Stackable containers with manually openable hatch for sample removal in stacked conformation

Abstract

Disposable monolithic containers with a manually openable hatch for sample removal, methods of manufacturing and using the same are described; the containers are configured with a closure essentially obstructing the hatch, configured for manual opening.

1 . A disposable monolithic stackable container with a hatch, configured for removal of sample from said container, said disposable monolithic stackable container comprises:
 (a) a rectangular bottom plate, configured for said stacking said disposable monolithic stackable container;   (b) two pairs of rectangular sidewalls erecting from edges of said bottom plate;   (c) at least one hatch disposed in at least one of said sidewalls, said hatch is configured for removal of a sample from said disposable monolithic stackable container, wherein said hatch is confined by a plurality of edges, which are disposed interiorly offset to exterior perimeter of said rectangular sidewalls;   (d) at least one closure element, configured for essentially obstructing said hatch, wherein said at least one closure element is confined by a plurality of edges, which are disposed interiorly offset to said edges of said hatch;   (e) at least one structural element, forming a manually breakable connection between said plurality of edges of said closure element and said plurality of edges of said hatch, selected from the group consisting of:
 (I) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of essentially elongated gaps and a plurality of detachable connectors disposed in-between said gaps, and 
 (II) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being teared; 
   (f) a hinge portion extending between one edge of said plurality of edges of said closure element and one edge of said plurality of edges of said hatch, wherein said hinge portion is configured to sustain partial rotation of said closure element, relatively to said sidewall, by being bent or deformed;   wherein said closure element is configured to assume:
 (I) a closed conformation, wherein said at least one structural element, forming a manually breakable connection between said plurality of edges of said closure element and said plurality of edges of said hatch, remains essentially in its entirety and said at least one closure element essentially obstructing said hatch; 
 (II) an open conformation, wherein said at least one sidewall remains in place and remains essentially in its entirety, except of an interior partial opening of said hatch formed in a center of said at least one sidewall; wherein in said open conformation, said interior partial opening of said hatch formed in said center of said at least one sidewall, maintains integrity of said exterior perimeter of said at least one sidewall; 
   wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection, is configured to be opened without any auxiliary external opening or cutting tools, only by a manual force of a user;   wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection is configured for effectively detaching said plurality of edges of said closure element from said plurality of edges of said hatch, by tearing up said at least one structural element forming said breakable connection, thereby providing for sampling whilst containers are stacked;   wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection is configured for effectively detaching said plurality of edges of said closure element from said plurality of edges of said hatch, by tearing up said at least one structural element forming said breakable connection, whilst effectively preventing a potential accidental damage to contents of containers, entailed by usage of said external opening or cutting tools.   
     
     
         2 . The disposable monolithic stackable container, as in  claim 1 , further comprises at least one pulling tab, configured for exerting said manual force onto said at least one closure element, wherein said at least one pulling tab comprises an aperture into which a finger is introducible and wherein said at least one pulling tab forms an integral part of said at least one closure element. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable monolithic stackable container, as in  claim 1 , wherein said hinge portion configured to sustain said partial rotation of said closure element, relatively to said sidewall, by being bent or deformed, further comprises at least one structural element selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of gaps interposed by a plurality of detachable connectors, and   (b) a groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being bent.   
     
     
         4 . The disposable monolithic stackable container, as in  claim 3 , wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection between said at least one edge of said closure element and at least one respective edge of said hatch, is weakened to a distinctively different extent than said hinge portion forming a bendable or deformable connection between said closure element and said sidewall sustaining partial rotation of said closure element relatively to said sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The disposable monolithic stackable container, as in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one closure element further comprises a planar surface, configured for inscribing miscellaneous information thereon. 
     
     
         6 . The disposable monolithic stackable container, as in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one closure element is spontaneously driven by the elastic bias of said hinge portion, into an essentially re-closed conformation. 
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a disposable monolithic container with a manually openable hatch, configured for sample removal, said method comprises:
 (a) forming a rectangular bottom plate, configured for said stacking said disposable monolithic stackable container;   (b) forming two pairs of rectangular sidewalls erecting from edges of said bottom plate;   (c) forming at least one hatch disposed in at least one of said sidewalls, said hatch is configured for removal of a sample from said disposable monolithic stackable container, wherein said hatch is confined by a plurality of edges, which are disposed interiorly offset to exterior perimeter of said rectangular sidewalls;   (d) forming at least one closure element, configured for essentially obstructing said hatch, wherein said at least one closure element is confined by a plurality of edges, which are disposed interiorly offset to said edges of said hatch;   (e) forming at least one structural element, forming a manually breakable connection between said plurality of edges of said closure element and said plurality of edges of said hatch, selected from the group consisting of:
 (I) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of essentially elongated gaps and a plurality of detachable connectors disposed in-between said gaps, and 
 (II) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being teared; 
   (f) forming a hinge portion extending between one edge of said plurality of edges of said closure element and one edge of said plurality of edges of said hatch, wherein said hinge portion is configured to sustain partial rotation of said closure element, relatively to said sidewall, by being bent or deformed;   wherein said closure element is configured to assume:
 (I) a closed conformation, wherein said at least one structural element, forming a manually breakable connection between said plurality of edges of said closure element and said plurality of edges of said hatch, remains essentially in its entirety and said at least one closure element essentially obstructing said hatch; 
 (II) an open conformation, wherein said at least one sidewall remains in place and remains essentially in its entirety, except of an interior partial opening of said hatch formed in a center of said at least one sidewall; 
   wherein in said open conformation, said interior partial opening of said hatch formed in said center of said at least one sidewall, maintains integrity of said exterior perimeter of said at least one sidewall;   wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection, is configured to be opened without any auxiliary external opening or cutting tools, only by a manual force of a user;   wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection is configured for effectively detaching said plurality of edges of said closure element from said plurality of edges of said hatch, by tearing up said at least one structural element forming said breakable connection, thereby providing for sampling whilst containers are stacked;   wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection is configured for effectively detaching said plurality of edges of said closure element from said plurality of edges of said hatch, by tearing up said at least one structural element forming said breakable connection, whilst effectively preventing a potential accidental damage to contents of containers, entailed by usage of said external opening or cutting tools.   
     
     
         8 . The method, as in  claim 7 , further comprises forming at least one pulling tab, configured for exerting said manual force onto said at least one closure element, wherein said at least one pulling tab comprises an aperture into which a finger is introducible and wherein said at least one pulling tab forms an integral part of said at least one closure element. 
     
     
         9 . The method, as in  claim 7 , wherein said forming of said hinge portion configured to sustain said partial rotation of said closure element, relatively to said sidewall, by being bent or deformed, further comprises forming at least one structural element selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of gaps interposed by a plurality of detachable connectors, and   (b) a groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being bent.   
     
     
         10 . The method, as in  claim 9 , wherein said forming of said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection between said at least one edge of said closure element and at least one respective edge of said hatch, comprises weakening said at least one structural element to a distinctively different extent than said hinge portion forming a bendable or deformable connection between said closure element and said sidewall. 
     
     
         11 . The method, as in  claim 7 , wherein said forming of said at least one closure element further comprises forming a planar surface, configured for inscribing miscellaneous information thereon. 
     
     
         12 . The method, as in  claim 7 , wherein said at least one closure element is spontaneously driven by the elastic bias of said hinge portion, into an essentially re-closed conformation. 
     
     
         13 . A method of using a plurality disposable monolithic containers with a manually openable hatch, said method comprises:
 (a) providing a plurality of disposable monolithic containers, wherein each one of said plurality of disposable monolithic containers comprising:
 (I) a rectangular bottom plate, configured for said stacking said disposable monolithic stackable container; 
 (II) two pairs of rectangular sidewalls erecting from edges of said bottom plate; 
 (Ill) at least one hatch disposed in at least one of said sidewalls, said hatch is configured for removal of a sample from said disposable monolithic stackable container, wherein said hatch is confined by a plurality of edges, which are disposed interiorly offset to exterior perimeter of said rectangular sidewalls; 
 (IV) at least one closure element, configured for essentially obstructing said hatch, wherein said at least one closure element is confined by a plurality of edges, which are disposed interiorly offset to said edges of said hatch; 
 (V) at least one structural element, forming a manually breakable connection between said plurality of edges of said closure element and said plurality of edges of said hatch, selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of essentially elongated gaps and a plurality of detachable connectors disposed in-between said gaps, and 
 (ii) a peripheral groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being teared; 
 
 (VI) a hinge portion extending between one edge of said plurality of edges of said closure element and one edge of said plurality of edges of said hatch, wherein said hinge portion is configured to sustain partial rotation of said closure element, relatively to said sidewall, by being bent or deformed; 
   wherein said closure element is configured to assume:
   (i) a closed conformation, wherein said at least one structural element, forming a manually breakable connection between said plurality of edges of said closure element and said plurality of edges of said hatch, remains essentially in its entirety and said at least one closure element essentially obstructing said hatch;   (ii) an open conformation, wherein said at least one sidewall remains in place and remains essentially in its entirety, except of an interior partial opening of said hatch formed in a center of said at least one sidewall; wherein in said open conformation, said interior partial opening of said hatch formed in said center of said at least one sidewall, maintains integrity of said exterior perimeter of said at least one sidewall;   
   wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection, is configured to be opened without any auxiliary external opening or cutting tools, only by a manual force of a user;   wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection is configured for effectively detaching said plurality of edges of said closure element from said plurality of edges of said hatch, by tearing up said at least one structural element forming said breakable connection, thereby providing for sampling whilst containers are stacked;   (b) stacking-up said plurality of disposable monolithic containers, one on top of another;   (c) exerting a manual force onto said at least one closure element, so as to break said breakable structural element;   (d) opening said at least one closure element;   (e) removing a sample from at least one of said plurality of said disposable monolithic containers via said hatch, whilst said plurality of said disposable monolithic containers are stacked-up, one on top of another.   
     
     
         14 . The method, as in  claim 13 , wherein said container further comprises at least one pulling tab, configured for exerting said manual force onto said at least one closure element, wherein said at least one pulling tab comprises an aperture into which a finger is introducible and wherein said at least one pulling tab forms an integral part of said at least one closure element. 
     
     
         15 . The method, as in  claim 13 , wherein said hinge portion is configured to sustain said partial rotation of said closure element, relatively to said sidewall, by being bent or deformed, further comprises at least one structural element selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a perforation pattern comprising a plurality of gaps interposed by a plurality of detachable connectors, and   (b) a groove comprising a portion of weakened material, configured for being bent.   
     
     
         16 . The method, as in  claim 15 , wherein said at least one structural element, forming said breakable connection between said at least one edge of said closure element and at least one respective edge of said hatch, is weakened to a distinctively different extent than said hinge portion forming a bendable or deformable connection between said closure element and said sidewall sustaining partial rotation of said closure element relatively to said sidewall. 
     
     
         17 . The method, as in  claim 13 , wherein said at least one closure element further comprises a planar surface, configured for inscribing miscellaneous information thereon. 
     
     
         18 . The method, as in  claim 13 , wherein said at least one closure element is spontaneously driven by the elastic bias of said hinge portion, into an essentially re-closed conformation.