US3741430A

US3741430A - Container

Info

Publication number: US3741430A
Application number: US00214688A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Bergh; R Bergh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-01-03
Filing date: 1972-01-03
Publication date: 1973-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-26

Abstract

A container having base and lid sections, one of which has a wall member dimensioned to be surrounded by and nested within the wall member of the other section when the container is closed. The container further includes hinge means providing a pivotal connection between the wall members of the base and lid sections. The hinge means defines a pivotal axis which, during opening and closing of the container, is movable laterally relative to one section while being fixed against lateral movement relative to the other section.

Description

United States Patent [191 Bergh et a1.

[ 11 2 3,741,430 1 June 26,1973

1561, Rem-ems Cited CONTAINER [76] Inventors: George G. Bergh, 1 Peck Road,

R.F.D. 3, Plainviile, Mass. 02762; Robert G. Bergh, 77 Metcalt Road, North Attleboro, Mass. 02760 [22] Filed: Jan. 3, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 214,688

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 122,566, March 1,

1971, abandonedl [51] Int. Cl. 365d 43/16 [58] Field of Search 206/4515, 45.23; 217/59; 220/38 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,247,848 11/1917 List ...206/45.23

2,979,223 4/1961 Rideout 220/38 2,329,685 9/1943 Baker 206/4515 x 2,241,989

5/1941 Friedrich et a1. 206/4523 Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Attorney-Maurice E. Gauthier s7 1 ABSTRACT A container having base and lid sections, one of which has a wall member dimensioned to be surrounded by and nested within the wall member of the other section when the container is closed. The container further includes hinge means providing a pivotal connection between the wall members of the base and lid sections. The hinge means defines a pivotal axis which, during opening and closing of the container, is movable lateraily'relative to one section while being fixed against lateral movement relative to the other section.

3 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures PAIENIEUJUIIZB ms 3. 741.430

sum 2 or 4 Fig 5c:

I.\'\ 'Ii.\"l( )RS GEORGE G. BERGH ROBERT G. BERGH ATTORNEYS PAIENTEDJHNZS ma 3.141.430 7 saw: at 4 Fig 7B.

INWENR ms GEORGE G. BERGH ROBERT G BERGH "Yaw Wk 54%. Ms M A'rmli-vIsYs INVENTORS GEORGE G. BERGH ROBERT G. BERGH ATTORNEYS CONTAINER CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application Ser. No. 122,566 filed Mar. 1, 1971 now abandoned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a container made up of base and lid sections which are in a nested relationship when the container is closed, and which are hingedly connected to permit pivotal movement of one section relative to the other about an axis which moves laterally in relation to only one of the sections when opening and closing the container.

A general object of the present invention is the provision of a more attractive container, wherein base and lid sections are pivotally connected by hinge means which remain hidden from exterior views regardless of whether the container is open or closed. Another object of the present invention is to provide, in conjunction with a container having base and lid sections which are nested when the container is closed, hinge means I which permit the container to be opened by pivotally moving one section relative to the other about an axis which is movable laterally in relation to only one of the container sections. A further object of the present invention is to provide means for pivotally connecting the base and lid sections of a container, which means permits the said sections to be nested one within the other when the container is either opened or closed.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a container embodying the concepts-of the present invention, the container being closed with the base section nested within the lid section;

FIG. 2 is another perspective viewshowing the container of FIG. 1 open;

FIGS. 3 and 3A are sectional views taken along lines 33 and 3A-3A of FIG. 1 with the interior liner removed;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the base and lid sections of the container shown in FIGS. l-3A, with portions cut away to better illustrate details of the hinge means;

FIGS. SA-SD are schematic illustrations of the relative movement and cooperative relationship between the container components when the container is opened;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a slightly modifled form of the invention with the base section fully nested within the lid section when the container is open;

FIGS. 7A-7E are schematic illustrations of the relative movement and cooperative relationship between the container components of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing details of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 9A is an end view of the base section taken along lines 9A-9A of FIG. 9; and,

the container components of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-9A.

A more detailed description of the invention will now be provided with initial reference to FIGS. 1-4 wherein a container generally indicated at 10 is shown comprising base and

lid sections

12 and 14. The lid section 14 includes a wall member 16 which is of a generally rectangular configuration having oppositely disposed pairs of straight parallel ends and

sides

16a and 16b. Wall member 16 is further provided with

flanges

18a and 18b extending inwardly from the upper and lower edges thereof, with flange 18a preferably being wider than flange 18b. A planar element 20 is surrounded by wall member 16. As is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A, planar element 20 is provided with opposed

integral flaps

22a and 22b which are bent downwardly at an angle of approximately ,These flaps, which are hereinafter at times referred to as insert members, cooperate with the

wall flanges

18a and 18b to wedge the planar element 20 in place as shown in the drawings. If desired, the flaps or

insert members

22a and 22b may be made up of one or several strips which are separate from rather than integral with planar element 20. As is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, elongated slots 24 are provided between the lower edges of the insert members 22b and the lower wall flanges 18b.

Base section 12 includes a second wall member 26 which is also made up of oppositely disposed ends and

sides

26a and 26b defining a rectangular configuration which is suitably dimensioned to nest within the wall member 16 of the lid section 14 when the container is closed, as shown in FIG. 1. Wall member 26 has upper and lower inwardly disposed

flanges

28a and 28b, the latter serving as a support for a second planar element 30. Element 30 is held in place by

insert members

30a and 30b, which again may either be integral with or separate from element 30.

The base section 12 is connected to lid section 14 by hinge means including a pair of hinge elements generally indicated at 32. Each hinge element is generally U- shaped in cross-section, having a pair of

parallel legs

32a and 32b joined at one end by a web section 320;

The

legs

32a and 32b need not be of equal length, it being preferable to have leg 32a the longer of the two. With respect to each hinge element 32, the web section 320 extends laterally across one of the slots 24 formed between the insert member 22b and the lower wall flange 18b. The leg 32a is located between an insert member 22b and the interior surface of the wall member 16a, and the other leg 32b is located between the insert member 22b and the adjacent exterior surface of the side 26a of wall member 26. Leg member 32b is further provided with an integral pintle 34 which protrudes laterally into a suitably dimensioned receiving hole 36 in the adjacent side 26a of the base section wall member 26. The insert members 30b are also preferably indented or apertured as at 38 to accommodate the pintles 34.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be seen that base section 12 is pivotally connected to the hinge elements 32 by means of the laterally extending pintles 34, and the hinge elements are in turn mounted on the wall assembly of the lid section 14. The hinge elements are slidably movable along the lengths of the wall ends 16a ellli lve relationship Jove will ndw bet FIGS; SA-SD; In

ydepicted i he rtion S'Za willfhereinafterbecdme apparent aslthede 1 tibn continues;

e base zindxlid sections 1 description, window be apmu eai't that thepi'eseni in A further advantage of the invention is the provision of hinge means which remain hidden from exterior view, regardless of whether the container is open or closed.

While the invention has been described above in conjunction with box-like containers, it will be understood that the same concepts will apply equally as well to frame-type containers, such as for example picture frames. Also, it is to be understood that although the pintles have been shown formed on hinge elements which are separable from the container sections, under certain circumstances it may be advantageous to mold the pintles into one container section and to mold the pintle receiving apertures or slots into the other section.

It is our invention to cover these and any other changes and/or modifications of the embodiments herein chosen for the purposes of disclosure which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

l. Acontainer comprising in combination: base and lid sections suitably dimensioned to be nested one within the other when the container is closed, each of said sections having spaced oppositely disposed straight parallel side walls; a pair of generally U-shaped hinge elements, each of which includes laterally spaced legs interconnected at one end by an intermediate web, one of the legs on each of said hinge elements having a pintle extending laterally therefrom, said hinge elements being mounted in oppositely disposed relationship on the side walls of one of said sections, with the legs of each hinge element straddling the side wall on which the hinge element is mounted and with the pintles of both hinge elements aligned axially; receiving means on the side walls of the other of said sections for receiving said pintles in axial insertion therein, said hinge elements cooperating with said receiving means during opening and closing of said container to permit pivotal movement of one section relative to the other about the axis defined by said pintles while at the same time per mitting lateral movement of said axis relative to one of said sections. 7

2. The container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hinge elements are fixed in relation to the side walls on which they are mounted, and wherein said receiving means comprise elongated slots.

3. The container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hinge elements are movable along the lengths of the side walls on which they are mounted.

Claims

1. A container comprising in combination: base and lid sections suitably dimensioned to be nested one within the other when the container is closed, each of said sections having spaced oppositely disposed straight parallel side walls; a pair of generally U-shaped hinge elements, each of which includes laterally spaced legs interconnected at one end by an intermediate web, one of the legs on each of said hinge elements having a pintle extending laterally therefrom, said hinge elements being mounted in oppositely disposed relationship on the side walls of one of said sections, with the legs of each hinge element straddling the side wall on which the hinge element is mounted and with the pintles of both hinge elements aligned axially; receiving means on the side walls of the other of said sections for receiving said pintles in axial insertion therein, said hinge elements cooperating with said receiving means during opening and closing of said container to permit pivotal movement of one section relative to the other about the axis defined by said pintles while at the same time permitting lateral movement of said axis relative to one of said sections.