Plastic containers with lids

Abstract

A plastic container (1) with two lid halves (5a, 5b) that are rotatable about hinges (6a, 6b). On the inner surface (5c) of the lid halves comprises hooks (7) arranged in a row next to and along the hinges (6a, 6b). Each hook (7) extends parallel to and spaced apart from the lid halves (5a, 5b) and comprises a recess with an opening facing and towards the distal end (12a, 12b) and undercut on both sides. The undercut allows one or more bags (8) with two straps (9) to be placed inside the container (1) so that the bag (8) remains open. When the lid halves (5a, 5b) are closed, the straps (9) remain in place and are held by the hooks (7). The invention can be used by shoppers who buy in bulk, which can be placed in bags. When the lid is closed, several such containers can be stacked.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a lidded plastic container for transporting and storing goods, wherein the lid comprises two parts, each part being attached to opposite upper edges of the container by means of a hinge. Furthermore, the invention relates to such containers which can be stacked when closed and which can be stacked or nested when open. BACKGROUND

[0002] Such containers are common and well known. For example, the container disclosed in WO2015 / 104521 comprises a bottom, four side walls extending upwardly from the bottom and two lid halves provided on the upper edges of opposite side walls by means of a hinge. The lid halves can be pivotally rotated about the hinge from an open position, in which the lid halves hang along the outside of the side walls, to a closed position. In the open position, such containers can be stacked and nested into each other. In the closed position, the free ends of the two lid halves, each having a corresponding profile, interlock with each other, forming a continuous, horizontal surface above the open end of the container. Thereby, the closed containers can be stacked.

[0003] In CA02863692 a container is disclosed which has a similar lid for closing. SUMMARY

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a stackable container of the above-mentioned type which allows to place a flexible containing member, such as a pouch or bag, to subdivide the interior volume of the container.

[0005] According to the invention, a plastic container is provided which has a bottom and four side walls extending upwardly from the bottom to an open end of the container, and a lid comprising two lid halves, each lid half being attached to an upper edge of a side wall opposite to each other by means of a hinge. The two lid halves are pivotally rotatable about the hinge from an open position to a closed position, wherein in the closed position the two lid halves form a horizontal and continuous surface above the open end of the container.

[0006] The two lid halves have an inner surface facing towards the interior of the container when the two lid halves are in the closed position, each lid half comprising a hook arranged on said inner surface adjacent to the hinge arrangement of the lid half, or two or more hooks arranged in a row adjacent to and along the hinge arrangement of the lid half. Each hook comprises a hook body extending substantially parallel to the inner surface of the lid half and spaced apart from the inner surface of the lid half.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hook body of each hook comprises a recess having an opening at one side of the hook body, the opening facing away from the hinge of the lid half and towards the distal end of said lid half. The recess in particular has an undercut at both sides.

[0008] In a particular embodiment of the invention, the angle of the undercut relative to the side of the lid half can be in the range from 45° to 90°. In the case of an angle of 90°, the recess has a rectangular shape. In the case of an angle of approximately 45°, the recess has an approximately triangular shape.

[0009] The recess with undercut of each hook body provides a hook function and allows a bag or a pouch with two such straps or handles to be placed / positioned inside the container with the lid halves open. The open lid halves can hang upright or at an angle to the side walls of the container, substantially along the outside of the side walls. A first strap of the bag is secured in a pair of hooks of a first lid half, and a second strap of the bag is secured in a pair of hooks on a second lid half opposite the first lid half. The straps can thus be secured on opposite sides of the container, so that the sack or bag remains open and items can be easily placed inside.

[0010] Preferably, three or more hooks are arranged adjacent to and along the hinge of each lid half. Thus, multiple pouches or bags can be arranged side by side inside the container, with each bag fully extended and its upper end held open. A first bag can be placed in the container using a first pair of hooks on each lid half. A second bag can be placed using a second pair of hooks. The second pair of hooks can consist of one hook and another adjacent hook of the first pair of hooks. Thus, the bags can be placed next to each other without any gap between them. In this configuration, a given hook secures a strap of one bag in one of the undercuts of the hook, and a strap of a second, adjacent bag in the other of the two undercuts of the hook.

[0011] In another embodiment of the invention, each hook body has no recess, but has a rectangular shape extending from the hinge towards the free or distal end of the lid half in which the hook is provided.

[0012] In another embodiment of the invention, each hook body has a width that increases with increasing distance from the hinge, when measured parallel to the hinge of the lid half. For example, such a hook has an approximately triangular shape.

[0013] In yet another embodiment of the invention, the hook body is T-shaped, with the narrow end of the T adjacent to the hinge and the wide end of the T at the free end of the hook body.

[0014] When the hooks of the plastic container have a hook body that is rectangular, T-shaped, or gradually widens towards the free end thereof, the straps of the bag or pouch can be placed by looping the strap around the hook body from either side.

[0015] The container according to the invention with a bag arranged in any of the above described ways can be closed by pivotably rotating the two lid halves around the hinges of the lid halves into their closed position. Due to the undercut on both sides of the recess in the hook body, the strap held by the pair of hooks remains attached when the lid halves are pivoted closed and again opened.

[0016] The container according to the invention can be used by a shopper who intends to do a lot of shopping and needs multiple bags or similar receptacles. In order to easily fill multiple bags simultaneously with different items, the container according to the invention can first be placed on a shopping push cart or preferably a shopping push platform, wherein the bags or pockets are arranged using the above described pairs of hooks on the lid halves. Shopping items are placed in several bags, then the lid halves are closed to form a horizontal surface on top of the container. Another container according to the invention can be placed on top of the first container and again provide several bags, wherein the straps are latched around using the hooks to have the bags open and can be filled with further shopping items. In this way, several containers can be filled, each with neatly arranged bags filled with shopping items, wherein the bags always remain neatly attached, whether the container is closed or open. After the shopping is completed, the customer opens the container by rotating the two lid halves into the open position, at which point the straps are still in place and the bags are neatly arranged. The customer can then take out the bags for further transport home.

[0017] In one embodiment of the invention, all hooks in a row of hooks have a body with a recess with an undercut on both sides. Such a row of hooks can have three or more hooks.

[0018] In another embodiment of the invention, the hooks have a body with a recess with an undercut on only one side at either end of a row of hooks and adjacent to the lateral sides of the lid halves. These hooks only need an undercut on one side, as the hook only needs to secure the strap of one bag or sack.

[0019] In another embodiment of the invention, each lid half further comprises one or more openings arranged in the lid half at the location where one or more hook bodies are arranged, wherein the one or more openings have the size and shape of the hook bodies and are positioned immediately below the hook bodies.

[0020] The invention will be described in more detail below by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 A container according to the invention is shown in perspective view with one bag arranged.

[0022] Figure 2 Details of one of the hooks are shown in perspective view.

[0023] Figure 3 The container of Figure 1 is shown in top view.

[0024] Figure 4 The container of Figure 1 and Figure 2 is shown in side view.

[0025] Figure 5 A row of hooks is shown in detail.

[0026] Figure 6 Further details of one single hook are shown.

[0027] Figure 7 Details of a pair of hooks of a strap with attached bag are shown.

[0028] Figure 8 The container of Figure 1 is shown with a plurality of bags arranged therein.

[0029] Figure 9 The container of Figure 1 is shown with one bag arranged therein and one cover half in closed position.

[0030] Figure 10 The container of Figure 5 is shown in top view.

[0031] Figure 11 Details of the hooks in Figure 8 are shown.

[0032] Figure 12 A top view of the container of Figure 1 is shown with both cover halves in closed position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Figures 1 to 4 The principle of a container 11 according to the present application and of placing a holding element within the container is shown. The holding element, which has two flexible straps or handles for carrying the holding element, can be a bag, a sack or a net or any other suitable holding element to hold various items.

[0034] The container 1 has a rectangular base 2, short side walls 3 and long side walls 4a and 4b and a lid for closing the container, the short and long side walls extending upwards towards the open end of the container 1, the lid having a first lid half 5a attached to the first side wall 4a and a second lid half 5b attached to the second side wall 4b opposite the first side wall 4a. The two lid halves 5a and 5b are attached to the upper edges of the longer side walls 4a and 4b by hinges 6a and 6b respectively. Figures 1 to 3 The lid halves 5a and 5b are shown in an open position, where they hang downwards along the outside of the side walls 4a and 4b respectively. To close the container 1, the two lid halves 5a and 5b are pivotably rotated about 270° around their hinges 6a or 6b respectively until they reach a horizontal position.

[0035] According to the invention, each lid half 5a and 5b comprises two or more hooks 7 arranged on the inner surface 5c, the hooks 7 facing outwards when the lid half is open (as shown) and will face towards the interior of the container 1 when the lid half is in the closed position. In Figure 1 and Figure 4 In Figs. 1-3, only one lid half is fully shown, while all features of the hook arrangement are relevant for both lid halves 5a and 5b. The row of hooks 7 is arranged adjacent to and along the length of the hinge 6b of the lid half 5b. A bag 8 with two handles 9 is placed inside the container 1 by its handles 9 being held by the hooks 7 on the lid half 5a and the lid half 5b. As shown in detail in Figure 2 each hook 7 comprises a main body 7' with a recess 10, where the opening 11 of the recess 10 is pointing away from the hinge 6b towards the distal or free end 12b of the lid half 5b. The main body 7' of the hook 7 is arranged to extend in a plane parallel to the surface 5c of the lid half 5b, such that there is a space between the hook main body 7' and the inner surface 5c of the lid half 5b. The space between the hook main body 7' and the inner surface 5c of the lid half 5b allows the handles of the bag to slide around the hook main body 7 and through the opening 11 into the recess 10 of the hook 7.

[0036] The lid half 5b further comprises an opening 13 which has roughly the extent and shape of the hook main body 7' and is located at the position of the hook main body 7', such that the hook main body 7' can be seen through the lid half. This opening 13 is provided in relation to the production of the container 1 and is not related to the function of the hooks holding the bag handles.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2 the hooks 7 are attached to the ribs 5d on the inner surface 5c of the lid half 5b, thereby allowing the hooks 7 to be spaced apart from the inner surface 5c of the lid half 5b. The hooks 7 can also be attached to the inner surface of the lid half in another way.

[0038] Figure 2 and Figures 5-7The hooks 7, with or without a bag held by the hooks, are shown in more detail. Figure 5 An entire row of hooks 7 is shown arranged along the hinge 6b, with a pair of adjacent hooks holding the strap 9 of a bag. Figure 7 As shown, the strap 9 is placed in the recess 10 of two adjacent hooks 7, each hook holding the strap by means of an undercut 14. Each hook comprises a hook body 7' with a recess 10 into which the strap 9 is placed. The opening 11 to the recess 10 is located on the side of the body 7' facing away from the hinge 6b and thus towards the free end 12b of the lid half 5b. The recess 10 has an undercut 14 on both sides, which enables the strap 9 to be held in the hook 7 when the lid half 5b is rotated to its closed position. The undercut 14 on both sides also allows two straps 9 to be placed into each hook 7, one strap belonging to a first bag and the second strap belonging to a second bag adjacent to the first bag, as will be described later in connection with Figure 8 .

[0039] The hooks 7 are provided with an undercut 14 on both sides to allow the straps of two adjacent bags in the container to be held. Preferably, all hooks 7 in the row are provided with a two-sided undercut 14. However, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 8 , it is sufficient for three hooks in the central part of the lid half 5b to have a two-sided undercut 14, where the hooks disposed immediately adjacent to the side edges of the lid half 5b can comprise a one-sided undercut only, since the outermost hooks next to the side edges will necessarily only secure the strap of one bag. Figure 5 Hooks with a one-sided undercut 14 are shown at the rightmost and leftmost ends of the row. The hooks with a one-sided undercut 14 have the undercut on the side of the body 7' facing away from the middle of the lid half 5b, since this is sufficient to hold the strap together with the adjacent hooks. As shown in Figure 5 , the recess of the hooks with a one-sided undercut is shaped with a straight edge 15 opposite the undercut.

[0040] Figure 8 A similar container 1 is shown, filled to the brim with several bags 8, with the straps 9 of the bags looping around adjacent hooks 7, where the three central hooks 7 each hold the straps of two adjacent bags 8, and the hooks at either side edge of the lid half hold only one strap.

[0041] Figures 9 to 11A container 1 of the same type is shown, in which a bag 8 is placed inside, the strap 9 of which is held using a hook 7 and one cover half 5a is pivotably rotated around a hinge 6a into its closed position. The bag 8 still has its strap 9 held by the hook and the bag opening fully unfolded, although the cover half is in its horizontal closed position. Figure 10 and Figure 11 The top view of the container in

[0042] Figure 12 The same container is shown, in which both cover halves 5a and 5b are in their closed position, the view seeing onto the outer surfaces of the cover halves 5a and 5b. Each cover half 5a and 5b has a profile at its distal or free end. The first cover half 5a extends to its distal end with a profile 12" and the second cover half 5b extends to its distal end with a profile 12'. The shapes of the two profiles 12' and 12" correspond to each other such that in the closed position of the two cover halves 5a and 5b they interlock to form a continuous, planar horizontal surface. A second container of the same type can be stacked on top of the closed cover of the shown container. All openings 13 in the two cover halves 5a and 5b allow to see rows of hooks 7, each hook 7 being arranged below an opening 13, wherein the strap of a bag is secured by the two hooks on the leftmost side of the row.

[0043] In all embodiments shown in Figures 1-11 The recess 10 in the hook body 7' (behind its opening 11) has an approximately triangular shape with an undercut with an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the side edge 5' of the cover half (as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 4 The angle of the undercut can also be greater to 90°. If the angle is 90°, the recess 10 will have an approximately rectangular shape.

[0044] Terms used in the drawings

[0045] 1 container

[0046] 2 bottom

[0047] 3 side wall

[0048] 4 side wall

[0049] 5a first cover half

[0050] 5b second cover half

[0051] 5c inner surface of the cover half

[0052] 5d rib on the inner surface of the cover half

[0053] 5' side edge of the cover half

[0054] 6a hinge

[0055] 6b hinge

[0056] 7 hook

[0057] 7' hook body

[0058] 8 pocket, pouch

[0059] 9 strap or handle

[0060] 10 recess

[0061] 11 opening to the recess

[0062] 12a, 12b distal, free end of the lid half

[0063] 12' contour along the distal end of the lid half 5b

[0064] 12" contour of the distal end of the lid half 5a

[0065] 13 opening in the lid

[0066] 14 undercut of the recess 10

[0067] 15 straight edge of the hook at the end of the row

Claims

1. A plastic container (1) having a bottom (2), four side walls (3, 4a, 4b) and a lid, the four side walls extending upward from the bottom (2) to an open end of the container (1), the lid comprising two lid halves (5a, 5b) respectively attached by hinges (6a, 6b) to the upper edges of two opposing side walls (4a, 4b), wherein, Each of the two lid halves (5a, 5b) is pivotally rotatable about a hinge (6a, 6b) from an open position to a closed position, wherein, in the closed position, the two lid halves (5a, 5b) form a horizontal and continuous surface above the open end of the container (1), and each of the two lid halves (5a, 5b) has an inner surface (5c) facing the interior of the container (1) when the two lid halves are in the closed position. Its features are, Each cover half (5a, 5b) includes on its inner surface a hook (7) arranged adjacent to the hinge (6a, 6b) of the cover half (5a, 5b) or two or more hooks (7) arranged adjacent to and along the hinge (6a, 6b) of the cover half (5a, 5b) to form a hook row, wherein each hook (7) includes a hook body (7') extending parallel to and spaced apart from the inner surface (5c) of the cover half (5a, 5b). Each hook body (7') includes a recess (10) having an opening (11) arranged on one side of the hook body (7'), the opening being away from the hinges (6a, 6b) and facing the distal ends (12a, 12b) of the cover halves (5a, 5b), wherein the recess (10) includes undercut portions (14) on both sides.

2. The container (1) according to claim 1. Its features are, The hook row includes more than three hooks (7).

3. The container (1) according to claim 1. Its features are, Each cover half (5a, 5b) includes an additional hook (7) on its inner surface, the additional hook being arranged at either end of the hook row and adjacent to the side of the cover half (5a, 5b), wherein each of the additional hooks (7) includes a hook body (7') extending parallel to and spaced apart from the inner surface (5c) of the cover half (5a, 5b), and the hook body (7') includes a recess (10) having an opening (11) on one side of the hook body (7') facing away from the hinge (6a, 6b) of the cover half (5a, 5b) and toward the distal end (12a, 12b) of the cover half (5a, 5b), wherein the recess (10) includes an undercut (14) on one side.

4. The container according to claim 1, Its features are, Each hook body has a rectangular shape that extends from the hinge (6a, 6b) toward the free end or distal end (12a, 12b) of the cover half (5a, 5b) on which the hook is arranged.

5. The container according to claim 1, Its features are, Each hook body extends from the hinge (6a, 6b) toward the distal or free end (12a, 12b) of the cover half (5a, 5b) on which the hook is arranged, and each hook body has a width that increases with the distance from the hinge (6a, 6b) when measured parallel to the hinge (6a, 6b) of the cover half (5a, 5b).

6. The container according to claim 5, Its features are, Each hook body has an approximately triangular shape.

7. The container according to claim 1, Its features are, Each hook body has a T-shaped form, with the narrow bottom end of the T adjacent to the hinges (6a, 6b) and the wide top end of the T located at the free end of the hook body.

8. The container according to claim 1, Its features are, Each cover half (5a, 5b) also includes one or more openings (13) disposed in the cover half (5a, 5b) at the location where the one or more hook bodies (7') are arranged, wherein the one or more openings (13) have a size and shape similar to the hook body (7') and the one or more openings (13) are arranged immediately below the hook body (7').

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