Patent Publication Number: US-2021171237-A1

Title: Storage box

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Taiwan Patent Application Ser. No. 108145184 filed on Dec. 10, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to a storage box, and more particularly to storage box formed by assembling two box bodies. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In order to fulfill various storage needs of the users, the existing storage boxes or cases (referred to as “containers” hereinafter) of a same type or model are often designed to have a series of products with different sizes and volumes, for example, have the size of large, medium, small, extra-large or extra-small, etc. 
     However, for a same user, he or she may have different needs towards the volume of the storage box according to different scenarios. For example, after purchasing a box of snacks (for example, twelves pineapple cakes), the user may store these snacks in a storage box and place the storage box in the living room. As the number of the snack reduces because of being consumed by visitors or family members, the arrangement of the snacks became aesthetically unpleasant. Therefore, containers having a volume that is not able to be adjusted may reduce the quality of life of the user or even affect the social image of the user. 
     Besides, along with the increasing of the cost for living spaces, it is a waste of space when a container with a fixed volume is not filled with contents. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a container having a volume that is able to be adjusted easily and smoothly. 
     SUMMARY 
     In response to the above-referenced inadequacies, the object of the present disclosure is to provide a storage box including a first box body and a second box body. The first box body includes a first sidewall, a first bottom, a first accommodation space, a first side opening located on a side of the first sidewall, and a first top edge located at a side of the first box body away from the first bottom. The second box body includes a second sidewall, a second bottom, a second accommodation space, a second side opening located at a side of the second sidewall and a second top edge located at a side of the second box body away from the second bottom. A slide rail is formed from the second top edge towards the second bottom, and the first top edge abuts the slide rail. The storage box is formed by assembling the first box body and the second body in a manner that the first side opening corresponds to the second side opening, and the first top edge and the second top edge together form an opening of the storage box. The storage box has an accommodation space having a volume no larger than a sum of a volume of the first accommodation space and a volume of the second accommodation space. 
     In one embodiment, a width of the first side opening is larger than a width of the second side opening. 
     In one embodiment, a stopping portion is further formed inside of the first box body and adjacent to the first side opening; and a plurality of stopping ribs are further formed outside of the second box body and adjacent to the second side opening and the second top edge. The plurality of stopping ribs are arranged along a direction of the slide rail. 
     In an embodiment, the first box body further includes a first neck edge and the second box body further includes a second neck edge; a width of the first neck edge is larger than a width of the second neck edge. 
     In an embodiment, the first box body has a first limiting portion adjacently connected to the first neck edge, and the second box body has a first limiting structure extending from the second neck edge towards an outer side of the storage box. 
     In an embodiment, a second limiting portion is projected from a location on the first bottom and adjacent to the first side opening towards an inner side of the storage box, and a second limiting structure is projected from a location on the second bottom and adjacent to the second side opening towards an outer side of the storage box. 
     In an embodiment, a third top edge is formed at a side of the first top edge away from the first side opening and towards an inner side and the opening of the storage box, and when the first box body and the second box body are assembled, the third top edge and the second top edge together form the opening, and the third top edge is flush with the second top edge. 
     In an embodiment, the first bottom and the second bottom both has a plurality of projecting portions. 
     In an embodiment, the second top edge further has at least two hollow sections, the at least two hollow sections are at least distributed at two sides of the second side opening. 
     In an embodiment, the storage box has an accommodation space having a volume no larger than a sum of a volume of the first accommodation space and a volume of the second accommodation space. 
     In sum, by forming the storage box through assembling two box bodies, the present disclosure is able to achieve the effectiveness of adjusting the size (volume) of a space in a storage box. Therefore, the present disclosure may achieve the effectiveness of improving the quality of life of the user and saving living space by providing a storage box with an adjustable volume. In addition, based on the ergonomics designs described above, for example, positioning the stopping portions and stopping ribs at locations adjacent to the point of applications on the storage box, the user experience of the storage box of the present disclosure may be further improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the appearance of an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  a schematic view of the appearance of an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded schematic view of an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4A  is a partial enlarged view of part A of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4B  is a partial enlarged view of part B of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4C  is a partial sectional enlarged view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along the section line C-C of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a partial enlarged view of part D of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view taken along the section line E-E of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a partial enlarged view of part F of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the embodiment of the present disclosure shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view taken along the section line G-G of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is a partial enlarged view of part H of  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view taken along the section ling I-I of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  is a partial enlarged view of part J of  FIG. 16 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only because numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the drawings indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”. Titles or subtitles are used herein for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meanings in the art. In the case of conflict, the present document, including any definitions given herein, will prevail. The same thing can be expressed in more than one way. Alternative language and synonyms can be used for any term(s) discussed herein, and no special significance is to be placed upon whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given herein. Numbering terms such as “first”, “second” or “third” can be used to describe various components or the like, which are for distinguishing one component from another one only, and are not intended to, nor should be construed to impose any substantive limitations on the components or the like. 
     In addition, the directional indications (such as front, rear, left, right, above, under, clockwise, counterclockwise, etc.) in the embodiments are only used to describe the relative positions or movements, etc. of multiple components under specific circumstances (such as those shown in the drawings), and when the circumstances are changed, the directional indications may be changed accordingly. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The storage box  100  provides by the present disclosure is a retractable storage box, and therefore, the size (volume) of the accommodation space thereof may be adjusted. The material of the storage box  100  may be, but not limited to plastic materials. The form of the storage box  100  may be changed by the user according to actual needs. The form of the storage box  100  may include, but not limited to the closed form (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) and the expanded form (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded schematic view of an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the storage box  100  includes a first box body  1  and a second box body  2 . In the present disclosure, the storage box  100  may be formed by assembling the first body  1  with the second box body  2 . The first box body includes a first sidewall  11 , a first bottom  12  and a first accommodation space  13 . In addition, a first side opening  14  is located at a side of the first sidewall  11 , and a first top edge  15  is located at a side of the first box body which is away from the first bottom  12 . 
     In the present embodiment, the second box body  2  includes a second sidewall  21 , a second bottom  22  and a second accommodation space  23 . In addition, a second side opening  24  is located at a side of the second sidewall  21  and a second top edge  25  is located at a side of the second box body  2  which is away from the second bottom  22 . 
     It should be noticed that, the size (volume) of the first accommodation space  13  is defined by the areas of the first sidewall  11 , the first bottom  12  and the first side opening  14 . Similarly, the size (volume) of the second accommodation space  23  is defined by the areas of the second sidewall  21 , the second bottom  22  and the second side opening  24 . 
     In other words, the first box body  1  and the second box body  2  each has a structure substantially similar to each other, and the structure includes a sidewall, a bottom and an accommodation space formed by the sidewall and the bottom. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 12  which are the top views of the storage box  100 , the first box body  1  and the second box body  2  both each has a sidewall with a U-shape profile (the first sidewall  11  and the second sidewall  21 ) and a top edge on the sidewall (the first top edge  15  and the second top edge  25 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , observing from the positions of the first side opening  14  or the second side opening  24 , the first side opening  14  and the second side opening  24  each has a U-shape profile. 
     It should be noticed that because the storage box  100  is formed by assembling the first box body  1  and the second box body  2 , the widths of the sidewall and the opening of one of the box bodies (for example, the first sidewall  11  and the first side opening  14  of the first box body  1 ) may be larger than that of the sidewall and the opening of the other box body (for example, the second sidewall  21  and the second side opening  24  of the second box body  2 ). 
       FIG. 4C  is a partial sectional enlarged view of  FIG. 3 . Reference is made to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4C . In addition to the first top edge  15  and the second top edge  25 , the first box body  1  further includes a first neck edge  17  located on the first sidewall  11  and between the first top edge  15  and the first bottom  12 . The first neck edge  17  is parallel to the first top edge  15 . The second box body  2  further includes a second neck edge  27  located on the second sidewall  21  and between the second top edge  25  and the second bottom  22 . The second neck edge  27  is parallel to the second top edge  25 . The width of the first neck edge  17  is larger than the width of the second neck edge  27 . The structures and configurations of the first neck edge  17  and the second neck edge  27  provide a function similar to that of a slide rail and may render the movement of the first box body  1  and the second box body  2  more smoothly. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 3  which is a three-dimensional view,  FIG. 4A ,  FIG. 4B  and  FIGS. 15 to 17 .  FIG. 4A  is a partial enlarged view of part A of  FIG. 3 .  FIGS. 15 to 17  are top view and sectional view. A stopping portion  18 A is further formed inside of the first box body  1  and adjacent to the first side opening  14 .  FIG. 4B  is a partial enlarged view of part B of  FIG. 3 . A plurality of stopping ribs  28 A are further formed outside of the second box body  2  and adjacent to the second side opening  24  and the second top edge  25 . The plurality of stopping ribs  28 A are arranged along a direction of a slide rail  251 . Therefore, the stopping ribs  28 A may be slightly fixed between two stopping ribs  28 A (as shown in  FIG. 17 ), and the storage box  100  may be temporarily maintain as a steady structure. When a user adjusts the relative position of the first box body  1  and the second box body  2  through the slide rail  251  to increase the size or volume of the accommodating space of the storage box  100  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ), or reduce the size or volume of the accommodating space of the storage box  100  (the operation opposite to that shown in  FIG. 2 ) (referred to as the “adjusting process” hereinafter), the accommodating space of the storage box  100  may be increased or reduced “quantitatively”. 
     It should be noticed that when the user performs the adjusting process to pull a part of the storage box  100 , the palm of the hand or the fingers of the user may be close to the top edge (such as the first top edge  15 , the second top edge  25 , or a third top edge  16  which will be described later). Therefore, the force applied by the user (the vector) will expands along the entire structure of the storage box  100 . Therefore, compared to a position adjacent to the point of application, at a position far away from the point of application, the direction of the force will depart significantly from the direction of the force originally applied by the user (the vector). If the stopping portion  18 A and the stopping ribs  28 A which provide quantitative movement of the adjusting process and small resistance are located at a location too far away from the point of application, the adjusting process may not be performed smoothly. In the present embodiment, based on ergonomic principle, the stopping portion  18 A and the stopping ribs  28 A of the first box body  1  and the second box body  2  are positioned at locations adjacent to the point of application on the storage box  100  during the adjusting process, and therefore, the storage box  100  may be expanded or contracted easily and smoothly. 
     In an embodiment, the first stopping portion  18 A is disposed between the first neck edge  17  and the first top edge  15 , and the stopping ribs  28 A are disposed between the second top edge  25  and the second neck edge  27 . 
     Besides, the first box body  1  may have one, two or more first limiting portion  18 B, and the second box body  2  may have one, two or more first limiting structure  28 B. The fixing effect provided between the first limiting portion  18 B and the first limiting structure  28 B are slightly larger than the fixing effect provided between the stopping portion  18 A and the stopping ribs  28 A. For example, in an embodiment having one first limiting portion  18 B and two first limiting structures  28 B, because the first limiting structures  28 B may prevent the first box body  1  and the second box body  2  from being easily assembled or disassembled, generally, when the two box bodies are assembled, the first limiting portion  18 B is not located between the two first limiting structures  28 B, thereby ensuring that the user may not use excess force while expanding or retracting (during the adjusting process of) the storage box  100 . When the user accidentally applies excess force and such force causes the first limiting portion  18 B to be freed from the first first limiting structures  28 B, the first limiting structures  28 B may generate a touch sensation to the user, such touch sensation is different from the touch sensation generated while the stopping portion  18 A is moving between the plurality of stopping ribs  28 A. Therefore, the user may pause or terminate the adjusting process. In addition, when the first limiting portion  18 B is located between the two first limiting structures  28 B, the storage box  100  temporarily forms a steady structure to ensure the containment of the contents in the storage box  100  and to prevent the contents from falling out of the storage box  100 . 
     In an embodiment, the first limiting portion  18 B is disposed between the first neck edge  17  and the first top edge  15 , and the first limiting structure  28 B is disposed between the second top edge  25  and the second neck edge  27 . 
     The mechanism related to the second limiting portion  18 C, the second limiting structure  28 C and the third limiting structure  28 D are described herein. 
     Specifically, the principle and mechanism of the second limiting portion  18 C, the second limiting structure  28 C and the third limiting structure  28 D in the closed form, the expanded form and a form between the closed form and the expanded form are described herein. 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 5 to 7  (the closed form),  FIGS. 12 to 15  (the expanded form) and  FIGS. 15 to 17  (the form between the closed form and the expanded form). The second limiting portion  18 C is disposed on the first bottom  12  of the first box body  1  and projected from the first bottom  12  towards the first top edge. The second limiting portion  18 C has a rib-shaped structure, and have a long axis direction perpendicular to the direction of the adjusting process (as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 2 ). The second limiting structure  28 C and the third limiting structure  28 D are disposed on the second bottom  22  of the second box body  2  and projected from the second bottom  22  along a direction away from the second top edge  25 . The second limiting structure  28 C and the third limiting structure  28 D may be rib structures parallel to the second limiting portion  18 C, or may be formed by two or more projecting structures. 
     Specifically, in the case that the limiting structure is formed by two or more projecting structures, the connecting line of these projecting structures are preferably parallel to the second limiting portion  18 C. Generally, when the first box body  1  and the second box body  2  are assembled, the second limiting portion  18 C is located between the second limiting structure  28 C and the third limiting structure  28 D. When the storage box  100  is retracted to the closed form (as shown in  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 ), the first bottom  12  adjacent to the second limiting portion  18 C abuts the third limiting structure  28 D (as shown in  FIG. 7 ). On the other hand, when the storage box  100  is expanded to the expanded form (as shown in  FIG. 12  to  FIG. 14 ), the second limiting portion  18 C abuts the third limiting structure  28 D (as shown in  FIG. 14 ). During the adjusting process, the stopping portion  18 A of the first sidewall  11  may contact with the stopping ribs  18 A multiple times (as shown in  FIG. 17 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , in addition to the first top edge  15 , in other embodiments, a third top edge  16  is located at a side of the first top edge  15  away from the first side opening  14 , and the third top edge  16  is extended towards the inner side and the opening of the storage box  100 . When the first box body  1  and the second box body  2  are assembled, the third top edge  16  and the second top edge  25  together form the opening of the storage box  100 , and the third top edge  16  and the second top edge  25  are flushed with each other. When the storage box  100  is adjusted into the closed form, the second top edge  25  abuts the third top edge  16 , and therefore terminating the adjusting process. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3  and  FIG. 4C , the storage box  100  of the present disclosure has hollow sections  252  located on the second top edge  25 . The hollow sections  252  are designed to allow the user to confirm the expand degree of the storage box  100 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first top edge  15  of the first box body  1  may be observed through one of the hollow sections  252 . Therefore, the user may clearly observe the distance between the first box body  1  and the second box body  2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIGS. 8 to 11 , the second box body  2  has a second projecting structure  211  formed on the second sidewall  21  at two sides of the second side opening  24 . When the storage box  100  is in the closed form, the second projecting structure  211  abuts the first sidewall  11  (as shown in  FIG. 10 ). In addition, the first box body  1  has a first projecting structure  111  formed on the first sidewall  11  at two sides of the first side opening  14 . When a plurality of storage boxes  100  are stacked together (not shown in the figures), an end of the second projecting structure  211  extending away from the second bottom  22  and an end of the first projecting structure  111  away from the first bottom  12  both abuts the first top edge  15  and the second top edge  25  of another storage box  100  beneath. Therefore, when a plurality of storage boxes  100  are stacked, two storage boxes  100  would not suck with each other and becoming hard to separate due to the weights of the storage boxes  100  which would cause the first sidewall  11  or the second sidewall  12  abut tightly with each other by the frictional force therebetween. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 16 , the first bottom  12  of the first box body  1  and the second bottom  22  of the second box body  2  both has a plurality of projecting portions  3  for generating and maintaining a gap between the content in the storage box  100  and the first bottom  12  or the second bottom  22 . Therefore, when a rigid object is contained in the storage box  100 , only a part of the projecting portion  3  (for example, the apex of the projecting portion  3 ) may be wear and tear by the rigid object, and the integrity of the storage box  100  may be maintained. 
     In sum, the storage box  100  is formed by assembling two box body and therefore has an adjustable size (volume) of the accommodation space thereof. Accordingly, a single storage box  100  may achieve the objects of providing multiple volumes, increasing the quality of life of the user and saving living space, etc. In addition, based on the ergonomics design described above, for example, disposing the stopping portion  18 A and stopping ribs  28 A at the locations adjacent to the point of application, the user experience of the storage box  100  may be further improved. 
     The above embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.