US2930160A

US2930160A - Container, especially soap box

Info

Publication number: US2930160A
Application number: US724293A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pohl Hans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-04-01
Filing date: 1958-03-27
Publication date: 1960-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 1977-03-29

Description

Ma c 29, 1 0 H. POHL 2,930,160

CONTAINER, ESPECIALLY SOAP BOX Filed March 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 30' 23 wvavron ATTYS.

March 29, 1960 H. POHL 2,930,160

CONTAINER, ESPECIALLY SOAP BOX Filed March 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1%; ans P0/7] ATTYS.

March 29, 1960 H. POHL $930,160

CONTAINER, ESPECIALLY SOAP BOX Filed March 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ha 175 PM] States This invention relates to a container comprising a base tray and a cover tray which can be fitted into each other,

' atent more particularly to a box for holding small-size (:om-

modities, e.g. a piece of soap, a safety-razor, etc.

In the case of, the conventional containers of the type mentioned, the cover of the container can be fitted into the base part by turning the cover about a fixed trunnion. For holding the cover in closed and opened position, the trunnion is provided with appropriately arranged stops. With this type of tiltability of the cover into the base, it is not possible that an article lying in the base tray be scooped up, as with a shovel, by 'the cover as it is tilted and be moved into display position for removal. rectly in the cavity of the tiltable cover. Moreover, it is not possible in case of the known container to give the parts of the container the conventional kit-like shape of soap boxes or the like.

t is an object of the invention to provide an ordinar container, e.g. a soap box, with means which, as the box is opened, move the article enclosed therein into a convenient position for, removal without the necessity The article must rather be fastened diof forcibly bending the walls of the container or without the necessity that a third part, e.g. a supporting tray for the soap, be present. I I

According to the invention, this problem is solved by the fact that the two parts of the container capable of being fitted into each other are rotatable with respect to each other and are arranged in a manner as to be inwardly displaceable about one of the lower edges of the smaller container part. When'in closed position,

the smaller container part (cover'tray) received in the greater container part (base) is seated by means of two supporting surfaces. also the telescoping process, at least one of the parts of the container is provided with a curved section about which the two parts roll off against each other. In this 'manner, a telescoping container is obtained which, by

means of the smaller container part received in the greater part, permits the article lying in the other container part to be scoopedfrom below as with a shovel during the telescoping process and to be: moved'into the inverted upper part which is received'in the base tray and in which the articleis. now freely accessible for removal. This has-the advantage that, as the. container is opened, a special place for the invertable cover tray is not required,;the latter being fitted directly into-the base tray. Moreover, for inverting thecover tray, the article need not be taken out but is grasped, as with a shovel, by the cover tray to be fitted into the base tray and moved into the cavity of the inverted, cover tray. The reverse process takes place as the container is closed. 7 I i For securing the cover in its-closed position; a supporting surface in form of a b'ladernay be provided at For the rotating process which is i $39,361)? Patented Mar. 29, 19 0 ice supporting surface may be formed by a stop provided in the interior of the base tray at its rear wall. On this stop, the shovel edge of the cover received in the base takes support in its final position. Moreover, the supporting surface may be formed by an abutment bar provided at the end walls of the container part, or by a projection .providedat an end wall, having preferably hemispherical shape and engaging with a corresponding recess of the adjacent end wall. The curved member guiding the rotary and sliding motion for the cover may be formed by a rounded section located in the greater container part between the bottom and the rear wall. The curved guide for the cover tray to be fitted into the base may also be provided in such a manner that one of the Walls of the cover tray receivable in'the base, in

its section located above the rotary edge, is given :a

curved and preferably a cylindrical shape on its outer face. Moreover, the front wall of the container part received in the basemay also be given a segmento-cylinv that one of the front or rear wallsv of the container is,

lower than the opposite wall. This difference in height of the walls partially replaces the arrangement of a @Urved shape of the walls of the .coverjt'ray.

7 The invention is hereinafter illustrated by several em.- bodiments with reference to the appended drawings in which figs. 14 show one embodiment of the object of the invention, Fig. l being an end elevational view of the closed container; Fig. 2, in its upper half, being a top plan view of the container shownin Fig. 1 and, in its lower half, a top plan view of the base tray;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container shown. in Fig. l with the cover in half-opened position; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of Fig, 3, but with the cover in fully opened position;

' Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of a simplified embodiment of thecontainer of the invention;

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are cross-sectional views of three further difierent embodiments of the container. of the in-, vention;

'Figs. 9-14 illustrate astill further embodiment, 'Fig. 9 being an end elevational view of'the container in closed position; Figs. 10, 11, and 12 showing different phases when inverting the cover tray with the base tray shown as across-sectional view'and with thebasef tray of Fig. 12

the rotary wall of the cover, said blade extending out-.,

wardly and simultaneously serving as a grip. A further being modified; Fig. '13 being a .view in the direction of j the arrow XIII-XII I of Fig. 10 with the cover lifted and the base trayshown in cross-sectional view, and Fig. 14 being a fragmentary top planview of the container shOWninjFig. 9: H I.

Figs. 15 and1 6 show a still further embodiment for holding a safety-razor, Fig. 15 being a cross-sectional view of the Container infully-opened position and Fig. 16 being an end elevational view of the closed container in inverted position;

, Fig. 17 is an end elevational view of a further enibodimenty Fig.'- 18 illustrates a furtherembodiment. of the container in opened position with the'base tray'be'ing in i clined position;v

Fig. 19 shows a further embodiment with the container parts in opened position;

Figs. 20 and 21 show a further embodiment, Fig. 20 being an end elevational viewwith the cover tray half opened and Fig. 21 being a longitudinal cross-sectional view along the line XXI-XXI of Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is an end elevational view of a closed container with supporting means being simultaneously locking means and applicable to all of the embodiments, and

Fig. 23 is a top plan view of the container shown in Fig. 22.

In the case of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the lower part or base tray consists of the front wall 1, the rear wall 2, the

end walls

21 and 22, and the bottom 23. The front wall 1'is preferably higher than the rear wall 2 so that the upper edges of the

end walls

21 and 22 slope downwardly towards the rear wall. The front wall of the cover is designated as 3 and its rear wall as 4. Reversely to the bottom part, the front wall 3 of the cover is of less depth than the rear wall 4.

In accordance with the invention, the cover tray fitted into the lower box part is rotatable inwardly into the base tray about the lower edge of the front wall as the axis of rotation. The front wall 3, therefore, is hereinafter referred to as the rotary wall. The rotatability, in accordance with the invention, is achieved by the fact that the wall opposite of the rotary edge 5, i.e. the rear wall 4 of the cover, in its section 7 located above the rotary edge 5, is shaped cylindrically on its outer face with respect to the rotary edge 5, with the radius R shown as a broken line. The cylindrical shape permits the cover to be rotated inwardly, said rotation being effected clockwise in the case of the drawing. Preferably, but not necessarily, the invention is formed in such a manner that the rotary wall 3 provided with the rotary edge 5 is likewise shaped cylindrically on its outer face so as to present a segment of a'cylinder when taken together with the opposite wall 7 which serves as the shovel edge. In this case, the radius R represents the diameter of the cylinder, which has its axis about in the middle between the

walls

3 and 4 and parallel to the rotary edge 5.

The radius R shown in Fig. 1 illustrates the minimum of curvature required. Preferably, the curve of the section 7 and of the part of the wall 9 joining this section is shaped cylindrically.

In the case of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1,. 3, and 4, the cylindrical curve of the upper and rear walls of the cover tray is advantageous but not indispensable. If the rotary edge 5 does not extend below the plane of the upper edge 8 of the rear wall of the base tray, both the curve of the rotary wall or adjoining cover end wall parts and the curve of the section 7 may be. absent (Fig. 5).

As the cover is rotated inwardly, the lower edge 6 of the cover wall 4, like a shovel, grasps under the article contained in the base tray, e.g., the piece of soap S as shown in Fig. 3. The wall 4 is, therefore, hereinafter referred to as the shovel edge wall or shovel wall. For the scooping motion, it is advantageous for the curvature of the section 7 and of the cover tray top wall 9 to be approximately that of alcylinder assumed in the box (Fig. 6), said cylinder contacting the base tray rear wall 2 and being continued by the curvature of curved members arranged in the angle formed by the rear wall and the bottom of the base tray so that the section 7 and also the shovel edge 6, as a whole, move up and down in the periphery of the rear'cylinder section. ,When the cover isinverted into the position of use and back into the closed position, the cylinder axis moves to and fro in a nearly constant height in the middle of the base tray. When the cover is completely inverted into the position of use (by about 150--Figs. 4 and 5), it slides fully under the piece of soap S which is now assume" presented to the user in a freely accessible inclined position, one in which the soap is capable of drying well.

Thus, the problem of displaying the soap for use is solved by the invention without any difficulty by simply inverting the cover. The soap box with the cover inverted as shown in Fig. 4 represents a real soap dish which finds place on the wash-stand without requiring more space than its base area, since a hinged cover standing far off sidewards is not existent. Thus, the soap box of the invention, which can be made of any suitable material, but preferably of plastic material, represents a useful and novel container.

On the upper surface 9 of the cover there are preferably arranged one or several ribs 9a extending from the rotary wall 3 to the shovel wall 4 and provided, at each of their ends adjacent the rotary wall 3, with a slope 11 which, after inversion of the cover, sinks into the base tray and frictionally engages the upper edge 8 of the base tray rear wall 2 located externally before the shovel wall (Fig. 4). Thereby, the cover, when in position for use as a soap tray, is given a fixed and non-displaceable position in the lower base tray. Instead of the ribs 9a, a step 11a (Fig. 6) may be provided between the rotary wall 3 and the upper face 9 of the cover, the said step frictionally engaging the upper edge 8 of the rear wall 2 of the base tray (Fig. 8) and holding the cover in its place after inversion. The step may also consist of the rotary wall itself sunk into the base tray and of the blade 19 supported by the upper edge of the base tray front wall 1 (Fig. 6).

0n the inside of the cover top wall 9 and on the inside of the bottom 23 of the base tray, there are provided one or

several ribs

12 and 10, respectively, extending from the rotary edge 5 to the shovel edge 6 and between the

walls

1 and 2 of the base tray adjacent said edges. The ends of these ribs terminate on both sides in slopes or curvatures, the ribs 12 in the slope 13 guiding the soap in and in the slope 14 guiding the soap out, and the ribs 10 in the curved sections 15- and 15 The ribs 10.and 12 serve the purpose of supporting the piece of soap S and giving it a dry position, and the slopes 13 in connection with the ribs 12 and the slopes 14, respectively, serve the purpose of. putting the piece right for use so as to have it lying in the middle of the soap tray when in position of use as shown in Fig. 4. Moreover, the slopes 13 prevent the soap from passing into the cover inedgewise position and while toppling over, and move it into the inclined position as shown in the drawing. They also form a water pocket. The

curved sections

15 and 15 serve the purpose of guiding the shoveledge in the process of opening and closing the box. The front curved members 15 also serve the purpose of balancing pieces of soap, which are largely used up and have become thin, after they have been lifted by the shovel edge 6 and until theyhave passed beneath the center: of mass and have been passed over into the cover tray. Also, both of the slopes put the soap right for use in the middle of the base tray. For gripping and inverting the cover, the said cover is provided at the rotary wall 3 or at the top wall 9, or at the joint of these walls, with one or several blades 19, serving as a grip or grips and extending outwardly and also preventing the cover front wall 3 from sinking into the base tray.

In the interior of the base tray in front of the base tray rear wall'2 adjacent the shovel wall 4 of the cover, there is provided a stop or step16 on which the shovel edge 6 of the covertakes support in its final closed position (Fig. 1). When the cover is inverted, the shovel edge 6 slides off from the stop 16, whereupon the cover may be turned inwardly into the base tray of the box, In doing so, the shovel edge 6 glides over the rear. slopes 15 and towards the interior of the base tray grasping like a shovel under the piece of soap S .(Fig. 3). When the cover is closed, the slopes 15 guide the shovel edge 6 back upon the stop 16.

. The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6 corresponds to that already described with respect to the main parts. Here, the base tray end walls are as high as the base' tray front wall 1. In addition, each of the

end walls

21, 22 of the base tray is provided with stop means 30 extending parallel to the bottom 23 of the base tray and lying free towards the bottom. This stop means may either be a projecting reinforcement of the upper inner wall surface, which may extend from front to rear, as shown in Fig. 2, or a groove or recess cut into the

end walls

21 and 22 as shown in Fig. 8, or a rib (Fig. 6). Moreover, each of the end walls 24 of the cover is provided with a stop pin 31 which projects outwardly (see also Fig. 2). These stop means act in the manner of a bayonet catch and prevent the cover from being lifted out of the base tray. The pin 31 is advantageously arranged as the axis of the above-mentioned cylinder assumed in the rear box part, i.e. at about the same distance from the cover bottom, the curvature of the shovel wall and cover bottom, the stop 16, and the base tray bottom 23, and the stop 30 is arranged sufliciently close above the pin that, as the cover is inverted, it rolls ofi from below on the stop forcing the shovel edge to grasp under the soap S. Due to the arrangement of the pin, the same moves along a symmetrical path in the middle of the base tray as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. At the front end of the path there is arfanged a stop surface 30 lying free to the rear and directed downwardly (Fig. 8) so that, as the cover is'inverted into the final closed position, the pin rolls off more towards the middle, and mechanicallyand compulsorily rolls the cover off towards the middle so that it needs no longer be drawn back manually. For cleaning, the cover is released from the locked position edgewise by diagonal turning and is removed.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 8 is a further modification of that shown in Fig. 6. The shovel wall 4 of the cover is provided with at least one strip or tooth 32 which extends from the shovel edge 4 and projects towards the rotary wall 3, serving as a support for the article to be placed into the lower base tray, e.g., the piece of soap S. When the cover is inverted into its position of use, the teeth 32 take the piece of soap S along (see also Fig. 2). The soap is then supported by the inner surface on the teeth and by the front slope 15. A further advantage consists in that the soap does not stick to the base tray bottom and does not spoil the same. The use of teeth is possible for all of the embodiments.

Inthe case of the embodiments shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8,,there is also shown an arrangement which provides a locking of the cover in its closed position. It consists in that the upper marginal part 1a of the base tray front wall 1 is provided with a recess extending inwardly and representing on its inside a hollow cylinder and that the fota'r ywall has 'a'n'outer surface in form of a full cylinder having a radius of curvature which, for example, is different from and preferably smaller than that of the hollow cylinder formed by the upper part of the base tray front wall 1. In the closed position of the cover (Figs. 6 and 7), the two cylinder halves fit into each other so that the cover is sufliciently locked, i.e., jammed. The cylindrical recess 1a of the front wall 1 of the base tray may extend over the whole width or only part thereof. It may also be advantageously arranged at the from parts of the end walls of the base tray.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 9 to 14 is based on that of Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The base tray end walls have invariable heights above the bottom 23 and the same height as that of the front wall 1. At each of the

end walls

21 and 22 of the base tray, slightly below their upper edges, there are provided stop ribs 40 projecting inwardly and extending from the rotary wall 3 to the shovel wall 4. Moreover, each of the end walls 24 of the cover is provided with outwardly projecting curved members 41-43 cooperating with the stop ribs 40 to invert the cover into its final position in the middle of the base tray. These curved members consist of three sections, viz., a straight-lined middle section 41 which, with the cover in closed position, extends parallel to the rib 40, and two end sections 42 and 43 (Figs. 9 to 14). The section 42 is designed as a full-eccentric which, when the cover is inverted, rolls off from below on the stop rib 40 as shown by Fig. 9 in the initial position, by Figs. 10 and 11 in intermediate positions, and by Fig. 12 in the final open position. In this final open position, the shovel wall 4 with its shovel edge '6 engages the base tray front wall 1 from the interior while the rounded part between the rotary wall 3 and the upper side 9 of the cover located above the blade 19 is frictionally sunk before the upper edge 8 of the base tray rear wall 2. The

sections

41 and 43 come to action when the cover is returned into its closed position. For closing the cover, it is turned counterclockwise. When the blade 19 is lifted, the hollow-eccentric curved section 43 first strikes the rear edge of the stop rib 40. The edge has the eifect of a stationary pivot 40a, about which first the curved section 43 and then the middle section 41 rotate glidingly. Thereby, the shovel part of the cover, while gliding over the bottom 23, is drawn to the rear, turned into the proper closed position at the pivot 40a, and the shovel edge 6 is levered on the step 16, this being finally achieved with the assistance of the surface of the rib 40. The locking and releasing of the cover and base tray are effected in the manner of a bayonet catch and compulsorily. The removal and assembly of the parts of the container may be facilitated by chamfering the projecting parts.

Figs. 15 and 16 show an angular hook 32a which is arranged about in the middle of the cover and which, as the tooth, is open to the front and from which an article, e.g. a safety-razor, can be removed forward. However, in addition to the turning of the article by means of teeth as described above, the invention permits the display of the article without moving it at all, this being achieved by inverting the base tray rather than the cover, in which case the article is left in the cover which is now used as the base (Fig. 16). After this inversion by moving the base tray beneath the cover, the box is given back its normal position in accordance with the invention without having moved the article when opening the container.

In Figs. 15, 16, and 17, the cover bottom 9 and the blade 19 are combined to form a chute from which the article, e.g. the piece of soap, due to the particular position given the cover and base tray as the one is moved beneath the other, automatically glides into the hand of the user as early as during the opening process (Fig. 18). In the case of this box, the cover is not turned widthwise butin transverse direction thereto. The rotary wall 3 is omitted and, instead of the section 7, the adjoining edges 24a of the cover end walls are cylindrically rounded downward and inward in the manner described above.

In the case of this embodiment, a further locking of the cover in open position is shown, this locking consisting in that the front part of the stop 30 is provided with a step 30b lying free in forward direction and in which the pin 31 snaps in by lifting the cover rear part by means of a slope 23a arranged on the base tray bottom 23 and ascending forward beneath the step 30b. In an analogous manner, in the case of Figs. 9 and 16, a step 42a is provided at the lower edge of the fulleccentric 42 to catch the front end of the stop rib 40. To facilitate the process of inverting the base tray under the cover, the base tray is provided at the outer faces of each of the longitudinal walls 1 and2 with a grip rib 55 having finger supports extending from both ends of the grip rib to the base tray upper edge.

Instead of the cylindrical curve of the section 7 in upward and forward direction, Fig. 18 also shows the cylindrical curve of the rotary wall 3 in downward and rearward direction, likewise with the radius R drawn.

from the joint of the cover rear wall and the'top wall 9 and as a minimum of curvature. .Thereby, the proper rotary wall 3 may be eliminated in part or completely so that the cover end wall parts adjoining the same "show the curve. The curvature in downward direction is advantageous especially in case of boxes, the covers of which are intended to be inverted in the direction to the narrow side of the base tray rather than widthwise.

In the case of the embodiment shown in Figs. 20 and 21, the bottom 23 of the base tray is provided on its inner surface with ribs 50 which are preferably elevated,extend from the wall 1 to the wall 2, and which, as the ribs 10, terminate with curvatures 15 in the said walls. The ribs and the curvatures move into engagement withv grooves or slots 51 chiefly extending over the section 7 and part of the cover top wall 9 when the cover is inverted into the position of use. The recesses or grooves 51 are preferably identical with the guide-in slopes 13 of the cover. In final closed position, they are filled out or closed, similar to the slots, by the curves 15 of the base tray. The slots or openings in the recesses impart the soap a certain aeration when the box is closed.

Figs. 22 and 23 show a further arrangement which, deviating from the locking means already described with reference to Figs. 6 to 8, provides a locking of the cover in its final position. For this purpose, the. projection 60 preferably in the form of a ball section or of a knob becomes effective between an

end wall

21, 22 of the base and the adjacent end wall 24 of the cover, said-projection being provided at one of the parts and taking frictional contact between said walls or engaging a recess of the opposite wall when the box is closed, thus locking the latter. A locking device of this kind may be provided at a suitable point of all of the embodiments described for both the closed position and the opened position if the base tray front and rear'walls are of equal heights.

What is claimed is:

l. A container comprising a base tray including a bottom wall integral with opposed front and rear walls connected at opposite ends by end walls and an invertible cover tray including a top wall integral with opposed front and rear walls and connecting end walls, said trays including abutment portions orienting the cover tray in overlying closing relation to said base tray, said base tray including guide means extending from the inner surface of the rear Wall of said base tray along the bottom wall thereof and merging into the inner surface of the front wall of the same, said cover tray including a transverse rear edge on the rear Wall thereof guidingly engageable with said guide means in a rotary and sliding movement thereon for disposing said cover tray in an oriented inverted inclined position within said base tray as the transverse edge sweeps across the inner surface of the bottom wall of said base tray.

-8 2.' The structure of claim 1 in which said guide means includes a step portion on the inner surface of the rear Wall of the base tray, said step portion abuttingly engageable with the edge of the rear wall of said cover tray to orient said cover tray in closing relation to said bottom tray.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said abutment portions include a blade element extending forwardly from the cover tray and engageable with the upper edge of the front wall of said base tray and abuttingly engageable with the rear edge of the back wall of said base tray when the cover tray is inverted and inclined within said base tray.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which the cover and bottom trays include cooperating abutment means between adjacent end wall surfaces for permitting pivotal and slidable movement between said trays and preventing separation of the same.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said abutment means comprises laterally projecting ribs on the inner surfaces of the end walls of said base tray, and laterally projecting pins on the outer surfaces of the end wallsof said cover tray and positionable beneath the ribs of said base tray.

6.'The structure of claim 4 in which said abutment means comprises an inwardly projecting rib on the end walls of said base tray and parallel to the bottom wall thereof, and camming portions on the outer surface of the end walls of said cover tray guidingly engaging said ribs.

7. The structure of claim 1 in which said cover tray includes upwardly opening grooves on the upper surface thereof and in alignment with the guide means within said. base tray, said grooves slidingly engaging said guide means when said cover tray is moved from a closing to an inverted condition relative to said base tray.

8. The structure of claim 1 in which said cover tray includes spaced rib portions extending between the inner surfaces of the side walls and along the inner surface of the top wall thereof for supporting a piece of soap orthe like in a readily acceptable position to be grasped when the cover tray is inverted within said base tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 120,982 Bernikow June 11, 1940 2,122,158 Segal June 28, 1938 2,199,008 Oshei Apr. 30, 1940 2,304,307 Hollis Dec. 8, 1942 2,430,707 Cahn Nov. 11, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 188,060 Austria Dec. 27,