TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a container with a movable partition.
BACKGROUND
[0002] There are known various types of containers having a partition which divides the
container into two compartments. Such containers are typically used to store or transport
two different kinds of products or substances, one type in each compartment. There
are also known containers having a movable partition where the position of the partition
can be adjusted to a predetermined location, thus changing the volume of each compartment.
Usually, to change the position of the partition, it is necessary to take the partition
out of the container and place it into a new location inside the container. The positions
of the partitions may be defined by grooves formed in the side walls of the container.
While changing the position of the partition the two products or substances currently
stored inside the container may easily mix with each other.
[0003] Therefore, there is a need to provide an alternative structure of a container with
a movable partition, that will allow changing the position of the partition in a smooth
manner without the risk of mixing the products within the container.
SUMMARY
[0004] There is disclosed a container comprising: a cuboid body a first compartment and
a second compartment separated by a movable partition within the body characterized
in that: the partition is made of an elastic sheet attached to the body at two attachment
positions separated by a regulation distance wherein the elastic sheet has a length
greater than the regulation distance such that it forms a protrusion constituting
the partition movable between the attachment positions.
[0005] The partition can be suspended on a support slidable in notches formed in two opposing
side walls of the body.
[0006] The support can be C-shaped and has arms of different length.
[0007] The two opposing side walls of the body of the container can be double-layer walls.
[0008] The elastic sheet may comprise two folded tabs which are located between the layers
of the double-layer side walls of the body.
[0009] The partition can be driven by a support assembly comprising two shafts positioned
at the bottom of the partition, slidable in the notches formed in two opposing side
walls of the body and a support shaft wherein the ends of the shafts are connected
with a clip and with a clamp.
[0010] The container may comprise more than one partition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] Further details and features of the present invention, its nature and various advantages
will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments shown in drawings, in which:
Fig. 1A presents a container according to the invention;
Fig. 1B presents a template for forming a body of the container;
Fig. 2A and 2B present an elastic sheet;
Fig. 3 presents the container in a cross-sectional view A-A;
Fig. 4 presents details and dimensions of the template of the body;
Fig. 5 presents details and dimensions of the template of the elastic sheet;
Figs. 6A-6B present formulas describing relations between dimensions of the templates
of the body and the elastic sheet of the container;
Figs. 7A-7C present steps of forming of the partition;
Figs. 8A-8H present steps of forming the container;
Fig. 9 presents another embodiment of a body 100A;
Fig. 10 presents an example of a support having a form of a C-shaped shaft;
Figs. 11A-11C present details and dimensions of the shaft;
Fig. 12 presents a template of the body 100A;
Fig. 13 presents a container with the body 100A in a cross-section A-A;
Figs. 14 - 18 present another embodiment of a support assembly 1200 and its dimensions;
Fig. 19A presents another embodiment of a body 100B;
Fig. 19B presents a template of the body 100B;
Fig. 20 presents a container with the body 100B and the support assembly 1200 in a
cross-section;
Fig. 21 presents another embodiment of the container having the body 100B and several
partitions 213 driven by the support assemblies.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Fig. 1A presents a container comprising a cuboid body 100 with side walls 110, 120,
140, 150 and a bottom 130, in which there are two compartments: a first compartment
160 and a second compartment 170 separated by a movable partition 213 made of an elastic
sheet 200.
[0013] The container may be adapted to store various products or substances, such as small
electronic or mechanical components, loose materials or even liquid substances (if
appropriate sealing means are provided).
[0014] The body 100 of the container may be made of paper, sheet metal or plastic which
can be formed into relatively thin plates which are possible to be folded in order
to manually create the container out of a template without the need of welding, soldering,
screwing or riveting. In other embodiments, the body 100 of the container can be also
assembled by means of gluing, welding, screwing or riveting. In yet other embodiments,
the body 100 of the container may be a moulded element.
[0015] Fig. 1B presents an example embodiment of a template for forming the body 100 of
the container. The template comprises elements 111, 151 which, after folding, form
side walls 110, 150 and elements 141, 142, 121, 122 which, after folding, form double-layer
walls 140, 120 of the body 100. The elements 142 and 122 have edge protrusions 143
and 123, which after folding are inserted into openings 132 located in the bottom
130. The template further comprises tabs 112, 152 and 113, 153 which after folding
are positioned between two layers of the double-layer side walls 141, 142 and 121,
122 respectively. The elements are folded along folding lines 114, 115, 116, 124,
125, 126, 144, 145, 146, 154, 155, 156 as will be explained later in the document.
[0016] Fig. 2A and 2B present a structure of the elastic sheet 200 for forming the partition.
[0017] Fig. 2A presents the elastic sheet 200 in a top view. In a first part 211 and in
a second part 212 of the elastic sheet 200 there can be two openings 232, which after
introducing the elastic sheet 200 into the body 100, coincide with the openings 132
located in the bottom 130.
[0018] Fig. 2B presents the elastic sheet 200 in a cross-sectional view along the line A-A.
The elastic sheet 200 comprises the first part 211 and the second part 212 and a middle
portion located between the first 211 and the second 212 part, for forming the partition
213 when the elastic sheet 200 is installed within the body 100 of the container.
The elastic sheet 200 may additionally comprise two folded tabs 214, 215 located at
the end of the first part 211 and the second part 212 respectively. The first part
211 of the elastic sheet 200 forms a layer adjacent to the bottom 131 of the first
compartment 160 and the second part 212 forms a layer adjacent to the bottom 133 of
the second compartment 170 as presented in Fig. 3.
[0019] Fig. 3 presents the container in a cross-sectional view along the line A-A. In the
presented embodiment, the two attachment positions 216, 217 of the elastic sheet 200
are located in line with the elements 142 and 122 forming the layers of the double-layer
side walls 140, 120, respectively. Thus, the regulation distance of the partition
213 is equal to w
2, which means that the partition 213 may be located in any position between side walls
140, 120 of the body 100. The folded tabs 214, 215 of the elastic sheet 200 are located
between the layers 141, 142 and 121, 122, respectively.
[0020] The attachment positions 216, 217 can be located at various positions within the
body 100, typically depending on how the elastic sheet 200 is fixed with respect to
the body 100. For example, the elastic sheet 200 can be fixed to the bottom 130 of
the body 100, then the attachment positions 216, 217 are located at the bottom 130.
Alternatively, the elastic sheet 200 can be fixed to the side walls 120, 140, then
the attachment positions 216, 217 are located at the side walls 120, 140. Furthermore,
the attachment positions 216, 217 can be located at the edge between the bottom 130
and the side walls 120, 140.
[0021] The elastic sheet 200 has a length w
5 greater than the regulation distance w
2, therefore it bends between the attachment positions 216, 217 upwards, as shown in
Fig. 1A, thereby forming a protrusion constituting the partition 213.
[0022] As a result, the first compartment 160 is formed by the movable partition 213 and
the side wall 140 and at least part of the bottom 130 of that compartment is formed
by the fragment 211 of the elastic sheet 200. The second compartment 170 is formed
by the movable partition 213 and the side wall 120 and at least part of the bottom
130 of that compartment is formed by the fragment 212 of the elastic sheet 200.
[0023] Fig. 4 presents details and dimensions of the template of the body 100. A thickness
of the sheet of the template is equal to g
1. A height of the side walls elements 111, 151 is equal to h1 and their width is equal
to w
2, while a width of the bottom 130 is equal to w
1, wherein w
2 = w
1 - 2g
1. A length of the bottom 130 and the layers 141, 142, 121, 122 is equal to l
1, which is the length of the container wherein l
1>w
1>h
1>>g
1>g
2 (g
2 is a thickness of the elastic element 200). A width of the layers 141, 121 is equal
to h
2 and a width of the layers 142, 122 is equal to h
3 wherein h
2=h
1-g
1 and h
3 =h
2-g
2. A distance between the folding lines 124 and 125, 144 and 145 is equal to w
3=g
1+g
2. A width of the protrusions 123, 143 is equal to d
2=d
1 - (g
1+g
2) and a height of the protrusion 123, 143 is equal to w
3. The tabs 112, 113, 152, 153 have a width equal to w
4, while their height is equal to h
1-2g
1, wherein l
2+1/2d1<w
4<1/21
1, wherein l
2 is the distance between the axis of symmetry of the protrusion 123, 143 being also
the axis of symmetry of the corresponding opening 132 and the edge of the side wall
layers 141, 142, 121, 122. The openings 132 have a form of slotted openings and have
a width equal to d
3=2g
1+g
2 and a length equal to d
1, wherein d
1<l
2<=3/101
1. The relation between d
1 and l
1 is 1/7l
1<d
1<=1/5l
1. A distance between the end radii center points is equal to d
4=d
1-d
3=d
1-2r
1, where the end radius is equal to r
1=1/2d
3=1/2 (2g
1+g
2).
[0024] Fig. 5 presents details and dimensions of a template of the elastic sheet 200. The
template has a thickness g
2, the length l
1 and a width w
10=w
5+2h
4, where h
4 is a height of the tabs 214, 215, which is 1/4h
2<=h
4<=h
2. A distance between folding lines 246, 226 is equal to w
5=w
1-2(g
1+g
2)+2(h
5-r
2)-4r
2-2g
2+2π(r
2+g
2), where r
2=r
3+g
2 and r
2>=g
1+g
2 is the radius of each bending formed by an elastic sheet 200 necessary to form the
partition 213 as presented in fig. 2A and 2B and h
5=h
1-2r
2 is a height of the partition 213 (the distance between the surface of the bottom
130 of the body 100 and the center of the radii of the top of the partition 213, when
the partition 213 is located in the body 100). The openings 232 may have a form of
a half of the opening 132 when it is divided by a longitudinal axis of symmetry (parallel
to the folding lines 126, 146). Therefore, the straight side of the openings 232 located
adjacent to the tab 214 lies on the folding line 246 and the straight side of the
openings 232 located adjacent to the tab 215 lies on the folding line 226. A width
of the openings 232 is equal to g
1.
[0025] Figs. 6A-6B present formulas describing relations between dimensions of the templates
of the body and the elastic sheet of the container as described above.
[0026] Figs. 7A-7C present steps of forming of the partition. The partition 213 is formed
of the template of the elastic sheet 200. In the first step the tabs 214, 215 are
folded by 90 degrees along the folding lines 246, 226 and the sheet having the width
w
5 is obtained. Next the protrusion constituting the partition 213 is formed after approximating
the tabs 214, 215 towards each other, until the width of the elastic sheet 200 is
equal to w
2, while maintaining their 90 degrees angle with respect to the remaining surface of
the elastic sheet 200 (simultaneously maintaining their parallelism).
[0027] Figs. 8A-8H present steps of forming the container. First steps relate to formation
of the template of the body 100. In the first step tabs 112, 113, 152, 153 are folded
by 90 degrees along the folding lines 114, 115, 154, 155 respectively. Next the side
walls elements 111, 151 are folded by 90 degrees along the folding lines 116, 156
respectively in order to form side walls 110, 150 of the body 100. Next the layers
141, 142 are folded by 90 degrees along the folding line 146 and the layer 122 is
folded by 90 degrees along the folding line 124 as can be seen in fig. 8D. In this
stage the previously formed elastic sheet 200 is introduced inside the body 100 so
that the tab 214 is adjacent to the layers 141/142 and the tab 215 is near the side
element 121 as shown in fig. 8E and fig. 8F. Next the side element 142 is folded by
90 degrees along the folding line 145 and the side layer 121 is folded by 90 degrees
along the folding line 126 as shown in fig. 8G. Next the partition 213 is moved to
a position in which it allows the side element 142 to be folded by 90 degrees along
the folding line 144 so that the protrusions 143 enter into the openings 232 in the
elastic sheet 200 and into the openings 132 inside the body 100. In the last step
the side layer 122 is folded by 90 degrees along the folding line 125 so that the
protrusions 123 enter into the openings 232 inside the elastic material 200 and into
the openings 132 inside the body 100. The assembled container is presented in fig.
8H in a top view.
[0028] Fig. 9 presents another embodiment of a body 100A of the container which has longitudinal
notches 117, 157 in an upper part of the side walls 110A, 150A respectively. The notches
are designed to accept a support 700 on which the partition 213 is suspended. Such
design increases the rigidity of the partition 213 and makes it easier to change its
position within the body 100A. The support 700 slides along the notches 117, 157 while
the partition 213 is being moved.
[0029] Fig. 10 presents an example of a support 700 having a form of a C-shaped shaft. The
support 700 comprises a main part 730 which is in contact with the partition 213 and
a first arm 710 and a second arm 750 which prevent the support from falling out of
the notches 117, 157.
[0030] Figs. 11A-11C present details and dimensions of the shaft 700. The shaft 700 is formed
by bending a straight piece of a rod or wire along bending lines 716 and 756. The
first arm 710 has a length h
7 and it is bent by 90 degrees along the bending line 716 where 1/4h
5<h
7<1/2h
5. The second arm 750 has a length h
6 and it is bent by 90 degrees along the bending line 756 which results in a C-shape
where 1/2h
5<h
6<h
5. The main part 730 has a length l
3=l
1+2g
1 and it is located between the first arm 710 and the second arm 750. The circular
cross-section of the rod has a radius r
3>=g
1. The radius r
3 relates to the radius r
2 according to the formula r
2=r
3+g
2.
[0031] Fig. 12 presents a template of the body 100A. The notches 117, 157 have a form of
slotted notches in which a distance between the end radii center points is equal to
w
6=w
2-4(r
3+g
2)=w
2-4r
2 where the end radius is equal to r
3. The notches 117, 157 are positioned on side wall elements 111A, 151A in a distance
h
5 from the folding lines 116A, 156A respectively being in parallel to them.
[0032] Fig.13 presents a container with the body 100A in a cross-section A-A. The partition
213 is suspended on the main support part 730 which slides along the notches 117,
157.
[0033] The support 700 is introduced into a container having the body 100A and the partition
213 by aligning the arms 710, 750 in parallel to the notches 157, 117 and inserting
the first arm 710 into the notch 157 under the top of the partition 213 until the
first arm 710 protrudes through the notch 117 on the other side of the body 100A.
Next the support 700 is rotated so that the arms 710, 750 are hanging vertically so
that the movement of the support 700 along the axis of the main part 730 is restricted.
[0034] Figs. 14 - 18 present another embodiment of a support assembly 1200 and its dimensions.
The support assembly 1200 comprises a support shaft 1031 on which the partition 213
is suspended and two forming shafts 1032, 1033 for forming the partition 213 near
its base (near the bottom 130B). The shafts 1031, 1032, 1033 are integrated with a
clip 1050 which together are denoted as element 1000. The element 1000 is secured
with a clamp 1110. The clamp 1110 has openings 1131, 1132 and 1133 for receiving ends
of the shafts 1031, 1032, 1033 respectively.
[0035] A distance between the openings 1132 and 1133 in the clamp 1110 is equal to d
5=4r
3+2g
2. A distance between the surface, determined by two axes of the openings 1132 and
1133, to the axis of the opening 1131 is equal to h
8=h
5-(r
3+g
2). A height of the clamp 1110 is equal to h
9=h
8+2(r
3+g
1+g
2) where r
3 is the radius of the opening 1131, 1132, 1133 and r
3>=g
1. A thickness of the clamp 1110 is equal to d
7=2r
3. A radius of the upper rounded end of the clamp 1110 is equal to r
4=r
3+g
1+g
2. Similarly radiuses of the lower rounded end of the clamp 1110 is equal to r
4 and a width of the lower end of the clamp 1110 is equal to d
6=d
5+2r
4. A length of the shafts 1031, 1032, 1033 is equal to l
4=l
3+2r
3=l
3+d
7. The shape and dimensions of the clamp 1110 is the same as of clip 1050.
[0036] Fig. 19A presents another embodiment of a body 100B. The body 100B has notches 118,
158 which cooperate with a support 1031 on which the partition 213 is suspended and
additionally has notches 119, 159 located in the lower part of side walls 110B and
150B. The notches 119, 159 are designed to accept two additional shafts 1032, 1033
for forming the partition 213 near the bottom 130B.
[0037] Fig. 19B presents a template of the body 100B. The notches 119, 159 have a form of
slotted notches in which a distance between the end radii center points is equal to
w
6 where the end radius is equal to r
3. The notches 119, 159 are positioned on side walls elements 111B, 151B in a distance
h
10=r
3+g
2 from the folding lines 116B, 156B respectively being in parallel to them. The notches
118 and 158 (corresponding to the notches 117, 157 in the body 100A) have a distance
between the end radii center points equal to w
7=w
6-2(r
3+g
2). A distance between the notches 118 and 119, 158 and 159 is equal to h
8=h
5-(r
3+g
2).
[0038] Fig. 20 presents a container with the body 100B and the support assembly 1200 in
a cross-section. The support assembly 1200 maintains a permanent shape of the partition
213 even if the container is empty.
[0039] Fig. 21 presents another embodiment of the container having the body 100B and several
partitions 213 driven by the support assemblies 1200, 1200B, 1200C. In such case the
length of the elastic sheet has to be adequately longer to form additional partitions.
Having three partitions 213, the container has four compartments.
[0040] The scope of protection is not limited to the preferred embodiments described in
the specification, but is only limited by the claims that follow.
1. A container comprising:
- a cuboid body (100);
- a first compartment (160) and a second compartment (170) separated by a movable
partition (213) within the body (100);
characterized in that:
- the partition (213) is made of an elastic sheet (200) attached to the body (100)
at two attachment positions (216, 217) separated by a regulation distance (w2) wherein the elastic sheet (200) has a length (w5) greater than the regulation distance (w2) such that it forms a protrusion constituting the partition (213) movable between
the attachment positions (216, 217).
2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition (213) is suspended on a support (700) slidable in notches (117, 157)
formed in two opposing side walls of the body (100A).
3. The container according to claim 2, characterized in that the support (700) is C-shaped and has arms (710, 750) of different length.
4. The container according to any of previous claims, characterized in that the two opposing side walls (120, 140) of the body (100) of the container are double-layer
walls (121, 122, 141, 142).
5. The container according to any of previous claims, characterized in that the elastic sheet (200) comprises two folded tabs (214, 215) which are located between
the layers (141, 142; 121, 122) of the double-layer side walls of the body (100).
6. The container according to any of claims 1, 4 or 5 characterized in that the partition (213) is driven by a support assembly (1200) comprising two shafts
(1032, 1033) positioned at the bottom of the partition (213), slidable in the notches
(119, 159) formed in two opposing side walls of the body (100B) and a support shaft
(1031) wherein the ends of the shafts (1032, 1033, 1031) are connected with a clip
(1050) and with a clamp (1110).
7. The container according to any of previous claims, characterized in that the container comprises more than one partition (213).