GB2129778A - A container for storing and dispensing discrete components - Google Patents

Abstract

A container 12 for storing and dispensing discrete components for use on an assembly line e.g. for manufacturing items for motor vehicles is provided with a re-closable, re-sealable dispensing portion 50 which, when in a closed, sealed position, forms a portion of the surface of the closed container 12, and which, when in an open position, forms a hopper 76 from which an operator can readily select one or more of said discrete components. The container 12 is folded from a blank, the dispensing portion 50 being held in the closed position for storage by engagement of a tongue 60 below an edge of an inner flap 52, with further flaps 54,56 held between the flap 52 and the panel for forming the hopper 76. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and apparatus for storing and dispensing discrete components This invention relates to a method and apparatus for storing and dispensing discrete components for use on an assembly line for manufacturing a saleable item. In particular, it relates to a method and apparatus for storing and dispensing discrete components for use on an assembly line manufacturing relatively complex mechanical parts and accessories for motor vehicles, such as fuel pumps.

It has long been customary to manufacture saleable items, in particular saleable items of a relatively complex mechanical nature involving a number of separate mechanical components, by the technique known as mass assembly or mass production, in which the saleable item is manufactured by assembling it from mechanical components at a series of work stations on an assembly line. Manufacture of such a saleable item on such an assembly line usually commences with a major component of the item, such as a housing or a sub-frame, by passing this housing or sub-frame from work station to work station along the assembly line so that at each work station one or more discrete mechanical components can be added to the housing or sub-frame by an operator stationed at that work station.At the end of the assembly line, the saleable item is complete and in working order, is tested, and is then packed as a last stage in the assembly process.

In many mass production assembly lines, the saleable item to be manufactured is one that is in substantial demand, and it becomes necessary for the operator at each work station on that assembly line to be provided with an adequate supply of the discrete mechanical component due to be fitted to the saleable item at that particular work station.

Consequently, the operator is supplied with a bulk supply of the discrete component in a suitable supply container, such as a steel hopper, which hopper is replenished from time to time when necessary by further bulk supplies of the component.

In many instances, however, assembly lines used for manufacturing motor vehicle parts and accessories are often called upon to manufacture a number of different models of the saleable item within a relatively short period of time, that is, a period of time shorter than a given work period of an operator, in order to meet market demand. Consequently, it becomes necessary for the operator at that work station to change the type of discrete component to be added at that work station to the saleable item in order to meet the demand for a different model, and this, in turn, means that the operator must change from one bulk supply of one type of discrete component to another bulk supply of another discrete component.Where the production techniques used involve storage of each discrete component in a supply hopper positioned at the work station, there is not usually sufficient room available for storing more than one bulk supply of the discrete component at any one instant. Consequently, the operator is called upon to remove discrete components of one type from the supply hopper, and to replace them with similar discrete components of another type, when a change occurs in the model of the saleable item being manufactured. Thus, for example, in the manufacture of motor vehicle fuel pumps, several models of the same fuel pump may be manufactured which only differ substantially from one another in the type and shape of springs used in their manufacture.In such a situation, when a change of model of fuel pump occurs on the assembly line, the changing from one bulk supply of spring to another bulk supply of spring by an operator can lead to mistakes being made, and the wrong type of spring being assembled in the fuel pump concerned. Such a problem is aggravated where the bulk supply of the springs concerned is delivered to the operator in a disposable packaging material, such as a paper sack.

Consequently, the present invention was devised to substantially overcome such problems in mass production.

A method of storing and dispensing discrete components according to the present invention, for use on an assembly line for manufacturing a saleable item, is one in which a predetermined supply of said discrete components is stored within a readily transportable, re-fillable closed container adapted to be removably located in a predetermined position at a work station on said assembly line, said container being provided with a re-closable, re-sealable dispensing portion which, when in a closed, sealed position, forms a portion of the surface of the closed container, and which, when in an open position, forms a hopper from which an operator at said work station can readily select one or more of said discrete components.

Preferably the container used in this method is a re-usable, re-fillable container which is designed to fold substantially flat when empty, to facilitate the return of said container to a supplier of said discrete components for subsequent re-filling of the container with said predetermined supply of discrete components.

Advantageously, the method includes providing a location tray at said predetermined position at said work station, said location tray being provided with a configuration such that said container is firmly located in said predetermined position and the hopper formed when said dispensing portion of the container is in the open position is provided with structural support from said tray.

A readily transportable, re-fillable containerfor carrying out the method of the present invention comprises a box-like structure made from a shaped sheet blank having predetermined fold lines impressed therein to form integral hinges, said box-like structure having four side walls, a base, and a top closure, said top closure being in the form of four inter-engageable flaps which inter-engage with one another in the manner of a slam-latch closure, each flap being connected to a respective side wall by an integral hinge, two of said flaps being located opposite one another and being mirror images of one another, one of the two remaining flaps having a straight edge opposite the integral hinge thereof, and the other of the two remaining flaps being provided with a centrally placed tongue-like extension on the edge opposite the integral hinge thereof, the shape and disposition of said flaps relative to one another being such that, when the box-like structure is filled with said discrete components and is laid on the side wall on which the other remaining flap is hinged and the flaps are disengaged from one another, said other remaining flap forms the base of said hopper, and said mirror image flaps forms side walls of said hopper, closure of the hopper being achieveable by disengaging said mirror image flaps from contact with said other remaining flap, folding said mirror image flaps towards and into contact with said one remaining flap, then folding said other remaining flap over said folded mirror image flaps so as to deflect said straight edge of the one remaining flap inwardly of the box-like structure far enough for said tongue-like extension of said other remaining flap to pass beneath said straight edge and to latch into position behind said one remaining flap.

A"slam-latch closure", referred to hereinbefore, is defined as the type of closure shown in box type 0215 of the International Fibre Board Case Code.

Preferably, said one remaining flap of the box-like structure forms a baffle across the box-like structure to restrain the quantity of discrete components issuing into the hopper. Advantageously, this one remaining flap cover a major portion of the opening in the box-like structure that is closed by the top closure.

In a preferred embodiment of the container for use with the method of the present invention, said other remaining flap of the box-like structure includes inclined side edges extending respectively between the integral hinge and the centrally placed tonguelike extension of the other remaining flap, with each of these inclined side edges being at least as long as the width of the adjacent mirror image flap so as to form an indexing edge for said adjacent mirror image flap when said hopper is formed.

The base of the readily transportable, re-fillable container for use with the present method can be constructed in any manner which ensures that the container remains rigid throughout the time that it contains the discrete components. A preferable construction for the base of the container is that obtained from two pairs of mutually opposed integrally hinged flaps, one pair of which completely overlap the other pair to form an openable closure through which, when in use, the container is refilled with said discrete components.

Where the readily transportable re-fillable container is used in conjunction with a location tray, referred to herein before, there is no problem in ensuring that each of the mirror image flaps are retained in contact with the respective side edge of said other remaining flap when the hopper is formed. In instances where it is intended to use the container without the location tray, it is preferable to employ an anchor means to retain each of said mirror image flaps in contact with the respective side edge of said other remaining flap when the hopper is formed.This can be done quite simply by arranging for inter-engageable tabs and slots to be provided on the mirror image flaps and said other remaining flap, or to arrangeforthe provision of a locking member which can be used to retain the mirror image flaps at a predetermined distance apart from one another, either above said other remaining flap or just below said other remaining flap. When such a locking member is used below the other remaining flap, it can also serve the extra useful purpose of retaining the other remaining flap at a predetermined inclination to the side of the box-like structure to which it is hinged.

The invention and how it may be performed are hereinafter particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an isometric view of one embodiment of a readily transportable, re-fillable container for carrying out the method of the present invention, with a top closure of the container in an open position; Figure 2 shows an isometric view of the container shown in Figure 1, with the container in a position in which a hopper is formed; Figure 3 shows a view of the container of Figure 2 taken along the direction A of Figure 2, when the top closure is closed; Figure 4 shows a view of the container of Figure 2 taken in the direction B; FigureS shows an isometric view of a location tray for use with the container shown in Figures 1 to 4;; Figure 6 shows an isometric view of the container shown in Figures 1 to 4 in position in the location tray shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 shows a second embodiment of a readily transportable, re-fillable container for use with the method of the present invention, with a top closure in an open position; Figure 8 shows an isometric view of the container shown in Figure 7, with the container in a position where a hopper is formed; Figure 9 shows a view of the container of Figure 8 taken in the direction A, with the top closure in a closed position; Figure 10 shows a view of the container of Figure 8 taken in the direction B; Figure 1 7 shows a plan view of a suitable blank for making the readily transportable, re-fillable contain ershown in Figures 1 to4.

A method of storing and dispensing discrete components according to the present invention, for use on an assembly line for manufacturing a saleable item, embraces the concept of storing a predetermined supply of said discrete components in a readily transportable, re-fillable container, transporting that container to a predetermined position at a work station on said assembly line, and opening a re-closable, re-sealable dispensing portion of said container when the container is in said predetermined position to form a hopper from which an operator at said work station can readily select one or more of said discrete components from the predetermined supply in order to fit said discrete components to the saleable item at that work station.

If that operator is called upon to change the type of discrete component at the work station, the operator closes the re-closable, re-sealable dispensing portion into a closed, sealed position where it forms a portion of the surface of the closed container, and then the container can be manually removed from said predetermined position at the work station and replaced by a similar container containing said other type of discrete components. The partially used closed container thus removed is retained at an adjacent storage position until it is required again at the work station. Once all of the predetermined supply of the discrete components has been used in the container, the container is removed from the predetermined position at the work station, and is replaced by another full container containing a fresh predetermined supply of the discrete components.

The empty container is returned to a supplier of the discrete components for re-filling with another predetermined supply of the discrete components.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a readily transportable, re-fillable container 12 for carrying out the method of storing and dispensing discrete components according to the present invention, which container 12 comprises a box-like structure made from a shaped sheet blank 14, as shown in Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings, said blank 14 having predetermined fold lines 16, 18,20,22,24, 26,28 and 30 impressed therein to form integral hinges. The blank 14 is also provided with fold lines 32,34,36, and 38 to form the edge portions of the sides of the container 12. The blank 14 is made from any suitable strong, durable, flat packaging material capable of being impressed with integral fold lines, such as reinforced cardboard, fibreboard or reinforced synthetic plastics board.A suitable sheet material for the blank 14 is a laminated synthetic plastics board made up of a corrugated sheet core sandwiched between two planar sheets of synthetic plastics material, and sold under the trade name of "Correx" (RTM) plastic corrugated board. Preferably the Correx (RTM) board used should be made from a suitable fire retardant synthetic plastic material.

The container 12 is a box-like structure having four side walls 40, 42, 44 and 46, a base 48, and a top closure 50. The top closure 50 is in the form of four inter-engageable flaps 52,5456 and 58, which inter-engage with one another in the manner of a slam-latch closure, that is, the open top of the container 12 can be closed by folding down flap 52, folding across it flaps 54 and 56 and then folding flap 58 across flaps 54 and 56 until a centrally placed tongue-like extension 60 on flap 58 passes beneath a straight edge 62 of the flap 52 and latches into position behind flap 52. The top closure 50 operates in a very similar manner to slam-latch closures of known containers, and the closure gets its name from the fact that it is a closure that can be very rapidly effected by a skilled operator engaged in closing such containers.

Each of the flaps 52,54,56 and 58 is connected to a respective side wall 44, 46, 42 and 40 by the respective fold line 20, 22, 18 and 16 which forms an integral hinge. Flap 52 is a substantially rectangular flap having a straight edge 62 opposite the fold line 20. Flaps 54 and 56 are mirror images of one another, and each has a straight base edge 64, a straight edge 66 substantially normal to said base edge 64, an intermediate edge 68 substantially parallel to the base edge 64, and a slanting edge 70 extending between the intermediate edge 68 and the respective fold line 22, 18. Flap 58 has the centrally placed tongue-like extension 60 opposite the respective fold line 16, and has slanting edges 72,74 joining respective ends of the tongue-like extension 60 to the respective ends of the fold line 16.The container 12, once filled with the supply of the respective discrete component, will normally be transported and stored with the top closure 50 closed and the container 12 oriented so that the top closure 50 forms the top of the container. Thus the filled container 12 normally rests on the base 48.

Alternatively, since this preferred embodiment of the container is designed to be filled through the base 48, as will be described in more detail hereinafter, the filled container may be both stored and transported with the container 12 oriented so that the closed top closure 50 is at the bottom of the container.

Turning now to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings, this shows the container 12 when in the predetermined position at a work station on an assembly line, with the top closure 50 in a disengaged, partially-open position. As can be seen in Figure 2, the container 12 is now resting on the side wall 40 so that the flap 58 constitutes a bottom flap of the top closure 50. In the partially open position shown in Figure 2, the top closure 50 has been opened by disengaging the tongue-like extension 60 of flap 58 from the straight edge 62 of flap 52, followed by the movement of flap 58 away from the flaps 52, 54 and 56 so that the mirror image flaps 54 and 56 can be swung outwards and free from engagement with flap 58.Flap 58 is then inclined slightly with respect to the plane of side 40 of the container 12, and the mirror image flaps 54, 56 are pushed into contact with the slanting edges 72, 74 respectively of the flap 58. The upper flap 52 remains undisturbed in its previously closed position. The containerthen has the appearance shown in Figure 2, in which the juxtaposition of mirror image flaps 54 and 56 with the inclined flap 58 has produced a dispensing portion in the shape of a hopper 76, side walls of which are constituted by the mirror image flaps 54,56, and the base of which is constituted by the flap 58. Since the flaps 54, 56 and 58 all form part of the top closure 50, it will be readily appreciated that the hopper thus formed is effectively a reclosable, re-sealable dispensing portion which, when in a closed, sealed position, forms a portion of the surface of the closed container 12, and which, when in an open position, forms the hopperfrom which an operator at said work station can readily select one or more of said discrete components occupying the container 12.

When the filled container 12 is in the position shown in Figure 2, a quantity of the discrete components held within the container 12 is readily accessible to an operator from the hopper 76. The upper flap 52 acts as a baffle to prevent too many of the discrete components issuing into the hopper 76 at any one moment. The use of the flap 52 as a baffle is a preferred feature, but may not be necessary where the discrete components contained in the container 12 are of such a shape and size that they are unlikely to cascade readily into the hopper 76.In such circumstances, it may be preferable to swing the flap 52 upwards above the slanting edges 70 of the flaps 54, 56 when initially placing the filled container 12 in the position shown in Figure 2, so that the flap 52 rests upon these slanting edges 70, or extends substantially parallel with the side 44, or extends upwards from the side 44 as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

It has been found in practice, where the fold lines 16, 18,20 and 22 are such that relatively stiff integral hinges are formed, that mirror image flaps 54 and 56 will stay in contact with the respective slanting edges 72 and 74, and the flap 58 will stay in its inclined position as shown in Figure 2, without any further external support being required.

In a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, however, it is desirable to utilise a location tray 78 for the container 12 as illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings. As can be seen from Figure 5, the location tray 78 comprises a six-sided flat base 80, the edges of which are provided with upstanding low side walls 82, 84,86, 88, 90 and 92, said walls being of uniform height.

This location tray 78 is fastened securely in the predetermined position at the work station, and a filled container 12 is placed therein, as illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings. As can be seen in Figure 6 of the accmpanying drawings, the filled container nests comfortably within the side walls of the location tray 78, and thus is located against any lateral or longitudinal movement with regard to the tray 78. As can be seen in Figure 6, the mirror image flaps 54 and 56 are retained in contact with the respective slanting edges 72,74 of the flap 58, and the inclination of the flap 58 is governed by the uniform height of the side walls of the tray 78, in particular the height of the side wall 90.Once the container 12 is in position in the location tray 78, it is effectively prevented from any movement other than movement in an upward direction, and the shape of the hopper 76 remains fixed irrespective of the quantity of discrete components contained in the container 12. At any one time, the hopper76 can be closed by refastening the top closure 50 to the closed position illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, and the closed container 12 can then be readily removed from the loation tray 78 and replaced by another similar container 12 filled with a predetermined supply of another discrete component. As can be seen in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, the top closure 50, when in its closed position, effectively seals the whole of the opening in the container closed by the top closure 50.

Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings illustrates the construction of the base 48 of the container 12, which base 48 comprises two pairs of mutually opposed integrally hinged flaps 94, 96, 98 and 100, one pair of which flaps 94,96 completely overlaps the other pair of flaps 98, 100 to form an openable closure through which, when in use, the container can be refilled with said discrete components. To re-fill the container 12 through the base 48 involves orienting the container 12 so that the container rests upon the top closure 50. The construction of the top closure 50 is such that loading the discrete compo nents in this fashion results in the top closure 50 becoming firmly latched.Once filling of the contain er 12 has occurred, flaps 98 and 100 are folded in place overthe opening in the base of the container, followed by folding flaps 94 and 96 in place over flaps 98 and 100. The filled container 12 is then sealed along the joint line between flaps 94 and 96 by a suitable means such as self adhesive tape.

It will be recognised that an essential feature of the present invention is that the container utilised in the method of the present invention should be a readily transportable, re-fillable container. The term "readily transportable" as used in the context of this specifi cation means that the container is of such a shape, size and weight, when filled with the discrete components concerned, that it can be readily manu ally transported from a storage area to a work station on an assembly line without undue physical effort from the person carrying out that transportation.

Similarly, it is essential that the container should be re-fillable with the predetermined supply of discrete components with a minimum of difficulty. In this respect, it is envisaged that a supplier of the discrete components would supply the discrete components in such a re-fillable container and that said container should be re-cycled to the supplier for re-filling with discrete components a substantial number of times before the container is worn out. The preferred embodiment of the container used in the method of the present invention and as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings has the advantage that it can be readily folded flat once it is empty.This, in turn, means that a number of such containers can be returned in a flattened condition to the supplier of the discrete components for re-filling and thus can materially reduce shipping costs thereof. It will be readily appreciated that it would be advantageous to ensure that the sheet material from which the blank 14 of Figure 11 is made should be a material that is both durable and strong, in order to give sufficient working life for the container 12 made from the blank 14.

Figures 7,8,9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings illustrate another embodiment of readily transportable re-fillable container for use with the method of the present invention, for use in situations where a location tray at a predetermined position at a work station of an assembly line is found to be undesirable. As can be seen from Figures 7,8,9 and 10, the container 112 illustrated therein has many features in common with the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings. Thus the container 112 comprises a box-like structure having four side walls 140,142, 144, 146, a base 148, and a top closure 150, said top closure 150 being in the form of four inter-engageable flaps 152,154,156 and 158 which co-operate with one another in a similar manner to flaps 52,54,56 and 58 of the container shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.As can be seen from Figures 7 to 10, the container 112 has a top closure 150 which is very similar to the top closure 50 shown in Figures 1 to 4, the main differences being that the shape of the mirror image flaps 154,156 is slightly different from that of the mirror image flaps 54 and 56 shown in Figures 1 to 4, and in that there are means provided on the flaps 154,156 and 158 to ensure that, when the container 112 is arranged as shown in Figure 8 to form a dispensing hopper 176, each of the mirror image flaps 154 and 156 are retained securely in contact with the respective side edge 172, 174 of the flap 158, without a specific need for any form of location tray as used with the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.The anchoring means used in this embodiment can be seen from Figures 7 and 8 to be a pair of integral tabs 173 located respectively on slanting edges 172 and 174 of flap 158, which integral tabs 173 are houseable in corresponding slots 175 formed respectively in flaps 154 and 156. Thus, when the hopper portion 176 is formed, integral tabs 173 are located within the respective slots 175 in order to firmly locate the mirror image flaps 154 and 156 in contact with the respective side edges 172 and 174 of flap 158.

The only other minor difference between the container 112 and the container 12 shown in Figures 1 to 4 concerns the base portion of the container 112, where the flaps 194,196,198 and 200 are so dimensioned that the whole of the base portion 148 is effectively composed of two layers of the material from which the container 112 is made.

It will be readily appreciated that the shape and size of the readily transportable, re-fillable containers for use with the method of the present invention can be modified within the scope of the invention to accommodate the size and shape of the discrete component to be stored therein. Similarly, the only restrictions upon the shape, size and dimensions of the four flaps making up the top closure of such a container are those required for the top closure to be readily convertable from a sealed closure to a dispensing hopper. The two embodiments of container illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 and Figures 7 to 10 are both designed to be made from Correx (RTM) plastic corrugated fire retardent board, and it is not essential that the flutes of this board should run in any specific direction when making up the container from a suitable blank, as shown in Figure 11.It would be preferable, however, to arrange for the flutes of this Correx (RTM) material to extend substantially parallel with the fold lines 32,34,36 and 38 of the container 12 shown in Figure 1, since this would have the double advantage of strengthening the tongue-like portion 60 in its function as the latching member in the slam-latch closure, and also will ensure that the flap 58 can be curved slightly when functioning as the base of the hopper 76.

An example of the dimensions of a suitable readily transportable, re-fillable container as shown in Figures 1 to 4, for use in storing and dispensing a predetermined quantity (1,000 - 2,000) of helical springs for use in the manufacture of motor vehicle fuel pumps, will now be described. With reference to Figures 1 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, such a container has the following dimensions: Length of fold line 32,34,36,38 so260 mm.

Length of fold line 16, 20 = 320 mm.

Length of fold line 18, 22 = 280 mm.

Distance between edges 20,62 on flap 52 = 170 mm.

Distance between fold line 16 and tip of tongue-like extension 60 = 170 mm.

Width of tongue-like extension 60 = 104 mm.

Length of tongue-like extension 60 = 43 mm.

Length of slanting edges 72,74 = 170 mm.

Length of base edge 64 of flaps 54, 56 = 160 mm.

Length of straight edge 66 of flaps 54,56 = 115 mm.

Length of intermediate edge 68 of flaps 54,56 = 45 mm.

Length of slanting edge 70 of flaps 54,56 = 205 mm.

Length of flaps 94,96 = 320 mm.

Width of flaps 94,96 = 142 mm.

Length offlaps98, 100 = 285 mm.

Width of flaps 98, 100 = 142 mm.

Thickness of Correx plastic corrugated board = 4 mm.

The estimated production cost of a container of these dimensions is such that, if the working life of the container includes 20 refills with discrete components, the overall cost of packaging to the supplier of the discrete components is reduced by a factor of 4.

The method and apparatus of the present invention provides a means of substantially improving the overall efficiency of production of saleable items using mass production techniques on an assembly line. Errors in production assembly can be substantially reduced, and the handling and storage of discrete components, especially small discrete components such as springs, screws, nuts and bolts, on such assembly lines can be markedly improved.

Moreover, the invention provides a means of substantially reducing packaging costs for such discrete components. Furthermore the present invention provides a means of substantially increasing the flexibility of mass production assembly lines to produce a variety of saleable items within a given period of time.

Claims (16)

1. A method of storing and dispensing discrete components for use on an assembly line for manufacturing a saleable item, in which a predetermined supply of said discrete components is stored within a readily transportable, re-fillable closed container adapted to be removably located in a predetermined position at a work station on said assembly line, said container being provided with a re-closable, resealable dispensing portion which, when in a closed, sealed position, forms a portion of the surface of the closed container, and which, when in an open position, forms a hopper from which an operator at said work station can readily select one or more of said discrete components.

2. A method of storing and dispensing discrete components according to claim 1, in which said container is a re-useable, re-fillable container which is designed to fold substantially flat when empty, to facilitate the return of said containerto a supplier of said discrete components for subsequent re-filling of the container with said predetermined supply of discrete components.

3. A method of storing and dispensing discrete components according to claim 1 or 2, in which a location tray is provided at said predetermined position at said work station, said location tray being provided with a configuration such that said container is firmly located in said predetermined position and the hopper formed when said dispensing portion of the container is in the open position is provided with structural support from said tray.

4. A readily transportable, re-fillable container for carrying out the method of storing and dispensing discrete components according to any one of the preceding claims, said container comprising a boxlike structure made from a shaped sheet blank having predetermined fold lines impressed therein to form integral hinges, said box-like structure having four side walls, a base, and a top closure, said top closure being in the form of four interengageable flaps which inter-engage with another in the manner of a slam-latch closure, as herein before defined, each flap being connected to a respective side wall by an integral hinge, two of said flaps being located opposite one another and being mirror images of one another, one of the two remaining flaps having a straight edge opposite the integral hinge thereof, and the other of the two remaining flaps being provided with a centrally placed tonguelike extension on the edge opposite the integral hinge thereof, the shape and disposition of said flaps relative to one another being such that when the box-like structure is filled with said discrete components and is laid on the side wall on which the other remaining flap is hinged and the flaps are disengaged from one another, said other remaining flap forms the base of said hopper, and said mirror image flaps form side walls of said hopper, closure of the hopper being achieveable by disengaging said mirror image flaps from contact with said other remaining flap, folding said mirror image flaps towards and into contact with said one remaining flap, then folding said other remaining flap over said folded mirror image flaps so as to deflect said straight edge of the one remaining flap inwardly of the box-like structure far enough for said tongue-like extension of said other remaining flap to pass beneath said straight edge and to latch into position behind said one remaining flap.

5. A readily transportable, re-fillable container according to claim 4, in which said one remaining flap forms a baffle across the box-like structure to restrain the quantity of discrete components issuing into the hopper.

6. A readily transportable, re-fillable container according to claim 4 or 5, in which said one remaining flap covers a major portion of the opening in the box-like structure that is closed by the top closure.

7. A readily transportable, re-fillable container according to any one of claims 4to 6, in which said other remaining flap includes inclined side edges extending respectively between the integral hinge and the centrally placed tongue-like extension of the other remaining flap, each of these inclined side edges being at least as long as the width of the adjacent mirror image flap so as to form an indexing edge for said adjacent mirror image flap when said hopper is formed.

8. A readily transportable, re-fillable container according to any one of claims 4to 7, in which the base of the box-like structure is formed from two pairs of mutually opposed integrally hinged flaps, one pair of which completely overlaps the other pair to form an openable closure through which, when in use, the box-like structure is refilled with said discrete components.

9. A readily transportable, re-fillable container according to any one of claims 4 to 8, in which an anchor means is used to retain each of said mirror image flaps in contact with the respective side edge of said other remaining flap when said hopper is formed.

10. A readily transportable, re-fillable container substantially as hereinbefore particularly described and as shown in Figures 1 to 4 ofthe accompanying drawings.

11. A readily transportable, re-fillable container according to claim 10, in combination with a location tray as hereinbefore particularly described and as shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the accmpanying drawings.

12. A readily transportable, re-fillable container substantially as hereinbefore particularly described and as shown in Figures 7 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A shaped sheet blank for making a readily transportable, re-fillable container according to claim 10, substantially as hereinbefore particularly described and as shown in Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of storing and dispensing discrete components substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to the readily transportable, re-fillable container shown in Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A method of storing and dispensing discrete components substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to the readily transportable, re-fillable container shown in Figures 7 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A readily transportable, re-fillable container substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to the specific dimensions given in the example in the specification.