Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
CONTAINER SYSTEM WITH LOCKING TABS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S.
Provisional
application No. 62/852,072, filed May 23, 2019, the entirety of which is
incorporated by
reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a locking container system, for
example
of the type used to store and transport food.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] On-the-go food storage containers have become increasingly
prevalent in
today's busy society. More and more people are eating on the go. Eating on the
go
however creates unique problems with traditional food take out containers that
have yet
to be addressed.
[0004] For example, food storage containers with traditional locking
features are
typically not well secured and can easily and unintentionally be opened. For
people
ordering take out and for food delivery drivers this can make transporting
difficult, messy
and unsanitary. Since most restaurants seek to increase, or at uncertain
times, replace,
sales through online ordering and delivery, or customer store pick-up, it is
beneficial to
use a container that enhances the consumer's take out dining experience.
[0005] Although there are some secure locking features in existing take-
out food
packages, they often rely on undercut features. Undercut features are very
challenging
to produce in molded fiber operations, but also inhibit optimization of
shipping.
[0006] For example, during manufacturing, the overhanging features do not
allow
the formed parts to easily separate from the mold in many cases, and they
create empty
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
spaces between each container when stacked, which hinders shipping
efficiencies.
There is a great advantage to a locking mechanism that does not require
undercut
features, to increase ease of manufacturing and to lower shipping costs.
2
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] One aspect of the present invention is directed to a hinged
clamshell
container or a two-part container, formed of molded pulp and/or a thermoformed
plastic
material. A lid and/or base of the container comprises an interlocking
interface including
but not limited to folding portions that securely attach to at least one boss
on the base
and/or lid portion to keep the container system closed and secure during
transport.
[0008] The present invention is also directed to a system comprising a
base
container and lid, either separate or attached by a connecting hinge, that can
be
configured in but not limited to a circle, oval or any other rectilinear like
shape. The
system according to the present invention is a food container that comprises a
folding
tab locking mechanism wherein said tabs engage on bosses on the opposing part.
The
system may include at least one base container and one lid or one part that
acts as both,
that can be formed in a multitude of different materials including but not
limited to molded
pulp fiber, PP, PET, PS, or other commonly thermoformed polymers. Such
materials are
safe for food contact. The base and/or lid may comprise boss features that
allow for
folding tabs from the former/latter part to engage therewith.
[0009] The part with the folding tab features, be it the base or the lid
or both, may
include one or more tab features on one side of the part directly opposed each
other, tab
features diagonally from each other, or both. This is including but not
limited to a single
tab feature with a single boss on the opposing part or multiple tab features
with an equal
number of bosses for them to engage with on the counterpart.
[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, a container includes a
lid; and a
base. Each of the lid and the base have at least one selected from the group
consisting
of a first and second component of an interlocking interface, the first
component, e.g., a
tab, including a folding portion, and the second component including a boss.
The folding
portion has a receiving area dimensioned to receive the boss and is connected
about a
3
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
hinge to the component to which it is attached, e.g., the lid or base. The
folding portion
moves about the hinge between a position of secure and releasable engagement
with
the boss and a position of disengagement with the boss. The boss and the
folding portion
are configured such that upon a closing engagement of the lid and the base, a
respective
portion of the periphery of the base has one of the folding portion and an
opposing portion
of the periphery of the lid has the other of the folding portion and the boss,
so that the
respective opposing portions of the lid and base are securely and releasably
engageable
with one another by manipulation of the respective folding portion over the
respective
boss.
[0011] In another aspect, secure engagement of the boss and the folding
portion
is maintained by friction between the boss and the folding portion.
[0012] In another aspect, the base and the lid are attached to one
another by a
connecting hinge.
[0013] In another aspect, all of the interlocking interfaces on the lid
are the first
component and all of the interlocking interfaces on the base are the second
component.
[0014] In another aspect, all of the interlocking interfaces on the base
are the first
component and all of the interlocking interfaces on the lid are the second
component.
[0015] In another aspect, each of the lid and the base has at least three
corners
and two of the at least three corners of the lid comprise one selected from
the group
consisting of the first component and the second component, and two of the at
least three
corners of the base comprise the other one from the group consisting of the
first
component and the second component.
[0016] In another aspect, the respective opposing portions of the lid and
base
comprise four longitudinally extending bosses on the base and four
longitudinally
extending folding tabs on the lid.
4
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
[0017] In another aspect, each of the base and the lid is made of molded
pulp
and/or a thermoformed plastic material.
[0018] In another aspect, one or both of the lid and base is made of at
least one
selected from the group consisting of molded pulp fiber, PP, PET and PS.
[0019] In another aspect, the base comprises one or more dividers that
span
across the base to creating separate compartments.
[0020] In another aspect, the compartments are configured to provide a
50/50
division, a one-third to two-thirds division, or an evenly divided three-way
division.
[0021] In another aspect, the folding portion has an arcuate domed
indentation
that engages a respective boss
[0022] In another aspect, the folding portion has an opening that engages
a
respective boss.
[0023] In another aspect, each of the folding portions is configured so
as to be
biased towards its disengaged position.
[0024] The base and lid may also include one or more dividers that span
across
the base creating fully separate compartments. The compartments may be
configured
in a number of ways including but not limited to (50/50) split, (33/66) split,
or (33/33/33)
split.
[0025] A key component of the invention is its simplicity and ease of
operation.
The folding tab features and designated bosses in the opposing part are
intuitive to use
and require little to no training. Closing and opening said parts should
require little force
and create a secure fit.
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0026] FIGS. 1-7 show plural views of an embodiment in which a container
lid is
connected to a container base and in which two bosses are provided on the base
container, and two folding tabs are provided on free corners of the connected
lid;
[0027] FIGS. 8-11 show plural views of an embodiment in which the lid is
connected to the base container and in which two bosses are provided on the
base
container, but with two folding tabs provided on the connected lid that are
modified from
the folding tabs shown in FIGS 1-7;
[0028] FIGS. 12-15 show plural views of an embodiment in which the lid is
not
connected to the base container and in which four bosses are provided on the
base
container, and four folding tabs are provided on the connected lid;
[0029] FIGS. 16-19 show plural views of an embodiment in which the lid is
connected to the base container and in which two bosses are provided on the
lid, and
two folding tabs are provided on the base container;
[0030] FIGS. 20-23 are views of a container system in which the system
has two
identical and unconnected portions, each having a pair of bosses and a pair of
folding
tabs, configured to attach one of the identical portions to the other to form
the container
system;
[0031] FIGS. 24-27 show plural views of an embodiment in which the lid is
separate from the base container and in which four longitudinally extending
bosses are
provided on the base container, and four longitudinally extending folding tabs
are
provided on the connected lid; and
[0032] FIGS. 28-31 are views of a container system having two identical
and
unconnected portions, each having a pair of bosses at opposite corners and a
pair of
folding tabs at opposite corners, configured to attach one of the identical
portions to the
other to form the container system.
6
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083
PCT/US2020/034058
7
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0033] Corresponding portions among the various embodiments are assigned
the
same or similar reference numerals in the figures.
[0034] FIGS. 1-7 show plural views of a first embodiment of a container
system 1
in which a lid 10 is connected to a base container 12 by a connecting hinge
120. In this
embodiment, the base container 12 has two connecting bosses 14a and 14b
provided at
corners of the base container 12, on a side of the base container 12 opposite
the
connecting hinge 120. The lid 10 has two respective folding tabs 16a and 16b,
provided
at corners of the lid 10, on a side of the lid 10 opposite the connecting
hinge 120. The
combination of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking
interface
of container system 1.
[0035] By this arrangement, (see FIG. 2) as the lid 10 is closed/lowered
by a user
via the connecting hinge 120 (in the downward direction of the arrow), the
folding tabs
16a and 16b are brought towards the connecting bosses 14a and 14b,
respectively. The
folding tabs each include a hinge 17a, 17b to allow a portion of the folding
tabs 16a, 16b
to fold down so as to enable the folding tabs 16a, 16b to securely engage the
respective
connecting bosses 14a, 14b.
[0036] This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out
portions 18a and 18b of the folding tabs 16a, 16b, respectively, to be tucked
down, as
shown by the arrows in FIG. 3, so as to catch the bosses 14a and 14b in the
respective
hollowed-out portions 18a and 18b of the folding tabs 16a and 16b.
[0037] Once the folding tabs have been folded down, and the downward
pressure
on the lid 10 by the user is released, the bosses 14a, 14b are securely
engaged by a
combination of the slight spring force applied to the lid upwardly by the
lid's continued
connection to the connecting hinge 120, and by the complementary shaping of
the
bosses 14a, 14b, each of which has a downwardly extending lip, and the
hollowed-out
8
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
portions 18a and 18b of the folding tabs 16a and 16b, as can be seen in FIG.
4, which
has a see- through view of the hollowed-out portions 18a and 18b so the that
the relative
position of the corresponding engaged bosses 14a and 14b, respectively, can be
seen.
Contributing to the security of the engagement is that the preferred materials
of the
container system have a somewhat rough texture, allowing a friction force to
further assist
in maintaining the bosses 14a, 14b in the respective hollowed-out portions 18a
and 18b
of the folding tabs 16a and 16b.
[0038] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the container system 1 according to this
embodiment in the open position. FIG. 6 is a side view of the container system
1
according to this embodiment in the closed position. FIG. 7 is a side view of
the container
system 1 according to this embodiment in the open position.
[0039] As best seen in FIG. 5, two base container bottom bosses 47a, 47b,
are
arranged on one side of the inner bottom surface, and a third base container
bottom boss
47c is arranged on an opposite side of the inner bottom surface. These bosses
are
formed by an indentation on the bottom surface of the base container being
formed when
the base container is made, preferably by a molding process. The bosses of a
base
container can be oriented with respect to other instances of the bosses of a
second base
container to allow for even spacing between each container, which assists in
easy
separation of like components from a tightly stacked pile.
[0040] The containers can also be arranged, in stacking, in alternating
fashion. In
this arrangement, the two bosses 47a and 47b of a first container are arranged
over (or
under) a single boss 47c of any adjacently stacked container (i.e., below or
above,
respectively). This allows the containers to be separated from one another
more easily
because the contact surface, and hence frictional engagement, between adjacent
containers is minimized. It should be noted that the base container bottom
bosses are
9
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
not limited to the first embodiment, and may be used in all embodiments and
variations
thereof, such as those described hereinafter.
[0041] FIGS. 8-11 show plural views of a second embodiment of a container
system 100 substantially the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 except that
the
folding tabs are structured differently. All reference numbers remain the same
in FIGS.
8-11 except that the folding tabs that are structured differently from those
shown in FIGS
1-7 are assigned reference numerals 16c and 16d, respectively.
[0042] Just as in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7, in this second
embodiment, the lid 10 is connected to the base container 12 and two bosses
14a, 14b
are provided on the base container 12. But in the second embodiment, the two
folding
tabs 16c and 16d, instead of having the hollowed-out portions 18a and 18b,
have cutouts
18c and 18d provided in the respective folding tabs 16c and 16d. The
combination of the
folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface
therebetween.
[0043] By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIG. 9, as the lid 10 is
closed/lowered by a user via the connecting hinge 120 (in the downward
direction of the
arrow), the folding tabs 16c and 16d are brought towards the connecting bosses
14a and
14b, respectively. The folding tabs each include a hinge, 17c, 17d,
respectively, to allow
a portion of the folding tabs 16c, 16d to fold down so as to enable the
folding tabs 16c,
16d to securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14a, 14b.
[0044] This secure engagement is effected by the cutouts 18c and 18d of
the
folding tabs 16c, 16d, respectively, being tucked down, as shown by the arrows
in FIG.
10, so as to catch the bosses 14a and 14b in the respective cutouts 18c and
18d in the
respective folding tabs 16c and 16d.
[0045] Once the folding tabs have been folded down, and the downward
pressure
on the lid 10 is released, the bosses 14a, 14b are securely engaged by a
combination of
the slight spring force applied to the lid upwardly by the lid's continued
connection to the
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
connecting hinge 120, and by the complementary shaping of the bosses 14a, 14b,
each
of which has a downwardly extending lip, and the cutouts 18c and 18d in the
respective
folding tabs 16c and 16d, as can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 11. As in the above-
described
first embodiment, the engagement is assisted due to the somewhat rough texture
of the
material, allowing a friction force to further assist in maintaining the
bosses 14a, 14b in
the respective cutouts 18c and 18d in the respective folding tabs 16c and 16d.
[0046] FIGS. 12-15 show plural views of a third embodiment of a container
system
200. In this embodiment, the lid 110 and the base container 122 are not
connected to
one another until the lid 110 is lowered and engaged to the base container
122. That is,
as can be seen in FIGS. 12-15, no connecting hinge connects the lid and the
base
container in the open position. Another difference between this embodiment and
the first
two embodiments discussed above is that the base container has a boss at each
of its
four upper corners and the lid has a respective folding tab at each of its
four corners.
Thus, when the lid is positioned to close the container system 200, each of
the four folding
tabs are folded over to catch a respective boss at a corner of the container
system 200.
[0047] In this third embodiment 200, the four folding tabs are
substantially identical
to the two folding tabs 16a and 16b of the first embodiment, and the four
bosses are
substantially identical to the two bosses 14a and 14b of the first embodiment.
Thus, the
four folding tabs in FIGS. 12-15 are labeled 16a, 16b, 16e and 16f,
respectively, and the
four bosses of the base container 122 are labeled 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d,
respectively.
The combination of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an
interlocking
interface of the container system 200.
[0048] By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 12-15, as the lid 110
is closed
(in the downward direction of the arrow), the folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16e and
16f are
brought towards the connecting bosses 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d, respectively. The
folding
tabs each include a hinge, 17a, 17b, 17e and 17f, respectively, to allow a
portion of the
11
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16e and 16f to fold down so as to enable the folding
tabs 16a, 16b,
16e and 16f on the lid 110 to securely engage the respective connecting bosses
14a,
14b, 14c and 14d on the base container 122.
[0049] This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out
portions 18a, 18b, 18e and 18f of the folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16e and 16f,
respectively, to
be tucked down, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 14, so as to catch the bosses
14a, 14b,
14c and 14d in the respective hollowed-out portions 18a, 18b, 18e and 18f of
the folding
tabs 16a, 16b, 16e and 16f.
[0050] Once the folding tabs have been folded down, the bosses 14a, 14b,
14c
and 14d are securely engaged by the complementary shaping of the bosses 14a,
14b,
14c and 14d, each of which has a downwardly extending lip, and the hollowed-
out
portions 18a, 18b, 18e and 18f of the folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16e and 16f, as
can be seen
in FIGS. 14 and 15. As above, the preferred materials of the container system
have a
somewhat rough texture, allowing a friction force to further assist in
maintaining the
bosses 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d in the respective hollowed-out portions 18a, 18b,
18e and
18f of the folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16e and 16f.
[0051] FIGS. 16-19 show plural views of a fourth embodiment of a
container
system 300 in which the lid is connected to the base container and in which
two bosses
14a and 14b are provided on the connected lid, and two folding tabs 16a and
16b are
provided on the base container.
[0052] As can be seen by a comparison FIGS. 16-19 with the first
embodiment of
FIGS. 1-7, the fourth embodiment is conceptually the same as the first
embodiment,
except that the structural elements are upside down, and preferably the base
portion 320
has a greater depth dimension than the lid 310 due to the fact that the base
is used as
the food storage portion of the container, while the lid only needs to cover
the top of the
base. In this fourth embodiment, two bosses 14a and 14b are provided on the
connected
12
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
lid 310, and two folding tabs 16a and 16b are provided on the base container
320. The
bosses and the folding tabs function substantially similarly as in the first
embodiment
except that the folding tabs fold upwardly to engage the bosses on the lid.
[0053] By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIG. 17, as the lid 310 is
closed/lowered by a user via the connecting hinge 120 (in the downward
direction of the
arrow), the connecting bosses 14a and 14b of the lid 310 are brought towards
the folding
tabs 16a and 16b, respectively, of the base 320. The folding tabs 16a and 16b
on the
base each include a hinge 17a, 17b, respectively, to allow a portion of the
folding tabs
16a, 16b to fold upwardly so as to enable the folding tabs 16a, 16b of the
base 320 to
securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14a, 14b of the lid 310.
[0054] This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out
portions 18a and 18b of the folding tabs 16a, 16b, respectively, to be tucked
upwardly,
as shown by the arrows in FIG. 18, so as to catch the bosses 14a and 14b in
the
respective hollowed-out portions 18a and 18b of the folding tabs 16a and 16b.
[0055] Once the folding tabs have been folded up, and the downward
pressure on
the lid 310 by the user is released, the bosses 14a, 14b are securely engaged
by a
combination of the slight spring force applied to the lid upwardly by the
lid's continued
connection to the connecting hinge 120, and by the complementary shaping of
the
bosses 14a, 14b, each of which has an upwardly extending lip, and the hollowed-
out
portions 18a and 18b of the folding tabs 16a and 16b, as can be seen in FIG.
19, which
has a see-through view of the hollowed-out portions 18a and 18b so the that
the relative
position of the corresponding engaged bosses 14a and 14b, respectively, can be
seen.
Contributing to the security of the engagement is that the preferred materials
of the
container system have a somewhat rough texture, allowing a friction force to
further assist
in maintaining the bosses 14a, 14b in the respective hollowed-out portions 18a
and 18b
of the folding tabs 16a and 16b.
13
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
[0056] FIGS. 20-23 are views of a container system 400 according to a
fifth
embodiment in which the system has two identical and unconnected portions,
each
having a pair of bosses and a pair of folding tabs. The two components forming
the
system are each identical and configured to attach to one another using the
two pairs of
bosses and the two pairs of folding tabs, to form the container system 400.
Since the
component parts are identical, it is arbitrary which one is referred to as the
base container
and which one is referred to as the lid. For simplicity of explanation, the
lower component
in FIGS. 20-23 will be referred to as the base container 420 and the upper
component
will be referred to as the lid 410.
[0057] In this fifth embodiment, the lid 410 and the base container 420
are not
connected to one another until the lid 410 is lowered and engaged to the base
container
420. That is, as can be seen in FIGS. 20-23, no connecting hinge connects the
lid and
the base container in the open position of this container system 400. In this
embodiment
the base container 420 has a boss at each of two of its four upper corners,
and a boss at
each of its remaining two corners, and the lid is structured in exactly the
same manner.
Thus, when the lid is lowered, to close the container system 400, each of the
four folding
tabs (two on each component) are folded over to catch a respective boss (two
on each
component) at respective corners of the container system 400.
[0058] In this fifth embodiment, the four folding tabs distributed
between the lid
410 and the base container 420 are substantially identical to the two folding
tabs 16a and
16b of the first embodiment, and the four bosses distributed between the lid
410 and the
base container 420 are substantially identical to the two bosses 14a and 14b
of the first
embodiment. Thus, the four folding tabs in FIGS. 20-23 are labeled 16a, 16b
(for the
folding tabs on the base container), and 16a' and 16b' (for the folding tabs
on the lid),
respectively, and the four bosses are labeled 14a and 14b (for the bosses on
the base
14
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
container), 14a' and 14b' (for the bosses on the lid). The combination of the
folding tabs
and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface of the container
system 400.
[0059] By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 20-23, as the lid 410
is
closed/lowered by a user (in the downward direction of the arrow), the folding
tabs 16a'
and 16b' of the lid 410 are brought towards the connecting bosses 14a and 14b
of the
base container 420, and the bosses 14a' and 14b' of the lid 410 are brought
towards the
folding tabs 16a and 16b of the base container 420. Just as in the first
embodiment, and
as can be seen from FIGS. 20-23, the folding tabs each include a hinge, to
allow a portion
of the folding tabs to fold, up or down as the case may be, so as to enable
the folding
tabs 16a, 16b, 16a' and 16b' to securely engage the respective connecting
bosses 14a',
14b', 14a and 14b.
[0060] This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out
portions, formed exactly as in the first embodiment, of each of the folding
tabs 16a, 16b,
16a' and 16b', respectively, to be tucked, up or down as the case may be, as
shown by
the arrows in FIG. 22, so as to catch the bosses 14a', 14b', 14a and 14b in
the respective
hollowed-out portions of the folding tabs.
[0061] Once the folding tabs have been folded, up or down as the case may
be,
the bosses 14a', 14b', 14a and 14b are securely engaged by the complementary
shaping
of the bosses, each of which has an extending lip, and the hollowed-out
portions of the
folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16a' and 16b', as can be seen in FIGS. 22 and 23. As
above, the
preferred materials of the container system have a somewhat rough texture,
allowing a
friction force to be applied to maintain the bosses 14a', 14b', 14a and 14b in
the
respective hollowed-out portions of the folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16a' and 16b'.
[0062] FIGS. 24-27 show plural views of a container system 500 according
to a
sixth embodiment in which the lid 510 is not connected to the base container
520 and in
which four longitudinally extending bosses 14w, 14x, 14y, and 14z are provided
on the
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
base container 520, and four longitudinally extending folding tabs 16w, 16x,
16y and 16z
are provided on the connected lid.
[0063] In this embodiment, the lid 510 and the base container 520 are not
connected to one another until the lid 510 is engaged to the base container
520. That is,
as can be seen in FIGS. 24-27, no connecting hinge connects the lid and the
base
container in the open position of this container system 500. A difference
between this
embodiment and the embodiments discussed above is that the base container has
a
boss at each of its four longitudinal sides and the lid has a respective
elongate folding
tab at each of its four longitudinal sides. Thus, when the lid is lowered, to
close the
container system 500, each of the four folding tabs are folded over to catch a
respective
boss at a side of the container system 500.
[0064] That is, in this sixth embodiment, the four folding tabs are
elongated in
comparison to the corner-located folding tabs of the embodiments discussed
above, and
the four bosses are also similarly elongated in comparison the corner-located
bosses of
the embodiments discussed above. The four folding tabs in FIGS. 24-27 are
labeled
16w, 16x, 16y and 16z, respectively, and the four bosses of the base container
520 are
labeled 14w, 14x, 14y and 14z, respectively. The combination of the folding
tabs and the
connecting bosses form an interlocking interface of the container system 500.
[0065] By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 24-27, as the lid 510
is
closed/lowered by a user, the folding tabs 16w, 16x, 16y and 16z are brought
towards
the connecting bosses 14w, 14x, 14y and 14z, respectively. The folding tabs
each
include an elongated hinge 530 to allow the folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16e and 16f
to fold
down so as to enable the folding tabs 16w, 16x, 16y and 16z to securely engage
the
respective connecting bosses 14w, 14x, 14y and 14z.
[0066] This secure engagement is effected by engagement of elongated
hollowed-
out portions 18w, 18x, 18y and 18z of the elongated folding tabs 16w, 16x, 16y
and 16z,
16
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
respectively, to be tucked down, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 26, so as to
receive the
elongated bosses 14w, 14x, 14y and 14z in the respective elongated hollowed-
out
portions 18w, 18x, 18y and 18z of the folding tabs 16w, 16x, 16y and 16z.
[0067] Once the elongated folding tabs 16w, 16x, 16y and 16z have been
folded
down, the elongated bosses 14w, 14x, 14y and 14z are securely engaged by the
complementary shaping of the elongated bosses 14w, 14x, 14y and 14z, each of
which
has an elongated downwardly extending lip, and the elongated hollowed-out
portions
18w, 18x, 18y and 18z of the folding tabs 16w, 16x, 16y and 16z, as can be
seen in FIGS.
26 and 27. Contributing to the security of the engagement is that the
container material
has a somewhat rough texture, allowed a friction force to be applied to
maintain the
elongated bosses 14w, 14x, 14y and 14z in the respective elongated hollowed-
out
portions 18w, 18x, 18y and 18z of the folding tabs 16w, 16x, 16y and 16z.
[0068] FIGS. 28-31 are views of a container system 600 according to a
seventh
embodiment in which the system 600 has two identical and unconnected portions
610
and 620, each having a pair of bosses at one set of opposite corners and a
pair of folding
tabs at another set of opposite corners, configured to attach one of the
identical portions
to the other to form the container system 600.
[0069] Since the component parts 610 and 620 are identical, it is
arbitrary which
one is referred to as the base container and which one is referred to as the
lid. For
simplicity, the lower component in FIGS. 28-31 will be referred to as the base
container
620 and the upper component will be referred to as the lid 610.
[0070] In this seventh embodiment, the lid 610 and the base container 620
are not
connected to one another until the lid 610 is lowered and engaged to the base
container
620. That is, as can be seen in FIGS. 28-31, no connecting hinge connects the
lid and
the base container in the open position of this container system 600. In this
embodiment
the base container has a boss at each of two opposing corners among its four
upper
17
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
corners, and a boss at each of its remaining two opposing corners and the lid
is structured
in exactly the same manner. Thus, when the lid is positioned to close the
container
system 600, each of the four folding tabs (two on each component) are folded
over to
catch a respective boss (two on each component) at respective corners of the
container
system 600.
[0071] In this seventh embodiment, the four folding tabs distributed
between the
lid 610 and the base container 620 are substantially identical to the two
folding tabs 16a
and 16b of the first embodiment, and the four bosses distributed between the
lid 610 and
the base container 620 are substantially identical to the two bosses 14a and
14b of the
first embodiment. Thus, the four folding tabs in FIGS. 28-31 are labeled 16a,
16b (for
the folding tabs on the base container 620), and 16a' and 16b' (for the
folding tabs on the
lid 610), respectively, and the four bosses are labeled 14a and 14b (for the
bosses on
the base container 620), 14a' and 14b' (for the bosses on the lid 610). The
combination
of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface
of the
container system 600.
[0072] By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 28-31, as the lid 610
is
closed/lowered by a user, the folding tabs 16a' and 16b' of the lid 610 are
brought towards
the connecting bosses 14a and 14b of the base container 620, and the bosses
14a' and
14b' of the lid 410 are brought towards the folding tabs 16a and 16b of the
base container
620. Just as in the first embodiment, and as can be seen from FIGS. 28-31, the
folding
tabs each include a hinge, to allow a portion of the folding tabs to fold, up
or down, as
the case may be, so as to enable the folding tabs 16a, 16b, 16a' and 16b' to
securely
engage the respective connecting bosses 14a', 14b', 14a and 14b.
[0073] This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out
portions, formed exactly as in the first embodiment, of each of the folding
tabs 16a, 16b,
16a' and 16b', respectively, to be tucked, up or down as the case may be, as
shown by
18
CA 03141611 2021-11-22
WO 2020/237083 PCT/US2020/034058
the arrows in FIG. 30, so as to catch the bosses 14a', 14b', 14a and 14b in
the respective
hollowed-out portions of the folding tabs.
[0074] Other objects and features of the present invention will become
apparent
from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the
accompanying
drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed
solely for
purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the
invention, for which
reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further
understood that
the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise
indicated,
they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and
procedures
described herein.
19
