A CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a container and in particular to a container for preserving the integrity of items stored in the container.

Angling is an ever increasingly popular pass-time and the sport of angling involves the use of many small and intricate metal items such as fish hooks, spinners and swivels and other non-metallic small intricate items like threads and feathers. The metallic items are prone to rusting as a result of their contact with and/or proximity to water, especially seawater, and the non-metallic items are prone to material deterioration/degradation as a result of water/moisture collecting on the items. The large number of small items used while angling necessitates the use of a container to hold all of the items and these containers often have foam inserts for supporting the range of items to be housed. The rusting of the metallic components and the rotting of the non- metallic materials often causes discolouration of the foam inserts. Over time, the deterioration of the fishing accessory items and the inner material of the container can result in the entire stock of small accessory items and the container having to be discarded simply because of the effects of moisture and/or residual water.

The contents of such a fishing tackle container of an experienced angler can be of significant financial and technical value and it is an undesirable situation for the angler to have to discard their entire range of accessory items as a result of potentially avoidable excessive material degradation. Although the problem of material degradation as a result of moisture and/or residual water has been described above in relation to fishing tackle and containers for fishing tackle it will be appreciated that the present invention is intended to extend to any container which is capable of holding at least one item which could be negatively effected by the impact of the atmosphere such as moisture and/or residual water on the small items during storage. Other possible containers envisaged within the scope of the invention are tool boxes for tools, dental kit containers, medical kit containers, containers for scuba diving gear such as goggles with electronic components built in and diving knives.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the problems associated with material degradation of items stored within containers as a result of the effects of the atmosphere and/or residual water on the items.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a container for storing one or more items comprising a main body and a component part movably mountable on the main body between an open position and a closed position, the component part and the main body defining an enclosed compartment when the component part is in the closed position, the container having a means for controlling the atmosphere of the enclosed compartment and the atmosphere control means being activatable by moving the component part of the container into the closed position.

Ideally, the atmosphere control means is selected from any one of or any combination of a group consisting of humidity control means, temperature control means and pressure control means.

Preferably, the humidity control means is a moisture absorption means for reducing the moisture content of the air in the enclosed compartment.

Ideally, the humidity control means is a moisture release means for increasing the moisture content of the air in the enclosed compartment. Ideally, the container has a storage chamber for storing the humidity control means.

Preferably, the container has means for sealing the storage chamber when the component part is in the open position to isolate the humidity control means from the atmosphere and the container has means for opening the storage chamber and exposing the humidity control means to the volume of air enclosed by the compartment when the component part is in the closed position.

Ideally, the component part is selected from a group consisting of a fid and a drawer movably mounted on the main body.

Preferably, the container has hinge means coupling the component part and the main body together. Ideally, the means for sealing the storage chamber is provided by the hinge means.

Preferably, the means for opening the storage chamber is provided by the hinge means.

Ideally, the hinge means comprises a first cylindrical sleeve coaxial with and rotatably mounted within a second cylindrical sleeve.

Preferably, one cylindrical sleeve is connected to the main body and the other cylindrical sleeve is connected to the component part.

Ideally, the first cylindrical sleeve defines the storage chamber for housing the humidity control means. Preferably, a tubular wall of the first cylindrical sleeve has at least one aperture and a tubular wall of the second cylindrical sleeve has at least one aperture.

Ideally, the one or more apertures of the first cylindrical sleeve and the one or more apertures of the second cylindrical sleeve are out of alignment when the container is open and the one or more apertures of the first cylindrical sleeve and the one or more apertures of the second cylindrical sleeve are in alignment when the container is closed.

Preferably, the hinge means comprises a first hollow cylindrical sleeve connected to the main body and a second hollow cylindrical sleeve connected to the component part in which the first and second hoffow cylindrical sleeves are spaced laterally apart from one another in axial alignment. Ideally, the storage chamber comprises a tubular container formed for insertion between the two laterally spaced apart axially aligned cylindrical sleeves.

Preferably, the tubular container has at least one aperture and the first hollow cylindrical sleeve has a window which is out of alignment with the aperture of the tubular container when the container is in an open position and the window and the tubular container aperture are in alignment when the component part is moved into a closed position.

Ideally, the humidity control means is a moisture absorbing material provided by a silica gel or silica granules.

Preferably, the silica gel has a humidity indicator. Preferably, the humidity control substance is Zorbit®.

Ideally, the temperature control means comprises an electrical circuit having a power source, a heating element, a thermostat and a switch for closing the electrical circuit, the switch being activatable by moving the component part of the container into the closed position.

Preferably, the pressure control means comprises an electrical circuit having a power source, a compressor, a pressure release valve and a switch for closing the electrical circuit, the switch being activatable by moving the component part of the container into the closed position. Ideally, the humidity control means is provided by a radiation emitter.

Preferably, the atmosphere control means comprises a means for releasing a corrosion inhibitor.

Preferably, a divider is located between the component part and the main body for dividing the enclosed compartment into two enclosed compartments. The present invention also provides a fishing tackle container for storing one or more items comprising a main body and a component part movably mountable on the main body between an open position and a closed position, the component part and the main body defining an enclosed compartment when the component part is in the closed position, the container having a means for controlling the atmosphere of the enclosed compartment.

Ideally, the atmosphere control means is activatable by moving the component part of the container into the closed position.

Preferably, the atmosphere control means is selected from any one of or any combination of a group consisting of humidity control means, temperature control means and pressure control means.

Preferably, the radiation emitter is an electromagnetic radiation emitter.

Ideally, the radiation emitter is selected from a group consisting of a heating element and a magnetron.

Preferably, the main body is an open-top box. Ideally, the lid is an open-top box.

Preferably, the divider is a panel having the same dimensions as the openings of the boxes.

Ideally, the dividers are interchangable to allow a single container to be used for multiple activities.

Preferably, edges defining the openings in both boxes are in contact with the divider when the container is closed.

Ideally, the moisture absorbing material is stored in a reticulated sack.

In a third embodiment, the storage chamber comprises a tubular container formed for insertion between the two laterally spaced apart and axially aligned cylindrical sleeves performing the function of a pin in the two part hinge arrangement.

In the third embodiment, the humidity control substance is held within the tubular container by two end stops and the tubular container has at least one aperture to allow the humidity control material to be in fluid communication with the volume of air enclosed within the compartment when the component part is moved into a closed position.

In the third embodiment, the first hollow cylindrical sleeve has a window which is out of alignment with the aperture of the tubular container when the container is in an open position and the window and the tubular container aperture are in alignment when the component part is moved into a closed position. Ideally, the container divider has three open ended clamp members spaced along one edge of the container divider.

Preferably, these open ended clamp members are formed to engage the tubular container so that as the divider is moved into the closed position, the divider rotates the tubular container within the cylindrical sleeves rotating the tubular container aperture into alignment with the window so that the humidity control substance is in fluid communication with the volume of space enclosed within the compartment.

In a fourth embodiment, where the container is designed without a divider, the second hollow cylindrical sleeve connected to the component part is designed to positively engage the tubular container so that as the component part is moved into the closed position, the cylindrical sleeve rotates the tubular container aperture into alignment with the window so that the humidity control material is in fluid communication with the volume of space enclosed within the compartment.

Ideally, the second hollow cylindrical sleeve of the component part is designed to form an interference fit with the tubular container. In a fifth embodiment, the cylindrical sleeve forming the storage compartment has a panel movable from a storage chamber sealing position into a storage chamber open

position by the action of closing the component part onto the main body which exposes the humidity control material stored therein to the air within the enclosed compartment

Ideally, the container is formed for housing fishing tackle so as to avoid rusting of metallic components and material deterioration of non metallic components of the fishing tackle as a result of moisture and residual water. It is also ideal for scuba gear, especially gear containing electronic equipment which is sensitive to moisture.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example only, three embodiments of a container in accordance with the invention. In the drawings:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of container with the top wall omitted for clarity;

Figure 2 is a second perspective view of the container of Figure 1 in an open position; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of container in a fully open position;

Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of a hinge arrangement of the first embodiment of container;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of container in an open position; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of container in an open position.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a container for storing one or more articles indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The container 1 has a main body 2 and a component part in the form of a lid 3 movably mounted on the main body 2 between a closed position, see Figures 1 and 4 and an open position, see Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6. The lid 3 and the main body 2 define an enclosed compartment 4 when the container 1 is in a closed position. The container 1 has a storage chamber 5 for storing a humidity control material (not shown) and an arrangement indicated generally by the reference numeral 6 for sealing the storage chamber 5 when the container 1 is open. The arrangement 6 also opens the storage chamber 5 when the container 1 is closed. Advantageously, the arrangement 6 isolates the humidity control material from the atmosphere when the container 1 is open and exposes the humidity control material to the enclosed compartment 4 when the container 1 is closed.

The main body 2 is an open-top rectangular box 11 and the lid 3 is an open-top rectangular box 12. The rectangular boxes 11 , 12 are hinged together along one of their adjacent edges 13, 14 by a hinge arrangement 16 so that the rectangular boxes 11, 12 are pivotable on the hinge arrangement 16 relative to each other to open and close container 1. The edges 17, 18 defining the openings in both rectangular boxes 11, 12 are in contact with a divider 31 in the first and third embodiments and with each other in the second embodiment when the container 1 is in a closed positron.

In the first and second embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 5, the arrangement 6 is composed of the hinge arrangement 16 having a first hollow cylindrical sleeve 21 connected to the main body rectangular box 11 and a second hollow cylindrical sleeve 22 connected to the lid rectangular box 12. The second hollow cylindrical sleeve 22 is coaxial with and enclosed within the first hollow cylindrical sleeve 21 and the sleeves 21 , 22 are formed for rotation relative to each other. The second hollow cylindrical sleeve 22 defines a storage chamber 5 for housing a humidity control substance such as a moisture absorbing material (not shown) stored in a reticulated sack or a plastic tube for example. The tubular wall of the second hollow cylindrical sleeve 22 has two apertures 26, 27 see Figure 4. The tubular wall of the first hollow cylindrical sleeve 21 also has two apertures 28, 29 see Figure 4. The first sleeve apertures 28, 29 and the second sleeve apertures 26, 27 are out of alignment when the container 1 is open, see Figure 3. The first sleeve apertures 28, 29 and the second sleeve apertures 26, 27 are in alignment when the container 1 is closed, see Figure 4 and the apertures 26 to 29 are located within the enclosed compartment 4 so that the humidity control substance is in fluid communication with the volume of space enclosed within the compartment 4 when the container 1 is closed. The container divider 31 is a rectangular panel and is connected to the hinge arrangement 16 intermediate the main body rectangular box 11 and the lid rectangular box 12 and divides the enclosed compartment 4 into two separate compartments in the first and third embodiments of container 1. lnterchangable dividers 31 are used to allow the same container 1 to be used for different functions such as sea fishing and game fishing by simply changing dividers 31. Figure 5 shows the second embodiment of container indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 with the exact same structure as the container 1 except the container divider 31 has been removed leaving only a

single enclosed compartment 4. The moisture absorbing material can be provided by a silica gel or silica granules with a humidity indicator or by a material Zorbit <§>.

Referring to the drawings and now to Figure 6, there is shown a third embodiment of container 1 having an alternative hinge arrangement comprising a first hollow cylindrical sleeve 41 connected to the main body rectangular box 11 and a second hollow cylindrical sleeve 42 connected to the lid rectangular box 12. In this embodiment, the first and second hollow cylindrical sleeves 41 and 42 are axially aligned and spaced laterally apart from one another. The storage chamber 5 comprises a tubular container 45 formed for insertion between the two laterally spaced apart and axially aligned cylindrical sleeves 41 , 42 performing the function of a pin in the two part hinge arrangement. The humidity control material is held within the tubular container 45 by two end stops 48 and the tubular container 45 has at least one aperture (not shown ) to allow the humidity control material to be in fluid communication with the volume of air enclosed within the compartment 4 when the lid rectangular box 12 is moved into a closed position. The first hollow cylindrical sleeve 41 has a window 49 which is out of alignment with the aperture of the tubular container 45 when the container 1 is in an open position and the window 49 and the tubular container aperture are in alignment when the lid rectangular box 12 is moved into a closed position. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the container divider 31 has three open ended clamp members 51 spaced along one edge of the container divider 31. These open ended clamp members 51 are formed to engage the tubular container 45 so that as the lid rectangular box 12 is moved into the closed position, the container divider 31 rotates the tubular container 45 within the cylindrical sleeves 41 , 42 rotating the tubular container aperture into alignment with the window 49 so that the humidity control material is in fluid communication with the volume of space enclosed within the compartment 4. Alternatively, if the container 1 is designed without a divider 31, the second hollow cylindrical sleeve 42 connected to the lid rectangular box 12 is designed to engage with the tubular container 45 via an interference fit for example so that as the lid rectangular box 12 is moved into the closed position, the tubular container 45 is rotated by cylindrical sleeve 42 rotating the tubular container aperture into alignment with the window 49 so that the humidity control material is in fluid communication with the volume of space enclosed within the compartment 4.

In a further modification not shown in the drawings, the component part is provided by a drawer movably and preferably slidably mounted on the main body. In a still further modification, the cylindrical sleeve forming the storage compartment has a panel movable from a storage chamber sealing position into a storage chamber open position by the action of closing the component part lid onto the main body which exposes the humidity control substance stored therein to the air in the enclosed compartment.

Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.