GB1593153A - Container - Google Patents

Description

(54) A CONTAINER (71) We, GPG INTERNATIONAL LIM ITED, of Cranford, Blackdown, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, a British Company, 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 a container having a pivotable lid.

According to the invention there is provided a container comprising a container body having an upwardly opening mouth and a container lid portion pivotally mounted on an upstanding side wall of the container body for closing said mouth; the lid portion having an elongate flexible tab which extends therefrom and the upstanding side wall having a slot or recessed portion within which the tab is received and retained to provide a flexible hinge which pivots the lid portion to the container body; said tab having abutment means formed integral therewith comprising a first abutment surface located towards or at an end of the tab remote from the lid portion for co-operation with a second abutment surface of the slot or recessed portion of the container body to restrain withdrawal of the tab from the slot or recessed portion and wherein the tab is longitudinally slidable relative to the slot or recessed portion and is arranged so that when the lid portion closes the mouth, the first abutment surface is located by the tab longitudinally spaced from the second abutment surface and when the lid portion is pivoted to open the mouth the tab is slidable through the slot or recessed portion to move the first abutment surface into co-operation with the second abutment surface when the lid portion is in a position where it lies against and is substantially parallel with the upstanding side wall on which it is pivoted.

Preferably the lid portion. and the base of the container body, are provided with peripheral flanges or steps laterally offset to fit over each other and provide lateral stability during column stacking of several similar containers with their lids closed.

One embodiment of a container constructed in accordance with the present invention and in the form of a crate will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the crate; Figure 2 is a perspective view, similar to Figure 1 but to a larger scale of part of the crate of Figure 1 showing the lid opened further; Figure 3 shows on the left of the Figure a half elevation of the lid viewed from above the lid and on the right of the Figure a half elevation viewed from the underside of the lid; Figure 4 is a half elevation of the lid viewed from the side of a lifting recess thereof; Figure 5 is a section of the lid along the line A-A of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a section through a hinge of the container and shows two positions of the lid; and Figure 7 is a view from above of a corner of the body of the crate.

The crate has an open topped container body I which is of plastics material, is formed by injection moulding and is rectangular in plan with substantially flat upper edges forming a rim to an upwardly open mouth IOu. The crate is also provided with a shaped lid 2 (also of plastics material and formed by injection moulding) attachable by means of a pair of hinges 3 to an upstanding hollow side wall of the crate body I. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, a hinge 3 is constituted by an elongate leaf-like flexible tab 4 formed integrally with the lid 2 near its periphery. The rab 4 is provided with an abutment surface on a shoulder 5 formed along its longer sides, which shoulder is received in a slot 6 provided in the rim at a corresponding location of the crate body I.

The slot 6 is formed with an abutment surface on a lesser width throat region 7 (see Figure 6). through which the shoulder 5 can be pushed into a greater width ventral region or chamber X formed in the hollow side wall.

The resilience of the material of which the crate body I and lid 2 are formed allows the throat 6 and/or the tab in the neighbourhood of the shoulder 5 to deform slightly to allow the shoulder 5 to pass through the throat, but withdrawal of the tab by longitudinal sliding through the slot 6 is prevented by abutment of the shoulder 5 against the step 7 formed by transition from the ventral to the throat region of the slot. The barbed portion forming the shoulder 5 could alternatively be provided on the narrow sides of the tab, or another form of interference fit could be employed.

The length of the tabs 4 are so chosen that when the lid is pivoted from a closed position I to an extreme open position 11 (indicated in Figure 6) it can lie substantially parallel with and flat against the upstanding side wall on which it is hinged on the crate body 1 and can pivot smoothly from position II to position I without needing to raise the hinged edge of the lid appreciably, as would happen if the tab were made too long. During such pivotal movement of the lid it will be apparent from Figure 6 that the tabs 4 will slide longitudinally through the respective slots 6 between positions in which the abutment surfaces 5 are clear of the abutment surfaces 7 (as shown in full lines) and positions in which the surfaces 5 abut the surfaces 7 (as shown in chain lines).With the lid in its closed position lit will also be seen from Figure 6 that the tab 4 extends substantially perpendicularly from the lid through the slot 6 with the lid seated on the flat rim of the mouth 10a.

The lid 2 is formed with a peripheral lower flange 9 which is received in the mouth IOa of the crate body when the lid is closed and an upper flange 10 which is offset outwardly from the lower flange 9. The upper flange 10 provides a recess within which (when the lid is closed) the base of a similar crate may be received to provide lateral stability between crates in a column stack.

At the underside corners of lid 2 outside the flange 9 are provided expanded-head plugs 12 which fit resiliently into corresponding corner holes 13 provided in the crate body I to restrain opening of the lid. It is not essential to employ expanded-heads plugs; the plugs could be held by a force interference fit or wedging action. The interior of the crate body I is curved at its vertically extending corners less sharply than is the exterior and these corners are in the form of hollow columns of adequate strength to withstand the vertical loading to which the crate is likely to be subjected during column stacking.

The base of the crate body is provided with a downwardly extending peripheral step or flange 9a which fits inside flange 10 on column stacking with the lid closed; in the event that the lid is removed by withdrawing the tabs 4 from the slots 6 or pivoted to its extreme position II as shown in Figure 6, several such crate bodies can be column stacked by each flange 9a being located within the mouth 1 0a of the underlying crate body so that the peripheral base portion rests on the upper edges of the underlying crate body.

The operative dimensions and positions in plan of the upper flange 10 and lower flange 9 of the lid are the same or closely similar to those of the mouth 10a and lower flange 9a respectively of the crate body, so that column stacking is achieved in identical manner whether the lid is closed or open. The lids of a number of crates may be removed altogether and the crate bodies used and stacked alone. This is facilitated by the fact that that part of the hinge which is associated with the crate body, namely the slot 6, does not present any projection above the upper edges of the crate body.

Although only one lid is shown for the container it will be apparent that double lids, and/or lids comprised of two halves can be used which open outwardly to lie against opposing side walls of the container body.

The lid has a lifting recess 14 to facilitate opening.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A container comprising a container body having an upwardly opening mouth and a container lid portion pivotally mounted on an upstanding side wall of the container body for closing said mouth; the lid portion having an elongate flexible tab which extends therefrom and the upstanding side wall having a slot or recessed portion within which the tab is received and retained to provide a flexible hinge which pivots the lid portion to the container body; said tab having abutment means formed integral therewith comprising a first abutment surface located towards or at an end of the tab remote from the lid portion for co-operation with a second abutment surface of the slot or recessed portion of the container body to restrain withdrawal of the tab from the slot or recessed portion and wherein the tab is longitudinally slidable relative to the slot or recessed portion and is arranged so that when the lid portion closes the mouth, the first abutment surface is located by the tab longitudinally spaced from the second a.but- ment surface and when the lid portion is pivoted to open the mouth the tab is slidable through the slot or recessed portion to move the first abutment surface into co-operation with the second abutment surface when the lid portion is in a position where it lies against and is substantially parallel with the upstanding side wall on which it is pivoted.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the abutment means is a barbed portion of the tab.

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

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. throat 6 and/or the tab in the neighbourhood of the shoulder 5 to deform slightly to allow the shoulder 5 to pass through the throat, but withdrawal of the tab by longitudinal sliding through the slot 6 is prevented by abutment of the shoulder 5 against the step 7 formed by transition from the ventral to the throat region of the slot. The barbed portion forming the shoulder 5 could alternatively be provided on the narrow sides of the tab, or another form of interference fit could be employed. The length of the tabs 4 are so chosen that when the lid is pivoted from a closed position I to an extreme open position 11 (indicated in Figure 6) it can lie substantially parallel with and flat against the upstanding side wall on which it is hinged on the crate body 1 and can pivot smoothly from position II to position I without needing to raise the hinged edge of the lid appreciably, as would happen if the tab were made too long. During such pivotal movement of the lid it will be apparent from Figure 6 that the tabs 4 will slide longitudinally through the respective slots 6 between positions in which the abutment surfaces 5 are clear of the abutment surfaces 7 (as shown in full lines) and positions in which the surfaces 5 abut the surfaces 7 (as shown in chain lines).With the lid in its closed position lit will also be seen from Figure 6 that the tab 4 extends substantially perpendicularly from the lid through the slot 6 with the lid seated on the flat rim of the mouth 10a. The lid 2 is formed with a peripheral lower flange 9 which is received in the mouth IOa of the crate body when the lid is closed and an upper flange 10 which is offset outwardly from the lower flange 9. The upper flange 10 provides a recess within which (when the lid is closed) the base of a similar crate may be received to provide lateral stability between crates in a column stack. At the underside corners of lid 2 outside the flange 9 are provided expanded-head plugs 12 which fit resiliently into corresponding corner holes 13 provided in the crate body I to restrain opening of the lid. It is not essential to employ expanded-heads plugs; the plugs could be held by a force interference fit or wedging action. The interior of the crate body I is curved at its vertically extending corners less sharply than is the exterior and these corners are in the form of hollow columns of adequate strength to withstand the vertical loading to which the crate is likely to be subjected during column stacking. The base of the crate body is provided with a downwardly extending peripheral step or flange 9a which fits inside flange 10 on column stacking with the lid closed; in the event that the lid is removed by withdrawing the tabs 4 from the slots 6 or pivoted to its extreme position II as shown in Figure 6, several such crate bodies can be column stacked by each flange 9a being located within the mouth 1 0a of the underlying crate body so that the peripheral base portion rests on the upper edges of the underlying crate body. The operative dimensions and positions in plan of the upper flange 10 and lower flange 9 of the lid are the same or closely similar to those of the mouth 10a and lower flange 9a respectively of the crate body, so that column stacking is achieved in identical manner whether the lid is closed or open. The lids of a number of crates may be removed altogether and the crate bodies used and stacked alone. This is facilitated by the fact that that part of the hinge which is associated with the crate body, namely the slot 6, does not present any projection above the upper edges of the crate body. Although only one lid is shown for the container it will be apparent that double lids, and/or lids comprised of two halves can be used which open outwardly to lie against opposing side walls of the container body. The lid has a lifting recess 14 to facilitate opening. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A container comprising a container body having an upwardly opening mouth and a container lid portion pivotally mounted on an upstanding side wall of the container body for closing said mouth; the lid portion having an elongate flexible tab which extends therefrom and the upstanding side wall having a slot or recessed portion within which the tab is received and retained to provide a flexible hinge which pivots the lid portion to the container body; said tab having abutment means formed integral therewith comprising a first abutment surface located towards or at an end of the tab remote from the lid portion for co-operation with a second abutment surface of the slot or recessed portion of the container body to restrain withdrawal of the tab from the slot or recessed portion and wherein the tab is longitudinally slidable relative to the slot or recessed portion and is arranged so that when the lid portion closes the mouth, the first abutment surface is located by the tab longitudinally spaced from the second a.but- ment surface and when the lid portion is pivoted to open the mouth the tab is slidable through the slot or recessed portion to move the first abutment surface into co-operation with the second abutment surface when the lid portion is in a position where it lies against and is substantially parallel with the upstanding side wall on which it is pivoted.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the abutment means is a barbed portion of the tab.

3. A container as claimed in either claim

I or claim 2 in which the tab is integral with the lid portion.

4. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the upstanding side wall is hollow to provide a chamber and said tab passes through a slot in said side wall to project into and locate the abutment means within the chamber.

5. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the upstanding side wall provides a rim which at least partly defines the mouth of the container body and the slot or recessed portion is located in said rim.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5 in which the rim extends around the mouth of the container body and the lid portion when located to close the mouth of the container body is seated on said rim with the tab extending through the slot or recessed portion.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6 in which the rim is substantially flat and upwardly directed and with the mouth closed by the lid portion the tab extends substantially perpendicularly from said lid portion through the slot or recessed portion.

8. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the container body has a base on which it is intended to stand and said base and the lid portion are provided with peripheral flanges or steps laterally off-set to fit over each other for providing stability during column stacking of several similar containers with their lid portions closing their respective mouths.

9. A container substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.