Collapsible container

A collapsible container includes a plurality of walls collapsible onto the base. At least one wall has a support pivotably mounted below a lip formed on an upper edge of the wall. The support is pivotable between a support position where it is partially supported on an adjacent wall and a retracted position. A stop on the adjacent wall prevents the support from retracting when another container is stacked thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to collapsible crates and more particularly to a collapsible crate with support members for supporting another container thereon.

Collapsible crates are well known. Four walls each connected via a hinge to a base are selectively movable about the hinge between a use position, in which the wall is generally perpendicular to the base, and a collapsed position onto the base. Various latch mechanisms have been provided to connect adjacent walls at the corner to selectively lock the crate in the use position.

Some collapsible crates also include retractable supports so that another container can be supported thereon. One such crate includes end walls each having a support that is partially supported on the adjacent walls when in the support position. However, the support can be knocked from a support position back into the retracted position by the container being stacked thereon. This is inconvenient for the user, who has to reposition the support and re-stack the upper container more carefully.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a collapsible container having a plurality of walls collapsible onto the base. At least one wall has a support pivotably mounted below an upper end thereof. The support is pivotable between a support position where it can support another container thereon and a retracted position against the wall. In the support position, the lateral ends of the support are supported on the long walls. A stop is formed on the long wall to inhibit movement of the support out of the support position when another container is stacked thereon. In order to move the support out of the support position, the support must first be lifted over the stop.

In the particular embodiment shown, the supports are formed on short end walls of the container, such that the supports and end walls can be collapsed onto the base and the long side walls can be pivoted onto the end walls. Alternatively, the supports could be formed on the long walls (or on equally-sized walls).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a container10. The container10includes a base12, upstanding side walls14(or long walls) and upstanding end walls18(or short walls). The side walls14and end walls18are pivotably connected along long and short edges of the base12, respectively.

Each end wall18has a support20. The support20is pivotably mounted at its lower edge to a position spaced below an upper edge of the end wall18. The support20is shown inFIG. 1pivoted to a support position, where it projects into the interior of the container10where it can support another container stacked thereon. The supports20each include a tab21projecting from each side into the adjacent side wall14. The end walls18each include a lip25protruding inwardly from the uppermost edge above the support20.

The interiors of the side walls14each include an upper frame portion22protruding into the container10. A curved channel24is formed through each upper frame portion22adjacent the end wall18. The interior of each side wall14further includes a lower frame portion26having a channel28formed therethrough below each curved channel24. A recess30is defined between the upper frame portion22and the lower frame portion26. The base12includes a pair of side upstanding portions32to which the side walls14are pivotably attached. Each side upstanding portion32includes a channel34formed on an interior thereof, below each channel28. The channels24,28and34are aligned with one another and with the tabs21on the supports20, so that the end walls18can be pivoted to the collapsed position prior to the side walls14being collapsed, such that the side walls14are collapsed onto the end walls18, as shown inFIG. 2.

FIG. 3illustrates one end of one of the side walls14. Each end of the side wall14includes a latch36. At the top of the curved channel24is a rail38spaced inwardly into the container10. The rail38includes a step40having a substantially vertical leading face42. The leading face42forms a stop, which will be explained below.

FIG. 4illustrates the support20(partially broken away) in the support position, with the tab21resting on the rail38and abutting the step40, which prevents the support20from being moved into the retracted position. As shown inFIG. 5, the support20includes a flange46extending downwardly from the tab21behind (that is, toward the exterior of) the rail38. In the support position, the support20is prevented from retracting by the face42of the step40on the rail38. The hinge connection between the support20and the end wall18includes sufficient tolerance for the support20to be lifted over and onto the step40by the user, as shown inFIG. 6. In this manner, the support20can be intentionally moved into the retracted position when desired, as shown inFIG. 7. In fact, the natural movement of the support20being moved toward the retracted position tends to lift the support20over the step40, so no additional effort is required.

However, when another container100is stacked on the supports20, as shown inFIG. 8, the weight on the supports20keeps the supports20down on the rail38, such that the step40prevents the supports20from being inadvertently knocked back into the retracted position. As also shown inFIG. 8, the back rail19on the upper surface16of the support20prevents the container100from sliding further toward the end wall18, which could cause the opposite end of the container100to slide inwardly of that support20. As shown inFIG. 9, the upper container100rests on the upper surface16of the support20, while the back rail19of the support20locates the upper container100properly between the end walls18. Although the upper container100is shown in contact with the back rail19, it is anticipated that some tolerance would be permitted. This may depend upon the particular upper containers100with which the container10is to be used.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. For example, in any of the occurrences above, the hinge members and hinge pins could be reversed and formed on opposite parts. Alphanumeric identifiers on method steps are for convenient reference in dependent claims and do not signify a required sequence of performance unless otherwise indicated in the claims.