BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of the two piece container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the container as shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the container design of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a cutaway view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and showing the respective points of engagement established between a first handle supporting end and a second hinged end;
FIG. 5 is a cutaway view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and showing biasing engagement of a selected hinge location according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating, in exploded fashion, an interengagement of a hinged connection established by a lid and a base in the closed position;
FIG. 7 is a partial top plan view of a hinged portion associated with a lid and base in a laterally separated and pre-closing position;
FIG. 8 is a succeeding view to that shown in FIG. 7 and illustrating the lid in a laterally translated, closed and locked position relative to the base;
FIG. 9 is a lineal cutaway view of a selected hinged arrangement established between a lid and base and illustrating a first centerline position of a lid inserting lip portion relative to a base receiving location and during upward rotation of the lid;
FIG. 10 is a succeeding lineal cutaway view illustrating the rearward displacement of the inserting lip centerline upon fully upward rotation of the lid to a stationary and supported upright position; and
FIG. 11 is a further cutaway view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 3 and illustrating the lengthwise extending and mating grooves established between the lid and base.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1, an assembled perspective view is illustrated at 10 of a two piece container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As previously described, the present invention discloses an improved item holding container assembly, typically a hat box configuration, and which in particular discloses an improved hinge construction (interlocking arrangement) established between a base and a separable lid, such that the lid is capable of being angularly supported upon the base in a first open configuration and, upon being rotated to a closed position, linearly displaced forwardly to establish a tactile and snap-shut configuration to permit the assembled item to be transported.
Referring again to FIG. 1 in combination with the exploded view of the container as shown in FIG. 2, the container includes a lid 12 and a base 14. Each of the lid and base are, in one variant, constructed of a plasticized material produced from such as a vacuum forming or, potentially, an injection molding process.
In a preferred embodiment, each of the lid and base exhibit a rectangular configuration (although it is contemplated that any suitable and polygonal shaped article is contemplated) with four interconnecting sides and ends which bound a recessed and volume defining interior. In particular, the lid 12 includes sides 16 and 18 and interconnecting ends 20 and 22. Concurrently, the base 14 includes sides 24 and 26 and interconnecting ends 28 and 30.
The lid 12 further includes a recessed interior surface 32 and the base 14 likewise includes a corresponding surface 34. Each of the sides and ends of the lid 12 further include outer perimeter defining and flattened edges, these being referenced at 36, 38, 40 and 42. The sides and ends of the base 14 concurrently include outer perimeter defining and flattened edges, as respectively shown at 44, 46, 48 and 50, these opposing the corresponding edges 36-42 of the lid in the closed and slid/snap shut configuration as will be subsequently described.
The lid 12 further includes a plurality of extending lips, such as shown by end defined and spaced apart lips 52, 54, 56, et seq. (see again FIGS. 1 and 2). It is further understood that any plurality of lips can be employed ranging from two upwards, and in order to achieve the desired upward support and snap shut positions of the lid.
As best shown in FIG. 6, illustrating in partial perspective and exploded fashion, is an interengagement of a hinged connection established by a lid and a base in the closed position and which in particular illustrates additional features of selected lip 52 including an angled ramp portion 58 and upon which is situated an integrally formed superstructure 60. The ramp portion 58 further includes a bottommost and substantially planar shaped layer 62 and an intermediate layer 64 exhibiting a progressively inwardly/downwardly angled layer formed upon the planar shaped layer 62 and in a direction away from the superstructure 60.
The configuration illustrated in the partial illustration of FIG. 6 is understood to apply to each of the other corresponding and spaced apart lips, a repetitive description of each being avoided for purposes of simplicity in the present description. As again referenced in FIG. 6, the lip support superstructure 60 further includes, as shown, a top, sides, and a downwardly/outwardly flared front (see in particular at 66) terminating in a top surface 68 of the intermediate layer 64.
Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 6, the base 14 exhibits a like plurality hinge supports, see at 70, 72, 74, et seq., each being interengageable with an associated lip 52, 54, 56. Referencing the selected hinge support 70 referenced in the enlarged partial view of FIG. 6, each further includes an inwardly facing perimeter edge (hidden from view in FIG. 6 but referenced at 76 in each of FIGS. 7 and 8) defined in the corresponding flattened end edge 48, this defining an aperture at that location.
Additional features corresponding to each of the hinge supports include a primary embossment 78 substantially overlaying the aperture 76 and including sloping edges connecting to the aperture defining perimeter in the flattened edge 48, this further revealing an open and communicable edge 80 opposing and seating a selected lip. A secondary and angular embossment 82 projects upwardly from a location of the primary embossment 78 and seats a selected superstructure, e.g. that shown again at 60 for selected lip extending portion 52, and in either the upwardly hinge supported or translated (snap-shut) configurations established between the lid 12 and base 14.
Referring again to the several illustrations, including FIG. 6, the perimeter defined aperture 76 has a selected shape and size and defines a further widthwise projecting portion (see as shown by slot shaped portion defined by inner communicating edge 84 in FIG. 6), this extending beyond the primary embossment 78 and contiguous with the open edge. A pair of lateral-most positioned primary embossments, see as best represented in FIG. 7 at 84 for selected hinge support 70, correspond to one corner edge location of the base end 48, each further including a lengthened outermost edge, see at 84. An associated planar shaped layer of an inserting lip edge, see as represented in each of FIGS. 7 and 8 at 86, includes a lateral tab seating within the lengthened edge 84 in the closed and linearly displaced position (see again in particular FIG. 8).
FIG. 3 illustrates a top plan view of the assembled lid 12 and base and in particular showing a handle subset portion, see at 88 and 90 for lid 12 and base 14, respectively, associated with further selected opposite end edges, see at 42 and 50, opposite those associated with the interengageable lip 52, 54, 56 and hinge 70, 72 and 74 supports, the subset portions mating upon rotating the lid to the closed position and in order to collectively define a carrying handle. Referencing further FIG. 4, a cutaway view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 is shown which illustrates the respective points of engagement established between a first handle supporting end and a second hinged end.
FIG. 5 illustrates a cutaway view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and showing a biasing engagement of a selected hinge location, established between lip 54 and hinge support 72, according to the present invention. In particular the seating arrangement is referenced in end cutaway and which is established between the inner surface of the primary hinge support embossment and the intermediate ramp layer of the corresponding and inserted lip. The illustration of FIG. 5, in cooperation with what is shown in the partial view of FIG. 8, illustrate the tactile and snap-shut fashion of the lid relative to the base in the overall illustration of FIG. 1.
FIG. 9 is a lineal cutaway view of a selected hinged arrangement established between a lid and base, such as lip 52 and associated hinge 70 described in FIG. 6, and illustrating a first centerline position 92 of the lid inserting lip portion relative to the base receiving location, and such as during upward rotation of the lid. FIG. 10 is a succeeding lineal cutaway view illustrating the rearward displacement of the inserting lip centerline, to location 94 upon fully upward rotation of the lid to a stationary and supported upright position. In this fashion, the lid 12 is maintained in the upright supported position relative to the base 14 and across a centerline established in crosswise extending fashion proximate the edge 48 of the base 14.
FIG. 11 is a further cutaway view, taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 3, and illustrating a lengthwise extending arrangement of mating grooves 96 and 98 established between the side edges, see for example at 36 and 44, established between the lid 12 and base 14. The grooves 96 and 98 can include either “U” shaped, “V” shaped or other cross-sectionally shaped mating grooves, these further defining lengthwise extending rails or recesses and which establish lengthwise extending and slidably interengaging portions associated with opposing and parallel disposed side edges of the base 14 and lid 12 and in order to facilitating sliding motion of the lid relative to the base, such as during locking thereto.
As best further illustrated in each of FIGS. 1 and 2, one or more lengthwise extending and recessed exterior surfaces, see at 100, 102, 104, et seq., are associated with the interior 32 of the lid and which constitute a plurality of parallel, spaced apart and lengthwise interengaging portions between individual container assemblies. Corresponding lengthwise extending and recessed exterior surfaces, see at 106 and in phantom at 108 in FIG. 2, are associated with the recessed base surface 34, these further typically being provided as a pair of outermost and lengthwise interengaging portions which are selectively seatable within selected ones of the recessed lid surfaces 100, 102, 104, further such that a lid of a first selected container may support thereupon a base of a second selected container.
An additional feature illustrated in the exploded view of FIG. 2, is a first pair of substantially circular and ramped embossments 110 and 112 projecting from edge surfaces of the base 14, at locations along edge surface 50 and proximate its associated subset handle portion 90. A second pair of substantially circular shaped recesses project from an opposing edge surface 42 of the lid 12 (only a first of which is shown at 114, the second being hidden from view) and proximate its associated subset handle portion 90, further such that the circular recesses seat within the opposing circular base embossments in the closed position. The circular embossments 110 and 112 and corresponding recesses (e.g. at 114) may be reversed in arrangement, and further are typically angled or tapered to assist in establishing the tactile snap shut arrangement of the lid when translated to the position shown in FIG. 1.
Having now described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080073339
