US3738723A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Convertible capsule container
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-05-05
•
Granted: 1973-06-12
•
Expires: 1992-05-05
Abstract
Abstract A container for capsules that is formed of an outer transparent parallelepiped-shaped enclosure open at one end and closed at the other, the closed end comprising a wall having a slot therein, and of an article-holding tray or drawer slidingly fitted in said enclosure, one end wall of the tray being provided with a tab. Said container being convertible to have two operative positions - one position with the tray disposed in the enclosure and the tab thereof extending through said slot in the closed end of the enclosure, the tab being adapted to be engaged with a hanger and the container thereby suspended for display of its contents - and the other position with the tray reversed end-for-end in the enclosure with the tab extending from the open end of the enclosure and serving as a drawer handle for the tray. Such containers by reason of their parallelepiped form, being adapted to be arranged in side-by-side stacks in file-case arrangement so the trays may be selectively withdrawn from the enclosures partly or entirely, as desired. Interlocking tongues and grooves retain the containers in stacked relation, and the stacks in desired position.
Inventors
- 👤 G Rudolph
- 👤 J Howard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 00:08
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D11/00; B65D11/10; B65D11/12; B65D21/00; B65D21/02; B65D21/0201; B65D21/0204; F; F16; F16B; F16B12/00; F16B12/10; F16B12/12; F16B12/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A convertible container for capsules or like items, comprising: an enclosure having a wall at one end, the opposite end being open, said wall having an opening therein, a tray telescopically engaged in said enclosure and having an end wall provided with a tab extending longitudinally from said end wall, said tab, when the tray is entered into the enclosure taB-end first, extending through the mentioned opening in the end wall of the enclosure and adapted to serve as a hanger for the container, the enclosure of which retains the items in the tray while so hung, and said tray, when the container is removed from its hanger, withdrawn from the enclosure, turned 180*, and reinserted into the enclosure so the tab on the tray extends outwardly from the open end of said enclosure serving as a pull to slide the tray at least partly to a position affording access to the items in the tray.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
A convertible container for capsules or like items, comprising: an enclosure having a wall at one end, the opposite end being open, said wall having an opening therein, a tray telescopically engaged in said enclosure and having an end wall provided with a tab extending longitudinally from said end wall, said tab, when the tray is entered into the enclosure taB-end first, extending through the mentioned opening in the end wall of the enclosure and adapted to serve as a hanger for the container, the enclosure of which retains the items in the tray while so hung, and said tray, when the container is removed from its hanger, withdrawn from the enclosure, turned 180*, and reinserted into the enclosure so the tab on the tray extends outwardly from the open end of said enclosure serving as a pull to slide the tray at least partly to a position affording access to the items in the tray.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A convertible container according to claim 1 in which the tray is provided with a bottom and the tab comprises a flat member in parallelism with said tray bottom, the mentioned opening generally conforming in shape to that of the tab.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
A convertible container according to claim 1 in which the enclosure has a parallelepiped form, a plurality of said containers with the tabs thereof extending from the open ends of their respective enclosures, being adapted to be arranged in a stack, each container resting on the container therebeneath, the trays of said containers being individually slidable from their respective enclosures when the respective tabs thereof are pulled.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A convertible container according to claim 3 in which a plurality of such stacks, in side-by-side relation form a card file-like assembly of containers in which the enclosures thereof retain their positions in the several stacks during removal and replacement of the trays of the containers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A convertible container according to claim 1 in which the tab is coplanar with the open top of the tray and the opening in the end wall being located to receive said tab when the tray is entered into the enclosure tab-end first.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A plurality of convertible containers according to claim 3 in which each of the four walls of each container enclosure is provided with interfitting tongues and grooves on the adjacent outer surfaces of the adjacent containers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A plurality of convertible containers according to claim 6 in which said tongues and grooves are formed to have a dovetail interfit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A plurality of convertible containers according to claim 7 in which the mentioned tongues and grooves are slidingly engaged and extend longitudinally parallel with the longitudinal extent of the trays engaged with the enclosures of said containers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-11 | 1976-12-11 | 1977-06-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-11 | 1980-12-11 | 1981-06-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-11 | 1984-12-11 | 1985-06-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |