Abstract:
A box (1) is provided including a lower part (3), acting as a container, and a lid (5). A plate (23) which can be moved with play is inserted into the lid (5). This plate (23) is resiliently supported on the inner side of the lid (5). When closing the box (1), the plate (23) moves into contact with the upper edge (13) of the lower part (3) and seals the inside of lower part (3) with respect to the surroundings.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a box comprising a lower part, serving as a container, and a lid for closing the container in accordance with the preamble of patent claim  1 . 
         [0002]    Boxes of this generic type are known. In most of these boxes, the lids are hinged; the remainder are of the plug-on type and can be temporarily latched with the lower part of the box by suitable latching means. Particularly with respect to boxes that have hinged, that is to say pivotable, lids, the interior of the lower part serving as a container cannot be readily sealed, with the result that moisture-sensitive contents cannot be optimally protected against the ingress of moisture or extraneous odors. In the case of hinged lids, sealing compounds which are inserted or injected into the lid rest non-uniformly on the edge of the container and can therefore not be used as a seat 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    An object of the present invention includes providing a box having a hinged or plugged-on lid which has a seal which optimally seals the interior of the lower part and prevents the ingress of air, moisture and extraneous odors. 
         [0004]    This object is achieved by a box in accordance with one or more features of the invention. Advantageous embodiments of the box are outlined below and in the claims 
         [0005]    In the case of boxes with a lid which can be plugged on, and particularly even in the case of boxes with a lid that is hinged to the lower part, an optimal tight closure can be achieved by means of a plate which spans the entire opening of the lower part and rests with full-surface contact on the upper edge of the lower part and also by means of a spring element which presses the plate uniformly onto the lower part. The sealing effect is enhanced by a sealing region which extends at an acute angle to the central region of the plate. The spring elements mounted on the upper side of the plate are supported on the underside of the lid and permanently press the plate uniformly onto the lower part. The spring elements used are elastic flaps or spring elements projecting from the upper side of the plate. Alternatively, a foam element interposed between lid and plate can also serve as a spring. The flaps and/or the plate can be made of metal, in particular resilient metal, or plastic. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the underside of the plate is coated with a film, which additionally enhances the sealing effect on the upper edge of the lower part. The plate is dimensioned in such a way that it can be inserted toollessly into the lid of the box and latch therein after insertion. Optimum sealing between a lid that is hinged on the lower part and the lower part can also be achieved by the plate even if the lid does not come to lie parallel to the edge on the lower part due to large dimensional tolerances. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The invention is explained in more detail with reference to an illustrated exemplary embodiment. In the drawings: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a closed box, 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the box according to  FIG. 1  with an opened lid, 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a cross section through the box along line III-III in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows a cross section through the box along line IV-IV in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  shows an illustration of the partially opened lid from above, 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows a cross section through the box along line VI-VI in  FIG. 2 , 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  shows a side view of the sealing plate from the direction of arrow A in  FIG. 10 , 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  shows a side view of the sealing plate from the direction of arrow B in  FIG. 10 , 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  shows a plan view of the sealing plate, and 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  shows a perspective plan view of the sealing plate. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    The box designated by reference sign  1  comprises a lower part  3 , serving as a container or contents receptacle, and a lid  5 . In the present example, the lid  5  is pivotably connected to the lower part  3  by a hinge  7 . The hinge  7  is designed in a conventionally known way and is therefore not described in further detail. Alternatively, the lid  1  can also be designed such that it is only able to be plugged on and such that it can be latched by means of protuberances on the lower part (no figure). 
         [0018]    The lower part  3  comprises at the top a peripheral edge  9  which is of stepped design in the present example, i.e. the region of the peripheral container wall situated deeper and closer to the bottom  11  is larger in cross section than the region directed toward the upper edge  9 . The upper edge  9 , which delimits the opening cross section of the lower part  3 , is terminated by an inwardly or outwardly directed curled flange  15 . It can additionally be seen from  FIGS. 2-6  that an insert  17 , for example an insert made of plastic, can be placed in the lower part  3 , if such an insert is required. The lid  5  comprises a peripheral lid edge  19  which, with the lid  5  closed, peripherally encloses the upper part of the lower part  3 . A peripheral, inwardly directed flange  21  is formed on the free edge of the lid  5 . The flange  21  serves, on the one hand, to move the sharp sheet metal edge of the lid  5  out of the grip region and, on the other hand, the flange  21  serves to fix a plate  23  in a freely movable manner within the lid  5 , i.e. between the lid surface and the flange  21 , or to prevent the plate  23  from falling out of the lid  5 . The contour or the outer edge of the plate  23  corresponds to the contour of the edge  19  of the lid  5 . Accordingly, the plate  23  is situated with slight play above the flange  21  within the lid  5  and is prevented in this position, between the inner side of the lid surface  6  and the flange  21 , from falling out by the flange  21 . On the upper side of the plate  23  there are formed two tabs  25  which project upwardly from the surface of the plate  23 . The tabs  25  are fastened to the plate  23  or, as part thereof, are produced therefrom by a punching and bending operation. In order to increase the elasticity of the tabs  25  or the spring effect thereof, the latter can also be arranged on a plate portion  27  bent out of the plate  23  ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ). The peripheral edge region  29  of the plate  23  is preferably formed at an acute angle, thus extending in a roof-shaped manner with respect to the plate surface. The roof-shaped region on the periphery of the plate  23  serves for centering the plate  23  on the lower part. The plate  23  can be configured to be planar or slightly domed in its center. 
         [0019]    In the case of a plate  23  in which the flaps  25  are produced from the plate  23  by a punching/bending operation, a film  31  for covering the apertures formed when punching out the flaps  25  is arranged on the underside of the plate  23 , preferably being adhesively bonded to the plate  23 . The film  31  is advantageously produced from a soft material and extends into the edge region  29  of the plate  23 . Consequently, beside the function of overlapping the apertures generated when punching out the flaps  25 , the film  31  also functions in the edge region  29  as an elastic seal if the lid  5  is closed. Alternatively, instead of the flaps  25 , foam can be adhesively bonded to the upper side of the plate  23  and serve as a seal and as a spring. 
         [0020]    On closing the lid  5 , the plate  23  comes uniformly all the way around into tight contact with the edge  9  on the upper edge of the lower part  3  along the opening of the lower part  3 . This occurs irrespective of whether the lid  5  thus lies exactly parallel to the lower part  3  or not. The sprung arrangement of the plate  23  in the lid  5  always ensures uniform pressing of the plate  23  onto the lower part  3 . The elastic and “floating” mounting of the plate  23  is obtained by the free edges of the elastic flaps  25  or the foam making contact with and being supported on the inner side of the lid surface  6  of the lid  5 . 
         [0021]    Of course, instead of or in addition to the film  31 , the edge region  29  of the plate  23  can be coated with a sealing compound  33  which compensates for any unevenness which may be present along the upper edge  9  of the lower part  3  or on the plate  23  itself.