Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
STORAGE AND DISPENSER BOX FOR SMALL ARTICLES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a storage and dispenser
box. More specifically but not exclusively the present invention is concerned
with a
storage and dispenser box for small articles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Boxes for small articles that can be used to package candies, pills,
free flowing products, condoms and the like are well known in the art. A
drawback with
many such dispenser boxes is that they do not sufficiently protect certain
small articles
such as condoms and do not provide for a way to open and close the storage and
dispenser box without damaging the article contained therein.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0003] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a storage
and dispenser box for small articles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A storage and dispenser box for small articles comprising: a container
for holding the small articles and having an open top face, lateral side
walls, front and
rear walls and a bottom wall; and a cover for covering the container and
having a top
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wall, side walls depending at the proximal edges thereof from the top wall and
short
bottom elements inwardly protruding from the distal edges of the side walls,
wherein
when opening or closing the container open top face with the cover, the cover
side walls
slidably engage the container side walls on the outer side thereof and the
cover short
bottom elements slidably engage the container bottom wall on the outer side
thereof.
[0005] Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will
become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description
of
illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference
to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] In the appended drawings:
[0007] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the storage and dispenser box
of the present invention in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative
embodiment
thereof showing the cover and container of the box in a separated position;
[0008] Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the storage and dispenser box
pf
Figure 1 in an assembled position ;
[0009] Figure 3 is front elevational view of the container of Figure 1;
[0010] Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;
[0011] Figure 5 is front elevational view of the cover of Figure 1;
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[0012] Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and
[0013] Figure 7 is a front perspective view of the storage and dispenser box
of the present invention in accordance with another non-restrictive
illustrative
embodiment thereof showing the cover and container of the box in a separated
position;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
[0014] Generally, stated the invention provides a storage and dispenser box
for small articles, such as condoms for example. The box includes a container
having
an open top face and a cover having side walls depending therefrom that
slidably
engage the bottom side of the container when opening and closing the cover.
The
cover can include a recess at a front side thereof adjacent to the open top
face which
allows easier access to the articles contained therein.
[0015] With reference to the appended drawings, non-restrictive illustrative
embodiments of the present invention will now be described so as to exemplify
the
invention and by no means limit the scope thereof.
[0016] With reference to Figures 1 to 6 a first illustrative embodiment of the
invention will now be described.
[0017] The storage dispenser box 10 for small articles includes a container
12 and a cover 14.
[0018] The container 12 is a generally rectangular body having an opened
top face 16, front and back walls 18 and 20 respectively, lateral side walls
22 and 24,
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and a bottom wall 26. The front wall 18 includes a recessed opening portion 27
that
facilitates the removal of stacked articles.
[0019] With particular reference to Figure 3, edge 28 is defined between side
wall 22 and bottom wall 26 and edge 30 is defined between side wall 24 and
bottom
wall 26. Both edges 28 and 30 are provided with a curved structure. Turning
back t
Figure 1, the contour edge 32 surrounding the open face 16, the front corner
edges 34
and 36, defined between the front wall 18 and the lateral side walls 22 and 24
respectively as well as the back corner edges 38 and 39, defined between the
back wall
20 and the lateral side walls 22 and 24 respectively, are also provided with
curved
structures. The front edge 35 defined between the front wall 18 and the bottom
wall 26
and the opposite back edge 33 (see Figure 4), defined between the back wall 20
and
the bottom wall 26, also have respective curved configurations.
[0020] The side walls 22 and 24 and the front and back walls 18 and 20
define a containing space S for containing and dispensing small articles
therein via
open top side 16 and the recessed opening 27.
[0021] With reference to Figure 1, 5 and 6, the cover 14 includes a top wall
40 for fully covering the open top face 16 of the container 12. Side walls 42
and 44
depend from the top face 40 at the proximal edges 46 and 48 thereof and
substantially
span the width and length of side walls 22 and 24 of the container 12. The
walls 42 and
44 have respective short longitudinal members 50 and 52, inwardly projecting
from their
respective distal edges 54 and 56.
[0022] The cover 14 also includes an open front face 58 for receiving the
container 12 therein as will be explained herein.
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[0023] A tongue member 60 extends from the top face 40 at a proximal end
62 thereof and having inward extension 64 at an opposite end 66 thereof. The
inward
extension 64 defines a hook acting as a mounting element. The tongue member 60
is
moveable about the bent proximal end 62 as shown by arrow X in Figure 6. The
cover
5 14 also includes a back wall 68, which in another configuration can be an
open face.
The back wall 68 includes a longitudinal inwardly protruding member 69 at its
distal end
for slidably engaging the underside of the bottom container wall 26. Member 69
connects members 50 and 52 and together define an opening 70.
[0024] The container also includes edges with a curved configuration to
match that of the container edges described above. As such, edges 46, 48, 54,
56 as
well as back edges 70 (between walls 40 and 68) and 72 (between wall 68 and
member
69) are provided with curved configurations.
[0025] In operation, the cover 14 is mounted to the container 12 so as to
cover the top open face 16 in order to enclose articles therein. The cover 14
is thus
moved onto the container 12 receiving this container 12 via its open front
face 58.
Thus, the side walls 42 and 44 of the cover 14 slide along side walls 22 and
24,
respectively, of the container 12; simultaneously, the inward extensions 50
and 52 of
the cover 14 slide along the bottom wall 26 of the container 12 until the back
wall 20 of
the container 12 abuts the back wall 68 of the cover 14.
[0026] In this way the tongue member 60 hangs flush along the front face 18
of the container 12. The hook 64 can be lockingly inserted into a mutual
mating recess
74 (see Figure 4) formed at the bottom wall 26 of the container 12, in order
to
releasably lock the cover 14 onto the container 12, thereby ensuring that
enclosed
articles do not escape from the space S. It should be noted that planar
indentation 80
is provided on the front wall 18 of the container 12 adjacent to the recessed
opening 27
to provide a insert space for the body of tongue member 60.
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[0027] When the user wishes to have access to a small article within space
S, the user releases the hook 64 from the recess 74. The user will then
slidably move
the container 12 out of cover 14 thereby having access to the space S as well
as any
articles contained therein.
[0028] With reference to Figure 7, a storage dispensing box 100 in
accordance with a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention will
now be
described. Box 100 is substantially similar to box 10, hence, only the
differences
thereof will be discussed for concision purposes only.
[0029] Box 100 includes a cover 114 having inward protruding members 150
and 152 and a container 112 having bottom wall 126. The inward protruding
members
150 and 152 and the bottom wall 126 include mutually engaging elements. More
specifically, the bottom wall 126 includes locating elements 102 and 104 which
respectively and slidably engage guides 106 and 108 respectively. In this
example, the
locating elements 102 and 104 are downward protrusions or cams and the guides
106
and 108 are recessed rails or longitudinal slots.
[0030] The storage dispensing boxes 10 and 100 can be provided in a variety
of shapes and sizes and be made in a variety of materials such as paper,
cardboard,
plastic and the like without limitation thereto. The design and configuration
can be
varied in accordance with the present invention.
[0031] Various small articles can be placed within the space S in a particular
embodiment it is condoms that are placed within the space S.
[0032] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its
application
to the details of construction and parts illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and
described hereinabove. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of
being
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practiced in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or
terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation.
Hence,
although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of
embodiments
thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit, scope and
nature of the
subject invention as defined herein.
