COVER FOR CLOSING A BOX, AND ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BOX
AND A COVER OF SAID TYPE^
The present invention relates to a lid for closing a
can having a tubular side wall, and to an assembly of the
5 type comprising a can and a lid of the above-mentioned
type.
The invention relates more particularly to a lid for
closing a can having a tubular side wall provided with a
top opening, with an internal radial collar, and with an
10 external radial peripheral rim, the collar and the rim
being disposed substantially at the same level as the top
opening, said lid having a "bottom" face provided with an
annular sealing gasket suitable for coming to bear
against said collar when the top opening of the can is in
15 the closed state in which it is closed by said lid, and
said lid being provided with fastener means for fastening
the lid to the can, which fastener means comprise at
least two catches disposed around the sealing gasket and
extending-at,-leaspta rtially projecting from the bottom
20 face of the lid, at least two or each of the catches
having an active fastener portion formed by a portion of
the catch that projects towards the center of the lid, at
least one of the catches, referred to as a "movable"
catch, being movable between a closer position in which
25 its active fastener portion is closer to the active
fastener portion of at least one other catch and a
farther-away position in which its active fastener
portion is farther away from the active fastener portion
of at least one other catch, said active fastener
30 portions being suitable, in a closer position
corresponding to the active closure position in which the
lid is actively closed, for positioning themselves under
the external radial peripheral rim of the can.
Such lids are used, in particular, for closing cans
35 of paint.
Translation of the title as established ex officio.
Currently, the means for fastening such a lid to
such a can are formed either by spring-loaded cam levers
as illustrated, for example, in Patent FR 2 707 258, or
else by elastically deformable catches, as illustrated in
European Patent EP 1 510 363. Both of those modes of
fastening suffer from drawbacks. Specifically, the cam
lever system requires the presence of springs and must be
placed partially in contact with the contents of the can.
The elastically deformable catch system requires various
lid sizes to be available to adapt to the various can
sizes. Also, the lid is difficult to remove from the
can, and requires, in particular, a large amount of
manual pressure to be exerted on the catches in order to
deform them, with the risk of tipping over the can.
An object of the present invention is thus to
propose a lid of the above-mentioned type, of a design
that makes it possible to overcome the drawbacks of the
prior art.
Anokher-.object of the present invention is to
propose a lid of the above-mentioned type, of a design
that enables the lid to be easy to put into place and to
remove from the can, the lid being suitable for adapting
to a large number of can formats.
Another object of the present invention is to
propose a lid of the above-mentioned type, of a design
that makes it possible to remove the risks of the lid
being separated from the can in untimely manner, such
risks being observed, in particular, when the lid is
connected to the can by elastically deformable catches.
For this purpose, the invention provides a lid for
closing a can having a tubular side wall provided with a
top opening, with an internal radial collar, and with an
external radial peripheral rim, the collar and the rim
being disposed substantially at the same level as the top
opening, said lid having a "bottom" face provided with an
annular sealing gasket suitable for coming to bear
against said collar when the top opening of the can is in
the closed state in which it is closed by said lid, and
said lid being provided with fastener means for fastening
the lid to the can, which fastener means comprise at
least two catches disposed around the sealing gasket and
5 extending at least partially projecting from the bottom
face of the lid, at least two or each of the catches
having an active fastener portion formed by a portion of
the catch that projects towards the center of the lid, at
least one of the catches, referred to as a "movable"
10 catch, being movable between a closer position in which
its active fastener portion is closer to the active
fastener portion of at least one other catch and a
farther-away position in which its active fastener
portion is farther away from the active fastener portion
15 of at least one other catch, said active fastener
portions being suitable, in a closer position
corresponding to the active closure position in which the
lid is actively closed, for positioning themselves under
the externsl-radial peripheral rim of the can, said lid
20 being characterized in that, for causing the active
fastener portion of the movable catch provided with an
active fastener portion or of at least one of the movable
catches provided with active fastener portions to move
between a closer position in which it is closer to the
25 active fastener portion of at least one other catch and a
farther-away position in which it is farther away from
the active fastener portion of at least one other catch,
said movable catch provided with an active fastener
portion or at least one of the movable catches provided
30 with active fastener portions is mounted to move about an
axis, or in a plane substantially parallel to a
circumferential plane of the annular sealing gasket, and
in that, for said at least one movable catch, the lid is
provided with locking means for locking said movable
35 catch in the closer position in which its active fastener
portion is closer to the active fastener portion of at
least one other catch, these locking means being
unlockable.
Because the active fastener portion of the at least
one movable catch provided with an active fastener
5 portion is mounted to move about an axis, or to be free
to slide in a plane substantially parallel to a
circumferential plane of the annular sealing gasket, in
order to be moved between a closer position in which it
is closer to the active fastener portion of at least one
10 other catch and a farther-away position in which it is
farther away from the active fastener portion of at least
one other catch, it is possible for the catch to have a
long movement stroke, enabling it to adapt to various can
formats.
15 Because the lid is provided with locking means for
preventing pivotal movement or sliding of said movable
catch, which locking means are configured so that, in the
locked position, they prevent the pivotally or slidably
movable vakch from pivoting or sliding in a direction in
20 which its active fastener portion moves away from the
active fastener portion of at least one other catch under
the action of thrust or of traction exerted on said
catch, any risk of untimely separating of the lid from
the can is prevented.
25 Preferably, said at least one movable catch is a
pivotally mounted catch.
Preferably, the locking means comprise first locking
means mounted to be constrained to move with the movable
catch and stationary second locking means, said first and
30 second locking means being coupled together in the locked
position and decoupled in the unlocked position.
Preferably, the first and second locking means are
of the male/female type.
Preferably, the locking means are at least partially
35 elastically deformable and are suitable for going from
the locked position to the unlocked position, and vice
versa, by elastic deformation combined with pivotal
movement of the pivotally movable catch. As a result,
the locking control is simpler.
Preferably, the lid has a top face opposite from the
bottom face and that forms a pouring spout having a seat
5 for a closure flap, said closure flap being a slidably
mounted closure flap equipped with return means for
urging it back into the closed position, and with a
pivotally mounted active opening control lever for
actively opening the closure flap by acting against said
10 return means, said pivotally mounted opening control
lever for opening the closure flap overlying the movable
catch or one of the movable catches. This configuration
makes it possible to reduce the overall size of the
assembly and, by means of the pivotally mounted lever for
15 controlling the closure flap, makes it possible to move
the movable catch overlaid by said lever, and optionally
to lock the locking means.
Specifically, the pivotally mounted opening control
lever for opening the closure flap is preferably mounted
20 to move pivotally about an axis parallel to the pivot
axis (XX') or to the movement plane of the movable catch
that it overlies.
Preferably, when the movable catch is a pivotally
mounted catch, the pivotally mounted opening control
25 lever for opening the closure flap also, if necessary,
when the closure flap is caused to open, forms a locking
control member for locking the locking means for
preventing pivoting of the pivotally movable catch that
underlies said lever.
30 In order to reduce the muscular effort that needs to
be made, in particular when the pivotally mounted opening
control lever for opening the closure flap has multiple
purposes and also causes the movable catch to pivot and
the locking means to lock, the seat of the pouring spout
35 slopes dorinwards from the periphery towards the center of
the lid.
Preferably, the annular sealing gasket is an
elastically deformable gasket that, in the non-deformed
state, is in the general shape of a half-torus with its
convex side facing towards the can.
5 This gasket configuration makes it possible,
firstly, to reinforce the spring effect of the gasket in
the direction in which the lid is moved away from the
can, thereby increasing the pressure force exerted by the
fastener means for fastening the lid to the can when the
10 fastener means are in the active position, and, secondly
for the gasket to adapt to a large number of formats for
the internal radial collar of the can.
Preferably, the lid is provided with a handle.
Even more preferably, the lid is provided with a
15 central opening designed for the rotary shaft of a mixer
assembly.
Preferably, at least a portion of the locking means
is carried by the handle.
-PreferabTy, when the locking means comprise first
20 locking means mounted to be constrained to move with the
pivotally movable catch, and stationary second locking
means, the portion of the means that is carried by the
handle forms the stationary second locking means.
Preferably, the pivotally movable catch or at least
25 one of the pivotally movable catches is mounted to move
pivotally via a control lever for causing it to move
pivotally, and the first locking means for preventing
pivotal movement of said pivotally movable catch are
carried by said control lever and the second locking
30 means are carried by the handle.
Preferably, the control lever for causing the catch
to move pivotally and said catch are formed in one piece.
In general, the control lever for causing the catch
to move pivotally underlies the pivotally mounted opening
35 control lever for opening the closure flap, so that
causing the opening control lever for opening the closure
flap to move pivotally in the direction in which the
closure flap opens can, if necessary, generate, in
parallel, by bearing contact between said levers, pivotal
movement of the control lever for moving the catch and,
as a result, cause the pivotally movable catch to go from
5 an unlocked first angular position to a locked second
angular position.
This configuration makes it possible to avoid any
conflict in the movements of the two levers.
The invention further provides an assembly of the
10 type comprising firstly a can having a tubular side wall
provided with a top opening, with an internal radial
' collar, and with an external radial peripheral rim, the
collar and the rim being disposed substantially at the
same level as the top opening, and secondly a lid for
15 closing the can, said lid, which is dimensioned to cover
the top opening of the can, being provided with fastener
means for fastening to the can, and, on its "bottom"
face, with an elastically deformable annular sealing
gasket *hat is.suitable for coming to bear against said
20 collar when the top opening of the can is in the closed
state in which it is closed by said lid, said fastener
means comprising at least two catches disposed around the
sealing gasket and extending at least partially
projecting from the bottom face of the lid, at least two
25 or each of the catches having an active fastener portion
formed by a portion of the catch that projects towards
the center of the lid, at least one of the catches,
referred to as a "movable" catch, being movable between a
closer position in which its active fastener portion is
30 closer to the active fastener portion of at least one
other catch and a farther-away position in which its
active fastener portion is farther away from the active
fastener portion of at least one other catch, said active
fastener portions being arranged, in a closer position
35 corresponding to the active closure position in which the
lid is actively closed, for positioning themselves under
the external radial peripheral rim of the can, when the
lid is positioned over the top opening of the can, said
assembly being characterized in that the lid is of the
above-mentioned type.
The invention can be well understood on reading the
5 following description of embodiments given with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lid of the
invention with said pivotally movable catch in the
unlocked position, and with the active fastener portion
10 of the pivotally movable catch being in the farther-away
position in which it is farther away from the active
fastener portions of the other catches;
Figure 2 is a side view of a can-and-lid assembly
while the lid is being fastened to the can, the lid being
15 positioned above the top opening of the can;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a can-and-lid
assembly in which the active fastener portions of the
catches of the lid are positioned on the can at a level
lower th.an-kheS-'externalr adial peripheral rim of the can,
20 the movable catch being in the unlocked position;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a can-and-lid
assembly in which the active fastener portions of the
catches of the lid are positioned on the can at a level
lower than the external radial peripheral rim of the can,
25 the pivotally movable catch being locked so that it is
prevented from pivoting;
Figure 5 is a section view of the lid with the
pivotally movable.catch being in the locked position;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a lid, seen from
30 another angle;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a gasket, on its
own, seen from the face of the gasket that faces towards
the bottom face of the lid;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a gasket, on its
35 own, seen from the convex face of the gasket that faces
outwards from the lid;
Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of the gasket and
of its annular fastening band for fastening to the lid,
in the state in which the lid is positioned above a can;
Figure 10 is a fragmentary view of the gasket and
5 of its annular fastening band for fastening to the lid,
in the state in which the lid is applied against the top
opening of the can;
Figure 11 is a section view of a lid with the
slidably movable catch in the unlocked position;
10 Figure 12 is a section view of a lid with the
slidably movable catch in the locked position;
Figure 13 is a section view of a lid with its
gasket and the fastener means for fastening the gasket to
the lid; and
15 Figure 14 is a perspective view of an assembly
comprising the lid, the gasket, and the fastener snap
ring for fastening the gasket, with the three component
elements of the assembly shown in exploded manner.
As mentioned above, the invention relates to a lid 1
20 for closing a can 30, and to the assembly made up of the
lid and of the can.
As shown in the figures, the can 30, such as a can
of paint, has a tubular side wall 31 that, at or in the
vicinity of one end, is provided with an internal radial
25 collar 32 defining a "top" opening 34 that is
substantially circular.
The tubular side wall 31 of the can is further
provided with an external radial peripheral rim 33 also
disposed substantially at the same level as the top
30 opening 34 and at the same level as the internal radial
collar 32. The top opening 34 of the can 30 is closed by
the lid 1.
The lid 1 has a bottom face 2 provided with an
annular sealing gasket 4 suitable for coming to bear
35 against said collar 32 when the top opening 34 of the can
30 is in the closed state in which it is closed by said
lid. Said annular sealing gasket 4 is an elastically
deformable gasket that, in the non-deformed state, is in
the general shape of a half-torus, with its convex side
facing towards the can. The convex surface of the
sealing gasket 4 is shown at 5 in the figures.
5 In the examples shown, this half-torus is hollow.
This half-torus is open on its face 6 that faces towards
the lid 1.
This sealing gasket 4 has an inner circumferential
edge 7, and outer circumferential edge 8, and at least
10 one connection zone 9 for connecting to the lid and
disposed at one of its circumferential edges. The other
circumferential edge of the sealing gasket is free.
In the example shown, the sealing gasket 4 is
fastened to the lid 1 either via an annular band 10
15 mounted in such a manner as to be secured to or integral
with the inner circumferential edge 7 of the gasket, the
outer circumferential edge 8 of the gasket being free, or
via an annular snap ring 10' defining an open ring. The
band 10 is engaged by force into an annular recess
20 provided in the bottom face of the lid. The snap ring
10' is received inside the gasket and acts by thrusting
on the inner circumferential edge 7 of the gasket to
engage it into an annular groove provided in the bottom
face of the lid.
25 The lid is also provided with a handle 12.
The lid also has fastener means 14 for fastening the
lid 1 to the can 30.
In this example, these fastener means 14 comprise
three catches 141, 142, 143, or 143' disposed around the
30 sealing gasket 4 and extending at least partially
projecting from the bottom face 2 of the lid.
These three catches are disposed in such a manner as
to be mutually spaced apart around the circumference of
the lid. The bottom face 2 of the lid is provided, over
35 at least a portion of its periphery, with an annular edge
forming a dropped edge of the bottom face. This annular
edge covers at least a portion of the tubular side wall
31 of the can when the lid is positioned over the top
opening 34 of the can 30.
Two of the catches shown at 141 and 142 are rigid
catches formed integrally with said annular edge.
5 Each of the catches 141, 142, and 143 or 143' has an
active fastener portion formed by a portion of the catch
that projects towards the center of the lid. The active
fastener portion 1411 and 1421 of each of the rigid
catches 141 and 142 is formed by a latch or tooth
10 provided on the surface of the catch that faces towards
the center of the lid.
The third catch 143 or 143' is a movable catch that
is movable between a closer position in which its active
fastener portion 1431 is closer to the active fastener
15 portions of the other catches and a farther-away position
in which its active fastener portion 1431 is farther away
from the active fastener portions of the other catches.
These active fastener portions are suitable for
coming to2position themselves under the external radial
20 peripheral rim 33 of the can in the closer position
corresponding to the active closure position of the lid,
when the lid 1 is positioned over the top opening 34 of
the can.
In the example shown in Figures 1 to 10, for moving
25 its active fastener portion 1431 between a closer
position in which it is closer to the active fastener
portions of the other catches 141, 142 and a farther-away
position in which it is farther away from the active
fastener portions of the other catches 141, 142, the
30 third catch 143 is mounted to move pivotally about an
axis (XX') substantially parallel to a circumferential
plane of the annular sealing gasket 4.
For said pivotally movable catch 143, the lid
includes locking means 19 for preventing said pivotally
35 movable catch 143 from pivoting when its active fastener
portion is in the closer position in which it is closer
to the- active fastener portions of the other catches,
these locking means 19 being unlockable.
In the example shown, the pivotally movable catch
143 is V-shaped between its pivot connection and its free
5 end, the branch of the V-shape that carries the free end
of the catch forming the active fastener portion 1431 of
the catch 143.
In the example shown, this active fastener portion
1431 of the pivotally movable catch 143 is elastically
10 deformable. The elastic deformation takes place by the
branches of the V-shape moving closer together.
The other branch of the V-shape is provided with two
pin portions, each of which engages into a respective pin
bearing provided in the remainder of the lid. The pin
15 bearings and pin portions form the pivot connection
elements enabling the pivotally movable catch 143 to be
pivotally mounted.
For the purpose of operating the pivotally movable
catch 143;-Phe'$id is provided with a control lever 20
20 for causing the catch to be pivotally moved. In this
example, the control lever 20 is formed integrally with
the catch and forms an extension to the branch of the Vshape
of the catch that is equipped with a pivot
connection.
25 The means 19 for locking the pivotally movable catch
143 to prevent it from pivoting when its active fastener
portion is in the closer position in which it is closer
to the active fastener portions of the other catches
comprise first locking means 191 mounted to be
30 constrained to move with the pivotally movable catch 143
and stationary second locking means 192 carried by the
handle 12, these first and second locking means being
coupled together in the locked position and decoupled in
the unlocked position.
35 These first locking means 191 are formed by a latch
or lug carried by the control lever 20 and the second
locking means 192 are formed by a slot provided in the
handle, and in particular in the vertical branch of the
handle.
In the coupled state corresponding to the locked
position, the latch is inserted into the slot.
5 For unlocking, since the lever is elastically
deformable, it suffices to press on the latch to generate
deformation of the lever, thereby enabling the latch to
exit from the slot. Once unlocked, the movable catch 143
can be caused to move pivotally in the direction in which
10 its active fastener portion moves away from the active
fastener portions of the other catches.
For locking, the reverse procedure applies: the
pivotally movable catch 143 is caused to move pivotally
in the direction in which its active fastener portion
15 moves closer to the other active fastener portions or
closer to the center of the lid, until a position is
reached in which the latch carried by the control lever
20 for causing the catch 143 to move comes, by snapfastening;-%
o,-be: received in the slot provided in the
20 handle 12.
In the example shown in Figures 11 and 12, the
movable catch 143' is a slidably movable catch that can
be moved by sliding in a plane substantially parallel to
a circumferential plane of the annular sealing gasket.
25 This catch 143' is a spring-loaded catch that is mounted
to move against the drive from the spring in the
direction in which its active fastener portion 1431 moves
away from the active fastener portions of the other
catches. This catch 143' is lockable in the position in
30 which its active fastener portion is closer to the active
fastener portion of at least one other catch via the
locking means 19' that, in this example, are formed by a
thumbscrew that can be tightened or loosened in the lid.
In the locked position, the free end of the thumbscrew
35 comes to bear against a face of the slidably mounted
catch so as to prevent it from sliding.
As mentioned above, in the examples shown, the lid
is also provided with a handle 12. This external radial
handle 12 is in the form of an upside-down L-shape.
It should be observed that in the example shown, the
5 horizontal branch of the upside-down L-shape of the
handle is, in this example, hollow to make it possible to
receive the control lever 20 for causing the pivotally
movable catch 143 to move and to go from one position to
another.
10 In the examples shown, the lid also has a top face 3
opposite from the bottom face 2 and that forms a pouring
spout 15. The pouring spout 15 has a seat 151 for a
closure flap 16. The seat 151 is formed by the open top
surface of the pouring spout.
15 In the examples shown, the seat 151 of the pouring
spout 15 slopes downwards from the periphery towards the
center of the lid 1. The closure flap 16 is a sliding
closure flap equipped with return means 17 for urging it
back intuThe closed position, and with a pivotally
20 mounted active opening control 18 acting against said
return means 17. The pivotally mounted control lever 18
for opening the closure flap 16 lies above the pivotally
movable catch 143.
In this example, the closure flap 16 is formed
25 merely by a plate, and the return means 17 are
implemented in the form of a hairpin spring; the manner
in which this spring co-operates with the closure flap is
already known from the state of the art and is therefore
not described in detail.
30 The pivotally mounted control lever 18 for opening
the closure flap 16 that overlies the pivotally movable
catch 143 is mounted to move pivotally about an axis
parallel to the pivot axis ( X X ' ) of the pivotally movable
catch 143 that it overlies.
3 5 This pivotally mounted opening control lever 18 for
opening the closure flap 16 also, if necessary, when the
closure flap is caused to open, forms a locking control
member for locking the locking means 19 for preventing
pivoting of the pivotally movable catch 143 that
underlies said lever 18.
Specifically, if the control lever 20 for causing
5 the movable catch 143 to pivot has not already been
actuated to bring the movable catch 143 into the locked
position, it can be actuated by the pivotally mounted
opening control lever 18 for opening the closure flap 16
that overlies it.
10 Thus, the closure flap going from the closed
position to the open position can make it possible, in
parallel, for the catch 143 to go from the unlocked
position to the locked position.
When the lid 1 is a stirrer lid, the lid 1 is also
15 provided with a central opening 13 designed for the
rotary shaft of a mixer assembly.
In practice, closing a can by using a lid as
described above can take place as follows: the lid 1 is
positioned-with its bottom face facing the top opening of
20 the can. The pivotally movable catch 143 of the lid is
unlocked and its active fastener portion 1431 is farther
away from the active fastener portions 1412 and 1421 of
the other fastening catches or from the center of the
lid.
25 The active fastener portions 1412 and 1421 of the
rigid, i.e. non pivotally mounted, catches 141 and 142
are positioned under the external radial peripheral rim
33 of the can. Via its control lever 20 that is operated
by the operator's hand that is holding the handle 12 for
30 taking hold of the lid, the pivotally movable catch 143
is caused to move pivotally into a position in which the
active fastener portion 1431 of the pivotally movable
catch 143 is disposed by bearing against the bottom face
of the external radial peripheral rim 33, i.e. the face
35 of the external radial peripheral rim 33 that faces
towards the bottom of the can that is opposite from the
end face of the can that carries the top opening.
When the catch is in this position, the latch 191 of
the control lever 20 for causing the movable catch 143 to
pivot engages in the slot 192 of the handle and the catch
is locked so that any pivotal movement of the catch 143
5 in an opposite direction is prevented.
Fastening the lid 1 to the can is complete. In a
variant, provision may be made firstly to bring the
active fastener portion of the pivotally movable catch
under the peripheral rim of the can before exerting
10 thrust on the lid and before pushing the lid to bring the
active fastener portions of the rigid catches 141 and 142
under the peripheral rim of the can. Actuating the
movable catch and locking it then take place as described
above.
15 The closure flap of the pouring spout can be
actuated to move in the opening direction by means of the
pivotally mounted lever 18. Releasing the lever 18
automatically causes the closure flap to return to the
closed position, by it being urged back by the return
20 means 17.
To separate the lid from the can, it suffices to
exert pressure on the latch 191 in the direction in which
the latch 191 is extracted from the slot 192, and then to
cause the catch 143 to be moved pivotally in the
25 direction in which the active fastener portion 1431 of
the catch moves farther away from the active fastener
portions of the other catches or from the center of the
lid.
For actuating of the pivotally movable catch 143 so
30 that it moves in the direction in which its active
fastener portion moves closer to the active fastener
portions of the other catches, it is possible to act on
the operating lever 18 for operating the closure flap,
this lever 18 coming, during its pivoting, to bear
35 against the operating lever 20 and causing it to move
into an end-of-stroke position in which it is locked.
It should be observed that operating the control
lever 18 for opening the closure member and operating the
control lever 20 for causing the catch 143 to move
pivotally is performed by the operator's hand that is
5 holding the handle 12. It is the thumb of that hand that
makes it possible to act on the two levers.
Thus, in spite of the presence of two levers, a
single hand suffices to actuate both of the levers.
When the movable catch is a slidably movable catch,
10 as shown in Figure 11, the operator exerts traction on
the catch 143' against the action of the spring in order
to move it farther away from the other catches and then
releases said catch whose active fastener portion comes
to be positioned under the external radial peripheral rim
15 of the can in the position in which it bears against the
outside face of the peripheral wall of the can. Locking
is then performed to lock said catch in position.
CLAIMS
1. A lid (1) for closing a can (30) having a tubular side
wall (31) provided with a top opening (34) , with an
internal radial collar (32), and with an external radial
5 peripheral rim (331, the collar (32) and the rim (33)
being disposed substantially at the same level as the top
opening (34), said lid (1) having a "bottom" face (2)
provided with an annular sealing gasket (4) suitable for
coming to bear against said collar (32) when the top
10 opening (34) of the can (30) is in the closed state in
which it is closed by said lid (I), and said lid being
provided with fastener means (14) for fastening the lid
(1) to the can (30), which fastener means (14) comprise
at least two catches (141, 142, 143, 143') disposed
15 around the sealing gasket (4) and extending at least
partially projecting from the bottom face (2) of the lid
(I), at least two or each of the catches (141, 142, 143,
143') having an active fastener portion (1411, 1421,
1431) formednby .a portion of the catch (141; 142; 143)
20 that projects towards the center of the lid (I), at least
one (143, 143' ) of the catches, referred to as a
"movable" catch, being movable between a closer position
in which its active fastener portion (1431) is closer to
the active fastener portion (1411, 1421) of at least one
25 other catch (141, 142) and a farther-away position in
which its active fastener portion (1431) is farther away
from the active fastener portion (1411, 1421) of at least
one other catch (141, 1421, said active fastener portions
(1411, 1421, 1431) being suitable, in a closer position
30 corresponding to the active closure position in which the
lid is actively closed, for positioning themselves under
the external radial peripheral rim (33) of the can (30);
said lid being characterized in that, for causing
the active fastener portion (1431) of the movable catch
35 (143) provided with an active fastener portion or of at
least one of the movable catches (143, 143') provided
with active fastener portions to move between a closer
position in which it is closer to the active fastener
portion of at least one other catch (141, 142) and a
farther-away position in which it is farther away from
the active fastener portion of at least one other catch
5 (141, 142), said movable catch (143) provided with an
active fastener portion or said at least one of the
movable catches (143, 143') provided with active fastener
portions is mounted to move about an axis ( X X ' ) , or in a
plane substantially parallel to a circumferential plane
10 of the annular sealing gasket (4), and in that, for said
at least one movable catch (143, 143'), the lid (1) is
provided with locking means (19, 19') for locking said
movable catch (143, 143') in the closer position in which
its active fastener portion is closer to the active
15 fastener portion of at least one other catch (141, 142),
these locking means (19, 19') being unlockable.
2. A lid (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that
said at +east one movable catch (143) is a pivotally
20 mounted catch.
3. A lid (1) according to any preceding claim,
characterized in that the locking means (19) comprise
first locking means (191) mounted to be constrained to
25 move with the movable catch (143) and stationary second
locking means (192), said first and second locking means
being coupled together in the locked position and
decoupled in the unlocked position.
30 4. A lid (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that
the first and second locking means are of the male/female
type.
5. A lid (1) according to any preceding claim,
35 characterized in that the locking means (19) are at least
partially elastically deformable and are suitable for
going from the locked position to the unlocked position,
and vice versa, by elastic deformation combined with
pivotal movement of the pivotally movable catch (143).
6. A lid (1) according to any preceding claim,
5 characterized in that the lid (1) has a top face (3)
opposite from the bottom face (2) and that forms a
pouring spout (15) having a seat (151) for a closure flap
(161, said closure flap (16) being a slidably mounted
closure flap (16) equipped with return means (17) for
10 urging it back into the closed position, and with a
pivotally mounted active opening control lever (18) for
actively opening the closure flap by acting against said
return means (17), said pivotally mounted opening control
lever (18) for opening the closure flap (16) overlying
15 the movable catch or one of the movable catches (143,
143') .
7. A lid (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that
the pivotaPTy 'mounted opening control lever (18) for
20 opening the closure flap (16) is mounted to move
pivotally about an axis parallel to the pivot axis ( X X ' )
or to the movement plane of the movable catch (143, 143')
that it overlies.
25 8. A lid (1) according to claim 6 or claim 7, taken in
combination with claim 2, characterized in that the
pivotally mounted opening control lever (18) for opening
the closure flap (16) also, if necessary, when the
closure flap is caused to open, forms a locking control
30 member for locking the locking means (19) for preventing
pivoting of the pivotally movable catch (143) that
underlies said lever (18).
9. A lid (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that
35 the seat (151) of the pouring spout (15) slopes dov~nwards
from the periphery towards the center of the lid (1).
10. A lid (1) according to any preceding claim,
characterized in that the annular sealing gasket (4) is
an elastically deformable gasket that, in the nondeformed
state, is in the general shape of a half-torus
5 with its convex side facing towards the can.
11. A lid (1) according to any preceding claim,
characterized in that it is provided with a handle (12).
10 12. A lid (1) according to claim 11, characterized in at
least a portion (192) of the locking means (19) is
carried by the handle (12).
13. A lid (1) according to claim 12, taken in combination
15 with claim 3, characterized in that the portion (192) of
the locking means (19) carried by the handle forms the
stationary second locking means (192).
14. A lid (1) according to any one of claims 11 to 14,
20 taken in combination with claim 2 or claim 3,
characterized in that the pivotally movable catch (143)
or at least one of the pivotally movable catches (143) is
mounted to move pivotally via a control lever (20) for
causing it to move pivotally, and in that the first
25 locking means (191) for preventing pivotal movement of
said pivotally movable catch (143) are carried by said
control lever (20) and the second locking means (192) are
carried by the handle (12).
30 15. An assembly of the type comprising firstly a can (30)
having a tubular side wall (31) provided with a top
opening (34), with an internal radial collar (32), and
with an external radial peripheral rim (33), the collar
(32) and the rim (33) being disposed substantially at the
35 same level as the top opening (34), and secondly a lid
(1) for closing the can (30), said lid ( I ) , which is
dimensioned to cover the top opening (34) of the can
(30), being provided with fastener means (14) for
fastening to the can (30), and, on its "bottom" face (2),
with an elastically deformable annular sealing gasket (4)
that is suitable for coming to bear against said collar
(32) when the top opening (34) of the can (30) is in the
closed state in which it is closed by said lid (I), said
fastener means (>4) comprising at least two catches (141,
142, 143, 143') dis$osed around the sealing gasket (4)
and extending at least partially projecting from the
bottom face (2) of the lid (I), at least two or each of
the catches (141, 142, 143, 143') having an active
fastener portion (1411, 1421, 1431) formed by a portion
of the catch (141; 142; 143) that projects towards the
center of the lid (I), at least one (143, 143') of the
catches, referred to as a "movable" catch, being movable
between a closer position in which its active fastener
portion (1431) is closer to the active fastener portion
of at least one other catch (141, 142) and a farther-away
position~iurihich:.itsa ctive fastener portion (1431) is
farther away from the active fastener portion of at least
one other catch (141, 1421, said active fastener portions
(1411, 1421, 1431) being arranged, in a closer position
corresponding to the active closure position in which the
lid is actively closed, for positioning themselves under
the external radial peripheral rim (33) of the can (30),
when the lid (I) is positioned over the top opening (34)
of the can (30); said assembly being characterized in
that the lid (1) is a lid according to any one of claims
1 to 14.