A container with an improved closure arrangement restricting spillage

Abstract

A container ( 10, 20, 30 ) comprising a wall 2 having an outer side, an inner side, a closed base ( 4 ) at one end and a generally curved rim ( 5 ) at an opposite end, the container further comprising a pair of substantially arcuate crease lines ( 7, 8 ) formed in the wall of the container at opposite sides of the wall below the rim; each crease line has first and second ends ( 7 a, 7 b, 8 a, 8 b ) coinciding with the rim; each crease line and the portion of the rim between the first and second ends of the crease line define a flap ( 70, 80 ) having an outer face ( 70 a, 80 a ) and an inner face ( 70 b, 80 b ); each crease line acts as a hinge allowing each flap to toggle between an open upright position and a closed lowered position; a closure arrangement to restrict at least one flap opening ( 100 a, 100 b ) defined at or adjacent the positions where the ends of each crease line coincide with the rim of the container when the flaps are in the closed lowered position; the closure arrangement comprises a closure leaf ( 130, 230, 330 ) attached to the inner side of the container wall so as to be movable by and with a movement of the first one of the flaps at least a portion of the closure leaf extends underneath and downwardly spaced from said flap opening when the flaps are in the closed lowered position; and the closure leaf is resiliently bendable and has a portion ( 133, 233, 333 ) extending below the crease line of the first flap.

1 . A container comprising a wall having an outer side, an inner side, a closed base at one end and a generally curved rim at an opposite end, the rim defining a top opening of the container, the container further comprising:
 a pair of substantially arcuate crease lines formed in the wall of the container at opposite sides of the wall below the rim; wherein each crease line has first and second ends coinciding with the rim; wherein each crease line and the portion of the rim between the first and second ends of the crease line define a flap having an outer face and an inner face; wherein each crease line is configured to act as a hinge allowing each flap to toggle between two positions upon application of an initial external force on the flap, the two positions being an open upright position in which the flap is convex and forms part of the wall of the container, and a closed lowered position in which the flap changes its shape to concave;   wherein the container further comprises a closure arrangement operable to restrict at least one flap opening defined at or adjacent the positions where the ends of each crease line coincide with the rim of the container when the flaps are in the closed lowered position, wherein the closure arrangement comprises at least one closure leaf attached to the inner side of the container wall;   wherein the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the container wall so as to be movable by and with a movement of the first one of the flaps;   wherein at least a portion of the closure leaf extends underneath and downwardly spaced from said flap opening when the flaps are in the closed lowered position;   characterised in that the closure leaf is resiliently bendable and has a portion, hereinafter referred to as a “leg” portion, extending below the crease line of the first flap.   
     
     
         2 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure leaf is resiliently bendable upon application of an external force to the closure leaf and
 the closure leaf is capable of returning into its original unbent, i.e. relaxed, state upon withdrawal of the external force due to the inherent resilience of the material of the closure leaf.   
     
     
         3 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the container wall at a location below the crease line of the first flap. 
     
     
         4 . A container of  claim 3 , wherein the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the container wall at a location below the crease line of the first flap by the leg portion. 
     
     
         5 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure leaf is attached to the inner side of the container wall above the crease line of the first flap, i.e. to the first flap and above the leg portion. 
     
     
         6 . A container of  claim 5 , wherein the closure leaf is attached to the first flap at a location spaced from the position where the ends of the crease lines coincide with the rim at the flap opening being restricted. 
     
     
         7 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein the leg portion extends below the crease line of the first flap when the first flap is in the open upright position and when the first flap is in the closed lowered position. 
     
     
         8 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein in the open upright position of the first flap, the closure leaf, including the leg portion is relaxed. 
     
     
         9 . A container of  claim 8 , wherein in the closed lowered position of the first flap, at least a portion of the closure leaf extends underneath the first flap and across the top opening of the container and the closure leaf assumes a resiliently bent state as the leg portion becomes biased against the inner side of the container wall below the crease line of the first flap. 
     
     
         10 . A container of  claim 9 , wherein in the bent state of the closure leaf, lateral bent edges of the closure leaf abut or impinge on the inner side of the container wall at locations downwardly spaced from the positions where the ends of each crease line coincide with the rim of the container. 
     
     
         11 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure leaf is positioned upright and concentrically with the first flap when the first flap is in the open upright position. 
     
     
         12 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure leaf is superimposed on the first flap, wherein when the first flap is being closed, the closure leaf is moved down by and together with the first flap so that the closure leaf is positioned substantially across the top opening of the container when the first flap is in the closed lowered position and the closure leaf becomes resiliently bent and the leg portion becomes biased against the inner side of the container wall below the crease line of the first flap in the closed lowered position of the first flap. 
     
     
         13 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein when the flaps are in the closed lowered position, the closure leaf extends tangentially in relation to the first flap, such that a portion of the closure leaf proximal to the flap opening is spaced apart from the first flap and the portion of the closure leaf distal from the flap opening is in contact with the first flap. 
     
     
         14 . A container of  claim 10 , wherein the portion of the closure leaf which impinges against the inner side of the container wall has an edge portion shaped to conform to the inner side of the container. 
     
     
         15 . A container of  claim 1 , wherein each crease line is configured such that the open upright position in which the flap is convex and forms part of the wall of the container, and the closed lowered position in which the flap changes its shape to concave are stable positions; wherein the resilience of the flap material causes the flap to complete the toggle and prevents the flap from stopping in a position intermediate the open upright and the closed lowered positions;
 wherein the length of each crease line and the shortest distance between a point of the crease line axially most remote from the rim of the flap and the rim is selected such that when the flaps are moved to the closed lowered position, each flap assumes a slanted orientation in relation to the base of the container, wherein the rim of a first flap impinges against the inner face of the second flap and wherein the two flaps form a double slope roof across the top opening of the container and a spill-tight seal is formed between the rim of the first flap and an inner face of the second flap.   
     
     
         16 . A container of  claim 15 , wherein when the first flap is allowed to move fully into the closed lowered position, the second flap is prevented from moving fully into the closed lowered position by the rim of the first flap; wherein the rim of the first flap is prevented from being deformed by the second flap due to the resilience of the material of the container, so that the second flap remains statically forced against the rim of the first flap towards the closed lowered position due to the resilience of the container material; wherein the counteracting forces between the rim of the first flap and the inner face of the second flap are sufficient to push the respective rim and the inner face together into a positive contact, thereby forming a seal between the flaps. 
     
     
         17 . A container of  claim 3 , wherein the closure leaf is provided as an insert for removably inserting the closure leaf into the container. 
     
     
         18 . A container of  claim 17 , wherein the closure leaf has an insert portion, the insert portion being adapted to be inserted into the container and attached to the inner side of the container wall;
 wherein the insert portion is shaped to conform to the shape of the inner side of the container wall, wherein upon insertion into the container, the insert portion snugly engages the inner side of the container wall and is retained in position due to cooperation with the container wall.