US3018918A - Containers with slide covers - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30 1962 kip-1m S. TAPPER CONTAINERS WITH SLIDE COVERS Filed Feb. 2, 1960 INVENTOR United This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to containers with slide and snap-on covers.

The object of my invention is to create a new, useful and practical slide cover for a rectangular container that can also be snapped on and thereby be fastened to one edge of the container, leaving the opposing edge free.

A further object of this invention is to provide a con tainer with a slide cover that can be stopped at any of several locations. This objective would be most useful where the container was divided into a series of individual cells, such as would be used for tablets or capsules.

The important features of this invention are the cooperating conformations of the slide cover and container, together with the flexibility that permits the slide cover to be snapped on. In the case where a series of stops are useful, such cover stops would be regulated by a series of recesses and bars along the operating side wall of the container acting in concert with a spring tab located at either end of the slide cover.

It is important to note that although the slide cover in my invention is fastened to and slides freely lengthwise along one edge of the container, it cannot move upwards or across the container. Also, pressure applied to the top, as would be normal when the thumb is placed on the top of the cover to move it, does not cause a tightening in the looking or sliding areas. The cover responds as though it were a free moving top panel resting loosely on the container.

It should also be noted that while applicant shows only rectangular shaped containers, the novel and unique method of joining cover to container permits the use of odd shaped containers because all the guiding mechanism employed by applicant in his invention is confined to one wall of the container.

Where a measure of resistance to sliding movement of the cover is advantageous, the cover unit shown in FIG. 3 can be combined with the container unit shown in FIG. 2. The result would be a slide cover and container wherein the slide cover would be gently held in position anywhere along the line of movement of the said cover on its co-operating container, and would not interfere with the fastening mechanism employed to hold the cover on the container.

Referring to the figures of the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the slide cover, without provision for individual stops, showing end, top and side areas.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of container, together with the slide cover shown in FIG. 1 attached, said slide cover being in a partially opened position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a slide cover with two raised areas, one on each of two individual spring segments of the side wall of said slide cover.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container showing conformation along one side wall adapted to receive the slide cover shown in FIG. 3, showing a series of bars and recesses therebetween.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section through AA in FIG. 2, showing more clearly how slide cover and container form an interlocking unit.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the container appearing in FIG. 4 assembled with its co-operating slide cover in FIG. 3.

A more detailed description is as follows:

In FIG. 1 the slide cover consists of a top 1 and a rates Pate side wall 2. On the under portion of 1 along the line where 1 and 2 meet is a channel 3, which traverses the entire length of the slide cover. Along the lower edge of 2 and facing inward is flange 4 which traverses the entire length of the said edge of 2. The configuration of FIG. 1 is made to conform to the configuration of the top area and side wall of the co-operating container shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2, running lengthwise along the top edge of side wall 7 is flange 6, said flange rising above the plane of the top of said container. Lower on 7, and directly below 6, running parallel to 6 and the plane of the top of said container is an undercut 8. Slide cover and container can be joined together in two ways, either by sliding cover on from one end of the container, or by placing the cover on the container so that channel 3 is directly over flange 6, and pressing down on the top of the cover. Such pressure would cause the side wall 2 of the cover to bow outward until flange 4 of cover snaps under undercut 8 on container wall.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a slide cover consisting of a top 9 and one side wall divided into three parts,;

Between 12 and 10 is a space 15, and bearea 13. A similar raised area 13 is placed on 12".

12 and 12' are separated from 10 so that the slide cover remains continuously locked onto its co-operating container while said slide cover is being moved in either direction.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one form of container in my invention and shows a rectangular container with an open top. Along one side wall, rising above the plane of the top of said container and traversing its entire length is flange 17. Directly below and parallel to 17, and above the bottom edge of said side wall is a series of vertical bars '19, 19', 19" etc. and recesses therebetween. The lower end surfaces of the said vertical bars are all in a horizontal plane, parallel to the plane of the top of the container. When FIG. 3 is joined to FIG. 4,

' either by sliding it on from one end or by snapping it onto the container from above, 14 of FIG. 3 fits under the lower extremities of bars 19, 19', 19", etc. and thus elfectuates the locking action. When the slide cover is moved to the right from a closed position, 12 (FIG. 3) will flare outward as 13 passes over 19 and will resume its original position when 13 falls between two bars 19 and 19'. In this way any number of stopping positions are provided.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of FIG. 2 through AA and shows how slide cover and container fit together.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing how the slide cover (FIG. 3) assembles with its co-operating container (FIG. 4). Here it is seen that flange 14 on the center section of the depending side wall of the slide cover snaps under the lower ends of the bars on the side wall of the container to hold the slide cover and container together.

I claim:

1. A container and slide cover combination wherein the container has a flange projecting upward and extending along the entire length of the top edge of one side wall, said side wall having an undercut along its entire length, said undercut being parallel with the plane of the top of the container and placed directly below the aforementioned flange, but above the bottom edge of the container, and a co-operating slide cover having a top and one side, there being a longitudinal channel recessed in the under surface of the top portion of the said cover, said channel being defined by the said undersurface of the cover and the depending side wall, said channel being of a size and conformation to slideably accommodate the aforementioned flange in the above mentioned container, and there being a flange on the lower edge of the slide cover side wall, said flange extending in an inward direction, and wherein the conformation of the under surface of the top of the cover, the inner surface of the cover side wall, and the inward directed flange on the side wall of the slide cover conform to the conformation of the plane of the container top, the upward disposed flange along the longitudinal edge of the container top, the container side wall down to the aforementioned undercut, and said undercut of the co-operating container to effectuate a fastening and lateral sliding action between the cover and the container.

2. A container and slide cover combination wherein the container has a flange projecting upward and extending along the entire length of the top edge of one side wall, there being on the surface of said side wall of the container a series of vertical bars defining recesses therebetween, and the area of the side wall below the lower ends of the vertical bars also being set back from the plane of the outer surfaces of said vertical bars, the lower ends of said vertical bars being in a straight line parallel to the plane of the top of the container, and wherein there is a co-operating slide cover having a top and one depending side, there being a channel at the junction of the top and side wall, said channel projecting upward into the under surface of said top and conforming to the conformation of the aforementioned flange on the upper edge of the container side wall, and wherein the depending side wall of said slide cover is divided into three parts, namely, a center portion and two end segments, the center portion accounting for most of the length of the side wall, the two end segments, one on either side of the center portion, being narrow and separated from the center portion by open areas to enable each of said end segments to flex independently from the center portion of the cover side wall, the said center portion having an inward directed flange along its lower edge, and wherein each narrow end segment of said slide cover side wall has a convex shaped raised area on its inward facing surface, each raised area being so placed upon its respective end segment of the cover side wall that each such raised area caused its respective end segment to flex outwardly when said raised area slides over a vertical bar while moving from one vertical recess to another to interrupt lateral movement of the slide cover as said slide cover is moved upon the co-operating container, and wherein the conformation of the under area of the top of the slide cover, the channel in said top, the inside area of the center ,portion of the side wall of the slide cover, and the inward directed flange on the side wall of the slide cover conform to the conformation of the plane of the top of the container, the upward disposed flange on the top edge of the aforementioned side wall of the container, the outer surfaces of the vertical bars of the container, the lower end surfaces of said series of bars on the side wall of the co-operating container, and wherein one of said narrow end segments of the side wall of the slide cover flexes outward and then returns to rest as the inward directed raised area on the inward facing surface of the said narrow end segment passes over any vertical bar on the side wall of the co-operating container.

3. A container and slide cover combination wherein the container has a flange projecting upward and extending along the entire length of the top edge of one side wall, said side wall having an undercut along its entire length, said undercut being parallel with the plane of the top of the container, and a co-operating slide cover having a top and one depending side wall, there being a channel at the junction of the top and side wall, said channel projecting upward into the under surface of said top and conforming to the conformation of the aforementioned flange on the container edge, and Wherein the side wall of said slide cover is divided into three par-ts, namely, a center portion and two end segments, the center portion accounting for the greater part of the length of the cover side wall, and the two end segments, one on either side of the center portion, being narrow and separated from the center portion by open areas to enable each of the said end segments to flex independently from the center portion of the cover side wall, the said center portion having an inward directed flange along its lower edge, said inward directed flange abutting the aforementioned undercut on the side wall of the co-operating container in a manner to prevent vertical movement of the slide cover and to allow lateral slide motion of said slide cover, and wherein each end segment of said slide cover side wall has a small convex shaped raised area on its inward facing surface, said small raised area causing its respective end segment to flex outwardly while making contact with and exerting pressure upon the contiguous side wall of the co-operating container to retard lateral movement of the slide cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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