STORAGE CONTAINER

• US 20100108556A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VDL Industries, LLC (Correctional Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VDL Industries, LLC (Correctional Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Claffy, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/261,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20100108556A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/508
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 11/24 Corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0219 the closure presenting projecting peripheral elements receiving or surrounding the bottom or peripheral elements projecting from the bottom of a superimposed container B65D21/0222 and B65D21/0223 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0233 Nestable containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/066 the movable parts being supports or feet, e.g. retractable feet, pivotable supports
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/04 Partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/12 guided for removal by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/14 Applications of locks, e.g. of permutation or key-controlled locks

Abstract

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. A container can also be stacked in a container without a lid by being supported by shoulders on the inside walls of the container without the lid after rotating the container to be nested so that the flutes on the container to be nested engage the shoulders of the container without the lid.

Claims

1. A storage container comprising:

a reinforced one piece molded plastic container with an open top having a bottom, generally parallel first and second side walls, opposed generally parallel first and second end walls integrally connected to the bottom,

upper portions of side walls and end walls including a perimeter forming a planar surface,

flutes vertically oriented from the bottom to the planar top surface on the side and end walls for reinforcing the side and end walls wherein the number of flutes are identical on all side and end walls but for one.

2. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the number of flutes is not identical on one end wall.

3. The storage container of claim 2, further comprising a sealable lid separate from the container and integrally molded from plastic in one piece being the size and dimension to cover the planar top surface and having a peripheral edge on three sides substantially perpendicular to planar top surface including a lip wherein the lip and peripheral edge are aligned to a raised edge of planar surface for covering the planar top surface of the storage container.

4. The storage container of claim 3, wherein the lid and planar top surface include at least one locking hasp for locking the fully engaged lid when at least one locking hasp of the lid is aligned with at least one locking hasp of the top planar surface.

5. The storage container of claim 4, including a locking hasp on the planar top surface on the first and second side walls.

6. The storage container of claim 4, wherein a lock is placed in the locking hasp for securing the lid to the top planar surface of the container.

7. The storage container of claim 4, including two locking hasps, each placed on the planar top surface of the first and second side walls, and two locks engaging the hasps allowing the lid to cover and lock the container from either side of the container.

8. The storage container of claim 3, wherein the top surface of the lid has one or more ridges for supporting a second container stacked thereon

9. The storage container of claim 3 wherein the top surface of the lid has reinforced corners for supporting a container stacked thereon.

10. The storage container of claim 1, wherein flutes are present on the inside and outside of the side and end walls of the container.

11. The storage container of claim 10, wherein flutes of a second container are aligned with flutes of the container so that the second container can nest in the container.

12. The storage container of claim 11, wherein flutes on outside side walls of the second container include an edge for engaging planar top surface of the container when nesting.

13. The storage container of claim 10, further comprising shoulders placed between flutes on the inside end walls of the container.

14. The storage container of claim 13, further comprises a second container, rotated 180 degrees placed onto the shoulders for stacking the second container in the container without a lid.

15. The storage container of claim 2, further comprising the lid including an underside having a brake that engages planar top surface when the lid is slid in an container opening position thereby limiting the size of the opening.

16. The storage container of claim 2, wherein the lid has a peripheral edge and lip on three sides preventing the lid from being pulled upwardly off the container when engaged to the container.

17. The storage container of claim 1, further comprising side and end walls having flanges for providing strength to the walls.

18. The storage container of claim 17, further comprising a sloping face adjacent the flanges on the side and end walls for providing strength to the walls.

19. The storage container of claim 10, further comprising a partition inserted in flutes on the inside walls of the container for separating space in the container.

20. The storage container of claim 3, further comprising an area for providing identifying indicia on the sealable lid.

21. The storage container of claim 1, further comprising an area for providing identifying indicia on the bottom of the container.

22. The storage container of claim 1, further comprising at least one flute vertically oriented from the bottom to the planar top surface on the side and end walls for reinforcing the side and end walls wherein the number of flutes are identical on all side and end walls but for one.

23. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the number of flutes is not identical on one side wall.