The present invention relates generally to containers, and more particularly to containers with attached lids.
Containers with attached lids are used for many purposes. These containers generally include a pair of opposing side walls and a pair of opposing end walls integrally molded with a base. A pair of lids are each hingeably connected to one of the side walls. The lids include a plurality of tongues that interlock in the middle of the container in the closed position.
One use for this type of containers is for medical waste. Medical waste is placed in the container, which is then closed and shipped to a biohazard facility for disposal. At the facility, the contents of the container are dumped into an autoclave for disposal. During dumping, one of the lids is open and pivoted outward until it abuts its respective side wall. The container is then tipped, with the lid resting on a wall of the autoclave, and the container is inverted to dump the contents into the autoclave. This sometimes breaks the lid and/or the hinge connecting the lid to the side wall.
After being emptied, the container must be washed prior to reuse. In order to wash the container, the container is inverted on a conveyor with the lids open. In order to prevent water from accumulating on the upper surfaces of the open lids, the lids may be tied up at an angle. The container may also be tipped onto its side by another conveyor to further assist in the drainage.
A container according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a base and a plurality of sidewalls. At least one lid is pivotably connected to one of the walls. The lid includes at least one projection that contacts at least one rib on the exterior surface of the wall when the lid is pivoted to an open position. This prevents over-rotation of the lid, such as when the lid and container are resting on the wall of the autoclave prior to dumping.
In a second feature of the present invention, the lid includes at least one projection from an interior surface of the lid proximate the axis. When the container is inverted with the lid open for washing, the at least one projection contacts the support surface thereby pivoting the lid to a position where it is not parallel to the floor, thus ensuring that water drains from the lid during washing.
These and other features of the application can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
A container 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in
The end walls 16 each include an integrally molded handle 26 defining a hand opening 28 between the handle 26 and the end walls 16. Ribs 30 are formed in the handle 26 and face upwardly.
The container 10 includes a pair of lids 34, each connected to an uppermost edge of one of the side walls 14 by a hinge 36. Each of the lids 34 includes an outer reinforcement portion 40 and an inner reinforcement portion 41. Both reinforcement portions 40, 41 are elongated in a direction generally parallel to an axis of the hinge 36. The outer reinforcement portions 40 are shorter than the inner reinforcement portions 41 in a longitudinal direction. The outer reinforcement portions 40 each include an interlocking portion 42 at each end, projecting upwardly further than the outer reinforcement portion 40. Each lid 34 also includes a latch portion 46 for latching to the lip 20. The lids 34 further include interleaved tongues 48, as is known in the art.
It should be noted that variations could be utilized, including various arrangements of the reinforcement portions 40, 41 and ribs 20, 21 but still be within the scope of the present invention. Further, variations to the projections on the interior surface of the lids 34 could also be utilized within the scope of this invention.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.