Cantilever box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9850029-B2
Application number	US-201314655464-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2013
Priority date	Dec 26, 2012
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

Provided is a cantilever box including at least two trays, including a lowermost tray and an uppermost tray, interconnected therebetween by cantilever links pivotally secured to the trays, the trays are convertible at least between a stacked position, and an extended position; a first gripping portion, disposed at the uppermost tray, configured for being gripped by a user for converting the trays between their extended position and their stacked position; and a securing mechanism switchable between a locked state in which when the trays are at their extended position, the securing mechanism is configured for arresting a locking member, thereby locking the trays at their extended position; and an unlocked state in which the securing mechanism is disengaged from said locking member, thereby facilitating displacement of the trays from their extended position into their stacked position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cantilever box, comprising:
at least two trays, comprising a lowermost tray and an uppermost tray, interconnected therebetween by cantilever links pivotally secured to said trays, the trays are convertible at least between a stacked position, and an extended position;
a first gripping portion, disposed at the uppermost tray, configured for being gripped by a user for converting the trays between their extended position and their stacked position; and
a securing mechanism switchable between a locked state in which when the trays are at their extended position, the securing mechanism is configured for arresting a locking member, thereby locking the trays at their extended position; and an unlocked state in which the securing mechanism is disengaged from said locking member, thereby facilitating displacement of the trays from their extended position into their stacked position;
said securing mechanism being disposed in proximity to the first gripping portion, or integrated therein, so that the user is required to switch the securing mechanism from its locked state to its unlocked state by his first hand while gripping the first gripping portion by the same hand, thereby displacing the uppermost tray for converting the trays from their extended position to their stacked position,
wherein said securing mechanism comprises a sliding element having a first end configured with a biasing mechanism for outwardly biasing the sliding element by exerting thereon an outwardly biasing force and thereby causing it to be normally in its locked state; and a second end comprising a securing protrusion configured with a front face.

2. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the uppermost tray is configured with a top wall, a front wall and a bottom wall, said top wall and said front wall being configured with a front edge therebetween, having a longitudinal axis, the first gripping portion being disposed at the middle of the front edge along its longitudinal axis, and wherein the securing mechanism is disposed at the front wall of the uppermost tray.

3. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the first gripping portion has a first gripping recess disposed at the top wall of the uppermost tray.

4. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the first gripping portion has a first gripping recess disposed at the top wall of the uppermost tray, and wherein the first gripping recess is configured with shape and size for accommodating one or more of the following fingers of the user's first hand: index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger.

5. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover member pivotally mounted to the uppermost tray and constitutes a portion of its top wall, and wherein said first gripping recess is disposed at the cover member.

6. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein said securing mechanism is normally in its locked state.

7. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the first gripping portion is configured with an interior section, which together with the sliding element constitutes the securing mechanism.

8. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding member further comprises a middle portion configured with a thumb supporting element configured to provide support to a thumb of the user's first hand when switching the securing mechanism from its locked state to its unlocked state by applying an inwardly biasing force on the thumb supporting element.

9. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the securing protrusion is configured to be received at the locking member, and thereby arresting the locking member in the locked state of the securing mechanism.

10. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the securing protrusion normally projects out of the surface of the bottom wall of the uppermost tray.

11. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding element is disposed within the interior section of the first gripping portion, the interior section being configured with a biasing wall configured for engaging the biasing mechanism and providing support thereto for exerting the outwardly biasing force on the sliding element.

12. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing mechanism comprises at least one bendable element.

13. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding element and the biasing mechanism are integrated in a single element.

14. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding element and the biasing mechanism are made of the same material.

15. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , further comprising a second gripping portion, disposed at the lowermost tray, configured for being gripped by a user's second hand for providing support to the cantilever box and holding it on place, when the trays are converted between their extended position and their stacked position, and wherein the lowermost tray is configured with a front wall at which the second gripping portion is disposed.

16. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member is disposed at a secondary tray below the uppermost tray.

17. The cantilever box according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member is a recess or a fixing element configured to engage with the securing mechanism, and thereby to be arrested by the securing mechanism in its locked state.

18. A cantilever box, comprising:
at least two trays, comprising a lowermost tray and an uppermost tray, interconnected therebetween by cantilever links pivotally secured to said trays, the trays are convertible at least between a stacked position, and an extended position;

a first gripping portion, disposed at the uppermost tray, configured for being gripped by a user for converting the trays between their extended position and their stacked position;
a securing mechanism switchable between a locked state in which when the trays are at their extended position, the securing mechanism is configured for arresting a locking member, thereby locking the trays at their extended position; and an unlocked state in which the securing mechanism is disengaged from said locking member, thereby facilitating displacement of the trays from their extended position into their stacked position;
said securing mechanism being disposed in proximity to the first gripping portion, or integrated therein, so that the user is required to switch the securing mechanism from its locked state to its unlocked state by his first hand while gripping the first gripping portion by the same hand, thereby displacing the uppermost tray for converting the trays from their extended position to their stacked position; and
a second gripping portion, disposed at the lowermost tray, configured for being gripped by a user's second hand for providing support to the cantilever box and holding it on place, when the trays are converted between their extended position and their stacked position and wherein the lowermost tray is configured with a front wall at which the second gripping portion is disposed.

19. The cantilever box according to claim 18 , wherein the uppermost tray is configured with a top wall, a front wall and a bottom wall, said top wall and said front wall being configured with a front edge therebetween, having a longitudinal axis, the first gripping portion being disposed at the middle of the front edge along its longitudinal axis and wherein the securing mechanism is disposed at the front wall of the uppermost tray.

Assignees

• Keter Plastic Ltd

Inventors

• Brunner Yaron

Classifications

• B65D21/0235

  Containers stackable in a staggered configuration · CPC title

• B65D25/30

  Hand holes · CPC title

• B65D21/0226 Primary

  Containers with movable parts adapted to be placed in alternative positions for stacking the containers at different levels, i.e. without nesting of the containers (with means for nesting B65D21/06) · CPC title

• B25H3/023 Primary

  movable relative to one another for access to their interiors · CPC title

• B65D1/34

  Trays or like shallow containers {(B65D81/3813 takes precedence)} · CPC title