GB2236738A - Containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A container comprises a body member and a pair of opposing fastening members in the form of a clip (18). The body member comprises a number of wall panels 4, 4a, 6, 8, 8a hingedly joined to each other, and at least two engagement panels 12, 12a, hingedly joined to different wall panels 4, 4a. The body member is adapted to be manipulable into a configuration in which the engagement panels 12, 12a may be embraced by the fastening members. To lock the container in operative configuration, projections on one fastening member pass through corresponding apertures in the engagement panels and are received in corresponding sockets in the other fastening member. <IMAGE>

Description

CONTAINERS This invention relates to containers, and particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to the type of storage containers (such as box files and the like) generally found in the office.

The modern office environment demands a wide range of different types of containers, such as box files, card index boxes, pencil pots, floppy disc boxes, draw organisers and the like to facilitate its proper functioning. It is usual to maintain a stock of new containers within the office so that they can be supplied without delay as required, and to replenish the stock by bulk deliveries at fairly infrequent intervals. This creates a space problem with bulky containers occupying valuable working space.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem, and in doing so provides a new container system allowing users to be able quickly and simply to construct themselves containers supplied in compact kit form, without the need for glue, adhesive tape or a staple gun.

Accordingly, the invention provides a container comprising: a body member comprising a plurality of hingedly joined wall panels, and at least two engagement panels hingedly attached to different said wall panels and each having at least one through aperture; and fastening means comprising two opposing fastening members adapted operatively to receive and grip therebetween said engagement panels, the body member being adapted to be manipulable into an operative configuration wherein walls of said container are formed by said wall panels, and wherein said engagement panels are positioned so that said fastening members may embrace said engagement panels, one said fastening member being provided with one or more projections and the other with one or more sockets, such that in operation, as a result of said embrace, each said through opening receives the or a said projection therethrough, which said projection is locked in the or a corresponding socket.

In some embodiments of container according to the present invention, for instance a simple box adapted for use as a pencil pot or as a magazine file or the like, it is preferred that the engagement panels overlap to a considerable degree and together form one of the walls of the container. It is also preferred that the fastening members are generally planar and joined together via a hinged joint to form a clip, in order to minimise the number of separate elements required.

In alternative embodiments of container, there may be more than one set of engagement panels and fastening means, for example two, disposed at opposite ends of the container. The fastening means may comprise two separate fastening members, brought together from opposite directions to embrace the engagement panels.

The fastening members may additionally serve secondary functions, for instance to provide on the outer side of the container a slot for the display of information on a card to be inserted therein, or alternatively to provide a handle. For example, in a particularly preferred embodiment illustrated and described in detail below, there are two pairs of fastening members, the outer of each pair having a conveniently shaped indentation to provide a handle, and the inner of each pair providing a rail from which conventional hanging files may depend.

The invention will hereinafter be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for a body member of a container according to the present invention; Figs la, Ib, lc and ld are perspective diagrammatical views of successive stages in the process of forming a container from the blank of figure 1; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the clip shown diagrammatically in Figs lc and ld; Fig. 3 is a composite sectional view along lines III-III of the clip of Fig. 2 showing the detail of the projection and socket fastening; Figs. 3a and 3b are plan views of the projection and socket fastening of Fig. 3, respectively from above and below; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blank of body member of an alternative embodiment of container according to the invention;; Figs. 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d are perspective diagrammatical views of successive stages in the process of forming a container from the blank of Fig. 4; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a blank of a body member of a further alternative embodiment of container according to the present invention; Figs. 5a and 5b are perspective diagrammatical views of successive stages in the process of forming a container from the blank of Fig. 5; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank for a body member of a yet further alternative embodiment of container according to the present invention; Figs. 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d are perspective diagrammatical views of successive stages in the process of forming a container from the blank of Fig. 6; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of one of the projections of the container illustrated in Figs. 6 6d; and Fig. 8 is a plan view from above of the projection of Fig. 7.

Referring to Fig. 1, blank 2 comprises side wall panels 4 and 4a, back wall panel 6, bottom wall panels 8 and 8a, flap 10 and engagement panels 12, 12a and 14, having apertures 15. The panels are hinged together along fold lines 16 defined by grooves or score lines. The blank may conveniently be manufactured by a punching process from a single sheet of cardboard.

Referring to Fig. 2, clip 18 adapted to be used in conjunction with the blank of Fig. 1, is shown in open configuration. The clip comprises two members, 20 and 22, the former bearing an array of projections 24, and the latter a corresponding array of sockets 26. The members are separated by and each hingedly joined to spine 28 by hinges 30 and 31.

The structure of the projection and socket fastening may be seen from Figs. 3, 3a and 3b.

Projection 24 has a head 28 which is here dome-shaped.

Head 28 is supported by shaft 30 which is here generally circular in cross-section, but has 3 equiangularly spaced re-entrant portions 32, which create over-hanging shoulders 34. Socket 26 has three equiangularly spaced claw members 36, each having an inwardly directed lip 38, the upper surface of which is formed as cam surface 40.

In operation, blank 2 is manipulated as indicated in Figs la and 1b by imparting folds along fold lines 16, so that the panels 4, 4a, 6, 8 and 8a form the appropriate faces of the container, and engagement panels 12 and 12a overlap engagement panel 14 with their apertures 15 coinciding. As indicated generally in Fig.

lc, clip 18 is folded at hinges 30 and 31 so that projections 24 on member 20 are brought into confronting relation with sockets 26 on member 22.

Projections 24 and sockets 26 are spaced to correspond with apertures 15 of the engagement panels when clip 18 is placed in position to embrace the same.

By squeezing together members 20 and 22, projections 24 pass through apertures 15 and heads 28 meet cam surfaces 40 of claw members 36. Further squeezing causes claw members 36 to be deflected radially outwards by the action of head 28 on cam surfaces 40, and lips 38 eventually engage behind shoulders 34 to secure projections 24 in sockets 26.

Clip 18 may conveniently be integrally moulded from plastics, with hinges 30 and 31 provided as live hinges by strips of material of reduced thickness. In a particular practical embodiment, polypropylene is used, which appears to combine the required degrees of flexibility and strength.

Figures 4-4d and 5-5b illustrate alternative embodiments of container and their manners of construction, which are similar in principle to that described in detail above. Corresponding features are labelled in accordance with figures l-ld.

A box file of the type wherein hanging files may be stored is illustrated in Figs. 6-6d, and consists of blank 50, outer fastening members 52 and inner fastening members 54. As will be seen from Figs. 6, 6a and 6b, blank 50 is manipulated into an operative configuration (Fig. 6a) in which the engagement panels form an inwardly directed collar at each end of the container. Each such collar is then sandwiched between an inner (54) and an outer (52) fastening member. Some (but in this case not all), of projections 56 pass through apertures 58 of the engagement panels and are received in sockets 60.

In contrast to the first described embodiment above, there is a substantial gap between the surfaces of fastening members 52 and 54 when projections 56 are locked in sockets 60. This spacing of the fastening members has the advantage that it allows for handle 62 to be formed as a depression in the outer member 52. As a result of this spacing, the structure of the projections 56 differs from that illustrated in Fig. 3.

The structure of projections 56 is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 from which it will be seen that dome-shaped head 64 is supported by shaft 66 having 3 equiangularly spaced reentrant portions 68, similar to the projection illustrated in Fig. 3. Shaft 66 is mounted on column 70 and surrounded by three equiangularly spaced bosses 72.

Column 70 serves to raise shaft 66 and head 64 above the surface of member 54, and bridge the gap between it and member 52. Bosses 72 support portions of engagement panels 56 in operation, and also help to strengthen column 70.

Towards the top of the inner side of inner fastening member 54 there is a rail 74 for supporting hanging files as illustrated in Fig. 6c.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the principle of the present invention is both elegantly simple, and of wide applicability. While the above description concentrates on specific examples of container particularly suited to the home or office environment, the invention should not be seen as being restricted to such containers. It is foreseen that containers according to the invention may find uses in many different fields and doubtless numerous examples will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Claims (18)

1. A container comprising: a body member comprising a plurality of hingedly joined wall panels, and at least two engagement panels hingedly attached to different said wall panels and each having at least one through aperture; and fastening means comprising two opposing fastening members adapted operatively to receive and grip therebetween said engagement panels, the body member being adapted to be manipulable into an operative configuration wherein walls of said container are formed by said wall panels, and wherein engagement panels are positioned so that said fastening members may embrace said engagement panels, one said fastening member being provided with one or more projections and the other with one or more sockets, such that in operation, as a result of said embrace, each said through opening receives the or a said projection therethrough, which said projection is locked in the or a corresponding socket.

2. A container according to any preceding claims, wherein corresponding engagement panels overlap to a considerable degree in operation to form a wall of said container.

3. A container according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein respective fastening members are provided with an array of spaced projections and a corresponding array of spaced sockets, the positions of said projections and sockets in said arrays corresponding to the positions of through apertures in said engagement members, with said body member in operative configuration.

4. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein each said projection has a head portion supported by a shaft having at least one portion of reduced cross-section to receive a corresponding claw member of a corresponding socket in operation, thereby to lock said projection in engagement with said socket.

5. A container according to Claim 4, wherein said head portion is adapted to bear against a cam surface of each said claw member on insertion of said projection into said socket, thereby deflecting each said claw member outwards to allow passage of said head porion therebetween, each said claw member being adapted resiliently to return after outward deflection to engage with a corresponding reduced cross-section portion of said shaft.

6. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein opposing fastening members are hingedly joined together along one edge to form a clip.

7. A container according to Claim 6, in which said fastening members are joined through a spine member, to which each fastening member is hingedly attached, the thickness of said spine between said fastening members corresponding generally to the combined thickness of the engagement members embraced by said clip.

8. A container according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein said clip is integrally moulded from resilient plastics material.

9. A container according to Claim 8, wherein the hinged joint or joints is/are provided as live hinges by strips of plastics material of reduced thickness.

10. A container according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein opposing fastening members are formed as separate elements.

11. A container according to Claim 10, wherein said opposing fastening members are adapted so that in operation there is a substantial gap between their surfaces.

12. A container according to any preceding claim in which at least one fastening member is adapted to serve a secondary function in addition to its embracing function.

13. A container according to Claim 12, in which said fastening member is provided on its outer side with a slot for the display of information on a card to be inserted therein.

14. A container according to Claim 13, in which said fastening member is provided on its outer side with a handle to facilitate manipulation of the container.

15. A container according to Claim 14, as appendant to Claim 11, wherein said handle is formed as a depression in the outer fastening member.

16. A container according to Claim 12, in which said fastening member is provided on a side operatively inward of said container with a horizontal rail for supporting hanging files.

17. A container according to any preceding claim, in which there are two or more sets of at least two engagement panels for embrace by two opposing fastening members, there being a pair of opposing fastening members for each set.

18. A container substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as shown in figs 1 to 3b, or in figs 2 to 4d, or in figs 2, 3 and 5 to 5b, or in figs 2, 3 and 6 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.