Patent Application
20060096985
This invention relates to a lid for a portable tank or intermediate bulk container, or the like, and more particularly to a lid having a venting closure with a safety seal.
A portable tank or intermediate bulk container (IBC) has found widespread use as an alternative to fifty-five gallon drums for transporting and storing liquids. A typical IBC in one form provides 275 gallon capacity. Various structure have been used for IBCs, including blow molded bottles or metal or poly containers. In one form, the IBC includes a six inch filling port surrounded by a threaded collar. A six inch lid is selectively secured to the collar to close the filling port. Bottom discharge from the IBC is typically provided through a valve. A typical six inch lid includes a circular top wall surrounded by a cylindrical sidewall. In some versions the lid includes a centrally located two inch bung opening for receiving a threaded bung. The bung may comprise a vented bung.
Similarly, a drum, such as a fifty-five gallon drum, may include a cover having a two inch bung opening. This bung opening can also be selectively closed with a vented bung.
With shipping and storage containers having bung openings it may be desirable to provide a tamper evident closure or safety seal to preclude access to the container. However, any such tamper evident closure or safety seal cannot interfere with operation of a vented bung.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above in a novel and simple manner.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a lid for use with a bulk container comprising a venting lid with a safety seal.
Broadly, there is disclosed herein a lid for use with a bulk container having an access opening. The lid comprises a top wall and a circular opening through the top wall, defining a bung opening. A cylindrical collar extends downwardly from the top wall surrounding the circular opening. The cylindrical collar has a threaded inner wall. A removable vented closure is threadably received in the cylindrical collar to selectively close the bung opening. A safety seal is secured to the top wall. The safety seal comprises a ring secure to the wall surrounding the circular opening, a vented cap inwardly of the ring operably covering the removable vented closure, and a frangible connector operatively connecting the cap to the ring.
It is a feature of the invention that the safety seal is of one piece plastic construction. The plastic may be polypropylene.
It is another feature of the invention that the safety seal ring is welded to the top wall.
It is still another feature of the invention that the vented cap comprises a planar circular wall surrounded by a cylindrical side wall having a peripheral flange. A side wall include plural vent openings. The frangible connector comprises an annular connector connected between the ring and the flange. The annular connector has a first end fixedly connected to the flange and a second end connected to a tab extending radially outwardly of the ring, whereby a user can grasp the tab to break the frangible connection between the cap and the ring.
There is disclosed in accordance with another aspect of the invention a lid for use with a portable tank or intermediate bulk container, or the like, having a threaded collar defining a port opening. The lid comprises a generally circular top wall and a generally cylindrical side wall connected to the top wall and having an inner threaded surface for threading to a threaded collar to close the port opening. A circular opening through the top wall defines a bung opening. A cylindrical collar extends downward from the top wall surrounding the circular opening. The cylindrical collar has a threaded inner wall. A removable vent closure is threadably received in the cylindrical collar to selectively close the bung opening. A safety seal is secured to the top wall. The safety seal comprises a ring secured to the top wall surrounding the opening, a vented cap inwardly of the ring operatively covering the removable vented closure, and a frangible connector operatively connecting the cap to the ring.
There is disclosed in accordance with yet another aspect of the invention a lid comprising a top wall and a side wall connected to the top wall for closing a port opening, in use. A circular opening through the top wall defines a bung opening. A removable closure is threadably received in the cylindrical collar to selectively close the bung opening. A safety seal is secured to the top wall. The safety seal comprises a band secured to the top wall surrounding the circular opening, a cap inwardly of the band operatively covering the removable closure, and a frangible connector operatively connecting the cap to the band.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the specification and from the drawings.
Referring to
While not shown, the port opening 18 is surrounded by a six inch threaded collar, as is conventional in the industry. The plastic bottle 14 comprises a 275-gallon bottle manufactured of HDPE by extrusion blow molding.
The present invention is specifically directed to a lid, such as a six inch lid for use with a portable tank or intermediate bulk container or the like, or a larger lid used for a drum. The IBC 12 shown and discussed herein is for illustration only. The lid 10 can be used with other designs and styles of IBCs or drums, including metal, metal/poly, corrugated/poly, all poly, rim polymer, and collapsible cage or bag-in-bag, using a threaded opening.
Referring to
The lid 10 is of integral plastic construction typically made from polyethylene plastic. A cylindrical ridge 32 extends downwardly from the top wall 20 inwardly of the side wall 22. The ridge 32 provides rigidity and backing for the IBC threaded collar. A bung opening 34, see also
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the removable closure 42 comprises a vented closure and the lid 10 further comprises a vented safety seal 44. As will be apparent, the safety seal 44 could be used with non-vented closures, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The removable closure 42 is of one piece plastic construction and includes an annular flange 46 connected to a downwardly directed cylindrical collar 48 included a threaded outer surface 50. The collar 48 is adapted to be threaded into the bung opening 34 in a conventional matter. A cavity 52 is formed inwardly of the top flange 46 having a “+” shape adapted to receive a tool for tightening the closure, and defined by a bottom shoulder 54. A threaded inner collar 56 extends downwardly from the shoulder 54 and is closed by a nipple 57 having a bottom wall 58. A plurality of vent opening 60 are provided in the nipple 57 above the bottom wall 58, see
A second closure 64 includes an annular flange 66 connected to a downwardly directly threaded collar 68. The threaded collar 68 is threadably received in the first closure threaded opening 56. An annular partition 70 is disposed inwardly of the threaded collar 68 having a central opening 72. A filter element 74 is secured to the under side of the partition 70 covering the through opening 72. The filter element 74 may be, for example, a GORE-TEX® filter. (GORE-TEX is a registered trademark of W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc.) A gasket 76 is received on the under side of the annular flange 66 when the second closure 64 is threadably secure to the removable closure 42.
As described, the lid 10 incorporates a vented closure in that venting for the container 12 is provided through the removable closure opening 60, the filter element 74 and the secondary closure opening 72.
Referring particularly to
The safety seal 44 comprises an outer band in the form of a ring 78, an annular frangible connector 80 and a vented cap 82. The ring 78 has an outer diameter less than the diameter of the top wall 20. The ring 78 is continuous except for a break 84 through which a tab 86 connected to the frangible connector 80 extends. The cap 82 comprises a planar circular wall 88 surrounded by a cylindrical side wall 90 having a peripheral annular flange 92. A plurality of vent openings 94 are disposed around the periphery of the side wall 90.
Referring particularly to
Referring particularly to
As is apparent, the safety seal 44 provides a tamper evident lid in that the vented cap 82 operatively covers the removable vented closure 42, while also providing venting through the vented openings 94.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a lid with vented closure in combination with a vented safety seal to provide a tamper evident vented closure.
