Abstract:
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.

Description:
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&#39;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. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an assembled front perspective view of the subject bin for granular substance, showing the forward and rearward lid components in their normal state of enclosure. 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view through the assembled bin for granular substance illustrated in FIG. 1 taken along the line 2--2. 
     FIG. 3 is a transverse section view through the forward lid component depicted in FIG. 1, taken along the line 3--3. 
     FIG. 4 is a transverse section view through the rearward lid component taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 5 is a transverse section view of the rearward lid component taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the forward and rearward lid components, shown with the forward lid component in an upwardly pivoted (open) condition. 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the forward component. 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the forward lid component. 
     FIG. 9 is a section view through the right rearward corner of the forward lid component, taken along the line 9--9 of FIG. 7. 
    
    
     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.