Container with springloaded closure

Claim 2

A closable box, comprising: a. a container, having at least two sides, a back, a bottom, and an open top, b. a cover, having a hinge line, c. hinge means for hinging said cover to said container for pivotal movement about said hinge line between a closed position at which said open top of said container is substantially covered and an open position at which there is substantially free access to the inside of said container, said hinge means including hinge points on said hinge liNe at opposite sides of said container, said hinge points being spaced forwardly of the back ends of said sides to cause the portion of said cover rearward of said hinge line to project into said container when said cover is in its open position, thereby permitting opening of said cover when it is in its closed position by pressing inwardly on said portion of said cover rearward of said hinge line, and d. spring means for urging said cover into either of said closed and open positions when said cover is close thereto and for retaining said cover in either of said positions when said positions are reached, said spring means including an elongate spring element contained within said container and attached at one end to said cover forwardly of said hinge line and at its other end to said container, said spring element being continuously tensioned to hold said cover in position relative to said container, and spring element being shaped and connected to cause a line along the spring line of force to be rearward of said cover hinge line when said cover is in said open position, and to be forward of said hinge line when said cover is in said closed position.

Claim 3

The closable box of claim 1, wherein said spring element recited in clause 1(d) comprises a substantially planar, recurved wire.

Claim 4

The invention as claimed in claim 2, in which said wire is formed in the general shape of a figure ''''2.''''

Claim 5

The invention as claimed in claim 3, in which said wire has adjacent larger and smaller curves and substantially straight, projecting ends, said ends being at an acute angle to each other when said spring element is unstressed and being substantially parallel to each other when said spring element is installed and tensioned.

Claim 6

The closable box of claim 4, wherein said projecting ends of said spring element terminate in relatively small attachment hooks, the one of said hooks on said end adjacent to said smaller curve being hooked to said container through a hole in said back, whereby portions of said spring element and said back are substantially parallel to and closely adjacent each other. the other of said hooks being attached to said cover, forwardly of said cover hinge line, by hooking through at least one of two spaced holes in said cover.

Claim 7

The closable box of claim 1, wherein said cover recited in clause 1(b) comprises an inner layer, substantially the size of said open top of said container and a smaller, thin, flexible, substantially transparent outer layer detachable therefrom, whereby a card may be inserted between said layers to contain information concerning the contents of said container, said inner layer being hinged to said container by said hinge means, and said spring element being attached to said inner layer, said outer layer having plural ears depending from an inner surface thereof at opposite edges, said ears projecting laterally beyond said edges, said inner layer having a recessed region into which said outer layer and said card fit and also having plural holes into which said ears of said outer layer may be inserted when said outer layer is flexed outwardly at its center to bring closer together said edges along which said ears are mounted, said ears projecting under a region of said inner layer to lock said outer layer to said inner layer when said outer layer is unflexed.

Claim 8

The closable box of claim 1, wherein said container includes at least one inner partition dividing said container into at least first and second inner containers having sides, a back and a bottom, said partition being substantially perpendicular to said bottom of said container and extending from said bottom substantially to the inner surface of said cover when said cover is in its closed position, to cause said first and second containers to be substantially noncommunicating, and partition having a cutout to provide clearance for said rearward portion of said cover when said cover is opened.

Claim 9

The closable box of claim 7, wherein at least said first inner container comprises: a. an inner cover, having a hinge line, b. means for hinging said inner cover to said first inner container for pivotal movement about said inner cover hinge line between a closed position in which at least a portion of said first inner container is covered and an open position in which there is substantially free access to the inside of said first inner container, said inner cover hinge line being substantially parallel to, forward of and below said outer cover hinge line, said inner cover being truncated rearwardly adjacent said inner cover hinge line, whereby said inner cover, when it is in its closed position, does not interfere with movement of said first-mentioned cover between the open and closed positions thereof, and whereby said inner cover may move between its open and closed positions without interference with said first-mentioned, cover, and c. second spring means for urging and inner cover into either of said closed and open positions when said inner cover is close thereto, and for retaining said inner cover in either said closed and open positions when such positions are reached.

Claim 10

The invention as claimed in claim 8, in which said second spring means including an elongate, substantially planar, recurved second spring element, formed generally in the shape of a figure ''''2.''''

Claim 11

The closable box of claim 1, wherein: a. said means for hinging said cover recited in clause 1(c) comprises arcuate ears separately inwardly projecting from said cover at opposite sides thereof and along said hinge line, said ears fitting into matching concave depressions in said container sides.

Claim 12

A multi-compartment tray comprising: a. an open tray body having sides and a bottom and multiple partitions dividing said tray body into individual containers, said containers each having at least two sides, a back and an open top surface and being formed in a planar array by said multiple partitions to have their open tops in a common plane, b. cover means for separately covering said individual containers, including separate covers for each said individual containers, each said separate cover having a hinge line located away from its back edge, c. hinge means for individually hinging each said cover at said hinge line to its respective individual container, for individual pivotal motion about said hinge line between a closed position at which said open top of said individual container is substantially covered, and an open position at which there is substantially free access to the inside of said individual container, said back edge of each said cover projecting into said respective individual container when each said cover is at its open position, whereby each said cover may be opened from its closed position by pushing inwardly on the region rearward of said hinge line, and d. spring means for individually urging each said cover into either of said closed and open positions when said cover is closed thereto, and for retaining said cover in either of said closed and open positions when said cover reaches said positions, said spring means including individual spring elements for each said individual container, each said spring element comprising a substantially planar, recurved wire formed in the general shape of the figure ''''2'''' having adjacent larger and smaller curves and having two substantially straight, projecting ends which are an acute angle with each other when said spring element is unstressed and which are substantially parallel with each other when said spring element is installed and tensioned, said spring ends terminating in small attachment hooks, the one said of hooks on the end of said spring element adjacent to said smaller curve hooking for attachment through a hole in said back, whereby said spring end is substantially parallel with said back, the other of said hooks being attached to said cover of said individuAl container forward of said hinge line by hooking through at least one of two spaced holes in said cover.

Claim 13

A multi-compartment tray comprising: a. an open tray body having sides and a bottom and multiple partitions dividing said tray body into individual containers, said containers each having at least two sides, a back and an open top surface and being formed in a planar array by said multiple partitions to have their open tops in a common plane, b. cover means for separately covering said individual containers, including separate covers for each said individual containers, each said separate cover having a hinge line located away from its back edge, c. hinge means for individually hinging each said cover at said hinge line to its respective individual container, for individual pivotal motion about said hinge line between a closed position at which said open top of said individual container is substantially covered, and an open position at which there is substantially free access to the inside of said individual container, said back edge of each said cover projecting into said respective individual container when each said cover is at its open position, whereby each said cover may be opened from its closed position by pushing inwardly on the region rearward of said hinge line, and d. spring means for individually urging each said cover into either of said closed and open positions when said cover is closed thereto, and for retaining said cover in either of said closed and open positions when said cover reaches said positions, said spring means including individual spring elements for each said individual container, each said spring element comprising a substantially planar, recurved wire formed in the general shape of the figure ''''2'''' having adjacent larger and smaller curves and having two substantially straight, projecting ends which are an acute angle with each other when said spring element is unstressed and which are substantially parallel with each other when said spring element is installed and tensioned, said spring ends terminating in small attachment hooks, the one said of hooks on the end of said spring element adjacent to said smaller curve hooking for attachment through a hole in said back, whereby said spring end is substantially parallel with said back, the other of said hooks being attached to said cover of said individuAl container forward of said hinge line by hooking through at least one of two spaced holes in said cover.

Claim 14

The multi-compartmented tray of claim 11, wherein each said individual container has a tranverse inner partition dividing said container into first and second inner containers, said first inner container including an inner cover having a hinge line closely adjacent forward and below said hinge line of said first mentioned cover and second spring means for retaining said inner cover to said first inner container and for urging and inner cover to, and retaining said inner cover in, an open or closed position, said inner cover being truncated rearwardly adjacent to said inner cover hinge line to provide clearance for said first mentioned cover, said second spring means including a recurved wire second spring element in the general shape of a figure ''''2'''', having elongate ends which are at an acute angle to each other when said second spring element is unstressed, said ends having small attachment hooks for attaching said second spring element to said first inner container and said inner cover in a manner to cause a line connecting said hooks is to one side of said inner cover hinge line when said inner cover is open and is to the opposite side of said inner cover hinge line when said inner cover is closed.

Claim 15

The multi-compartmented tray of claim 12 wherein all said individual containers are substantially the same size and are rectangular and wherein said first and second inner containers are square and are the same size.

Claim 16

The multi-compartmented tray of claim 12 wherein said tray body and said inner covers are substantially transparent.