BOX WITH REMOVABLE LID

Abstract: The invention relates to a box (3) with four sides (6) and a flexible lid which consists of a front pane (1) and a plate (2). The plate (2) has along the sides (6) panels (8) perpendicular to the plane of the plate, which panels end in abutments or vertexes (9) opposite the middle of the edges of the plate. The lid (1, 2) is flush with the front side of the box (3) when the abutments or the vertexes (9) bear against the bottom (12) of the box or against projections (11) on the sides (6) of the box. Between the front pane (1) and the plate (2) a transparency may be inserted. When the transparency is to be removed a pressure is exerted at one of the corners of the front pane (1). The corners of the other diagonal of the front pane then turn up above the front edge of the box in such a way that these corners may be grasped and the lid (1, 2) removed. By reassembling a pressure is exerted at the middle of the lid (1, 2) until the vertexes (9) bear against the bottom of the box (12) or the projections (11).

Description: BOX WITH REMOVABLE LID. The invention relates to a box with a first and a second en part, having at least four edges, which are connected to rect angular sides in pairs, whereby at least the first end par constitutes a lid which may be inserted into the box and re moved, said lid having an outer surface which is flush with o lies within the edges of the sides of the box. It is known to use boxes of the above mentioned kind for large number of purposes, for instance for transporting goods and similar objects. The known boxes are often difficult to open for the person who receives the box and the objects contained in the box, because the lid may be secured by unnecessarily complicated means to ensure that the objects will not be lost during the transport or handling of the box. This problem is especially great when the lid is flush wit the edges of the sides of the box, or are placed inside of these, and the lid at the same time fits tightly to the inner surfaces of the sides of the box, and when there are no ope¬ nings provided for the insertion of a tool which may serve to remove the lid, or when the lid is not provided with a handle to facilitate the removal. The object of the invention is to indicate an embodiment of a lid which may be easily removed from the box by a user to give access to the interior of the box, even if the box when closed appears with tight connections between the lid and the sides of the box, and by which the opening of the box may be ob¬ tained without the use of tools of any kind while the lid ne¬ vertheless is secured in a dependable way. This object is achieved by a box of the kind indicated above, which box according to the invention is characteristic in that -fche lid consists of an elastic, flexible material, and that two opposing edges of the lid at least along a part of the ed¬ ges are firmly connected to a panel, which is shaped in such a way that it may bear against the inner surface of the adjoi- ning side of the box, and in that the edges of the said pa¬ nels opposite the plane of the lid are shaped in such a way that an abutment is formed principally opposite the middle of the edge of the lid a first distance from the edge of the lid which is not larger than the distance between the lid and the second end part. A lid which only consists of a plate and which is not connec¬ ted to any panels along any of the edges of the lid and con¬ sists of the above mentioned material will be very soft and pliable in all directions. Connecting a panel along an edge of the lid, which panel is placed at an angle to the plane of the lid, will, especially when the angle is 90", enhance the bending strength of the edge, which is generally well known. If panels in this way are connected only along two opposite edges of the lid, the lid will be stiffened in such a way that it cannot bend around lines which are transverse to the panels within the outline of the lid, while the ability to bend is conserved around lines which only intersect the said edges outside the outline of the lid or are diagonal to the lid. If panels are connected to all the edges the lid will only be able to bend around the diagonals, provided the panels are not connected at the adjoining edges at the corners of the lid. When the edge opposite the plane of the lid of a panel connec¬ ted to the lid in said way bears with an abutment against a fixed support, for instance the end part of the box, the pa¬ nels will roll or rock in relation to the support with a force which is directed against the support. When the above mentioned characteristics are applied a ver easy removal of the lid is obtained. A pressure on the outsid of one of the corners of the lid will deform the lid in such way that the diagonally opposite corner also will move towards the interior of the box, while the two corners at the end of the other diagonal of the lid will move away from the interio of the box, so that these two corners will protrude above the edges of the sides of the box. Hereafter the said two corners may be gripped by hand or by a suitable tool. After the lid has been gripped at the two corners in this way it may be removed from the box giving access to the interior of the box. The later replacing of the lid is performed by pressing the lid into the box. The pressure in this case is exerted mainly at the middle of the lid. The abutments of the panels may be produced by making the edge opposite the plane of the lid follow a smooth curve, as indi¬ cated in claim 2, which curve may be part of a circle. If one of the corners of the lid is acted upon in the said way the a- butment of the adjoining panel will roll along for instance the opposite end part of the box and move towards the box cor¬ ner, while the abutment of the panel at the opposite edge of the corner will move in the opposite direction, or - expressed in another way - the two abutments will move away from each other. Anyway the lid will be deformed in the above mentioned way. By forming the panels as triangles, preferably as isosceles triangles, in which the vertex of the triangle forms the abut¬ ment, as indicated in claim 3, clearly defined points are achieved around which the deformation of the lid takes place, as the abutments during the deformation of the lid stays in connection with the same points of for instance the opposite end part of the box. Claims 4-6 indicate embodiments the advantages of which will be apparent from the following detailed description. If both end parts of the box consist of removable lids, pro¬ jections may, as indicated in claim 7, be provided on the in¬ ner surfaces of the sides of the box, against which projec¬ tions the abutments of the panels may bear. These projections may consist of a transverse wall connected to the sides of the box, which wall may form a bottom in the box with reference to the lid concerned. In boxes of the above mentioned kind it may be preferable to provide the lid with a label on which dispatcher and receiver may be indicated. A label of this kind must, if the box is to be reused, be easily and quickly replaced. This may be achieved if the lid is shaped as indicated in claim 8. This embodiment provides an easy replacement of the label as both the front pane and the plate will be separated from each other as soon as they are removed from the box. In place of a label with information about dispatcher and receiver or similar in¬ dications advertising matter may be placed between the front pane and the plate. When the lid is composed of a front pane and a plate in the way indicated in claim 8 and all edges of the lid are provided with panels which extend along all of the edge of the lid without having mutual contact between the ends of the panels at the corners of the lid, it will be advantageous if the pa¬ nels consist of opaque material as indicated in claim 9. Here¬ by the panels will appear as a dark fringe around the label or the advertising matter. A box of the above mentioned kind may also be applied as an illuminated sign if the advertising matter is a transparency, especially if at least one light source is mounted in the in- terior of the box, as indicated in claim 10. The invention will be explained further in the following wit reference to the drawings, in which fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a box according to th invention, which box is to be used as an illuminate sign and in which the three parts of the illuminate sign are shown separated, and fig. 2 shows another embodiment of a box according to th invention. The illuminated sign shown in fig. 1 consists of a front pan 1, a plate 2 and a box 3. The front pane 1 and the plate 2 together constitute a li which may be inserted into the box 3. The front pane 1 consists of a clear and transparant material, preferably clear polycarbonate, and has an outline which is a dapted to the box 3 in such a way that the front pane may b inserted between the sides 6 of the box 3. The pane is at a least two opposite edges and preferably at all four edges pro vided with projections 4 extending in the plane of the fron pane which may fit into notches 5 in the sides 6 of the box in such a way that the front pane after its insertion into th front side of the box 3 may be secured in a safe way. The plate 2 consists of a translucent, elastic flexible mate¬ rial, such as opalescent acrylic glass which is able to di¬ stribute light emitted by a light source 7 mounted in the box 3, evenly over the plate 2, so that the light may shine through a transparency (not shown) which may be placed between the front pane 1 and the plate 2. The dimensions of the plate 2 approximately corresponds to the outline of the front pane 1 and are adjusted in such a way that the edges of the plate fits tightly against the inner surfaces of the sides 6 to prevent escape of light from the box 3 in the assembled state of the illuminated sign. Each of the four edges of the plate 2 are connected to panels 8 extending essentially along the length of the edges. If the panels 8 extend along the whole length of the edges the ends of the panels are not interconnected as this might counteract the desired bending of the plate 2 when it has to be removed from the box 3. The panels 8 may preferably, but not necessa¬ rily be shaped as isosceles triangles with a vertex 9 placed approximately opposite the middle of the edge of the plate and at a distance from the plane of the plate corresponding to the depth of the box 3. The panels 8 are designed to bear against the inner surfaces of the sides 6 under friction. The vertexes 9 form abutments which may rest against the bot¬ tom 12 of the box 3 when the lid 1, 2 is inserted into the box 3 or when the lid 1, 2 is rocked by a pressure exerted on the outer side of the lid at one of the corners. The panels 8 are on the outside near the vertexes provided with coupling means which may interact with complementary means on the inner surfaces of the sides 6. The coupling means may for instance consist of a rounded knob 10 which may engage a complementary recess 11 in the inner surface of the side 6. Naturally the knobs 10 may be placed on the inner surfaces of the sides 6 and the recesses may be placed on the triangular panels 8. Through these means 10, 11 the plate 2 is secured safely in the box 3 when the means snap into mutual contact during the insertion of the plate 2 into the box 3. The box 3 is box-shaped and may consist of any suitable mate¬ rial, for instance wood, glass, plastic or metal, which mate- rial is either by itself opaque or has been rendered opaque b surface treatment such as painting or covering with a ligh impervious layer of material. The box may be rectangular, square, rhombic or angular i other ways. The only condition is that the shape of the bo must imply that it has at least four corners and thereby a least two diagonals. The light source 7 mounted in the box 3 may be of any know kind and may possibly consist of several light sources distri¬ buted over the bottom of the box in such a way that an evenl dispersed amount of light may be supplied to the plate 2, the front pane 1 and the interjacent transparency. In certain locations the light source 7 may be omitted as day¬ light and/or sunlight may be utilized for illuminating the transparency by making the bottom 12 from a transparent mate¬ rial or by forming the bottom as another transparent lid. Furthermore the box 3 may have fastening means (not shown) which in a generally known way may serve to connect the illu¬ minated sign to a wall or a similar suitable object. The mounting of the illuminated sign will be described in the following on the pretext that the box 3 is fastened to a suit¬ able object or a wall. The plate 2 is then inserted into the box with the panels 8 turned towards the interior of the box 3 with an inserting force which is mainly exerted against the middle of the plate 2. Hereby the coupling means 10 will slide against the inner surfaces of the sides 6, as the panels 8 will yield as a re¬ sult of the elastic flexibility of the material. The plate 2 will be pushed inwards until the four vertexes 9 touch the bottom 12 in the box 3, whereby the plate 2 will be placed in a plane within the top edges of the sides 6 of the box 3 in such a way that there will be enough room to permit the box to take up the front pane 1 too. When the vertexes 9 rest against the bottom 12 the coupling means 10, 11 will interact in such a way that the plate 2 is not able to slide out of the box un- intentionally. The next step is to place the transparency on the plate 2 and to place the front pane 1 on the outside of that so that the transparency is protected in the best possible way against da- mage. The front pane 1 is maintained in this position by the projections 4 snapping into the notches 5 in the sides 6 of the box. The projections 4 and the notches 5 may be chamfered in a suitable way to ease the connection of the parts. The illuminated sign is hereby assembled and may be put to use. If the transparency has to be exchanged or the box has to be opened for cleaning and/or exchange of the light source 7, a pressure is exerted on the front pane 1 and thereby on the plate 2 at one of their corners. As a result of the vertexes 9 bearing on the bottom 12 the diagonally opposite corner of the plate 2 by virtue of the elastic flexibility also turns in¬ wards towards the interior of the box 3, while the two corners situated on the other diagonal of the plate 2 are turned out¬ wards in relation to the box 3 so that these two corners may be grasped, or at least a suitable instrument may be inserted between the front edge of the sides 6 and the inner surface of the plate 2 to prevent the corners to slide back again into the box (3) when the said exertion is terminated, so that the plate 2 may be removed afterwards. When the pressure is exerted on the front pane 1 and the plate 2 in the said corner at least one corner of the front pane will be turned out of the box 3 depending on the rigidity of the pane, so that the front pane 1 can be grasped and removed from the box when the projections 4 slide out of the notches 5. In the embodiment shown in fig. 2 the panels 8 are preferab rectangular and the abutments consist of the middle part the edges of the panels 8 opposite the plate 2. The abutmen 9 rest against projections 11 when the lid is inserted in the box. These projections 11 consist here of pins which are mounted the inner surfaces of the sides 6 of the box, for instance being inserted into holes in the sides 6 of the box. The b may of course also be provided with another front glass 1 s that it may serve as an illuminated sign. According to the invention a box has been provided which ma easily be dismantled by simply exerting a pressure with on hand, and the box according to the invention is especiall useful as an illuminated sign for advertising purposes, whic sign may be reassembled by just pushing the plate and th front pane into the box.

Claims: C A I M S 1. Box with a first and a second end part, having at least four edges, which are connected to rectangular sides (6) in pairs, whereby at least the first end part constitutes a lid (1, 2) which may be inserted into the box (3) and removed, said lid having an outer surface which is flush with or lies within the edges of the sides (6) of the box (3), c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that the lid (1, 2) consists of an e- lastic flexible material, and that two opposing edges of the lid (1, 2) at least along a part of the edges are firmly con¬ nected to a panel (8), which is shaped in such a way that it may bear against the inner surface of the adjoining side (6) of the box (3), and in that the edges of the said panels (8) opposite the plane of the lid (1, 2) are shaped in such a way that an abutment (9) is formed principally opposite the middle of the edge of the lid (1, 2) a first distance from the edge of the lid which is not larger than the distance between the lid (1, 2) and the second end part. 2. Box according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the said edges of the panels (8) follow a smooth curve, for instance a part of a circle. 3. Box according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the panels 8 are shaped as triangles, preferably isosce¬ les triangles, and that the abutments consist of the vertixes (9) of the triangles. 4. Box according to any of the claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e ¬ i s e d in that the panels (8) close to the abutments (9) are provided with coupling means (10) which are designed to be able to interact with complementary means (11) on the inner surfaces of the sides (6) of the box (3). 5. Box according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the said coupling means (10) consist of a knob and that the complementary means (11) consist of a corresponding recess or vice versa. 6. Box according to any of the claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e - r i s e d in that the panels (8) interact with the inner surfaces of the sides (6) by friction. 7. Box according to any of the claims 1-6 in which both end parts consist of a lid (1, 2) which may be inserted in or re- moved from the box (3), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the inner surfaces of the sides (6) of the box (3) are provi¬ ded with projections (11) which may bear against the abutments (9) of the panels (8) , which projections (11) are placed at a distance from the relevant end part which is equal to the a- bove mentioned first distance. 8. Box according to any of the claims 1-7, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i s e d in that the lid (1, 2) consists of a front pane (1) of a clear and translucent material, preferably polycarbo- nate, said front pane (1) at at least two and preferably at all four edges having an extending projection (4), which is designed to interact with corresponding recesses (5) in the sides (6) of the box (3), and of a plate (2) of an opalescent material, preferably acryllic glass, said plate (2) supports the panels (8). 9. Box according to claim 8 in which all the edges of the lid (1, 2) are provided with a panel (8) which extends along all of the length of the relevant edge of the lid (1, 2) and in which the ends of the panels (8) have no mutual contact at the corners of the lid (1, 2), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the panels (8) consist of an opaque material. 10. Box according to any of the claims 1-9, c h a r a c t e - r i s e d in that at least one source of light (7) is moun¬ ted in the box (3).

Inventors: VINTHER KNUD, VINTHER, KNUD
Applicants: VINTHER KNUD, VINTHER, KNUD
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B65D43
IPC codes: B65D43