Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to a container of thermoplastic
material, and in particular to such a container
of small size light weight and low cost, such as
is used for cosmetics and the like, having a body
portion and a lid which are hinged together along
one edge.
Hinged type plastic containers are used
for a wide range of products, cosmetics being merely
one of such products. In such containers there are
various desirable characteristics. It is desirable
that the hinge shall permit the lid to be raised
and lowered readily. The hinge should preferably
provide a positive stop, limiting the angle to which
it can be swung open. The hinge will preferably incur-
prorate some form of frictional means, to provide a
positive open position, so that -the container may
be used with the lid open, without the lid accidentally
closing.
In the particular case of a cosmetics con-
trainer, such as a powder compact, the lid usually
contains a mirror. It is therefore in this case
highly desirable that the lid when open shall remain
firmly in position, so that the mirror does not
constantly move about.
In the past, -there have been various
forms of compact which met these requirements. However,
since -the design of these compacts is slim, so as
to fit in the pockets, or a personal carrying case
such as a handbag, the physical size of -the hinge
components was small. The manufacture and the assembly
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of such a plastic article wherein the hinge combo-
newts are relatively small poses certain problems.
It may be difficult to remove the finished article
from the mold without breakage. It may be difficult
to assemble the finished article without breakage.
In order to overcome the problem of break-
age, most of such smaller sized plastic containers
have been manufactured of relatively expensive raw
materials. Clearly, it is desirable if such con-
trainers can be manufactured of low cost materials
such as styrenes However, in the past styrenes has
been regarded as unsuitable for containers of this
type, due to its brittle nature.
Clearly, it is desirable that such con-
trainers shall be made of the lowest cost material,
provided the necessary characteristics of durability
and function can still be maintained.
BRIEF SUMMARY Of THE INVENTION
The invention therefore seeks to overcome
the foregoing disadvantages, and comprises a con-
trainer of thermoplastic material comprising, a bottom
portion, a lid portion adapted to mate with such
bottom portion, and hinge means connecting said
lid portion and said bottom portion, said hinge
means comprising a first hinge member on one of
said bottom and lit portions and a second hinge
member on the other of said bottom and lid portions
and wherein said first hinge member comprises a
generally cylindrical hinge pin portion, and means
supporting said hinge pin portion, and wherein said
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second hinge member comprises inner and outer hinge
arm portions, said arm portions being spaced apart
from one another, and defining a generally regular
channel shaped space there between adapted to fit
around and receive said hinge pin portion, lip portions
on the free edges of said hinge arm portions defining
a restricted spacing there between less than the
spacing between said arm portions, and adapted to
make a snap fit around said hinge pin portion, at
least one of said hinge arms being resiliently flexible
relative to the other said hinge arms to open up
for receipt of said hinge pin there between, and,
a yin bearing member located between said arm portions,
and adapted to engage said hinge pin portion.
More particularly, it is an objective of the
invention to provide such a container wherein the hinge
pin portion is attached to the bottom container portion
and the hinge arm portions are attached to the container
lid portion.
More particularly, it is an objective
of the invention to provide a container having the
foregoing advantages, wherein a first said hinge arm
is attached to a rear edge ox such controller lid
portion, and including an intermediate wall portion
extending parallel and adjacent to said rear portion
of said container top portion, and wherein said
second hinge arm portion is attached to said intermediate
wall.
The various features of novelty which
characterize the invention are pointed out with
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particularity in the claims annexed to and forming
a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding
of the invention, its operating advantages and specie
lie objects attained by its use, reference should
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive
matter in which there are illustrated and described
preferred embodiments of the invention.
IN THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is perspective illustration
of a container according to the invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective of
a hinge according to the invention;
Figure 3 is a section along the line
3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a section along the line
4-4 of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a section along the line
5-5 of Figure 2, and,
Figure 6 is a section along the line
6-6 of Figure 2.
DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBO IMENq'
Referring first of all to Figure 1, it
will be seen that the invention is illustrated here
in connection with a relatively slim flat wallet shaped
container 10. Such a container 10 may be typically
used for the sale of cosmetics such as powder, in the
form of a powder compact. However, such a container
is merely one illustration of a form of the invention,
and it is not -to be taken as restrictive of the scope
of the invention as such.
I
The container as illustrated has a bottom
portion 12 and a lid portion 14, which generally
speaking are of the same shape, and they fit
together to enclose a product or some material
contained therein.
In the example of a powder compact, such
a container will typically have a small mirror
mounted on the inside of the lid, and powder
will be supported in a suitable receptacle
in the bottom portion. Such mirror and recent-
ado are omitted from this disclosure for the
sake of clarity. It will however be appreciated that
they are not in any way limiting of the scope
of the invention, and are in any event well known
in the art.
The lid and bottom are hinged by hinges
indicated generally as 16 which will be described
below. The lid and bottom may also be held closed
by means of some form of fastening device (not
shown) which may vary widely, and which is in any
event well known in the art and forms no part of
this invention.
It will be appreciated that in many instances,
not merely in the case of a powder compact as
illustrated, it is desirable that the container
may be used repeatedly over an extended period
of time, by opening and closing the lid. When in
use, the lid will preferably be held at a pro-
determined open angle, convenient for use of
the mirror contained within the lid.
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AYE
If the lid is loose on its hinge, then
it becomes more awkward to use -the mirror.
Accordingly, it is considered desirable that
the hinge shall in some way contain some form
of restraint or partial locking mechanism
so that the lid is held in the open position
during use , and yet it may readily be swung
for closing .
It also evident that both in the case of
a powder compact and in many other instances
it is desirable that the product shall be made
as far as possible economically, by high speed
injection molding techniques, using low cost
therm plastics materials.
Due to the size of the container in this
case, it will be readily apparent that the
hinge component will be of small dimensions.
Molding of small plastic features in this
way is crown -to present problems. In particular,
when -the article is removed from the mold, after a
relatively brief molding cycle, i-t is quite
common for small plastic features -to be brazen
off. This leads -to a high ate of rejects.
I-t is also known that during assembly of
small plastic components or features of this kind,
that they are also liable to break, again causing
rejects during assembly.
For all of these reasons it has in the past
been considered necessary -that articles of this
kind should be manufactured of relatively high grade
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plastics material, having a lower rate of
fracture. This has substantially increased
the cost of such containers.
In accordance with the invention, a
container is provided in which an improved
form of hinge provides a greater degree of
effectiveness in use and also reduces the
likelihood of breakage during molding and
during assembly operations. The invention
thereby permits the molding of such containers
out of a lower cost material typically a
styrenes type material, so that the entire
container can -thus be sold at a lower price.
Referring now to Figures 2-6, the
invention is illustrated in more detail.
As best shown in Figure 2, a portion of
the container bottom 12 and a portion of -the
container lid 14 are shown, -together with a
single hinge indicated generally as 16.
As mentioned above, this is merely
illustrative of the invention. As shown in
Figure AL, there are in fact two such hinges
on -the present embodiment. There could
of course be a single hinge, or there could
be three or more as desired.
The hinge 16 will be seen to comprise
two components namely a hinge pin component
indicated as 18 and a hinge arm component
indicated as 20. As illustrated, the hinge pin
component 18 is shown extending from -the bottom
7147
portion of the container and the hinge arm
component is shown extending from the lid
portion of the container. It will however
be appreciated that this is merely one way
of using the invention. The invention could
equally well be used -the opposite way around
if desired.
The hinge pin component 18 will be seen
to comprise a generally cylindrical elongated
hinge pin member 22, integrally formed together
with a pair of pin flange members 24 integrally
rooted on the rear wall 26 of the container
bottom portion 12.
The pin portion 22 will thus be seen to be
spaced to predetermined distance behind the
rear wall, supported at each end. As mentioned,
there are two such hinge pins 22, spaced apart
from one another along the back wall of the con-
trainer bottom , equidistant from each end.
The hinge arm portion 18 comprises an inner
hinge arm 30, and an outer hinge arm 32. Arm
32 is formed on wall 34 of Jig 14.
Arm 30 is formed on inner wall 36, formed
inside lid 14.
Arm portion 30 is separated from wall 36,
by notches 37, which receive flanges 24.
Arms 30 and 32 are of the same length as
pin 22, so as to fit between flanges 24.
Both the inner and outer hinge arms extend
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beyond the extent of the rear wall and the
inner partition walls respectively, and define
free edges.
Along the inner portions of the free
edges of the arms 30 and 32, there are formed
oppositely directed lip portions 38 and 40.
The two lip portions define a narrow opening,
which is narrower than the spacing between the
two hinge arms . They are thus adapted -to make
a snap fit around the hinge pin, and hold it
securely held between -the two hinge arms.
In order to limit the depth to which the
hinge pin can enter between the two hinge arms,
a frictional s-top member 42 is formed, which is
rooted between the inner and outer hinge arms,
extending downwardly from a portion of the lid
14, between the inner end wall and -the rear wall.
The stop member is generally wedge shaped
in cross section and in fact is separated from
the two hinge arms for reasons to be described
below.
Its free end is intended to bear on the
hinge pin when -the hinge pin is sea-ted between
the two arms, and -to create a frictional stop.
It will of course be apparent that in -this
embodiment of the invention there are two pairs
of such hinge arms , one pair for each such
hinge pin.
At this point, it should also be noted that
the outer hinge arm lo somewhat longer than the
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inner hinge arm, and is curved so
that it extends around and partially under its
hinge pin.
It is also of generally progressively
tapering shape in section.
This feature provides the advantage that
when the hinge is rotated and the lid is opened,
the curved portion of the outer hinge arm will
fit between the hinge pin and the rear wall of
the bottom portion 12, and will eventually bind
and cause a positive stop limiting further opening
movement. At the same time, in this limiting
position, the rear wall will partially embrace
the inside of the hinge pin, that is to say the
portion of the hinge pin adjacent the back wall
of the bottom portion. This will -then reduce the
tendency of the -two hinge arms to open up
when the lid is fully opened, and will prevent
the hinge arms from falling off -the hinge pin
due to opening of -the lid.
Slaving described what is believed to
be -the best mode by which the invention may
be performed, it will be seen that the
invention may be particularly defined as follows:
A container of thermoplastic material
comprising a bottom portion, a lid portion adapted
to mate with such bottom portion, hinge means
connecting said lid portion and said bottom portion,
said hinge means comprising, a first hinge member
on one of said bottom and lid members, a second hinge
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member on the other of said bottom and
lid members, and wherein said first hinge
member comprises, a generally cylindrical
hinge pin portion, and means supporting
said hinge pin portion, and wherein said
second hinge member comprises inner and outer
hinge arm portions, said arm portions being ',
spaced apart from one another, and defining
a generally regular channel shaped space
there between adapted to fit around and receive said
hinge pin portion, lip portions on the free
edges of said hinge arm portions defining a
restricted spacing th~rebetween less than the
spacing between said arm portions, and adapted
to make a snap fit around said hinge pin portion,
at least one of said hinge arms being resiliently
flexible relative to the other said hinge arms to
open up for receipt of said hinge pin there between,
and, a pun bearing member located between said arm
portions, and adapted to engage said hinge pin
portion.
The foregoing is a description of a
preferred embodiment of the invention which is
given here by way of example only. The invention
is not to be -taken as limited to any of the specific
features as described, but comprehends all such
variations thereof as come within the scope of
the appended claims.
