Container with detent mechanism
View Patent ↗A container with a detent mechanism is disclosed. In one embodiment, a container comprises a housing comprising a side wall, a lid comprising a top surface and a lip depending from the top surface, and a detent mechanism disposed between the lip and the side wall. The lid is pivotably coupled with the housing and is configured to rotate between a first position covering an open end of the housing, a second position substantially exposing the open end, and an intermediate position between the first and second positions. The detent mechanism is configured to arrest the rotation of the lid at each of the positions.
1. A container comprising:
a housing comprising a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end, and first and second side walls defining a portion of a perimeter of the open end;
a lid comprising a top surface and a lip depending downwardly from the top surface, the lid being pivotably coupled with the housing and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation between a first position covering the open end, a second position substantially exposing the open end, and an intermediate position between the first and second positions, the lip being disposed outwardly of one of the first side wall and the second side wall along the axis of rotation; and
at least one detent disposed in a space that is defined between the lip and the one of the side walls pivotably about the axis of rotation, wherein the at least one detent is configured to arrest the rotation of the lid at each of the positions,
wherein the axis of rotation of the lid passes through the lip, the at least one detent and the one of the side walls, and the lid is pivotably coupled with the housing with a first bolt connecting the lip and the first side wall and with a second bolt connecting the lip and the second side wall, and the axis of rotation passes through the first and second bolts.
2. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the lid rotates absent a hinge.
3. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the lid is configured to rotate incrementally corresponding to the first position, the intermediate position, and the second position.
4. The container according claim 1 , wherein the at least one detent comprises a first plate coupled with the side wall and a second plate facing the first plate and coupled with the lip.
5. The container according to claim 4 , wherein a plurality of depressions are disposed in one of the first plate and the second plate.
6. The container according to claim 5 , wherein a plurality of projections corresponding to the plurality of depressions are disposed in the other of the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of depressions configured to cooperatively engage the plurality of projections.
7. A container comprising:
a housing comprising a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end, and first and second side walls defining a portion of a perimeter of the open end;
a lid comprising a top surface and a lip depending downwardly from the top surface so that the lip is disposed outwardly of one of the side walls, the lid being pivotably coupled with the housing and configured to rotate about an axis of rotation between a first position covering the open end, a second position substantially exposing the open end, and an intermediate position between the first and second positions; and
at least one detent disposed in a space defined between the lip and the one of the side walls, wherein the at least one detent is configured to arrest the rotation of the lid at each of the positions,
wherein the axis of rotation of the lid passes through the lip, the at least one detent and the one of the side walls, wherein the at least one detent comprises a first plate coupled with the side wall and a second plate facing the first plate and coupled with the lip,
wherein a plurality of depressions are disposed in one of the first plate and the second plate, and a plurality of projections corresponding to the plurality of depressions are disposed in the other of the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of depressions configured to cooperatively engage the plurality of projections, and
wherein a groove is disposed in the surface of the one plate connecting the plurality of depressions to one another, the groove defined by a path traveled by the plurality of projections.
8. The container according to claim 7 , wherein a depth of the groove is less than a depth of each of the plurality of depressions.
9. A container comprising:
a housing comprising a closed end, an open end opposite the closed end, and first and second side walls defining a portion of a perimeter of the open end;
a lid comprising a top surface and a lip depending downwardly from the top surface, the lid being pivotably coupled with the housing with a first bolt connecting the lid and the first side wall and with a second bolt connecting the lid and the second side wall, the first and second bolts being aligned with an axis of rotation, the lid being configured to rotate about the axis of rotation absent a hinge between a first position covering the open end, a second position substantially exposing the open end, and an intermediate position between the first and second positions, the lip being disposed outwardly of respective outwardmost extents of the first side wall and the second side wall; and
at least one detent disposed in a space that is defined between the lip and one of the side walls along the axis of rotation and that extends beyond the outwardmost extent of the one side wall, wherein the at least one detent is configured to arrest the rotation of the lid at each of the positions, and includes a plurality of depressions disposed in a first plate coupled with the side wall, and a plurality of projections disposed in a second plate coupled with the lip, the first and second plates disposed in facing opposition to one another, and the plurality of depressions cooperatively engaging with the plurality of projections,
wherein the axis of rotation of the lid passes through the lip, the detent, and the one of the side walls, and the lid is pivotably coupled with the housing absent a hinge.
10. The container according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one detent comprises a first plate coupled with the side wall and a second plate facing the first plate and coupled with the lip.
11. The container according to claim 10 , wherein a plurality of depressions are disposed in one of the first plate and the second plate, and a plurality of projections corresponding to the plurality of depressions are disposed in the other of the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of depressions configured to cooperatively engage the plurality of projections.
12. The container according to claim 11 , wherein a groove is disposed in the surface of the one plate connecting the plurality of depressions to one another, the groove defined by a path traveled by the plurality of projections during relative movement of the one plate and the other plate.
13. The container according to claim 12 , wherein a depth of the groove is less than a depth of each of the plurality of depressions.