DESCRIPTION

CENTRALIZATION AND LOCKING MECHANISM USED IN FOLDED CARRIAGE BOXES

Subject of the Invention

This invention pertains to a locking and centralization mechanism for the interlocking of long and short sides of folded carriage boxes that are used in carrying and storage of food and similar products.

State of Prior Art

Folded carrying boxes which are used for various purposes are currently manufactured with differing locking mechanisms. Undoubtedly, the most important issue with respect to locking mechanisms is the strength of the locks. Unless designed robustly, the locks can disengage or break easily due to bumps to the sides of the carrying boxes. Thus, these locks should be locking firmly.

In the known technique, different types and models of locking mechanisms are used. Although various locking mechanisms are used, these applications are significantly handicapped with respect to durability since they lack the centralizing pieces mentioned above.

On the other hand, there are also locking mechanisms which employ centralization used in folded carrying box lock mechanisms. Nevertheless, these systems are applied to two

(centralization + lock) or three (centralization + lock +

centralization) piece systems.

In neither of these cases centralizations fulfill their duties as required, which leads to a limited durability of locks. Besides, since the centralizations in these systems are mere protrusions, their durability against physical conditions is affected negatively and they are easily bent or broken in regular usage.

The locking system used in this invention is a five piece centralization structure and it is superior to its counterparts due to its specific cross-section usage as well as its durability.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The lock and centralization system used in the folded carrying box is comprised of lock and centralization protrusions (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b and 6) ; mounts to which lock and centralization protrusions (4a ¹ , 4b', 5a', 5b' and 6') are fixed; and lock strip (3) which has the lock/centralization notches on.

The lock and centralization system used in the preferred application of the invention has the lock strip (3) that is approximately 1,5 cm thick and which makes a 90° orientation on the long side (2) of the carrying box on right and left, parallel to the short side. The upper portion of this lock strip (3) houses five cavities (mounts) of various size. The lower portion of the strip (3) does not have any cavities.

The lock strip (3) extends along the vertical axis of the

long side (2) of the carrying box. But this strip (3) which is not adjacent to the bottom of the box ends at about 3 cm above the bottom elevation of the box. Thus, there is a gap of about 3 cm below the at the bottom portion of this lock strip (3) . When the box is locked, this gap is filled by the portion of the short side (1) of the box which has the same length but larger width (not shown in figure) .

This thicker portion, which is located on the vertical axis of the short side (1) and which has the same length as the lock strip (3) , serves as the base for the lock strip (3) and supports the locks. Thus, the stresses incurred on this portion are taken at the lower portion and this prevents the locks (5a, 5b) from being subjected to free loads.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the five rectangular cavities (mounts) that are on the top half of the lock strip (3) form the lock mounts. These portions are, from top to bottom, as follows:

i. Upper centralization mount (4a ¹ ) ii. Upper lock mount (5a ¹ ) iii. Middle centralization mount (β ¹ ) iv. Mower lock mount (5b ¹ ) and v. Lower centralization mount (4b ^? )

These mounts are being fixed (locked) to the centralization/lock pieces on the left and right portions which will be locked and the third piece of the centralization system. This third piece, the subject of the invention, is along the vertical axis of the short sides (1) which face the long side (2) and it will be locked with the left and right portions on the long sides (2) . The

protrusions on the short sides (1) are lined from top to bottom as follows:

i. top centralization (4a) ii. top lock (5a) iii. middle centralization (6) iv. lower lock (5b) and v. lower centralization (4b)

As can be seen, the lock/centralization system of the invention is comprised of five main pieces. Three of these five pieces, centralizations (4a, 4b and 6) , support the lock portions (5a, 5b) firmly. In addition, the middle centralization (6) provides balance and robustness in the whole of the locking system to the utmost extent as well as serving the purpose of transferring the loads to the bottom in a controlled fashion.

The top and (4a') and bottom (4b') pieces of centralization/lock mounts which are on the lock strip (3) are narrower, whereas lock mounts 5a' and 5b' are wider and centralization mount (6') is the widest.

In the same way, to facilitate full interlocking, the centralization and locking protrusions corresponding to these mounts match them and they are nearly the same size as these mounts are.

In the preferred application, the centralization/locking protrusions (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b and β) , which are on the short side (1) of the carrying box, have different cross sections. This way, a gradual and controlled support is provided and thus the loads are taken as such.

According to this, as can be seen in figure 1, the top (4a) and bottom (4b) ones of the centralization and lock protrusions are horizontal (I) , the locks (5a, 5b) are in shaped as thick sticks and the middle centralization (6) has a horizontal (A) cross section.

For the installation of carrying box and interlocking of the sides (1, 2) (Figure 2) , force is applied from the inside of the box towards the outside and perpendicular to the lock strip (3) on the short sides (1), thus making the lock/centralization protrusions (4a, 4b, 5a, 5b and 6) to fit into the corresponding mounts (4a' , 4b', 5a', 5b' and 6 ' ) perfectly.

Figures 4 and 5, which depict the carrying box locking system from the rear view, show the lock/centralization system on the lock strip (3) to have technical and design related differences from its counterparts from another angle.

As can be seen here, the two locks (5a and 5b) , which are situated in the mid section of the locking and centralization system and the middle centralization (6) form a monolithic piece (7), and bottom and top centralizations 4a and 4b which protect this monolithic piece (7) and fix it are on the locking strip (3) as two separate top/bottom pieces .

In the centralization systems existing in the current technique, the monolithic piece in the middle serves only as a lock and while the centralization pieces supporting it are located at the bottom and top portions, the middle

monolithic piece (7) itself has a (middle) centralizing piece (6); moreover, this centralizing piece has two different locks (5a and 5b) at the top and bottom portions of it.

This five element system which has two locks and three centralizations both provides a perfect centralization and decreases the stress applied on the lock, thereby protecting it. As a matter of fact, the main purpose of centralization is to decrease the stress applied on the lock and thereby protecting the most valuable piece of the carrying box, the lock.

The hinges (8) used in the carrying box which is the subject of the invention allow a 90° movement of the sides on which they are attached, from the vertical axis towards the horizontal axis inside the carrying box.

The hinges (8) in figure β are made up of at least one male hinge piece (8a) on each side that are lined at the bottom of each long and short side (1, 2) as well as same number of female pieces (7b) as male pieces 8a that are lined at the circumference of the bottom of the carrying box.

The reverse U cavities (8a') of reverse U shaped male hinges 8a are designed such that they will fit perfectly with the (8b) bolts of female hinges and the openings of male hinges' reverse U shaped cavities (8a') are as much as widths of the bolts of the female hinges (8b), thus overlapping perfectly.

The plus sign like (+) cross section of female hinges (bolts) (8b) allow these hinges to connect with the reverse U shaped (8a') cavities of the male hinges very firmly. This firm

structure, which is obtained by the firm interlocking of (+) cross section of the protrusions/cavities of female hinge bolts (8b) with male hinges (8a) allows the sides of the carrying box (1, 2) to connect with the bottom of the box firmly meanwhile allowing for movement.

Alternative Structures

In other applications of the invention, the lock strip, centralizing (7) lock protrusions and centralizing/lock mounts can be located at different sides of the carrying box, with different geometrical configurations, in various numbers and various cross sections. Obviously, this fact should be considered in the scope of the invention.

As an example, the lock strip is explained to have the mount and the short side to have the centralizing protrusions in the preferred configuration and figures, but the reverse of this situation is also possible. In such an application, the lock strip has the centralizing and locking protrusions on the long side, while the short side has the mounts into which these centralizing and lock protrusions will fit. In such a structure, locking would occur differently, in such a way that the short side, which has the mounts, would be pressed against the lock strip which has the protrusions. Such a structure is enclosed in claim 2.

In yet another application other than explained here, the monolithic piece (7) that can be seen clearly in figures 4 and 5 may not have two locks (5a, 5b) and the middle centralizer (6) as mentioned. This piece can be in many configurations, like a monolithic piece which encompasses the top and bottom centralizations, or two monolithic pieces

each of which have top centralization + top lock and middle centralization + middle lock + lower centralization, etc. These many configurations should also be considered to be in the scope of the invention. These differing configurations are enclosed in claims 6, 7, and 8.

The subject of the invention is, in essence, an at least five piece locking and centralizing system which is comprised of at least two locks and three centralizations.

This locking and centralizing system which is comprised of more than one locks allows for the usage of the carrying box even when one of the locks does not function, also providing the box protection with one or more supplementary locks .

Description of the Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below, using the following figures: Figure 1-2 : Locking system, frontal view - unlocked Figure 3 : Locking system, frontal view - locked Figure 4 : Locking system, rear view - unlocked Figure 5 : Locking system, rear view - locked Figure 6 : Hinge section view

References which show pieces that are in the aforementioned figures are listed below, under the title references.

References

1 : Carrying box short side

2 : Carrying box long side

3 : Lock strip 4a : Upper centralization

4a' : Upper centralization mount

4b : Lower centralization

4b' : Lower centralization mount

5a : Upper lock 5a' : Upper lock mount

5b : Lower lock

5b' : Lower lock mount

6 : Middle centralization

6' : Middle centralization mount 7 : Lock system monolithic middle section (contains 5a,

6, 5b)

8 : Hinges

8a : Male section of hinge

8a ¹ : Male section reverse U cavity 8b : Female section of hinge