Metal and plastic container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10022856-B2
Application number	US-201113014193-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2011
Priority date	Jan 28, 2010
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A container includes a peripheral wall having a first side, a second side, and a third side formed from a single sheet of metal material. The sheet of metal material has opposite first and second connecting ends. A plastic connector is connected to the first connecting end and the second connecting end of the sheet metal, and a plastic bottom is connected with a bottom end of the peripheral wall. Another aspect provides a container that includes a sheet of metal having a louver formed therein and a plastic structure having opposing surfaces that define a receiving space therebetween. At least one of the surfaces has a projection thereon and the louver are received within the receiving space. An edge of the louver engages with the projection to prevent the louver from being removed from the receiving space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container comprising:
a peripheral wall comprising a first side, a second side, and a third side formed from a single sheet of metal material, the sheet of metal material having opposite first and second connecting ends, and a plastic connector being connected to the first connecting end and the second connecting end of the sheet metal and formed on a fourth side of the peripheral wall to thus form a closed peripheral wall;
a plastic edge portion connected with a top end of the closed peripheral wall by top metal to plastic fastener-free connections at a top end of the sheet metal material and by top plastic to plastic fastener-free connections at a top end of the plastic connector;
a plastic bottom connected with a bottom end of the closed peripheral wall,
the closed peripheral wall, the plastic edge portion and the plastic bottom comprising a container portion; and
a lid for closing and opening a top of the container portion, the lid being constructed and arranged to be pivotally attached to the plastic edge portion,
wherein the sheet metal material, the plastic connector and the plastic bottom have integrally formed connector structures that provide fastener-free connections between the plastic connector and the plastic bottom, and between the sheet metal material and the plastic bottom;
wherein the closed peripheral wall formed by the sheet metal material and the plastic connector has the bottom end thereof connected to the plastic bottom by metal to plastic fastener-free connections at the bottom end of the sheet metal material and plastic to plastic fastener-free connections at the bottom end of the plastic connector; and
a carrying handle connected to the lid and enabling the container to be lifted and carried thereby, wherein the top plastic to plastic fastener free connection at the top end of the plastic connector bears at least some of the weight of the container portion and any contents thereof when the container is carried by the handle.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the plastic connector comprises a panel occupying a majority of the fourth side.

3. The container of claim 1 , further comprising at least one latch constructed to secure the lid in covering relation with respect to the peripheral wall.

4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the plastic edge portion comprises protrusions received within openings or recesses in the top end of the sheet metal.

5. The container of claim 1 , wherein the plastic bottom comprises protrusions received within openings or recesses in the bottom end of the peripheral wall.

6. The container of claim 1 , wherein the first and second connecting ends of the sheet metal comprise openings or recesses, and the plastic connector comprises projections that are received in the openings or recesses.

7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the top metal to plastic fastener-free connections comprise protrusions on the plastic edge portion constructed and arranged to engage with louvers on the top end of the sheet metal material.

8. The container of claim 1 , wherein the plastic bottom comprises protrusions constructed and arranged to engage with louvers on the bottom end of the peripheral wall.

9. The container of claim 1 , wherein the first and second connecting ends of the sheet metal comprises louvers, and the plastic connector comprises projections that engage with the louvers.

10. The container of claim 1 , wherein the container is a slideable drawer.

11. The container of claim 1 , wherein the connections between the sheet of metal and the plastic connector, as well as between the sheet metal and plastic bottom comprise integrally formed projections on the plastic connector and plastic bottom, and openings or recesses formed in the sheet of metal.

12. The container of claim 11 , wherein the connections between the sheet of metal and the plastic connector, as well as between the sheet of metal and the plastic bottom comprises no rivets or other separate fasteners.

13. An apparatus for transporting articles between working locations, comprising:
a base container having an interior space in which articles to be transported can be stored;
one or more rotatable ground engaging wheels mounted toward the bottom of the apparatus for rotation about an axis to provide rolling support for the apparatus;
at least one removable container having (i) a container portion with an interior space in which articles to be transported can be stored, (ii) a lid pivotally connected to the container portion; (iii) at least one latch constructed to secure the lid in covering relation with respect to the container portion, and (iv) a carrying handle attached to the lid and that is manually graspable to enable carriage of the removable container; and
a manually engageable pulling handle, the pulling handle and the one or more ground engaging wheels being arranged to enable a user to manually pull the pulling handle generally rearwardly so as to tilt the apparatus rearwardly to a tilted rolling movement position, thereby enabling the user to roll the apparatus to a desired location by pushing or pulling the pulling handle in a desired direction;
wherein the removable container is constructed and arranged to be latched above the base container, and wherein the container portion thereof comprises:
a peripheral wall comprising a first side, a second side, and a third side formed from a single sheet of metal material, the sheet of metal material having opposite first and second connecting ends, and a plastic connector being connected to the first connecting end and the second connecting end of the sheet metal and formed on a fourth side of the peripheral wall to thus form a closed peripheral wall;
a plastic edge portion connected with a top end of the closed peripheral wall by top metal to plastic fastener-free connections at a top end of the sheet metal material and by top plastic to plastic fastener-free connections at a top end of the plastic connector;
a plastic bottom connected with a bottom end of the closed peripheral wall;
the lid for closing and opening a top of the container portion, the lid being constructed and arranged to be pivotally attached to the plastic edge portion,
wherein the sheet metal material, the plastic connector and the plastic bottom have integrally formed connector structures that provide fastener-free connections between the plastic connector and the plastic bottom, and between the sheet metal material and the plastic bottom;
wherein the closed peripheral wall formed by the sheet metal material and the plastic connector has the bottom end thereof connected to the plastic bottom by metal to plastic fastener-free connections at the bottom end of the sheet metal material and plastic to plastic fastener-free connections at the bottom end of the plastic connector; and

wherein the carrying handle enables the removable container to be lifted and carried thereby, wherein the top plastic to plastic fastener free connection at the top end of the plastic connector bears at least some of the weight of the container portion and any contents thereof when the removable container is carried by the carrying handle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the base container comprises:
a container portion with an opening into an interior space in which articles to be transported can be stored, the container portion comprising:
a peripheral wall comprising a first side, a second side, and a third side formed from a single sheet of metal material, the sheet of metal material having opposite first and second connecting ends; and a plastic connector being connected to the first

Assignees

• Bensman Mark
• Sabbag Yosi
• Galler Iftach
• Stanley Works Israel

Inventors

• Bensman Mark
• Sabbag Yosi
• Galler Iftach

Classifications

• B25H3/02

  Boxes · CPC title

• B62B2202/12

  Boxes, Crates · CPC title

• B25H3/026 Primary

  by displacement in a direction substantially perpendicated to th base · CPC title

• B62B1/12

  involving parts being adjustable, collapsible, attachable, detachable, or convertible · CPC title

• B25H3/028

  by sliding extraction from within a common frame · CPC title