Container assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns polygon-shaped container assembly, that comprises a container and a lid; the container having side walls extending upwards from a bottom base, said side walls tapering outwardly from said base towards a top edge of the side walls; a detachably attachable lid articulable to a top rim of the top edge and wherein the lid is configurable between a closed position at which it is articulated along a side edge and closes the container, an open position at which the articulated lid is pivotally displaced into an upright position, and a detached position removed from the container; and wherein when the lid is removed the container is nestable within like containers, and when the lid is articulated over the container the container is stackable over like containers.

Description

[0001] CONTAINER ASSEMBLY

[0002] TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure concerns a stackable nestable container.

[0004] BACKGROUND ART

[0005] References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below:

[0006] - US 2010108556

[0007] - US 9004282

[0008] - US 4325492

[0009] Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0010] BACKGROUND

[0011] US 2010108556 is directed to a storage container that is secure and tamper proof is provided by a molded, one-piece container having a bottom and upstanding vertically oriented side and end walls. A separate lid is provided that sealingly engages the container. The container includes flutes on the inside and outside of the walls for adding strength to the walls. The flutes on the outside wall of one container fit with the flutes on the inside wall of another container for nesting purposes. The container can be stacked with another container by being placed on the top surface of the lid.

[0012] US 9004282 is directed to a nestable container and lid are provided. A first container may be received by a second container such that the first container nests in the second container. The lid of the first container is also nestable in the open lid of the second container when the lids of the first container and the second container are opened.

[0013] US 4325492 is directed to a receptacle device comprising a tapered container having an opening and a cover pivotally attached to the opening in such a manner that the cover opens free of the opening so that a series of containers can be nested one within another without interference with the attachment of the covers and secondarily allowing easy placement and removal of sacks, bags or liner inserts.

[0014] GENERAL DESCRIPTION

[0015] According to the present disclosure there is provided a polygon-shaped container assembly comprising a container and a lid; the container having side walls extending upwards from a bottom base, said side walls tapering outwardly from said base towards a top edge of the side walls; a detachably attachable lid articulable to a top rim of the top edge, and wherein the lid is configurable between a closed position at which it is articulated along a side edge and closes the container, an open position at which the articulated lid is pivotally displaced into an upright position, and a detached position removed from the container; and wherein when the lid is removed the container is nestable within like containers, and when the lid is articulated over the container the container is stackable over like containers.

[0016] According to a particular arrangement, the container comprises a hinge assembly comprising at a hinging edge of the lid at least one hinge member, said hinge member comprising an L-shaped bracket extending from a bottom face of the lid and facing outwards, with a stopper shoulder projecting downwardly from a free end thereof; and at least one hinge member arresting port configured at a hinging edge of the container, said at least one arresting port being disposed in register with the at least one hinge member of the lid; said arresting port having an opening configured at one side with a stopper shoulder arresting ridge and at another side with a bracket support.

[0017] The arrangement being such that at the closed position the hinge member of the lid is received within the arresting port of the container, with at least a portion of the bracket bearing against the bracket support of the arresting port; and at the open position the stopper shoulder of the bracket bears against the stopper shoulder arresting ridge of the arresting port and an inside elbow portion of the L-shaped bracket bears over a top edge of the bracket support.

[0018] The lid can be detached from the container only when the lid is at a displacing angle. The term ‘ displacing angle" is used to denote the range of angles at which the lid is disposed with respect to the container, at which angle the lid can be attached / detached with the container, said displacing angle residing in the range of about 80° - 100°, and by a specific configuration said displacing angle is 90°, wherein a plane defined by the top edge is a reference surface, i.e. 0°.

[0019] At the closed position the bracket support of the arresting port is accommodated within an open space of the L-shaped bracket.

[0020] The width of the opening of the arresting port is similar or slightly greater than the width of the L-shaped bracket and the stopper shoulder.

[0021] The bracket support has an external rounded corner facilitating smooth displacement thereover of the bracket between the open position and closed position.

[0022] The L-shaped bracket of the hinge member extends inwards from a rear edge potion of the lid, whereby at the open position, at least a portion of a bottom-rear edge of the lid bears against a support portion at an outside face of the back wall of the container, supporting the lid at the upright position.

[0023] At the open position the lid is disposed upright, slightly over 90°, and typically in the range of 92° to 100°, so that the lid is retained at the open position and does not spontaneously displace into the closed position.

[0024] Any one or more of the following features, designs and configurations can be associated with any one or more of the aspects of the present disclosure, individually or in various combinations thereof

[0025] • The polygonal container can be rectangle;

[0026] • The lid can be sealingly articulable over the top rim of the top edge of the container;

[0027] • One or both of a bottom face of the lid and the top rim of the container can be configured with an annular sealing gasket;

[0028] • The sealing gasket can be received within an annular gasket retaining groove;

[0029] • A sealing ridge can be disposed on a surface facing the gasket, wherein at the closed position said sealing ridge projects into the sealing gasket;

[0030] • The bottom face of the lid can be configured with an annular sealing gasket received within an annular gasket retaining groove, and the top rim of the container is configured with a sealing ridge facing the gasket, wherein at the closed position said sealing ridge projects into and deforms the seal gasket; • The container can be configured with a locking mechanism for retaining the lid articulated to the container at the closed position;

[0031] • At the closed position the locking mechanism exerts force over the sealing gasket to enhance sealing engagement with sealing ridge;

[0032] • The locking mechanism can be one or more locking latches;

[0033] • The locking mechanism can be disposed at least at a face of the container opposite the hinging edge;

[0034] • The container can be configured with a nesting restricting shoulder to restrict nesting depth of a container within a like container;

[0035] • The nesting restricting shoulder can extend at one or more outside faces of the container;

[0036] • A front nesting shoulder can extend at a base of the locking mechanism;

[0037] • A rear nesting shoulder can extend at a support portion at an outside face of the back wall of the container, said support portion supporting the lid at its open position;

[0038] • The lid and the container can be manufactured by an injection molding process;

[0039] • The lid can be stackable over like lids;

[0040] • The container can be configured with two carrying handles, each in form of a depression at opposite side walls, below the top rim;

[0041] • One or both of a top face of the lid and a bottom face of the bottom base can be configured with a modular connectivity system facilitating detachable articulation therewith of a variety of utility modules;

[0042] • The connectivity system can be a male-female coupling system.

[0043] • A width of the opening of the arresting port is slightly greater than a width of the L-shaped bracket.

[0044] As used herein, the singular form a, an and the include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term "a container” or "at least one container" may independently include a plurality of containers.

[0045] As used herein, the term about is meant to encompass deviation of ±10% from the specifically mentioned value of a parameter, such as angle, dimensions, etc. The terms similar, slightly over, or slightly greater mean to denote deviation of up to 5% from the specifically mentioned value of a parameter, such as angle, dimensions, etc.

[0046] Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is meant to include any cited numeral (fractional or integral) within the indicated range. The term between (or in the range of) a first indicate number and a second indicate number is meant to include the first and second indicated numbers and all the fractional and integral numerals therebetween.

[0047] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word comprise, and variations such as comprises and comprising, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any integer or step or group of integers and steps.

[0048] Generally, it is noted that the term at least one as applied to any component of a resting assembly of this disclosure should be read to encompass one, two, three, four, five, six, or even more different occurrences of said component in a resting assembly of the disclosure.

[0049] It is appreciated that certain features of the disclosure, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the disclosure, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the disclosure. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

[0050] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0052] Fig- 1 is a top perspective view of a container according to an example of the disclosure, the container at a closed position; Fig. 2A illustrates the container of Fig. 1 at an open position;

[0053] Fig. 2B is a planar side view of Fig. 2A;

[0054] Fig. 3A is a top perspective view of the only the lid of the container of Fig. 1;

[0055] Fig. 3B is a bottom perspective view of the lid of Fig. 3 A;

[0056] Fig. 4A is a portion marked 4A in Fig. 3B, sectioned along line I - I;

[0057] Fig. 4B is a planar enlarged view of the portion marked 4B in Fig. 4A;

[0058] Fig. 5A is a bottom perspective view of the container of Fig. 2A;

[0059] Fig. 5B is an enlargement of the portion marked 5B in Fig. 5A;

[0060] Fig. 6A is a section along line II - II in Fig. 2A;

[0061] Fig. 6B is an enlarged planar view of the portion marked 6B in Fig. 6A;

[0062] Fig. 6C is the same as Fig. 6B, with the respective lid portion removed;

[0063] Fig. 7A is a section along line VII - VII in Fig. 1;

[0064] Fig. 7B is a planar, enlarged view, of the portion marked 7B in Fig. 7A;

[0065] Fig. 7C is a planar, enlarged view, of the portion marked 7C in Fig. 7A;

[0066] Fig. 8 is a top perspective view of the container of Fig. 1, with the lid removed;

[0067] Fig- 9 is an enlargement of the portion marked IX in Fig. 6A;

[0068] Fig. 10A is a top perspective view of a stack of nested containers;

[0069] Fig. 10B is a section along line X - X in Fig. 10A;

[0070] Fig. 10C is an enlargement of the portion marked 18C in Fig. 10B;

[0071] Fig. 10D is an enlargement of the portion marked 10D in Fig. 10B, however at from back perspective view;

[0072] Figs. 11A to HE are consecutive steps of detaching a lid from a closed container, according to the disclosure; and

[0073] Fig. 12A illustrates a stack of container assemblies; and

[0074] Fig. 12B illustrates a nested stack of containers and a stack of lids.

[0075] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0076] Attention is first to Figs. 1, 2A and 2B, illustrating a container assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The container assembly, generally designated 20, comprises a container generally designated 22, and a lid generally designated 24. Container 22 is a rectangular, injection molded, rigid body, having a bottom base 26 and side walls extending upward therefrom. The side walls, namely front wall 28, back wall 30 and two opposite side walls 32 taper slightly outwards towards a top edge of the container 22, terminating at a perimetric top rim 36. Top rim 36 comprises an annular sealing ridge 38 (best seen in Figs. 6B, 7B and 7C) upwardly projecting from a top surface of rim 36, the purpose of which will be discussed hereinafter. Container 22 is configurable with two carrying handles 27 in form depressions at opposite side walls 32, below the top rim.

[0077] The lid 24 is a planar body, shaped and sized for fitting over the container in a sealing fashion, pivotable between a closed position (Fig. 1), an open position at which the lid is self-supported at an upright position (Fig. 2A), and a detached / removed position (Fig. HE), as will be discussed hereinafter. Lid 24 is reinforced and / or rigidified by a plurality of ribs 25 disposed over the bottom (inside) face of the lid.

[0078] Lid 24 has a downward projecting perimetric skirt 40 and an annular gasket retaining groove 42 (best seen in Fig. 9) with a plurality of gasket retention ribs 44 for securing a sealing gasket 46 (a portion of which illustrated in Fig. 9), and a downward facing gasket ridge 48 for applying sealing deformation to the gasket.

[0079] Container assembly 20 is configured with a locking mechanism 58 (Figs. 1, 7A, 7B, 11 A) at a front edge thereof, opposite the rear hinge assembly (discussed hereinbelow), where lid 24 is configured at a front side thereof with two lock catches 50 for arresting a toggle locking latch 54 of a locking mechanism disposed in register at a top portion of the front face 28 of container 22.

[0080] Container assembly 20 further comprises a hinge assembly 60, comprising in turn, at a rear hinging edge of the lid 24, three hinge members 66 each having an L-shaped bracket 68 extending from a bottom face 70 of lid 24, and facing outwards (i.e. rearwards), with a stopper shoulder 74 projecting downwardly from the free end of bracket 68, said stopper shoulder 74 having a flat surface 79, and with a space 78 extending between bottom face 70 and bracket 68.

[0081] Hinge assembly 60 further comprises three hinge member arresting ports 80 (best seen in Figs. 6C and 8) configured at a hinging edge (top rear edge of container 22) and disposed in register with hinge members 66. Arresting ports 80 are configured as openings 82 at top rim 36, said openings configured at one side with a downward projecting stopper shoulder arresting ridge 84, and at another side with a rear wards projecting bracket support 86 having an L-shaped section. Openings 82 are of width Wi, being slightly greater than width W2 of the L-shaped bracket 68 (Fig. 4B). The arrangement is such that, at the closed position (Fig. 7C), the hinge member 66 of the lid 24 is received within the arresting port 80 of the container 22, with at least a portion (location 90) of the bracket 68 bearing against a bottom surface 87 of bracket support 86 of the arresting port 80, with bracket support 86 received within the space 78 between bottom face 70 and bracket 68.

[0082] At the open position (Fig. 6B), flat surface 79 the stopper shoulder 74 of the bracket 68 bears against a bottom edge 89 of the stopper shoulder arresting ridge 84 of the arresting port 80, and an inside elbow portion 75 of the L-shaped bracket 68 bears over a top edge 88 of the bracket support 86. At the open position (Fig. 2B) lid 24 is selfsupported upright, at an angle a of slightly over 90° (typically in the range of 92° to 100°, and according to a particular example a = 90°), so that the lid is retained at the open position and does not spontaneously displaced into the closed position (wherein a plane defined by the top edge 36 of container 22 is a reference surface, i.e. 0°).

[0083] Lid 24 can be detached from the container 22 only when the lid 24 is at a displacing angle, at which angle the lid can be attached / detached with the container, said displacing angle residing in the range of about 80° - 100°, and by a specific configuration said displacing angle is 90°, wherein a plane defined by the top edge is a reference surface, i.e. 0°.

[0084] At the closed position, sealing gasket 46 is tightly clamped within the annular gasket retaining groove 42 and deformed between facing ridges 48 and 38 thereby enhancing sealing of the container assembly 20.

[0085] Container 22 is configurable for nesting within like containers (Figs. 10A to 10D and 12). This is facilitated by front wall 28, back wall 30 and two opposite side walls 32 slightly tapering outwards from the base 26. In order to avoid clamping of a nesting container assembly, a nesting restricting shoulder 92 is formed at a base of the front locking mechanism 58, for bearing over an upright projection 94 of said locking mechanism 58. At the nested position, nesting restricting shoulder 92 of a nested container 22B bears over upright projection 94 of nesting container 22A. In addition, several rear nesting shoulders 96 are formed at ribs 99 of top portion of the back wall 30 of the container, for bearing over top edge 36 (Fig. 10D);

[0086] Figs.11 A to 1 IE illustrate how a lid 24 is detached from container 24. At an initial state, the container assembly is closed and locked (Fig. 11 A). Then, latches of locking mechanisms 58 are opened (Fig. 1 IB), whereby lid 24 can be pivotally displaced into an open position about arrow 101 (Fig. 11C). Once lid 24 has reached a displacing angle (upright) position as mentioned hereinabove (Fig. 1 ID), it can be detached from container 22 by displacing it upwards in direction of arrow 103 (Fig. 1 IE). in Fig. 12A, a plurality of container assemblies 20i - 20Viare stacked over one another, wherein a base of top container bears over a lid of a bottom container.

[0087] In Fig. 12B, a plurality of containers 22i - 22viare nested within one another as discussed hereinabove, with a plurality of lids 24i - 24Vibeing stacked over one another and over the top container 23vi.

[0088] According to some embodiments, a top face 29 of the lid 24 (Fig. 3A) is configured with a modular connectivity system 31 facilitating detachable articulation therewith of a variety of utility modules (not shown) and a bottom face 33 of the bottom base 26 (Fig. 5A) is configured with a modular connectivity system 35 facilitating detachable articulation therewith of a variety of utility modules (not shown). The connectivity system can be a male-female coupling system.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A , container assembly comprising a container and a lid; the container having side walls extending upwards from a bottom base, said side walls tapering outwardly from said base towards a top edge of the side walls; a detachably attachable lid articulable to a top rim of the top edge and wherein the lid is configurable between a closed position at which it is articulated along a side edge and closes the container, an open position at which the articulated lid is pivotally displaced into an upright position, and a detached position removed from the container; and wherein when the lid is removed, the container is nestable within like containers, and when the lid is articulated over the container the container is stackable over like containers.

2. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a hinge assembly comprising at least one hinge member at a hinging edge of the lid, said hinge member comprising an L-shaped bracket extending from a bottom face of the lid and facing outwards, with a stopper shoulder projecting downwardly from the free end thereof; and at least one hinge member arresting port configured at a hinging edge of the container, said at least one arresting port being disposed in registry with the at least one hinge member of the lid; said arresting port having an opening configured at one side with a stopper shoulder arresting ridge and another side with a bracket support.

3. The container assembly of claim 2, wherein at the closed position, the hinge member of the lid is received within the arresting port of the container, with at least a portion of the bracket bearing against the bracket support of the arresting port; and at the open position the stopper shoulder of the bracket bears against the stopper shoulder arresting ridge of the arresting port and an inside elbow portion of the L-shaped bracket bears over a top edge of the bracket support.

4. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid is detachable from the container only when the lid is at a displacing angle, in the range of about 80° - 100°.

5. The container assembly of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein, at the closed position, the bracket support of the arresting port is accommodated within an open space of the L-shaped bracket.

6. The container assembly of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the width of the opening of the arresting port is similar or slightly greater than the width of the L-shaped bracket and the stopper shoulder.

7. The container assembly of any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the bracket support has an external rounded corner facilitating smooth displacement thereover of the L- shaped bracket between the open position and closed position.

8. The container assembly of any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the L-shaped bracket of the hinge member extends inwards from a rear edge potion of the lid, whereby at the open position, at least a portion of a bottom-rear edge of the lid bears against a support portion at an outside face of the back wall of the container, supporting the lid at the upright position9. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, at the open position, the lid is disposed upright, slightly over a 90° position, so that the lid is retained at the open position and does not spontaneously displace into the closed position.

10. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, at the open position, the lid is retained at an angle greater than 90°, and typically in the range of 92° to 100°.

11. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the polygon-shaped container is a rectangle.

12. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the lid is sealingly articulable over the top rim of the top edge of the container.

13. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein one or both of a bottom face of the lid and the top rim of the container are configured with an annular sealing gasket.

14. The container assembly of claim 13, wherein the sealing gasket is receivable within an annular gasket retaining groove.

15. The container assembly of claim 13 or 14, wherein a sealing ridge is disposed on a surface facing the sealing gasket, wherein at the closed position said sealing ridge projects into the sealing gasket.

16. The container assembly of claim 15, wherein the top rim of the container is configured with a sealing ridge facing the gasket, wherein at the closed position said sealing ridge projects into and deforms the seal gasket.

17. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the container is configured with a nesting restricting shoulder to restrict nesting depth of a container within a like container.

18. The container assembly of claim 17, wherein the nesting restricting shoulder extends at one or more outside faces of the container.

19. The container assembly of claim 17 or 18, wherein the container comprises a locking mechanism for retaining the lid articulated to the container at the closed position, and wherein a front nesting shoulder is disposed at a base of the locking mechanism.

20. The container assembly of claim 19, wherein a rear nesting shoulder is disposed at a support portion at an outside face of the back wall of the container, said support portion supporting the lid at its open position.

21. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the container comprises a locking mechanism for retaining the lid articulated to the container at the closed position.

22. The container assembly of claim 21, wherein at the closed position, the locking mechanism exerts force over the sealing gasket to enhance sealing engagement with sealing ridge.

23. The container assembly of claim 21 or 22, wherein the locking mechanism is one or more locking latches.

24. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the lid and the container are manufactured by an injection molding process.

25. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the lid is stackable over like lids.

26. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the container is configurable with two carrying handles in form of a depression at opposite side walls, below the top rim.

27. The container assembly of any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein one or both of a top face of the lid and a bottom face of the bottom base are configured with a modular connectivity system facilitating detachable articulation therewith of a variety of utility modules.

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