GB2185236A

GB2185236A - Containers for video cassettes

Info

Publication number: GB2185236A
Application number: GB08600519A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rodney Sanderson Swinney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-01-10
Filing date: 1986-01-10
Publication date: 1987-07-15
Also published as: GB8600519D0

Abstract

A container or box which is suitable for housing a video film cassette has two opposed major surfaces and four side surfaces, one of the side surfaces providing a lid 3 for the box. Means may be provided for locating cassettes of different sizes. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Container This invention relates to a container or box which is suitable for housing a video film cassette. The container to be described incorporates a number of features that enable the container or box to house a video film cassette of one of a number of different sizes either with no modification, or with a minimum of modification.

The invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to a particular embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container or box with its lid closed, Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line Il-Il in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows, Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 1 taken in the direction of the arrows, Figure 4 is a plan view of the base of the box with the lid closed, Figure 5 is an end view of the base of the box with the lid closed, Figure 6 is a plan view from below of the upper part of the container or box, Figure 7 is a section through a button catch used for holding the lid closed, Figure 8 is a cross section through a latch member used in assembling the box, and Figure 9 is a section through a part of the lid and the base of the container or box illustrating a hinge.

Referring to the drawings, a box is shown having an upper part 1, a base 2, and a lid 3.

The upper part 1, the base 2, and the lid 3 are moulded from a plastics material which is comparatively rigid and the box which results from their assembly together is comparatively rigid. The base 2 and the lid 3 are formed in one piece with the wall thickness being made thin along a line 4 to provide a hinge, in the way illustrated in Fig. 2. It would be possible to make the base 2 and the lid 3 separately and for the lid 3 to be secured to the base 2 by means of a thin, tough, flexible adhesive material along the line 4 to form the hinge between the base 2 and the lid 3.

The thinned region 4 forming a hinge between the lid 3 and the base 2 is best shown in Fig. 9. Pairs of latch members 8, which are formed on the upper part 1, cooperate with recesses 9 formed in the base 2 and enable the upper part 1 and the base 2 to be latched together during the assembly of the box. The parts 8 and 9 are illustrated most clearly in Fig. 8. It is possible, with the aid of the latch ing members 8 and the recess 9, to assemble the parts 1 and 2 without the need for any adhesive along the line 5 between the parts 1 and 2.

Around the ends of the major faces of the part 1, the base 2 and the rear of the box or container are ridges 6 and 7, which result in the effective recessing of the major outer faces and the rear face of the box opposite to the lid, as is indicated at 10, 11 and 12.

In Fig. 7 there is shown, in detail, a catch for holding the lid 3 closed. The catch includes a latch portion 15 which extends from the lid and which may also be seen in Figs. 4 and 5 and recesses 16, which may be seen also in Fig. 6, in the upper part 1. Pressure on the patterned surface of the latch portion 15 releases the catch.

In Fig. 9 there are shown lips 13 and 14 on the lid 3 and the base 2 respectively. These lips 13 and 14 assist in "dust proofing" the box when the lid is closed.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 4, there are shown upstanding tapered side wall members 17 having buttress elements 18. Also extending inwardly from the base 2 are curved guide members 19. The central area of the major face of the base member 2, which is bounded by a line 21 is recessed in order to reduce the weight of the box. The side wall members 17 which extend from the base 2 are aligned, as may best be seen from Figs. 3 and 6, when the box is assembled, with side wall members 22 which extend from the inner face of the upper part 1 of the box. The side wall members 22 extend in two stepped portions 23 and 24 until they reach two rear wall members 25, which extend from the inner face of the upper part 1 and which are buttressed by elements 26.

It will be noted that the first steps 23 in the side walls 22 define corners between three sides, indicated by chain dotted lines 27, of a first rectangle and that the second steps 24 in the side walls 22 define corners between three sides, indicated by chain dotted lines 28, of a second rectangle. The fourth side of each rectangle extends within the lid 3 and each rectangle defines the outline of a video cassette, and is not shown.

It will be understood that, either a cassette of the size which extends to the corners 23 of the side walls 22 and is defined by the lines 27, or a cassette of the size which éx- tends to the corners 24 of the side walls 22 and is defined by the lines 28 may be inserted into the box and the lid 3 may be closed without the need for any modification to the box. Such cassettes may be those which are, at present, known by the designations V2000 and VHS respectively, although of course the box may be so made that other sizes of cassette could be accommodated by means of other suitably positioned side and rear locating means.

In order to accommodate a smaller cassette, for example that known by the designation BETAMAX, an insert, indicated by dotted lines 29 in Fig. 6, is introduced into gaps 31 be tween the side wall members 17 and 22 dur ing the assembly of the box and before the cassette is inserted. The inner side edges 32 and the inner rear edge 33 of the insert 29 then provide locations for the sides and the rear of such a cassette when it is inserted into the box. It will be appreciated that, since the box or container is easily assembled by means of the latch arrangements 8 and 9 from two parts, one of which is constituted by the base and the lid 3 and the other of which is the other part 1, other forms of guide and location means may easily be introduced during the assembly of the box and before the cassette is inserted.

For example, locating means may be provided during the moulding of the box parts, into which pegs may be inserted, or on which bosses may be placed during the assembly of the box, the pegs or bosses carrying, or themselves providing, traces or edges which define lines coinciding with the edges 32 and 33 shown in Fig. 6.

Normally inserts, such as that shown at 29, would only be introduced during the assembly of the box, and it would not be possible for a user to remove them. However, it is possible to use inserts that are removable and replaceable.

The box which has been described above has a number of advantages over previously proposed boxes or containers that have two dished parts which are hinged about a spine and that opens line a book. One advantage is that, with the box or container which is at present proposed, a cassette may be slid directly from the box or container into apparatus for recording or playback. It is possible to provide, in the box, means by which ejection from the box into the apparatus is achieved.

Furthermore, since the box is comparatively rigid and the major outer faces 10, 11 and 12 are fixed relative to one another, it is possible to apply a single sheet label to the box in a simple operation such that the label extends over the three recessed major outer faces 10, 11 and 12.

Labelling the known boxes, which have a spine and which open like a book, is comparatively difficult, since the surfaces are relatively movable. It has been necessary, with the known boxes, to insert a label between a flexible outer cover and the surfaces of the box in such a way that the label can move relative to the box.

It will be appreciated that, although the invention has been described, by way of example, with reference to a particular embodiment, variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

For example, it will be observed, from Fig.

6, that there is an amount of unused space between the ends and the rear of the box and a cassette. The size of the box could be reduced and this space could be eliminated. The size of the box has been chosen, in the particular embodiment that has been described, so that it is comparable with that of existing boxes and labels. Alternatively, the excess space could be employed for other means, for example to accommodate an ejection mechanism.

In yet a further embodiment, the lid could be arranged at the end of the box, instead of along a side of the box, and the proportions between the areas of the box that are labelled and unlabelled could be made different.

Claims

1. A container or box which is suitable for housing a video film cassette, the container or box having two opposed major surfaces and four side surfaces, one of the side surfaces providing a lid for the box.

2. A container or box as claimed in claim 1 in which the side surface which provides the lid and one of the major surfaces are on respective parts which are hingedly interconnected.

3. A container or box as claimed in claim 2 in which the hingedly interconnected parts are formed in one piece, the hinge being provided by a thinned interconnecting portion.

4. A container or box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each of the two opposed major surfaces is provided on a respective part which is formed separately from the other.

5. A container or box as claimed in claim 4 in which the parts providing the opposed major surfaces are latched together.

6. A container or box as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 in which a part of each of the opposed major surfaces and of the side surface opposite to the lid is recessed whereby a label may be applied over the three recessed parts of the said three surfaces.

7. A container or box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which there are provided locating means for use in accommodating video film cassettes of more than one size.

8. A container or box as claimed in claim 4 and claim 7 in which the locating means are elements formed on the parts on which the two opposed major surfaces are provided.

9. A container or box as claimed in claim 4 and claim 7 in which the locating means includes an insert arranged between the parts on which the two opposed major surfaces are provided.

10. A container or box as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.