Abstract:
A container includes a plurality of walls pivotably connected to a base. At least one support is selectively positionable at one of a plurality of heights relative to the base.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/097,192, filed Sep. 15, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to containers and more particularly to a collapsible container with support members for supporting another container thereon at multiple heights. 
         [0003]    Many different types of collapsible containers for transporting and storing goods are known. Generally, the collapsible containers include end walls and side walls pivotably connected to a base. The end walls and side walls latch to one another to remain in an upright, use position and are collapsible onto the base for efficient storage and shipping when empty. Some collapsible containers include retractable supports so that another (generally different type) container can be supported thereon. One such container includes end walls each having a support that is partially supported on the adjacent walls when in the support position. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a collapsible container having at least one support that can be selectively positioned at more than one height relative to the base. 
         [0005]    Generally, the collapsible container includes a plurality of walls pivotably connected to a base. The walls latch to one another to remain in an upright, use position and are collapsible onto the base for efficient storage and shipping when empty. The collapsible container includes retractable supports so that another container can be supported thereon. The support can be selectively positioned at more than one height relative to the base for more efficient stacking of containers, depending upon the size of the goods stored in the container. For smaller goods, the lower stacking height can be used, thereby reducing the overall stacking height of the containers. For larger goods, the high stacking height is used to accommodate the larger goods. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container according to one embodiment of the present invention with the supports in a retracted position. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  shows the container of  FIG. 1  with the supports in a high stacking position. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  shows the container of  FIG. 1  with the supports in a low stacking position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  shows the container of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an interior perspective view of one quarter of the container of  FIG. 1  with the support in the retracted position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , with the end wall being moved toward a collapsed position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6  with the end wall in the collapsed position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7  with the side wall collapsed onto the end wall. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 5 , with the support in a vertically extended position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 9  with the support being moved toward the high stacking position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is similar to  FIG. 10  with the support in the high stacking position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  is similar to  FIG. 5 , with the support in the retracted position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  is similar to  FIG. 12 , with the support being moved toward the low stacking position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  is similar to  FIG. 13 , with the support being in the low stacking position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 15  is similar to  FIG. 14 , with the support and the end wall being moved toward the collapsed position. 
           [0021]      FIG. 16  shows the end wall in the collapsed position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 17  shows the support in the high stacking position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 18  shows the support and end wall being moved from the high stacking position of  FIG. 17  toward the collapsed position. 
           [0024]      FIG. 19  shows the end wall in the collapsed position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view of half of the end wall. 
           [0026]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of half of the support. 
           [0027]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view showing the support mounted to the end wall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0028]    A collapsible container  10  includes a base  12 , collapsible side walls  14  (or “long walls”) and collapsible end walls  18  (or “short walls”). The side walls  14  are pivotably connected to upstanding side members  16 , which are integrally molded with the base  12  and extend upwardly along the side edges of the base  12 . Each end wall  18  includes a support member  20  pivotably and slidably connected thereto by arms  24 . Each of the support members  20  includes a support portion  21  extending between opposite ends  22 , which protrude outwardly relative to the arms  24 . 
         [0029]    Each side wall  14  includes a set of channels  26 ,  28 ,  30  adjacent each end wall  18 . An upper channel  26  and a first lower channel  30  are open at an upper edge of the side wall  14 . The upper channel  26  and a second lower channel  28  meet at a recess  34  in the side upstanding side members  16 . 
         [0030]    The end walls  18  each include a handle portion  36  defined by a handle opening  38  therebelow. 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 1 , the support members  20  are shown in the retracted position. In  FIG. 2 , the support members  20  are shown in a high stacking position, where they extend across a mouth of the container  10  to facilitate stacking of another container (not shown) on the support portions  21  of the support members  20 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  illustrates the support members  20  in a low stacking position where the support portions  21  extend across the interior of the container  10  such that a container can be supported on the support portions  21  of the support members  20  at a lower height, thus reducing stacking height when the containers  10  are not full. 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  illustrates the container  10  in a collapsed position, where the end walls  18  are collapsed onto the base  12  and the side walls  14  are collapsed on top of the end walls  18 . In the collapsed position, the empty container  10  can easily be shipped for reuse while occupying the least volume. 
         [0034]    The positions of the container  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and described briefly above will be described in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 5-19 , which are quarter section views of the container  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the container  10  is symmetric about the section lines. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5 , again illustrates the container  10  with the support member  20  in the retracted position. The interior surface of the side wall  14  includes the upper channel  26 , which extends in an arcuate path from an opening through the upper surface of the side wall  14  down to an opening through the lower surface of the side wall  14  where it is aligned with the recess  34  in the side upstanding member  16 . A high stacking notch  27  is formed adjacent the upper channel  26 . A first lower channel  30  extends from the opening through the upper surface of the side wall  14  to a low stacking notch  29  in a generally arcuate path. A second lower channel  28  extends in an arcuate path from the low stacking notch  29  to meet and join with the upper channel  26  at the opening through the lower surface of the side wall  14 , again aligned with the recess  34  in the side upstanding member  16 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the end wall  18  can be pivoted from the upright position of  FIG. 5  to the collapsed position of  FIG. 7  on the base  12 . As the end wall  18  is pivoting downwardly, the end  22  of the support member  20  is captured in the upper channel  26  ( FIG. 6 ) and is then received in the recess  34  in the side upstanding member  16  ( FIG. 7 ). As shown in  FIG. 8 , the side wall  14  is then pivoted onto the end wall  18 . 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , the arms  24  of the support member  20  are also slidable relative to the end wall  18 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the support member  20  can be pulled upward to the position shown, where the support portion  21  is spaced directly above the end wall  18 . From that position, the support member  20  can be pivoted downward as shown in  FIG. 10 . The support portion  20  is then further pivoted to the high stacking position, shown in  FIG. 11 . In this position, the ends  22  of the support member  20  are received in the high nesting notches  27 . 
         [0038]    Again, starting from the retracted position shown in  FIG. 12 , the support member  20  can be pivoted downward into the first lower channel  30 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . The end of the support member  20  is captured in the first lower channel  30  and is pivoted downward into the low stacking notch  29  as shown in  FIG. 14 . From the low stacking position, the end wall  18  can still be collapsed directly, as shown in  FIG. 15 . The end  22  of the support member  20  is captured in the second lower channel  28  as the end wall  18  is pivoted toward the base  12 . The end  22  is received in the recess  34  of the side upstanding member  16  as the end wall  18  is received on the base  12 , as shown in  FIG. 16 . 
         [0039]    Similarly, the end wall  18  can be collapsed when the support member  20  is in the high stacking position, as shown in  FIG. 17 , where the end  22  of the support member  20  is received in the high stacking notch  27 . As shown in  FIG. 18 , the end  22  of the support member  20  moves downward within the upper channel  26  as the end wall  18  is pivoted downward toward the base  12 . Again, the end  22  of the support member  20  is received in the recess  34  of the side upstanding member  16  as the end wall  18  is received on the base  12  as shown in  FIG. 19 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view of half of the end wall  18  mounted in the base  12 . The end wall  18  includes a vertical slot  40  adjacent a vertical flange  42  on each side of the end wall  18 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of half of the support  20 . As shown, each arm  24  includes an inwardly protruding pin  44 . Referring to  FIG. 22 , the pin  44  of each arm  24  is received in the adjacent vertical slot  40  in order to slidably and pivotably mount the support  20  to the end wall  18 . The vertical flange  42  abutting each arm  24  keeps the support  20  from rotating outward of the end wall  18 . Other ways of slidably and pivotably mounting the support  20  to the end wall  18  or even the side walls  14  could also be used. 
         [0042]    In use, the container  10  can be loaded with goods when the support members  20  are in the retracted position as shown in  FIG. 1 . If the goods occupy almost all of the interior of the container  10 , the support members are moved to the high stacking position as shown in  FIG. 2 , such that a dissimilar container (typically, a nestable container, rather than a collapsible container) can be stacked thereon. If the goods occupy only a small portion of the interior of the container  10 , the support members  20  are moved to the low stacking position, as shown in  FIG. 3 , so that the container stacked thereon will have a lower stacking height, thus enabling more containers to occupy less height. 
         [0043]    When the container is empty, it can be collapsed completely as shown in  FIG. 4  for return and reuse, while occupying a minimum volume. 
         [0044]    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, although two stacking heights are disclosed, three or more stacking heights could also be provided. Further, although the support member design is shown extendable above the container, other designs with support members that never extend above the container are also known and could be adapted to the multi-position invention. Also, other support member designs, such as how they attach to the end wall, are known, and would be within the scope of the invention.