AU690771B2

AU690771B2 - Storage container having fragrance dispensing compartment

Info

Publication number: AU690771B2
Application number: AU40393/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Albert T Kobilarcik; Stacy L Wolff
Original assignee: Rubbermaid Inc
Current assignee: Rubbermaid Inc
Priority date: 1994-12-14
Filing date: 1995-12-12
Publication date: 1998-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 2015-12-12
Also published as: JPH08230929A; FR2728236A1; CA2164882A1; DE19545282A1; AR001058A1; GB2296008A; AU4039395A; GB9524901D0

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 RUBBERMAID INCORPORATED

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Storage container having fragrance dispensing compartment The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:r Background of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention relates to storage containers of the type comprising a plastic lid and base for use in storing myriad household products and, in particular, to such a container having an integral fragrance dispensing compartment.

The Prior Art Storage containers for household and business use are common products. Typically 10 such a container comprises a molded plastic base that is translucent and a companion molded plastic lid. The lid has a dependent peripheral skirt that fits over an upper rim of the base and inwardly directed skirt flanges that engage the rim of the base to secure the lid in a place. The container bases are stackable for compact shipment and display as are the lids of multiple container units.

While such containers have met with widespread acceptance, they are deficient in certain regards. First, it is not uncommon for consumers to store a wide variety of household goods in such containers, and tiequently storage is for an extended period of time. Conventional containers are not airtight and ambient aromas can infiltrate the containers that are in storage use and transfer unwanted odors to the contents.

Secondly, such containers are frequently used to store cloth goods such as clothing.

Moths can infiltrate the confines of the container and damage cloth goods stored therein.

Conventional containers have no integral means for organizing moth repellents such as moth balls.

I 1 I Summary of the Invention The present invention overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies in available containers by providing a storage container base and a lid fitting thereover. The lid includes a fragrance dispensing compartment formed through a top panel and depending therefrom, defined by an upper mouth opening, a bottom wall, and side walls extending upward from the bottom wall to the mouth opening. The chamber receives fragrance dispensing mateial such as moth balls or cedar chips.

Aperture slots extend through the lower comer edges of the compartment, each slot having a vertical component extending through a compartment side wall and a horizontal 10 component extending through the compartment bottom wall. Fragrance emitted by the S fragrance emitting material in the compartment exits through the apertures into the container base.

A pivotal door encloses the upper mouth opening of the compartment when in use.

For shipping purposes, the door pivots backward to lie flat against the lid top panel, making 15 multiple lids stackable together in a relatively low stack as the compartment of one lid nests into the compartment of an underlying lid.

Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a storage container having fragrance dispensing means.

o A further objective is to provide a storage container having integrally formed compartmented fragrance dispensing means.

Still a further objective is to provide storage containers having stacking lids that include nestable fragrance dispensing means.

Another objective is to provide a fragrance dispensing lid for a storage container having improved fragrance venting aperture configuration.

Yet a further objective is to provide a fragrance dispensing storage container having relatively few component parts that are economically manufactured and readily assembled.

I I L I These and other objectives, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, are achieved by a preferred embodiment that is described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the subject storage container with the lid in place and the fragrance compartment closed.

Fig. 2 is a front perspective view thereof with the fragrance compartment door in the open condition.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

10 Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section view through the storage container taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section view through the fragrance compartment taken along the line of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged exploded front perspective view of the fragrance compartment and door component.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring first to Figs. 1,2, and 6, the subject storage container 10 is shown to generally comprise a rectangular lid 12 and base 14. The lid and base are formed of cozventional plastic material such as polypropylene by conventional molding methods such as injection molding. The lid 12 is formed to have a sligh 'y domed central panel 16 extending outwardly to a downturned peripheral skirt 18. The skirt 18 intersects the lid top along an edge Positioned to extend into the top panel 16 at a forward end of the lid 12 is a fragrance compartment 22. The compartment 22 comprises an upwardly opening chamber 24 having an open upper mouth 26, defined by a bottom wall 28 and four side walls 30 extending from I I I the bottom wall 28 to the mouth 26. A series of spaced apart, L-shaped apertures 32 extend into the ninety degree angle intersection of side walls 30 and the bottom wall 28 such that a vertical component of each aperture extends through a respective side wall and a horizontal component of each aperture 32 extends through the bottom wall 28.

Shown best by Fig. 4, the bottom wall 28 of the compartment 22 depends downward from an under side 34 of the lid 12 a distance, such that the bottom wall 28 is substantially coplanar with a downward edge of the skirt 18 of the lid. The compartment 22 is located at a forward end of the lid but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the compartment 22 may be located at any location on the lid and still function in accordance 1' 10 with the teachings herein set forth.

With continued reference to Figs. 1,2, and 6, the lid top is configured having a domed central portion 36 that extends outward from the center of the lid to a down stepped outward surface 38. The surface 38 then proceeds outward to peripheral edge 20 where it meets the skirt 18. Positioned at a rearward edge of the compartment 22 are spaced apart 15 mutually facing sockets 40, each having an inwardly opening axial bore 42. A pair of spaced apart latch detents 43 are provided at a forward end of the compartment 22, facing inward as shown best by Fig. 6. An elongate pivot pin channel 44 extends between the sockets 40, extending into and recessed below the surface 36 for a purpose explained below.

S"A pivotal door 46 is provided of generally square configuration, comprising a flat plate portion 48 from which downturned side flanges 50 depend. Outwardly directed detent flanges 52 extend from outward sides of side flanges 50, positioned at a forward end of the door 46. The door 46 is provided with an arcuate, semi-cylindrical pivot flange 54 along a rearward edge and a pair of outwardly directed cylindrical pivot posts 56 a rearward ends of the side flanges 50. The door portion 48 is dimensioned to enclose the mouth 26 of compartment 22.

The door 46 is separately molded and is attached to the lid by insertion of the pivot posts 56 into the socket bores 42, with the door flange 54 thereby residing within the I -I channel 44 of the lid. So attached, the door 46 pivots downward into the mouth 26 and into a coplanar relationship with the lid surface 36 as shown by Fig. 1. The detent flanges 52 snap into the detents 43 of the lid as the door arrives at its horizontal closed position represented by Fig. 1. To open the door, upward pressure is applied to a forward edge causing the detent flanges 52 to move out of detents 43 and initiating upward pivotal rotation of the door about pivot posts 52. The door can be pivoted backward to lie flat against surface 36. With the door so positioned, multiple lids may be stacked one upon another, with the compartment 22 of one lid nesting within the compartment 22 of an underlying lid. With their compartments so nested, the stacked lids assume a relatively low 10 profile, whereby conserving space during shipment and display.

The base container 14 is shown having side panels 58, and end panels 60 that extend upward from a bottom surface 66 to an upper rim flange 64. Handles 62 are formed in each end panel 60 to provide a hand grip for lifting the container. In the bottom surface 66 of the base 14 is a central recess 68 dimensioned and shaped to receive the domed lid surface 36 of 15 a second container, whereby multiple containers and lids may be stacked upon one another.

Each base 14 has four downward projecting feet 70 at the comers spaced apart so as to be S positionable upon the outward edge surfaces 38 of an underlying lid from a second 0 container.

~Operation of the invention proceeds as follows. It will be appreciated that containers c e o of the general type represented by the lid 12 and the base 14 can be used to store myriad household goods, including cloth goods such as clothing. Because storage may be for an extended period of time, ambient odors may infiltrate the interior of the base 14 and impart unwanted odors into the clothing. In addition, moths may infiltrate the interior of the base 14 and cause damage to the cloth goods stored therein.

To combat these problems, the subject invention provides compartment 22 in the lid 12. Aromatic substance such as cedar chips or a cedar block may be inserted into the compartment 22 an placed upon the bottom wall 28. The door 46 can be pivoted into the

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closed position (Fig. with latch detent flanges 52 snapped into detents 43. So positioned, the door is flush with the top of the lid and does not interfere with one container stacking upon a like-configured second container.

The aromatic substance within the compartment 22 imparts its aroma to the contents of the base 14 through the apertures 32. The apertures 32 are configured as an L-shape, having components that extend through the side walls 30 and the bottom wall 28 of the compartment. Accordingly, the apertures remain open for ventilating the contents of the compartment 22 even if the base is packed full enough to block the portion of the apertures 32 that extend through the bottom wall 28. The vertical components of apertures 32, 10 extending through the side walls 30 will continue to ventilate the contents of compartment 22 even if the horizontal components of the apertures 32, extending through the bottom wall 28, are blocked by the contents of the base 14.

It will be appreciated that the compartment 22 can also be utilized for the containment of moth balls if so desired in like manner. Alternative materials can also be 15 placed into compartment to impart a specific, desired aroma to the contents of the base 14 if so desired. Thus, the storage container can be used to bar unwanted odors from infiltrating the contents of the base 14 or to impart wanted aromas to the contents of the base 14 is so desired.

6 As described above, the compartments 22 of stacked lids nest to reduce the stack height of the lids and to thereby reduce the cost of transportation and display at retail stores.

The storage container comprises only three components; the lid 12, base 14, and door 46, minimizing the manufacturing cost of the invention and minimizing its assembly time. The compartment 22 is integrally molded into its lid and the door component 46 is integrally molded having pivot posts 56. Finally, the fragrance emitting compartment and door do not interfere with the storage function of the container and do not detract from the storage capacity of the container. Thus, the container may be use conventionally for storage without interference from the fragrance compartment if so desired.

1~1 rllu C While the above describes the preferred embodiment of the subject invention, the invention is not intended to be so confined. Other embodiments, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art and which utilize the teachings herein set forth, are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the invention.

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