CN110944803B

CN110944803B - Storage case for small parts

Info

Publication number: CN110944803B
Application number: CN201880048765.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: W.霍尔; J.施塔尔克
Original assignee: Adolf Wuerth GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Adolf Wuerth GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2017-07-28
Filing date: 2018-07-11
Publication date: 2024-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-11
Also published as: AU2018305812B2; AU2018305812A8; DE102017213034A1; CN110944803A; AU2018305812A1; WO2019020379A1; EP3658338A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage box (10) for small parts, in particular screws, having a base (74) and at least two side walls (14, 16) which originate from the base and are opposite one another, wherein the base and/or the side walls have at least one support flange (20) for stacking a plurality of storage boxes of the same type, wherein in the stacked state of the two storage boxes the lower end region of a first side wall (14) of an upper storage box is arranged parallel to the upper end region of a first side wall (14) of a lower storage box and the lower end region of a second side wall (16) of the upper storage box is arranged parallel to the upper end region of a second side wall (16) of the lower storage box, wherein at least one locking element (36, 38) is provided on at least one of the side walls, which locking element is movable between a release position and a locking position, wherein the locking element secures the two storage boxes stacked on one another and releases them in the release position.

Description

Storage case for small parts

Technical Field

The invention relates to a storage box for small parts, in particular screws, having a base and at least two side walls which face each other and which face away from the base, wherein the base and/or the side walls have at least one support flange (Auflageflansch) for stacking a plurality of storage boxes of the same type, wherein in the stacked state of the two storage boxes the lower end region of a first side wall of an upper storage box is arranged parallel to the upper end region of a first side wall of a lower storage box and the lower end region of a second side wall of the upper storage box is arranged parallel to the upper end region of a second side wall of the lower storage box.

Background

The use of the invention should be particularly relevant for its stackable to improve a storage box for small components.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the invention, a storage box for small parts, in particular screws, is provided for this purpose, which storage box has a bottom and at least two side walls which originate from the bottom and are opposite one another, wherein the bottom and/or the side walls have at least one support flange for stacking a plurality of storage boxes of the same type, wherein in the stacked state of the two storage boxes the lower end region of a first side wall of the upper storage box is arranged parallel to the upper end region of a first side wall of the lower storage box and the lower end region of a second side wall of the upper storage box is arranged parallel to the upper end region of a second side wall of the lower storage box, wherein at least one locking element (Riegel) is provided on at least one of the side walls, which locking element is movable between a release position and a locking position and which locking element in the locking position secures the two storage boxes stacked on one another to one another and releases them in the release position.

By means of such a locking member, two or more storage boxes stacked on each other can be fixed to each other in a stacked state. This is particularly a significant simplification for transporting such a bin. Since the bins according to the invention are manufactured in different sizes and the just small bins can obviously be stacked in the loaded state, but due to the small base surface of the bins, this stacking quickly becomes unstable, especially when the bins are loaded with heavy small parts, such as screws. However, even in large storage cases, the locking element provided according to the invention ensures a stable construction of a stack (Stapel) of a plurality of storage cases. Such stacks can then be transported without problems, without having to worry about the storage boxes of the stacks being released from each other. In particular, additional separate transport fixtures can be eliminated. This is a significant advantage, for example, especially when the storage bin according to the invention is arranged in a vehicle comprising, for example, mobile repair shop equipment. By being able to fix the storage compartments to one another in the stacked state, additional fixing measures can be dispensed with if necessary.

In a further development of the invention, the locking element engages (HINTERGREIFEN) in the locking position from behind an undercut (HINTERSCHNITT) on the lower end region of one of the side walls or in the upper end region of one of the side walls and releases the undercut in the release position.

In this way, a very stable connection of the two stacked storage compartments can be achieved by means of a simple movement of the locking element, which can be implemented, for example, as a rotary movement or a displacement movement.

In one development of the invention, the undercut is formed by means of at least one projection arranged parallel to the base.

The undercut may be formed in the base wall (Sockelwand) or the side wall by one or more protrusions or slits protruding parallel to the bottom. The locking member is then moved (e.g., pushed) onto the one or more protrusions and thereby locks the protrusions. Thereby, a stable fixing of the two storage compartments to each other can be achieved with a very short movement of the locking element. In the locked state, the connection is form-locking and thus extremely stable. The locking element can also, for example, surround (umgreifen) the projection and be configured to move the locking element or rotate the locking element.

In a development of the invention, the locking element is configured to be movable and is arranged movably in the upper end region of the first and/or second side wall or in the lower end region of the first and/or second side wall by means of a slotted guide.

The slot guide in the side wall can be produced in a particularly good manner in complex shapes, in particular when the storage compartment is produced by plastic injection molding. The mobile locking element can be fixed in such a chute guide in a very stable manner. Advantageously, the mobile locking element itself is also manufactured by means of plastic injection molding.

In a development of the invention, the slide guide is formed in the first side wall and/or in the second side wall by means of at least one slot and on the displacement lock by means of at least one undercut projection.

In this way, easy portability and at the same time simple manufacturability can be achieved.

In a development of the invention, the undercut projection on the movable locking element is configured as a latching element.

For example, the movable locking element can be snapped or snapped into a slot guide configured as a slot. In this case, the one or more latching elements on the movable locking element can be designed such that the movable locking element can no longer be removed without destruction. Manipulation of a filled and, for example, locked storage compartment can thereby be prevented.

In one development of the invention, the first side wall has a first base wall extending below the bottom and the second side wall has a second base wall extending below the bottom, and the first and second base walls are provided with projections which project parallel to the bottom and outwards from the interior space of the storage compartment, which projections form undercuts, and in each case one locking element is provided in the upper end region of the upper ends of the first and second side walls for engagement thereof from behind.

In this way, the two locking elements, which are preferably designed as mobile locking elements, can be arranged with good access on the upper end and on the outside of the respective side wall. In this case, the first and second base walls are located on the inner side of the first or second side walls, respectively, in the stacked state of the storage box. The projection and the locking element acting thereon in the locked position can thus be arranged such that the element that causes the locking is protectively and manoeuvrably located on the inner side of the side wall and only one operating element of the locking element is accessible on the outer side of the side wall.

In a development of the invention, the locking element locks the lid of the storage compartment in the locked position.

By this dual function of the locking element, the contents of the storage compartment can be secured against loss by the locking cap. The covers of the respective bins can be thereby also fixed while two or more bins are locked to each other in a stacked state. Thereby, the safety in transporting the storage box according to the present invention is further improved.

In one development of the invention, the locking element has a first and a second locking position, wherein in the first locking position the lid of the storage compartment is lockable and in the second locking position not only the lid is lockable but also the two stacked storage compartments are lockable to each other.

In this way, for example, two storage boxes stacked on top of each other can be separated from each other without having to release the cover of the storage box. The safety during transport and in particular during the separation and stacking of a plurality of storage compartments is thereby also significantly improved.

In a development of the invention, a sealing plug is provided which can be plugged through the locking element and which limits or prevents a movement of the locking element.

By means of such a seal, a plurality of storage compartments can be secured to one another in a stacked state in a manipulation-proof manner. However, first, unauthorized opening of the lid of the storage box can also be prevented.

The sealing plug advantageously has a defined breaking point and can only be released after insertion into the locking element by breaking the sealing plug.

In this way it can be immediately recognized whether the storage compartment has been opened and that the widget may be lost without authorization.

In a development of the invention, the sealing plug can be inserted through the locking element into the cover.

In this way, a structurally simple, stable and manipulation-proof arrangement of the sealing plug can be achieved.

In a development of the invention, the locking element can only be moved between the first and second locking positions when the sealing plug is inserted.

It is thereby possible, when the sealing plug is inserted, for a plurality of storage compartments to be stacked on one another and then to be fixed to one another in the stacked state. But it is impossible to open the cover without removing the sealing plug. For this purpose, the sealing plug and the locking element must be designed in such a way that the sealing plug locks the release position for the cover, but a locking position for the stack container and also the release of the locking can be achieved.

In one development of the invention, a cover for the storage compartment is provided, wherein the cover is arranged in the closed state below an imaginary plane defined by the upper edge of the side wall, and wherein the cover has at least one handle projection (Griffvorsprung) extending in the direction of the imaginary plane.

By arranging the lid in the closed state below an imaginary plane defined by the upper edge of the side wall, the containers can be stacked and optionally coupled independently of whether the lid is placed or not. Here, the handle protrusion of the cover facilitates the operation of the cover and also the storage case in a closed state.

In one development of the invention, the bottom of the storage compartment has a groove or a stop extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage compartment for forming a groove-like receptacle extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage compartment.

Such a groove or groove-like receptacle extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage compartment can be used on the one hand for arranging a retaining strap wound around the storage compartment or also for guiding the storage compartment longitudinally by means of a projection on the grid bottom (Regalfachboden). In the case of the arrangement of the retaining strap in the groove or groove-like receptacle, it is highly advantageous here that the retaining strap does not protrude beyond the bottom contour and thus does not interfere with the stacking of a plurality of storage compartments.

In a further development of the invention, a cover for the storage compartment is provided, wherein the cover is provided with a further groove or stop extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage compartment for forming a further groove-like receptacle extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage compartment.

Such a further groove or further groove-like receptacle on the cover is likewise used for the arrangement of the retaining strap. The retaining strap then presses the cover against its support on the bin. By arranging the holding strip in the slot, the holding strip does not interfere when stacking a plurality of containers. Advantageously, the further groove is arranged in the handle of the cover and has a shape curved in the longitudinal direction. Whereby a uniform and high pressure can be applied to the cover by means of the retaining band.

Drawings

Further features and advantages of the invention result from the claims and the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings. The individual features of the embodiments shown and described can be combined with one another in any manner here and also without further features described in connection with these individual features, without exceeding the scope of the invention. The drawings show:

Figure 1 shows a view of the bin according to the invention from obliquely above,

Figure 2 shows a view of the bin of figure 1 from obliquely behind,

Figure 3 shows a view of the bin of figure 1 from obliquely below,

Figure 4 shows a view of the mobile locking element of the bin of figure 1 from obliquely above,

Figure 5 shows a view of the mobile locking element of figure 4 from obliquely below,

Figure 6 shows a view of a sealing plug for the bin of figure 1,

Figure 7 shows the two bins of figure 1 in a stacked condition,

Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the two stacked bins of figure 7,

Figure 9 shows a first enlarged detail of the cross-sectional view of figure 8,

Figure 10 shows a second enlarged detail of the cross-sectional view of figure 8,

FIG. 11 shows an enlarged detail of the bin of FIG. 1 for illustrating locking of the lid, and

Fig. 12 shows an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the bin of fig. 1 for illustrating locking of the lid.

Detailed Description

The illustration of fig. 1 shows a bin 10 according to the invention according to a preferred embodiment.

The storage bin 10 has a base 12 with a bottom, a first side wall 14 and a second side wall 16 opposite the first side wall 14, which are not visible in fig. 1, and a rear wall 18 arranged perpendicular to the two side walls 14, 16. The side walls 14, 16 and the rear wall 18 together form a substantially U-shaped support flange 20 which defines the upper edge of the side walls 14, 16, 18 and on which the other bin rests in the stacked state.

The position of the bottom of the bin 10 is visible in the illustration of fig. 1 only by means of a bottom flange 22 which extends outwardly from the first side wall 14 and is at the same height as the bottom which is not visible. Below the bottom, the side wall 14 has a first base wall 24.

Opposite the rear wall 18, a front wall 28 is provided which however extends from the bottom only up to about half the height of the interior space of the bin 10. The front wall 28 is also not perpendicular to the bottom but is arranged at an angle of less than 90 ° to the bottom and extends obliquely inwards and upwards therefrom in fig. 1. Typically, a text field (SCHRIFTFELD) is disposed on the front wall 28, which contains the names of the small components in the bin 10. The text field is thus very well readable by the inclined arrangement of the fourth side wall 28.

In the region 30 of the front wall 28, a slide (Schieber) is provided which can be moved between two positions which are only schematically shown in fig. 1. By means of such a slider, for example, a different color marking can be released or masked, which then for example indicates whether the bin 10 is empty, whether the small parts in the bin 10 have been patched (nachbestellen) or else other features.

A window 32 in the form of a transparent plastic cover extends from the upper end of the fourth side wall 28 to the upper edges of the side walls 14, 16. The window 32 allows the interior space to be seen in the closed state of the bin 10 shown in fig. 1. The window 32 may be flipped downward from the position shown in fig. 1, closing the interior space, by about 180 deg., until the window is generally parallel to the front wall 28. In this flipped-down state, the operator can then reach into the storage bin 10 and remove the widget.

The bin 10 is further provided with a cover 34, which in fig. 1 closes the interior space of the bin 10. The cover 34 is arranged here below the upper edges of the side walls 14, 16 and the rear wall 18 and thus also below the support flange 20. Thereby, even when the cover 34 is inserted, the plurality of storage boxes 10 can be stacked on each other without any problem.

In the upper region of the side walls 14, 16 lying opposite one another, a respective movable locking element 36, 38 is arranged. The movable latches 36, 38 are movable between a release position shown in fig. 1 and a locking position not shown, respectively. In this release position, a plurality of bins 10 can be stacked on one another and can also be lifted from one another again. In the release position shown in fig. 1, the cover 34 can also be removed. Starting from the release position shown in fig. 1, the mobile locking element 36 can be moved forward in the direction of the front wall 28. In this locking position, the movement locking elements 36, 38 lock the other bin, which is not shown in fig. 1, stacked on the bin 10, so that the two bins can then no longer be separated from one another. Furthermore, the movement latches 36, 38 lock the lid 34 in the locked position, so that the lid 34 can therefore no longer be removed from the bin 10.

To lock the cover 34 in the placed position shown in fig. 1, the movable locking element 38 locks the catch 40 provided in the upper region of the second side wall 16. The catch 40 is resiliently connected to the second wall 16. In the locked position, the movable locking element 38 rests against the rear side of the catch 40, which is covered in fig. 1, and thus prevents the catch from being able to be displaced obliquely upward in fig. 1, i.e. away from the cover 34. This will be discussed in more detail below. In the locking position, the movable locking element 36 likewise locks a catch in the upper region of the first side wall 14, which catch is not visible in fig. 1. In the illustrated release position of the moving latches 36, 38, the catch 40 can be laterally deflected and thereby release the lid 34 when an attempt is made to lift the lid 34.

Only three locking projections 42 of the movable locking element 38, which project through slit-like slotted guide 44 in the upper region of the second side wall 16, can be seen in the view of fig. 1. All three slot-shaped slotted guide portions 44 are identically configured and are arranged at the same level in the upper region of the second side wall 16. The three locking protrusions 42 are also identically constructed to each other. In order to fix two storage compartments 10 stacked on one another to one another, the locking projections 42 are moved from the position shown in fig. 1 onto the respective left end of the slide slot guide 44. In this displaced state they are then arranged above the protrusions 50 extending outwardly from the base wall of the other bin. Such a projection 50 is visible on the lower end of the first base wall 24 in fig. 1.

It can also be seen in fig. 1 that the cover 34 has recesses 52 on its edges, which recesses are each configured to mate with the locking projections 42. In the release position of the movable locking elements 36, 38, the cover can thus be lifted upwards beyond the locking projection 42.

On the displacement lock 36, the through opening 54 can be seen in the front region arranged on the left in fig. 1. The through opening 54 is provided for inserting a sealing plug, which is not shown in fig. 1. The sealing plug then penetrates the movement latch 36 and the first side wall 14 over the through opening 56 provided in the side wall 14 and is then inserted into a matching recess in the cover 34. The sealing plug, which will be described further below with reference to fig. 6, can thus not only lock the movable locking element 36 in its locking position, but at the same time also fix the cover 34 in the closed position.

In the region of the rear wall 18, a hook-shaped formation 58 can be seen in fig. 1. By means of such a hook-shaped structure 58, the storage compartment 10 can be suspended from a suitable holding rail, which is arranged, for example, on a table. The storage box 10 can thus be arranged in a simple manner and very well accessible, for example above the working surface of a work table.

The illustration of fig. 2 shows the bin 10 of fig. 1 in an oblique rear view. The rear wall 18 is thus seen in fig. 2 with a hook-shaped structure 58. In this view, a first base wall 24 below the bottom flange 22 is visible on the first side wall 14. The base wall 24 has a total of three outwardly directed protrusions 50 extending from the interior space of the bin 10. These projections 50 each form an undercut and are provided for engagement from behind by the locking projection 42 of the movable locking member in the locking position as already explained. The locking projection 42 is visible on the moving latch 38 in fig. 2. If in fig. 2 the bin 10 is arranged on another bin of the same type, the result is that the left-hand moving lock of this other bin in fig. 2 has to be moved forward into the plane of the drawing of fig. 2, so that the locking projection 42 will be arranged above the projection 50 of the base wall 24, in order to thereby fix the bin 10 on the lower bin. As can be seen in fig. 2, the protrusions 50 are each provided with a sliding-aid ramp (Anlaufschr ä ge) to facilitate pushing and engagement from behind by the locking protrusions 42 of the moving locking member.

A first groove 60 on the bottom of the bin 10 can be seen substantially in fig. 2, which extends in the transverse direction. The first groove 60 is used to tilt the bin 10, for example, when a protrusion on the front end of the shelf bottom of the shelf is embedded in the first groove 60. In this case, the storage container 10 is tilted about the projection or groove 60 until the support flange 20 rests against the underside of the upper grid bottom at least in the region of the third side wall 18.

A second groove 62 extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage bin 10 is visible on the bottom of the storage bin 10. The second groove 62 is provided on the one hand for cooperating with a projection on the shelf bottom of the shelf to ensure lateral guidance of the storage bin 10 when pushed into the shelf and when pulled out of the shelf. Further, the second slot 62 is provided for arranging a partially shown retaining strap 64 which is wound around the bin 10 in order to secure the lid 34 in its position on the bin 10. Thereby, the holding strap 64 extends above the lower end of the bin 10 and thus does not interfere with stacking of multiple bins 10.

A U-shaped recess 66 is provided in the upper side of the rear side wall 18, which is likewise provided for the arrangement of the retaining strap 64. Thereby, the holding strap 64 is fixed laterally and then does not protrude beyond the support flange 20 so as not to interfere with stacking of the plurality of bins 10.

The cover 34 is provided with a handle 68 in the form of a bar-shaped projection extending in the longitudinal direction. The handle 68 is provided on its upper side with a third groove 70 which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction and in which the retaining strap 64 can be arranged. As can be seen from fig. 2, the upper side of the handle 68 and thus the base of the groove 70 extend slightly curved as seen in the longitudinal direction. Thus, the highest point of the base of the slot 70 is located in the middle of the bin 10 as viewed in the longitudinal direction. The retaining strip 64 can thus exert a uniform pressure on the cover 34 and can thus also bear entirely against the base of the groove 70.

The window 32 on the front side of the bin 10 is centrally provided with a U-shaped recess 72 which is aligned with the slot 70 and recess 66 in the rear side wall 18. The retaining strap 64 can thereby be wound around the storage compartment 10 and on the one hand be in the recesses 66, 72 and in the groove 70 and in the recess 62 in a slip-proof manner in the lateral direction. At the same time, the storage box 10 can be stacked with the holding tape without any problem.

The illustration of fig. 3 shows the storage bin 10 of fig. 1 from obliquely below. The underside of the bottom 74 can be seen in this view, which underside is provided with a plurality of stiffening ribs. It is also clearly visible that the first groove 60 extends in the transverse direction of the bin 10 on the underside of the bottom 74 and the second groove 62 extends in the longitudinal direction on the underside of the bottom 74.

The bottom 74 has two bottom flanges 22 in the lateral direction, which in the stacked state of the two bins 10 rest on the upper side of the side walls of the lower bin and thus on its support flange 20. From the bottom flange 22 downwardly, i.e. upwardly in fig. 3, a first base wall 24 extends in an extension of the first side wall 14, and a second base wall 26 extends in an extension of the second side wall 16. The two base walls 24, 26 are each provided with three projections 50 which project outwards from the respective base wall 24, 26 and which are provided as already explained for co-acting with the locking projections 42 on the respective lower bin movement locking members 36, 38 in the stacked state of the two bins 10.

Fig. 4 shows the movable locking element 38 of fig. 1 from obliquely above in a separated illustration, i.e. in a state removed from the storage compartment 10.

The locking projections 42 can be seen as shown in fig. 1, which are provided for guiding through slit-like slide groove guides 44 of the side walls 16. The locking protrusions 42 each have a groove guide 78 between the two guide protrusions. When the locking projection 42 is arranged in the slot-shaped slide groove guide 44 in the position shown in fig. 1, a section of the side wall 16 is arranged in the groove guide 78. The guide projections, which are visible in fig. 4 on the right, are expediently provided with sliding-aid ramps, so that the displacement locking element 38 can thus be pressed or snapped into the slot-shaped slide guide 44 in the side wall 16. For this purpose, the slot-shaped slide guide 44 has a middle section with a greater height as shown in fig. 1, into which the locking projection 42 can then be snapped in. For all chute guides, sections with a smaller height are arranged on the left and right of the middle section with a larger height. When the locking projection 42 is located in the section having the lower height, the moving locking member is in the release position or locking position shown in fig. 1. In these sections with a smaller height, it is no longer possible to remove the locking projection 42 from the slot-shaped slide guide 44 or to also snap it into the slide guide 44 without damage.

In fig. 4, the flutes (Riffelung) 80 as well as the symbols and arrows are also visible on the side of the movable locking element 38 which is located on the outside in the installed state, for the purpose of indicating the specific function, i.e. locking or release, and the direction of movement required for this.

The function of providing the through opening 54 for inserting the sealing plug has been explained.

The illustration of fig. 5 shows the mobile latch 38 of fig. 4 from diagonally behind. In this view, a locking projection 82 can be seen, which extends inwardly in the same direction as the locking projection 42. The locking projections 82 are provided for locking the catch 40 from behind in the upper region of the two side walls, see fig. 1. If the locking projections 82 are located behind the respective catches 40, they can no longer be deflected backwards in the illustration of fig. 1 when an attempt is made to lift the lid 34 from the bin 10. The locking projection 82 is located behind the catch 40 when the movable latch 38 or the movable latch 36 is in the latched position.

The movable locking element 38 is embodied as a plastic injection-molded part and has a plurality of reinforcing ribs on its rear side facing the viewer in fig. 5.

Fig. 6 shows a sealing plug 84 for the storage compartment 10, see fig. 1, which is provided for insertion into the through opening 54 on the mobile locking element 36 or 38.

The sealing plug 84 has a latching projection 86 with two undercuts facing one another. These undercuts are dimensioned such that the sealing plug 84 can be inserted into the opening 54 in the movable locking element 36, 38, but can only be inserted or pressed with great pressure into the opening 56 in the side wall 14, 16. Once the latching projection has been moved through the opening 56 in its widest part, the laterally configured latching projection springs back again slightly (auffedern), so that the sealing plug 84 can no longer be pulled out of the opening 56 and the opening 54 without destroying the sealing plug 84. For this purpose, the latching projections 86 can also be provided with a target breaking point 88 which is configured weaker than in the illustration of fig. 6. The target breaking point 88 is only schematically indicated by a dashed line in fig. 6. The two lateral undercuts can also be formed in other ways on the latching projection 86, for example as resilient latching hooks.

The sealing plug 84 engages in the inserted state through the opening 54 in the displacement lock 36, through the opening 56 in the side wall 14 and then also through the recess in the cover 34. The notches are located on both lateral ends of the ridge 90 on the cover 34, see fig. 1. The movable locking element 36 and, correspondingly, the movable locking element 38 can thus be locked in their locking position by means of one sealing plug 84. It is then no longer possible to move the movable locking elements 36, 38 into the release position. At the same time, the sealing plug 84 protrudes a distance into a recess in the elevation 90 on the cover 34 and thus ensures an additional locking of the cover 34. On its side opposite the bulge 90, which rests against the inner side of the third side wall 18, the cover is held in a hinged manner and thus cannot be removed upwards in the closed state of fig. 1. This is only possible if the cover 34 is flipped over a distance.

The illustration of fig. 7 shows two storage compartments 10a, 10b stacked on top of one another, each of which is constructed in the same way as the storage compartment 10 of fig. 1. As can be clearly seen in this view, the upper bin 10a is placed with its underside of the bottom flange 22 on the upper side of the support flange 20 of the lower bin 10b, which is arranged on the upper side of the side walls 14, 16 of the lower bin 10 b.

Here, the base walls 24, 26 of the upper bin 10a extend only in the extension of the side walls 14, 16 of the upper bin 10a, respectively. While the front wall 28 of the upper bin 10a terminates at a bottom level. Thus, there is room available below the front wall 28 to grasp the window 32 of the lower bin 10b at its upper edge and flip the window 32 down if necessary. Thereby, it is possible to engage into the inner space of the lower bin 10b by turning down the window 32 even in the stacked state of the two bins 10a, 10 b.

The illustration of fig. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of two stacked bins 10a, 10 b. The bottom flange 22 of the upper bin 10a and the support flange 20 of the lower bin 10b are also visible here.

In addition, it can be seen that the base wall 24 and the base wall 26 extend into the space formed between the upper regions of the side walls 14, 16 of the lower bin 10b for a distance. Even if the lower bin 10b is provided with a cover 34 as shown in fig. 8, such a stacked arrangement of two bins 10a, 10b can be employed. Because the lower edges of the base walls 24, 26 are either also located above the upper side of the cover 34 or above the upper side of the cover 34.

Fig. 9 shows an enlarged detail of the illustration of fig. 8, i.e. the region with the movable locking element 38 shown on the left in fig. 8. As can first be seen in fig. 9, the base wall 26 is arranged in the stacked state of the two compartments 10a, 10b such that the projections 50 are located with their undersides slightly above the upper side of the cover 34 of the lower compartment 10b or slightly above the upper side of the cover 34. Thereby, the upper side of the protrusion 50 is disposed below the chute guide portion 44 in the sidewall 16 of the lower bin 10b on the left in fig. 9. Thereby, the locking projection 42 on the moving lock 38, which extends through the slit-like chute guide 44 to the inner side of the side wall 16, can be pushed over the projection 50. The released position of the moving latch 38 is shown in the illustration of fig. 9. Therefore, in this state, the locking protrusion 42 is located behind the protrusion 50, so that the upper bin 10a can also be lifted upward. However, if starting from the release position shown in fig. 9, the movable locking element 38 is moved forward, i.e. out of the plane of the drawing, the locking projection 42 is brought into a position above the projection 50. Thereby preventing upward movement of the protrusion 50 and thus also the upper bin 10 a. Then, the two storage boxes 10a, 10b are fixed to each other, and can be transported as one unit.

The illustration of fig. 10 shows the detail shown on the right in fig. 8, i.e. in the region of the displacement lock 36. It can also be seen in this figure that in the release position shown in fig. 10, the projections 50 of the base wall 24 extend outwards, but the moving projections 42 of the moving latch 36 are also arranged beside the projections 50. Only when the mobile latch 36 has been moved out of the plane of the drawing forward in fig. 10, the mobile projection 42 enters into a position above the projection 50 of the base wall 24 and thereby prevents the upper bin 10a from being liftable from the lower bin 10 b.

The illustration of fig. 11 shows an enlarged detail of fig. 1. It can be seen that a catch 40 is located in the upper region of the side wall 16 which retains the lid 34 in its closed position. The catch 40 is arranged resiliently in the side wall 16 in this case in that the catch is arranged inside a U-shaped recess 94 in the side wall 16. The catch 40 is thus surrounded on three sides by the recess 94 and is thus connected to the remaining material of the side wall 16 only by the tab-shaped section of the side wall 16. The catch 40 can thus be deflected elastically and out of the plane of the side wall 16, i.e. in fig. 11, for example, out into the plane of the drawing. This movement of the catch 40 is necessary when the lid 34 is placed onto the bin 10. The side edges 96 of the cover enter into the region of the slide-aid ramps 98 of the hooks 40 when the cover is placed. By means of this sliding-aid ramp 98, the catch 40 is deflected outwards when the cover is pressed downwards. Once the cover reaches the position shown in fig. 11, the catch 40 again springs forward and thereby reaches a distance above the cover 34. The cover 34 is thereby held on the bin 10. However, the lid is provided with a sliding-assist ramp underneath the catch 40, see fig. 12, so that when the catch 14 is still sprung, the lid can be lifted from the bin 10 against a slight resistance. Therefore, when the storage box 10 with the placed cover 34 is transported, the cover 34 is not automatically detached from the storage box 10.

In order to fix the lid 34 to the storage compartment 10 such that the lid 34 can no longer be lifted without damage, the movable locking element 38 is moved into its locking position. In the illustration of fig. 11, this will be a movement of the moving projection 42 to the left within the slot-like chute guide 44.

Fig. 12 shows a sectional view of the storage compartment 10 in the region of the displacement latch 38, with the section passing through the catch 40 of the side wall 16. Fig. 12 shows the released state of the movable locking piece 38. A slide-assist ramp 100 on the cover 34 below the catch 40 can be seen. It can be seen that in the state of fig. 12, the lid 34 presses the catch 40 outwards via the slide-promoting ramp 100 when lifted and can thus be lifted from the storage compartment 10.

If the mobile locking element 38 is moved into its locking position, i.e. pushed forward to the right in fig. 12, the locking projection 82 (see also fig. 5) is arranged directly behind the catch 40. If necessary, the locking projection 82 can also rest against the rear side of the catch 40. If this position is reached, the catch 40 can no longer be deflected backwards when the cover 34 is lifted. The cover 34 is thereby securely held in the position shown in fig. 12 and placed onto the bin 10.

Claims

1. A storage box (10) for small components, comprising a base (74) and at least two side walls (14, 16) which originate from the base (74) and are opposite one another, wherein the base (74) and/or the side walls (14, 16) have at least one support flange (20) for stacking a plurality of storage boxes (10) of the same type, wherein in the stacked state of the two storage boxes (10) the lower end region of a first side wall (14) of the upper storage box is arranged parallel to the upper end region of a first side wall (14) of the lower storage box and the lower end region of a second side wall (16) of the upper storage box is arranged parallel to the upper end region of a second side wall (16) of the lower storage box, characterized in that at least one locking element (36, 38) is provided on at least one of the side walls (14, 16), which locking element is movable between a release position and a locking position, and in which locking position the two storage boxes are stacked on one another and are arranged on the second side wall (14) and/or the second side wall (16) by means of the locking element (36, 38) being arranged and the locking element is arranged on the second side wall (16) and/is/are movable on the first side wall (14) and/the second side wall (16) and the second side wall (16) is arranged on the second side region, the locking element (36, 38) locks the lid (34) of the storage box (10) in the locking position.

2. -The bin according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking element (36, 38) engages in the locking position from behind an undercut on at least one lower end region of one of the side walls (14, 16) or on at least one upper end region of one of the side walls (14, 16) and releases the undercut in the release position.

3. -The bin according to claim 2, characterized in that said undercut is formed by means of at least one protrusion (50) arranged parallel to said bottom (74).

4. -The bin according to claim 1, characterized in that the chute guide (44) is formed in the first and/or second side wall (14, 16) by means of at least one slit and on the mobile locking element (36, 38) by means of at least one undercut protrusion.

5. -The bin according to claim 4, characterized in that the undercut projection (42) is configured as a catch element on the mobile locking element (36, 38).

6. A bin according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the first side wall (14) has a first base wall (24) extending below the bottom (74) and the second side wall (16) has a second base wall (26) extending below the bottom (74), and that the first and second base walls (24, 26) are provided with protrusions (50) parallel to the bottom (74) and protruding outwards from the interior space of the bin (10), which protrusions form the undercut, and that locking elements (36, 38) are provided at the upper end regions of the upper ends of the first and second side walls (14, 16), respectively, for engaging the side walls from behind.

7. The bin of claim 1, wherein the latch has a first locked position in which the lid of the bin is lockable and a second locked position in which the lid is lockable and two stacked bins are also lockable to each other.

8. -The storage compartment according to claim 7, characterized in that a sealing plug (84) is provided which can be plugged through the locking element (36, 38) and which limits or locks the movement of the locking element (36, 38).

9. -The storage compartment according to claim 8, characterized in that the sealing plug (84) has a nominal breaking point (88) and can only be released by breaking the sealing plug (84) after insertion into the locking element (36, 38).

10. -The storage compartment according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the sealing plug (84) can be inserted into the cover (34) through the locking element (36, 38).

11. The bin of claim 8 or 9, wherein the latch is movable only between the first and second latched positions when the sealing plug is inserted.

12. The bin of claim 10, wherein the latch is movable only between the first and second latched positions when the sealing plug is inserted.

13. -The storage compartment according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a cover (34) is provided for the storage compartment (10), wherein, for securing the cover (34), at least on the first side wall (14) a resiliently constructed latching element is provided, and wherein the resiliently constructed latching element is locked in a locking position of the locking element (36, 38) by the locking element (36, 38) in a holding position.

14. -The storage compartment according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a cover (34) is provided for the storage compartment (10), wherein the cover (34) is arranged in the closed state below an imaginary plane defined by the upper edges of the side walls (14, 16), and wherein the cover (34) has at least one handle projection extending in the direction of the imaginary plane.

15. -The bin according to any one of the previous claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bottom (74) has a groove (62) or a stop extending in the longitudinal direction of the bin (10) for forming a groove-like receptacle extending in the longitudinal direction of the bin.

16. -The storage compartment according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a cover (34) for the storage compartment (10) is provided, wherein the cover (34) is provided with a further groove (70) or stop extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage compartment (10) for forming a further groove-like accommodation extending in the longitudinal direction of the storage compartment (10).

17. The bin of claim 1, wherein the widget is a screw.