a direction radially away from the central axis, the internal face of the lid defines a second formation extending radially in the direction of the central axis, and wherein the second formation is configured for snap-fitting engagement over said first formation when the lid is applied to the body, in order to releasably attach the lid to the body. 
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 9 , wherein the first formation defines a ridge between first and second ramp surfaces on the body, and/or wherein the second formation defines a ridge between first and second ramp surfaces on the lid. 
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 10 , wherein the first ramp surface terminates distal the ridge, at the open mouth of the chamber, and wherein the diameter at the mouth of the chamber is less that the diameter of the body at the crest of the ridge such that a rim of the open mouth of the chamber is in alignment with the or a resilient tongue provided on the lid, when the lid is releasably attached to the body, to provide sealing engagement between the lid and the body. 
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 1 , the lid having a cover and a side wall coupled to the cover, the side wall configured to extend to an edge distal the cover, and the internal face of the lid being part of the side wall; wherein at least a portion of the side wall overlaps the external face of the body by a distance of between 5-20 mm from a point of snap fit engagement of the lid and body to the edge of the side wall. 
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the side wall of the lid overlaps the external face of the body by a distance of between 8 and 16 mm from the point of snap-fit engagement to the edge of the side wall. 
     
     
         14 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the extent to which the internal face of the lid overlaps the external face of the body varies around the lid to provide a first overlapping region and a second overlapping region, wherein the first overlapping region overlaps the external face of the body to a greater extent than the second overlapping region, wherein the first overlapping region defines a tab and wherein a void is provided adjacent the second overlapping region, the tab being pressable towards the or a central axis of the body in order to flex the side wall of the lid and thereby disengage the snap-fitting engagement between the lid and the body. 
     
     
         15 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the external face of the body defines one or more recesses configured to receive the tab defined by the lid, when the lid is releasably attached to the body, and/or wherein the external face of the body defines one or more projections, the or each projection configured to occupy at least a portion of the void defined by the lid. 
     
     
         16 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a tamper evident component, configured such that, when attached to the container, the component is coupled to the body and/or the lid. 
     
     
         17 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid is coupled to the body via a hinge element. 
     
     
         18 . A container according to  claim 17 , wherein the lid comprises a side wall, the internal face forming part of the side wall of the lid, wherein the side wall defines a tab or pair of tabs configured to overlap the external face of the body to a greater extent than the remainder of the side wall, wherein the hinge element is provided equidistant from the or each tab. 
     
     
         19 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the body has a base, and a groove in said external face; the lid having a top wall and a circumferential side wall; the container being such that the side wall of the lid overlaps the side wall of the body when the lid is on the body; and the lid is pressable into the groove on the body in order to cause the lid to separate from the body with a sliding action. 
     
     
         20 . A container according to  claim 19 , wherein the groove has a pair of sides, and in which the side of the groove nearest said base comprises a concave surface which engages the side wall of the lid and forces the lid away from the body as the side wall of the lid is pressed into the groove.