Collapsible container

A collapsible, re-usable container of unitary construction is disclosed. The container is able to be locked into a flat, folded configuration as well as locked into an open, unfolded configuration, and includes a base, two opposing end walls that are pivotably attached to the base, and two opposing side walls, which are pivotably attached to both the base and to the side walls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a collapsible container, and more particularly to a collapsible, re-usable container of unitary construction that is able to be locked into a flat, folded configuration as well as locked into an open, unfolded configuration.

2. Description of the Related Art

Collapsible containers that are re-usable are extremely useful in both commercial and consumer applications. While there are a variety of collapsible, re-usable containers in the marketplace, all have drawbacks. For example, most collapsible containers are made from a material that is not sturdy. For example, collapsible boxes made from cardboard have a limited lifetime, and can only be re-used a few times. Fabric containers cannot hold extensive weight, and are limited in their usage. Furthermore, when containers are constructed from a thin type of material, the container cannot hold its shape when a larger load is placed within such container.

On the other hand, if a collapsible container happens to be constructed of a heartier material, weight of the container becomes an issue, and the container becomes less versatile and convenient to use. Furthermore, containers with heartier, more durable material are not easily able to be collapsed, and should they be “popped out” to their unfolded state after being stored in its collapsed form, the container has difficulty maintaining its unfolded position.

In addition, collapsible containers are not easily stacked, especially when loaded with items. What is needed is a collapsible container made with from a lightweight, sturdy material, which may be re-used many times, can be easily stacked, both when folded and unfolded, loaded and unloaded, and that can maintain its shape in both its folded and unfolded states.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a collapsible, re-usable container of unitary construction that is able to be locked into a flat, folded configuration as well as locked into an open, unfolded configuration. The container comprises a base, two opposing end walls that are pivotably attached to the base, and two opposing side walls, which are pivotably attached to both the base and to the side walls. Portions of the side walls fold into the end walls at a substantially 45 degree angle to allow the container to be placed into its folded configuration, and the height of the end walls may be at least more than one-half the length of the base to allow a top portion of the end walls to overlap and lock when both end walls are collapsed onto the base. When in the open configuration, a flap on a top portion of each side wall folds into the container and locks into the corresponding side wall. Two or more containers in the open configuration may be stacked upon each other by positioning the side walls of each container into a substantially vertical position, and wherein stacking lips located on the base of each container help secure one container on top of another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a collapsible, re-usable container of unitary construction that is able to be locked into a flat, folded configuration as well as locked into an open, unfolded configuration.FIG. 1shows an exemplary embodiment of a collapsible container100in an unfolded, locked state. The container100includes a base10, two opposing end walls20A, B, and two opposing side walls50A, B. The end walls20A, B and side walls50A, B are all pivotably attached to the base10and to each other. Flaps60A, B (FIG. 1only shows flap60B) are pivotably attached to the side walls50A, B, and inFIG. 1, are folded into the container100, and locked into the side walls50A, B by locking tabs70A-D (tab70D not seen inFIG. 1). When the flaps60A, B are locked into the side walls50A, B, the container100is stabilized and locked into its unfolded position shown inFIG. 1.

The base10may be at least wide enough to the equivalent of two times the height of the side walls50A, B plus two times the height of the flaps60A, B so that when the side walls50A, B and flaps60A, B are collapsed onto the base10, those portions lie flat and do not overlap. The base length may be less than two times the height of the end walls20A, B so that a top portion of the end walls20A, B may overlap and lock together when in the collapsed position. The base10may include two stacking lips15A, B, which are centrally positioned along its length along each of its sides, and the lips15A, B extend outward in a length that allows them to sit over a top edge of the side walls50A, B when the flaps60A, B are folded inward.

The end walls20A, B may include handles30A, B so that the container100may easily be toted in its unfolded position. The end walls20A, B may be completely rigid, and may not pivot except at the locations where the end walls20A, B adjoin the base10and the side walls50A, B. On the other hand, the side walls50A, B, in addition to pivoting about the locations where the side walls20A, B adjoin the base10and the end walls20A, B, may also pivot along folding hinges80A-D (hinge80D not seen inFIG. 1) in order to collapse the container100, as will be discussed herein.

The container100may be constructed from injected molded polypropylene, and may be fabricated as a solid, unitary piece (seeFIG. 2). When constructed of polypropylene, the container100is considerably strong and resilient, and the hinges are durable. The polypropylene may include a pattern5(seeFIG. 1) which alternates between thicker truss-like portions with thinner triangular sections within the truss-like portions. The use of the thick and thin pattern5decreases the overall weight of the container100, making the container100easier to use and manipulate, and the thicker truss-like design provides strength to the container100.

FIG. 2illustrates the container100after it has come out of an injection molding apparatus wherein the container100is a flat, unitary piece. Locking hooks90(which will be described herein) are also formed during the injection molding process and attached to one or more welding flaps7A-D. To fabricate the container100, the hooks90are first removed from the flat container100. The side walls50A, B are folded along side wall live hinges52A, B toward an inner portion12of the base10to a substantially perpendicular or ninety degree angle to the base10. The welding flaps7A-D are folded along welding flap live hinges85A-D toward an inner portion54A, B of the side walls50A, B to a substantially perpendicular or ninety degree angle to the side walls50A, B. The end walls20A, B are folded along end wall live hinges22A, B toward the inner portion12of the base10to a substantially perpendicular or ninety degree angle to the base10. The welding flaps7A-D, which have been folded to a substantially perpendicular position to the side walls50A, B, are placed on the inside portion24A, B of the end walls20A, B, wherein raised welding flap nodules9A on the welding flaps7A-D are received by reciprocal welding flap indentions9B on the end walls20A, B. The welding flaps7A-D are welded to the end walls20A, B in this position via plastic welding, such as radio frequency (“RF”) welding. Once welded, the welding flap live hinges85A-D become the hinges between the end walls20A, B and side walls50A, B, and the collapsible container100, with unfolded flaps60A, B results (as shown inFIG. 7.)

Turning back toFIG. 1, the collapsible container100in its unfolded and locked state has flaps60A, B folded into the container100. The flaps60A, B are folded along flap live hinges65A, B to the inner portion54A, B of the side walls50A, B, approximately 180 degrees until the flaps60A, B are adjacent to the side walls50A, B (seeFIG. 5for a detailed view of a flap60locked into the side wall50). Locking tabs70A-D located on an inner portion62A, B of the flaps60A, B secure the flaps60A, B to the side walls50A, B.

FIG. 3is a side view of the collapsible container, showing the side wall50A with flap60folded into the container100(not visible). The opposite side wall50B is similar in construction, except where noted.FIG. 3shows the approximate position of the locking tabs70A, B and tab receivers75A, B to the side wall50A. Tab receivers75are small openings within the side walls50which are sized to fit tabs70(seeFIG. 4). The tab receivers75A, B are located within triangular sections56A, B of the side wall50A defined by folding hinges80A, B, flap live hinge65A and welding flap live hinges85A, B. The tab receivers75A, B are positioned in a reciprocal position to the tabs70A, B on the flaps60A, B (when the flaps60A, B are folded), and therefore may not be further down the side wall50A than the height of the flap60A. The tabs70A, B may include a triangular cross section as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, wherein a first side71of the tab70is substantially perpendicular to the flap60, and a second side72of the tab70is angled. As shown inFIG. 5, the angled side72is located on a bottom side of the tab70(when the flap60is folded into the side wall50.) This tab configuration allows the tab70to be easily received by the tab receiver75, but difficult to remove without manipulation. When the angled portion of the tab70is pushed up and through the side wall50A, the flap70is unlocked from the side wall50, as shown inFIG. 6, and may be rotated up to the vertical position in line with the side wall50.

FIG. 7is a perspective view of the collapsible container100, wherein the flaps60A, B have been unfolded into a vertical alignment with the side walls50A, B. To fold the container100, the flaps60A, B are extended into the vertical alignment with the side walls50A, B. As seen inFIG. 7, the folding hinges80A, B continue from the side walls50A, B and to the flaps60A, B, thereby continuing the triangular sections56A-D into the flaps60A, B, as well.

FIG. 8is a perspective view of the container100as it is being collapsed. Four gaps25A-D at the corners of the container100allow the container100to be easily folded. Similarly, a small lip gap17A, B above the stacking lips15A, B allow the container100to be easily folded. The lip gaps17A, B may have a height of approximately the width of the side walls50A, B to allow the side walls50A, B to lie flat when completely collapsed.

As the container100is being collapsed, a middle portion58A, B of the side walls50A, B and flaps60A, B push toward the inner portion12of the base10, along side wall live hinges52A, B. At the same time, triangular sections56A-D (including the extensions into the flaps60A, B) are rotated away from the inner portion12of the base10, pivoting both along welding flap hinges85A-D and along folding hinges80A-D, which rotate at a substantially45degree angle. End walls20A, B are rotated toward the inner portion12of the base10, along end wall live hinges22A, B at the same time, as well. When the middle portions58A, B of the side walls50A, B and flaps60A, B are rotated to that the middle portions58A, B lie flat on the inner portion12of the base10(inner portions together), exterior portions of the triangular sections56A-D meet the top of exterior portions of the middle portions58A, B of the side walls50A, which allow the inner portions of the triangular sections56A-D to meet the inner portions24A,B of the end walls20A, B. Further, the tabs70A-D, which are located on the inner portion of the flaps60A, B are placed in a vertical position, or a position that is perpendicular to the collapsed container100, and meet the inner portions24A, B of the end walls20A, B.

FIG. 9is a perspective view of the collapsible container100in a collapsed state. The tabs70A-D that are perpendicular to the base10(when collapsed) fit through reciprocal tab receivers75E-H in the end walls20A, B to lock the container100into a collapsed position. In addition, a locking tab70E is positioned centrally on a top portion of one end wall20B, and a tab receiver75I is reciprocally positioned on the other end wall20A (shown inFIG. 10). In the collapsed state, the locking tab70E is placed in the tab receiver75I to lock the end walls20A, B together, and lock the container100into its collapsed position.FIG. 11shows locking tab70E and tab receiver75I, which operates in substantially the same manner as locking tabs70A-D and receivers75A-H.

In another embodiment of the container100, a net120is inserted into the container100to create partitions as shown inFIG. 12. The hooks90that were removed from the container100after it came out of the injection molding apparatus (seeFIG. 13) are threaded through the net120to the hook midsection130, and the hooks90are folded at their midsection130and snapped together by placing a hook tab132through a hook receiver134(seeFIG. 14). Hooks90are placed at each corner of the net120(seeFIG. 15). Depending on the length of the net120and style of the net120, the net could separate the container across its width, length, or diagonally. The hooks90are inserted into net receivers55, which have a key like appearance (seeFIG. 12). The hooks90are first placed in a wider portion of the net receivers55, and then slid into a narrow portion of the net receivers55so that the hooks are held in place.

InFIG. 12, hooks90A-D are placed in net receivers55A-D, which are centrally and vertically located on the side walls50A, B, which allows the net120to separate the container into two partitions widthwise. The container100inFIG. 12also shows net receivers55E-H at a central and vertical position on the end walls20A, B, which could receive hooks90for purposes of placing the net120to separate the container into partitions lengthwise. Alternatively, a net120could be fabricated such that the container100may be separated into four partitions, both lengthwise and widthwise. While the container100shown inFIG. 12only has eight hook receivers55A-H, the container100may contain many other net receivers55for partitioning the container100in various ways. For example, four sets of net receivers55(a set being 2 receivers55per opposing wall) could be located along the length of the side walls50A, B, which would provide five partitions along the length of the container100. The container100could also be divided diagonally by use of one or more nets120and net receivers55.

FIG. 15is a cross section of the container100showing the net120inserted into the container100at its midsection lengthwise, as shown inFIG. 12. When the hooks90A-D are placed through the net receivers55A-D, the net120is placed in tension across the width of the container100. The top net receivers55A, C may be placed in a position where the flaps60A, B cover the wide portion of the top net receivers55A, C, when the flaps60A, B are folded and locked into the side walls50A, B. The net120may also be locked into the container, because the hooks90A, C may not escape the receivers55A, C when the wide portion is covered by the flaps60A, B.

In another embodiment, the container100contains adhesive strips140on its exterior.FIG. 16shows four adhesive strips140on the base10of the container100, but adhesive strips140could be placed on the exterior of the side walls50A, B or end walls20A, B as well. Adhesive strips140may be hook-and-loop, rubber gripping material, or any other desired material that allows the container100to grip or adhere to a particular surface so that the container100stays in place. For example, hook-and-loop adhesive strips140A-D placed in the positions indicated inFIG. 16would be an exemplary embodiment of the container100, which would prevent the container100from moving around in a trunk of a car.

FIG. 17shows an exemplary method for stacking two or more containers100. When the flaps60A, B are folded and locked into the end walls50A, B, the stacking lips15A, B sit on the flap live hinges65A, B, which join the side walls50A, B and flaps60A, B together. As shown inFIG. 15, the stacking lips15A, B created grooves16A, B that allow one container100to seat itself on a second container100.

Turning back toFIG. 17, although an end wall20A may include one tab70E in its upper portion which could interfere with the stacking process, because the container100material may be polypropylene, the end walls20A, B may slightly deform outwardly to enable multiple containers100to be stacked without damaging the container100. In addition to stacking the containers100in their open, locked position, the containers100may also be stacked in their folded, locked position.