KR102604466B1 - storage box - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a storage box (100) having a container (20) and a lid (10), the lid (10) having a circumferentially projecting rim (11) extending around the upper edge (24) of the container (20). The lid 10 has at least one locking protrusion 32 that reaches under at least one locking web 21 projecting outwardly from the side wall 25 of the container 20 in the closed position. On the side walls of the container 20, a plurality of locking webs 21 are provided in a linear arrangement along the circumference. The lid (10) has a plurality of inwardly directed locking protrusions extending over the circumference of the protruding rim (11) and engaging with the locking web (21) on the container (20) by linear movement of the locking band (30). At least one locking band (30) having (32) is provided. This arrangement may be the opposite, ie a movable locking band provided on the container and a locking web provided on the lid.

Description

storage box

The present invention relates to a storage box according to the preamble of claims 1 and 8.

Since these boxes can be closed airtight and liquid-tight, they are used, for example, in kitchens to keep food fresh. For this purpose, the lid is pressed onto the upper edge of the container, whereby an elastomeric sealing ring is arranged between them. Although this type of storage container has proven its worth in principle, it is still necessary to secure the lid and container to each other by clip fastenings attached to the side edges of the lid, which must engage the projecting web on the container to achieve a positive seal. do.

For large storage containers with correspondingly large circumferences, the length of the clip locks cannot be extended to a large scale, but more clip locks are provided to enable tight closure with an acceptable locking force that can be applied by the user. It has to be. As a result, the user has to engage or disengage a correspondingly large number of clip locks in order to close or open the arrangement of containers and lids.

A further disadvantage is that the elastomeric sealing ring must have a high layer thickness to enable sufficient spring deflection and thus to achieve the described sealing effect even in areas of the container and lid that are not directly interconnected via the clip lock. In determining the layer thickness of the seal ring, it is important to note that the reset force of the seal deteriorates during the aging process, so in new storage containers the spring deflection should be sufficiently large to ensure a tight seal until the end of the intended useful life of the storage container. must be considered. On the other hand, a large deflection results in a higher locking force applied by the user.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an excellent sealable storage container in which the lid can be easily and safely locked against the container with low locking force and ensures an airtight and liquid-tight seal over its useful life.

This object is achieved by a storage box having the features of both claims 1 and 8.

For the present invention for both embodiments, the locking protrusions no longer rest on a pivotable clip lock, as is common in the prior art, but a number of locking protrusions are positioned in a chain-shaped linear arrangement over the circumference, with at least one It is essential that they are connected to each other through a common locking band.

According to the invention, all locking projections are operated simultaneously by a common locking band displaceable along the circumference. They are all simultaneously locked to or released from their respective locking webs on their counterparts.

The locking band of the invented storage container extends over the entire circumference of the container or lid, and since there is a uniform distribution of the locking protrusions over the entire circumference, an almost uniform contact pressure is achieved over the entire length of the seal. Accordingly, the thickness of the sealing ring or sealing layer on the lid can be significantly minimized. Compared to the prior art, a reduction of the layer thickness to less than half is possible, which leads to a corresponding saving in high-quality materials for the sealing ring, such as silicone or thermoplastic elastomers.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fixed floating locking web has a slightly upward slope in the course of the linear displacement path required for closure, such that each locking protrusion on the locking band slides on the slope during the closing process. As a result, there is always a firm contact pressure of the sealing ring between the container and the lid.

Linear movement relative to the slope on each locking web provides the option for automatic adjustment. If elasticity of the seal reduction or deviation occurs in the shape of the container and/or lid with the seal, a tight seal can still be achieved by only a slightly longer linear displacement of the locking band.

In the storage box according to the invention, the circumferential length of the container or lid is essentially irrelevant for the closing and sealing function, since even for very large containers with a correspondingly large circumferential length, the interconnecting locking protrusions on the locking band and This is because the number of associated stationary locking webs simply needs to be increased to produce a uniform contact pressure defined to the minimum necessary at any location on the circumference.

According to the invention, no main zone is left without locking elements. All peripheral areas are locked substantially simultaneously and uniformly when the locking band is linearly displaced along the circumference.

Another advantage of the invention is that containers and lids made of different materials can be combined. For example, the container can be made of ceramic or glass, and although the shape tolerances are significantly greater in these materials than in parts manufactured by injection molding, secure locking of the lid is nevertheless possible by means of a locking band.

According to the invention, the lid and container do not need to be made of particularly soft materials, since the forces required for the interconnection of the parts are applied only by the tension-loaded locking band. Accordingly, the locking band can be made very thin and molded from a durable plastic such as polyethylene or polypropylene, but can also be made from a metal band.

According to a preferred embodiment, the locking band is arranged on the lid on the outer circumference of the protruding rim of the lid or alternatively on the inner circumference. In the latter case, the thick section on the locking band, which is designed as an actuating element, ie a sliding latch, extends outwardly through a recess in the protruding rim of the cover and is therefore accessible from the outside. By means of the sliding latch, the locking band arranged inside can be easily moved by the user.

In both embodiments, the locking web is arranged on the container, and the locking web is preferably designed as a section of continuous web molded on the side wall of the container. The web is interrupted by recesses with equal pitch, whereby locking protrusions are arranged on the locking band to enable the lid to be raised vertically upwards from the container or to place the lid back on the container.

The locking web may be molded directly to the upper edge of the container, but is preferably molded at a lower level with a vertical offset to the upper edge of the container. This results in a continuous, smooth upper edge of uniform width, unaffected by the locking web. Since the upper edge without lateral projections has only a narrow width, it is required that only a narrow sealing ring or sealing layer be arranged on the inside of the cover.

Alternatively, the opposite arrangement forming the storage container according to the invention is possible. In this alternative embodiment, the locking band is disposed on the outer circumference of the container and has locking protrusions projecting outwardly on the locking band. The counterpart on the lid is formed by a locking web molded vertically on the inside of the downwardly facing circumferential rim of the lid. The locking web may be molded directly on the lower edge of the rim of the lid, or the locking web may be molded over the lower edge of the lid with a vertical offset thereto.

For both alternative embodiments of the invention with an arrangement of a locking band on the lid or on the container, it is advantageous to provide an additional safety bracket that is pivotally mounted on the lid or on the container. The sliding latch of the locking band in the closed position may be surrounded by a bracket and will be securely locked by the safety bracket when the safety bracket is popped up. Accidental opening of the storage box is thereby avoided.

It is also advantageous to form a locking band made of two end bands that are combined via positive locking means to form an endless locking band. Therefore, production and assembly are simplified.

The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The drawings show each in perspective view.
Figure 1 shows a closed storage box.
Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the storage box.
Figure 3 shows an open storage container with the lid removed.
Figure 4 shows the storage box in a closed position in a partial cross-sectional view.
Figure 5 shows a partially cut-out storage box in a perspective view with the lid in the open position.
Figure 6 shows the storage box in an open position with the lid removed.
Figure 7 shows the lid with the locking band open.

In Figure 1, a storage box 100 is shown in perspective view, consisting essentially of a container 20 and a cover 10 placed thereon.

The cover 10 has a rim 11 that protrudes downward. On its outer circumference, the locking band 30 is guided by an edge on the protrusion 15 of the cover 10 and is mounted so that it cannot slip. The locking band (30) has a sliding latch (31).

The container 20 has a box shape with smoothly rounded corners. Rounded corners serve for a functional aspect as well as a design aspect since the locking band 30 needs to be bent at the corner and a large radius causes less stress on the material.

In the closed position of the storage box 100 shown in Figure 1, the sliding latch 31 is attached to the lid 10 by a living hinge and secured by an additional folding safety bracket 14. To maintain the safety bracket 14 in its fixed position as shown in Figure 1, the safety bracket is also engaged with a locking projection 13 on the cover 10.

In Figure 2, storage box 100 with all essential components is shown in an exploded view. The locking band 30 with sliding latch 31 is an integral part of the lid, but is shown separate from the lid 10 in FIG. 2 . The locking band 30 has a plurality of locking projections 32, each of which is designed as a semicircular disk.

The recess on the outer circumference of the protruding rim 11 of the cover 10 serves to receive and guide the locking band 30. The protruding rim 11 also has several slot-shaped recesses 12 through which the locking protrusions 32 of the locking band 30 can protrude into the interior of the cover 10 .

In the open container 20 the upper edge area 23 can be seen in detail: at the bottom of the edge area 23 there is a web extending vertically outward from the side wall 25 and arranged below the upper edge 24 . It is molded. The web has semicircular recesses 22 at regular intervals designated to receive the locking projections 32 of the locking bands. As the web is interrupted by recesses 22, a plurality of individual locking webs 21 are provided.

In Figure 3, an open storage container 20 with a fully assembled lid 10 is shown in a position for use. A locking band (30) is arranged on the cover (10).

The locking protrusion 32 engages through the guiding recess 12 of the protruding rim 11 and projects inward. A sealing ring (16) is molded on the inner peripheral area of the lid (10).

FIG. 4 shows the storage box 100 again in the closed position as already shown in FIG. 1 . In this position, the locking band 30 is positioned such that the slide latch 31 is positioned at a designated central position in front of the storage container 20 to which it can be secured via an additional safety bracket 14 .

A partial section in FIG. 4 shows the functionality of the locking mechanism of the invention: the lid 10 with sealing ring 16 is positioned on the upper edge 24 of the container 20 . Each locking projection 32 is located underneath one of the locking webs 21 extending between two adjacent recesses 22 . By engaging the locking protrusion 32 and the locking web 21, the lid 10 is securely fixed to the container 20, and an airtight and liquid-tight seal is achieved and secured.

In Figure 5, the open position of the storage box 100 is shown in a similar view to Figure 4. The safety bracket 14 is folded downward so that the sliding latch 31 of the locking band 30 can move freely. Compared to its position in Figure 4, the slide latch 31 in Figure 5 is moved clockwise by approximately the width of the latch. Accordingly, the locking protrusion 32 of the locking band 30 is positioned directly below the recess 22 between the locking webs 21 . Accordingly, the positive engagement between the container 20 and the lid 10 is withdrawn.

As shown in Figure 6, the lid 10 can now be pulled vertically upward. Conversely, the lid can also be placed back on the container 20 in this position of the locking band 30 , with the locking protrusion 32 lowered through the recess 22 and then locking the locking band 30 . It is re-engaged with the locking web 21 by returning it to the closed position.

FIG. 7 shows the lid 10 in a perspective view with the locking band 30 already inserted into the corresponding receptacle on the outer circumference of the protruding rim 11 . The locking band 30 is molded as a plastic band having two ends with interlocking means. At one end, a locking projection 31.2 is molded in. At the other end, a sliding latch 31 with an inner recess 31.1 is arranged. By snapping the locking protrusion 31.2 into the recess 31.1, the endless locking band 30 is slidably mounted in a slight depression on the outer circumference of the protruding rim 11 of the cover 10 and cannot slip therefrom. ) is manufactured.

Claims (14)

A storage box (100) having a container (20) and a lid (10),
The lid (10) has a circumferentially projecting rim (11) extending around the upper edge (24) of the container (20),
The lid 10 is provided in a storage box 100 with at least one locking protrusion 32 reaching below at least one locking web 21 projecting outwardly from the side wall 25 of the container 20 in the closed position. Because,
- a plurality of locking webs (21) are provided in a linear arrangement along the circumference on the side wall (25) of the container (20),
- on the lid 10 a plurality of inwardly directed locking protrusions extending over the circumference of the protruding rim 11 and engaging with the locking web 21 on the container 20 by linear movement of the locking band 30 At least one locking band (30) having (32) is provided,
- the locking band (30) is arranged on the outer circumference of the protruding rim (11) on the cover (10),
- the protruding rim (11) has several slot-shaped recesses (12) through which the locking protrusions (32) of the locking band (30) can protrude into the interior of the lid (10). ). 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the side wall (25) of the container (20) has a plurality of grooves that serve as conduits for the locking protrusions (32) when placing the lid (10) on the container (20) or displacing the lid therefrom. Storage box (100), characterized in that at least one outwardly protruding web is molded with side recesses (22), each locking web (21) being formed between adjacent recesses (22). 3. Storage box (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking web (21) is molded onto the upper edge (24) of the container (20). 3. Storage box (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking web (21) is molded to the side wall (25) of the container (20) with a vertical offset with respect to the upper edge (24). 5. Storage box (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the locking band (30) has at least one projecting sliding latch (31). 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the locking band (30) is arranged on the inner circumference of the protruding rim (11) on the lid (10) and the sliding latch (31) protrudes outwardly through a recess in the protruding rim (11). Storage box (100), characterized in that. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of slot-shaped recesses (12) are provided on the outer circumference of the protruding rim (11) of the lid (10) to receive the locking band (30). A storage box (100) characterized in that it serves as a guide. Storage box (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that a safety bracket (14) is provided for securing the sliding latch (31), which is pivotally attached to the lid (10). Storage according to claim 1 , wherein the locking band (30) is formed as a plastic strap with two ends connected to each other via mutually engaging form fitting means (31.1, 31.2). Box (100). delete delete delete delete delete

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