Container system with detachable lid, and related parts and methods

Abstract

There is disclosed a container of the Large Foldable Container (or “LFC”) type comprising a detachable lid and a container side wall. The detachable lid comprises at least one lid attachment that projects inwardly from an underside of the lid. The container side wall comprises at least one corresponding lid receiver for receiving said lid attachment. The at least one lid attachment and corresponding lid receiver are configured such that the lid can be rested by a user on the container side wall by accommodating said at least one lid attachment within said at least one corresponding lid receiver, such that at least a majority and, in most cases, all of the lid underside faces the outer face of the container side wall. In such manner, the detachable lid can be easily and conveniently rested on the container side wall, while access to the enclosable volume of the container is not impaired.

1 . A container system comprising a detachable lid for a container and a container side wall, wherein the detachable lid comprises at least one lid attachment projecting inwardly from a lid underside, and wherein the container side wall comprises at least one corresponding lid receiver for receiving said lid attachment, the at least one lid attachment and corresponding lid receiver being configured such that the lid can be rested on the container side wall by accommodating said at least one lid attachment within said at least one corresponding lid receiver, with at least a majority and, preferably, all of the lid underside facing a portion of an outer face of said container side wall. 
     
     
         2 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one lid attachment is generally T-shaped, with a stem extending generally perpendicularly from said lid underside, and a head extending generally transversally with respect to said stem. 
     
     
         3 . The container system of  claim 2 , wherein the lid comprises a skirt that surrounds at least partially said lid underside, and wherein said stem extends adjacent to said skirt. 
     
     
         4 . The container system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 said stem extends in a first direction which is parallel to a depth-wise extension of said skirt;   optionally said stem extends in a second direction which is perpendicular to a peripheral extension of said skirt; and   optionally said stem extends from, and is integral with, said skirt.   
     
     
         5 . The container system of  claim 3 , wherein said head also extends adjacent to said skirt, but alongside said skirt. 
     
     
         6 . The container system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said head extends in a first direction which is parallel to a peripheral extension of said skirt;   optionally said head extends in a second direction which is perpendicular to said skirt, and   optionally said head extends from, and is integral with, said skirt.   
     
     
         7 . The container system of  claim 2 , wherein the lid attachment is shaped so as to define a first T-shaped portion and a second T-shaped portion, wherein the first and second T-shaped portions together form said generally T-shaped lid attachment, with the first T-shaped portion being disposed outwardly of the second T-shaped portion, and having a footprint that is larger than a corresponding footprint of the second T-shaped portion. 
     
     
         8 . The container system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the lid attachment comprises at least one hooked end for retaining the lid attachment within the lid receiver;   optionally said at least one hooked end is provided at an end of said head; and   optionally said head comprises two hooked ends disposed at opposite ends of said head.   
     
     
         9 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the lid attachment comprises at least one of: a distal recess; a distal rounded corner; a distal bevelled corner; and, a distal chamfered corner, configured to favour rocking of the lid attachment within the corresponding lid receiver, when the lid attachment is received in the lid receiver to rest the lid on the container side wall. 
     
     
         10 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lid receiver is formed as a recess; and   optionally said recess is formed on an upper edge of said container side wall.   
     
     
         11 . The container system of  claim 10 , wherein said recess comprises first and second recessed portions disposed contiguously with respect to each other, wherein the first recessed portion has a width that is less than a corresponding width of the second recessed portion, said widths being measured in a direction alongside and parallel to said edge of the container side wall. 
     
     
         12 . The container system of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second recessed portions have the same depths measured in a direction perpendicular to said edge of the container and extending on a same notional plane as said container side wall. 
     
     
         13 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the receiver comprises a retractable receptacle configured to be deployed and stowed away within said container side wall;   optionally, wherein said retractable receptacle is pivotally deployable and stowable;   alternatively said retractable receptacle is slidably deployable and stowable.   
     
     
         14 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the container lid is generally rectangular, and comprises at least two, opposed such lid attachments;   optionally said at least two, opposed lid attachments are symmetrically disposed on the lid underside.   
     
     
         15 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lid attachment is positioned on the lid underside such that, when the lid is positioned on the container to cover an enclosed space defined by the container, said at least one lid attachment is received within said corresponding receiver so as to reduce or prevent contamination of said enclosed space of the container. 
     
     
         16 . A container comprising the container system according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the container is generally in the shape of a cuboid comprising two opposite short side walls and two opposite long side walls, and a base, wherein said side walls may each comprise a container side panel, each of which may be foldable over said base, and may be erected back from said folded configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein said base comprises a pallet base. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the container is made of a substantially rigid plastic material. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the container lid is adapted to conform with interference to an erected container body, or to a container base adapted to receive a collapsed container body, such that the lid is retained firmly, yet removably, on said container body or base. 
     
     
         21 . A container assembly comprising a container base and a collapsed container body disposed on said container base, said container assembly comprising the container system of  claim 15 . 
     
     
         22 . The container assembly of  claim 20 , whose footprint is sized according to a standard pallet size. 
     
     
         23 . A method of resting a detachable lid for a container on a container side wall, wherein the detachable lid comprises at least one lid attachment projecting inwardly from a lid underside, and wherein the container side wall comprises at least one corresponding lid receiver for receiving said lid attachment, the method comprising:
 accommodating said at least one lid attachment within said at least one corresponding lid receiver, with at least a majority and, preferably, all of the lid underside facing a portion of an outer face of said container side wall.