LIGHTWEIGHT AMMUNITION BOX

Abstract

An ammunition box with a rectangular molded thermoplastic material box body defining a rectangular storage space for ammunition. The box body opens to one side that can be closed with a flat rectangular molded thermoplastic material lid. The box body and the lid are provided with means for reinforcing and stabilizing the box body and the connection between the box body and the lid.

Claims

1. An ammunition box comprising a rectangular box body and a corresponding lid, said ammunition box body being a molded body of a thermoplastic material with an opening on one side of said rectangular box body that gives access to a rectangular storage space for ammunition inside said rectangular box body, said lid being pivotally suspended from said rectangular box body by a pivot hinge at or near one side of said rectangular box body and near said opening for allowing said lid to pivot relative to said rectangular box body between a closed position and a fully open position, a peripheral area of said rectangular box body adjacent said opening forming a rim around said opening, said lid being shaped and sized to fit snugly around said rim with said rim being received inside said lid when said lid is in said closed position, wherein said rim is provided with one or more outwardly projecting teeth at the one side of the ammunition box where the pivot hinge is provided, and said lid is provided with corresponding recesses for receiving said teeth when said lid is in said closed position.

2. The ammunition box according to claim 1, wherein said one or more outwardly projecting teeth are integrally molded with said box body.

3. The ammunition box according to claim 1, wherein said teeth are spaced in the axial direction of said pivot hinge.

4. An ammunition box comprising a rectangular box body and a corresponding lid, said box body being a molded body of a thermoplastic material with an opening on one side of said box body that gives access to a rectangular storage space for ammunition inside said box body, said lid being openable secured to said box body for allowing said lid to assume a closed position and an open position, a peripheral area of said box body adjacent said opening forming a rim around said opening, said lid being shaped and sized to fit snugly around said rim with said rim being received inside said lid when said lid is in said closed position, wherein two opposing side walls of said rectangular box body are provided with a pair closely spaced ribs that are interconnected by a plurality of traverse or squint ribs, said pair of closely spaced ribs extending along the transition between said rim and the remainder of the sidewall on which the pair of closely spaced ribs are provided.

5. The ammunition box according to claim 4, wherein said box body has an open top, with a peripheral portion of said side walls closest to said open top forming the rim surrounds a substantially rectangular opening to said rectangular storage space.

6. The ammunition box according to claim 5, wherein the transition between the portion of the box body side walls that forms the rim and the remainder of said box body side walls that extends from said transition to a box body bottom wall coincides with a plane that is parallel with said box body bottom wall.

7. The ammunition box according to claim 4, wherein said lid is a flat generally rectangular molded lid of thermoplastic material with a shape and size suitable to close said open top, said lid being openable or releasably attached to the box body to selectively close and open said open top.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] In the following detailed portion of the present disclosure, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the example embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

[0063] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ammunition box according to an example embodiment,

[0064] FIG. 2 is another perspective elevated view of the ammunition box of FIG. 1 with its lid in the closed position,

[0065] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the ammunition box of FIG. 1 with its lid in the closed position,

[0066] FIG. 4 is a side view of the long side of the ammunition box of FIG. 1, with its lid in a slightly open position

[0067] FIG. 5 is an elevated sectional cutaway view of the ammunition box of FIG. 1,

[0068] FIG. 6 is an elevated view of the bottom side of the lid of the ammunition box of FIG. 1, without its closing plate,

[0069] FIG. 7 is an elevated view of the closing plate of FIG. 6,

[0070] FIG. 8 is an elevated view of a detail of the short side of the lid of FIG. 6,

[0071] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view through middle of the ammunition box of FIG. 1,

[0072] FIG. 10 is a detail of the sectional view of FIG. 9,

[0073] FIG. 11 is an elevated view from two opposite sides on to first parts of two pivotal hinges,

[0074] FIGS. 12 and 13 are elevated views from two different perspectives on the second part of a pivotal hinge,

[0075] FIG. 14 is an elevated sectional cutaway view on a short side of the ammunition box of FIG. 1 through one of the pivotal hinges,

[0076] FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view through the middle of the ammunition box of FIG. 1,

[0077] FIGS. 16 and 17 are detailed longitudinal sectional views through an area of the ammunition box of FIG. 1 at the pivotal hinge, with FIG. 16 showing the lid in a closed position and FIG. 17 showing the lid in a somewhat open position,

[0078] FIGS. 18 and 19 are two elevated views from opposite sides on an H-shaped bracket that is provided at a short side of the ammunition box of FIG. 1,

[0079] FIGS. 20 and 21 are two elevated views from opposite sides on an L-shaped clasp that is provided at a short side of the ammunition box of FIG. 1,

[0080] FIG. 22 is an elevated view of an assembly including the H-shaped shaped bracket of FIGS. 18 and 19, the L-shaped clasp of FIGS. 20 and 21 and the handle shown in FIG. 1,

[0081] FIG. 23 is an elevated sectional cutaway view through a an end portion of the ammunition box of FIG. 1,

[0082] FIGS. 24 and 25 illustrate teeth that project from a flange of the box body of the ammunition box of FIG. 1, into the side of the lid when the letter is in its closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0083] With reference to the figures there is disclosed an ammunition box 1 with a generally rectangular outline.

[0084] The ammunition box includes a molded box body 2 of a first thermoplastic material, i.e. a material of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids that are malleable when warm. The molded box body 2 defines an essentially rectangular storage space for storing ammunition or other items with similar properties, such as explosives.

[0085] One side of the essentially rectangular box body is open to give access to the storage space inside the box body 2. The other sides of the box body 2 are formed by two opposite parallel sidewalls 4 at the four long sides of the box body and two opposite parallel sidewalls 5 at the short sides of the box body 2. A bottom wall 7 is connected to the four sidewalls 4,5 at an essentially right angle. In an embodiment the bottom wall 7 is provided with a plurality of internally projecting reinforcement ribs. The four sidewalls 4,5 are connected to each other to form four corners 6 of the box body 2.

[0086] The ammunition box 1 also includes a flat and essentially rectangular lid 3 with a shape and size that is suitable to close the opening of the box body 2. The lid 3 includes a molded body of the first thermoplastic material. The lid 3 has a top wall 10 that connects at right angles with four side walls 14,15, i.e. two opposing sidewalls 14 along the long sides of the lid 3 and two opposing sidewalls 15 along the short sides of the lid 3. The long side walls 14 and the short side walls 15 are connected to one another to form the corners of the lid body.

[0087] One of the short side walls 5 of the box body is provided with a handle 35 and the top wall 10 of the lid 3 is provided with a handle 40.

[0088] In the shown embodiment, the lid 3 is pivotally connected to the box body 2 by a pivot hinge 20 that is located at the short side of the ammunition box 1. A locking device in the form of a clasp 30 is provided the opposite short side of the ammunition box 1 (according to another embodiment (not shown) the lid 3 is secured to the box body 2 by clasps at opposite sides of the ammunition box 1).

[0089] The box body 2 is at each of its four corners 6 provided with an integrally molded hollow collapsible projection 8. The integrally molded hollow collapsible projections 8 each form a hollow collapsible structure that can absorb energy upon impact without transferring large forces to the box body 2.

[0090] The collapsible projections 8 have an elongated shape and each define a lumen 9 between two spaced projection walls 59. The two spaced projection walls 59 are connected to one another by an impact wall 58. The impact wall 58 is spaced from the sidewall 14,15 with which the collapsible projection 8 is associated. In an embodiment the impact wall 58 is a substantially planar section of wall that extends parallel with the sidewall 14, 15 with which the impact wall is associated. The transition between the impact wall 58 and the projection walls 59 is preferably a rounded transition.

[0091] The collapsible projection 18 is arranged near or at the corner 6, i.e. there where the impact is most likely. The longitudinal extent of the lumen 9 is preferably parallel with the corner 6 with which the collapsible projection is associated. The lumen 9 opens to the side of the box body 2 that is provided with the opening to the storage space. The opposite end of the lumen 19 can in embodiment also be open.

[0092] According an embodiment the integrally molded, hollow and collapsible projection 8 is elongated and extends longitudinally from the transition between the rim 11 and the remainder of the side wall 4,5 concerned towards the bottom wall 7, preferably terminating well before the longitudinal extend reaches the bottom wall 7.

[0093] The top of the box body 2 is provided with a circumferential upstanding rim 11 around the opening i.e., the upper periphery of the sidewalls is formed by the rim 11. The sidewalls are provided at the transition between the rim 11 and the remainder of the sidewalls 4,5 with upwardly facing abutment surfaces for engaging downwardly facing abutment surfaces of the sidewalls 14,15 of the lid 3.

[0094] In an embodiment the long sidewalls 4 are provided on their outer side with a pair of preferably integrally molded closely spaced ribs 29 that are interconnected by a plurality of traverse or squint ribs. The pair of closely spaced ribs 29 preferably extends along the transition between said rim and the remainder of the sidewall on which the pair of closely spaced ribs 29 are provided. The upper of the pair of closely spaced ribs 29 can thus form an abutment surface for the lid 3.

[0095] The sidewalls 4, 5 are provided with a plurality of closely spaced set of reinforcement ribs 34 at or near the corners 6 of the box body, with the reinforcement ribs 34 extending from the bottom of the box body 2 towards the top of the box body 2.

[0096] The rim 11 is intended to be tightly received inside the lid 3.

[0097] The lid body is at each of its four corners provided with corresponding integrally molded collapsible projections 18. Equally, the collapsible lid projections 18 each define a lumen 19 that opens to the side of the lid 3 that faces the opening to the storage space of the ammunition box 1 when the lid 3 is secured to the box body 2. The collapsible lid projections 18 are formed by lid projection walls that project from the lid body. The lid protection walls are connected to one another by a lid impact wall that is spaced from the sidewall of the lid body to form a hollow collapsible structure that can absorb energy upon impact without transferring large forces to the lid body. When the lid 3 is in the closed position, the collapsible lid projections 18 form an extension of the collapsible projections 8, in order to protect the corners of the ammunition box 1 all the way to the top of the ammunition box 1.

[0098] The top wall 10 of the lid body is provided with an opening 12 that serves to provide space for the handle 40.

[0099] The top wall 10 of the lid body is provided with inwardly projecting lid ribs 16 that enhance the stability of the lid body. The projecting lid ribs 16 also form a support structure for a closing plate 13 that is secured to the inner side of the lid body. The closing plate 13 is provided with two opposite (downwardly projecting) flanges 17 along the long sides of the lid 3. The flanges 17 define together with a corresponding sidewall 14 a groove for tightly receiving the rim 11 of the box body.

[0100] The closing plate 13 is also provided with a circumferential gasket 42 (such as e.g. a rubber gasket) that seals against the upper edge of the rim 11 so that the lid 3 can hermetically seal the box body 2. The short side of the lid 3 opposite to the side of the hinge 20 is provided with a lug 49 that is intended to project through an opening 58 in the clasp 30. Thus, a seal can be arranged through an opening in the lug 49 to verify that the ammunition box 1 has not been opened because the seal has not been broken.

[0101] The closing plate 13 also seals off the hole 12 lid body, preferably using a circumferential gasket 33 to ensure a hermetic seal between the lid body and the closing plate 13.

[0102] The pivot hinge 20 comprises a first hinge part 21 that is secured to the box body 2 and a second hinge part 22 that is secured to the lid body. The first hinge part 21 is an elongated element that is suitable to insert it into the lumen 9. When the first hinge part 21 is inserted into the lumen a portion of the first hinge part 21 projects from the lumen that includes a bore 24 for receiving a pin of the hinge.

[0103] The second hinge part 22 is provided with a matching hinge pin 26 that is inserted into the bore 24. The first hinge part 21 includes a protrusion 25 that engages in a hole in the impact wall 58 of the collapsible projection 8. Thus, when the first part 21 is inserted into the lumen 9, the protrusion 25 snaps into the hole and thus secures the first part 21 from being released from the lumen 9. Thus, the first hinge part 21 is connected to the box body 2 by a snap lock.

[0104] The second hinge part 22 is provided with a resilient lip 27 and with a latch 28 at the free end of the resilient lip 27. The resilient lip 27 is shaped and sized such that its can be inserted into the lumen 19 of the collapsible projection 18 of the lid 3. The lumen 19 is open at both ends so the resilient lip 27 can be inserted into the lumen from one side with the latch 28 projecting from the opposite opening at the other side, with the latch preventing the second hinge part 22 to be pulled out of the lumen 19. Thus, the second hinge part 22 is connected to the lid body by a snap lock.

[0105] The first hinge part 21 and the second hinge part 22 have a relatively slim body structure that does not completely fill the space in the respective lumen 9, 19, so that the respective collapsible projections 8, 18 can still be compressed or collapse to a large extent upon impact, i.e. as if the lumen 9,19 was not filled with any obstructing object.

[0106] The side of the rim 11 at the hinge 20 is on its outer side provided one or more outwardly projecting teeth 46 that are configured to engage a corresponding recess 48 in the sidewall 15 of the lid 3 at the hinge 20 when the lid 3 is in the closed position. The one or more teeth 46 disengage from the lid 3 when the lid 3 is pivoted to a somewhat open position. The engagement between the one or more teeth 46 and the recess 48 in the lid 3 when the latter is in its closed position enhances the capacity of the lid 3 to resist being forcefully disengaged from the box body 2. The teeth 46 are integrally molded with the box body 2.

[0107] At the opposite side of the hinge 20, the box body 2 is provided with an H-shaped bracket 31. The H-shaped bracket 31 comprises two legs that are interconnected by a transverse member 36. The two legs are spaced to match the spacing between the lumen 9 on the corresponding sidewall 5 of the box body 2. The major portion of the legs is inserted into the lumen 9 with a projection 39 on the legs engaging a hole in the impact wall 59, so that the legs of the H-shaped bracket 31 are secured to the box body 2 by a snap lock connection.

[0108] A tongue 32 projects from each of the lumen 9 when the H-shaped bracket 31 is applied to the sidewall 5. The tongues 32 are shaped and sized and positioned such as to be tightly received inside a respective lumen 19 in the two collapsible projections 18 at the corresponding short side 15 of the lid body. Thus, the lid 3 is connected to the box body 2 via the tongues 32, thereby enhancing the rigidity and stability of the box and lid construction.

[0109] The transverse member 36 of the H-shaped bracket 31 is provided with two hooks 37 that serve to suspend the clasp 30. The legs of the H-bracket 31 are provided with downwardly projecting slim tongues 51 that serve to anchor the handle 35. Hereto, the slim tongues 51 are inserted into loops at the free ends of the handle 35. The handle 35 extends into the lumen 9 via an opening 38 in the respective projection walls 59 that gives access to the lumen 9, alternatively, the opening 38 is provided at transition between the projection wall 59 and the impact wall 58. By inserting the slim tongues 51 that are securely located inside the lumen 9 into the loops of the handle 35 the handle 35 is robustly anchored in the box body 2.

[0110] In an embodiment (not shown) the tongues 32 are provided on two separate legs that are not interconnected i.e. not part of an H-shaped bracket.

[0111] At the opposite side of the hinge 20 the box body 2 is provided a clasp 30 that is pivotally suspended from sidewall 5 by a hinge 34. The clasp 30 is substantially L-shaped and can pivotally move from an open position where it does not engage the lid 3 to a closed position where it engages the lid 3. Hereto, the latter is preferably provided with a recess for receiving the clasp 30. The clasp 30 is provided at least one integrally molded pivot shaft 57 and with integral reinforcement ribs 59. The integrally molded pivot shaft 57 engages the hooks 37 of the H-shaped bracket 31.

[0112] The clasp 30 is a molded item of a third thermal plastic material.

[0113] The first thermoplastic material is in an embodiment a technical thermoplastic in the group of polypropylene or polyethylene. In an embodiment the thermoplastic material is provided with additives for extended temperature range, for UV protection, for electrostatic discharge protection and/or for flammability performance.

[0114] The second thermoplastic material is in an embodiment polyamide, preferably PA6 (Nylon you more preferable), with fiber reinforcement, such as e.g. glass fiber.

[0115] The third thermoplastic material is in an embodiment polyamide, preferably

[0116] PA6 (Nylon) even more preferable with fiber reinforcing, such as glass fiber or with a softener.

[0117] For cross stacking of the ammunition boxes 1 it may be advantageous that the length to width relation of the ammunition box 1 is approximately 2:1.

[0118] The aim is to obtain a resilient ammunition box and lid construction that is capable of absorb impacts by being flexible and a rigid hinge construction, a rigid H-bracket, a rigid clasp and a rigid Lid-Insert being rigid enough to receive the impact without breaking and still capable of deforming slightly.

[0119] The invention has been described in conjunction with various embodiments herein. However, other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected

[0120] by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage. The reference signs used in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope.