Box with snap-on closure

Abstract

A closure system with a three-dimensional structure with an opening and a lid for plugging onto the three-dimensional structure in order to close the opening. The lid is bistably deformable between a first state, in which its end wall is curved in the plug-in direction, and a second state, in which the end wall is curved against the plug-in direction. An annular edge section of the lid has a greater outer circumference in the first bistable state than in the second bistable state and forms a clamping fixture of the lid to a wall region of the opening when the edge section is pressed inwards in the first state or outwards against the wall region in the second state. The three-dimensional structure transfers a force from the outside at specified locations that to a snapping process of the lid from one to the other bistable state.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A closure system, comprising:
 a three-dimensional structure having an opening to be closed; and   a cover for attachment onto said three-dimensional structure to close said opening, said cover comprising:   a top wall that is deformable in a bistable manner between a first bistable state which is cambered in a direction of attachment and a second bistable state which is cambered opposite to the direction of attachment; and   an annular edge portion having an outer circumference that is greater in the first bistable state than in the second bistable state and being configured to effect a clamping attachment of said cover to a wall region of said opening by pressing said edge portion in the first state from inside or in said second state from outside against said wall region; and   said three-dimensional structure being configured to transfer a force exerted on the closure system from outside at at least one predefined location to cause said cover to snap from one of the two bistable states to another of the two bistable states.   
     
     
         22 . The closure system according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 in a closed state of the closure system, the edge portion of said cover presses in the first state at a contact point from inside against said wall region; and   said three-dimensional structure, at least at the at least one predefined location, is formed of a material which is so flexible that a force acting transversely to the direction of attachment on said wall region of said opening from at least one outer side or from two opposite outer sides causes said cover to snap from the first bistable state to the second bistable state.   
     
     
         23 . The closure system according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 said wall region has at least one narrowing point at which a size of said opening decreases; and   the size of said cover is dimensioned such that, in the open state of the closure system, said cover fits into said opening only up to the narrowing point thereof and rests with the edge portion against the narrowing point.   
     
     
         24 . The closure system according to  claim 23  wherein, in order to open the closure system:
 a force acting transversely to the direction of attachment from two opposite outer sides acts on the wall region of said opening at a pressure point which is spaced from a narrowing point in the direction opposite to the direction of attachment; and 
 the force acts via a lever arm formed by a distance between the pressure point and the contact point on the edge portion abutting at the narrowing point and causes said cover to snap from the first bistable state into the second bistable state. 
 
     
     
         25 . The closure system according to  claim 23 , wherein the wall region is formed with a groove, which is spaced from the narrowing point in the direction opposite to the direction of attachment and which is configured to engage with a clamping element of the edge portion of said cover. 
     
     
         26 . The closure system according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 an extension in the direction of attachment is attached to or integrally formed with the edge portion and extends, in the closed state of the cover in the direction of attachment, at least up to the predefined location of the three-dimensional structure, and transfers a force acting from two opposite outer sides of the wall region to the top wall in such a manner that the top wall snaps from the first bistable state to the second bistable state; and   the wall region has a penetration at the predefined location with a sliding element which extends transversely to the direction of attachment and is movable transversely to the direction of attachment on account of the force acting from the at least one opposite outer side of the wall region so that it is being pressed against the extension in order to open the cover.   
     
     
         27 . The closure system according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 in a closed state of the closure system, the edge portion of the cover presses in the second state at a contact point from outside against the wall region; and   the wall region at an outermost end portion thereof, when seen opposite to the direction of attachment, is shaped such that a snap-over of said cover from the first bistable state to the second bistable state and thus a closing of the closure system cannot only be effected by a force acting transversely to the direction of attachment from two opposite sides on the edge portion of the cover but also by a force acting in the direction of attachment on a predefined location of the top wall.   
     
     
         28 . The closure system according to  claim 27 , wherein:
 the outermost end portion of said opening wall is shaped such that, in the open state of the closure system, the top wall of the cover contacts the opening wall at a contact point which is closer to the center of the opening than the transition region between the top wall and the edge portion; and   a force acting on the region of the top wall of said cover in the direction of attachment at a pressure point acts on the edge portion via a lever arm formed between the pressure point and the contact point and causes said cover to snap over from the first bistable state to the second bistable state.   
     
     
         29 . The closure system according to  claim 28 , wherein the outermost end portion of the opening wall has a shape which tapers transversely to the direction of attachment. 
     
     
         30 . The closure system according to  claim 28 , wherein the opening narrows at the outermost end portion of the opening wall. 
     
     
         31 . The closure system according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 an extension extending substantially in the direction of attachment mounted or integrally formed at the edge portion and extending the lever arm of the force, said force acting transversely to the direction of attachment from at least one and preferably from two opposite outer sides on the edge portion for closing the closure system; and/or   an extension extending substantially transversely to the direction of attachment attached or integrally formed at the top wall and extending the lever arm of the force, said force acting in the direction of attachment on the predefined location for closing the closure system.   
     
     
         32 . The closure system according to  claim 21 , wherein said three-dimensional structure is a container. 
     
     
         33 . The closure system according to  claim 21 , wherein the edge portion of said cover comprises at least one expansion portion formed of a second material component which is softer than a harder first material component forming a remaining edge portion and allowing a widening of the outer periphery of the edge portion in the first bistable state relative to the second bistable state. 
     
     
         34 . The closure system according to  claim 33 , wherein said cover is integrally made of plastics by a multi-component injection molding process. 
     
     
         35 . The closure system according to  claim 33 , wherein the edge portion of said cover comprises a plurality of expansion portions of the softer second material component which, starting from a transition region between the edge portion and the top wall, alternate equidistantly with intermediate portions of the harder first material component of the remaining edge portion. 
     
     
         36 . The closure system according to  claim 21 , wherein the top wall merges into the edge portion with a constant angle that remains the same in the first bistable state and in the second bistable state. 
     
     
         37 . The closure system according to  claim 21 , wherein a material thickness at a transition from the top wall to the edge portion is at least in partial regions greater than in a remaining region of said cover. 
     
     
         38 . The closure system according to  claim 21 , wherein said cover, at a transition from the top wall to the edge portion, is formed, at least in partial regions thereof, from a material component that is harder than a material component forming a remaining said top wall and an entire said cover has a substantially uniform material thickness. 
     
     
         39 . The closure system according to  claim 33 , wherein the edge portion in and outside the region with the expansion portion has a central portion extending axially in the direction of attachment or opposite thereto, and a lip portion adjacent to the central portion and extending radially inwards and/or outwards. 
     
     
         40 . The closure system according to  claim 33 , further comprising a latching ring integrally formed at an end region of the edge portion or the lip portion, said latching ring being formed of a material which is softer or more elastic than the first material component.