Container assembly having exterior and interior containers

Abstract

A container assembly includes exterior and interior containers, a cover, driving and driven members, and a transmission member. The cover is connected pivotally to the exterior container so as to move towards or away from a top opening of the exterior container. The driving member rotates along with the cover. The transmission member is pivotally connected to the driving and driven members. The driven member turns upward and lifts the interior container when the cover is moved away from the top opening.

1 . A container assembly comprising:
 an exterior container including a first bottom wall, a first surrounding wall, and a first top opening opposite to said first bottom wall;   an interior container received in said exterior container and including a second bottom wall disposed above said first bottom wall, a second surrounding wall, and a second top opening opposite to said second bottom wall;   a cover connected pivotally to said exterior container so as to move towards or away from said first top opening;   a driving member fulcrummed inside said first surrounding wall by means of a pair of first fulcrum pin elements in proximity to said first top opening, and fixed to said cover so as to rotate along with said cover;   a transmission member disposed between said first and second surrounding walls, and having a top end connected pivotally to said driving member by means of a pair of first pivot pin elements, and a bottom end extending towards said first bottom wall; and   a driven member disposed between said first and second bottom walls, said driven member being fulcrummed inside said first surrounding wall by means of a pair of second fulcrum pin elements and having one end connected pivotally to said bottom end of said transmission member by means of a pair of second pivot pin elements, said driven member turning upward and lifting said second bottom wall when said cover is moved away from said first top opening.   
     
     
         2 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising first and second guide members respectively disposed on an inner surface of said first surrounding wall and an outer surface of said second surrounding wall, and engaged slidably with each other such that a movement of said interior container relative to said exterior container is guided by said first and second guide members. 
     
     
         3 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said first guide member is a protrusion formed on said inner surface of said first surrounding wall, said second guide member being a slide groove extending downwardly in said outer surface of said second surrounding wall from said second top opening to receive slidably said protrusion. 
     
     
         4 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said first guide member is a slide groove downwardly extending from said first top opening in said inner surface of said first surrounding wall, said second guide member being a protrusion slidably fitted into said slide groove. 
     
     
         5 . The container assembly of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said first guide member is formed in said inner surface of said first surrounding wall and includes an upper slide groove extending downwardly from said first top opening in said inner surface of said first surrounding wall, and a lower slide groove extending downwardly from and narrower than said upper slide groove;   said second guide member is formed in said outer surface of said interior container, and includes a protrusion slidably fitted into said upper slide groove, and a rib extending downwardly from a bottom end of said protrusion and slidably fitted into said lower slide groove; and   said rib has a width narrower than that of said protrusion.   
     
     
         6 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of slide rails formed inside said first surrounding wall and extending downwardly from said first top opening to said first bottom wall, and a pair of slides engaging slidably and respectively said slide rails, said driving and driven members and said transmission member being disposed between said slides, each of said driving member and said driven member being fulcrummed to said slides. 
     
     
         7 . The container assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said driving member has a first portion fixed to said cover, and a second portion connected pivotally to said transmission member, said first fulcrum pin elements being disposed between said first and second portions and inserted respectively into said slides. 
     
     
         8 . The container assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said driven member has a lifting portion extending beneath said second bottom wall, and a connection portion connected pivotally to said transmission member, said second fulcrum pin elements being disposed between said lifting portion and said connection portion and inserted respectively into said slides. 
     
     
         9 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said driving member includes a U-shaped portion fixed to said cover, and a pair of first rods that extend respectively from two ends of said U-shaped portion into said first surrounding wall;   said transmission member has a pair of second rods that are respectively and pivotally connected to said first rods; and   said driven member has a plate connected pivotally to said second rods.   
     
     
         10 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one torsion spring disposed around at least one of said first pivot pin elements and abutting against and urging said driving member so that said cover is moved away from said first top opening. 
     
     
         11 . The container assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one buffer member disposed around at least one of said first fulcrum pin elements and contacting frictionally said first surrounding wall and said driving member to absorb a shock induced by an opening movement of said cover. 
     
     
         12 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of magnetic members respectively provided on said second bottom wall and said driven member such that said pair of magnetic members are attracted to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a wedge-shaped recess formed in said inner surface of said first surrounding wall, and a wedge-shaped protrusion formed in said outer surface of said second surrounding wall, said wedge-shaped protrusion being detachably engaged to said wedge-shaped recess. 
     
     
         14 . The container assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a partition member for dividing said interior container into a plurality of spaces.