Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a need to store, transport, and selectively
view papers having information on them. This need has
been in part satisfied by various small portable boxes
that usually have disadvantages relating to their
strength, short life, inability to properly hold a small
number of papers and high expense in view of their short
life. These boxes are usually made from paper. petal
file cabinets that are well known in offices overcome the
difficulties mentioned above, but are too heavy for usual
transport. Also file cabinets are expensive, and at least
with respect to the lower drawers, difficult to work with
when it is desired to view the documents.
Many various general purpose containers are known, but
in general they are unsuitable for the above mentioned
usage.
SEYMOUR OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
box that may adequately transport, store, and provide
viewing of papers or documents, such as checks, which are
generally of a
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similar size and shape. Particularly this is done in a secure
fashion wherein a lid and lock may be provided, and cheaply
wherein molded synthetic resin is used as the primary material.
The boxes are light weight and small so that they may be easily
handled for moving them form one office to another, for placement
upon-a desk for easy viewing of the documents contained therein,
and for moving them into and out of storage.
Security for the boxes is provided by a lid that interlocks
with the container and is prevented from being removed by a lock,
lo such as aligned apertures in the lid and container that may pass
there through a security tie or padlock, or the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further object, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more clear from the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
Figure l is a top plan view of the container and lid,
with portions broken away to illustrate structure and certain
structure enlarged to show detail;
Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the container
and lid, with portions broken away to illustrate structure;
Figure 3 is one end view of the container and lid;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4
of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5
Jo of Figure 2;
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Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6
of Figure 2;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7
of Figure l;
Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line 8-8
of Figure l;
Figure 9 is an end view of one end of two containers,
without lids, that are stacked together;
Figure 10, is an end view corresponding to Figure 9,
but with lids being provided for each of the containers;
Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the sides of
the container, illustrating specific structure;
Figure 12 is a perspective view of the peripheral
flange of the lid and is similar to the lid structure shown in
Figure 5;
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the peripheral
flange of the lid, with portions broken away to illustrate
Jo structure, and is similar to the lid structure shown in Figure 6;
Figure 14 is a side elevation Al view similar to a
portion broken away in Figure 2, but showing the lid and
: container in a different relative position.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment will be described in detail and is
shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration of the broader
principles of the present invention and further for showing
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details that are specific features of the present invention.
Like numerals are shown throughout the various figures to India
gate like structure. In figure 9, two containers 1 are stacked
one upon the other with the upper container being nested within
the lower container. Such a nested stack is suitable for storing
the containers without their lids when the containers are goner-
ally empty. In Figure 10, the same containers are shown in a
similar position, but each is now provided with a lid 12. The
lids are of identical structure.
Each container is provided with opposite end walls 2 and 3,
and opposite side walls 4 and 5, which are integrally joined in
one piece with each other to form a continuous rectangular
upwardly extending wall, and which in turn are integrally joined
in one piece with a bottom wall 6. The container is preferably
; 15 molded in one piece from a synthetic resin, for example pulpier-
pylon. The end walls and side walls are generally vertical,
although they have a small taper, for example, of seven degrees
for reasons to be hereinafter explained. Their lower most edges
are entirely connected to the entire periphery of the rectangular
bottom wall 6. The upwardly extending edges of the side and end
walls are entirely connected in one piece with their adjacent
walls.
The upper edge portions of the side walls I, 5 and end walls
2,3 include outwardly extending horizontal flanges 7, as can be
seen in Figure 9, connected together around substantially the
entire upper periphery of the container to constitute side
flanges 8, 9 and end flanges 10, 11. In addition to an upper
I flange 8, is lower flange 16; similarly, in addition to upper
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flange 9, is a lower flange identical to lower flange 16 on the
opposite side of the container 17. The side flanges taper down-
warmly at one end of the container to form end flange 10. End
flange 11 also does not have an additional lower flange. As can
be best seen in Figure 11, a flange connecting side wall 40 con-
newts upper and lower horizontal flanges 9 and 17. Similar
structure is provided for between upper and lower flanges 8 and
16.
The lid 12 is preferably molded in one piece from a Cynthia-
tic resin, for example polyester. The lid is of rectangular shape and a size to close the open top of the container 1, with
the peripheral edge portion of the lid being rectangular and
having a flange 13 overlying the flange 7 of the container.
The lid 12 is interlockingly assembled onto its container.
lo For this purpose, the flange 7 of the container is provided with
a plurality of through apertures 14, only one of which can be
seen in Figure 1. Preferably, five through apertures 14 are
provided on each of the side flanges 8, 9. In addition to the
through apertures, as can be seen in Figure 11, a recess 41 is
provided that is cut out of side wall 4 directly vertically below
through aperture 14. Also, a flange connecting side wall cut out
portion 42 can be seen. The lid is integrally formed with a
plurality of depending side flange engaging hooks 15 as can be
seen in Figures 2, 12 and 13. Hooks 15 are molded in one piece
with the lid and are positioned such that they are in general
alignment with and extend through the apertures 14 when the lid
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is asselnbled on the container. Each hook is provided with a
downwardly extending shaft portion 25 and horizontally extending
return portion 26 that in the position of Figure 2 underlies the
container flange 7. For assembly of the lid, the lid is placed
above the container with the hooks 15 aligned with the apertures
14, and thereafter the lid is moved downwardly so that the hooks
15 will extend through the apertures 14 as shown in Figure 14.
Thereafter the lid is translated horizontally relative to the
container and parallel to the container side walls toward the
I container end wall 3, so that the hooks will assume the locked
position shown in Figure 2. In Figure 14, a closed position is
shown wherein the lid actually closes the container although it
is not locked. When the lid is moved vertically upward from the
position of Figure 14 to completely disengage the lid from the
container, any such positions are revered to as a disengaged
position.
The lid further includes a flat planar horizontal major mid-
portion that is rectangular. This mid-portion 21 is horizontally
inset and vertically recessed from the lid flange 13 and joined
to the lid flange 13 by means of continuous vertical wall 22
forming opposite side and end walls for the lid.
Various structure is provided to strengthen the container
and the lid. A first downwardly extending rib 44, as best seen
in Figure 4 and 12 extends around the entire periphery of the lid
mid-portion 21 for stiffening. Each hook portion has an
additional second downwardly extending rib I parallel to rib 44
Jo as best seen in Figure 12. jib 45 extends along return portion
26. A third inwardly extending rib 46, as can be seen in Figures
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6 and 13, extends transversely between ribs I and 45 at the end
of return portion 26 that is adjacent shaft portion 25. Rib 46
extends downwardly into a downwardly extending recessed portion
41 when the lid is assembled onto the container. As the lid is
moved horizontally toward end wall 3, rib 45 and rib 94 extend
respectively to the outside and inside of the respective lower
horizontal flanges 16 and 17. Outside rib 45 prevents the side
wall from being flexed outwardly while inside rib 44 prevents the
side wall from being flexed inwardly while additionally giving
support to the lid recess mid-portion. Rib 46 provides
additional reinforcement for ribs 44 and 45. Rib 46 also engages
the uppermost edge of the container side wall, which forms the
bottom of recessed portion 41.
For the container, an additional vertical flange 37 extends
around the periphery of the container with the exception of end
wall 2. A plurality of webs 38 are integrally joined to and
extend between flanges 37 and horizontal flanges 8, 9, and 11.
As can be seen in Figure 2, the through apertures 14 extend
between webs 38.
When in the locked position of Figure 2, a number of
different structures may be employed to lock or securely retain
the lid to prevent its movement from the locked position to the
closed position of Figure 14. One such structure that may be
used is shown in Figure 7. An aperture 23 extends through a
lower horizontal flange portion 48, which is integrally molded
along lid flange 13. An aperture 24 in the flange 7 of container
t 1 is aligned vertically below aperture 23 when the lid is in the
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locked position. Preferably, two lower horizontal flange
portions and corresponding apertures are provided for on the lid
and two corresponding apertures provided for along the horizontal
flange 7 of the container. A simple security tie not shown such
as a rope, piece of wire, plastic loop fastener or the like may
be passed through the aligned apertures 23 and 24 and secured.
Some such fasteners can only be disassembled by destroying them,
which would indicate that the contents of the box may have been
tampered with. For more security the shackle of a conventional
padlock (not shown) could be passed through apertures 23, 24.
As an additional means for locking the lid to the container,
a slot 50 that extends through end wall is provided along the
upper edge of end wall 3. An end flange engaging hook 51 is
integrally molded with lid 12, depending in one piece from the
Jo 15 lid peripheral edge portion or lid flange 13. End hook 51 is
further molded with L shaped reinforcing ribs 52, as shown in
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Figure 1. In Figure 8, end hook 51 is shown projecting into slot
5Q, to engage beneath end flange 11, when the lid and container
have been translated horizontally from the closed position into
the locked position. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in
Figure 1, two slots are provided and two correspondingly aligned
end flange engaging hooks 51 are provided.
To facilitate interlocking of the bottom of one container
with the lid of another container when in the stacked position of
I Flgure~lO~;the lid and bottom are provided with telescopically
n~te~rEitt~i~ng structure. As mentioned above, the lid is provided
w~i~th~an~inset and recessed mid portion 21. Similarly, the bottom
;is~of~substantially the same shape and smaller than the lid mid
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portion so that in the position of Figure 10, the top container
is being restrained from horizontal movement in any direction by
lid wall 22. In a preferred embodiment, the side and end walls
are molded with a taper of approximately 7 degrees. The bottom
wall 6 of one container may be stacked within the recessed mid
portion 21 of a lid covering a like container.
The interior of the container is provided with dividers 60
that extend between opposite side walls and opposite end walls of
the container. For supporting the dividers generally
perpendicularly to bottom wall 6, the dividers are provided with
hook portions 61. These hook portions are received within
pockets 62 that are integrally molded within the side and end
walls of the container. Pockets 62 are provided with an interior
portion that includes a terminated side wall portion 63 that
provides an upwardly extending flange structure over which hook
61 can be supported. Opposed pairs of pockets 62 allow the
dividers to extend generally perpendicularly between the side
walls of the container and the end walls of the container. The
upper edge of the dividers, 64, is of a general shape
corresponding with the recessed mid portion 21 of the lid,
including rib 44. Therefore, when the lid is assembled on the
container and the lid is in the closed or locked position, the
dividers are prevented from being shifted upwardly and being
unhooked or removed from pockets 62.
The exterior portion of the pockets 62 provide a nesting
stop surface 65 that limits the extent that one container will
nest within a like container when the containers ate generally
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empty and stacked in a nested stack such as in transpiration or
storage. A nested stack of containers, with the lids and dividers
removed, can be seen in Figure 9.
Gussets 66 are formed integrally with the lid peripheral
edge portion. Gussets 66 extend downwardly and inwardly as can
be seen in Figure 4. The outer tapered edge of the gussets pro-
vises a cam surface which coats with flange connecting side wall
40 to center the lid between the container side walls. A plural-
fly of gussets 66 are spaced along the peripheral edge of the lid
so that if the container side walls are warped inwardly the lid
can still be assembled onto the container with little effort.
Gussets 66 also serve to seal off a small opening existing when
; lid is locked onto tray to seal out dust, dirt, etc.
; While a preferred embodiment including various details has
,' 15 been shown for purposes of illustrating the present invention,
further embodiments, variations and modifications era possible in
accordance with the broader aspects of the present invention, all
us defined by the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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