U.S. patent application number 11/391090 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-11 for storage container lid.
Invention is credited to Patrick M. Flanagan, Justin O. Guthrie, Timothy D. Killinger, Bryan Rolfs.
Application Number | 20070235452 11/391090 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38561887 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070235452 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Killinger; Timothy D. ; et
al. |
October 11, 2007 |
Storage container lid
Abstract
A storage container lid includes a base portion having at least
one through opening and a cover portion including a first panel
hingedly attached to a second panel, the cover portion being
hingedly attached to the base portion. The first and second panels
may be moved independently of one another to access the at least
one through opening and wherein the at least one through opening is
covered when one of the first and second panels in a closed
position.
Inventors: |
Killinger; Timothy D.;
(Plainfield, IL) ; Flanagan; Patrick M.; (Chicago,
IL) ; Guthrie; Justin O.; (Chicago, IL) ;
Rolfs; Bryan; (Chicago, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARSHALL, GERSTEIN & BORUN LLP
233 S. WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 6300
SEARS TOWER
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Family ID: |
38561887 |
Appl. No.: |
11/391090 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/326 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 25/2835 20130101;
B65D 43/02 20130101; B65D 43/161 20130101; B65D 2543/00296
20130101; B65D 2251/1058 20130101; B65D 2543/0024 20130101; B65D
43/16 20130101; B42F 17/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/326 |
International
Class: |
B65D 45/16 20060101
B65D045/16 |
Claims
1. A storage container lid comprising: a base portion having at
least one through opening; and a cover portion including a first
panel hingedly attached to the base portion; wherein the first
panel may be moved independently of the base portion to access the
at least one through opening and wherein the at least one through
opening is covered when the first panel is in a closed
position.
2. The storage container lid of claim 1, further including a handle
attached to the base.
3. The storage container lid of claim 2, wherein the handle
comprises two attachment segments and a tubular connector
segment.
4. The storage container lid of claim 2, wherein the base includes
a shelf along a portion of a perimeter of the base and wherein the
handle is received by the shelf when the handle is not in use.
5. The storage container lid of claim 1, wherein the base portion
includes a second opening and the first panel is hingedly attached
to a second panel and both the first and second panels are hingedly
attached to the base portion.
6. The storage container lid of claim 5, wherein the first and
second panels are movable for accessing the at least one through
opening when the storage container lid is supported solely by the
handle.
7. The storage container lid of claim 5, wherein at least one of
the first and second panels is translucent.
8. The storage container lid of claim 5, wherein the base includes
a tray portion.
9. The storage container lid of claim 8, wherein the first panel
covers the at least one through opening and the second panel covers
the tray portion.
10. A storage container comprising: a lid comprising: a base
portion having at least one through opening; a cover portion
including a first panel hingedly attached to the base portion;
wherein the first panel may be moved independently of the base
portion to permit access to the at least one through opening and
wherein the at least one through opening is covered when the first
panel is in a closed position; a storage bin comprising; a base
panel; a front wall and a back wall extending from the base panel;
two side walls extending from the base panel; and a storage space
defined between the front, back and side walls; a latch movably
connected to the base portion of the lid; wherein the lid is
hingedly connected to the storage bin and the latch releasably
secures the lid to the storage bin and wherein the storage space is
accessible through the at least one through opening when the lid is
secured to the storage bin in a closed position.
11. The storage container of claim 10, including a handle disposed
on the lid.
12. The storage container of claim 1 1, wherein the base portion
includes a second opening and the first panel is hingedly attached
to a second panel and both the first and second panels are hingedly
attached to the base portion.
13. The storage container of claim 12, wherein the at least one of
the first and second panels is movable when the storage container
is supported solely by the handle.
14. The storage container of claim 12, wherein the base portion of
the lid includes a tray portion.
15. The storage container of claim 13, wherein the first panel
covers the at least one through opening and the second panel covers
the tray portion.
16. The storage container of claim 15, wherein one of the storage
space and the tray portion are accessible when the storage
container is supported solely by the handle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] 1. Field of the Disclosure
[0002] The disclosure is generally directed to a lid for a storage
container and more specifically, to a lid having more than one
access to a storage area of the storage container.
[0003] 2. Related Technology
[0004] Storage containers are well known in the art. Such
containers usually include a bin portion and a lid portion. The lid
portion is generally secured to the bin portion to prevent contents
stored in the bin from being ejected during movement of the storage
container, or to protect the contents of the storage container from
the environment. These storage containers generally attach the lid
to the bin portion in one of two ways. One way of attaching the lid
to the bin portion is to have the lid receive upper edges of the
bin in a snap-fit type configuration. Another way of attaching the
lid to the bin portion is to hinge the lid to the bin portion along
one edge of the lid and provide a latch along another edge of the
lid to releasably secure the lid to the bin portion.
[0005] Some storage bins have incorporated two-piece lids which
allow partial access to the items stored in the bin without
completely opening the lid. However, the storage container must be
placed on a surface before opening the lid, fully or partially.
Generally no known storage container includes a lid which allows
access to the items in the bin while the container is being
carried.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] A storage container lid is described herein and includes a
base portion having at least one through opening and a cover
portion including a first panel hingedly attached to the base
portion. The first panel may be moved independently of the base
portion to access the at least one through opening and wherein the
at least one through opening is covered when the first panel is in
a closed position.
[0007] Furthermore, a storage container is described including a
bin and a lid, the lid having a base portion including at least one
through opening and a cover portion including a first panel
hingedly attached to a second panel, the cover portion being
attached to the base portion. The first and second panels may be
moved independently of one another to access the at least one
through opening and wherein the at least one through opening is
covered when one of the first and second panels is in a closed
position. The bin has a base panel, a front wall and a back wall
extending from the base panel and two side walls extending from the
base panel. A storage space is defined between the front, back and
side walls. A latch is movably connected to the base portion of the
lid, and the lid is hingedly connected to the bin portion along one
side. The latch releasably secures the lid to the bin portion and
the storage space is accessible through the at least one through
opening when the base portion of the lid is secured to the bin in a
closed position.
[0008] Further details of the storage container lid of the present
disclosure may be appreciated with reference to the several views
of the drawings, as well as the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a storage
container lid and a storage container;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the storage container lid of
FIG. 1 mounted on a storage container in a closed position;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the storage container lid of
FIG. 1 mounted on a storage container in an open position; and
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the storage container lid of
FIG. 1 mounted on a storage container in an alternate open
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a storage container constructed in
accordance with the teachings of the disclosure. The storage
container includes a bin 20 and a lid 30. The lid 30 includes a
base 32 and a cover 34. The cover 34 has a first panel 36 and a
second panel 38. The first and second panels 36, 38 are hingedly
attached to one another so that in one position, the first and
second panels 36, 38 are substantially coplanar. Furthermore, the
lid 30 includes a handle 40 and a latch 42. The handle 40 may
include two attachment pieces 44 and a tubular connector piece
46.
[0014] The base 32 includes one or more openings 48, 50 therein.
The openings 48, 50 may be through openings 48, i.e. openings
permitting access through the lid, such as to a main compartment of
the storage container or tray openings 50, i.e. openings permitting
access to a sub-compartment or tray within the lid 30. A skirt 52
extends from a perimeter of the base 32. The skirt 52 includes an
arch 54 formed in one side thereof. The arch 54 partially receives
and shields the latch 42.
[0015] The first cover panel 36 includes a cover skirt 56 on either
side of a recessed edge 58. The recessed edge 58 receives an upper
portion of the arch 54 while the cover skirt 56 cooperates with a
top portion of the base 32 when the first cover panel 36 is in a
closed position. The second cover panel 38 is attached to the first
cover panel 36 along one side thereof via a hinge 60. The second
cover panel 38 is sized to cooperate with the tray opening 50 in
the base 32. The second cover panel 38 substantially covers the
tray opening 50 in a closed position. The first and second cover
panels 36, 38 are pivotably attached to the base 32 along a center
support beam 62. The first and second cover panels 36, 38 may be
opened or closed independently of one another. Additionally, the
first and second cover panels 36, 38 may be opened while the lid 30
is in a closed and secured position on the bin 20. The base panel
32 may include only one through opening 48 and one cover panel 36
if desired.
[0016] The handle 40 includes two attachment members 44 and a
tubular connector member 46. The attachment members 44 are
generally "C" shaped, connecting to the tubular connector member 46
at one end and connecting to the base 32 of the lid 30 at another
end. The attachment members 44 may cooperate with any length of
tubular connector member 46 thereby creating the ability to produce
different sized handles 40 solely by changing the length of the
tubular connector member 46.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lid 30 of FIG. 1 in a
closed and secured position on the bin 20. In this closed position,
the lid 30 covers and protects the storage space of the bin 20.
Further, the latch 42 secures the lid 30 in place. Additionally,
both the first and second lid openings 48, 50 are covered by the
first and second cover panels 36, 38 respectively.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lid 30 of FIG. 1 in an
open position on the bin 20. In this open position, the lid 30 is
hinged to the bin 20 along an edge opposite the latch 42 and the
latch 42 is released from the bin 20. The lid 30 is generally
angled relative to the base panel of the bin 20, exposing the
storage space of the bin 20. Furthermore, the first and second
openings 48, 50 are covered and secured by the first and second
panels 36, 38.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lid 30 of FIG. 1 in a
closed position, but having the first and second panels 36, 38 in
open positions, thus exposing the storage space of the bin 20
through the first lid opening 48 and exposing the tray storage
space through the second lid opening 50. While both the first and
second panels 36, 38 are shown open in the figure, either panel
could be opened independently of the other. This alternate lid
closed position allows a user to access the storage space of the
bin 20 or the tray storage space while the lid 30 is in a closed
position. In other words, a user may access the bin storage space
through the first lid opening 48 while the storage container is
supported by the handle 40.
[0020] While the disclosed embodiments are generally manufactured
from molded plastic, the storage container can, alternatively, be
constructed from virtually any suitable material. For example, the
storage container may be constructed from polystyrene,
polypropylene, polycarbonate, engineering grade plastic, ABS, TPE,
thermoplastics, metal, wood, organic materials, leather, glass and
or combination thereof.
[0021] Although certain storage containers have been described
herein in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure,
the scope of the appended claims is not limited thereto. On the
contrary, the claims cover all embodiments of the teachings of this
disclosure that fairly fall within the scope of permissible
equivalents.
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