NZ330354A - Box, typically for dental floss, with cover slidable and pivotable to display position, and to position to cover base portion - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand No. 330354 International No. PCT/ TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION Priority dates: 04.05.1998 Complete Specification Filed: 04.05.1998 Classification:^) A47G21/12; B65D6/06 Publication date: 24 September 1998 Journal No.: 1432 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of Invention: Storage box for holding floss sticks or the like Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form: LEE TZU YIN, a Taiwanese citizen of 3F, No.26, Swang Chen Street, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC Patents Form # 5 3303 ' . iLuL-'-c'w/ I Mil' CVU.T7 Or <i.l. ; c 4 m.aY r:s3 RECEIVED, NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title Storage box for holding floss sticks or the like I, LEE TZU YIN, of 3F, No. 26, Swang Chen Street, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC, Nationality: , do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The number on the following page is la PF02.JWP FEE CODE - 1020 * ;330354 ;STORAGE BOX FOR HOLDING FLOSS STICKS OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ;The present invention relates to a storage box for holding for example floss sticks, and more particularly to such a storage 5 box which can be arranged in a tilted position on a flat surface when opened, so that the user can conveniently pick up the storage items from the box. ;Toothbrushes are commonly used for cleaning the teeth. However, cleaning the teeth with a toothbrush cannot effectively 10 remove bits of food from the teeth. In order to remove bits of food from the teeth effectively, a toothpick, floss, or floss stick may be used. When using a toothpick to remove bits of food from the teeth, the gum tends to be injured by the pointed tip of the toothpick. Furthermore, a toothpick cannot reach small gaps in the teeth. A 15 floss stick is one of the most inexpensive and effective devices for removing bits of food from the teeth, because it achieves the effect of a toothpick and a floss. However, few restaurants would like to provide floss sticks for consumers because it is difficult to find a suitable floss stick storage box that can be conveniently opened, 20 and set in position for easy access of the floss sticks stored therein. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ;It is one object of the present invention to provide a floss ;1 a ;503 ;stick storage box which can be easily arranged in an open condition convenient for access of the storage items. It is another object of the present invention to provide a storage box which can be firmly supported on a flat surface in a tilted position when opened, so that 5 the user can conveniently pick up storage items from the box. According to the present invention, the storage box is comprised of a rectangular box body, and a cover coupled to the box body by a slip joint. When the cover is opened, it can be turned over the front side of the box body without disengaging the slip joint, and then 10 perpendicularly attached to the bottom side of the box body, so that the box body can be supported on the cover on a flat surface in a tilted position. ;BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ;Figure 1 is a perspective elevational view of a storage box 15 according to the present invention. ;Figure 2 is another elevational view of the storage box according to the present invention, showing the cover opened from the box body. ;Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the storage box shown 20 in Figure 1. ;Figure 4 is still another elevational view of the storage box according to the present invention, showing the cover opened and ;330354 ;closely attached to the bottom side of the box body. ;Figure 5 is a side view in section of the present invention, showing the box body supported on the cover in a tilted position. ;Figure 6 is another side view in section of the present invention, showing the box body supported on the cover in another tilted position. ;Figure 7 shows the storage box operated with the hand. ;Figure 8 is a perspective view of an alternate form of the storage box according to the present invention. ;DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT ;Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, a storage box in ;/ ;accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a box body 1, and a cover 2. The box body 1 has a substantially rectangular shape, a top opening 13 and a top wall 12 at the top side, and two longitudinal sliding grooves 11 respectively disposed at two opposite side walls 10 thereof in the middle. The top wall 12 and the top opening 13 form the top side of the box body 1. The size of the top wall 12 is about one third of the top side of the box body 1, or about equal to one half of the top opening 13. Through the top opening 13, storage items for example floss sticks 3 can be put in the box body 1 or removed therefrom. The cover 2 is for covering over the top opening 13 of the box body 1. When the cover 2 is ;03 ;covered on the top opening 13 of the box body 1, it is disposed in ;% ;flush with the top wall 12 of the box body 1. The cover 2 comprises two inward stub rods 21 respectively raised from two opposite side walls 20 thereof on the inside near the front end, and respectively 5 moved in the longitudinal sliding grooves 11 of the box body 1. By moving the inward stub rods 21 in the longitudinal sliding grooves 11 between two opposite ends, the box 2 can be set in the closed position as shown in Figure 1, or an open position as shown in Figure 2. The cover 2 further comprises two convex portions 24 10 respectively raised from the two side walls 20 on the inside near the rear end (remote from the stub rods 21), and a plurality of raised portions 23 respectively disposed at the top. By means of attaching the fingers to the raised portions 23, the cover 2 can be conveniently moved with the hand along the longitudinal sliding 15 grooves 11 of the box body 1. When the cover 2 is moved into the closed position as shown in Figure 1, the convex portions 24 are respectively forced into the longitudinal sliding grooves 11 of the box body 1 to hold the cover 2 in the closed position. ;Referring to Figure 4 and Figure 2 again, when the cover 2 20 is moved to the open position shown in Figure 2, it can be turned downwards over the front wall 15 (see also Figure 1), and th^n turned upwards over the bottom wall 16 (see also Figure 5) of the ;330354 ;box body 1, and then closely attached to the bottom side 16 of the box body 1. ;Referring to Figure 5 and Figure 2 again, when the cover 2 is moved to the open position shown in Figure 2, it can be turned 5 downwards over the front wall 15 (see also Figure 1) of the box body 1 and set perpendicular to the bottom wall 16 (see also Figure 5) of the box body 1 to force the front edge 22 (see also Figure 1) ;into engagement with the bottom wall 16 of the box body 1, so that the cover 2 and the box body 1 can be supported on a flat surface 10 against each other, enabling the box body 1 to be maintained in a tilted position. ;* Referring to Figure 6 and Figure 2 again, when the cover 2 is moved to the open position shown in Figure 2, it can be turned downwards over the front wall 15 (see also Figure 1) of the box 15 body 1, and then the stub rods 21 can be moved along the longitudinal sliding grooves 11 of the box body 1 from one end to the other, so that the cover 2 can be placed on a flat surface in a horizontal position to support the box body 1 in a tilted position.

Referring to Figure 7, the storage box can be positively 20 held in hand and operated with the thumb.

Referring to Figure 8, a guide groove 111 extends downwardly from one end of longitudinal sliding groove 11 to the 11 f) J K I 0 J U U J H bottom edge of the respective side wall of the box body 1.

Through the guide groove 111 at each side wall of the box body 1, the stub rods 21 of the cover 2 can be conveniently inserted into the longitudinal sliding grooves 11 of the box body 1.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various modifications and changes could be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed. 1 6

Claims (5)

CLAIMS: 330354

1. A storage box for storing and displaying items, the storage box comprising: a box body for holding the items, the box body having a generally parallelepiped configuration with a top wall and a top opening in a top side thereof, and opposite body side walls, each body side wall having longitudinal sliding groove on an outer surface and a bottom wall; a cover slidably attached to the box body, the cover having two opposite cover side walls respectively fitting over the side walls of said box body, an inward stub rod respectively extending inwardly from each of the two opposite cover side walls of said cover adjacent to one end of the cover side wall, each first stub rod slidably engaging one of the longitudinal sliding grooves of said body side walls, enabling said cover to be moved relative said box body between a first, closed position in which the top cover wall closes the top opening, a second position in which the top opening is uncovered and a portion of the cover contacts the bottom wall to support the box body in a display position, and a third position in which the top cover wall is adjacent to the bottom wall of the box body and the top opening is uncovered; and a raised portion extending inwardly from each of the cover 7 3303 side walls and located so as to be forced into one of the longitudinal sliding grooves to releasably hold the cover in the first, closed position.

2. The storage box of claim 1 wherein said box body further 5 comprises two guide grooves respectively downwardly extending from said longitudinal sliding grooves at one end to bottom edges of the body side walls of said box body for guiding the stub rods of said cover into said longitudinal sliding grooves.

3. The storage box of claim 1 wherein said cover further 10 comprises two raised portions respectively raised from the cover side walls thereof, the raised portions of said cover being forced into engagement with the longitudinal sliding grooves of said box body respectively when said cover is covered on the top opening of said box body. 15

4. The storage box of claim 1 wherein said cover has a plurality of raised portions at a top side thereof for positioning of the fingers when the user moves said cover relative to said box body with the hand.

5. A storage box as herein described with reference to any one of accompanying figures. rr^LiyVruTr^rrr Or U. James U Piper S, Co Attorneys For: LEC TZU VIN (H ; "3 PECEIVTD