U.S. patent application number 14/254917 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-23 for storage box with venting option.
This patent application is currently assigned to OKT Germany GmbH. The applicant listed for this patent is OKT Germany GmbH. Invention is credited to Benjamin Kroll.
Application Number | 20140312108 14/254917 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48190019 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140312108 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kroll; Benjamin |
October 23, 2014 |
Storage Box with Venting Option
Abstract
A storage box has a container with circumferential sidewall and
upper rim. A cover is removably connected to the container. The
cover, when placed in a closure position on the container, is
resting on the rim. In the closure position, the cover is
positioned on the container in a sealing position or in a closing
position. The sidewall has a sidewall section with venting
openings. The cover has a cover wall extending downward into the
container interior. The cover wall is positioned where the sidewall
section is located in the closure position. The cover wall is
resting seal-tightly on an inner wall of the sidewall in the
sealing position of the cover. The cover has venting passages. In
the closing position of the cover, the venting passages extend from
the container interior to the sidewall and open into the venting
openings without the cover wall covering the venting openings.
Inventors: |
Kroll; Benjamin;
(Gross-Gerau, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
OKT Germany GmbH |
Stemwede |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
OKT Germany GmbH
Stemwede
DE
|
Family ID: |
48190019 |
Appl. No.: |
14/254917 |
Filed: |
April 17, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/120 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2543/00537
20130101; B65D 43/0218 20130101; B65D 2543/00481 20130101; B65D
2543/00509 20130101; B65D 1/22 20130101; B65D 2543/0025 20130101;
B65D 2543/00555 20130101; B65D 51/1627 20130101; B65D 2543/00194
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/120 |
International
Class: |
B65D 1/22 20060101
B65D001/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 17, 2013 |
EP |
13 002 015 |
Claims
1. A storage box comprising: a container having a circumferentially
extending sidewall with an upper circumferentially extending rim; a
cover adapted to be removably connected to the container; wherein
the cover, when placed in a closure position on the container, is
resting on the upper circumferentially extending rim; wherein, in
the closure position, the cover is adapted to be positioned on the
container in a sealing position or in a closing position; wherein
the circumferentially extending sidewall has a sidewall section
with one or more venting openings; wherein the cover has a
downwardly extending cover wall that extends downwardly into an
interior of the container, wherein the cover wall is positioned
where the sidewall section is located in the closure position;
wherein the cover wall is resting seal-tightly on an inner wall
surface of the sidewall section in the sealing position of the
cover; wherein the cover has one or more venting passages; wherein,
in the closing position of the cover, the one or more venting
passages extend from the interior of the container to the
circumferentially extending sidewall of the container and open into
the one or more venting openings without the cover wall of the
cover covering the one or more venting openings.
2. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the one or more
venting openings are arranged in the upper area of the
container.
3. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the one or more
venting openings have a non-round shape.
4. The storage box according to claim 3, wherein a longitudinal
axis of the one or more venting openings extends in a horizontal
direction.
5. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the
circumferentially extending upper rim has a non-round shape so that
the cover can be positioned only in positive-lockingly
predetermined positions on the container.
6. The storage box according to claim 1, comprising locking
connections that are adapted to lock the cover on the
container.
7. The storage box according to claim 1, comprising locking
elements that are adapted to lock the cover on the container.
8. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein on one side of the
circumferentially extending sidewall several of the venting
openings are arranged spaced apart from each other in a horizontal
direction, wherein the venting openings have a width that is
smaller than a width of portions of the sidewall section that are
intermediately positioned between the venting openings.
9. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the container has
a symmetric basic shape, wherein the venting openings are
positioned on opposite sides of the circumferentially extending
sidewall and are arranged non-symmetrically relative to a line that
connects the opposite sides at a center of a width of the opposite
sides.
10. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the container is
made of transparent or translucent plastic material.
11. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the cover is made
of transparent or translucent plastic material.
12. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the cover has two
of said cover walls on opposite ends of the cover, wherein the
cover walls are arranged on the cover such that, in the sealing
position of the cover, the cover walls cover seal-tightly the one
or more venting openings and, upon rotation of the cover about 180
degrees about a vertical axis, the cover walls do not cover the one
or more venting openings.
13. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the cover wall
has cover wall sections extending between the venting passages,
wherein the cover wall sections each have a width in the
circumferential direction that is greater than a width of each one
of the one or more venting openings in the circumferential
direction, and wherein the cover wall sections each have a vertical
height that is greater than a vertical height of each one of the
one or more venting openings.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a storage box with a container
comprising a circumferentially extending sidewall and a removable
cover, wherein the container has an upper circumferentially
extending rim and the cover, in its closure position, is resting on
the upper circumferentially extending rim and contacts seal-tightly
a portion of the inner wall of the container with a cover wall of
the cover.
[0002] DE 20 2005 020 035 U1 discloses a storage box of the
aforementioned kind. The cover is designed such that it is capable
of air-tightly closing the interior of the container in the closure
position. In order to be able to vent the interior of the container
(allowing air in or allowing air out), a closure element is
inserted in the cover of the container that can be attached or
removed as desired. In addition, a check valve is provided with
which a vacuum is to be generated and maintained in the
container.
[0003] The separate closure element is not optimal with regard to
handling because, as a separate component, it might be lost.
Producing the components requires additional expenditure for a
separate mold and for assembly of the parts. Also, maintenance is
more difficult because the component geometries of the closure
element generate a lot of corners and edges where residues of food
may collect that may be difficult to remove.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
storage box of the aforementioned kind that is closeable but, as
needed, can also be closed so as to enable venting for allowing gas
in or out with minimal expenditure.
[0005] In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved
for a storage container of the aforementioned kind in that the
cover in the closure position can be placed onto the container in a
sealing position or in a closing position, as needed; in that the
sidewall is provided with one or more venting openings in a
sidewall section into which a cover wall of the cover projects
downwardly and which is contacted seal-tightly in the sealing
position by the cover wall; and in that on the cover one or several
venting passages are formed which, in the closing position of the
cover, extend from the interior of the container to the sidewall of
the container and that open into the venting opening or venting
openings, without a seal-tight contact of the cover wall of the
cover in the area of the venting passage.
[0006] According to the invention, the cover is placed
conventionally in the closure position onto the container when the
goods placed into the container are to be secured against falling
out and/or are to be protected from undesirable contact with other
objects. In contrast to the prior art, the user can now select
whether the cover is to be positioned in a sealing position or in a
closing position onto the container. The venting openings in the
sidewall of the container provide the option that, even when the
cover is secured on the container, gasses or even liquids and
solids can be exchanged between the interior of the container and
the environment. The cover is designed such that in the sealing
position it is contacting with a cover wall seal-tightly a sidewall
section of the container where the venting opening or venting
openings are located so that, by means of the contacting cover wall
of the cover, the venting openings are sealed off. In the closing
position of the cover, the venting passages open at and into the
venting openings so that the venting openings are not covered and a
gas exchange or even exchange of liquids and solids between the
interior of the container and the environment is still
possible.
[0007] The sealing position thus differs from the closing position
in that the container is not just generally closed by placing the
cover onto the container wherein the venting openings are still in
communication with the interior of the container through the
venting passages formed in the cover, but the container is closed
off such that the venting openings are also covered by one or
several cover wall sections of the cover wall of the cover that are
resting seal-tightly on the venting openings and, in this way, the
venting openings are closed off so that gas exchange or exchange of
liquids or solids through the venting openings is at least mostly
prevented. In the sealing position, the interior is thus not
necessarily completely sealed off relative to the environment but
the contents of the container is however at least protected from
splashing water and dust also cannot enter unhindered the interior
of the container. This is the meaning of the term sealing position
as used in the instant specification.
[0008] In the container, one or several venting openings can be
provided. For venting purposes, it may be sufficient to form only a
single venting opening in the container but it is also possible to
provide several venting openings. They can have different sizes,
shapes and positions on the container.
[0009] In order for the cover to selectively cover or not cover the
venting openings in the sealing position and the closing position,
it is required to arrange the venting openings in a sidewall
section of the sidewall into which a cover wall of the cover
projects at least in the sealing position. Depending on the
position of the venting openings, the cover wall formed on the
cover can thus project downwardly into the lower area of the
container.
[0010] The term venting passages means a shaped section of the
cover. The shaped section is such that the outwardly closed cover
surface extends to a level at which, in the closing position of the
cover, the cover surface at least in the area of the outer rim of
the cover projects past the venting openings. Moreover, the cover
in the mouth area of the venting passage has no cover wall section
of the cover wall positioned at the venting openings which contacts
seal-tightly the sidewall of the container in the area of the
venting opening; accordingly, through the venting openings gas can
flow into the container interior and out of the container interior.
The cover can be configured such that each venting opening of the
container has associated therewith its own venting passage. It is
also possible however to embody the cover to have one venting
passage for several venting openings of the container; then, in the
intermediate space between the recesses in the cover wall where the
venting passage opens into a venting opening, a skirt can be
advantageously arranged in an area of the cover where in the
sealing position of the cover it is resting seal-tightly on the
corresponding venting opening.
[0011] By integration of the venting option into the housing
(container) and the cover, a separate closure element is no longer
needed. Additional mounting expenditure is eliminated because only
the housing (container) part and the cover part are present. By
integration of the venting openings into the sidewall of the
housing (container), the complicated component geometries which are
difficult to clean are eliminated also. Since no additional
separate component in addition to the housing (container) and the
cover is required, such an additional separate component cannot be
lost. Cleaning of the components is simplified and the container
has therefore hygienic advantages.
[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the venting
openings are arranged in the upper area of the container. When
escape of liquids from the container is to be made more difficult
despite the venting openings, this arrangement is advantageous. In
particular, the venting openings can be arranged immediately below
the circumferentially extending rim.
[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the venting
openings have a non-round shape. By providing a non-round shape
which can be designed, for example, slot-shaped or elliptically
shaped, the maximum width of the venting opening is limited,
despite a larger surface area as a whole of the venting opening, in
relation to its length so that the objects stored in the container,
depending on their size and shape, cannot fall out easily from the
container through the venting openings, even though a venting rate
can be obtained which corresponds to the realized total surface
area of the venting openings. The venting openings can also have a
circular shape wherein then however the diameter of the openings in
relation to the surface area of the venting openings can be greater
than for a non-round configuration. Depending on the material to be
stored in the container, this may be of no consequence however.
[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, the
longitudinal axes of the venting openings extend in horizontal
direction. Due to the horizontal extension of the longitudinal
axis, the venting openings in relation to their width have a
reduced height. In particular when the venting openings are
arranged in the upper area of the container and closer to the
circumferentially extending rim, the protective function of the
sidewall remains intact across almost the entire height. When the
container is in horizontal position, liquids can hardly splash out
of the container even when the container is moved because the
liquid level is usually still below the lowermost edge of the
venting openings even then.
[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the
circumferentially extending upper rim has a non-round shape so that
the cover can be placed only in certain positive-lockingly
predetermined positions onto the container. Due to the non-round
shape, the user is therefore forced to decide whether the cover is
to be positioned in the sealing position or in the closing position
onto the container because it is no possible to place the cover in
just any placement position on the container. In case of round
shapes of the circumferentially extending upper rim it would be
possible, depending on the rotational position of the cover, to
place the cover also in intermediate positions onto the container
in which the venting openings would only be partially closed.
[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the cover can
be locked on the container by locking (snap-on) connections and/or
by closure elements. By means of the locking connections that can
be activated simply by placement of the cover onto the container,
the cover is secured in its closure position and can be detached
only with a particular force expenditure from the container. By
means of the locking action, the cover is in particular safely held
in the sealing position in which gasses or liquids cannot pass
unhindered into the container or out of the container because the
cover wall sections of the cover wall of the cover are secured
seal-tightly at the venting openings. Particular closure elements
such as, for example, slidable bars, clamping flaps or the like
require separate activation but can also provide an increased
degree of safety with regard to accidental opening of the cover, in
particular when several such closure elements are present.
[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, on one side of
the circumferentially extending sidewall several venting openings
are arranged horizontally spaced apart from each other and the
venting openings have a reduced width in comparison to the portions
of the sidewall section of the sidewall interposed between them.
With the reduced width of the venting openings in relation to the
width of the interposed portions of the sidewall section of the
sidewalls, it is possible to design the cover wall sections of the
cover wall that are seal-tightly resting on the venting openings in
the sealing position of the cover to be of such a width that they
project with overlap past the venting openings in seal-tight
contact so that seal-tightness is increased.
[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, the container
has a symmetric basic shape and the venting openings are positioned
on opposite sides of the circumferentially extending sidewall and
are not mirror-symmetrical to a line that connects the two sides at
the center of the width of the sides. In such an arrangement of the
venting openings in a symmetric container, the cover wall sections
of the cover wall of the cover, which are in seal-tight contact in
the sealing position, also must not be mirror-symmetrical to a line
that connects the two sides at the center of the width of the sides
when they are to be in seal-tight contact in the sealing position.
In particular when the venting openings arranged on opposite sides
of the circumferentially extending sidewall have no lateral offset
relative to one another in relation to the line that connects the
two sides at the center of their width, a configuration of the
cover and of the container results in which the cover must only be
rotated by 180 degrees about its vertical axis in order to move the
cover from the sealing position into the closing position, and vice
versa. As a symmetric basic shape, a rectangular shape is
conceivable, for example.
[0019] According to one embodiment of the invention, the container
and/or the cover are made of a transparent or translucent plastic
material. Through the transparent or translucent plastic material,
the user can recognize whether the cover has been placed in a
sealing position or closing position onto the container.
[0020] According to one embodiment of the invention, the cover wall
sections are arranged in a position on the cover such that in the
sealing position they are resting seal-tightly at the venting
openings and, upon rotation of the cover by 180 degrees about the
vertical axis, do not cover and thus open up the venting openings.
In this configuration, the venting function can be easily actuated
by the user of the storage box because the user must only make a
selection between one of two possibilities for positioning the
cover on the container.
[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the cover wall
sections have a greater width and height than the venting openings.
Due to the greater dimensions of the cover wall sections an
excellent covering action is ensured.
[0022] It is expressly noted that the afore described
configurations of the invention taken alone, but also in any
suitable combination with each other, can be combined with the
subject matter of the independent claim inasmuch as this is not
prevented by technical constraints.
[0023] Further modifications and preferred embodiments of the
invention can be taken from the following description of the
subject matter and from the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective bottom view of the storage box.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of the cover of the storage
box.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective top view of the storage box.
[0027] FIG. 4 is a section view of an open venting opening along
the section line A-A of FIG. 3 with the cover in closing
position.
[0028] FIG. 5 is a section view of the closed venting opening along
the section line A-A of FIG. 3 with the cover in sealing
position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] FIG. 1 discloses a storage box 2 in a perspective bottom
view. The storage box 2 has a container 4 into which food or other
objects can be placed wherein the interior of the container 4 is
laterally bounded by a sidewall 6 that ends in upward direction at
the upper rim 8. The storage box 2 further comprises a cover 10
that is placed onto the upper rim 8. The storage box 2 can be put
down with bottom 12 of the container 4 being placed onto a support
surface.
[0030] The visible end face of the container 4 in FIG. 1 is
provided below the upper rim 8 with four venting openings 14. The
venting openings 14 are slot-shaped. In outward direction, the
venting openings 14 are covered by the cover 10 and the bead-shaped
projecting upper rim 8 so that they are not fully visible in the
illustrated view.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a cover 10 in a perspective top view. The cover
10 is provided with shaped venting passages 16. The venting
passages 16 are not mirror-symmetrical relative to a line 18 that
connects the two end faces or opposite sides at the center of their
width. Between the venting passages 16 there are cover wall
sections 20 of a cover wall which in the sealing position of the
cover 10 are resting seal-tightly at the venting openings 14. The
venting passages 16 as well as the cover wall sections 20 are
positioned on opposite sides of the cover 10 each at the same
location; accordingly, the arrangement of the venting passages 16
and the cover wall sections 20 is mirror-symmetrical relative to
the transverse axis 22. When the cover 10 is rotated by 180 degrees
about the vertical axis 24, a wall section 20 will be positioned
where beforehand in the position of FIG. 2 a venting passage 16 was
located; at the locations where in FIG. 2 the wall sections 20 are
positioned, the venting passages 16 will be arranged after rotation
by 180 degrees. Accordingly, by 180 degree rotation in the
illustrated embodiment, the cover 10 is positioned either in the
sealing position or in the closing position on the container 4 when
the cover 10 is placed onto the container.
[0032] In FIG. 3, a perspective top view of the container 4 is
shown. In this perspective view the inner walls of the container 4
are partially visible. In this view it can be seen that the upper
rim 8 is designed as a circumferentially extending bead in that the
sidewall 6 is downwardly bent by approximately 180 degrees in an
arc shape. The container 4 has a parallelepipedal basic shape and
the corners of the sidewall 6 and of the upper rim 8 are rounded.
At both end faces of the container 4, in the transition area from
the sidewall 6 to the upper rim 8, sidewall sections are provided
that have two venting openings 14a and two venting openings 14b
arranged on the left side of the connecting line 18 as well as two
venting openings 14a' and two venting openings 14b' on the right
side of the connecting line 18. As has already been explained in
connection with the venting passages 16 and the cover wall sections
20 in the cover 10, the venting openings 14 and the intermediately
positioned portions of the sidewall section of the sidewall 6 are
not mirror-symmetrical to a line 18 that connects the two end faces
at the center of their width. With a corresponding arrangement of
the venting passages 16 and of the cover wall sections 20 in the
cover 10, there is thus the option, depending on how the cover 10
is placed onto the container 4, to vent the interior of the
container 4 by the venting openings 14 in the closing position or
to prevent venting in the sealing position. While the arrangement
of the venting openings 14a/14b is not mirror-symmetrical to the
venting openings 14a'/14b' for mirror imaging relative to the
connecting line 18, the venting openings 14a, 14a' are however
mirror-symmetrical relative to the venting openings 14b, 14b' with
respect to the transverse axis 22.
[0033] In FIG. 4 a cross section view of the container 4 and the
cover 10 along the section line A-A in FIG. 3 is shown. In the
illustration of FIG. 4, the cover 10 is in the closing position in
which by means of the venting opening 14 a free gas exchange
between the interior of the container 4 and the outer environment
is possible as indicated by the double-headed arrow. In the
cross-sectional view the ramp can be seen clearly by means of which
the level of the cover 10 is extending from the lower plane in the
central area of the cover 10 into the higher plane of the cover
rim. In the rim area the wall of the cover 10 thus projects in the
closing position past the top edge of the venting opening 14 so
that the latter in the closing position is not covered by the cover
10. In the view of FIG. 4, it is also shown that the cover wall
section 20 in the closing position is resting seal-tightly on an
inner wall surface of a portion of the sidewall section of the
sidewall 6 which is located between neighboring venting openings 14
and is of a closed design.
[0034] In FIG. 5, the section view along the line A-A of FIG. 3 is
shown when the cover 10 is in the sealing position. In the view of
FIG. 5 one can see that now the cover wall section 20 of the cover
10 completely covers the entire area of the venting opening 14 and
is resting seal-tightly on the sidewall 6 so that now a free gas
exchange between the interior of the container 4 and the outer
environment is not possible anymore. The venting passage 16 is now
in a position in which it is positioned before the closed
intermediate potion of the sidewall section of the sidewall 6
between two neighboring venting openings 14. Since the sidewall 6,
as shown in FIG. 5, is of a closed design in this area of the
venting passage 16, no gas (air) exchange between the interior of
the container 4 and the environment takes place by means of the
venting passage 16 in the sealing position of the cover 10. The
venting opening 14 in the sealing position of the cover 10 is
completely and gas-tightly covered across the entire surface area
by the cover wall section 20.
[0035] The specification incorporates by reference the entire
disclosure of European priority application 13 002 015 having a
filing date of Apr. 17, 2013.
[0036] The invention is not limited to the afore described concrete
embodiments. A person of skill in the art will modify the invention
as disclosed and exemplified by the described embodiments in a way
that appears suitable to the artisan for a particular application.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and
described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will
be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without
departing from such principles.
* * * * *