Anti-tipping storage box for eyeglasses and the like

A storage box for eyeglasses that may rest on a table, shelf, or other surface, comprising:

• a base portion having an upper surface, the upper surface having a plurality of compartments formed therein, each of the plurality of compartments being adapted to receive a pair of eyeglasses, said base portion also having a bottom surface;
• a cover portion hingedly connected to said base portion and disposable over at least a part of the upper surface of said base portion, said cover portion having an open position and a closed position;
• at least one spring member operably arranged between said base portion and said cover portion to bias said cover portion to the open position;
• a mechanical stop member disposed so as to stop said cover portion at the open position;
• and
• means for preventing tipping of said storage box.

A storage box, comprising:

• a base portion having an upper surface, the upper surface having at least one compartment formed therein, said base portion having a predetermined overturning resisting moment;
• a cover portion hingedly connected to said base portion and disposable over at least a part of the upper surface of said base portion, said cover portion having an open position and a closed position;
• at least one spring member operably arranged between said base portion and said cover portion to bias said cover portion to the open position;
• and
• a resilient mechanical stop member disposed so as to resiliently stop said cover portion at the open position over a predetermined angular range of cover rotation and cause said cover portion to impart an overturning moment to said base portion, the predetermined overturning resisting moment of said base portion being selected so as to be at least 2 times the overturning moment.

A method for preventing tipping of a storage box comprising the steps of:

• providing a storage box having a base portion with an upper surface, the upper surface having at least one compartment formed therein, a cover portion hingedly connected to the base portion and disposable over at least a part of the upper surface of the base portion, the cover portion having an open position and a closed position, at least one spring member operably arranged between the base portion and the cover portion to bias the cover portion to the open position, a resilient mechanical stop member disposed so as to resiliently stop the cover portion at the open position over a predetermined angular range of cover rotation and cause the cover portion to impart an overturning moment to the base portion, the predetermined overturning resisting moment of the base portion being selected so as to be at least 2 times but not more than 4 times the overturning moment;
• placing said box on a flat surface;
• and
• opening said cover portion from said base portion.