GB1580873A - Containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The container comprises a moulding in one piece in plastic material, the bottom part (11) has cavities (14) intended to contain objects; a lid (12) is attached to it by a double hinge (13). The bottom part and the lid are respectively equipped with sockets (18) and pegs (17), in order to retain the lid in the closed position in an unlockable manner. Additional means (19, 20) in the form of protrusions and grooves are integral parts of the bottom part (11) and of the lid respectively; these means cooperate mutually when closing the lid in order to align the lid with respect to the bottom part transversely and laterally. This container is intended for the packaging of eggs or of fruit and can be closed by machine. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) CONTAINERS (71) I, PETER HINTEREGGER, a Citizen of Austria, of Prehausergasse 48, 1130 Vienna, Austria, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to containers and more particularly to containers suitable for packing eggs, fruit or other such articles.

It is known to provide such containers comprising a one-piece moulding of plastics material, the moulding having a base defming a plurality of article containing pockets, a hinged lid and interengaging fastening means, e.g. at least one pin and socket, integral with the lid and base respectively for releasably retaining the lid in a closed position. The hinge for the lid may comprise a single hinge or a double hinge.

Such containers may readily be packed with eggs, fruit or the like and then closed manually.

However, a problem arises when the lids of such containers are closed by machine, especially when the lid has a double hinge, because if the lid is not accurately aligned both transversely and laterally relative to the base the fastening means will not interengage satisfactorily or may not interengage at all.

One known container has further interengaging means extending parallel to the hinge but they are intended to align the lid relative to the base when the lid is closed. Moreover the lid has only a simple hinge and the further interengaging means are located centrally of the container. This positioning of the further interengaging means results in them having no practical effect to align the lid during closure of the lid.

Another known container has a lid with a double hinge and interengaging means which attempt to act as both alignment means and fastening means but which extend transversely of the container, i.e. normal to the hinge. In this case, if the lid is misaligned either laterally or transversely relative to the base, the interengaging means will not interengage correctly or will not interengage at all.

According to the invention a container comprises a one-piece moulding of plastics material the moulding having a base defining a plurality of article receiving pockets, a lid joined to the base by a double hinge, interengaging means integral with the lid and the base respectively for releasably retaining the lid in a closed position, and further interengaging means integral with the lid and base respectively which interengage during closure of the lid to align the lid relative to the base both transversely and laterally, which further interengaging means comprise at least one interengaging bar and groove which are integral with the base and lid respectively or vice versa, said bar and groove being positioned adjacent the hinge on opposite sides thereof and both said bar and groove extending parallel to the hinge.

Preferably the or each said bar and groove is spaced from the hinge.

By way of example, a specific embodiment in accordance with the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa container having the lid in a partially closed position; and Figures 2 to 4 are detail views of the lid hinge and the alignment means showing the lid in its fully open position, a partially closed position and its fully closed position respectively.

Referring to the drawings, a container 10 for eggs comprises a one-piece moulding of high impact polystyrene. The container has a base 11 and a lid 12 both of which are hinged to an intermediate web member 13 constituting a double hinge. The base 11 has six egg containing pockets 14 which are of conventional design. However, the lid 12 has a flat upper surface 15 which, when the lid is closed, is supported by a pair of posts 21 upstanding from the base 11. The surface 15 also has an upstanding external rim 16 which allows containers to be stacked one on top of the other.

To releasably retain the lid 12 in its fully closed position, there is provided a pair of interengaging pins 17 and sockets 18, the pins 17, in this embodiment, depending from the lid adjacent its edge which is opposite the lid hinge and the respective sockets 18 comprising upwardly open recesses in the base 11. If desired, the interengaging pins 17 and sockets 18 may be interchanged so that the pins extend upwardly from the base 11 and the sockets are provided in the lid 12. In either case, the inter engaging pins 17 and sockets 18 provide positive locating and releasably retaining means for the lid 12 which are both flexible and as far as possible non-explosive. The retaining means are more fully described and claimed in British Patent Application No.

11480177. (Serial no. 1567509) Adjacent the web 13 constituting the lid hinge, there are provided further interengaging means integral with the base 11 and lid 12 acting to align the lid both transversely and laterally relative to the base during closure of the lid. These further interengaging means comprise a pair of bars 19 and grooves 20 extending parallel to the web 13, the bars 19, in this embodiment, upstanding from the base 11 and the respective grooves 20 comprising downwardly open recesses in the lid 12. If desired the interengaging bars 19 and grooves 20 may be interchanged so that the bars depend from the lid 12 and the grooves are provided in the base 11.In either case, during closure of the lid, the bars 19 engage within the grooves 20 and so accurately align the lid 12 relative to the base 11 both transversely and laterally prior to the pins 17 entering their respective sockets 18, the lateral alignment being achieved due to the bars and grooves preventing the lid from twisting relative to the base. It will thus be appreciated that the interengaging bars 19 and grooves 12 act to correct any misalignment of the lid 12 relative to the base 11 which may occur during the initial stage of closing the lid.

The interengaging bars 19 and grooves 20 also act to provide greater transverse rigidity to the container, i.e. normal to the hinge, when the lid is closed.

At each of three corners of the base 11 there is provided a conventional denesting pin 22.

The invention is not restricted to the specific details of the embodiment described above. For example, the web 13 may be replaced by a simple lid hinge. In this case the provision of the interengaging bars 19 and grooves 20 still provides a beneficial effect both during closure of the lid and when the lid is closed but they are not as important as when the lid has a double hinge since sufficient misalignment of the lid to prevent the pins 17 entering the sockets 18 is less likely to occur.

The base may also have article containing pockets having a shape suitable for holding other articles besides eggs, e.g. fruit.

Furthermore, the lid 12 may have article containing pockets similar to those in the base 11, in which case the supporting posts 21 would be omitted.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A container comprising a one-piece moulding of plastics material, the moulding having a base defining a plurality of article receiving pockets, a lid joined to the base by a double hinge, interengaging means integral with the lid and base respectively for releasably retaining the lid in a closed position, and further interengaging means integral with the lid and base respectively which interengage during closure of the lid to align the lid relative to the base both transversely and laterally, which further interengaging means comprise at least one interengaging bar and groove which are integral with the base and lid respectively or vice versa, said bar and groove being positioned adjacent the hinge on opposite sides thereof and both said bar and groove extending parallel to the hinge.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the or each said bar and groove is spaced from the hinge.

3. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. engaging pins 17 and sockets 18 provide positive locating and releasably retaining means for the lid 12 which are both flexible and as far as possible non-explosive. The retaining means are more fully described and claimed in British Patent Application No. 11480177. (Serial no. 1567509) Adjacent the web 13 constituting the lid hinge, there are provided further interengaging means integral with the base 11 and lid 12 acting to align the lid both transversely and laterally relative to the base during closure of the lid. These further interengaging means comprise a pair of bars 19 and grooves 20 extending parallel to the web 13, the bars 19, in this embodiment, upstanding from the base 11 and the respective grooves 20 comprising downwardly open recesses in the lid 12. If desired the interengaging bars 19 and grooves 20 may be interchanged so that the bars depend from the lid 12 and the grooves are provided in the base 11.In either case, during closure of the lid, the bars 19 engage within the grooves 20 and so accurately align the lid 12 relative to the base 11 both transversely and laterally prior to the pins 17 entering their respective sockets 18, the lateral alignment being achieved due to the bars and grooves preventing the lid from twisting relative to the base. It will thus be appreciated that the interengaging bars 19 and grooves 12 act to correct any misalignment of the lid 12 relative to the base 11 which may occur during the initial stage of closing the lid. The interengaging bars 19 and grooves 20 also act to provide greater transverse rigidity to the container, i.e. normal to the hinge, when the lid is closed. At each of three corners of the base 11 there is provided a conventional denesting pin 22. The invention is not restricted to the specific details of the embodiment described above. For example, the web 13 may be replaced by a simple lid hinge. In this case the provision of the interengaging bars 19 and grooves 20 still provides a beneficial effect both during closure of the lid and when the lid is closed but they are not as important as when the lid has a double hinge since sufficient misalignment of the lid to prevent the pins 17 entering the sockets 18 is less likely to occur. The base may also have article containing pockets having a shape suitable for holding other articles besides eggs, e.g. fruit. Furthermore, the lid 12 may have article containing pockets similar to those in the base 11, in which case the supporting posts 21 would be omitted. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A container comprising a one-piece moulding of plastics material, the moulding having a base defining a plurality of article receiving pockets, a lid joined to the base by a double hinge, interengaging means integral with the lid and base respectively for releasably retaining the lid in a closed position, and further interengaging means integral with the lid and base respectively which interengage during closure of the lid to align the lid relative to the base both transversely and laterally, which further interengaging means comprise at least one interengaging bar and groove which are integral with the base and lid respectively or vice versa, said bar and groove being positioned adjacent the hinge on opposite sides thereof and both said bar and groove extending parallel to the hinge.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the or each said bar and groove is spaced from the hinge.

3. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.