Abstract
Provided is a container assembly including a container for storage and transport of goods including at least one side wall and a bottom wall defining together an interior space and a cover for closing the opening, having a top surface. The cover may include at least one latch member movable between at least a first position and a second position. The container may also include a retaining member on the at least one side wall and positioned parallel to the latch member such that the latch member is configured for engaging with a retaining member of another container to connect the container to the at least one other container.
Claims
1. A container assembly comprising a container for storage and transport of goods comprising at least one side wall and a bottom wall defining together an interior space and a cover for closing the opening, having a top surface, wherein the cover comprises at least one latch member movable between at least a first, resting non-engaged position and a second, engaged position, wherein the container comprises a retaining member on the at least one side wall and positioned parallel to the latch member such that the latch member is configured for engaging with a retaining member of another container when in the second position to connect the container to the at least one other container, wherein when the at least one latch member is at the first, resting non-engaged position, the at least one latch member is flush with the side wall of the cover, and further wherein when at the second, engaged position, the cover of the container can be disposed into an open position.
2. The container assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one first container and at least one second container, detachably attachable to one another by a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism interacts between the at least one first container and at least one second container wherein the at least one first container is configured at a top portion thereof with a pivotable latch member, and the at least one second container is configured at a corresponding bottom portion thereof with a retaining portion, wherein said latch member is pivotable between a locked position at which it engages said retaining portion, and an unlocked position at which it is pivotally displaced into disengagement from said retaining portion.
3. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one latch member can constitute a handle for the container assembly.
4. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover is pivotally connected to a rear side of the container portion.
5. The container assembly of claim 1, further comprising a carrying handle located on the container portion or the cover portion.
6. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the latch member is pivotably connected through at least one hinge.
7. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior space of the container is divided into a plurality of compartments.
8. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the latch member and the engaging member are constructed and arranged to be spaced apart such that they are positioned to be vertically aligned with respect to one another.
9. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the retaining member is an outwardly protruding hook like member configured and shaped to hold and\or catch and prevent movement of the latch member when locked thereon.
10. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the latch member is configured to pivot in a clockwise and a counterclockwise manner.
11. The container assembly of claim 1, further comprising a container and a hinged lid member configured to cover the container, wherein the hinge area further comprises at least one arresting member and a friction member such that the lid has a closed and an open configurations wherein the arresting member and the friction element are disengaged and intermediate positions configured between the open and closed configurations wherein the friction element engages the arresting member.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
(2) FIGS. 1A and 1B are a perspective top view and a front view, respectively, of the container assembly in accordance with one example of the disclosed subject matter;
(3) FIGS. 2A to 2B are a perspective top view and a perspective side view, respectively, of two container assemblies of FIG. 1A, stacked one over the other, in accordance with one example of the disclosed subject matter;
(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective back view of a container system of three different container assemblies stacked in accordance with an example of the disclosed subject matter;
(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of a container assembly in accordance with another example of the disclosed subject matter;
(6) FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are a perspective view of two like container assemblies of FIG. 4, stacked one atop the other;
(7) FIGS. 6A to 6C illustrate a container assembly in a perspective view where the container is illustrated with the handles in a resting position (6A), a working position (6B) and a front view of the same container (6C) in accordance with yet an example of the disclosed subject matter;
(8) FIG. 7A to 7C illustrate in a perspective view the container assemblies in accordance with the examples of the disclosed subject matter, in a stacked configuration in various combinations;
(9) FIG. 8A to 8C illustrate a container assembly of FIG. 4, with a cover in varying positions respective the container interior;
(10) FIGS. 9A to 9D illustrate portion marked C in FIG. 8A, showing the cover in different positions respective the container, in accordance with an example of the disclosed subject matter, and
(11) FIGS. 10A to 10C illustrate a container assembly comprising a work bench, the work bench illustrated at its various working positions in FIG. 10C, in accordance with the disclosed subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(12) The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to container assemblies adapted for stacking and interlocking with like container assemblies. Referring first to the example of FIGS. 1A to 2B, there is provided a container assembly generally referenced 100. The container assembly 100 comprises a container designated 140 for storage and transport of goods. The container comprises two side walls 102A and 102B, a front wall 104, a rear wall 106 and a bottom wall 108, together defining an interior space (not shown). The container assembly 100 further comprises a cover 120 for closing container 140 at its opening. In the illustrated example, the cover is hingedly attached at the rear wall of the container. It will be appreciated that while in the illustrated example a hinge element is provided, the cover in accordance with the disclosed subject matter can be connected, e.g. through an integral hinge system (e.g. living hinge) or the cover can be a detachably attachable element, etc. The container assembly also comprises a carrying handle 124 at its front wall 104 and two locking latching assemblies 126A and 126B, configured for locking the cover to the container body 140.
(13) The cover 120 further comprises two latch members 150, each extending at its sides and movable between at least a first position I and a second position II. The container comprises two respective retaining members 160A, 160B, 160C, 160D at the lower portion 142 of each of the side walls 102A and 102B. The retaining members are a hook like element integrally formed on and outwardly protruding from respective side wall. It will be appreciated that while in the illustrated example there are provided two retaining members on each side wall, there can be provided one such member which can be of the width sufficient to engage the latch member as will be discussed herein after. An example of a single retaining member is provided with reference to FIG. 4 and will be discussed with reference thereto. Each latch member is positioned parallel to the respective two retaining members (as best seen e.g. in FIG. 1A). The latch member 150 in accordance with this example is pivotable at least between a first resting position seen in FIG. 1A and a fully extending second position seen e.g. on the top container in FIGS. 2A and 2B. In this second position or in fact in any of the intermediate positions, the latch member(s) 150 can constitute side handles for the container assembly. The latch members are a generally U shaped member pivotably connected at its free ends to the cover 120. Thus while the carrying handle 124 facilitates carrying the container assembly vertically such that its rear wall can be for example substantially parallel to the ground, the latch members 150 facilitate carrying the assembly horizontally, using the latch member 150 as two side handles.
(14) Attention is now directed to FIGS. 2A to 3 which illustrate two like container assemblies 100 in accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter stacked one over the other. FIG. 2A illustrates the two container assemblies stacked with the latch members 150 in a disengaged configuration (i.e. non-engaged position) such that the two latch members 150 fully shown in this example are in a first, resting position I (i.e. the first, resting non-engaged position) in which the latch member 150 is substantially parallel to the sides of the container assembly 100. FIG. 2B illustrates the same two container assemblies stacked showing the other side of the assembly in which the latch members are in a second position II. The latch member of the top container 100 is pivoted/lifted upwards, freely extending above the top surface 122 of the cover 120. In this configuration II the latch member can constitute a side or a lifting handle for the container. The latch member 150 of the bottom container assembly 100 is also in a second position, however it is locked over the retaining member 160 such that the two container assemblies are locked and connected to each other. Thus, by lifting the top container assembly the bottom container will be moved therewith as one interlocked system of two container assemblies. It will be appreciated that the latch members 150 on both sides should be engaged with the respective retaining members 160 to prevent unintentional disengagement or relative movement of the two containers.
(15) FIG. 3 illustrates a system 200 of three container assemblies, C, B and 100 all interlocked using a latch member 150 provided on the covers locked over the respective retaining members 160 provided at the lower portion 142 of the side wall of the respective container assembly 100 stacked thereover. This facilitates transportation of the system in unison. In this example the system is further provided with two side wheels W and a central upwardly extending carrying handle 170 extending upwards from rear wall of the bottom container and protruding above the top container assembly to allow e.g. tilting and wheeling the system.
(16) The example illustrated with reference to FIGS. 4 to 5B provides for a container assembly 300 which in this example is an organizer system. Elements having similar function to those of the assembly 100 described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 2B, are marked using similar reference numerals upped by 200. One difference between the container assembly 100 and container assembly 300 resides in the structure of the latch member 350 and the retaining member 360. In this example, there is provided a single retaining member 360 provided at the bottom portion of the side wall of the container 340. The latch member 350 is provided parallel thereto on the side flap of cover 320, covering the container 340. As seen in FIG. 5B, when two like container assemblies 300 are stacked one on top of the other, to lock the two assemblies, the latch member 350 of the container assembly at the bottom is pivoted to the second position and snapped to engage the retaining member 360 of the container provided on the top. As in the previous example, this locking engagement allows securing the two assemblies together and facilitates secure storage and transport of the resultant system of two assemblies.
(17) It will be appreciated that any number of container assemblies 100, 300, can be stacked one over the other and locked in accordance with the disclosed subject matter.
(18) FIGS. 6A to 6C are another example of the container 400 in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. The difference between the container 400 and the previous example is lack of cover. In this example the container is a crate having a latch member 450 provided at the top portion of the respective side wall and a retaining member 460 (in this example two retaining members for each latch, as discussed also with reference to the example of FIG. 1A) provided at the bottom portion of each side wall, in parallel and coextending with the respective latch member. As seen in FIGS. 7A to 7B, the crate 400 can be stacked with like crates and interlocked therewith in accordance with the present invention (e.g. FIG. 7B) or provided as part of a system of different container systems, which are also provided with a respective latch members and retaining members as illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B.
(19) FIGS. 8A to 9D illustrate the container assembly 300 discussed above. The container assembly comprises a container 340 and cover lid 320 hingedly articulated thereto. The lid 320 is configured to extend between a closed position as seen e.g. in FIG. 4, a fully open position seen in FIG. 8C where the lid 320 is open at about 180° with respect to the container 340. As seen in FIGS. 8A and 8B the lid is configured to extend at intermediate positions between the closed and fully open positions and in the illustrated examples extends normal to the container (FIG. 8A) and at about 140° (FIG. 8B). These intermediate positions are facilitated by a friction system constituted by an arresting member 380 provided at the top end of the container 340 at the location of the hinge H and a respective friction element 375, in this example a protrusion of the respective edge of the cover 320. As seen in the enlarged portion C (FIG. 8A) illustrated in FIGS. 9A to 9C, in the fully closed (FIG. 9A) and a fully open (FIG. 9D) positions the friction system is at rest, namely the friction element 375 and the arresting member 380 are not engaged and at the intermediate positions, the friction element 375 engages the arresting member at various levels of friction force. The arresting element 380 is an outward protrusion, having a shoulder like structure with an undercut 390, such that at the engaged configuration, the friction element 375 glides over and exerts force over the undercut portion 390.
(20) It is appreciated that any one of the containers can be of different type as far as its design, size, purpose and configuration, however each configured for detachably attachable to one another by a locking mechanism as will be discussed herein with greater detail. For example, the containers can be storage units, organizers, a folding chair, a folding work bench, a utility item, e.g. a power generator, etc.
(21) FIG. 10A illustrates an assembly 300 similar to the assembly 200 of FIG. 3, differing in that one of the containers in the assembly is a work bench 400. This work bench, as best seen in FIGS. 10B and 10C, is configured with a work unit 420 having a width providing for a side wall and four extendable legs 480, which can be maintained in their folded configuration (as seen in FIG. 10B), within the space defined by the sidewalls of the workbench 400. The two opposite side walls (only 402A clearly seen in the illustrations), each comprise an arresting member 460A and 460B and a latch member 450. To lock the work bench to the other assemblies C and B, the latch member 450 of the workbench 400 at the bottom is pivoted to the second position and snapped to engage the retaining member 360 of the container provided on the top. As in the previous example, this locking engagement allows securing the two assemblies together and facilitates secure storage and transport of the resultant system of two assemblies.
(22) It will be appreciated that any other container can be stacked in the assembly provided the locking arrangement thereof is aligned with the locking arrangement of at least one other container/assembly in the system. The term container as used herein denotes any type of container, or work unit, which can be used as a tool caddy, organizer, traveler bag, cosmetics bag, storage containers, locomoting containers, etc. the term container includes also units used in conjunction with a tool caddy, such as a work bench, etc.
