The present invention relates generally to storage chests, and more particularly to storage chests with hinged lids.
Large storage chests often used in the construction industry are typically formed of steel sheet. The floor and walls of the chest can be formed either from a single sheet of steel that is bent at intersecting edges of the walls and floor to form a box or from multiple pieces of sheet steel that are welded together into a box. Tools can then be stored within the cavity of the box. Typical sizes for such a chest can range from 2 ft3 to 8 ft3 or even larger. Because it is often desirable for the chest to be at least somewhat portable, the walls may include pivoting carrying handles, which may be mounted to a straight wall or fold within a recess formed in the wall.
For protection of tools stored inside the chest cavity, the typical chest has a lid, also formed of sheet steel, that is hingedly attached to the rear wall of the box portion of the chest. Such a lid pivots between a closed position covering the cavity and an open position that allows access to the cavity. The lid should have sufficient strength and durability to withstand the abuse a chest typically endures, including the stacking of heavy objects on the lid.
In one popular lid model previously available from Delta Consolidated Industries under the tradename JOBOX(copyright), the chest lid is formed of a single piece of sheet steel. The lid includes a horizontal panel that generally covers the chest cavity, vertical panels that extend downwardly from the edges of the horizontal panel, and flanges that extend inwardly (i.e., into the storage cavity) from the vertical panels. Together, the flanges form a rim within the vertical panels that rests upon the upper edges of the walls of the box portion of the chest when the lid is in its closed position. To add strength and rigidity to the lid, two bolster members are spot-welded to the underside of the horizontal panel; the bolster members extend from a rear to a front portion of the horizontal panel, stopping short of the front and rear vertical panels of the lid.
To assist in opening the lid, a handle is bolted to the center portion of the front vertical panel. Thus, by grasping and lifting the handle, a user can easily open the lid to access the storage cavity.
Unfortunately, this configuration has certain drawbacks. First, because the handle protrudes forwardly beyond the front wall of the box portion of the chest, it often gets crushed or bent during use. Also, by protruding, the handle provides an obstacle that a user can accidentally collide with or snag his clothing on. Moreover, in storing or shipping the chest, the protrusion of the handle requires additional space beyond the front wall of the chest. Further, the handle is an additional component that must be manufactured and assembled, thereby adding cost to the chest.
Second, the placement of the handle in the center of the lid requires that the user be positioned directly in front of the lid to open it; initiating lid opening by lifting another portion of the lid is difficult, because there is nothing else to grasp. Thus, the chest must be positioned where a user can reach the center portion of the lid to lift it.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage chest lid without the inconvenience of prior handles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a storage chest lid that lacks a protruding handle.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a storage chest lid having a handle that enables the lid to be opened without the user being positioned directly in front of the center portion of the vertical panel of the lid. These and other objects are satisfied by the present invention, which provides a storage chest lid without a protruding handle. The storage chest of the present invention comprises: a box portion having opposed front and rear walls, a pair of opposed side walls; and a floor attached to the front, rear and side walls to form a storage cavity; and a lid pivotally interconnected with the rear wall. The lid includes: a generally planar top panel; and a front panel merging with and extending generally perpendicularly to the top panel. The front panel includes a recess formed by a horizontally disposed face and a vertically disposed face positioned below and merging with the horizontally disposed face. The top panel and front panel are integrally formed from a unitary member of substantially constant thickness. The lid is moveable between a closed position, in which the top panel is generally horizontally disposed above the floor and the lid contacts at least one of the front, rear and side walls and prevents access to the storage cavity from above, and the front panel is positioned generally above the front wall, and an open position, in which the top panel takes a non-horizontal position, the front panel is positioned rearwardly of the front wall, and the lid allows access to the storage cavity from above. In this configuration, the recess in the front panel of the lid serves as a grasping handle for the lid, thereby eliminating the additional handle piece included in prior art lids.
In a preferred embodiment, the lid includes a support member that extends between vertical side panels of the lid. This support member can stiffen the lid to a sufficient degree that any xe2x80x9crackingxe2x80x9d experienced by the lid when lifted from a non-centered grasping position is reduced significantly.