US20130240532A1

US20130240532A1 - Sealing cover

Info

Publication number: US20130240532A1
Application number: US13/422,117
Authority: US
Inventors: Fu-Shan Lu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-03-16
Filing date: 2012-03-16
Publication date: 2013-09-19

Abstract

A sealing cover includes a base, a lower lid, and a soft, deformable gasket mounted between outer peripheries of the base and the lower lid. An upper lid includes a positioning hole having an inner periphery with higher and lower positioning grooves, with a lower positioning groove located between two adjacent higher positioning grooves. A positioning ring includes upper and lower positioning protrusions. The upper lid can be pressed and moved downward relative to the lower lid, so that the pressing member presses against the upper positioning protrusions of the positioning ring, causing rotational movement of the positioning ring through an angle and changing the spacing between the base and the lid. When the upper lid is released, the upper positioning protrusions are engaged in higher positioning grooves or the lower positioning grooves so that the sealing cover is in a sealing state or an unsealing state.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sealing cover and, more particularly, to a sealing cover with enhanced sealing effect while allowing easy operation.
A conventional sealing box generally includes a sealing cover having a soft annular gasket pressing against an inner periphery of the box body to provide the desired sealing effect. However, the user must apply larger force to the sealing cover for closing the box body with, which results in difficulties in removal of the sealing cover from the box body. The sealing effect is adversely affected if the tightness between the annular gasket and the inner periphery of the box body is reduced to permit easy removal of the sealing cover.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a sealing cover that can be pressed to seal or unseal a box body, providing operational convenience.
The sealing cover includes a sealing unit and a control unit. The sealing unit includes a base, a gasket, and a lower lid. Each of the base and the lower lid includes an engagement edge. The lower lid is mounted on top of the base. The lower lid is movable relative to the base in a vertical direction to change a spacing between the engagement edge of the base and the engagement edge of the lower lid. The gasket is made of a soft and deformable material and mounted between the engagement edges of the base and the lower lid. The control unit includes a seat, a pressing member, an upper lid, and a positioning ring. The seat is fixed to the base. The seat includes a plurality of annularly spaced upper abutment protrusions and a plurality of annularly spaced lower abutment protrusions. An upper groove is defined between two adjacent upper abutment protrusions. A lower groove is defined between two adjacent lower abutment protrusions. The pressing member is mounted on the seat and movable in the vertical direction. The pressing member includes an upper end having a plurality of teeth. The upper lid is mounted on top of the lower lid and includes a positioning hole. The positioning hole includes an inner periphery having a plurality of annularly spaced higher positioning grooves and a plurality of annularly spaced lower positioning grooves. Each of the plurality of lower positioning grooves is located between two adjacent higher positioning grooves. The positioning ring is mounted in the positioning hole of the upper lid. The positioning ring includes a lower end having a plurality of lower positioning protrusions corresponding to the plurality of upper abutment protrusions and the plurality of lower abutment protrusions. The positioning ring includes an upper end having a plurality of upper positioning protrusions corresponding to the plurality of higher positioning grooves and the plurality of lower positioning grooves.
When the upper lid is pressed and moved downward relative to the lower lid, the plurality of teeth of the pressing member presses against the plurality of upper positioning protrusions of the positioning ring, causing rotational movement of the positioning ring through an angle. The spacing between the abutment edges of the base and the lid is changed.
When the upper lid is released, the upper lid is moved upward by resilience of the gasket, moving the plurality of upper positioning protrusions of the positioning ring into the plurality of higher positioning grooves or the plurality of lower positioning grooves. The plurality of lower positioning protrusions is aligned with the plurality of upper abutment protrusions or the plurality of lower abutment protrusions of the seat,
The gasket is not squeezed and does not extend beyond the outer periphery of the base when the plurality of upper positioning protrusions is engaged in the plurality of lower positioning grooves, such that the sealing cover is in an unsealing state.
The gasket is squeezed and extends beyond the outer periphery of the base when the plurality of upper positioning protrusions is engaged in the plurality of higher positioning grooves, such that the sealing cover is in a sealing state.
The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exploded, perspective view of a sealing cover according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a sealing unit and two supports of the sealing cover of FIG. 1 after assembly.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the sealing cover of FIG. 1 and a portion of a box body to which the sealing cover is mounted, with the box body not sealed.

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view taken along section line A-A of FIG. 3, with the sealing cover not pressed.

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the sealing cover, with a positioning ring in an unsealing state.

FIG. 6A shows a partial, cross sectional view of the sealing cover in the unsealing state.

FIG. 6B is a view similar to FIG. 6A, with an upper lid pressed.

FIG. 6C is a view similar to FIG. 6B, with the upper lid released.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the sealing cover and the box body, with the sealing cover in a sealing state.

FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the sealing cover, with the positioning ring in the sealing state.

FIG. 9 shows a cross sectional view taken along section line B-B of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-5 show a sealing cover according to the present invention in an unsealing state. The sealing cover includes a base 1, a lower lid 2, a gasket 3, two supports 4, a seat 5, a pressing member 6, an upper lid 7, a positioning ring 8, and a shield 9. The base 1, the lower lid 2, and the gasket 3 form a sealing unit 10. The seat 5, the pressing member 6, the upper lid 7, and the positioning ring 8 form a control unit 20. The base 1 includes an outer periphery having an engagement edge 11. The base 1 further includes a central portion having an abutment face 12 and an engaging portion 13. A plurality of pivotal columns 14 and an annular groove 15 are defined in a top face of the base 1. A first spring 16 is received in the annular groove 15 and abuts a bottom wall of the annular groove 15.
The lower lid 2 is mounted on top of the base 1 and includes a bottom wall 21 and an annular wall 22 formed along an outer periphery of the bottom wall 21, with an engagement edge 23 provided below the annular wall 22 The bottom wall 21 includes a central portion having a through-hole 24 aligned with the abutment face 12 of the base 1. A plurality of slots 25 is defined in the bottom wall 21 and corresponds to the pivotal columns 14. A plurality of receiving holes 26 is defined in corners of the upper side of the bottom wall 21. A second spring 27 is received in each receiving hole 26 and has an end abutting an end wall of the receiving hole 26. The lower lid 2 is mounted on top of the base 1, with the pivotal columns 14 extending through the slots 25. The upper lid 2 is movable relative to the base 1 in a vertical direction. The other end of the first spring 16 abuts the lower lid 2, with the first spring 16 providing the lower lid 2 with resilience to move relative to the base 1.
The gasket 3 is made of a soft and deformable material. The gasket 3 is mounted between the outer peripheries of the base 1 and the lower lid 2. The gasket 3 includes an upper end abutting the engagement edge 23 of the lower lid 2 and a lower end abutting the engagement edge 11 of the base 1, providing the lower lid 2 with returning force.
The supports 4 are mounted above the bottom wall 21 of the lower lid 2. Each support 4 includes pivots 41 pivotably connected to the pivotal columns 14 of the base 1. Each support 4 further includes an abutment portion 42 on a side thereof for abutting the bottom wall 21 of the lower lid 2. A pressing portion 43 extends upward from the other side thereof of each support 4 and abuts the upper lid 7.
The seat 5 is fixed to the engaging portion 13 of the base 1 and includes upper and lower blocks 51 and 52. The upper block 51 includes a plurality of annularly spaced upper abutment protrusions 53, with an upper groove 55 defined between two adjacent upper abutment protrusions 53. The lower block 52 includes a plurality of annularly spaced lower abutment protrusions 54, with a lower groove 56 defined between two adjacent lower abutment protrusions 54 and not aligned with the upper grooves 55. The lower abutment protrusions 54 are not aligned with the upper abutment protrusions 53.
The pressing member 6 is annular and has a diameter larger than that of the seat 5. The pressing member 6 is mounted around the seat 5 and aligned with the through-hole 24 of the lower lid 2. The pressing member 6 includes a lower, abutment end 61 abutting the abutment face 12 of the base 1. A plurality of continuously arranged and annularly spaced teeth 62 is provided on a top end of the pressing member 6, with each tooth 62 having an inclined guiding face 63. A guiding protrusion 64 is provided on an outer periphery of the pressing member 6 to restrain movement of the pressing member 6 in the vertical direction.
The upper lid 7 includes an annular wall 71 mounted around the annular wall 22 of the lower lid 2. A positioning hole 72 is defined in a center of the upper lid 7 and aligned with the through-hole 24 of the lower lid 2. An inner periphery of the positioning hole 72 includes a plurality of annularly spaced higher positioning grooves 73 and a plurality of annularly spaced lower positioning grooves 74, with a lower positioning groove 74 located between two adjacent higher positioning grooves 73. Each higher positioning groove 73 includes a slant 75 for guiding purposes. The guiding protrusion 64 of the pressing member 6 is received in one of the higher and lower positioning grooves 73 and 74. The upper lid 7 further includes an engagement hole 76 for engaging with the shield 9. The pressing portions 43 of the supports 4 and the other end of each second spring 27 abut the lower end of the upper lid 7.
The positioning ring 8 is rotatably mounted in the positioning hole 72 of the upper lid 7. The positioning ring 8 includes a center having a through-hole 81 through which the seat 5 extends. The positioning ring 8 includes an upper annular portion 82 and a lower annular portion 83 spaced from the upper annular portion 82 in the vertical direction. A plurality of annularly spaced lower positioning protrusions 84 is formed on an inner edge of the lower annular portion 83 for abutting the upper and lower abutment protrusions 53 and 54 of the seat 5. The lower positioning protrusions 84 are inserted through the upper and lower grooves 55 and 56 of the seat 5 in an inclined angle to a position aligned with the lower abutment protrusions 54 or the upper abutment protrusions 53. A plurality of annularly spaced upper positioning protrusions 85 is formed on an outer edge of the upper annular portion 85 of the positioning ring 8. Each upper positioning protrusion 85 includes an inclined guiding face 851 engaged with one of the slants 75 of the positioning groove 72. The upper annular portion 82 further includes a plurality of annularly spaced indexes 821. A third spring 86 is provided on top of the lower annular portion 83, with an end of the third spring 86 abutting the lower annular portion 83.
The shield 9 is mounted on top of the positioning hole 72 of the upper lid 7. The shield 9 include a button 91 for engaging with the engagement hole 76 of the upper lid 7 to shield the positioning ring 8 and the seat 5. An inner side of the shield 9 abuts the other end of the third spring 86. The shield 9 includes at least one window 92 for viewing the indexes 821.
Since the lower positioning protrusions 84 are inserted through the upper and lower grooves 55 and 56 of the seat 5 in an inclined angle to a position aligned with the lower abutment protrusions 54 or the upper abutment protrusions 53, the lower positioning protrusions 84 abut the lower abutment protrusions 54 or the upper abutment protrusions 53 after assembly, such that the positioning ring 8 can not be removed in an axial direction of the positioning hole 72. Furthermore, due to provision of the positioning ring 8, the upper lid 7 is retained on top of the lower lid 2 without the risk of disengagement.
In a case that the sealing cover is mounted to a box body 100, when the upper positioning protrusions 85 are located in the lower positioning grooves 74, an opening of a box body 100 can be covered by the sealing cover, as shown in FIG. 6A. Furthermore, the lower positioning protrusions 84 abut the upper abutment protrusions 53 at location a. With reference to FIG. 4, since the spacing between the engagement edge 11 of the base 1 and the engagement edge 23 of the lower lid 2 is larger, the gasket 3 is not squeezed. Thus, the sealing cover according to the present invention can easily be mounted to cover the opening of the box body 100.
With reference to FIG. 6B, when the upper lid 7 is pressed downward to make the lower, pressing end 61 of the pressing member 6 presses against abutment face 12 of the base 1 and to cause the pressing member 6 to move upward relative to the positioning hole 72 of the upper lid 7 in the axial direction, the inclined guiding faces 63 of the teeth 62 of the pressing member 6 press against the inclined guiding faces 851 of the upper positioning protrusions 85 of the positioning ring 8, causing rotational movement of the positioning ring 8 such that the upper positioning protrusions 85 are moved to a position corresponding to the higher positioning grooves 73. At the same time, the lower positioning protrusions 84 can move downward through lower grooves 56.
With reference to FIGS. 6C, and 7-9, when the upper lid 7 is released, the inclined guiding faces 851 of the upper positioning protrusions 85 of the positioning ring 8 slide along the slants 75 and are reliably retained in the higher positioning grooves 73 under the action of the resilience of the gasket 3. In this case, the lower positioning protrusions 84 are located below and abut the lower abutment protrusions 54 at location b. The spacing between the engagement edge 11 of the base 1 and the engagement edge 23 of the lower lid 2 is reduced, such that the gasket 3 is squeezed outward. Thus, the gasket 3 presses against the inner periphery of the opening of the box body 100 at location c (FIG. 9), providing a sealing effect.
During pressing operation of the lid 7, the windows 92 of the shield 9 allow the user to see the indexes 821 of the positioning ring 8 and, thus, be aware of the state (sealing or unsealing) of the sealing cover, providing operational convenience. The upper lid 7 can be pressed and rotated to the unsealing state shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to allow easy removal of the upper lid 7 while providing reliable positioning effect. The supports 4 provide a levering function to save the force required for operation. The second springs 27 avoid undesired skew of the upper lid 7 while pressing the upper lid 7, providing enhanced stability during operation. By repeatedly pressing the upper lid 7, the upper positioning protrusions 85 can be repeatedly move into the higher positioning grooves 73 or the lower positioning grooves 74 to seal or unseal the box body 100.
It can be appreciated that the pressing member 6 does not have to be annular.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the essence of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A sealing cover comprising:

a sealing unit including a base, a gasket, and a lower lid, with each of the base and the lower lid including an engagement edge, with the lower lid mounted on top of the base, with the lower lid movable relative to the base in a vertical direction to change a spacing between the engagement edge of the base and the engagement edge of the lower lid, with the gasket made of a soft and deformable material, with the gasket mounted between the engagement edges of the base and the lower lid; and

a control unit including a seat, a pressing member, an upper lid, and a positioning ring, with the seat fixed to the base, with the seat including a plurality of annularly spaced upper abutment protrusions and a plurality of annularly spaced lower abutment protrusions, with an upper groove defined between two adjacent upper abutment protrusions, with a lower groove defined between two adjacent lower abutment protrusions, with the pressing member mounted on the seat and movable in the vertical direction, with the pressing member including an upper end having a plurality of teeth, with the upper lid mounted on top of the lower lid and including a positioning hole, with the positioning hole including an inner periphery having a plurality of annularly spaced higher positioning grooves and a plurality of annularly spaced lower positioning grooves, with each of the plurality of lower positioning grooves located between two adjacent higher positioning grooves, with the positioning ring mounted in the positioning hole of the upper lid, with the positioning ring including a lower end having a plurality of lower positioning protrusions corresponding to the plurality of upper abutment protrusions and the plurality of lower abutment protrusions, with the positioning ring including an upper end having a plurality of upper positioning protrusions corresponding to the plurality of higher positioning grooves and the plurality of lower positioning grooves,

wherein when the upper lid is pressed and moved downward relative to the lower lid, the plurality of teeth of the pressing member presses against the plurality of upper positioning protrusions of the positioning ring, causing rotational movement of the positioning ring through an angle, with the spacing between the abutment edges of the base and the lid being changed,

wherein when the upper lid is released, the upper lid is moved upward by resilience of the gasket, moving the plurality of upper positioning protrusions of the positioning ring into the plurality of higher positioning grooves or the plurality of lower positioning grooves, with the plurality of lower positioning protrusions aligned with the plurality of upper abutment protrusions or the plurality of lower abutment protrusions of the seat,

wherein the gasket is not squeezed and does not extend beyond the outer periphery of the base when the plurality of upper positioning protrusions is engaged in the plurality of lower positioning grooves, such that the sealing cover is in an unsealing state,

wherein the gasket is squeezed and extends beyond the outer periphery of the base when the plurality of upper positioning protrusions is engaged in the plurality of higher positioning grooves, such that the sealing cover is in a sealing state.

2. The sealing cover as claimed in claim 1, with the upper grooves of the seat not aligned with the lower grooves of the seat, with the plurality of lower positioning protrusions inserted through the upper and lower grooves of the seat in an inclined angle to a position aligned with the plurality of lower abutment protrusions or the plurality of upper abutment protrusions.

3. The sealing cover as claimed in claim 2, with the base further including a central portion having an abutment face and an engaging portion, with the lower lid including a bottom wall and an annular wall formed along an outer periphery of the bottom wall, with the bottom wall of the lower lid including a central portion having a through-hole aligned with the abutment face of the base, with the seat fixed to the engaging portion of the base, with the pressing member being annular and having a diameter larger than a diameter of the seat, with the pressing member mounted around the seat and aligned with the through-hole of the lower lid, with the pressing member including a lower, abutment end abutting the abutment face of the base, with a guiding protrusion provided on an outer periphery of the pressing member, with each of the plurality of teeth of the pressing member having an inclined guiding face, with the upper lid including an annular wall mounted around the annular wall of the lower lid, with each of the plurality of higher positioning grooves including a slant, with the guiding protrusion of the pressing member received in one of the plurality of higher and lower positioning grooves to restrain movement of the pressing member in the vertical direction, with the positioning ring including a through-hole in which the seat is received, with each of the plurality of upper positioning protrusions including an inclined guiding face for engaging with one of the inclined guiding faces of the pressing member and one of the slants of the positioning hole of the upper lid.

4. The sealing cover as claimed in claim 3, with the base including a top face having a plurality of pivotal columns, with the lower lid including a plurality of slots, with the plurality of columns extending through the plurality of slots of the lower lid, with the two supports mounted on top of the bottom wall of the lower lid, with the two supports including a plurality of pivots pivotably engaged with the plurality of pivotal columns, with each of the two supports including a first side having an abutment portion abutting the bottom wall of the lower lid, with each of the two supports including a second side having a pressing portion abutting the upper lid.

5. The sealing cover as claimed in claim 3, with the top face of the base including an annular groove, with a first spring received in the annular groove and having a first end abutting a bottom wall of the annular groove and a second end abutting the lower lid.

6. The sealing cover as claimed in claim 3, with the bottom wall of the lower lid including a plurality of receiving holes, with a plurality of second springs received in the receiving holes.

7. The sealing cover as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: a shield mounted on top of the upper lid, with the shield covering the positioning ring and the seat.

8. The sealing cover as claimed in claim 7, with the positioning ring including an upper annular portion having a plurality of annularly spaced indexes, with the shield including at least one window allowing viewing of at least one one of the plurality of indexes.

9. The sealing cover as claimed in claim 7, with the positioning ring including a lower annular portion, with a third spring mounted between the lower annular portion and the shield.