Patent ID: 9290297
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: B65D

Claim Text:
1. A shipping container comprising: a shipping chamber enclosed by a bottom piece, two longitudinal side pieces, two transverse side pieces, and two cover pieces, each formed of molded foam particles of a predominantly closed foam structure; the bottom piece including a plurality of corner protrusions, each of the corner protrusions including a first socket integrally formed in a first side and a second socket integrally formed in a second side; each of the two longitudinal side pieces and two transverse side pieces including a pair of linkage heads each integrally molded of the molded foam particles at one of opposite side piece corners, each of the linkage heads inserted into a corresponding one of the first socket or second socket, wherein the longitudinal side pieces and the transverse side pieces are each pivotably maintained on the bottom piece around respective pivot axes which extend parallel with respect to the bottom piece, and are unfoldable from a folded orientation which extends parallel with respect to the bottom piece into an orientation which is perpendicular to the bottom piece to enclose the shipping chamber; each of the longitudinal side pieces or each of the transverse side pieces including: a top edge opposite the pair of linkage heads, two hinge receptacles extending from the top edge and connecting to one of the cover pieces, and an exterior carrying handle element extending from the top edge and disposed between the two hinge receptacles, wherein the handle element is formed integral to a first of the two hinge receptacles and spaced apart from a second of the two hinge receptacles, the handle element is centered between first end of the top edge and a second end of the top edge, the first of the two hinge receptacles is connected to a first side of the handle element, and a space separates the second of the two hinge receptacles from a second side of the handle element; wherein in the folded orientation the longitudinal side pieces or the transverse side pieces lie in same plane and the first of the two hinge receptacles of each of the longitudinal side pieces or the transverse side pieces is disposed in the space between the second of the two hinge receptacles and the handle of an other of the longitudinal side pieces or the transverse side pieces.