Container with Press-to-Release Cover

Abstract

A novel container is disclosed, comprising a housing and a lid or cover that extends over the top central opening into the housing. The cover rests on a ledge at the top of the housing walls. The ledge has a depression at one or more of the corners of the housing, which permits the cover over the depression to be pressed downward into the depression, causing the opposite side of the cover to project upward from the housing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of containers. More particularly, the invention relates to relatively small storage containers, for example, shoebox sized containers that have a top central opening into the container, and a flat, removable lid or cover that covers the top central opening. The present invention is a novel release arrangement for the cover.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a basic aspect, the invention is a container having a top central opening with a perimeter extending around the opening. A substantially flat, thin and relatively rigid top cover is positioned so as to cover the top central opening. The top cover sits atop a ledge that surrounds the central opening. The ledge includes at least one depression, preferably at a corner of the central opening formed by the container. A magnet, and preferably a plurality of magnets, are positioned in the cover and in the ledge to hold the cover in place over the central opening. The magnets are optional, and are intended to hold the cover in place when the container is inverted.

The cover is released by pressing on the outer surface of the cover over the depression, which forces the cover down into the depression. The cover is cantilevered over the depression, and the opposite end of the cover is leveraged upward. If the cover has sufficient rigidity, it will break free of the optional magnets and will tip upward, where it can be released and removed from the container.

More particularly, the invention is a container having a top central opening with a perimeter extending around the opening, the container comprising:

• • (a) a housing with walls and a bottom panel that form the primary storage portion of the container, the walls having a top portion, the top portion including a narrow ledge that extends around the perimeter of the central opening, with at least a portion of the ledge dipping down into a depression that extends below the usual plane of the narrow ledge, thereby forming a cantilever for levering the cover against the cantilever; and
  • (b) a substantially flat, thin and relatively rigid top cover for covering the top central opening;
    • whereby the cover is released from the container by pressing downward on the cover over the depression, which causes the opposite end of the cover to be levered up against the cantilever, causing the opposite end of the cover to rise up.

The container can be formed by individual panels, each panel having a first and second end, with the adjacent panels being connected end-to-end.

The depression is formed by curving the ledge downward. Alternatively, the depression can be formed by faceting the ledge downward at an inflection point.

The container can further comprise a magnet on the horizontal portion of the support ledge, which corresponds to a magnet on the releasable top cover, to hold the cover in place by the magnetic attraction between the magnet on the housing and the magnet on the top cover.

The housing can be made using any suitable, substantially rigid material, such as wood, plastic or metal. The cover can also me made of wood, plastic or metal, and can be a different material than the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 of the drawing is a perspective view of an embodiment of a container made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 of the drawing is an exploded view of the container of FIG. 1, showing the individual panels from which that particular embodiment of the invention is made.

FIG. 3 of the drawing is a perspective view of the embodiment of a FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 of the drawing is an interior view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with two adjacent panels removed.

FIG. 5 of the drawing is a cross-sectional interior view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, showing the up and down movement of the cover relative to the housing.

FIG. 6 of the drawing is a exterior, perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, showing the up and down movement of the cover relative to the housing.

FIG. 7 of the drawing is an exterior, perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, showing faceted depressions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning first to FIG. 1, a container 10 in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing 12 and a cover 14 that fits within the primary opening 50, which opens into the interior of the housing. The container housing 12 and the cover 14 can be made of any suitable material, including wood, plastic, metal, ceramics or the like. The cover 14 and the housing 12 can also be made of different materials. The various panels can be affixed to each other using glue, adhesive, nails or screws or any other suitable attachment method.

Viewed from above, the housing 12 and the cover can be any shape, including square, rectangular, triangular or circular. There must, however, be at least one depression in the ledge that extends around the perimeter of the central opening 50.

Turning to FIG. 2, the housing 12 can be made using a series of side panels 16, 18, 20 and 22. Each of the side panels 16, 18, 20 and 22 forms a wall of the housing 12. The ends of the panels are mitered or otherwise shaped to combine together to form a closed housing. A bottom panel 40 is also provided.

Turning to FIG. 3, each of the panels has an exterior surface and an interior surface, shown as elements 24 and 32, 26 and 34, 28 and 36, and 30 and 38.

At the top of each of the panels, there is a ledge 42 formed in the panel, for supporting the cover 14. The ledge 42 preferably extends entirely around the central opening 50 into the box. The term “ledge” should be understood to mean a support surface around the perimeter of the central opening, on which the cover can rest when the cover is positioned over the central opening.

The ledge 42 is generally parallel to the horizontal plane throughout most of the length of the ledge. However, the ledge dips down into a depression in at least one corner of the box, and preferably in multiple corners. As used herein, the term “depression” should be understood to mean a downward deflection of the ledge to form a dip in the ledge that is sufficient to enable the lid or cover 14 to be pressed down over the area of the depression. The depression forms a cantilever, causing the opposite end of the cover to be levered up at the opposite end, and causing the opposite end of the cover to rise up at a point opposite the depression. From there, it can easily be gripped by a person's fingers and removed from the container.

The depression 44 can be formed by curving the ledge 42 downward into the corners of the container, as shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the depression can be formed by faceting the ledge, as shown in FIG. 7, with the ledge being substantially parallel to the horizontal plane in the central portion 52 of the panel and then sloping downward at a specific inflection point 54, with each portion of the ledge being substantially flat.

The box also comprises a bottom panel 40 that is affixed to the bottom surfaces of the panels 20, 22, 24 and 26.

As shown in FIG. 2, at least one magnet 48 is included in the cover 14, in a position where the magnet 48 will align with another magnet located in the ledge 42. Preferably there are multiple magnets. For example, if the container is square or rectangular shaped, there is preferably a magnet on each of the four sides of the box's primary opening 50.

The cover 14 is sized and shaped to fit closely into and onto the ledge 42. The cover 14 should be relatively inflexible, to prevent the cover from flexing and deforming in place when a downward pressure is exerted against the cover over the depression in the ledge. Such deformation and flexing would prevent the cover 14 from popping up at one end, as the corner of the cover 14 is pressed down into the depression at the other end.

Ideally, the cover 14 should be rigid enough so that, when a corner is pushed down into a depression, the other side of the cover 14 is cantilevered upward, breaking free from the magnets 46 and 48 and popping up from the ledge 42, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

FIG. 7 shows an alternate embodiment of a container in accordance with the present invention, in which the depressions are faceted. The ledge 42 includes a region 52 in the central portion of the side panels 16, 18, 20 and 22, throughout which the region is generally parallel to the horizontal. Then, at an inflection point 54, the slope of the ledge 42 increases to form the depression(s) 44. Each portion of the ledge is flat. The inflection point functions as a cantilever for levering the opposite end of the cover away from the ledge.

Although an exemplary embodiment has been shown and described, one of ordinary skill in the art may make many changes, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As for the specific terminology used to describe the exemplary embodiment, it is not intended to limit the invention; each specific term is intended to include all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose or function.

Claims

1. A container having a top central opening with a perimeter extending around the opening, the container comprising: (c) a housing with walls and a bottom panel that form the primary storage portion of the container, the walls having a top portion, the top portion including a narrow ledge that extends around the perimeter of the central opening, with at least a portion of the ledge dipping down into a depression that extends below the usual plane of the narrow ledge thereby forming a cantilever for levering the cover against the cantilever; and(d) a substantially flat, thin and relatively rigid top cover for covering the top central opening;whereby the cover is released from the container by pressing downward on the cover over the depression, which causes the opposite end of the cover to be levered up against the cantilever, causing the opposite end of the cover to rise up from the narrow ledge.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the individual walls of the housing are formed by individual panels, each panel having a first end and a second end, with the adjacent panels being connected end-to-end.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the depression is formed by curving the ledge downward.

4. The container of claim 2, wherein the depression is formed by sloping the ledge downward at an inflection point to form a faceted depression.

5. The container of claim 3, further comprising a magnet on the horizontal portion of the support ledge, which corresponds to a magnet on the releasable top cover, wherein the cover is held in place by the magnetic attraction between the magnet on the housing and the magnet on the top cover.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the housing is made of wood.

7. The container of claim 5, wherein the housing is made of plastic.

8. The container of claim 5, wherein the housing is made of metal.

9. The container of claim 5, wherein the inflection point functions as a cantilever for levering the opposite end of the cover away from the ledge.