Closure assembly and method for opening
AssigneeCurrier Plastics, Inc.
InventorsGary John Kieffer, Steven Michael Faes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Presented is a closure assembly and a method for opening. The closure assembly includes a body, the body defining an opening and a body locking portion, and a lid, the lid moveably affixed to the body and comprising a lid locking portion, the lid locking portion configured to engage the body locking portion to releasably lock the lid in the closed position. The closure assembly also includes a hinge, the hinge being affixed to the lid and the body, the hinge configured to move the lid from a closed position occluding the opening of the body to an open position permitting passage through the opening, the hinge further configured to urge the lid into the open position, and at least one spring member.
Claims18
A closure assembly comprising:
- a body, the body defining an opening and a body locking portion;
- a lid, the lid moveably affixed to the body and comprising a lid locking portion, the lid locking portion configured to engage the body locking portion to releasably lock the lid in the closed position;
- a hinge, the hinge being affixed to the lid and the body, the hinge configured to move the lid from a closed position occluding the opening of the body to an open position permitting passage through the opening, the hinge further configured to urge the lid into the open position;
- and
- at least one spring member, the at least one spring member located such that the at least one spring member is in a compressed state between the lid and the body when the lid is in the closed position and is in a less compressed state when the lid is in the open position, the compressed state of the at least one spring member urging the lid into the open position, wherein the hinge is further configured to substantially urge the lid into the open position when the lid is between 60° to 120° relative to the closed position.
A method of opening, the method comprising:
- providing a closure assembly, the closure assembly having a body, the body defining an opening and a body locking portion, a lid, the lid moveably affixed to the body and comprising a lid locking portion, the lid locking portion configured to engage the body locking portion to releasably lock the lid in the closed position, a hinge, the hinge being affixed to the lid and the body, the hinge configured to move the lid from a closed position occluding the opening of the body to an open position permitting passage through the opening, the hinge further configured to urge the lid into the open position, and at least one spring member, the at least one spring member located such that the at least one spring member is in a compressed state between the lid and the body when the lid is in the closed position and is in a less compressed state when the lid is in the open position, the compressed state of the at least one spring member urging the lid into the open position;
- and
- opening the lid of the container, wherein the lid is urged to the open position by the hinge and the at least one spring member, wherein the at least one spring member is configured to substantially urge the lid into the open position when the lid is between 0° to 60° relative to the closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.