Container closure device and method

Abstract

A container closure device and a method for securely closing a container includes a container with a first and second flap, said first flap at least partially overlapping the second flap when the container is properly closed. Each of said first and second flaps further comprise at least one opening. The first flap further comprises a closing means movably mounted in and extending continuously through the opening of the first flap and, when properly positioned and the container is closed, through the opening in the second flap. Upon the closing means extending continuously through the second flap, the closing means can be positioned so as to prevent the unintentional or inadvertent opening of the container, thereby reducing or eliminating the possibility that the contents of the container will prematurely exit the container during shipment of storage.

1 . A reclosable and reusable container comprising: 
 (a) a container, said container further comprises a first flap and a second flap;    (i) said first flap at least partially overlaps said second flap when the container is closed;    (ii) said first flap having at least one first opening extending therethrough and completely disposed within said first flap;    (iii) said second flap having at least one second opening extending therethrough and completely disposed within said second flap;    (b) a closure member which comprises: 
 (i) at least one first member insertable into and rotatable within said at least one first opening, said at least one first member having an open position; and  
 (ii) at least one second member fixedly attached to said at least one first member and extending through said at least one second opening when the container is closed and said at least one first member is in the open position.  
   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein 
 (a) said at least one second opening is larger than said at least one second member.  
 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2  wherein 
 (a) the shape of said at least one second opening is non-uniform in at least one direction.  
 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein 
 (a) said container is made of one of a group consisting of cardboard, plastic, wood or metal.  
 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1  further comprising 
 (a) at least one handle.  
 
     
     
         6 . The container device of  claim 5  wherein 
 (a) said handle is fixedly attached to the second flap.  
 
     
     
         7 . The container device of  claim 5  wherein 
 (a) a leg of said handle is positioned within at least one aperture in the container.  
 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 5  wherein 
 (a) said handle is fixedly attached to said container.  
 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1  wherein 
 (a) at least one side of said container has at least one aperture disposed therein.  
 
     
     
         10 . A container comprising: 
 (a) a container;    (b) a first flap;    (c) a second flap; and    (d) at least one container closure means disposed within said flaps movably mounted within an aperture of said first flap and extending continuously through said first and second flaps when said container is closed, said at least one container closure means further comprises an open position and a closed position.    
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10  wherein said at least one container closure means comprises: 
 (a) at least one first member rotatably mounted in at least one first opening in said first flap; and  
 (b) at least one second member fixedly attached to said at least one first member and extends through at least one second opening in said second flap when said container closure means is in the open position.  
 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 10  wherein said at least one container closure means comprises: 
 (a) at least one first member slidably mounted in at least one first opening in said first flap; and  
 (b) at least one second member fixedly attached to said at least one first member and extends through at least one second opening in said second flap when said container closure means is in the open position.  
 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 11  wherein 
 (a) said container closure means prevents the container from opening when said container closure means extends through said at least one second opening and is in the closed position.  
 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 11  wherein 
 (a) said container is selected from the group consisting of cardboard, plastic, wood and metal.  
 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 10  further comprising 
 (a) at least one handle.  
 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15  wherein 
 (a) said handle is fixedly attached to the container.  
 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15  wherein 
 (a) said handle is fixedly attached to the second flap.  
 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 15  wherein 
 (a) a leg of said handle is positioned within at least one aperture in the container.  
 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 11  wherein 
 (a) at least one side of said container has at least one aperture disposed therein.  
 
     
     
         20 . A reclosable container comprising: 
 (a) a container, said container further comprises a first flap and a second flap;    (i) said first flap at least partially overlaps said second flap when the container is closed;    (ii) said first flap further comprises at least one first opening extending continuously through the first flap;    (iii) said second flap further comprises at least one second opening extending continuously through said second flap; and    (b) at least one member disposed of in said at least one first opening and movably attached to said first flap, said at least one member having an open position and extending though said at least one second opening when the container is closed and the member is in the open position.    
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 20  wherein 
 (a) said at least one second opening is larger than said at least one first opening.  
 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 20  wherein 
 (a) the shape of said at least one second opening is non-uniform in at least one direction.  
 
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 20  wherein 
 (a) said container is selected from the group consisting of cardboard, plastic, wood and metal.  
 
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 20  further comprising 
 (a) at least one handle.  
 
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 22  wherein 
 (a) said handle is fixedly attached to the second flap.  
 
     
     
         26 . The container of  claim 24  wherein 
 (a) a leg of said handle is positioned within at least one aperture in the container.  
 
     
     
         27 . The container of  claim 24  wherein 
 (a) said handle is fixedly attached to said container.  
 
     
     
         28 . The container of  claim 20  wherein 
 (a) at least one side of said container has at least one aperture disposed therein.  
 
     
     
         29 . A container comprising: 
 (a) a container;    (b) an overlying first flap;    (c) an underlying second flap; and    (d) at least one container closure means, said container closure means being positionable between an open position and a closed position and completely disposed within said flaps.    
     
     
         30 . The container of  claim 29  wherein 
 (a) said container closure means comprises at least one first member and at least one second member, said at least one second member being fixedly attached to said at least one first member.  
 
     
     
         31 . The container device of  claim 30  wherein 
 (a) said at least one first member is movably mounted in at least one opening in said first flap.  
 
     
     
         32 . The container of  claim 28  wherein 
 (a) said at least one second member extends through at least one second opening in said second flap when the container is closed and the container closure means is positioned in the open position.  
 
     
     
         33 . The container of  claim 29  wherein 
 (a) said container is selected from the group consisting of cardboard, plastic, wood and metal.  
 
     
     
         34 . The container of  claim 26  further comprising 
 (a) at least one handle.  
 
     
     
         35 . The container of  claim 31  wherein 
 (a) said handle is fixedly attached to the container.  
 
     
     
         36 . The container of  claim 34  wherein 
 (a) said handle is fixedly attached to the second flap.  
 
     
     
         37 . The container of  claim 29  wherein 
 (a) at least one side of said container has at least one aperture disposed therein.  
 
     
     
         38 . A method of closing a container, said container having at least one wall, a bottom, a first flap, a second flap, a first opening, a second opening, at least one first member movably positioned in said first opening, said at least one first member having an open position and a closed position, at least one second member fixedly attached to said at least one first member, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) folding the second flap inward toward the bottom until said second flap is approximately perpendicular to said at least one wall;    (b) positioning said at least one first member in the open position and folding the first flap inward toward the second flap until the first flap is approximately parallel with the second flap and said at least one second member extends continuously through said at least one second opening; and    (c) positioning said at least one first member in the closed position.    
     
     
         39 . A device comprising: 
 (a) a generally circular top member having a peripherally extending ledge at one end;    (b) a bottom member in mating engagement with said top member at one end, said bottom member having at least one peripherally extending latch at an opposed end.    
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 39  which further comprises: 
 (a) at least one turning means positioned about a top of said top member.  
 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 40  wherein 
 (a) said turning means is a ridge on said top member.  
 
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 39  wherein said top member further comprises 
 (a) a gear having a plurality of teeth for meshing engagement with a track in said bottom member.