Container

Abstract

A sealing element ( 2 ) for a container ( 1 ), the container including a sealing element and to a method of forming a container including a sealing element. A container comprises a main body and a lid, the main body of the container including a side wall having a top edge defining an opening of the container 81 ), and a sealing element for the container comprises a mounting portion ( 40 ) comprising an annular member for engaging with the top edge of the side wall; engagement means configured for repeated sealing engagement with said lid of the container; and a securing portion ( 42 ) configured to secure the sealing element to the side wall, the securing portion being hingedly connected to the mounting portion and moveable between a first position in which the mounting portion ( 40 ) can be engaged and disengaged from said top edge, and a second position in which the securing portion ( 42 ) prevents the mounting portion from being disengaged from said top edge.

1 . A sealing element for a container, the container comprising a main body and a lid, the main body of the container including a side wall having a top edge defining an opening of the container, and the sealing element comprising:
 a mounting portion comprising an annular member for engaging with the top edge of the side wall;   engagement means configured for repeated sealing engagement with said lid of the container; and   a securing portion configured to secure the sealing element to the side wall, the securing portion being hingedly connected to the mounting portion and moveable between a first position in which the mounting portion can be engaged and disengaged from said top edge, and a second position in which the securing portion prevents the mounting portion from being disengaged from said top edge.   
     
     
         2 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising retaining means configured to retain the securing portion in the second position. 
     
     
         3 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the retaining means comprises a strap. 
     
     
         4 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the annular member comprises a wall portion that, in use, extends down over an interior surface of the side wall of the container. 
     
     
         5 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in use, when the securing portion is in the second position, the securing portion extends down over an exterior surface of the side wall of the container. 
     
     
         6 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container includes a downwardly facing abutment shoulder or edge on an external side of the side wall proximate the top edge, and the securing portion of the sealing element comprises a detent configured to engage with said shoulder or edge when the securing portion is in the second position, thereby preventing the mounting portion from being disengaged from said top edge. 
     
     
         7 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the securing portion comprises a plurality of tabs, each tab being hingedly connected to the annular member. 
     
     
         8 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the sealing element comprises means configured to retain the securing portion in the second position and each of the tabs includes a channel for receiving a part of said retaining means. 
     
     
         9 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the tabs are spaced around and extend from a periphery of the annular member. 
     
     
         10 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion, engagement portion and securing portion are parts of a unitary piece. 
     
     
         11 . A sealing element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion comprises attachment means for attaching a handle to the sealing element. 
     
     
         12 . A container comprising:
 a shell comprising a base and a side wall, the side wall having a top edge defining an opening of the container;   a lid for covering and sealing the opening of the shell; and   a sealing element secured around the top edge of the side wall of the shell, the sealing element comprising:
 a mounting portion comprising an annular member for engaging with the top edge of the side wall; 
 engagement means configured for repeated sealing engagement with said lid of the container; and 
 a securing portion configured to secure the sealing element to the side wall, the securing portion being hingedly connected to the mounting portion and moveable between a first position in which the mounting portion can be engaged and disengaged from said top edge, and a second position in which the securing portion prevents the mounting portion from being disengaged from said top edge. 
   
     
     
         13 . A container as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the shell of the container is made of a paperboard material. 
     
     
         14 . A container as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the container further comprises a lining covering internal surfaces of said shell. 
     
     
         15 . A container as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the lining is made of a thin film plastics material, the shell is made of a paperboard material and the sealing element is made of a relatively rigid plastics material. 
     
     
         16 . A container as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the annular member comprises a wall portion that, in use, extends down over an interior surface of the side wall of the shell and the lining is bonded to the wall portion. 
     
     
         17 . A method of constructing a container, the container comprising:
 a shell comprising a base and a side wall, the side wall having a top edge defining an opening of the container; and   a sealing element comprising a mounting portion comprising an annular member for engaging with the top edge of the side wall, engagement means configured for repeated sealing engagement with a lid of the container, and a securing portion configured to secure the sealing element to the side wall, the securing portion being hingedly connected to the mounting portion and moveable between a first position in which the mounting portion can be engaged and disengaged from said top edge, and a second position in which the securing portion prevents the mounting portion from being disengaged from said top edge, and   the method comprising the steps of:   with the securing portion in the first position, seating the mounting portion of the sealing element on the top edge of the side wall; and   moving the securing portion into the second position to secure the sealing element to the side wall.   
     
     
         18 . A method of constructing a container as claimed in  claim 17 , in which the mounting portion of the sealing element comprises a wall portion and the container further comprises a lining covering interior surfaces of said shell, and wherein the method comprises:
 seating the mounting portion such that the wall portion extends down over an interior surface of the side wall and an upper region of said lining is located between the side wall and the wall portion of the sealing element; and   bonding the wall portion of the sealing element to said lining.   
     
     
         19 . A method of constructing a container as claimed in  claim 17 , in which the securing portion comprises a plurality of tabs hingedly connected to the mounting portion, and wherein the method comprises moving each of said tabs from the first position to the second position once the mounting portion has been engaged with the top edge of the shell. 
     
     
         20 . A method of constructing a container as claimed in  claim 17 , in which the container further comprises retaining means, and wherein the method comprises affixing the retaining means to the sealing element to retain the securing portion in the second position to prevent the sealing element being disengaged from the top edge of the side wall. 
     
     
         21 . A method of constructing a container as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the retaining means comprises a strap and the securing portion comprises a channel for receiving said strap, and wherein the method comprises placing the strap in the channel and adjusting the strap such that the strap applies a force to the securing portion to retain the securing portion in the second position.