STORAGE CONTAINER

• US 20180127162A1
• Filed: 09/13/2017
• Published: 05/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Murrill
• Original Assignee: Steven Murrill
• Inventors: Murrill, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 10,442,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/16 of curved cross-section, e.g. cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/005 both cup and skirt
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00537 on the outside, or a part turned to the outside of the mouth of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00555 on both the inside and the outside
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00842 outside of the lid
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00972 Collars or rings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0204 secured by snapping over beads or projections
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/162 the container, the lid and the hinge being made of one piece B65D43/161 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/164 and connected by interfitting hinge elements integrally with the container and the lid formed respectively
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/165 these elements being assembled by a separate pin-like member
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 45/025 Closure members opened by lever action and maintained closed by spring action B65D45/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2003/025 having three knuckles
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/06 with two or more pins E05D7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/009 Elongate hinges, e.g. piano-hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/1044 in an axial direction E05D7/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass

Abstract

A storage container is provided. The container includes a receptacle and a lid connected to the receptacle by a hinge. The lid has a latch for sealing the receptacle closed. The receptacle and the lid are each made from a continuous unitary piece of material that has hinge components formed within the material.

Claims

1. ) A container comprising a receptacle and a lid rotatably connected to the receptacle via a hinge, wherein the hinge comprises a mating pin and knuckle, wherein the pin is configured for one-way insertion into the knuckle such that the pin is locked in an axially fixed position relative to the knuckle when mated with the knuckle, and wherein the pin and knuckle freely rotate back and forth relative to each other within a defined angle of rotation between an open lid position and a closed lid position when the pin is mated with the knuckle, wherein the lid has a latch configured to seal the receptacle closed when in the closed lid position.

2. ) The container of claim 1, wherein the pin has a body and a head having a diameter greater than a diameter of the body, wherein the knuckle defines a passageway axially aligned with and sized to receive the head of the pin therein, wherein the knuckle has an edge sized and positioned to contact a bottom surface of the head of the pin after insertion of the pin into the knuckle, and wherein the edge prevents axial movement of the pin in a direction opposite a direction of insertion.

3. ) The container of claim 1, wherein the pin is attached to a first leaf that is attached to the lid, and the knuckle is attached to a second leaf that is attached to the receptacle.

4. ) The container of claim 3, wherein the lid, the first leaf, the pin, and the latch are formed from a unitary injection molded piece of material.

5. ) The container of claim 3, wherein the receptacle, the second leaf, and the knuckle are formed from a unitary injection molded piece of material.

6. ) The container of claim 1, further comprising a handle having two ends each rotatably secured to an opposing side of the receptacle, wherein the lid has handle guides attached to opposing sides of the lid and extending outwardly from the lid, wherein the handle guides are positioned to move the lid from a closed lid position to an open lid position when rotating the handle from one side of the receptacle to an opposite side of the receptacle.

7. ) A container comprising a receptacle and a lid rotatably connected to the receptacle via a hinge, wherein the lid has a latch configured to seal the receptacle closed when the lid is in a closed position, wherein the hinge comprises a plurality of axially aligned pins attached to a first leaf and a plurality of spaced knuckles attached to a second leaf, wherein each knuckle corresponds to a respective pin, wherein each pin has a body and a head having a diameter greater than a diameter of the body, wherein each knuckle defines a passageway axially aligned with and sized to receive the head of one of the plurality of pins therein, wherein each knuckle has an edge sized and positioned to contact a bottom surface of the head of one of the plurality of pins after insertion of the pin into the knuckle, and wherein the edge prevents axial movement of the pin in a direction opposite a direction of insertion.

8. ) The container of claim 7, wherein the lid, the first leaf, the plurality of axially aligned pins, and the latch are formed from a unitary injection molded piece of material.

9. ) The container of claim 7, wherein the receptacle, the second leaf, and the plurality of spaced knuckles are formed from a unitary injection molded piece of material.

10. ) The container of claim 7, wherein each knuckle defines an open passageway.

11. ) The container of claim 10, wherein each knuckle has a grooved notch extending along a length of the knuckle in an axial direction, wherein the notch allows the knuckle to flex to an extent sufficient to allow the head of one of the plurality of pins to pass therethrough.

12. ) The container of claim 10, wherein each knuckle comprises two adjacent semicircular elements having openings that are not aligned, wherein one of the elements has a grooved notch extending along a length of the element in an axial direction, wherein the notch allows the element to flex to an extent sufficient to allow the head of one of the plurality of pins to pass therethrough.

13. ) The container of claim 7, further comprising a handle having two ends each rotatably secured to an opposing side of the receptacle, wherein the lid has handle guides attached to opposing sides of the lid and extending outwardly from the lid, wherein the handle guides are positioned to move the lid from a closed lid position to an open lid position when rotating the handle from one side of the receptacle to an opposite side of the receptacle.

14. ) A method of manufacturing a container, said method comprising the steps of:

injection molding a first unitary piece of material comprising a lid having a first leaf attached thereto and a plurality of axially aligned pins attached the first leaf, wherein each pin has a body and a head having a diameter greater than a diameter of the body; and

injection molding a second unitary piece of material comprising a receptacle having a second leaf attached thereto and a plurality of spaced knuckles attached to the second leaf, wherein each knuckle defines a passageway axially aligned with and sized to receive the head of one of the plurality of pins therein, wherein each knuckle has an edge sized and positioned to contact a bottom surface of the head of one of the plurality of pins after insertion of the pin into the knuckle, and wherein the edge prevents axial movement of the pin in a direction opposite a direction of insertion.

15. ) The method of claim 14, wherein each knuckle defines an open passageway.

16. ) The method of claim 15, wherein each knuckle has a grooved notch extending along a length of the knuckle in an axial direction, wherein the notch allows the knuckle to flex to an extent sufficient to allow the head of one of the plurality of pins to pass therethrough.

17. ) The method of claim 15, wherein each knuckle comprises two adjacent semicircular elements having openings that are not aligned, wherein one of the elements has a grooved notch extending along a length of the element in an axial direction, wherein the notch allows the element to flex to an extent sufficient to allow the head of one of the plurality of pins to pass therethrough.

18. ) The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of rotatably securing two ends of a handle to opposing sides of the receptacle, wherein the lid has handle guides attached to opposing sides of the lid and extending outwardly from the lid, wherein the handle guides are positioned to move the lid from a closed lid position to an open lid position when rotating the handle from one side of the receptacle to an opposite side of the receptacle.

19. ) A container comprising:

a receptacle and a lid, wherein the receptacle and the lid are each formed from a single injection molded piece of material, wherein the lid comprises a first leaf having a pin attached thereto, wherein the pin has a plurality of enlarged sections spaced along a length of the pin and having a diameter greater than a diameter of the pin, wherein the receptacle comprises a second leaf having a plurality of spaced semicircular snap elements attached thereto and a plurality of snap protrusions disposed between adjacent snap elements, wherein each snap element corresponds to one enlarged section of the pin, and wherein the snap elements and the snap protrusions are configured to removably secure the lid to the receptacle.

20. ) The container of claim 19, further comprising a handle having two ends each rotatably secured to an opposing side of the receptacle, wherein the lid has handle guides attached to opposing sides of the lid and extending outwardly from the lid, wherein the handle guides are positioned to move the lid from a closed lid position to an open lid position when rotating the handle from one side of the receptacle to an opposite side of the receptacle.