Receptacles – Sectional – Container formed of only two similar sections
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-02
2001-02-13
Pollard, Steven (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Sectional
Container formed of only two similar sections
C220S836000, C220S840000, C220S841000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186350
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns boxes of the kind having two box elements joined together at a contact surface and together defining a housing of any kind and which are joined together in a releasable manner in each of two opposite assembly areas.
Applications of such boxes include light fittings in which, for maintenance reasons, it is frequently desirable to have relatively easy, but nevertheless controlled, access to their interior.
One of the box elements constituting a box of the above kind then constitutes a base adapted for fixing the assembly to a support of any kind and the other box element constitutes a glass, for example, operative in the manner of a cover relative to the base.
A general object of the present invention is an arrangement providing easy and controlled access in a simple and effective manner to the interior volume of boxes of the above type, and also having other advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To be more precise, the present invention consists in a box comprising two box elements attached together at a contact surface and connected together in a releasable manner in each of two opposite assembly areas, each box element including in each assembly area at least one clipping member adapted to hook onto a complementary clipping member in corresponding relationship thereto on the other box element and at least one journal member adapted to cooperate pivot fashion with a complementary journal member in corresponding relationship thereto on the other box element, wherein at least the clipping member of at least one of the box elements is carried by an elastically deformable arm.
Accordingly the invention associates, in each of the assembly areas between the two box elements, on the one hand, clipping means whereby the box elements can be very easily and quickly joined together, by simple forcible engagement of one on the other, and, on the other hand, journal means enabling the assembly to be opened, if required, without completely separating the two box elements from each other, separating them on one side only and leaving them articulated to each other on the other side.
However, in both cases, whether the separation is on one side only or on both sides, it requires the use of a tool, even if only a screwdriver blade, to operate accordingly on the elastically deformable arm carrying the corresponding clipping member.
It is therefore impossible for anyone without such a tool to separate them and therefore to open the assembly, which is a very simple way of assuring compliance with applicable standards if the box concerned is part of a light fitting.
What is more, both assembly areas of the box in accordance with the invention have clipping means and journal means and each can therefore serve interchangeably and alternately as an opening area or an articulation area, with the result that the box can advantageously be opened from either side.
Finally, because the elastically deformable arm tends to move the box elements between which it operates apart, each assembly area advantageously allows the box in accordance with the invention to be opened wide.
It can preferably be opened to at least 180°.
In a simplified embodiment of the invention the journal member of the box element whose clipping member is carried by an elastically deformable arm is in one piece with the clipping member.
Alternatively, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the journal member is dissociated from the clipping member and forms a separate part.
In this way it is advantageously possible to optimize the clipping and articulation functions individually.
Because of such dissociation, it is advantageously possible, when one box element is joined to the other, or when it is separated therefrom on both sides, for only the clipping means to be involved, which facilitates their intervention when fitting and when removing it, and when the assembly is opened on one side only the journal means on the other side immediately assume the corresponding assembly function, which assures a permanent assembly function, without risk of unintentional separation of the box elements on this other side.
The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description given by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3663990 (1972-05-01), Shane
patent: 4282983 (1981-08-01), Swartzbaugh
patent: 4349120 (1982-09-01), DiNardo
patent: 4549670 (1985-10-01), Trendler
patent: 5505328 (1996-04-01), Stribiak
patent: 5529205 (1996-06-01), Corney et al.
patent: 5577628 (1996-11-01), O'Neil et al.
patent: 4303784 (1983-08-01), None
patent: 0798227 (1997-10-01), None
patent: 2264105 (1993-08-01), None
Barrier Emmanuel
Domingues Jean-Jacques
Legrand
Pollard Steven
Young & Thompson
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