U.S. patent number 3,741,433 [Application Number 05/123,993] was granted by the patent office on 1973-06-26 for box having a carrying handle-latch.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Voplex Corporation. Invention is credited to Ralph C. Bentley, James R. Burroughs.
United States Patent |
3,741,433 |
Bentley , et al. |
June 26, 1973 |
BOX HAVING A CARRYING HANDLE-LATCH
Abstract
A thin plastic rigidified box comprising a receptacle, a cover
for the receptacle, and a detent and carrying handle-latch for
releasably securing the cover to the receptacle. The carrying
handle latch is movable between an unlatched position in which the
cover may be readily removed from the receptacle, and a latched
position in which the latch serves the dual function of releasably
securing the cover to the receptacle and providing a carrying
handle for the box. The carrying handle-latch comprises a flexible
arm having a handle forming hook latch for latching onto a shoulder
on the receptacle, and one or more auxiliary flap latches integral
with the arm that are forced past a flange and into a notch in the
receptacle for greatly increasing the force required to move the
hook latch to its unlatched position.
Inventors: |
Bentley; Ralph C. (Canadaigua,
NY), Burroughs; James R. (Long Island, NY) |
Assignee: |
Voplex Corporation (Pittsford,
NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22412142 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/123,993 |
Filed: |
March 15, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/318; 206/527;
220/326; 220/771 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
45/20 (20130101); B65D 25/2897 (20130101); B65D
43/0212 (20130101); B65D 2543/00796 (20130101); B65D
2543/00296 (20130101); B65D 2543/00537 (20130101); B65D
2543/00685 (20130101); B65D 2543/00629 (20130101); B65D
2543/00509 (20130101); B65D 2543/0074 (20130101); B65D
2543/00555 (20130101); B65D 2543/00407 (20130101); B65D
2543/00194 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
43/02 (20060101); B65D 45/00 (20060101); B65D
45/20 (20060101); B65D 25/28 (20060101); A47j
027/08 (); A47j 036/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/55.7,55R,55G,6R,97F,94A ;229/44,45 ;206/1R,73 ;150/.5 ;190/55R
;292/87,DIG.30 ;16/11R,124 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Rothberg; Samuel B.
Assistant Examiner: Marcus; Stephen
Claims
We claim:
1. A handle-latch for a box having a receptacle and a cover,
comprising:
a shoulder on the receptacle forming a handle for the
receptacle;
flexible latch means on the cover movable to a latched position in
which said latch means is flexed into engagement with said shoulder
to releasably latch the cover on the receptacle, and further
cooperates with said shoulder to provide a handle for the box which
when manually lifted helps to retain said latch means in its
latched position;
said cover extends between first and second substantially parallel,
spaced-apart, end wall surfaces;
said receptacle further having a flange adjacent one end of said
shoulder and extending from said first wall surface toward said
second wall surface to form a notch between said flange and said
second wall surface;
said latch means comprises a flexible arm having a hook end for
releasably engaging said shoulder when moved to its latched
position; and
said hook end further having a laterally-extending flexible flap
adapted to engage said flange and to be flexed past said flange and
to nest in said notch to greatly increase the force required to
move said latch means to its unlatched position.
2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said shoulder has a
depression and said latch means comprises a flexible arm having a
depending hook end for releasably engaging said depression when
said latch means is moved to its latched position.
3. A handle-latch for a plastic molded box having a receptacle and
a cover, comprising:
an end wall of the receptacle having first and second,
substantially parallel, spaced-apart end surfaces and a shoulder
extending between said first and second surfaces, said shoulder
having a depression adjacent said second end surface;
said end wall further having a flange at one end of said shoulder
and extending from said first end surface toward said second end
surface and spaced therefrom to form a notch; and
flexible latch means on the cover comprising a hook latch and a
flap latch, said latch means being movable to a latched position in
which said hook latch is flexed into engagement with said
depression in said shoulder to releasably latch the cover on the
receptacle and to cooperate with said shoulder to provide a handle
for the box which when manually lifted helps to retain said latch
means in its latched position, and said flap latch is flexed past
said flange and into said notch to increase the force required to
move said latch means to an unlatched position.
4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said latch means
comprises a flexible arm having one end hingedly secured to said
cover and a pull tab on its other end, and said hook latch is
adjacent said pull tab, and said flap latch is a
laterally-extending flexible flap between said pull tab and said
hook latch.
5. The invention according to claim 4 wherein said arm is shaped as
an inverted T, and said one end of said flexible arm is integrally
formed with an edge of said cover, said end wall has a flange at
each end of said shoulder, and said flap latch comprises a pair of
oppositely-directed, laterally-extending flexible flaps between
said pull tab and said hook latch.
6. In a plastic molded box, the combination comprising:
a receptacle having two flexible side walls, two flexible end
walls, and a bottom wall in which all of said walls have
rigidifying elongated grooves and/or ridges;
said end walls having first and second, substantially parallel,
spaced-apart end surfaces and a shoulder extending between said
first and second surfaces, said shoulder having a depression
adjacent said second end surface;
said end walls each further having a flange at each end of said
shoulder and extending from said first end surface toward said
second end surface and spaced therefrom to form a notch;
a flexible cover for said receptacle having rigidifying elongated
grooves and/or ridges; and
latch means on opposite ends of said cover and movable into a
latched position in engagement with corresponding shoulders and
flanges on said receptacle, each of said latch means comprising a
flexible inverted T-shaped arm having one end integral with said
cover, a pull tab at its other end, and a hook latch adjacent said
pull tab for releasably engaging a corresponding depression in said
shoulder when said hook latch is moved to said latched position,
said arm further having flap latches comprising
oppositely-directed, laterally-extending flexible flaps between
said pull tab and said hook latch adapted to engage said flanges
and to be flexed past said flanges and into said notches where said
flaps regain their original shape to increase the force required to
move said latch means to an unlatched position.
7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein at least one of said
side walls has an elongated ridge parallel to its edge, and the
corresponding side of said cover has an elongated bead engageable
with said ridge when said cover is mounted on said receptacle to
form a detent for releasably locking said side of said cover to
said receptacle.
8. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said second end
surface is provided with a recess in register with said pull tab to
facilitate manual grasping of said pull tab for moving said latch
means to its unlatched position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to latched receptacles, and more
specifically to a box having a detent and carrying
handle-latch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Boxes comprising receptacles having hinged or unhinged covers that
are held in a closed position by any suitable latch means are well
known in the art. All of such latch means to applicant's knowledge
serve only one function and that is to releasably secure the cover
to the receptacle in a latched position. Although the variety and
forms of latch means available on the market are too numerous to
mention, a great need still exists for a box and latch means of
simple design and construction, thoroughly reliable in operation,
and economical to manufacture. Preferably, such a latch means
should not only releasably secure the cover to the receptacle, but
in addition should provide a carrying handle for the box, the
handle and latch means being so constructed that when force is
applied to the handle to lift the box, such force serves to
positively hold the latch means in its latched position. This
greatly reduces the likelihood of the latch means becoming
unlatched during handling of the boxes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention includes within its scope an improved box comprising
a five-sided rectangular receptacle, a cover for the receptacle,
and a carrying handle-latch means for releasably securing the cover
to the receptacle. The receptacle and cover are preferably formed
of a thin flexible rigidified plastic material, and the box cover
has depending sides that completely encircle the upper end of the
receptacle. One or more of the sides of the receptacle has a
longitudinally extending rim along the upper edge of the side which
cooperates with a lip along the corresponding edge of the side of
the cover to provide a detent for initially holding the cover onto
the receptacle to facilitate latching the latch means. The carrying
handle-latch means comprises a flexible inverted T-shaped arm
hingedly secured to the cover and having a resilient hook at one
end adapted to releasably engage a shoulder on the receptacle, and
to cooperate therewith to form a handle for the receptacle. The
T-shaped arm further has at least one resilient auxiliary flap
latch which is forced past a complimentary flange on the receptacle
and into a recess behind the flange.
The objects of the invention include an improved box having a
carrying handle-latch serving the dual function of releasably
securing a cover on the box and providing a carrying handle for the
box without protruding past the end of the box to waste storage and
stacking space.
Another object is a carrying handle-latch means of simple design
and construction, thoroughly reliable in operation, and economical
to manufacture, with both cover and receptacle being stackable to
conserve space and facilitate the return of empties.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the
invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the box and latch mechanism of this
invention showing the box cover in a partially open position;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the box of FIG. 1 in a closed
position;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged segmental section view taken substantially
along line 3 -- 3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the box of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a segmental side elevational view of the box of FIG. 2
looking at it from line 5 -- 5; and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged segmental section view taken along line 6 --
6 of FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to the drawings, a box 10 is shown comprising an
open-ended, five-walled receptacle 12 having a bottom wall 14, two
end walls 16, and two side walls 18, and a cover 20 for the
receptacle having a top wall 22, two end walls 24 and two side
walls 26 which is mountable over the open end of the receptacle 12.
The box 10 is preferably injection-molded from any suitable plastic
and is provided with spaced grooves 28 in the end and side walls
16, 18 respectively, radially extending grooves 30 in top wall 22,
and ridges 32,34 in the bottom wall 14 (see FIG. 4) to add rigidity
to the box. At least one of the side walls 26 of the cover 20 is
provided with a bead 36 (See FIGS. 1 and 6) along the edge which in
the closed position of cover 20 cooperates with the lower edge of a
longitudinal ridge 38 along the upper edge of side walls 18 to
provide a detent for assisting in holding cover 20 on receptacle 12
to facilitate closing a latch means, now to be described.
The carrying handle-latch means comprises a flexible inverted
T-shaped plastic arm 40 having one end 42 preferably integrally
molded with cover 22 along an edge 44 of end wall 24 to provide a
hinge for arm 40 and having a pull tab 46 at its other end. A hook
latch 48 having an elongated, arcuate ridge 50 (See FIG. 3) is
provided adjacent pull tab 46. Due to its flexibility, hook latch
48 may be forced past a shoulder 52 extending between parallel,
spaced apart end wall surfaces 54, 56 as best seen in FIG. 3, and
into an elongated depression 58 of shoulder 52 for releasably
holding the cover 20 in a closed position, and cooperating with
shoulder 52 to provide a convenient handle for box 10. The box
further has auxiliary flap latches comprising oppositely-directed,
laterally-extending, flexible flaps 60 on arm 40 positioned between
pull tab 46 and hook latch 48 which may be flexed past
corresponding flanges 62 molded into the receptacle in the path of
flaps 60. The flanges 62 extend from wall surface 54 toward wall
surface 56 to form notches 64 between flanges 62 and wall surface
56. The flaps 60 enter the notches 64 and then regain their
original shape for assisting in holding the hook latch 48 in its
latched position. It should be noted that the hook latch 48 -
shoulder 52 arrangement is such that when the hook latch is in its
latched position as seen in FIG. 3, any attempt to lift the box by
engaging the undersurface of the ridges 50 will cause the weight of
box 10 to forcibly press the ridges 50 and associated depressions
58 together thereby assisting in holding the hook latch in its
latched position. A recess 66 is provided in wall surface 56 in
register with pull tab 46 to facilitate manual grasping of the pull
tab for moving the latch means to its unlatched position as seen in
FIG. 1. Preferably, latch-handles are arranged on each of the
opposite ends of the box as shown in the bottom view of FIG. 4.
The invention has been described in detail with particular
reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be
understood that variations and modifications can be effected within
the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove.
* * * * *