초록 ▼

A container includes a housing which can be expanded and contracted by slidably moving a pair of housing members relative to each other. Access to an interior chamber of the container is controlled in response to the relative position of the housing members to each other. The expansion of the housin

A container includes a housing which can be expanded and contracted by slidably moving a pair of housing members relative to each other. Access to an interior chamber of the container is controlled in response to the relative position of the housing members to each other. The expansion of the housing to permit access to an interior chamber of the container can be accomplished using one hand only.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A container, comprising a housing having a chamber therein, said housing including a first housing member having an aperture therein and a second housing member cooperating with said first housing member to form said chamber, said first and second housing members being slidably movable toward and

1. A container, comprising a housing having a chamber therein, said housing including a first housing member having an aperture therein and a second housing member cooperating with said first housing member to form said chamber, said first and second housing members being slidably movable toward and away from each other between a first position in which said first and second housing members cooperate to substantially isolate said chamber from the outside atmosphere, whereby said container is closed when said first and second housing members are in said first position, and a second position in which said first and second housing members cooperate to permit substantial communication between said chamber and the outside atmosphere, whereby said container is open when said first and second housing members are in said second position, said second housing member including a post extending through said chamber and into said aperture in said first housing member, said post being sized and shaped so as to be engageable by one finger of an operator and said post cooperating with said aperture and said first housing member to form means for allowing a force applied in one direction to said post by one finger of an operator to cooperate with a force applied in an opposite direction to said first housing member by no more than the other four fingers on the same hand of an operator so as to cause the relative movement of said second housing member away from said first housing member as said first and second housing members are moved from said first position to said second position, whereby an operator may open said container using one hand only. 2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said second housing member is a base and said first housing member is a lid having a dome which overlies said base and includes said aperture, a skirt depending from said dome and extending toward said base and a sleeve depending from said dome and extending from said aperture toward said base, said sleeve being sized and shaped so as to receive said post of said base. 3. A container according to claim 2, wherein said base includes a sidewall which extends toward said lid alongside an inner surface of said skirt of said lid and at least one opening in said sidewall of said base, said at least one opening being positioned such that said at least one opening is completely covered by said skirt of said lid when said lid and said base are in said first position and such that said at least one opening is at least partially uncovered by said skirt of said lid when said lid and said base are in said second position. 4. A container according to claim 3, wherein said lid further includes gripping means for providing a gripping surface for at least one of the other fingers on the same hand of an operator. 5. A container according to claim 4, wherein said gripping means includes a flared rim formed where said skirt and said dome intersect. 6. A container according to claim 5, wherein said lid is sized and shaped such that said skirt may be gripped on one side by the thumb on the same hand of an operator and on an opposite side by one of the other three fingers on the same hand of an operator. 7. A container according to claim 6, wherein said post of said base is sized and shaped so as to be engageable by an index finger. 8. A container according to claim 7, wherein said sidewall of said base includes a plurality of openings, each of said openings being positioned such that it is completely covered by said skirt of said lid when said lid and said base are in said first position and such that it is at least partially uncovered by said skirt of said lid when said lid and said base are in said second position. 9. A container according to claim 8, wherein each of said openings is a slot formed in an upper edge of said sidewall of said base. 10. A container according to claim 9, wherein each slot is generally U-shaped. 11. A container according to claim 3, further comprising limiting means for limiting the movement of said lid away from said base. 12. A container according to claim 11, wherein said limiting means includes a shoulder extending outwardly from said post of said base and a bead extending inwardly from said sleeve of said lid. 13. A container according to claim 12, wherein said bead is resilient. 14. A container according to claim 13, wherein said bead is generally J-shaped, whereby said bead may be readily deflected by said shoulder on said post of said base when said lid is moved toward said base to thereby facilitate the application of said lid to said base and whereby said bead resists deflection by said shoulder on said post of said base when said lid is moved away from said base to thereby inhibit removal of said lid from said base. 15. A container according to claim 14, wherein said bead on said sleeve of said lid is in slidable and sealable contact with said post of said base as said lid and said base are moved between said first and second positions. 16. A container according to claim 15, wherein the contact between said bead and said post is such that frictional forces produced thereby are sufficient to automatically maintain said lid at any one of a number of different locations relative to said base. 17. A container according to claim 16, wherein said skirt of said lid is in slidable and sealable contact with said sidewall of said base when said lid and said base are in said first position. 18. A container according to claim 17, wherein said base, except for said post thereof, is housed entirely within said lid when said lid and said base are in said first position. 19. A container according to claim 18, wherein said base includes receiving means for receiving a volatile product. 20. A container according to claim 18, wherein said base includes receiving means for receiving a poisonous product. 21. A container according to claim 2, wherein said skirt of said lid includes at least one opening therein, said at least one opening being positioned such that said base is located above said at least one opening when said base and said lid are in said first position and such that said base is located below at least an upper edge of said at least one opening when said lid and said base are in said second position, whereby said container may be opened by pushing on said post of said base with one finger only. 22. A container according to claim 21, wherein said lid further includes gripping means for providing a gripping surface for at least one of the other fingers on the same hand of an operator. 23. A container according to claim 22, wherein said gripping means includes a flared rim formed where said skirt and said dome intersect. 24. A container according to claim 23, wherein said lid is sized and shaped such that said skirt may be gripped on one side by the thumb on the same hand of an operator and on an opposite side by one of the other three fingers on the same hand of an operator. 25. A container according to claim 24, wherein said post of said base is sized and shaped so as to be engageable by an index finger. 26. A container according to claim 25, wherein said skirt of said lid includes a plurality of openings, said openings being positioned such that said base is located above said openings when said lid and said base are in said first position and such that said base is located below at least an upper edge of each of said openings when said lid and said base are in said second position. 27. A container according to claim 26, wherein each of said openings is a slot formed in a lower edge of said skirt of said lid. 28. A container according to claim 27, wherein each slot has a generally inverted U shape. 29. A container according to claim 21, further comprising limiting means for limiting the movement of said lid away from said base. 30. A container according to claim 29, wherein said limiting means includes a shoulder extending outwardly from said post of said base and a bead extending inwardly from said sleeve of said lid. 31. A container according to claim 30, wherein said bead is resilient. 32. A container according to claim 31, wherein said bead is substantially J-shaped, whereby said bead may be readily deflected by said shoulder on said post of said base when said lid is moved toward said base to thereby facilitate the application of said lid to said base and whereby said bead resists deflection by said shoulder on said post of said base when said lid is moved away from said base to thereby inhibit removal of said lid from said base. 33. A container according to claim 32, wherein said bead on said sleeve of said lid is in slidable and sealable contact with said post of said base as said lid and said base are moved between said first and second positons. 34. A container according to claim 33, wherein the contact between said bead and said post is such that frictional forces produced thereby are sufficient to automatically maintain said lid at any one of a number of different locations relative to said base. 35. A container according to claim 34, wherein said base includes a sidewall which extends toward said lid alongside an inner surface of said skirt of said lid, said sidewall being in slidable and sealable contact with said skirt of said lid when said lid and said base are in said first position. 36. A container according to claim 35, wherein said base, except for said post thereof, is housed entirely within said lid when said lid and said base are in said first position. 37. A container according to claim 36, wherein said base includes receiving means for receiving a volatile product. 38. A container according to claim 36, wherein said base includes receiving means for receiving a poisonous product. 39. A container according to claim 2, wherein said skirt of said lid includes at least one opening therein, said at least one opening being positioned such that said base covers said at least one opening when said lid and said base are in said first position and such that said at least one opening is at least partially uncovered by said base when said lid and said base are in said second position, whereby said container may be opened by pushing on said post of said base with one finger only. 40. A container according to claim 39, wherein said lid is sized and shaped such that said skirt may be gripped on one side by the thumb on the same hand of an operator and on an opposite side by one of the other three fingers on the same hand of an operator. 41. A container according to claim 40, wherein said post of said base is sized and shaped so as to be engagable by an index finger. 42. A container according to claim 41, wherein said skirt of said lid includes a plurality of openings, said openings being positioned such that said base covers said openings when said lid and said base are in said first position and such that said openings are at least partially uncovered by said base when said lid and said base are in said second position. 43. A container according to claim 42, wherein each of said openings is a slot formed in an upper portion of said skirt of said lid. 44. A container according to claim 39, further comprising limiting means for limiting the movement of said lid away from said base. 45. A container according to claim 44, wherein said limiting means includes a shoulder extending outwardly from said post of said base and a bead extending inwardly from said sleeve of said lid. 46. A container according to claim 45, wherein said bead is resilient. 47. A container according to claim 46, wherein said bead is substantially J-shaped, whereby said bead may be readily deflected by said shoulder on said post of said base when said lid is moved toward said base to thereby facilitate the application of said lid to said base and whereby said bead resists deflection by said shoulder on said post of said base when said lid is moved away from said base to thereby inhibit removal of said lid from said base. 48. A container according to claim 47, wherein said bead on said sleeve of said lid is in slidable and sealable contact with said post of said base as said lid and said base are moved between said first and second positions. 49. A container according to claim 48, wherein the contact between said bead and said post is such that frictional forces produced thereby are sufficient to automatically maintain said lid at any one of a number of different locations relative to said base. 50. A container according to claim 49, wherein said base includes a sidewall which extends toward said lid alongside an inner surface of said skirt of said lid, said sidewall covering said openings in said skirt and being in slidable and sealable contact with said skirt when said lid and said base are in said first position. 51. A container according to claim 50, wherein said base, except for said post, is housed completely within said lid when said lid and said base are in said first position. 52. A container according to claim 51, wherein said base includes receiving means for receiving a volatile product. 53. A container according to claim 51, wherein said base includes receiving means for receiving a poisonous product. 54. A container according to claim 2, further comprising limiting means for limiting the movement of said lid away from said base. 55. A container according to claim 54, wherein said limiting means includes a shoulder extending outwardly from said post of said base and a bead extending inwardly from said sleeve of said lid. 56. A container according to claim 55, wherein said bead is resilient. 57. A container according to claim 56, wherein said bead is substantially J-shaped, whereby said bead may be readily deflected by said shoulder on said post of said base when said lid is moved toward said base to thereby facilitate the application of said lid to said base and whereby said bead resists deflection by said shoulder on said post of said base when said lid is moved away from said base to thereby inhibit removal of said lid from said base. 58. A container according to claim 57, wherein said bead on said sleeve of said lid is in slidable and sealable contact with said post of said base as said lid and said base are moved between said first and second positions. 59. A container according to claim 58, wherein the contact between said bead and said post is such that frictional forces produced thereby are sufficient to automatically maintain said lid at any one of a number of different locations relative to said base. 60. A container according to claim 1, wherein said housing consists of said first and second housing members only. 61. A container according to claim 1, wherein said post is formed monolithically with said second housing member.