Abstract:
A transport container for storing and transporting punches and dies having a hollow housing for receiving an insert housing that creates a first compartment for receiving punches and defining a second compartment for receiving dies where access to the second compartment is provided by a retractable door pivotally mounted to an end wall of the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Containers for storing punches and dies for use in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals are well known in the art. Desirable is a container that can securely hold the punches and dies while at the same time ensure the cleanliness of the equipment. Present containers, however, do not securely hold the punches and dies in place during transport, nor do they provide easy access to separate compartments within the container that store the punches and the dies. In addition, present containers are limited with respect to capacity and do not allow flexibility for adapting the container for applications requiring a greater number of punches and dies. Therefore, a need exists for an improved container for storing and transporting punches and dies.  
         [0002]     A principle object of the present invention is to provide a punch and die transport container that improves upon the state of the art.  
         [0003]     A further object of the present invention is to provide a punch and die container that uses an insert that can be easily removed for cleaning purposes.  
         [0004]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a punch and die transport container that is able to hold a desicant tablet to maintain the cleanliness of the container.  
         [0005]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a punch and die transport container that utilizes a lid to access a first compartment holding punches and a door to access dies from a second compartment.  
         [0006]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a punch and die transport container that uses a plurality of containers that interconnect vertically and horizontally allowing several containers to be stored in a compact space.  
         [0007]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of punch and die containers that interlock so that the size of the container can be adjusted.  
         [0008]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a punch and die transport container that is translucent so that an individual can determine the amount of punches and dies in a container without having to open the container.  
         [0009]     These and other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The container of the present invention comprises a housing having a hollow interior that partially receives an insert housing. The insert housing creates a first compartment and defines a second compartment as the remaining portion of the hollow interior of the container. The insert, or first compartment is adapted to receive and orient punches and can be easily accessed by opening a lid on the top of the container. The second compartment is partially defined by a sloped bottom floor of the housing and is adapted to hold dies that can be accessed via a retractable door. The insert is comprised of two detachably connected halves that when placed together form a plurality of apertures that receive punches. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the container and insert wherein the side of the container has been removed;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the top of the insert;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a series of containers detachably joined to one another.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Referring to the drawings, the container  10  of the present invention has a housing  12  having side walls  14 , end walls  16 , a bottom  18 , and an open top  20  that form a hollow interior. The bottom  18  of the housing  12  is slanted from one end to the other. The bottom  18  also has protrusions  22  that extend downwardly from the bottom wall  18 . Pivotally connected to one end  16  of the housing  12  at the top  20  is a lid  24 . The lid  24  is preferably translucent to allow visual access into the housing  12 . Likewise, the housing  12  is preferably translucent to provide visual access to the interior. The lid  24  is releasably held in a closed position by any conventional manner such as by a latch  26 . Also preferred is that the lid  24  have notches  28  formed to receive protrusions  22 . The lid also preferably has a plurality of recesses  30  for purposes to be described.  
         [0015]     Extending from the interior of side walls  14  are a plurality of protrusions  32  formed to receive an insert housing  34 . The insert  34  comprises a first compartment  36  and defines a second compartment  38  in the hollow interior of the housing  12  that remains after insertion. Pivotally connected to the end wall  14  near the bottom  18  is a door  40  that provides access to the second compartment  38 . The door  40  is preferably translucent to allow visual access to the second compartment  38 .  
         [0016]     The insert  34  is comprised of a first half  42  and a second half  44  that are detachably joined together along a vertical parting plane  46  to form the first compartment  36 . While the first half  42  and the second half  44  can be joined in any conventional manner, preferred is that the halves be folded along a seam (not shown) that joins at least a portion of the bottom  62  of each of the halves. The halves  42  and  44  are further detachably joined by a latch  52  that extends from one half  42  and engages a retaining slot  54  connected to the other half  44 .  
         [0017]     When joined, the halves  42  and  44  form an insert housing  34  having a top  56 , side walls  58 , end walls  60 , and a bottom  62 . The top  56  has a plurality of apertures  64  for receiving punches  65 . The apertures  64  have a pair of slots  66  oppositely disposed from one another to form a key hole entry. Extending around the apertures  64  from the slots  66  are sloped portions  68 . Also, extending upwardly from the slots  66  of the apertures are support members  69 .  
         [0018]     The sides  58  of the insert  34  preferably have partially curved outer and inner surfaces  70  formed to securely receive a punch  65 . The ends of the side walls  58  also have slots  72  formed to receive the protrusions  32  from the side walls  14  of the container housing  12 . Mounted near the top of the end walls  60  are clips  74  which are used to releasably secure the insert  34  within the container housing  12 .  
         [0019]     To increase the capacity of the container, a plurality of housings  12  are releasably joined together. While the housings  12  can be joined in any conventional manner, preferred is the use of clasp  76  and a pair of dowels  78  that extend outwardly from the side wall  14  of a housing  12 . The clasp  76  is received in a retaining slot  80  located on the side wall  14  of a separate housing  12 , and the dowels  78  are received in openings  82 . A retaining lock  84 , located on the end wall  16  of the housing  12  engages clasp  76  through slot  80  to releasably secure one housing to another. When a plurality of housings are joined together, the housings on the ends have a handle  86  mounted to the exterior side wall  14  of the end housing  12  as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0020]     In operation, the first half  42  and the second half  44  are detachably joined to form the insert housing  34 . The insert  34  is then slidably placed within housing  12  by aligning the protrusions  32  of the housing  12  with the slots  72 . The clip  74  engages the interior of the end wall  16  of the housing such that the insert  34  is releasably secured within the housing  12 . The insert  34  is inserted a sufficient depth such that space within the hollow interior of housing  12  below the insert  34  forms the second compartment  38 .  
         [0021]     A plurality of punches  65  are inserted through the apertures  64  of the insert  34  for storage and transportation within the first compartment  36 . The design of the slots  66  along with the sloped portions  68  and the support members  69  orient the punches  65  and assist in maintaining them in a vertical upright position. Likewise, a plurality of dies  86  are inserted through door  40  for storage within the second compartment  38 . The bottom  18  of housing  12  slopes downwardly toward the door  40  to facilitate unloading of the dies when needed. In an alternative embodiment, the punches and dies are retained in the first compartment  36  while a removable cleaning tray is placed in the second compartment  38 .  
         [0022]     In place of punches  65 , desicant tablets  88  are inserted in some of the apertures  64  to absorb moisture which assists in preventing the collection of dirt particles for maintaining a clean container. The tablets  88  extend from the first compartment  36  through the bottom  62  of the insert  34  and into the second compartment  38  to absorb moisture from both compartment. Also, the detachable first half  42  and second half  44  allow easy access to the interior of the insert  34  for cleaning and sterilization.  
         [0023]     To increase the capacity of the container  10 , a plurality of housings  12  are detachably joined together through use of the clasp  76  and dowels  78  as received in slot  80  and openings  82 . The handles  86  mounted on the exterior side walls  14  of the end housings  12  facilitate the carrying of the container  10 . Likewise, notches  28  on the lid  24  of one housing  12  receive the protrusions  22  from another housing to facilitate stacking of one container on top of another. Also, the recesses  30  receive straps or banding (not shown) which further bind the housings  12  together and assist in the ease of transporting the containers.  
         [0024]     From the proceeding description, it can be seen that this invention improves upon the state of art and meets the outlined objectives.