Box having a carrying handle-latch

Claim 2

A handle-latch for a box having a receptacle and a cover, comprising: a shoulder on the receptacle forming a handle for the receptacle; flexible latch means on the cover movable to a latched position in which said latch means is flexed into engagement with said shoulder to releasably latch the cover on the receptacle, and further cooperates with said shoulder to provide a handle for the box which when manually lifted helps to retain said latch means in its latched position; said cover extends between first and second substantially parallel, spaced-apart, end wall surfaces; said receptacle further having a flange adjacent one end of said shoulder and extending from said first wall surface toward said second wall surface to form a notch between said flange and said second wall surface; said latch means comprises a flexible arm having a hook end for releasably engaging said shoulder when moved to its latched position; and said hook end further having a laterally-extending flexible flap adapted to engage said flange and to be flexed past said flange and to nest in said notch to greatly increase the force required to move said latch means to its unlatched position.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said shoulder has a depression and said latch means comprises a flexible arm having a depending hook end for releasably engaging said depression when said latch means is moved to its latched position.

Claim 4

A handle-latch for a plastic molded box having a receptacle and a cover, comprising: an end wall of the receptacle having first and second, substantially parallel, spaced-apart end surfaces and a shoulder extending between said first and second surfaces, said shoulder having a depression adjacent said second end surface; said end wall further having a flange at one end of said shoulder and extending from said first end surface toward said second end surface and spaced therefrom to form a notch; and flexible latch means on the cover comprising a hook latch and a flap latch, said latch means being movable to a latched position in which said hook latch is flexed into engagement with said depression in said shoulder to releasably latch the cover on the receptacle and to cooperate with said shoulder to provide a handle for the box which when manually lifted helps to retain said latch means in its latched position, and said flap latch is flexed past said flange and into said notch to increase the force required to move said latch means to an unlatched position.

Claim 5

A handle-latch for a plastic molded box having a receptacle and a cover, comprising: an end wall of the receptacle having first and second, substantially parallel, spaced-apart end surfaces and a shoulder extending between said first and second surfaces, said shoulder having a depression adjacent said second end surface; said end wall further having a flange at one end of said shoulder and extending from said first end surface toward said second end surface and spaced therefrom to form a notch; and flexible latch means on the cover comprising a hook latch and a flap latch, said latch means being movable to a latched position in which said hook latch is flexed into engagement with said depression in said shoulder to releasably latch the cover on the receptacle and to cooperate with said shoulder to provide a handle for the box which when manually lifted helps to retain said latch means in its latched position, and said flap latch is flexed past said flange and into said notch to increase the force required to move said latch means to an unlatched position.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 3 wherein said latch means comprises a flexible arm having one end hingedly secured to said cover and a pull tab on its other end, and said hook latch is adjacent said pull tab, and said flap latch is a laterally-extending flexible flap between said pull tab and said hook latch.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 4 wherein said arm is shaped as an inverted T, and said one end of said flexible arm is integrally formed with an edge of said cover, said end wall has a flange at each end of said shoulder, and said flap latch comprises a pair of oppositely-directed, laterally-extending flexible flaps between said pull tab and said hook latch.

Claim 8

In a plastic molded box, the combination comprising: a receptacle having two flexible side walls, Two flexible end walls, and a bottom wall in which all of said walls have rigidifying elongated grooves and/or ridges; said end walls having first and second, substantially parallel, spaced-apart end surfaces and a shoulder extending between said first and second surfaces, said shoulder having a depression adjacent said second end surface; said end walls each further having a flange at each end of said shoulder and extending from said first end surface toward said second end surface and spaced therefrom to form a notch; a flexible cover for said receptacle having rigidifying elongated grooves and/or ridges; and latch means on opposite ends of said cover and movable into a latched position in engagement with corresponding shoulders and flanges on said receptacle, each of said latch means comprising a flexible inverted T-shaped arm having one end integral with said cover, a pull tab at its other end, and a hook latch adjacent said pull tab for releasably engaging a corresponding depression in said shoulder when said hook latch is moved to said latched position, said arm further having flap latches comprising oppositely-directed, laterally-extending flexible flaps between said pull tab and said hook latch adapted to engage said flanges and to be flexed past said flanges and into said notches where said flaps regain their original shape to increase the force required to move said latch means to an unlatched position.

Claim 9

In a plastic molded box, the combination comprising: a receptacle having two flexible side walls, Two flexible end walls, and a bottom wall in which all of said walls have rigidifying elongated grooves and/or ridges; said end walls having first and second, substantially parallel, spaced-apart end surfaces and a shoulder extending between said first and second surfaces, said shoulder having a depression adjacent said second end surface; said end walls each further having a flange at each end of said shoulder and extending from said first end surface toward said second end surface and spaced therefrom to form a notch; a flexible cover for said receptacle having rigidifying elongated grooves and/or ridges; and latch means on opposite ends of said cover and movable into a latched position in engagement with corresponding shoulders and flanges on said receptacle, each of said latch means comprising a flexible inverted T-shaped arm having one end integral with said cover, a pull tab at its other end, and a hook latch adjacent said pull tab for releasably engaging a corresponding depression in said shoulder when said hook latch is moved to said latched position, said arm further having flap latches comprising oppositely-directed, laterally-extending flexible flaps between said pull tab and said hook latch adapted to engage said flanges and to be flexed past said flanges and into said notches where said flaps regain their original shape to increase the force required to move said latch means to an unlatched position.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 6 wherein at least one of said side walls has an elongated ridge parallel to its edge, and the corresponding side of said cover has an elongated bead engageable with said ridge when said cover is mounted on said receptacle to form a detent for releasably locking said side of said cover to said receptacle.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 6 wherein said second end surface is provided with a recess in register with said pull tab to facilitate manual grasping of said pull tab for moving said latch means to its unlatched position.