Abstract:
A container constructed of parts that are injection molded using a synthetic resin molding technique includes a base, side walls and end walls. The side and end walls are movable between a first position in which the side and end walls are collapsed in the interior of the base and a second position in which the side and end walls are erect for being engaged at the corners by over center latches that are also molded of a synthetic resin material. The latches fit within recessed areas of the side or end walls such that when the latches are in a locked or unlocked position, the latches are contained entirely within a recessed area, which is recessed with respect to the/exterior surface of the walls. Thus, when the latches are in the latched or unlatched position, the latches do not project outwardly beyond the exterior surface of the walls.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to a container that is designed for hauling bulk goods, such as tobacco.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    A container for hauling bulk goods, such as tobacco, is required to transport tobacco from a tobacco auction house or warehouse, for example, to tobacco processing plants. It is important to transport such bulk goods in secure containers that are sufficiently large to use the cargo space of a typical trailer. Further, since the containers are of a large size, re-use of the containers is important in order to provide economical transportation of the bulk goods.  
           [0005]    Knock down bulk containers are known in general, and have the advantage that the side and end walls of the container can be erected when the container is to be used, but otherwise the container can be shipped or stored in an unassembled state to save space. Specifically, bulk containers are known that can be shipped and stored in a knocked down state and assembled when needed for use as a container.  
           [0006]    In U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,356 to D. Miller, a knock down bulk box is disclosed in which the side and end walls are pivotally mounted to the base along the edges of the base. A full sized container can be formed by erecting each of the side and end wall panels of the container to their upright position, and by joining the adjacent panels together at the corners of the container.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is an object of the invention to provide a container that is capable of use in the transportation of bulk goods, such as tobacco. Preferably, the width of the container is approximately the same as that of the width of a trailer used to haul the container, which is for example 96″-102″ wide.  
           [0008]    It is an object of the invention to provide a container that is constructed of parts that are injection molded using a synthetic resin molding technique that includes molding the base, side walls and end walls of a synthetic resin material. Further, the side and end walls are joined together at the corners of the container by latches that are preferably molded of a synthetic resin material.  
           [0009]    Further, it is an object of the invention to provide the latches within recessed areas of the side or end walls such that when the latches are in a locked or unlocked position, the latches are contained entirely within the recessed area, which is recessed with respect to the exterior surface of the walls. Thus, when the latches are in the latched or unlatched position, the latches do not project outwardly beyond the exterior surface of the walls.  
           [0010]    Further, according to another object of the invention, the container has side and end walls that are movable between a first position in which the side and end walls are collapsed in the interior of the base and a second position in which the side and end walls are erect for being engaged at the corners by the latches. In the first position, the containers can be stacked at least two high to provide nested stacks of the containers for return shipment and storage of unused containers.  
           [0011]    According to another object of the invention, the corners of an assembled container can be unlatched at one side of the container to enable a side wall thereof to be completely removed from the base to enable full access of the contents of the container for easy removal of the contents.  
           [0012]    In particular, a preferred embodiment of the container of the invention has a base, first and second opposed side walls and opposed end walls. The first side wall is removably hinged to the base along a side of the base, and the second side wall is hinged with a hinge joint to an opposite side of the base. The end walls are hinged with hinge joints to the other sides of the base. Since the first side wall of the container is intended to be completely removed from the base, in a return shipment or unused position of the container, the first side wall can be laid down flat into the interior of the base with the second side wall on top of it. Then, the end walls can be rotated about their respective hinge joints to a position to lay down flat on top of the side walls in the interior of the base. In this first described position of the base and walls, a plurality of the containers can be stacked, with the stack of first and second side walls and end walls supporting the base of a next upper stacked container. In a second, erected position of the walls of the container, vertical edges of the first and second side walls are joined to vertical edges of the end walls, respectively, to form corner joints with over center corner latches.  
           [0013]    According to another object of the present invention, each of the end walls has an inside corner having a mortise and tenon joint that receives a corresponding flange along an outer vertical edge of the side wall to hold the side wall in an erect position prior to latching the corner joints with the latches.  
           [0014]    Preferably, the latches are over the center latches that are disposed in the recessed areas or pockets of the side walls adjacent the edges of the side walls. Each latch is constructed the same and has a pivoting latch bar that engages a corresponding recess on the end wall. Further, each latch preferably has an operating handle for operating the latch bar for changing a relative position of a pivot axis on which the pivoting latch bar pivots so that said pivot axis is positioned over center of a pivot axis of the operating handle to lock the latch bar in place in the latched position. The operating handle is rotated outwardly from the recessed area or pocket in which it is contained for disengaging the latch bar from the curved recess on the end wall. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a side view of an assembled container shown with the side and end walls in an erected position and with a latch holding the walls together at the corners with over center latches.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is an end view of the assembled container shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 1 with one side wall disassembled and the other side wall and end walls pivoted into a flat, (nested) return shipment position.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is an end view of the container in the return shipment position shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a latch shown with the corners latched together.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a corner latch shown with the latch bar of the latch rotated to a stored-away position.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a top view of the base of the container shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a side view of the base shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken from line  9 - 9  shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10 is one end view of the base shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line  11 - 11  shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 12 is an opposite side view to that of FIG. 8 of one half of the base shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  in FIG. 7.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the base shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 15 is a partial side view of the base shown in FIG. 14.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view taken along line  16 - 16  shown in FIG. 14.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 17 is an end view of the base shown in FIG. 14.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 18 is a partial sectional view of the base shown in FIG. 14 taken along line  18 - 18 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 19 is a partial end view of the base shown in FIG. 14 from the opposite side as compared with FIG. 17.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 20 is a plan view of an end wall of the container shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIGS. 21 and 22 are side views of the end wall shown in FIG. 20.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 23( a ) is a top view of the end wall shown in FIG. 20; and FIG. 23( b ) is an enlarged view taken from encircled area  23 ( b ) in FIG. 23( a ).  
         [0037]    [0037]FIGS. 24 and 25 are partial side views of the end wall shown in FIG. 20 taken from the opposite side of the side views shown in FIGS. 21 and 22.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 26 is a partial sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 20.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 27 is a partial sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 20.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 28 is a plan view of the non-removable side wall of the container shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 29 is a side view of the side wall shown in FIG. 28.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 30 is a partial sectional view taken along line  30 - 30  in FIG. 28.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 31 is a partial sectional view taken along line  31 - 31  in FIG. 28.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 32 is a partial top view of the side wall shown in FIG. 28.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 33 is a partial section view of the section shown by lines B-B in FIG. 28.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 34 is a partial sectional view of a portion of the side wall shown in FIG. 28.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 35 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 28.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 36 is a partial sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 28.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 37 is a partial plan view of the removable side wall of the container shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 38 is a top view of the side wall shown in FIG. 37.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 39 is a partial sectional view of a corner joint shown in FIG. 1 showing the corner latch in detail.  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 40 is another partial sectional view of a corner joint shown in FIG. 1 showing the corner latch, in detail.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 41 is a top view of a corner joint shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 42 is a of a corner joint shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 43 is a plan view of the operator handle of the latch show in FIG. 39.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 44 is a plan view of the latch handle of the latch show in FIG. 39.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 45 is a partial perspective view of a corner joint shown in FIG. 1 showing the corner latch in detail in an unengaged position lying flat against the side wall.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 46 is a partial perspective view of the corner joint shown in FIG. 45 showing the latch bar of the corner latch engaged with the end wall.  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 47 is a partial perspective view of the corner joint shown in FIG. 45 showing the latch bar of the corner latch engaged with the end wall and the operator handle in the over center locked position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0060]    [0060]FIG. 1 is a plan view of an assembled container  1 , having a base  10 , a side wall  20  (front side wall), another side wall (back side wall)  40 , which is different from the front side wall, end walls  30  that are substantially the same (common features among the end walls are referred to by the same reference number), and latches  60  that connect the side and end walls together at the corners of the container. FIG. 2 shows that the side wall  20  has three latches  60 , whereas the side wall  40  has only two latches  60 . FIGS. 3 and 4 show the side wall  40  and end walls  30  pivoted downwardly to lay within the base along with side wall  20  in a return shipping position. FIGS. 5 and 6 show latches  60  joining the edges of the side walls  20 ,  40  to the edges of the end walls  30  to form the corners of the assembled container.  
         [0061]    Several views of base  10  are shown in FIGS.  7 - 19 . In particular, FIG. 7 is a top view of the base shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a side view of the base  10  and FIG. 12 is an opposite side view to that of FIG. 8 of one half of the base. Further, FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of the base  10  taken from line  9 - 9  shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 10 is an end view of base  10 . A sectional view taken along line  11 - 11  in FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 11, while FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  in FIG. 7.  
         [0062]    A bottom view of the base  10  is shown in FIGS.  14 - 19 . In particular, FIG. 15 shows a partial side view of the base. FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view taken along line  16 - 16  shown in FIG. 14 while FIG. 17 is an end view of the base shown in FIG. 14. In FIG. 18, a partial sectional view of the base is shown that is taken along line  18 - 18  of FIG. 14. FIG. 19 is a partial end view of the base shown in FIG. 14 from the opposite side as compared with FIG. 17.  
         [0063]    FIGS.  20 - 27  show various views of the end wall  30  (both end walls are the same) of the container according to the invention. In particular, FIG. 20 is a plan view of an end wall  30  and FIGS. 21 and 22 are side views of the end wall. A top view of the end wall  30  is shown in FIG. 23( a ) and an enlargement of a portion thereof is shown in FIG. 23( b ). FIGS. 24 and 25 are partial side views of the end wall  30  taken from the opposite side of the views shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, respectively. Further, FIG. 26 is a partial sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 20 and FIG. 27 is a partial sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 20.  
         [0064]    FIGS.  28 - 36  are various views of the non-removable side wall  40  of the container. In particular, FIG. 28 is a plan view of the non-removable side wall and FIG. 29 is a side view thereof. FIG. 30 is a partial sectional view taken along line  30 - 30  in FIG. 28. FIG. 31 is a partial sectional view taken along line  31 - 31  in FIG. 28. FIG. 32 is a top view of the side wall and FIG. 33 is a partial sectional view of the section shown by lines B-B in FIG. 28. Further, FIG. 34 is a partial sectional view of a portion of the side wall and FIG. 35 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 28, whereas FIG. 36 is a partial sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 28.  
         [0065]    FIGS.  37 - 43  show the details of the corners of the container and the latches  60 . In particular, FIG. 37 is a partial plan view of the removable side wall  20  and FIG. 38 is a top view thereof. FIG. 39 is a partial sectional view of a corner joint shown in FIG. 1 showing the corner latch  60  in detail. FIG. 40 is another partial sectional view of a corner joint showing the corner latch  60 . Also, FIGS. 41 and 42 are top views of a corner joint. FIG. 43 is a plan view of the operator handle of the latch shown in FIG. 39 and FIG. 44 is a plan view of the latch handle of the latch  60  shown in FIG. 39.  
         [0066]    In detail, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the container with the side and end walls in the assembled position. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the side and end walls in a return shipment or nonuse position in which the side wall  20  is removed and laid down flat in the interior of the base and side wall  40  and end walls  30  are pivoted downwardly about their respective hinge axes to overlay the side wall  20  within the base. The side wall  40  is hinged to the base  10  (see the hinge joint having axis  29 , FIGS. 9 and 10) along side  12  of the base and the side wall  20  is a removable wall panel that is fixed in place along side  11  of the base when the container is assembled. Side wall  20  is completely removable from the base  10  and lays down flat in the interior of the base. Further, the side wall  20  can be removed and placed in the base while the other three walls are standing erect, for worker safety. Bosses in the base enable the panel  20  to remain in a position without sliding on the bottom of the inside of the base.  
         [0067]    As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the latches  60  join the edges of the side walls  20 ,  40  to the edges of the end walls  30  to form the corners of the assembled container. The two end walls  30 , which are hinged or pivot mounted along respective hinge axes  39  are erected first, then back side wall  40  is erected and latched with two latches  60 , for example, to the end walls  30 . Next, completely removable or detachable side wall  20  is lifted out from the interior of the base and staked into the side  11  of the base with angled flanges  27   a  that are received in holes  27   b  in the base (FIG. 1). The side wall  20  is then pushed into place to be latched at the corners with three latches  60  at each corner. End panels  30  have downwardly extending flanges  360   a  (FIG. 20) that terminate in the hinge joint in pockets  370   b  in the base (FIG. 10).  
         [0068]    Specifically, at an inside corner  31  of each end wall  30  is a mortise and tenon type joint  310  having a ramped flange  311  (see FIGS. 23 a ,  23   b ) that receives a corresponding flange of a recess  315  (FIG. 41) along the outer vertical edge of the side wall  20  (at each of the left and right sides of the wall  20 ) that causes the edge of the recess to slide over the flange  311  and flex back into a position  312  (FIGS. 23 b  and  41 ) trapped behind flange  311  to hold the side wall in an erect position to assist in the assembly of the side wall with respect to forming the corner and latching the side wall to the end wall. This feature  310  on the end panels  30  is provided in three places as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, for example. Also on each edge of the end panel, behind  310 , is a flange  318  that extends from the top  34  of the end panel to ⅔ of the way down and terminating at an angled portion  319 . At the bottom of the end panel is a protruding flange  320   a  (FIG. 22) that is received in a C flange  320   b  in the side wall to keep the corners in place (FIG. 22). The backing flange  318  does not extend the full way down the vertical edge of the end panels as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 because the corner joints need to be flexed outwardly by bending the end panels to deflect them from the top down and sufficient deflection cannot be accomplished all the way down to the bottom of the end panel because of the hinged joint. Also, flanges  160  in the base that are projecting upward as shown in FIG. 3, for example, engage with the side wall  20  to enable the side wall panel to stay in place for assembly of the corner joints with the latches. The removable side wall  20  allows for easy and complete (end wall to end wall) access of the interior of the container.  
         [0069]    When the corner joints of the container are unlatched, the panels or side and end walls  20 ,  30  are folded down into the base  10 . The fold up sequence is important because the nested container with the end panels  30  on the top of the stack of panels is in full engagement with the back side wall  40  and the removable side wall  20  to provide weight distribution of the container stacked above it, as shown in FIG. 3. Nesting rails  110  (FIGS. 8 and 9) run across the ends of the base to which end panels are pivoted. Also the upstanding flanges  120  (FIG. 7) along the base capture the feet  130  of the base to prevent side to side shifting.  
         [0070]    The assembly of the corner joints is shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and  39 - 42 . The inside corner flange  31  abuts the outside corner  21  of the side wall  20 . To hold the outside corner  21  of the side wall against the corner flange  31  of the end wall, the latch  60  has a latch bar  61  (FIG. 44) that engages a curved and structurally reinforced recess  330  (FIG. 39) on the end wall that opens outwardly and is aligned to receive the pivoting latch bar  61  with clearance until the handle  70  (FIG. 43) is pulled back into the pocket  210  (FIG. 37), which changes the location of the pivot axis  62  (FIG. 39). Pivot axis  62  is comprised of a pair of outwardly protruding pins on the latch that are received in holes  65  and  66  in an operator or locking handle  70  of the latch assembly (FIG. 37). The latch is squeezed and popped into holes  65 ,  66  in the handle  70  only when the latch is in the open position. When the latch is in the locked position, the pins cannot be removed.  
         [0071]    Handle  70  of the latch is an operating handle that is pivoted to move about an axis  71  through outwardly projecting pins  72 ,  73  received in holes  24 ,  25  in the side wall  20 . The handle  70  can be squeezed so that the pins are popped into the recessed holes  24 ,  25  upon assembly of the latches. As shown, the latch bar  61  is received within a recess  330  and held in a position such that its pivot axis is over center of the pivot axis for the operator handle as shown in FIGS. 5 and 39. In this position, the over center orientation of the pivot axis  62  keeps the operating handle  70  urged against the side wall to maintain the latched position of the latch. Further, in this position, the latch is entirely contained within the recessed area or pocket  210 . To open the latch, the operating handle is pivoted outwardly from the side wall, thereby moving the pivot axis closer to the recess  333  and allowing the latch bar to be unseated from the recess.  
         [0072]    As shown in FIG. 6, when the latch handle is disengaged, the latch handle and operator handle are stowed to a stored position in pocket  210  in order to lay flush with the exterior surface of the side wall. Further, in the disengaged position, the bar end  61  of the latch  60  is supported (snap fit) by a flange structure  161  in pocket  210 . To disengage the latch bar  61  from engagement with the flange  161 , the handle  70  is rotated outwardly, thus facilitating the beginning of the sequence for latching the edges of the panels together at the corners of the container. FIG. 45 shows the latches disengaged, FIG. 46 shows the latch bar  61  rotated around to the position in engagement with recess  330 . FIG. 47 shows the handle  70  in the locked position, which secures the latch  60  in place and forms the corner joints for the container. All of the latches are of similar construction.  
         [0073]    Preferably, the base is a two piece snap-together structure that is secured together by steel tubing that runs the length of the container. The container is preferably constructed of parts that are injection molded using a synthetic resin molding technique that includes molding the base, side walls and end walls, as well as the parts of the latches  60  of a synthetic resin material. The width of a preferred embodiment of the container is approximately 95″. When the containers have their walls pivoted into the return shipment position, at least two of the containers can be stacked on one another during transportation and storage of the stacked containers.  
         [0074]    While preferred embodiments have been set forth with specific details, further embodiments, modifications and variations are contemplated according to the broader aspects of the present invention, all as determined by the spirit and scope of the following claims.