A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER

Abstract: A collapsible container of the type having pivotable hinged side members in the vicinity of a rear side and a foldable base which is hinged at the ends disposed most adjacent to the rear plate for upward and downward pivoting and in connection with substantially horizontal, firm engagement with a base frame. The side of the base facing the rear side is hinged to the base frame with a certain vertical movability, and forwardly at the sides the base has upwardly extending fittings adapted to cooperate with the side members at their lower edge, and finally the base is provided with carrying means for engagement with the base frame, said carrying means being disposed between the front and rear ends of the base, most adjacent to the front end of the base.

Description: A collapsible container The invention concerns a collapsible container of the type having pivotable hinged side members in the vicinity of a rear side and a foldable base, which is hinged at the ends disposed most adjacent to the rear plate for upward and downward pivoting and in connection with substantially horizontal, firm engagement with a base frame. Various forms of collapsible containers are already known, the purpose of such containers being that the empty containers are to be packed closely together when they are not loaded with goods. This is particularly desirable in return transport of containers and storage of these. For example, the British Patent Specification 1 590 951 discloses a container of the type having a foldable base and a ϋ-shaped base frame so that the con¬ tainers may be wheeled into each other after removal and attachment of a front member to the rear member. The latter operation is cumbersome, and the container total¬ ly lacks side members. Collapsible containers with side members are also known, the side members being pivotable between a folded-out and a folded-up position. The invention concerns a container of the last-mentioned type and concerns in particular a structure for simple and reliable attachment of the side members in the two positions. In the known structure, the side members are hinged at the rear side of the container in hinges per- mitting vertical movement of side members so that these can pivot in the raised position, but are locked in the lowered position. These known hinges involve a weakness in the structure and make it difficult to handle the container. The object of the invention is to provide a collapsible container which consists of simple and inexpensive com- ponents and which appears as a rigid and sturdy struc¬ ture in the position of use, i.e. folded-up and folded- out. This object is obtained by constructing the container as stated in the characterizing portion of claim 1. More particularly, the side members are pivotally journalied, while the base of the container is movable between a coupled position where the side members can be caused to be flush with the upwardly extending fittings, and a locked position where the fittings maintain the position of the side members. Because the base is supported rela¬ tively close to its front end, it automatically moves toward the locked position, and once goods are placed in the container, it is impossible in practice for the base to assume a position in which the side members are allowed to move away from the folded-out position. This structure permits the hinges of the sjide members to be fixed against vertical movement, which additionally im- proves the rigidity of the container. The upwardly extending fittings might be some vertical pins on the base for reception in holes in the lower edge of the side members, but preferably the fittings are constructed as stated in claim 2. This structure allows the base to be caused to assume the coupled posi¬ tion merely by pivoting a side member to the folded-out position as the lower edge of the side member edge brace cooperates with that of the faces of the fitting which has a slight inclination so that the fitting and thus the front edge of the base are pressed downwardly, corresponding to some upward movement of the rear edge of the base. The relatively steep faces of the fittings entail that the side members cannot readily be folded inwards in the same manner, but that it is necessary to cause the base to assume the coupled position, which can e.g. be done by stepping on the front edge of the base. The vertically movable hinging of the rear edge of the base with respect to the container may e.g. be obtained by means of the embodiment defined in claim 3. When the base frame is formed precisely with the vertical, oblong holes, the base will be vertically movable in its verti¬ cal position, which can be utilised for fixing the base in this position. When the hinges are mutually placed as stated in claim 4, the locked base can ensure that the side members cannot unintentionally pivot away from the folded-up position. Claim 5 defines preferred details in the arrangement of the locking mechanism of the base, which can advantage¬ ously be constructed as stated in claim 6. This means that the width of the base frame is reduced forwardly, but since the base tilts about an edge which is rela¬ tively stiff, this has no importance for the carrying capacity of the base. Rather, the base frame may be a relatively slender structure and then be reinforced by means of the features defined in claim 7, i.e. precisely in the area where the base is supported by the base frame. The invention will now be explained more fully by the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing, in which fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible container according to the invention in which it is in a folded-out position of use, fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail of the base of the con¬ tainer and one of the side members and illu¬ strates their principle of cooperation, fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the locking device of the container and illustrates the folded-up position of the base. fig. 4 shows a part of the container where the base is illustrated in a coupled position, and fig. 5 is a top view of the container according to the invention where it is in its collapsed state. Fig. 1 shows the collapsible container 1 in a folded-out position of use, and it appears that the carrying base frame 2 comprises a tubular hoop which tapers forwardly substantially in its entire longitudinal extent; this is to be seen in connection with the fact that the contain¬ ers are to be packed together by mutual displacement of several containers when stored or e.g. in case of return transport after unloading. Forwardly, from the front edge and a distance rearwardly, the base frame is pro- vided with a support plate 3 which can preferably consist of a U-iron profile. The underside of this mounts pivotable wheels 4. Rearwardly, the- base frame is equipped with a fixed, transverse base member 5 which thus stiffens the tubular structure of the base frame. Directionally fixed wheels 7 are mounted on each side of the base member 5 likewise on the underside via intermediate wheel plates 6. Vertical, fixed side members 8 are mounted on said base member, preferably in the same longitudinal extent, said side members being attached to the base frame by means of side plates 9 adapted to this. The fixed side members and the base member 5 are connected to a rear member 10 at their rear edges, so that these components together with the tubular hoop 2 are built firmly together and thus contribute to a considerable rigidity of the con¬ tainer. It also appears from the figure that the rest of the loading face of the container is a foldable base 11 which is rearwardly hinged in the vertical side plates 9, which, to this end, are extended a distance forwardly with respect to the front edge of the fixed side members 8. The hinging has been established in that holes are provided in the hinge fittings 13 of the base which are to cooperate with holes formed in said side plates via locking pins 14. As appears from the figure, the holes 12 in the side plates are slit-shaped, which permits the base to have some vertical movability. This will be ex¬ plained later. Forwardly, the base 11 engages the base frame 2 via a transverse tube 15 extending downwardly with respect to the plane of the base. It will thus be appreciated that there is a certain space between the front edge of the base and the base frame when the lock¬ ing pins 14 are disposed at the bottom of the slit- shaped holes, and that the transverse pipe 15 entails that the base as a whole can tilt between said rest position and a coupled position where the front edge of the base has been moved down toward the base frame, while the locking pins are disposed upwardly in the slit-shaped holes. As appears best from fig. 2, the base 2 has moreover at the front corners upwardly extending fittings 16 which are to cooperate with the pivotable side members 17 of the container for firm positioning of these. Fig. 1 shows these pivotable side members 17 in their folded-out position, and it likewise appears that rear¬ wardly they are hinged to the fixed side members 8 by means of non-slidable hinges, one of these being shown best in fig. 3. When this type of hinges is used, the otherwise rigid structure of the assembled container 1 may be maintained. As mentioned, the side members 17 are to cooperate with the base 11 by means of these fittings 16, which, as illustrated in fig. 2, takes place in that the front. vertical edge brace 19 of the side member is downwardly open and so intended for partial reception of the fit¬ ting 16. When a container in a collapsed state, as shown in fig. 5, thus is to be folded-out to the position of use, the base is first folded down to horizontal position, and then, when the base is in the coupled position shown in fig. 4, the side members are pivoted outwardly one by one to engage the upwardly extending fittings of the base. Since, of course, the container is empty in this position, so that the base is unloaded, the side members are moved over the fittings, which causes the base, as explained above, to tilt about the pivot defined by the transverse tube so that the side members 17 slide up¬ wardly along the faces 21 of the fittings sloping toward the centre of the base. In contrast, the container is collapsed by stepping on the front edge 20 of the base since its fittings are provided with relatively steep outwardly inclined faces 24 to prevent unintentional inward pivoting of the side members. After positioning of each side member the base tilts back to the rest position in a substantially horizontal plane. When the container is then filled with goods, it will be appreciated that the base, via its mass and because of the relatively larger moment arm from the hinging 12, 13 and 14 of the base to the front support 15, will be locked in its horizontal position. Accordingly, when the container is loaded, the side members will be firmly locked because the base will be relatively stiff from the support 15 and forward to the front edge 20 since this part of the base has a shorter moment arm. - 7 - In the collapsed state of the container the side members 17 and the base 11 are disposed substantially vertically against each other. This means that the hinged planes of the two side members are in practice horizontally dis- placed with respect to each other, which appears from fig. 5. That the base is not folded-up until after each of the side members have been pivoted inwardly means that the said hinging of the side members to the fixed side members will be disposed between the plane of the rear member and a vertical plane through the hinge pins of the base. It also appears from fig. 3 that the side plate 9 extends a distance rearwardly with respect to the vertical plane of the rear member. This extension of the side member has been made precisely to prevent the lower horizontal edge brace of the rear member from be¬ ing damaged upon mutual displacement of several contain¬ ers. It moreover appears that the front edge of the side plate is disposed a distance in front of the base in its folded-up position, so that also damage to the base is effectively prevented, the actual container being pushed closely together with the rearwardly extending side plate of a forwardly disposed container. It will thus be appreciated that the smallest length or depth of the container is defined by the length of the side plate 9 in the packed state. To fix the side members and the base in the collapsed state of the container, one side member 9 of the base frame is formed with a locking device 22, which is illustrated in fig. 3. This locking device is to retain the base via a horizontally projecting pin 23, which is mounted on the base, and which cooperates with an inclined slide face of the locking device 23 upon upward pivoting of the base, which is the last collapsed con- tainer component. Then, because of this hinging, the base can be lifted above a boss projection, and then, in the vertical position of the base, the pin falls down in a recess adapted to this purpose so that the base will retain the side members. This structure utilizes the oblong hole of the base frame both in connection with folding out and up of the container. The transverse tube 15 contributes to bracing of the base so that because of the tapered shape of the base frame, the base will not be bent down, with the conse¬ quent risk of the side members being released.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s : 1. A collapsible container of the type having pivot¬ able hinged side members in the vicinity of a rear side and a foldable base, which is hinged at the ends disposed most adjacent to the rear plate for upward and downward pivoting and in connection with substantially horizontal, firm engagement with a base frame, c h a¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the side of the base facing the rear side is hinged to the base frame with a certain vertical movability, and that forwardly at the sides the base comprises upwardly extending fittings which are adapted to cooperate with the side members at their lower edge, and that the base is formed with carrying means to engage the base frame, said carrying means be¬ ing disposed between the front and rear ends of the base most adjacent to the front end of the base. 2. A collapsible container according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that some of the fittings placed forwardly on the base are adapted to be received in the vertical edge braces of the side members upon outward pivoting of said side members, and that the fittings in a vertical section have slightly inwardly inclined faces and relatively steeply outwardly inclined faces. 3. A collapsible container according to claims 1-2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the base frame and the base are provided with holes at each side for pivotal journalling thereof, said holes in the base frame being formed as substantially vertical oblong slits to receive locking pins, which extend through the holes in the base. 4. A collapsible container according to claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rearward hinging of the side members is disposed between the plane of the rear side and a vertical plane through the hinges of the base. 5. A collapsible container according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a horizontal out¬ wardly extending pin is mounted at least on one side edge of the base at some distance from the base hinging, said pin, in connection with the vertical movability of the base, being adapted to cooperate with a locking fit¬ ting mounted on the side plate of the base frame sub¬ stantially vertically above said slit, the front part of said locking fitting being formed as a rearwardly in¬ clined slide face provided with upwardly extending pro- jections, the rear part of said locking fitting being formed as a recess to receive said pin. 6. A collapsible container according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the width of the base frame decreases in a direction away from the rear member of the container. 7. A collapsible container according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the underside of the base frame is provided with a support, e.g. a ϋ-shaped profil rail extending in parallel with the rear member in the vicinity of the area where the carrying means of the base cooperate with the base frame.

Inventors: NESTING ERIK MARKVARD GRUBBE, NESTING, ERIK, MARKVARD, GRUBBE
Applicants: VARIANTSYSTEMET AS, VARIANTSYSTEMET A/S
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B62B3
IPC codes: B62B3