초록 ▼

A locking container has a tray with sidewalls, a shelf and a bottom with an elongated opening. A sliding lock and a spring are formed in the bottom opening. A lock flap is hinged to the shelf. A cover has a base glued to the tray bottom, a spine end and a top panel. A latch extension extends form th

A locking container has a tray with sidewalls, a shelf and a bottom with an elongated opening. A sliding lock and a spring are formed in the bottom opening. A lock flap is hinged to the shelf. A cover has a base glued to the tray bottom, a spine end and a top panel. A latch extension extends form the flap through holes in the shelf and top panel. Sliding the lock with a finger or thumb and lifting with fingers both side sections of the flap releases the latch extension and allows raising of the top panel. Articles are held in bubbles of an inner laminate on the panel.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Locking container apparatus comprising a tray, a sliding lock connected to the tray, a lock flap comprising a latch extension rib for cooperating with the sliding lock, a cover connected to the tray, the cover having a free end positioned under the lock flap when the cover and lock flap are close

1. Locking container apparatus comprising a tray, a sliding lock connected to the tray, a lock flap comprising a latch extension rib for cooperating with the sliding lock, a cover connected to the tray, the cover having a free end positioned under the lock flap when the cover and lock flap are closed, for holding the cover closed when the lock flap is positioned over the free end of the cover and wherein the sliding lock cooperates with the lock flap to hold the lock flap closed.2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tray has a shelf at one end, and wherein the lock flap has a hinged end connected to the shelf.3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lock flap has parallel slits perpendicular to and spaced from the hinged end and extending to a free edge of the lock flap, thereby creating a central section and two outer sections of the lock flap, and wherein the free edge of the lock flap has raised finger insertion portions in the outer two sections for lifting the outer two sections and thereby lifting the central section and the latch extension rib for releasing the free end of the cover.4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sliding lock extends along at a bottom of the tray and has a pull ring at one end of the sliding lock for moving the sliding lock with respect to the tray.5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sliding the lock has a ledge at an end opposite the pull ring for engaging the latch extension rib on the lock flap.6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the tray has a longitudinal opening, wherein the sliding lock is positioned within the longitudinal opening in the tray, and wherein the sliding lock has outward extensions and the tray has inward extensions along the longitudinal opening for holding the sliding lock in the tray.7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the tray, the sliding lock and the lock flap are molded together.8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover has a base connected beneath the tray, a spine extending over one end of the tray remote from the lock flap and a top extending from the spine to the free end of the cover.9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the top is laminated, and an inner laminate of the top has bubbles for individually holding products between the top and the tray.10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the tray has sidewalls and wherein the sidewalls have inward extending ribs for overlying side edges of the cover when the cover is closed on the tray.11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tray is rectangular and has a central main body, opposite side walls and a opposite end walls, and wherein the cover is paperboard or plastic material which is formed in the three panels by providing two parallel creases, and wherein the three panels comprise a base panel underlying and connected to the tray, a spine panel overlying an end of the tray, and a top panel overlying a top of the tray, and wherein the top panel is laminated for providing a relatively rigid top cover panel.12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an elongated opening in the base panel for sliding the sliding lock.13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a central opening in the shelf, and a complementary central opening in the top panel near the free end for receiving the latch extension.14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spring connected between the sliding lock and the tray for urging the sliding lock into engagement with the lock flap.15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the tray, the lock flap, the sliding lock and the spring are molded in one mold cavity.16. A locking container apparatus comprising a rectangular tray having a central body and longitudinally extending sidewalls at lateral edges of the body and having a shelf with a central opening near one end of the central body, a lock flap hinged at one end of the shelf, a latch extension on the lock flap for extending through the central opening, a sliding lock strap positioned in the central body and having a latch rib for cooperating with the latch extension to hold the latch extension and the lock flap closed when the latch rib is engaged with the latch extension, a cover connected to the tray, the cover having two parallel creases dividing the cover into three panels, a base panel underlying and attached to the tray, a spine panel overlying one end of the tray opposite the shelf, and a top panel overlying the tray and the shelf and having a free end and a central opening near the free-end aligned with and cooperating with the central opening in the shelf for receiving the latch extension, for holding the free end under the lock flap, the top panel and the central body and sidewalls of the tray forming a cavity for holding articles, the base panel having an elongated opening for sliding the lock strap and for moving the latch rib and releasing the latch extension and the lock flap to release the top panel for lifting the top panel and exposing the cavity.17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an inner laminate on the top panel, and wherein the inner laminate has bubbles for holding individual products on an inside of the top panel.18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the elongated opening is in the base panel near the spine panel.19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the side walls have inward extending ribs for overlying side edges of the top panel when the top panel is closed on the tray.20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a spring connected between the lock strap and the tray for urging the lock strap into engagement with the latch extension.21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the tray, the lock flap, the lock strap and the spring are molded in one mold cavity.22. Locking container apparatus comprising a tray, a lock connected to the tray, a lock flap connected by a hinged end to the tray and cooperating with the lock, a cover connected to the tray, the cover having a free end positioned under the lock flap when the cover is closed, for holding the cover closed when the lock flap is positioned over the free end of the cover and wherein the lock cooperates with the lock flap to hold the lock flap closed and wherein the lock flap has parallel slits perpendicular to and spaced from the hinged end and extending to a free edge of the lock flap, thereby creating a central section and two outer sections of the lock flap, and wherein the free edge of the lock flap has raised finger insertion portions in the outer two sections for lifting the outer two sections and thereby lifting the central section for releasing the free end of the cover.23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the tray has a shelf at one end and wherein the lock flap hinged end is connected to the shelf.24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the lock flap further comprises a latch extension rib for cooperating with the lock for locking and releasing the lock flap.25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the lock extends along at a bottom of the tray and has a pull ring for moving the lock with respect to the tray.26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the lock has a ledge opposite the pull ring for engaging the latch extension rib on the lock flap.27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the tray has a longitudinal opening, and the lock is a sliding lock strap positioned within the longitudinal opening in the tray, and wherein the sliding lock strap has outward extensions and the tray has inward extensions along the longitudinal opening for holding the sliding lock strap in the tray.28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the tray, the lock and the lock flap are molded together.29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the cover has a base connected to the tray, a spine extending over one end of the tray remote from the lock flap and a top extending from the spine to the free end of the cover.30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein top is laminated and an inner laminate of the top has bubbles for individually holding products between the top and the tray.31. The method of latching and unlatching a container apparatus comprising providing a tray having an elongated opening, in a bottom and having side walls and a shelf at one longitudinal end, hinging a hinged end of a lock flap to the tray near the shelf, providing a shelf opening in the shelf, providing a cover having a base, a spine and a top panel with a free end, connecting the base to the tray, overlying the tray and the shelf with the top panel providing in the top panel near the free end a top paned opening aligned and complementary with the shelf opening, providing a sliding lock in the elongated opening in the bottom of the tray, providing a handle on one end of the sliding lock and a latching ledge on an opposite end of the lock, providing an elongated opening in the base shorter than but aligned and complementary with the elongated opening in the tray bottom for moving the handle, providing a latch extension on the lock flap for engaging the latching ledge, providing a spring between the tray and the sliding lock and urging the sliding lock and the latching edge into engagement with the latch extension when the top panel is closed and the lock flap is closed on the top panel.32. The method of claim 31, comprising providing parallel slits on the lock flap perpendicular to and spaced from the hinged end and extending to a free edge of the lock flap for creating a central section and two outer sections of the lock flap, providing the latch extension on the outer section, providing raised finger insertion portions in the outer two sections of the free edge of the lock flap for lifting the outer two sections, thereby providing lifting of the central section and the latch extension rib for releasing the free end of the cover, wherein the handle is moved to move the sliding lock and the latching ledge against force of the spring and away from contact with the latch extension rib.33. The method of claim 32, further comprising holding articles in bubbles attached to an inside of the top panel.34. The method of claim 31, further comprising providing inward extending ribs on the sidewalls and holding edges of the top panel beneath the inward extending ribs.35. The method of claim 31, further comprising molding the tray, the shelf, the sidewalls, the sliding lock and the spring in a single mold cavity.36. The method of claim 35, further comprising moving the sliding lock and the spring into an operative position in the tray after the molding.37. The method of claim 31, wherein the handle is moved and the lock flap is lifted to open the top panel.