Patent GB-1209783-A (GB)
Title: Tape reel container
IPC: B41J33/00
Filed: 1967-11-13
Abstract: 1,209,783. Stud and socket fasteners. CERTRON CORP. 13 Nov., 1967 [20 April, 1967; 16 June, 1967], No. 51614/67. Heading E2B. '[Also in Division B8] A tape reel container has mating top and bottom portions 22, 24 and a fastening mechanism 12, the mechanism comprising a first fastening unit 54 secured to the bottom portion, a second fastening unit 82 forming part of or secured to the top portion, the first and second fastening units being adapted to engage each other for securing the top and bottom portions together, means 90 axially movable in the top portion which when pressed to a releasing position permits the separation of the portions, the top portion including finger gripping means 106 top adjacent the axially movable means whereby the separation of the top and bottom container portions is acoomplishable by one-hand operation. In the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the fastening unit 54 secured to the bottom portion is a post which has an enlarged head 60 joined to a shank 64 of the post by a frusto-conical surface 62. The fastening unit 82 secured to the top portion has an annular portion 84 and four resilient fingers 66 each of which terminates in a bead 88 which engages the fnwsto-conical surface 62. Surrounding the shank 64 of the post 54, is a collar 68 which is biassed towards the head 60 by a spring 76 surrounding the shank and normally the collar engages the end portions of the fingers 66 to prevent their release from the surface 62. The axially movable means 90 in the top portion is a push button which has four fingers 94 which pass through apertures 92 in the portion 84 of the fastening unit 82 to engage the collar 68; depression of the push button moves the collar away from the head 60 of the post 54 so that the fingers 66 can be pulled free from the post 54 to separate the top and bottom portions of the container. The top portion of the container has a depression 44 with a central raised portion 46 which contains the push button and the second fastening element the raised portion is provided with the finger gripping means 106 which is in the form of an annular ridge. The operators fingers can grip thus at the. same time as the push button is depressed by the thumb. To render the container dust tight annular sealing gaskets 32, 36 and 50 are provided. In a modification a resilient element is disposed between the head 60 and the underside of the push button to urge the container portions apart. In another modification instead providing the annular ridge 106 a bar 108 pass diametrically across the annular depression 44. A construction is also described in which the two fastening units change places so that the post is secured to the top portion and the unit with the resilient fingers to the bottom portion; in this construction the collar surrounds the unit with the resilient fingers and is biassed by the spring towards the top portion; when moved by the push button away from the top portion the fingers are freed so that they can be released from the head of the post. An alternative and simpler form of fastening mechanism is as disclosed in this form the fastening unit secured to the bottom portion of the container has three resilient fingers each of which has a shoulder near its free end portion for engaging a surface of an annular ring which forms the fastening unit secured to the top portion, the engagement of the shoulders with the ring holding the two container portions together, the axially movable means in the top portion is again a push button this having a cylindrical wall with a frusto conical edge, this edge normally rests on the slanted upper surfaces of the fingers and when depressed moves the fingers inwardly out of engagement with the ring. The top container portion is provided with a ridge for engagement by the operator's fingers when 'the thumb is depressing the push button. In a modification the ring is omitted and the fingers engage a surface of the container top portion