Display container having secure closure mechanism

• US 6,206,189 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huot Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Huot Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Graham, Thomas M., Huot, Henry E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US09/417,493
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 206/376-379, 206/807, 206/372, 206/373, 206/1.5, 206/806, 220/324, 220/326, 220/835
• US Class Current: 206/379
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2401/10 Tearable part of the container B65D2401/60 takes precedence
• 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 43/22 Devices for holding in closed position, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/02 Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure B65D41/32 takes precedence; protective covers for bottles B65D23/08; protective cap-like outer covers for bottle or jar closures B65D41/62; pressure-applying means B65D45/00; closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal of closures B65D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/807 Tamper proof

Abstract

The present invention provides a display container for retaining retail sales products. The display container includes a housing having a bottom portion having a plurality of sides and a top portion which can engage the bottom portion to form an enclosure within which the retail merchandise can reside. The housing is in a closed orientation when the top portion is engaged with the bottom portion. The top portion is preferably interconnected with one of the plurality of sides of the bottom portion so that the top portion can engage the bottom portion to form the enclosure. The housing further includes a tamper proof clasp or snap closure mechanism. The snap closure mechanism includes a latch strap and a lip over which the latch strap can extend, the latch strap having a strap surface extending away from a first portion. The latch strap further includes a catch protruding away from the strap surface to define a catch face generally extending away from the strap surface at an angle of about 90°. When the top portion is engaged with the bottom portion to form the enclosure, the catch face can engage the lip such that the latch strap engages the lip and holds the enclosure in the closed orientation. The snap closure mechanism further includes a containment bridge under which at least an end portion of the latch strap extends when the latch strap engages the lip, the containment bridge extending from a first location to a second location on the housing proximate the lip, and generally restricts the movement of the strap away from the lip when the catch face is engaged with the lip such that the catch face cannot be disengaged from the lip without destroying the containment bridge. In preferred embodiments the housing is made of a synthetic polymeric material through which retail merchandise contained within the housing can be seen. In more preferred embodiments the housing contains a tool bit display panel for receiving, retaining and displaying tool bits. Further preferred elements include the housing having a tab having a hook receiving receptacle for hang the display container on a display hook.

Claims

1. A display container for retaining retail merchandise, the display container comprising:

a housing having a bottom portion having a plurality of sides and a top portion which can engage the bottom portion to form an enclosure within which the retail merchandise can reside, the housing being in a closed orientation when the top portion is so engaged with the bottom portion;

the top portion being interconnected with one of said plurality of sides of the bottom portion such that the top portion can engage the bottom portion to form the enclosure;

the housing having a snap closure mechanism, the snap closure mechanism having first and second elements, the first element being a part of a first portion of the housing and the second element being a part of a second portion of the housing, the first portion being selected from one of the group consisting of the top portion and the bottom portion, and the second portion being the other one of said group;

the first element including a latch strap, the latch strap being an extension of the first portion and having a strap surface extending away from the first portion, the latch strap further including a catch protruding away from the strap surface to define a catch face generally extending away from the strap surface at an angle of about 90°

, the second element including a lip on the second portion over which the latch strap can extend when the top portion is engaged with the bottom portion to form the enclosure, wherein the catch face of the first element can engage the lip of the second element such that the latch strap engages the lip and holds the enclosure in the closed orientation;

the second portion further including a containment bridge under which at least an end portion of the latch strap extends when the latch strap engages the lip, the containment bridge extending from a first location to a second location on the second portion proximate the lip, and generally restricting the movement of the strap away from the lip when the catch face is engaged with the lip such that the catch face cannot be disengaged from the lip without destroying the containment bridge because the strap is held generally in place by the containment bridge.

2. The display container of claim 1, wherein the housing is made of a synthetic polymeric material through which retail merchandise contained within the housing can be seen.

3. The display container of claim 2, wherein the housing contains a tool bit display panel for receiving, retaining and displaying tool bits;

a lower portion of the tool bit display panel being pivotally interconnected with the bottom portion of the housing such that the tool bit panel can pivot with respect to the bottom portion, thereby affording improved access to an upper portion of the tool bit panel when the top portion of the housing is not engaged with the bottom portion to form the enclosure and the upper portion of the panel is pivoted away from the bottom portion;

the tool bit panel having a plurality of tool bit receiving receptacles for receiving and retaining tool bits.

4. The display container of claim 3, wherein the housing includes a living hinge connecting the top portion with the bottom portion.

5. The display container of claim 3, wherein the housing includes a pair of protrusion receiving openings in the bottom portion of the housing and the display panel is made of a metal material, the panel having a pair of extruded metal protrusions extending outwardly from opposite sides of the panel, the metal extrusions being seated within respective extrusion receiving openings to enable the panel to pivot with respect to the bottom portion.

6. The display container of claim 3, the housing having a top surface and a bottom surface and four sides, three of the sides being generally oriented at an angle of about 90°

with respect to at least one of the other sides and the fourth side being oriented at angles with respect to each of the other sides which are other than 90°

.

7. The display container of claim 1, the housing including a tab having a hook receiving receptacle for hang the index on a display hook.

8. The display container of claim 1, wherein the housing is made of a synthetic polymeric material, so that parts of the housing can be cut and separated from the remaining parts housing, the containment bridge being severable such that the strap can be pull away from the lip, thereby disengaging the catch face from the lip and permitting the disengagement of the top portion from the bottom portion.

9. A display container for retaining a plurality tool bits, the display container comprising:

a housing and a tool bit panel for receiving tool bits;

the housing including a bottom portion having a plurality of sides and a top portion which can engage the bottom portion to form an enclosure within which the tool bit panel can reside, the housing being in a closed orientation when the top portion is so engaged with the bottom portion;

the top portion being interconnected with one of said plurality of sides of the bottom portion such that the top portion can engage the bottom portion to form the enclosure;

a lower portion of the tool bit panel being pivotally interconnected with the bottom portion of the housing such that the tool bit panel can pivot with respect to the bottom portion, thereby affording improved access to an upper portion of the tool bit panel when the top portion of the housing is not engaged with the bottom portion to form the enclosure and the upper portion of the panel is pivoted away from the bottom portion;

the tool bit panel having a plurality of tool bit receiving receptacles for receiving and retaining tool bits;

the housing having a snap closure mechanism, the snap closure mechanism having first and second elements, the first element being a part of a first portion of the housing and the second element being a part of a second portion of the housing, the first portion being selected from one of the group consisting of the top portion and the bottom portion, and the second portion being the other one of said group;

the first element including a latch strap, the latch strap being an extension of the first portion and having a strap surface extending away from the first portion, the latch strap further including a catch protruding away from the strap surface to define a catch face generally extending away from the strap surface at an angle of about 90°

, the second element including a lip on the second portion over which the latch strap can extend when the top portion is engaged with the bottom portion to form the enclosure, wherein the catch face of the first element can engage the lip of the second element such that the latch strap engages the lip and holds the enclosure in the closed orientation;

the second portion further including a containment bridge under which at least an end portion of the latch strap extends when the latch strap engages the lip, the containment bridge extending from a first location to a second location on the second portion proximate the lip, and generally restricting the movement of the strap away from the lip when the catch face is engaged with the lip such that the catch face cannot be disengaged from the lip without destroying the containment bridge because the strap is held generally in place by the containment bridge.

10. The display container of claim 9, wherein the housing is made of a synthetic polymeric material through which the tool bit panel contained within the housing can be seen by a person without using vision enhancement equipment.

11. The display container of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a living hinge connecting the top portion with the bottom portion.

12. The display container of claim 9, wherein the housing has a pair of protrusion receiving openings and the panel is made of a metal material, the panel having a pair of extruded metal protrusions extending outwardly from opposite sides of the panel, the metal extrusions being seated within respective extrusion receiving openings to enable the panel to pivot with respect to the bottom portion.

13. The display container of claim 9, the housing including a tab having a hook receiving receptacle for hang the index on a display hook.

14. The display container of claim 9, the housing having a top surface and a bottom surface and four sides, three of the sides being generally oriented at an angle of about 90°

with respect to at least one of the other sides and the fourth side being oriented at angles with respect to each of the other sides which are other than 90°

.

15. The display container of claim 9, wherein the housing is made of a synthetic polymeric material, so that parts of the housing can be cut and separated from the remaining parts housing, the containment bridge being severable such that the strap can be pull away from the lip, thereby disengaging the catch face from the lip and permitting the disengagement of the top portion from the bottom portion.