FR2795056A1 - CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING AN ARTICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a container (A) for receiving an article, which can prevent the article contained therein from being stolen. The container comprises a housing (2) with an access opening (1) through which an article is placed in and withdrawn from the housing (2) and having an engaging rim (10, 10), a cover (4) pivotally hinged to the housing (2) to cover the access opening (1) and having an engaging rim (10, 10) to cooperate with the engaging rim (10, 10) of the housing (2), and a sliding member (B) which can be actuated to engage with the engaging flanges (10, 10) to lock the cover (4) to the housing (2).

Description

J

  CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING AN ARTICLE

  The present invention relates to containers and, more particularly, to a container for receiving an article or articles which can be displayed on the shelf of a store for sale or rental and which contributes to preventing an article contained therefrom

be stolen.

  When an item, such as a videotape or compact disc, contained in a box is displayed on the shelf of a store for sale or rental, the item contained can be easily stolen because the conventional box '' does not provide the anti-theft function for contained articles, i.e. there is no mechanism to prevent thieves from opening the

  box and steal the item contained.

  Therefore, a prior art anti-theft device is provided, which consists of a detector installed at the entrance and exit of the store, and magnetic theft warning labels are

  stuck on the boxes or on the articles contained.

  However, because magnetic theft warning labels must be affixed to all boxes or all items, it will take a great deal of time and effort to affix the labels and the

  cost will be greatly increased.

  In addition, if the boxes on which the labels are affixed are intended for sale, the labels installed must be recovered; otherwise it results in the loss of labels. Of course, the same problem also arises for

  articles on which the labels are stuck.

  It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container for receiving an article, which can prevent the article contained in the box from being stolen without the need to stick labels and detection devices, such as c 'East

the case in the prior art.

  According to the foregoing and other objectives of the present invention, a container for receiving an article is provided. The container of the invention includes a housing having an access opening through which an article is placed in or removed from the housing and which has an engaging flange, a cover pivotally hinged to the housing to to reclosably cover the access opening and having an engagement flange to cooperate with the engagement flange of the housing, and a sliding member which can be actuated to be engaged with the engagement flanges socket to lock the cover to the

housing.

  The container of the invention further includes an unlocking member which can be engaged with a receptacle portion formed on the sliding member to disengage the sliding member from the container. While the sliding member is released from engagement with the housing and cover engagement edges, the container can be opened

  freely by tilting the cover upwards.

  The present invention can be better understood

  thanks to the following description with reference to

  attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the container of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the container of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the sliding element used in the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the third embodiment of the present invention Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the third embodiment of the present invention when the sliding member is engaged with the flanges of juxtaposed engagement; Figure 7 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the third embodiment of the present invention taken along line VII-VII shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the third embodiment of the present invention taken along line VIII-VIII shown in Figure 6; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the unlocking element used in the third embodiment of the container and of the sliding element of the present invention; Figure 10 is a schematic sectional view of the unlocking member used in the third embodiment of the container and the sliding member of the present invention; Figure 11 is a schematic sectional view

  transverse of the unlocking element used.

  in the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the sliding member used in the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 is a perspective view of the sliding member used in the fifth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the release member used in the sixth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 16 is a perspective view of the unlocking member used in the sixth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sliding element inserted in the sixth embodiment of the container; Figure 18 is a perspective view of an example of the sliding member of the present invention; Figure 19 is a schematic sectional view of an example of the locking member of the present invention; Figure 20 is a schematic cross-sectional view of Figure 19; Figure 21 is an exploded perspective view of a specific embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 22 is a perspective view showing another example of the sliding member used in the fifth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 23 is a schematic sectional view of the sliding member of Figure 22 inserted into the container of the present invention; Figure 24 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the seventh embodiment of the present invention; Figure 25 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the seventh embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 26 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another example of the sliding member

  inserted in the juxtaposed guide slots.

  The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments.

  following. It should be noted that the descriptions which

  follow preferred embodiments of the present invention are presented herein

  document for illustration and description

  only. It is not intended to be exhaustive

  or limited to the precise form presented.

  As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the container A comprises a housing 2 having an access opening 1 through which an article is placed in the housing and removed therefrom, and a cover 4 pivotally hinged to the housing 2 by a hinge 3 in order to open and close the access opening. As illustrated, the housing 2 is formed by a base wall 5 and side walls 6 which extend vertically from the four edges of the base wall 5 and which are connected to each other. The cover 4 is also formed by a base wall 7 and side walls 8 which extend vertically from the edges of the plate 7 and which are connected to each other. The cover 4 and the housing 2 are pivotally connected by the hinge 3 arranged on the lower edges of the base walls 5 and 7, which can be

  made of deformable and yet elastic resin.

  Certainly, part of the side walls 6, 8 may have recessed or protruding parts to hold the article contained in position in the housing 2. In addition, two juxtaposed engagement edges 10, 10 are respectively formed on the upper edges housing 2 and cover 4 (opposite to

  lower edges to which the hinge 3 is connected).

  The engagement edges 10, 10 each have a guide slot 9, so that a sliding member (which will be detailed below) intended to be engaged with the engagement edges 10, 10 can be gently guided by the guide slots 9, 9 when the sliding element is slid so that it engages with the

engaging edges 9, 9.

  As shown in Figure 2, the access opening of the housing 2 can be hermetically sealed by the cover 4. At this time, the engagement flanges 10, 10 are arranged parallel to each other

  and are in abutment against each other, as shown in.

Figure 2.

  A sliding member B is slidably engaged with the engaging edges, to prevent the opening of the container A and to protect the article received therein from theft,

as shown in figure 3.

  Although the sliding element B can be removed to open the cover 4, such an operation consisting in removing the sliding element B from the container A presented will make a person hesitant,

  thereby preventing theft of the item.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the sliding element B consists of a whole body formed by two opposite lateral parts 11 and a connecting part 12 interposed between the two lateral parts 11 and connected to them, the sliding element B having substantially an H shape in section. The guide slots 9, 9 defined by the engaging flanges, 10 can thus engage the two side portions 121, 11 of the sliding member B to allow the sliding member B to move along of the direction of extension of the guide slots 9, 9. When the sliding element B is fully engaged with the engagement edges, 10, the front end of the sliding element B is stopped by the blocking 13 which protrudes from the upper side wall 8 (as shown) to prevent the sliding element B from moving beyond the blocking device 13. Since the engagement between the side part 11 and the slot of guide 9 is made in such a way that the lateral part 11 of the sliding element B is slightly tightened by the guide slot 9, the sliding element B can thus be engaged

  securely with the engagement edges 10, 10.

  In addition, the locking device 13 can also be formed on the end of the engagement flanges relative to the front end of the sliding element B. As shown in Figures 4 to 6, a plurality of devices lock 21 are formed integrally on the sliding element B, corresponding to a plurality of holes or recesses 24 formed on the side wall 8 to be engaged with the holes or recesses 24 in order to prevent the element slide B is removed. In addition, a receptacle part 23 is formed in the lower part of the sliding element B to allow an unlocking element 22 (shown in FIG. 9) to be inserted therein once the sliding element 13 is

  in engagement with the engagement flanges 10, 10.

  When the unlocking member 22 is fully inserted into the receptacle portion 23, it can press the locking devices 21 upward from a locked position to an unlocked position, thereby allowing the sliding element B to be pulled back and removed from

engagement edges 10.

  With the previous locking devices 21, the sliding element B can be fixed, in position, to the housing 2 and to the cover 4, in a secure manner, in order to prevent it from being pulled back and removed from the flanges of engagement 10. When the user wishes to take out the article received in the container of the invention, he can simply insert the unlocking element 22 entirely into the receptacle part 23 to disengage the locking devices 21 from the holes or recesses 24, thereby allowing the sliding element B to be pulled back. As illustrated, a plurality of holes or recesses 24 are formed on the side wall 8 of the cover 4 and a plurality of locking devices 21 are positioned on the sliding element B, or vice versa. The position of the holes or recesses 24 can certainly be changed as a function of the shape of the sliding element B or of the engagement edges 10. As shown, the locking device 21 comprises a projecting part 25 which s extends from an opening of the connecting part 12 of the sliding element B and towards the holes or recesses 24, and an inclined surface 27 to allow the smooth insertion of the sliding element B along the slots of guide 9. As described in the second preferred embodiment, the sliding member B is slidably engaged with the juxtaposed engagement flanges 10, 10 in order to prevent opening of the container. While the sliding element B is inserted along the juxtaposed guide slots 9, 9, the free ends of the protrusions 25 extend into the holes or recesses 24, as shown in Figure 6. This engagement can prevent the thief from removing the sliding element B, so that the container A cannot be opened and the article contained in the container A is kept securely. The position and the number of the locking devices 21 can certainly be determined optionally. The protruding part 25 and the sliding element B can be formed in one piece and can be made of thermoelastic resin in order to ensure the elasticity of the protruding part 25, allowing the protruding part 25 to be brought back from an unlocked position to a locked position, as

shown in figure 18.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the unlocking element 22 intended to disengage the locking devices 21 from the holes or recesses 24 consists of a structure similar to a fork comprising a plate body 31 intended to be engaged with the receptacle part 23 and a cut part separating a first finger 32 from a second finger 33 which is shorter than the first finger 32, in which the first and second fingers 32, 33 extend from the front end of the plate body 31. During the insertion of the unlocking element 22 into the receptacle part 23, the front end of the first finger 32 pushes against the front locking device 21, while the front end of the second finger 33 is contiguous with the rear locking device 21. Consequently, the locking devices 21 are disengaged from the holes or recesses 24, as shown

in Figure 11.

  When the unlocking element 22 is inserted in position, the front end of the first finger 32 is guided and applied towards the bottom of the protruding part 23 by a guide element 34 which advances from the sliding element B and a guide projection 35 which projects from one side of the projecting front part 25, and the second finger 33 with a pointed and thin front end 11 is guided by the juxtaposed positioning elements 32 which advance, from two opposite sides of the rear projecting part 25 towards the bottom of the rear projecting part 25. Certainly, the unlocking element 22 is not limited to the structure described above. If a single locking device 21 is formed on the sliding element B, the unlocking element 22 does not

  requires that a finger structure formed therein

  this. Again, the locking member for engaging with the locking device 21 is not limited to the illustrated hole or recess. A projecting part 24 can be formed on the side wall 8, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, in such a way that the front ends of the first and second fingers 32 and 33 can be freely stopped by the projecting part 24 during the insertion of the unlocking element 22 in the sliding element B. In the figure, the symbol 37 indicates a device for blocking the insertion of the

unlocking 22.

  As shown in Figure 12, an anti-theft label is affixed to a desired position on the sliding element to prevent the article

content is stolen.

  If tag 41 is a magnetic theft warning tag, an anti-theft device or detector, such as a magnetic sensor, can be installed at the entrance and exit of a store at

detection purposes.

  As illustrated, the label 41 is fixed to a recessed part 42 on one side of the sliding element B by an adhesive agent. However, the position or method of installing a label is not limited to the manner described above. Certainly, as shown in Figure 21, the length of the engaging flange 10 can be equal to the total length of the container hoop A, increasing the length of the sliding element B so that it matches that of the flange of engagement 10. At the same time, the label 41 can also be affixed to the elongated part of the sliding element B. Once the articles contained in the container are sold or rented, the sliding element is kept in the store, thereby greatly reducing the cost of manufacturing the container and

  of use of the label stuck on the article.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the front end of the sliding element B has a pointed part 51. As illustrated, the pointed part 51 has a substantially V-shaped section. As a variant, the pointed part 51 can have a shaped section of

  screwdriver, as shown in figure 22.

  In summary, as shown in FIG. 14, the pointed part 51 can puncture the packaging film 52, such as a thermally produced film, to enclose the container A, thereby putting the sliding element B engaging with the ledges of

engagement 10.

  Thus, even if the container A is surrounded by the film 52, the sliding element B can still cooperate with the container A. As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, an opening 71 is arranged at the insertable end of the setting flanges in socket 10 in order to insert the element

  sliding B slidingly across it.

  Even if the packaging film 52 is punctured by the pointed part 51 to push the sliding element B into the engagement edges 10, the punctured end will not enter the opening 71 to prevent insertion of the sliding element B. As shown in FIGS. 9, 13, and 15 or in FIGS. 11, 16 and 17, the unlocking element 22 comprises a locking device 61 formed on a surface of the latter facing the sliding element B. As illustrated, a recess 62 is formed on the sliding element B and a projecting part 63 is formed on the unlocking element 22. When the unlocking element 22 is fully inserted in position, the protruding part 63 is engaged

  with the recess 62 as shown in FIG. 15.

  Consequently, by pulling the unlocking element 22 backwards, the sliding element B can also be removed simultaneously (by slightly raising the unlocking element 22). Alternatively, a recess 65 is formed on the central portion of the second finger 33 to be engaged with an elastic member 66 which projects downward from the sliding member B while the unlocking member 22 is inserted in position so as to remove the combined structure of the unlocking element 22 and the sliding element B at the same time. As shown in Figures 24 and 25, a slot 73 is formed between the two juxtaposed engagement flanges 10, 10 to allow a projecting portion 74 extending upward from the sliding member B d ' to be received in it. Certainly, because the protruding part 74 is received in the slot 73 and is able to move along it while the sliding element B is slidably inserted in the engaging edges 10, 10, the slot 73 must be long enough to allow the protruding part 74 to move along the slot 73 until the sliding element B is completely

  in engagement with the engagement flanges 10, 10.

  Therefore, by pressing the protruding part 74 down and then moving the sliding element B backwards (in the direction of the arrowhead shown in Figure 24), the unlocking element 22 and l The sliding element B can be removed together from the engagement edges 10, 10. Consequently, the locking device 61 of the sixth preferred embodiment is not necessary. The projecting height of the part in

  projection 74 can be adjusted as required.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 26, when the sliding element B is inserted into the engagement edges 10, 10, an elastic element 76 which advances downward from the sliding element B is put in place. taken with the locking device 75 disposed on the side wall 8 facing the sliding element B so as to prevent the sliding element B from sliding further along the direction of insertion. In this embodiment, the

  blocking device 13 is not necessary.

  Certainly, the elastic member 76 can be pushed.

  upwards by inserting the unlocking element 22 in order to disengage the elastic element 76 from the locking device 75. The engagement between the elastic element 76 and the locking device 75 is similar to that between the locking devices 21 and the holes or recesses 24, so that the

detailed description is omitted.

  The present invention provides an anti-theft container which can prevent the article therein from being stolen. With the invention, the article contained in this anti-theft container can only be removed using a special unlocking element owned by the owner. The invention can therefore effectively protect the article contained against theft. When the item in the container is sold or rented, the sliding element can be left in the store. Because the label can still be affixed to the sliding element, the installation work for the container or article is thereby eliminated. In addition, the sliding element with the label can be left in the store so that the label will not be lost even if the item contained in a box is not sold or rented. That is, each container does not require the sliding element because the container is used to hold the item and is produced by the merchant and the sliding element is owned by the store owner. Thus, the sliding element with the label can be recovered and reused, thereby reducing

considerably the cost.

  Because the front end of the sliding element has a pointed part, it can puncture the packaging film of the container to insert the sliding element into the guide slots. The unlocking element and the sliding element can be

removed simultaneously.

  Again, the unlocking member and the sliding member can be removed together through the protruding part recessed inside the slot formed between the two guide slots and

pressed by the fingertip.

  In addition, an L-shaped folded element can be arranged at the end of the sliding element to be connected to the peripheral wall 8 (not shown). Thus, the folded element can be used as a locking device. On the other hand, the folded element has a window to allow the unlocking element to

  fit inside it.

  Although the invention has been described in terms of what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention should not be limited to the embodiment presented. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements understood in the spirit and

  the scope of the appended claims which must

  agree with the widest interpretation so as to understand all of these changes and

similar structures.

Claims (10)

  1. Container intended to receive an article, characterized in that it comprises: a case (2) comprising an access opening (1) through which an article is placed in the case (2) and withdrawn from it , the housing (2) having an engaging flange (10, 10); a cover (4) pivotally hinged to the housing (2) to cover the access opening (1) and comprising an engaging flange (10, 10) to cooperate with the engaging flange (10, 10) of the housing (2); and a sliding member (B) which can be actuated to be engaged with the engaging flanges (10, 10) so as to lock the cover (4) to the housing (2).   2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that an anti-theft label is stuck on said sliding element (B).   3. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that said sliding element (B) comprises a   pointed part at its front end.   4. Sliding element suitable for use with a container comprising a housing (2) with an access opening (1) through which an article is placed in the housing (2) and removed therefrom and comprising a flange of engagement (10, 10), and a cover (4) pivotally hinged to the housing (2) to cover the access opening (1) and having an engagement flange (10, 10) for cooperating with the engagement flange (10, 10) of the housing (2), characterized in that said sliding member (B) is adapted to be engaged with the engagement flanges (10, 10) of the housing ( 2) and, of the cover (4) to prevent the opening of said   access opening (1) of the housing (2).   5. Container intended to receive an article, characterized in that it comprises: a box (2) comprising an access opening   (1) through which an article is placed in the-   housing (2) and removed therefrom and having an engaging flange (10, 10); a cover (4) pivotally hinged to the housing (2) to cover the access opening (1) and comprising an engaging flange (10, 10) to cooperate with the engaging flange (10, 10) of the housing (2); a sliding member (B) which can be actuated to be engaged with the engaging flanges (10, 10) to lock the cover (4) to the housing (2); and an unlocking member which can be actuated to be engaged with the sliding member (B) to disengage the sliding member (B) from the engaging edges (10, 10) of the housing (2) and of the cover (4).   6. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that an anti-theft label is stuck on said sliding element (B).   7. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that said sliding element (B) comprises a   pointed part at its front end.   8. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that said sliding element (B) is provided with at least one projecting part intended to be engaged with at least one recessed part formed on the unlocking element.   9. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the sliding element (B) is provided with at least one recessed part intended to be engaged with at least one projecting part formed on the unlocking element.   10. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that a slot is formed between the engagement flanges (10, 10) while the housing (2) is covered by the cover (4), to allow a part protruding which extends from   the sliding element (B) to be received therein.