초록

The present invention comprises an improved latch and hinge for an integrally molded box, preferably a sharps box. The combination of the latch and hinge provides a surprisingly secure, simple and inexpensive integrally molded box.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A box comprising:(a) a top half and a bottom half adapted to be brought together to a closed position, each half comprising:(i) hinge and latch sidewalls parallel and opposite to each other and, with other sidewalls, continuously molded to a floor such that when the halves are in a

[ I claim:] [1.] A box comprising:(a) a top half and a bottom half adapted to be brought together to a closed position, each half comprising:(i) hinge and latch sidewalls parallel and opposite to each other and, with other sidewalls, continuously molded to a floor such that when the halves are in a closed position the floors have a closed depth of about more than about 10 mm;(ii) a facing edge comprising open edges of the sidewalls, such facing edges adapted to contact the facing edge of the other box half and securely enclose contents of the box when the box is in the closed position;(iii) an outside of the hinge sidewall from which extend two complementary halves of two separate hinges, whereby each complementary hinge half is adapted to disengageably hinge with the opposing hinge half of the other box half; and(iv) an outside of the latch sidewall from which extends a single complementary portion of latching means for releaseably latching the box halves together;(b) the portion of the latching means for the bottom half, when its floor is horizontal, comprising a latch shaft extending away and then upward from the outside of the latch sidewall to substantially above the facing edge of the bottom half and adapted to have a length such that finger depression on an outside of the latch shaft below the complementary latch half of the top half when the hinge halves are in a latched position will release the latch halves from the latched position;(c) the portion of the latching means for the top half comprising a bail comprising two supports extending from the outside of the latch sidewall, the ends of the supports connected by a latch engaging portion, the combination of the supports and latch engaging portion forming a latch opening and the latch engaging portion having an underside and a topside;(d) the latch shaft ending in a bail slip face that extends downward and away from the latch shaft to form a lip with an underside, the bail slip face adapted to, during the action of bringing the box halves into the latched position, slide against an underside of the latch engaging portion and through the latch opening until a lip edge passes the topside of the latch engaging portion such that the lip is urged into a position opposed to the topside of the latch engaging portion into the latched position; and(e) at least one box half further comprises box opening initiating means, adapted to urge the box open when the box halves are released from the latched position, wherein box opening initiating means comprises an upward support extending from a scalpel blade remover located about in the middle of an inside floor of the bottom half, the extension having a length slightly longer than a closed inside diameter of a closed box.