Bin for granular substance

A bin for granular substance is disclosed comprising a receptacle (4) having an inwardly rolled top rim flange (14). The rim flange in turn defines an integral registration detent region (B). Rearward and forward lid components (38, 42) are mounted over the receptacle opening with the rearward lid component having a depending J-shaped appendages (30), which are located to extend below the below the receptacle of downturned rim flange (16). The forward lid component (38) is adapted having elements (52, 56) for sliding and pivotal engagement with the rearward lid component, whereby the forward lid component can be slidably repositioned along the rearward lid component, and at any position therealong, pivot upward to expose the receptacle top opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The subject invention relates generally to all-purpose bins used for 
holding and transporting various dry and wet substances. In one particular 
usage, such bins find application as storage containers for dry or wet 
foodstuffs. 
2. The Prior Art 
Bins for granular substances for the containment and transportation of dry 
and wet foodstuffs, such as cooking ingredients, are generally well known. 
Typically such bins comprise a top opening base container, and a lid 
mounted thereover. The lid consists of forward and rearward components, 
hingedly connected at a mid-section of the top opening such that the 
forward lid component pivots upward to access the interior cavity of the 
base container. Both the base and the lid components are comprised of 
plastics material, conventionally molded. The base container has an upward 
rim over which the lid components rest, whereby the lid components are 
freely removable from the top of the bin in order to access the entire 
opening. A commercially available bin of the aforementioned description is 
sold by Rubbermaid Commercial Products Inc., 3124 Valley Avenue, 
Winchester, Virginia 22601, under Part No. 3603. 
While the above described bin works well and has been commercially well 
received, certain shortcomings prevent it from representing an ideal 
solution to the market's requirements. First, an outward roll in the upper 
rim of the base container represents wasted space when several bins are 
stored adjacent to one another. Secondly, the outward turn of the upper 
rim of the base container makes spillage more likely as ingredients in the 
bin are scooped upward toward the opening. Additionally, a loose placement 
of the lids over the top of the base container opening creates a situation 
where the lids are easily dislocated by jarring or the like, and can fall 
away from the base container, whereby exposing the contents of the 
container to the environment. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The aforementioned shortcomings of commercially available bin for granular 
substances are overcome by the subject invention, which provides for a 
receptacle having an inwardly rolled top rim flange. The rim flange in 
turn has an integral registration detent region formed therein. Rearward 
and forward lid components are mounted over the receptacle opening with 
the rearward lid component having a depending J-shaped appendage, which is 
located to extend below the receptacle downturned rim flange. So 
positioned the rearward lid component can slide along the receptacle rim 
flange, until intersection of a rear tab on the back of the lid and the 
rear rim is effected, yet the J-shaped appendage prevents an upward 
separation of the rearward lid component from the receptacle. The forward 
lid component is adapted having means for sliding and pivotal engagement 
with the rearward lid component, whereby the forward lid component can be 
slideably repositioned along the rearward lid component, and at any 
position therealong, pivot upward to expose the receptacle top opening. 
The internal roll of the upper rim serves to deter spillage by preventing 
escape of contents scooped upwardly along the receptacle sides. 
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a bin 
for granular substance having structural means for preventing spillage 
when granular or liquid substances are withdrawn from the bin receptacle. 
Still a further objective is to provide a bin for granular substance having 
forward and rearward coupled lid components, and structural means for 
securing the lid components to the top opening of a bin receptacle. 
Still a further object is to provide a bin for granular substance having a 
forward lid component pivotally coupled to a rearward lid component, 
whereby upward pivotal motion of the forward lid component exposes a 
forward portion of the bin receptacle top opening. 
Still further, it is an objective to provide a bin for granular substance 
having a forward lid component slideably coupled to a rearward lid 
component, and pivotal upward relative thereto independently of the 
position of the forward lid component along the rearward lid component. 
Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a bin for 
granular substance having integral means for registering forward and 
rearward lid components to a top rim of the bin receptacle. 
Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a bin for 
granular substance comprising a receptacle base and lid components which 
are economically and readily manufactured out of conventional plastics 
material and which require no hardware for assembly by the consumer. 
These and other objectives, which will be apparent to one skilled in the 
art, are achieved by a preferred embodiment which is described in detail 
below, and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring initially to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the subject bin for granular 
substance assembly 2 is shown to comprise a base receptacle 4, having 
vertically upright sidewalls 6, forward and rearward endwalls 8, 10, and 
an internal chamber 12 defined thereby. The internal chamber 12 terminates 
at an upper rim flange 14, which rolls inwardly, and then downward to an 
inwardmost edge flange 16. As shown best by FIG. 4, the rim flange 14 
further includes an intermediate support surface 18 which merges into an 
elevated longitudinal ridge 20 extending along the outward edge of the 
base receptacle 6. 
With continued reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, as best observed from 
FIG. 2, a detent 22 is defined by the space which the intermediate support 
surface 18 is recessed below the longitudinally extending ridge 20. By 
being stepped below ridge 20, intermediate support surface 18 thereby 
serves as a registration detent for the purpose explained below. The upper 
rim flange 14 is interrupted at the midpoint thereof by relief openings 17 
at opposite sides of the receptacle, to facilitate assembly of the 
rearward lid component to the receptacle, as explained below. 
A rearward lid component 24 is provided having a peripheral rim portion 26, 
of generally horizontal disposition, outlining the outward periphery of 
the lid component 24. An intermediate surface 28 of rearward lid member 24 
is generally horizontal, and recessed below rim portion 26. Surface 28 
provides an underside surface from which a pair of J-shaped appendages 30 
project. As shown best by FIG. 4, appendages 30 extend downwardly from 
intermediate surface 28, proximate the outward sides thereof, with the 
free ends of J-shaped appendages 30 being directed outwardly. Situated to 
the rear, and positioned to the middle of intermediate surface 28 of 
rearward lid component 24, is a downwardly depending U-shaped flange 32. 
Each down turned edge flange side 33 of rearward lid component 24 is 
adapted having a longitudinally extending retention flange 34 extending 
outwardly therefrom. Flange 34 is of generally rectangular longitudinal 
section, disposed to extend substantially the length of each lid side 33. 
An upturned forward lip flange 36 is formed in rearward lid member 24, as 
best shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6. The purpose of lip flange 36 will be 
readily appreciated from the explanation below. 
Proceeding to a consideration of FIGS. 1, 2, 7, and 8, the forward lid 
component 38 is seen to comprise a central body 40 of generally planar 
rectangular configuration. A peripheral rim flange 42 outlines the border 
of the central surface 40, and integrally merges with a downturned edge 
flange 44. An intermediately disposed hand opening 46 is provided in a 
forward portion of downturned edge flange 44. A finger grip flange 48, as 
shown in FIG. 2, is provided to facilitate a finger gripping grasp of the 
forward lid component 24. 
At rearward corners of the forward lid component 38 are backwardly 
projecting cantilevered retention flanges 52. Cantilever flanges 52 are 
separated from the central body 40 of rearward lid component 24 by 
openings 54. A hinge flange projection 56 extends inwardly from the free 
end of each of the retention flanges 52. As will be appreciated from FIG. 
4, the hinge flanges 56 are elongate rectangular flanges which angle 
upwardly from remote free ends of the retention flange projections 52 
toward a forward end of the rearward lid component 24. 
Operation and assembly of the subject bin for granular substance proceeds 
as follows. With reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the lid assembly begins 
with the mounting of the rearward lid component 24 to the top opening of 
the receptacle 4. Assembly of the rearward lid component 24 is initiated 
by the insertion of J-shaped appendages 30 through the relief openings 17 
in the edge flange 16 of receptacle 4 (See FIG. 2), and underneath the 
edge flange 16. Thereafter, the rearward lid component 24 is moved 
backward toward the rear of the container, which movement terminating when 
the U-shaped stop 32 encounters the rearward portion of edge flange 16. As 
will be appreciated, J-shaped appendages 30 prevent the rearward lid 
component 24 from being vertically separated from the receptacle 4, and 
stop 32 prevents further rearward sliding of the rearward lid component 24 
from its position on top of the receptacle 4. As shown in FIG. 4, in its 
final position, the intermediate surface 28 of rearward lid member 24 
rests upon the intermediate support surface 18 of the rim flange 14. 
Accordingly, the rearward lid component 24 registers with the upper rim 
flange 14, and ridge 20 prevents the rearward lid component 24 from 
dislocating. So positioned, rearward lid member 24 is precluded from 
rearward and upward separation from receptacle 4, and, by operation of 
ridge 20, from excessive lateral movement. 
The forward lid component 38 attaches from the rear of the rearward lid 
component 24, by placing the hinge flanges 56 under the longitudinal 
retention flanges 34 of the rearward lid component 24, and sliding the 
forward lid component 38 forward. As shown in FIG. 2, engagement between 
downturned edge lip 58 of the forward lid component 38, and upturned 
forward lip 36 of the rearward lid component 24, terminates the forward 
movement of forward lid component 38 relative to rearward lid component 
24. In the forwardmost position, the forward lid component 38 encloses the 
forward portion of the receptacle chamber 12. 
As will be appreciated from FIG. 2, the upper profile of the receptacle 4 
angles downwardly from its intermediate point toward the front. A user can 
therefore pivot the forward lid component 38 upwardly, and gain easy 
access to the contents stored in chamber 12. The downward angle of the 
upper forward lip of receptacle 4 will be seen to bifurcate the top 
opening of chamber 12. 
From FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, it will be readily apparent that the inwardly 
rolled upper rim flange 14 of the receptacle 4 serves a dual purpose. 
First, by rolling inwardly, the capacity of the receptacle 4 is maximized, 
relative to the width dimension of the receptacle. Since the rim flange 
does not project outwardly from the receptacle body, the space taken by 
the rim flange does not subtract from the capacity of the container. 
Further, bin receptacles configured pursuant to the present invention can 
be stored in side by side configuration, in abutment, thereby making 
maximum utilization of available storage space. The inwardly rolled rims 
do not interfere with side by side abutting contact. Secondly, it will be 
appreciated that the inward roll of upper rim flange 14 serves to prevent 
the escape of the contents from the receptacle 4. The inward roll of upper 
rim flange 14 serves to prevent spillage as the contents of receptacle 4 
are scooped upwardly against sidewall 6, or forward endwall 8. 
The receptacle body is conventionally molded of plastic, preferably 
polyethylene, and the forward and rearward lid components are likewise 
conventionally molded, preferably of polycarbonate plastics material. 
Apart from the casters (see FIG. 1) which are provided at bottom corners 
of the bin receptacle (at the option of the user), the subject receptacle 
4 and lid components 24 and 38 are capable or assembly and use without the 
need for assembly hardward. 
Finally, it will be appreciated from FIGS. 1, 6, and 9, that forward lid 
component hinge flanges 56 reside below rearward lid component flanges 34, 
whereby enabling forward lid 38 to slide backwardly atop rearward lid 24, 
as shown in FIG. 6. At any relative position, forward lid 38 can be 
pivoted upwardly about flanges 56 into an over-vertical, upright, and 
stable position. The inclination of flanges 56 retain lid 38 in its 
upright over vertical condition until equilibrium is manually disturbed, 
and the lid 38 is pivoted forward. 
While the above describes the preferred embodiment of the subject 
invention, the present invention is not to be so restricted. Other 
embodiments which utilize the teachings herein set forth, are intended to 
be in the scope and spirit of the subject invention.