Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a stacking container or bin
for shipping packed goods and more particularly to a cover or lid
for closing such a container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sealable containers or tote boxes are presently used in
merchandising to facilitate the transportation of piece goods such
as hardware items which can be loaded into the con-tainers. One type
of box is disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 844,948 issued January 23,
1970 to M.S. Industries Incorporated assignee of Kenneth R. Bockenstette.
In that box the outer free edges of the cover elements have comple-
mentary raised and depressed areas which interfit when the cover
elements are closed to present an upwardly fla-t surface for stacking
purposes. A problem associated with such a box construction is that
it does not protect the box adequa-tely against pilferage. In other
words, i-t is possible to ~ain entrance -to the box and remove a portion
of the contents without detection.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
container which will give increased protection against pilferage.
SUMM~RY OF THE INVENTION
Essentially the invention consists of a stacking container
having a bottom and two pairs of opposed side walls, a cover com-
prising two portions hinged to one pair of opposed side walls, the
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opposed lateral edges of each cover portion having means -to engage
the upper edges of the other pair of opposed side walls of -the con-
tainer when in closed position, the outer free edges of the cover
por-tions meeting, when the cover is in closed position, to present
a flat upper surface of the cover, with a plurality of spaced teeth
having recesses therebetween, to interfit one with the other when
closed, means on each of at least a plurality of teeth and in each
corresponding recess interengaging when the cover portions are
closed to inhibit lateral separation of the cover portions one from
10the o-ther, each cover portion being sealable one on each of the other
pair of opposed side walls.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An example embodiment of the invention is shown in the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stacking container
having a pair of hinged cover portions in closed position;
Figure 2 is a view of the upper portion of the container
of Figure 1 showing the cover portions in partially opened position;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cover portions
20of the container in partially opened posi-tion as seen in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3
showing the cover portions advanced towards a closed position;
Figure ~ is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4
showing the cover portions in fully closed posi-tion;
Figure 6 is a perspective view, similar to Figure 1, of
an alternate embodimen-t of the invention; and
Figure 7 is a perspective view, similar to Figure 6, showing
the cover portions of the container in partially opened position.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The example embodiment consists of a container 10 having
a bottom 12, a first pair of opposed side walls 14, a second pair
of opposed side walls 16, and a cover 18 comprising a pair of cover
portions 20 one attached to the top edge of each side wall 16 hy
a hinge 22 and presenting a flat surface when closed. The lateral
edges of each cover portion 20 carry means to engage the adiacent
side walls 14 of container 10 in the form of channels 24 which over-
lap the upper rims 26 of side walls 16. An aperture 28 in one channel
24 of each cover portion 20 and an aperture 30 in each rim 26 provide
means for sealing container 19 using wire or the like (no-t shown).
Cover portions 20 each have an outer free edge 30 remote
from hinge 22 and each outer free edge of the cover portions is
crenella-ted, with a plurality of spaced teeth 32 having recesses 34
between the teeth whereby the cover portions interfit one wi-th the
other when closed.
Each tooth 32 is undercut intermediate its ends to form
a transverse notch 36 with a vertical face 38 on that side of the
notch towards the free end of the tcoth. Each recess 34 is bridged
transversely by a vertically disposed flange 40 spaced from the base
of the recess substantially the same distance as notch 36 is spaced
from the free end of tooth 32.
When container 10 has been loaded cover portions 20 are
closed in the manner shown in Figures 3 to 5 of the drawings. As
cover portions 20 are pivoted into closed position about hinges 22,
flanges 40 in recesses 34 of one cover por-tion move into notches
36 in teeth 32 of the other cover portion whereby when the cover
p ortions are in fully closed position each vertical flange lies
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adjacent vertical face 38 of an associa-ted notch 36. When cover
portions 20 are closed, presenting a flat upper face of cover 18, they
may be sealed by passing a wire or similar means (not shown) through
apertures 28 and 30 and fastening the ends of the wire together.
When cover portions 20 are closed and sealed any vertical
pressure on cover 18 -to separate free edges 30 of the cover portions
causes flange 40 to bear laterally against vertical face 38 or notch
36 and inhibits the lateral separation of the cover portions, thus
thwarting any attempt to pry up the free edge of either cover portion
by forcing a tool under either free edge.
In the alternate example embodiment of the invention shown
in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, each -tooth 32 of cover portions
20 is shaped at its free end portion to provide a head 42 defined by
a neck 44. Each recess 34 is similarly sllaped at its base to provide
a pocke-t 46 to recèive head 42 of the interfitting tooth 32 of -the
opposite cover portion 20. Each pocket 46 is defined by a neck 48.
Preferably each -tooth 32 carries a notch 36 and each recess is bridged
by a flange 40 as in the previous embcdiment.
In use, as cover portions 20 of the container of Figures 6
and 7 are closed heads 42 of teeth 32 are received in sockets 46 of
recesses 34 as seen in Figure 6. If downward vertical pressure is
a pplied to cover 18 the lateral movement of cover portions 20 away
from one another is prevented because heads 42 of teeth 32 bear aginst
necks 48 of pockets 46. If notches 36 and flanges 40 are also pro-
vided then the prevention of such lateral separation is reinforced.
The container is preferably cons-tructed of structural foam
plas-tic for rigidity. For still further rigidity, and to save costs,
cover portions 20 may be channel shaped in cross-section as seen in
Figures 3 to 5. Also, each flange 40 may be reinforced by a connecting
wall 50 as seen in Figures 3 -to 5. I-t will be appreciated that some
of flanges 40 and/or heads 42 nay be o~itted and still achieve the
resul-t of the invention.
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If desired, some of flange 40 could be extended downwardly as
feet 60 to rest on opposing teeth 32 should an attempt be made to
interfit cover portions 20 the wrong way, i.e. with flanges 40 located
a bove the opposi-te teeth instead of below them. This would provide
an exaggerated upward tilt to that cover portion 20 with the down-
ward flange fee-t 60 resting on the opposite teeth and thus warn that
cover 18 is not properly closed.
