GB2118144A

GB2118144A - Storage container

Info

Publication number: GB2118144A
Application number: GB08211017A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Gary Izzard
Original assignee: AF Bulgin and Co PLC
Current assignee: Checkit PLC
Priority date: 1982-04-15
Filing date: 1982-04-15
Publication date: 1983-10-26

Abstract

A storage container is formed as a plastics moulding 10 having a sliding lid 12 with downwardly extending side members 13 formed with grooves co-operating with flanges 11 extending from the top of the container. At one end, the lid 12 has a forwardly extending tab 22 which assists gripping of the lid and upward flexing of which, permitted by thin webs 23, disengages a key member on the underside of the tab from a key way in a projecting portion 16 at the end of the container to permit movement of the lid. The portion 16 is shaped to form a finger grip and is also formed with an open- topped slot 28 for the reception of an identification card, of which the open top is closed by the lid 12. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Storage container This invention relates to storage containers and is particularly concerned with containers for the storage of small articles or components such as nuts and bolts, electrical terminals, small injection mouldings and pressed and turned components.

When large numbers of different components have to be stored, the containers need to be both readily accessible and identifiable and are therefore conveniently kept in racks so that any particular container can easily be withdrawn when required. There is the further requirement that the lid of the container should be dust proof, but should also be readily but not unintentionally removable in order to give access to the contents.

According to the present invention, a rectangular container satisfying these requirements is in the form of a plastics moulding provided with a sliding lid having downwardly extending side members formed with grooves cooperating with flanges extending laterally from the top of the container itself and, at one end, having a downwardly extending key member engaging with a corresponding keyway in the body of the container to prevent unintentional sliding movement of the lid, but capable of disengagement from the keyway as the result of resilient distortion of the lid to permit such movement.The sliding action of the lid renders the container dust proof but not airtight and the co-operation of the key and the keyway constitutes a form of latch which holds the lid in position during removal and replacement of the container from a rack, but neverthless allows the lid to be opened without difficulty when required.

The key member on the lid is preferably formed on a forwardly extending tab which assists gripping of the lid and which is capable of upward flexing to disengage the key member from the keyway. The end of the container adjacent the keyway may conveniently be formed with an open-topped slot for the reception of an identification card, the open top of this slot being closed by the lid when in position. During normal sliding movement of the lid, the top of the slot remains closed so that there is no danger of the card falling out but by sliding the lid to an extreme position or removing it completely, a card can be very simply inserted or replaced.

In a convenient form of construction, both the keyway and the slot may be formed in a projecting portion at the end of the container, and this may be shaped to form a finger grip.

Accordingly, when the container is in position in a rack, the identification card is readily visible and the projecting portion means that both the finger grip and the tab on the lid are readily accessible so that when the container has been removed from the rack, the lid can easily be slid back to give access to the contents. If required, the interior of the container may be divided into compartments by removable dividers which may be formed with tongues fitting into slots in the opposite side walls. Each divider may be provided with a laterally projecting base flange which helps to prevent any particularly small components passing from one compartment to another underneath the divider. When the lid is in position, any movement of the dividers is positively prevented.

An example of a storage container in accordance with the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing particularly the front end of the container; Figure 2 is an underneath plan view; and Figure 3 is a side elevation.

The body of the container 10 is rectangular in shape and has laterally extending flanges 11 along the tops of the two opposite sides. A lid 12 is shaped to co-operate with these flanges by the formation of downwardly extending side members 1 3 formed with grooves co-operating with the flanges to give the lid 1 2 a sliding action.

Both the body 10 of the container and the lid 12 may be formed as plastics mouldings, an isotactic polypropylene being particularly suitable for manufacture of both components owing to its very resilient and durable nature. However, the design is such that most common injection moulding plastics may be used.

At the right hand end as seen in Figure 1 and the left hand end as seen in Figures 2 and 3, which constitutes the front end of the container when it is stored in a rack, the body 10 is formed with a projecting portion 1 6 which is moulded to perform a number of the important functions of the invention. Firstly the portion 1 6 has a central keyway 1 8 which co-operates with a downwardly extending key 1 9 on the underside of the lid 12.

In the view of Figure 2, the lid 12 has been moved slightly to the left as a result of disengagement of the key 1 9 from the keyway 1 8. To permit this disengagement, the key 1 9 is formed on a forwardly extending tab 22 on the front end of the lid 12, this tab being connected along its sides to the remainder of the lid 12 by relatively thin webs 23. These reinforce the tab 22 while still leaving it sufficiently flexible to be capable of upward movement to remove the key 19 from the keyway 18. In addition, the forward end of the tab 22 has a small downward projection 25, similar to the key 19, which assists the gripping of the tab 22 when sliding the lid 1 2 forwardly.

In addition, the projecting portion 1 6 is formed with an open-topped slot 28 for the reception of a card identifying the contents of the container. The slot also has an open front so that the card is readily visible, but its open top is normally closed by the front end of the lid 1 2 so that once the card has been inserted in position, it does not fall out accidentally although it can readily be replaced, either by removing the lid completely or by sliding the lid slightly to the left from the position seen in Figure 1. Afinal feature of the portion 1 6 is that it is shaped to form a finger grip, an open-bottomed space 30 being left between the end wall 31 of the container proper and a thickened portion 32 within which the slot 28 is formed, all as seen in the underneath view of Figure 2.Provision of this space 30 enables fingers to be inserted from beneath as indicated by the arrow 33 in Figure 1.

As previously mentioned, the container can be divided into compartments by means of dividers (not illustrated) sliding in grooves in the opposite side walls of the container, the side walls being locally thickened opposite these slots, as seen at 35 in Figures 1 and 3. This local thickening adds strength to the side walls of the container body and increases the load which the container can carry during stacking. Figures 1 and 3 illustrate the position of slots for three dividers, dividing the container into four compartments.

Each divider preferably has a lateral flange at the bottom which provides increased rigidity and also prevents very small components passing from one compartment to another. If not required, these dividers may readily be lifted out, but when in position, they are held by the sliding action of the lid. Since a number of similar containers may require to be stacked on top of one another in a rack, the lid 12 is formed with longitudinal ribs 37, the spacing between which is slightly wider than the width of the bottom of the container so that the upper containers can slide freely into position.

Claims (Filed on 19/1/83).

1. A rectangular storage container in the form of a plastics moulding provided with a sliding lid having downwardly extending side members formed with grooves co-operating with flanges extending laterally from the top of the container and, at one end having a downwardly extending key member engaging with a corresponding key way in the body of the container to prevent sliding movement of the lid, but capable of disengagement from the key way as a result of resilient distortion of the lid to permit movement.

2. A storage container according to claim 1 in which the key member on the lid is formed on a forwardly extending tab which assists gripping of the lid and upward flexing of which disengages the key member from the key way.

3. A storage container according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the end of the container adjacent the key way is formed with an open-topped slot for the reception of an identification card, of which the open top is closed by the lid to secure the card in position.

4. A storage container according to claim 3 in which both the key way and the slot are formed in a projecting portion at the end of the container.

5. A storage container according to claim 4 in which the projecting portion is shaped to form a finger grip.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 11 March 1983.

Superseded claims 1-5.

New or amended claims: 1. A rectangular storage container in the form of a plastics moulding provided with a sliding lid having downwardly extending side members formed with grooves co-operating with flanges extending laterally from the top of the container and, at one end having a downwardly extending key member formed on a forwardly extending tab and engaging with a corresponding key way in the body of the container to prevent sliding movement of the lid, but capable of disengagement from the key way as a result of upward flexing of the tab.

2. A storage container according to claim 1 in which the end of the container adjacent the key way is formed with an open-topped slot for the reception of an identification card, of which the open top is closed by the lid to secure the card in position.

3. A storage container according to claim 2 in which both the key way and the slot are formed in a projecting portion at the end of the container.

4. A storage container according to claim 3 in which the projecting portion is shaped to form a finger grip.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. thickened portion 32 within which the slot 28 is formed, all as seen in the underneath view of Figure 2. Provision of this space 30 enables fingers to be inserted from beneath as indicated by the arrow 33 in Figure 1. As previously mentioned, the container can be divided into compartments by means of dividers (not illustrated) sliding in grooves in the opposite side walls of the container, the side walls being locally thickened opposite these slots, as seen at 35 in Figures 1 and 3. This local thickening adds strength to the side walls of the container body and increases the load which the container can carry during stacking. Figures 1 and 3 illustrate the position of slots for three dividers, dividing the container into four compartments. Each divider preferably has a lateral flange at the bottom which provides increased rigidity and also prevents very small components passing from one compartment to another. If not required, these dividers may readily be lifted out, but when in position, they are held by the sliding action of the lid. Since a number of similar containers may require to be stacked on top of one another in a rack, the lid 12 is formed with longitudinal ribs 37, the spacing between which is slightly wider than the width of the bottom of the container so that the upper containers can slide freely into position. Claims (Filed on 19/1/83).

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 11 March 1983.

Superseded claims 1-5.

New or amended claims:

1. A rectangular storage container in the form of a plastics moulding provided with a sliding lid having downwardly extending side members formed with grooves co-operating with flanges extending laterally from the top of the container and, at one end having a downwardly extending key member formed on a forwardly extending tab and engaging with a corresponding key way in the body of the container to prevent sliding movement of the lid, but capable of disengagement from the key way as a result of upward flexing of the tab.