Push-Release Locking Mechanism for a Package With a Pivoting Tray

Abstract

A package comprising an outer sleeve with an inner void having a push-release locking mechanism positioned therein, and a tray for receiving articles that is pivotally connected to the outer sleeve, in which the push-release locking mechanism includes a means for locking and a means for spring loading, each located between the tray and the outer sleeve; and a method for releasing the tray from the outer sleeve, are described herein.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to portable packages and, more specifically, to a push-release locking mechanism in a package including a pivoted tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a transparent package according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the transparent package of FIG. 1 as the push button is pressed.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are top views of the transparent package of FIG. 1 as the push button is released.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the transparent package of FIG. 1 as the tray is rotated from the outer sleeve.

FIG. 7 is a detail view of the transparent package of FIG. 1 showing the movement of the push-release locking mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a transparent package according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples to illustrate aspects of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the present invention. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a basis for the claims and for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, the drawings illustrate certain of the various aspects of exemplary embodiments of a package. Generally described, the package includes an outer sleeve pivotally connected to an inner tray and includes a push-release locking mechanism.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of a package 10 according to the present invention. The package 10 includes an outer sleeve 12 that receives a pivoting tray 14. The outer sleeve 12 and the pivoting tray 14 can be formed of plastic material and formed by injection molding. However, it will be appreciated that other materials and processes can be used to form the package 10, such as, in some instances, paperboard, without departing from the scope of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the outer sleeve 12 includes a top wall 22, a bottom wall 24, a first side wall 26, a second side wall 28, and a rear wall 30. The walls 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 are substantially rectangular and rigidly connected to leave a front opening 32 and define a void 34 where the pivoting tray 14 is received and stored. More specifically, the bottom wall 24 is substantially parallel to and aligned with the top wall 22, the side walls 26, 28 extend between and are substantially perpendicular to the walls 22, 24 on opposing sides of the package 10, and the rear wall 30 extends between, and is substantially perpendicular to, the walls 22, 24, 26, 28. In alternative embodiments, the outer sleeve 12 may be any size or shape that is able to receive a pivoting tray 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pivoting tray 14 includes a top surface 42, a bottom surface 44, and an edge surface 46. More specifically, the top surface 42 is substantially parallel and aligned with the bottom surface 44 and the edge surface 46 extends between and is substantially perpendicular to the surfaces 42, 44. The pivoting tray 14 may be any shape or size that is suitable to being received by the void 34 defined by the outer sleeve 12 and additionally can be adapted to receive articles or items positioned on the tray 14. Further, the pivoting tray 14 can be shaped to deflect the locking arm in the process that will be described in further detail below. In the exemplary embodiment, the top surface 42 includes receptacles 48 that may contain products including, but not limited to, cosmetics, jewelry, candy, medication, or any portable item or items. The receptacles 48 may be any suitable shape or size to adapt to any item to be contained therein. In alternative embodiments, the top surface 42 may include a known receiving structure, such as a mount or hub for receiving a compact disc.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the pivoting tray 14 is pivotally connected to the outer sleeve 12 by axels 50 that extend from the top surface 42 and the bottom surface 44 of the pivoting tray 14, and are received in. respective apertures 52 in the top wall 22 and the bottom wall 24 of the outer sleeve 12. The apertures 52 are located adjacent to the corner of the outer sleeve 12 formed by the first side wall 26 and the front opening 32. Similarly, the axels 50 are positioned such that the pivoting tray 14 can pivotally rotate in and out of the outer sleeve 12 as will be described in more detail below. In alternative embodiments, axels may extend from the inner surfaces of the top wall 22 and bottom wall 24 into an aperture in the pivoting tray 14.

The package 10 includes a push-release locking mechanism that will now be described. In the exemplary embodiment, the push-release mechanism includes a push button 54 located on the portion of the edge wall 46 that is adjacent to the front opening 32, as the pivoting tray 14 is fully received by the outer sleeve 12 or otherwise in a locked position as shown in FIG. 2. The push-release mechanism further includes a means for locking and a means for spring loading. In the exemplary embodiment, the means for locking includes an arm 62 that is integral to and extends from the tray 14, and a locking arm 64 that is integral or otherwise rigidly attached to the inner surface of the first side wall 26. The locking arm 64 may optionally be attached to the inner surface of the outer sleeve 12 by a pin connection where a spring may be used to control the deflection of the locking arm 64.

In the locked position, the distal end of the arm 62 is secured or otherwise prevented from rotating by an edge 66 of the locking arm 64. In the exemplary embodiment, the means for spring loading includes a spring 70 and the arm 62. In the locked position, the spring 70 may be at least partially loaded to hold the distal end of the arm 62 against the edge 66. More specifically, in terms of the internal stresses that are present in the push-release locking mechanism elements when the elements are in the locked position, the spring 70 is in compression, a portion of the locking arm 64 extending from the first side wall 26 up to the edge 66 is in tension and the remaining portion is substantially in compression, and the arm 62 is in bending.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pivoting tray 14 is released from the locked position by first applying a force F to the push button 54. In the exemplary. embodiment, applying a force F to the push button 54 rotates the pivoting tray 14 into the void 34 to simultaneously deflect the locking arm 64, rotate the arm 62 from the edge 66, and rotate the arm 62 to additionally load the spring 70. More specifically, in terms of the internal stresses that are present in the push-release locking mechanism elements when the elements are as shown in FIG. 3, the spring 70 is in compression, the locking arm 64 is in bending, and the arm 62 is in bending.

The force F is then removed to release the pivoting tray 14 out of the void 34, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. More specifically, as the force F is removed, the loaded or otherwise compressed spring 70 pushes against the arm 62 to quickly rotate the pivoting tray 14 and with it the arm 62, such that as the locking arm 64 returns to a non-deflected position the arm 62 is not obstructed by or otherwise reengaged to the edge 66, or returned to the locking position. The pivoting tray 14 is further rotated out of the void and through the front opening 32, as shown in FIG. 6, to access the items contained in the package 10.

FIG. 7 shows a detailed illustration of an arcuate path P1 that a point on the edge 66 of the locking arm 64 follows as the locking arm 64 rotates about the point X, an arcuate path P2 that a point on the free end of the arm 62 follows as the arm 62 rotates with the pivoting tray about the point Y, and intersection point Z of the paths P1, P2. The points A1, B1 and A2, B2 correspond to FIGS. 4 and 6, respectively, such that the points A1, B1 respectively represent the points on the edge 66 and the distal end of the arm 62 at a position earlier in a sequence of events as shown in FIG. 3 and the points A2, B2 respectively represent the points on the edge 66 and the distal end of the arm 62 at a position that is later in a sequence of events shown in FIG. 5. The intersection point Z substantially defines where the respective points on the edge 66 and the distal end of the arm 62 substantially meet when the edge 66 and the distal end of the arm 62 are engaged in the locking position shown in FIG. 2. Thus, to further describe the timing of the push-release locking mechanism, a force F is applied to the push button 54 to position the edge 66 at the point A1 and the distal end of the arm 62 at the point B1, as shown in FIG. 7. As the force F is released, the distal end of the arm 62 moves from the point B1 to the point B2 along the path P2 such that it reaches the point Z before the edge 66 as it moves from the point A1 to the point A2 along the path P1.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the package 110 is substantially similar to the package 10 and only certain aspects will be discussed. The alternative embodiment includes a push-release locking mechanism that functions substantially similarly to that of the package 10 where the means for locking is a locking arm 164 that is held against the edge 166 of a bump 162 on the pivoting tray 114 and the means for spring loading is an elastic leg 170 that extends from the pivoting tray 114 to a stationary surface 172. Alternatively, the locking arm may include the bump to be received in a depression in the pivoting tray. Further, the stationary surface may alternatively be a means for spring loading. It should be noted that the means for spring loading includes helical or coil spring and flat spring where the helical spring further include compression springs, extension springs, and torsion springs.

It must be emphasized that the law does not require and it is economically prohibitive to illustrate and teach every possible embodiment of the present claims. Hence, the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary illustrations of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims. All such modifications, combinations, and variation are included herein by the scope of this disclosure and the following claims.

Claims

1. A package, comprising:

An outer sleeve comprising an inner void; and

A tray for receiving articles that is pivotally connected to said outer sleeve; and

A push-release locking mechanism positioned in the inner void of said outer sleeve, comprising: A means for locking located between said tray and said outer sleeve; and A means for spring loading located between said tray and said outer sleeve;

2. A method for releasing said tray from said outer sleeve of the package of claim 1, comprising:

Pushing said tray into said outer sleeve to disengage said means for locking and to load said means for spring loading; and

Releasing said tray to allow said means for spring loading to rotate said tray such that said means for locking is not reengaged.

3. A package comprising:

a) an outer sleeve defining an inner void;

b) a tray for storing a product which is pivotally connected to the outer sleeve and adapted for movement between a first locked configuration wherein the tray is restrained within the inner void of the sleeve and a second configuration wherein the tray is exposed such that product stored by the tray can be accessed; and

c) a push-release locking mechanism that includes: i) means for locking the tray in the first position; and ii) means for spring loading the tray and biasing the tray toward the second position; wherein the means for locking the tray in the first position is released by pushing the tray further into the void of the sleeve.

4. The package as recited in claim 3, wherein the tray further includes at least one receptacle for receiving a product.

5. The package as recited in claim 3, wherein the means for locking the tray in the first position includes an arm extending from the tray which releasably engages with a locking arm associated with the outer sleeve.

6. The package as recited in claim 5, wherein the means for spring loading the tray and biasing the tray into the second position includes a spring, wherein when the tray is in the first position, the spring engages with the arm extending from the tray.

7. The package as recited in claim 5, wherein the locking arm is integrally formed with the outer sleeve.

8. The package as recited in claim 5, wherein the locking arm is attached to the outer sleeve through a pin connection and wherein a spring is used to control lateral deflection of the locking arm.

9. The package as recited in claim 5, wherein the locking arm includes an edge for receiving a tip of the arm associated with the tray.

10. The package as recited in claim 3, wherein when the tray is pushed further into the void in order to release the locking means it contacts and deflects the locking arm and releases the locking means.

11. The package as recited in claim 3, wherein the the means for locking the tray in the first position includes a locking arm extending from the outer sleeve which releasably engages with a bump formed on the tray.

12. The package as recited in claim 10, wherein the means for spring loading the tray and biasing the tray into the second position includes an elastic leg extending from the tray and a stationary surface associated with the outer sleeve.

13. The package as recited in claim 11, wherein the locking arm is integrally formed with the outer sleeve.

14. The package as recited in claim 11, wherein the locking arm is attached to the outer sleeve through a pin connection and wherein a spring is used to control lateral deflection of the locking arm.