Stackable system container

Abstract

A stackable system container includes a base part and a cover part fastened to the base part, and has at least two coupling elements which protrude upward beyond a top side of the system container and which each have at least one recess for the engagement of a coupling device of an identical system container arranged thereabove and which are arranged at opposite ends of the top side of the system container. To permit both dimensionally stable and connected stacking of structurally identical system containers and also modular stacking of different system containers, the coupling elements are fastened pivotably to the top side of the system container such that, in a pivoted-in position, they do not protrude beyond the top side of the system container.

Claims

1. A stackable system container comprising: a base part including at least two cavities in a bottom side, the cavities each including a latch portion; a cover part fastened to the base part to position the cover at a top side of the system container; at least two coupling elements each: (a) disposed at opposite ends of the top side of the system container, (b) pivotably attached at the top side of the system container to pivot between a pivoted-in position in which the coupling element does not protrude beyond the top side of the system container, and a pivoted-out position in which the coupling element protrudes upwardly away from the top side of the system container; and (c) having a plurality of latch recesses each sized and dimensioned to receive a and latch to a latch portion of a cavity of a bottom side of a second system container when a second system container is disposed above the top side of the system container to thereby releaseably secure the system container to the second system container.

2. The system container of claim 1, wherein the coupling elements, in the pivoted-in position, form a flat surface with the top side of the system container.

3. The system container of claim 1, wherein the coupling elements are pivotable from the pivoted-out position into the pivoted-in position by moving an end of the coupling element in a direction towards a center of the top side of the system container.

4. The system container of claim 1, wherein the coupling elements, in the pivoted-out position, engage a stop of the system container.

5. The system container of claim 4, wherein the coupling elements, when pivoted into the pivoted-out position, engage the stop from the vertical direction and into a mutual side engagement that prevents disengagement of the system container and a second system container in a vertical direction.

6. The system container of claim 1, further including at least two depressions disposed on the top side of the system container into each of which a coupling element can be pivoted.

7. The system container of claim 1, further including, for each coupling element, a retaining element formed between the cover and the coupling element sized and dimensioned to releasably retain the coupling element in either the pivoted-out or pivoted-in position.

8. The system container of claim 7, wherein a retaining force of each retaining element can be overcome by exerting a sufficient torque on the respective coupling element.

9. The system container of claim 1, wherein the coupling elements are each pivotally attached to a cover part within a depression in the cover.

10. The system container of claim 1, wherein the coupling elements are disposed on the side walls of the base part.

11. The system container of claim 1, wherein the cover part is pivotably attached to the base part.

12. The system container of claim 1, wherein the latch portion of a cavity forms a hook.

13. The system container of claim 12, further including a movable latch release connected to each hook, the latch release operative to move the latch hook out of engagement with the latch recess.

14. The system container of claim 1, the at least two coupling elements including a first coupling element engaging with a stop surface of the cover to prevent lateral movement of the first coupling element in a first direction, and the second coupling element engaging with a stop surface of the cover to prevent lateral movement of the second coupling element in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the first and second coupling elements thereby engageable with the second container to prevent lateral movement of the second container in either the first or second direction.

15. A container, comprising: a base having a bottom side having first and second cavities each including a base latch portion; a cover attached to the base and having first and second depressions each sized and dimensioned to receive first and second coupling elements, respectively, each of the first and second coupling elements: (a) having at least one coupling latch portion sized and dimensioned to engage a base latch portion of a second container when a second container is disposed above the top side of the container, (b) disposed proximate opposed side surfaces of the cover; (c) pivotably attached to the cover to pivot between a pivoted-in position in which the coupling element lies within a depression and does not protrude away from a top surface of the cover, and a pivoted-out position in which the coupling element protrudes away from the top surface of the cover, and (d) having a latch portion mateable with the latch portion of the base part of a depression in a bottom side of a second container when the second container is disposed above the top side of the container, to thereby releaseably secure the container to the second container; and the first coupling element engaging with a stop surface of the cover to prevent lateral movement of the first coupling element in a first direction, and the second coupling element engaging with a stop surface of the cover to prevent lateral movement of the second coupling element in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the first and second coupling elements thereby engageable with the second container to prevent lateral movement of the second container in either the first or second direction.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the base latch portion is connected to a handle movable to disengage the base latch portion from the coupling latch portion.

17. The container of claim 15, the coupling latch portion formed as an aperture and the base latch portion formed as a hook engageable into the aperture of the coupling latch portion.

18. The container of claim 15, the stop surfaces of the cover associated with the first and second coupling elements, respectively, each positioned to prevent movement of the respective coupling element lateral to a side surface of the container.

19. A container, comprising: a base having a bottom side having first and second cavities each associated with a plurality of base latch portions; a cover attached to the base and having first and second depressions each sized and dimensioned to receive first and second coupling elements, respectively, each of the first and second coupling elements: (a) having at least one coupling latch portion sized and dimensioned to engage a base latch portion of a second container when a second container is disposed above the top side of the container, (b) disposed proximate opposed side surfaces of the cover; (c) pivotably attached to the cover to pivot between a pivoted-in position in which the coupling element lies within a depression and does not protrude away from a top surface of the cover, and a pivoted-out position in which the coupling element protrudes away from the top surface of the cover, and (d) having a latch portion including a plurality of latch openings each mateable with a base latch portion of a second container when the second container is disposed above the top side of the container, to thereby releaseably secure the container to the second container; and the first coupling element engaging with a first stop surface of the cover to prevent lateral movement of the first coupling element in a first direction, and the second coupling element engaging with a second stop surface of the cover to prevent lateral movement of the second coupling element in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the first and second stop surfaces each positioned to block pivoting of the respective coupling element away from and beyond an outer side surface of the container, the first and second coupling elements thereby engageable with the second container to prevent lateral movement of the second container in either the first or second direction and out of a lateral alignment with the container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further special features and advantages of the invention follow from the description of preferred practical examples below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1 a perspective representation of a stackable system container comprising upwardly protruding coupling elements;

(3) FIG. 2 a lateral view of the stackable system container of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 a front view of the stackable system container of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 a top view of the stackable system container of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 a front view of a stackable system container with the coupling elements in a pivoted-in position;

(7) FIG. 6 a perspective detail view of a coupling element in the protruding position;

(8) FIG. 7 a second perspective detail view of the coupling element of FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 a perspective detail view of a coupling element in the pivoted-in position;

(10) FIG. 9 a sectional view through a system container in the area of a coupling element in the pivoted-in position; and

(11) FIG. 10 a sectional view of a system container in the area of a coupling element in the protruding position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a stackable system container 1. The system container 1 comprises a base part 2 and a cover part 3 pivotably attached to the base part 2. The base part 2 has an upward-facing open storage space (not shown) that is bounded on top by the cover part 3. The cover part 3 is pivotably mounted on the base part via a swivel joint disposed on the rearward edge of the cover part. To be able to detachably fasten the cover part 3 to the base part 2 and thereby to securely close the enclosed storage space, two locking means 4a, 4b are provided on the front side of the system container 1, which locking means are hinged to the cover part 3 and, in the closed position of the system container 1 as shown, engagingly interact with the base part 2.

(13) The system container 1 can be used, for example, by craftsmen to transport and store tools and working media. To this end, the base part 2 preferably comprises a bottom section and four side walls that bound an upward-facing open storage space. It is, however, also possible for the base part to be configured like that of the container disclosed in EP 2 703 310. In this context, reference is made to EP 2 703 310, the entire content of which is hereby fully incorporated by reference in the present application.

(14) For easy transport of the system container 1, a retaining bracket 5 is mounted on the cover part 3 so as to be able to pivot between an upwardly protruding position and a pivoted-in position. In the pivoted-in position, the retaining bracket 5 is disposed in such a way that it is recessed in a grip depression 6 of the cover part 3 so that the retaining bracket 5, together with the cover part 3, forms a stepless flat top side 7 of the system container 1. In addition, a handle grip 8 is pivotably attached to a front side of the base part 2, which handle grip allows the system container 1 to be grasped and transported.

(15) The cover part 3 also comprises two coupling elements 9a, 9b in the form of rib-like engaging members that protrude upwardly beyond the top side 7 of the system container 1 and are disposed at opposite ends of the top side 7. The coupling elements 9a, 9b have each two recesses 10a, 10b, which are designed for the engagement of coupling devices of a system container of the same type that is disposed above (not shown). The coupling devices of the system container disposed above (not shown) are designed to be structurally identical to the coupling devices 11a, 11b on the system container 1, the coupling device 11b of which is shown in FIG. 1. The coupling device 11b is disposed on the side of the base part 2 and below the coupling element 9b, and the coupling device 11a (not shown in FIG. 1) on the oppositely lying side of the base part 2 is similarly disposed below the coupling element 9a.

(16) The recesses 10a, 10b are configured in the form of pockets that extend horizontally through the coupling elements 9a, 9b shown in the drawing and that are designed to be engaged and retained in the vertical direction from behind by the associated coupling device of the system container disposed above (not shown). With regard to the other features of the coupling devices and coupling elements, reference is made to EP 2 703 310, the entire content of which is hereby fully incorporated by reference in the present application.

(17) FIG. 2 shows a lateral view of the stackable system container of FIG. 1. As the lateral view indicates, the base part 2 and the cover part 3 are pivotably connected to each other via the diagrammatically sketched swivel joint 12 and detachably held in place relative to each other by the locking device 4b shown in the drawing.

(18) In the protruding position shown, the coupling element 9b forms a stepless flat lateral surface 13b with the cover part 3, which saves space and provides a visually pleasing appearance. Similarly, the coupling element 9a (not shown in the drawing) on the opposite side forms a flat lateral surface 13a with the cover part 3.

(19) The coupling device 11b comprises a spring-biased retention component 14 that is pivotably attached to a side wall of the base part 2. Disposed on the retention component 14 are two downwardly protruding engagement elements 15a, 15b, each of which has a hook-shaped element 16a, 16b at its lower end. In the vertical direction, the hook-shaped elements 16a, 16b are vertically disposed exactly below the recesses 10a and 10b such that, when two such system containers are stacked one atop the other, the hook-shaped elements 16a, 16b are able to engage in the recesses 10a, 10b of the coupling element disposed below, thereby holding it in place.

(20) By exerting pressure on the retention component 14 and on the oppositely lying unnumbered retention component, which is a mirror image thereof, this retention component can be moved about a horizontal axis from the spring-loaded locked position shown in the drawing into an open position. This causes the hook-shaped elements 16a, 16b to be moved in the horizontal direction and to be disengaged from the recesses 10a, 10b of the coupling element of a second system container disposed below, thereby disconnecting the retaining connection between the system containers. Suitable slanted sliding surfaces on the engagement elements 9a, 9b and/or the hook-shaped elements 16a, 16b make it possible, by simply pushing two system containers against each other, to move the hook-shaped elements 16a, 16b and thus the retention component 14 in the vertical direction, which causes the hook-shaped elements 16a, 16b to automatically engage in the recesses 10a, 10b and the two system containers stacked one atop the other to be automatically connected to each other.

(21) FIG. 3 shows a front view of the stackable system container of FIG. 1. As the drawing indicates, the top side 7 of the system container 1 has a flat stepless surface, on each lateral end of which only the coupling elements 9a, 9b protrude in the position shown. The retaining bracket 5 shown in FIG. 1 is recessed in the grip depression 6 in the top side 7 such that the retaining bracket 5 forms a flat surface with the top side 7.

(22) FIG. 4 shows a top view of the stackable system container 1 of FIG. 1. As the drawing indicates, the top side 7 in the cover part 3 comprises receiving depressions 17a, 17b in which the coupling elements 9a and 9b are disposed. The receiving depressions 17a, 17b are disposed at oppositely lying ends of the top side 7 of the system container 1 and open each one toward one of the lateral surfaces 13a, 13b of the cover part 3. In these receiving depressions 17a, 17b, the coupling elements 9a, 9b are pivotably attached to the top side 7 of the system container 1 in such a manner that they can be pivoted from the protruding position shown in the drawing in the direction of a diagrammatically sketched center 18 of the top side 7 of the system container 1.

(23) To lock the coupling elements 9a, 9b in the pivoted-in position and/or the protruding position, an engagement device known in the art can be disposed between the coupling elements 9a, 9b and the receiving depressions 17a, 17b. This device can be, for example, a spring-biased detent ball in a component, which detent ball is guided in a guide path having engagement pockets at one end or at both ends in the oppositely lying component. Because of the spring bias, it is possible to override the locking means by exerting a sufficient torque on the respective coupling element and to pivot the coupling element from the protruding position into the pivoted-in position.

(24) FIG. 5 shows the system container 1 wherein, in contrast to the preceding figures, the coupling elements 9a, 9b are in the pivoted-in position. In the pivoted-in position, the coupling elements 9a, 9b are completely integrated in the receiving depressions 17a, 17b and in this position do not protrude beyond the top side 7 of the system container 1. The coupling elements are designed to pivotably attach to the cover part 3 in such a manner that, when in the pivoted-in position, they form a flat stepless surface with the top side 7 of the system container 1, which result occurs to the greatest extent possible in a closed surface for the storage of additional system containers of any type as well as in a work space for processing workpieces.

(25) FIG. 6 shows a perspective detail view of the coupling element 9b in the protruding position. The coupling element 9b is designed as a mirror image of the oppositely lying coupling element 9a and is pivotably disposed about the diagrammatically sketched pivot axis 19. Disposed between the recesses 10a, 10b, which extend in the horizontal direction and at right angles to the pivot axis 19, is a positioner receiving means 20 in the form of an upward-facing open pocket that serves to receive a positioning pin 21 as shown in FIG. 2, which positioning pin is rigidly disposed on the base part 2. The positioning pin 21 and the positioner receiving means 20 facilitate the easy positioning of and connection between two system containers 1 of the same type that are disposed one atop the other.

(26) As FIG. 6 indicates, the horizontal contour of the receiving depression 17b as well as that of the receiving depression 17a, which is configured as a mirror image thereof, is designed to correspond to the vertical contour of the coupling element 9b in the protruding position shown in the drawing. The effect of this is that the coupling elements 9a, 9b in the pivoted-in position close the receiving depressions 17a, 17b to the greatest extent possible free from gaps in order to prevent working materials or dirt from penetrating when the top side 7 is used as a work space.

(27) FIG. 7 shows a second perspective detail view of the coupling element 9b of FIG. 6. As the drawing indicates, the coupling element 9b as well as the complementarily shaped oppositely lying coupling element 9a is disposed in the receiving depression 17b in such a way that this coupling element, in the protruding position shown in the drawing, is flush with the lateral surface 13b of the cover part 3. The pivot axis 19 is oriented parallel relative to the top side 7 and the lateral surface 13b.

(28) FIG. 8 shows a perspective detail view of the coupling element 9b in the pivoted-in position in which the coupling element 9b is flush with the top side 7 of the system container 1. As can also be seen, in this position, the coupling element 9b upwardly closes the receiving depression 17b to the greatest extent possible free from gaps. In addition, the coupling element 9b here is designed to be flush with the lateral surface 13b of the cover part 3, but in contrast to the configuration shown in the drawing, the coupling element 9b can also laterally close the receiving depression 17b to the greatest extent possible free from gaps with respect to the lateral surface 13b.

(29) FIG. 9 shows a cross-section through a system container 1 in the area of the coupling element 9b. The coupling element 9b here is in the pivoted-in position and closes the receiving depression 17b upwardly flush with the top side 7 of the system container 1. In addition, the coupling element 9b is also flush with the lateral surface 13b and especially laterally does not protrude beyond that surface. Provided on the coupling element 9b at a distance from the pivot axis 19 is a projecting part 22 that is designed to correspond to a stop 23 disposed in the receiving depression 17b. The projecting part 22 has a wedge-shaped cross-section, and the stop 23 has a matching wedge-shaped groove. It is, however, also possible to dispose the stop 23 for the projecting part 22 on the cover part 3 outside the receiving depression 17b and/or to configure it differently. In addition, by providing suitable pressure points or recesses for fingers, it is possible to facilitate the swiveling in and out of the coupling elements 9a, 9b.

(30) FIG. 10 shows a cross-section through the system container 1 of FIG. 9, wherein the coupling element 9b is in a position pivoted by 90 and protruding vertically upwardly beyond the top side 7. As the drawing indicates, the projecting part 22 sits close to the stop 23 and, in addition, engages the stop from behind. In a variation of the wedge-shaped groove shown in the drawing, the stop 23 can also have a rectangular cross-section that is engaged from behind by a corresponding projecting part 22. Because the coupling element 9b disposed above the stop 23 engages the stop 23 with the projecting part 22 in the vertical direction from below, vertical tensile forces on the coupling element 9b can be introduced to special advantage into the cover part 3.

(31) Because the arrangement and design of the coupling elements 9a, 9b mirror the arrangement and design of the receiving depressions 17a, 17b, the configuration described with reference to the figures for one side also applies to the oppositely lying coupling element having the receiving depression associated therewith. Similarly, the coupling devices 11a, 11b on the base part 2 are also designed as mirror images of each other so that reference is again made to the configuration described.

(32) In a variation of the configuration shown in the drawing, it is also possible to attach the coupling elements 9a, 9b to oppositely lying side walls of the base part 2. The receiving depressions 17a, 17b can again be completely integrated in the side walls or extend at least partially within the cover part 3.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(33) 1 Stackable system container 2 Base part 3 Cover part 4a, 4b Locking device 5 Retaining bracket 6 Grip depression 7 Top side of the system container 8 Handle grip 9a, 9b Coupling element 10a, 10b Recess 11a, 11b Coupling device 12 Swivel joint 13a, 13b Lateral surface 14 Retention component 15a, 15b Engagement element 16a, 16b Hook-shaped element 17a, 17b Receiving depression 18 Center of the top side 19 Pivot axis 20 Positioner receiving means 21 Positioning pin 22 Projecting part 23 Stop