CAP FOR FOOD CONTAINERS

The present invention relates to a cover for roll sealing films.

It is known covers roll sealing films whose nesting on the pots food is not done automatically, sealed and tamper proof. This type of cover, as for example described in de 297, 12 826, causes a risk of accidental opening which can be problematic when the food contained within the pot is for infants whose food is to be kept sterile. Other prior known installations, such as those described in WO requests and Gb 03/022703 2,250 271, are made up of a lower part and an upper part connected to each other by a flexible hinge for folding of the upper portion to the lower portion. However, these facilities do not have bail for the user to wear the pot food. The cover described in the WO 03/022703 has interlocking means automatic and hermetically on a pot but it does not have integrated spoon for manipulation of the food content. The cover disclosed in GB 2,250 271 has integrated a spoon, initially attached to the cover by breakable tabs, but it cannot be, after its first use, stored in the pot without being in contact with the food in the pot, thereby again provides a sterility problem since the user is likely to have deposited seeds on, for example the handle of the spoon when it is handled. Finally, it is known lids whose shape is not adequate to provide stacked on top of one another during storage prior to the pot or to allow stacking of one jar provided with their cover on each other, and causes problems of congestion and of instability in the storage.

The aim of the invention is to propose to solve one or more of the following purposes, namely, a roll sealing films cover the opportunity to enable an automatic, sealed and tamper resistant lid to the pot, the pot easy wearing by a handle on the lid which also provide protection of the closure system, a stack of lids or pots with their lids and manipulation of the food through a spoon integrated fixable in the cover and without touching the food to avoid contamination of the food by germs.

This is achieved by a closure cover of pots food molded plastic, shaped to be adapted to the container onto which it is intended to be fitted, having an integral bottom portion, by a flexible hinge, a lid-like upper portion, to collapse upon the lower portion and having a circumferential lip and overlaps the lower part, characterized, on the one hand, in that the lower part is constituted by a ring having a groove facing the pot and defining outer and inner edges surrounding an outer rim of the pot, lip under which engage pins present on the inner face of the outer edge of the ring and self-fixturing of the underside of the lid to the pot, and, on the other hand, in that the cover comprises a spoon integrated, having, at one side of its handle, complementary means of means formed on the underside of the lid to allow attachment and holding the spoon after at least a first use, without the handle is in contact with the foodstuff contained in the pot.

According to another feature, the spoon integrated consists of a rod-like handle connected at one end thereof to a cavity in the shape of half hollow ball, and in that it is initially attached substantially horizontally, in the plane of the ring formed by the bottom, removable by narrow, breakable upon first use of the spoon and connecting the other end of the handle to the bottom of the lid, the complementary means for hooking the scoop on the underside of the lid, after at least a first use, consisting of a notch present at the latter end of the handle of the spoon and complementary in shape to a lug formed on the upper surface of the lower portion.

According to another feature, the spoon integrated consists of a rod-like handle connected at one end thereof to a cavity in the shape of half hollow ball, and in that it is initially attached substantially horizontally, in the plane of the ring formed by the bottom, removable by narrow, breakable upon first use of the spoon and connecting the other end of the handle to the bottom of the lid, the complementary means for hooking the scoop on the underside of the lid, after at least a first use, consisting of a notch present at the latter end of the handle of the spoon and complementarily shaped to a pad formed on the inner edge of the lower portion.

According to another feature, the spoon integrated consists of a rod-like handle connected at one end thereof to a cavity in the shape of half hollow ball, and in that it is initially attached substantially horizontally, in the plane of the ring formed by the bottom, removable by narrow, breakable upon first use of the spoon and connecting the other end of the handle to the bottom of the lid, the complementary means for hooking the scoop on the underside of the lid, after at least a first use, consisting of a notch present at the latter end of the handle of the spoon and complementarily shaped to a hook formed on the inner edge of the lower portion.

According to another feature, the spoon integrated consists of a rod-like handle connected at one end thereof to a cavity in the shape of half hollow ball, and in that it is initially attached substantially horizontally, in the plane of the ring formed by the bottom, removable by narrow, breakable upon first use of the spoon and connecting the other end of the handle to the bottom of the lid, the complementary means for hooking the scoop on the underside of the lid, after at least a first use, consisting of a housing formed on the inner edge of the lower portion and complementary in shape to the shape of the latter end of the handle of the spoon to be inserted into the housing.

According to another feature, the lower and upper portions of the cover of roll sealing films have, in their diametrically opposite to the hinge connecting them to each other, respectively the female part of a tamper-evident seal, constituted by two lateral tabs fixed binder the underside of the lid to a removable plate which will be broken upon first opening of the lid and the male part, being formed by a lug fitting in the female part and the outer edge of the bottom portion of the cover and which dimensions are determined to permit opening of the lid after destruction of the removable plate of the female portion of the closure system.

According to another feature, the lower part of the closure lid can store food has on its outer edge, each side of the axis formed by the flexible hinge and the closure system, two rotational axes each constituted by a short rod with a disk in its tip on engagement by securing notches in a snare, initially integral corresponding sides of the top of the cover by narrow breakable upon first use of the handle, after closing the upper portion of the cover to the lower part, engages automatically on the axes of rotation of the underside of the lid.

According to another feature, the handle is of size when it is folded down towards the tamperproof closure system, the protection system of the lid.

According to another feature, the outer surface of the top of the cover of roll sealing films has a special design with particularly on its periphery a grooving whole or partial circular diameter corresponding to the diameter of the inner edge of the lower part for the stack of lids closed upon each other or open upon each other in a staggered arrangement.

According to another feature, the outer surface of the top of the cover of roll sealing films has a circular recess of diameter corresponding to the diameter of the bottom of the pots to allow stacking of the cans with their lids on top of one another.

According to another feature, the lower portion is formed of an annular ring and in that the groove formed by the inner and outer flanges of the lower part is circular, so as to be shaped to be adapted to the container onto which it is intended to be fitted.

According to another feature, the lower portion is formed of a rectangular ring and in that the groove formed by the inner and outer flanges of the lower part is also rectangular, so as to be shaped to be adapted to the container onto which it is intended to be fitted.

According to another feature, the lower part is made of a square ring and in that the groove formed by the inner and outer flanges of the lower part is also square, so as to be shaped to be adapted to the container onto which it is intended to be fitted.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly upon reading the description hereinafter made reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• 1a and 1b drawings represent each perspective top view of the cover of roll sealing films respectively opened and closed according to the invention;
• figure 2a represents the cover of roll sealing films returned in upper view perspective;
• figure 2b represents a view with transparency of a stack thereon with two closure covers closed, the cover being fitted onto the bottom of a pot food;
• 3a and 3b drawings represent, for by transparency, the closure lid on a pot food, Figure 3b is a magnification of the framed shown in Figure 3a.

The invention will now be described in connection with the Figures 1a to 3b. The invention is a cover for roll sealing films. Such a cover consists of a lower part (the I, fig.1a and 1 b.), ring-shaped, for example circular, having a groove, having outer edges (I2, fig.2a and 2b) and internal (of I2, fig.2a and 2b) surrounding the rim (the P) of a pot, for example bent outwardly. Under said lip adapted to engage the lugs (l3, fig.2a) present for example on the inner face of the outer edge of the groove for enabling a tamper-proof attachment of the underside of the lid to the pot. The shape of the cover according to the invention can naturally be modified depending on the shape of the container onto which it is to be fitted. Thus, if the cup that the cap is provided to cover is rectangular or square cross section, it is obvious that the cover will have, respectively, also a rectangular or square shape.

This lower portion is secured by a flexible hinge (C., Figure 1a and 2a) of (e) a top lid, folding on the bottom (Figure 1a and 1b) and having a circumferential lip (S2, fig.. 2b) overlaps a portion (i4) of the bottom (fig.. 2a and 3b).

The lower portions (I-) and upper (e) cover roll sealing films have, in their diametrically opposite to the hinge (C.) linking them to each other, the female part respectively (F., fig.1a) of a tamper-evident seal, constituted by two lateral tabs fixed binder the underside of the lid to a removable plate (φ2, fig.1a) which will be broken upon first opening of the lid and the male part (the m, fig.1a), formed by a lug fitting in the female part and the outer edge of the bottom portion of the cover and which dimensions are determined to permit opening of the cover after the destruction and removal of the removable plate (f2) of the female part (F.) of the closure system.

The lower part (I-) cover roll sealing films has on its outer edge, each side of the axis formed by the flexible hinge and the closure system, two rotational axes (the R, Figure 1 has) each consisting of a short rod (R 1, Figure 3b) with a disk at the tip thereof (wherein R2, fig.. 3b) on engagement by fixing grooves (the A1, fig.. 1a and 3b) of a snare (has, Figures 1 and 3b), initially integral corresponding sides of the top of the cover by narrow (the A2, fig.. 1a and 3b). These minor tabs (a2) are frangible upon first use of the handle, so that, after closing the upper portion of the cover to the lower part, the attachment grooves (a1) of the shackle (has) bind automatically on the axes of rotation (the R) of the underside of the lid. Then, the notches (a1) attachment of the snare (has) being nested on the axes (the R) of rotation of the bottom (I-), opening the cover causes the breakdown of minor tabs (a2) connecting the bight (has) to the top (e).

The bight is sufficiently large compared to the diameter of the lower portion of the lid to allow when it is turned back towards the tamperproof closure system, the protection system of the lid (F., M., Figure 1a).

The cover roll sealing films has a spoon integrated (Qs), for example made of a rod-like handle connected at one end thereof to a cavity in the shape of half hollow ball. According to type of food contained in the pot that the cap is provided to cover, the spoon will obviously take various shapes suitable for grasping and/or dosing the food. The spoon (Qs) is initially affixed at one end of its handle on the bottom (I-) of the lid by narrow removable breakable (Q 1, Figure 2a) upon the first use of the spoon (Qs). The minor tabs removable breakable (q1) of the spoon provides support substantially horizontal of the spoon, substantially in the plane of the lower part (I-) of the cover. The handle of the spoon has on its handle, at the end opposite to that provided with the cavity, means (in Q2, Figure 2a and 3b) complementary means (I, fig.. 3b) formed on the underside of the cover (the I). These complementary means (in Q2, W) may comprise a notch (q2) formed in the end of the handle of the spoon (Qs) and complementary in shape to a lug (I) formed on the upper surface of the lower part (the I). (I) said lug has a substantially hook and enables the hooking and holding the spoon (Qs) after at least one first use, without the handle is in contact with the foodstuff contained in the pot, thereby preventing bacterial pollution of the food. (I) said lug may naturally be replaced with a hook on which the notch (q2) can be threaded or a stud on which the notch (q2) can be nested. This stud or the hook may be formed on the inner edge (i2) of the lower part (I-) and oriented inwardly of the pot to allow holding the spoon (Qs) in the pot, without its handle is in contact with the food. These complementary means (in Q2, th) may also consist in a housing formed on the inner edge (i2) of the lower part (I-), oriented towards the inside of the pot and complementary in shape to the end (q2) of the handle of the spoon to permit insertion of the end of the shaft in the housing and holding the spoon in the pot, without its handle is in contact with the foodstuff contained in the pot.

The outer surface of the upper part (e) of the cover of roll sealing films has a special design with particularly on its periphery a grooving (s2) whole or partial circular diameter corresponding to the diameter of the inner edge (i2) of the lower part for the stack of lids closed upon each other or open upon each other in a staggered arrangement. The outer surface of the top of the cover of roll sealing films also has a circular recess (at S3, Figure 2a and 2b) of diameter corresponding to the diameter of the bottom of the pots to allow stacking of the cans with their lids on top of one another.

It is understood that there is thus formed a cover roll sealing films manufactured in a single molding operation with its scoop and its bail. The cover has the benefit of allowing automatic interlocking, sealed and tamper resistant lid to the pot, the pot easy wearing by a handle on the lid which also provide protection of the closure system. During the manufacturing process between factory plastic molding and plant food packaging, the specific shape of the lid allows easy stack lids, either closed upon each other either open and staggered, the lower part of one below the top of another cover. The specific shape of the upper surface of the cover also permits a stack easy pots filled with their lids. The spoon integrated (Qs) permits manipulation of the food and can be fixed in the cover after a first use, this non-contact of the handle with the food to avoid contamination of the food by germs carried by the user.

It should be obvious to the persons skilled in the art that the present invention allows embodiments in many other specific forms without away from the field of application of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to be considered illustrative, but may be modified within the domain defined by the scope of the attached claims, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given above.