Abstract:
Briefly stated, a container of the present invention comprises a body, a top and a hinge assembly, the body comprising a front, a back, a bottom, a first side and a second side. The front, back, first side and second side are all pivotally connected together to define an open box, the box being selectively movable between a first position in which the box is formed and a second position in which said box is collapsed. The hinge assembly has a first pivot assembly and a second pivot assembly. The first pivot assembly is connected to the top and the second pivot assembly is connected to the body, such that the hinge assembly enables the top to be positioned substantially flat against the body when the box is in the collapsed position. The said front, back, bottom and sides of the container are foldable relative to the top to lie substantially flat against said top when the body is in its collapsed position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     This invention relates in general to collapsible containers, and more particularly, to collapsible containers capable of being attached vehicles such as an all terrain vehicle (“ATV”) and the like. Such vehicles are frequently driven substantial distances through rough and difficult terrain, where there may be no facilities available. Therefore, when using such vehicles, it is often desirable to transport equipment, tools, food and other items in a container attached to the vehicle. However, at other times, the container may not be necessary, or the container may be desirable only for one leg of a trip. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a collapsible container that can be attached to a vehicle such as an ATV that is capable of opening for use and folding to a collapsed state when not in use.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Briefly stated, a container of the present invention comprises a body, a top and a hinge assembly, the body comprising a front, a back, a bottom, a first side and a second side. The front, back, first side and second side are all pivotally connected together to define an open box, the box being selectively movable between a first position in which the box is formed and a second position in which said box is collapsed. The hinge assembly has a first pivot assembly and a second pivot assembly. The first pivot assembly is connected to the top and the second pivot assembly is connected to the body, such that the hinge assembly enables the top to be positioned substantially flat against the body when the box is in the collapsed position. The said front, back, bottom and sides of the container are foldable relative to the top to lie substantially flat against said top when the body is in its collapsed position.  
         [0005]     The container may further comprise a bracket that is capable of attachment to a mounting surface, and which is pivotally connected to the body is pivotally by the second pivot assembly. The bracket may comprise an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being angled relative to the lower end to define a bend in the bracket, the upper end being capable of attachment to the mounting surface.  
         [0006]     The container may further comprise a brace, the brace being capable of attachment to the bracket and further being capable of placement behind the mounting surface such that the brace will hold the bracket to the mounting surface. The mounting surface may be a vehicle rack, in which case the bracket will be configured for attachment to the rack. The container may also comprise a universal mount that is capable of attachment to a variety of vehicle racks, in which case the bracket will be attached to the universal mount.  
         [0007]     The hinge assembly may further comprise a lug connected to the bracket, the lug extending upwardly from the bracket. The first and second pivot assemblies are connected to the lug at spaced apart positions on said lug. The connections of said first and second pivot assemblies thereby define first and second pivot points. The hinge assembly may further comprise a third pivot assembly and a fourth pivot assembly, such that the third pivot assembly is attached to the lug and the fourth pivot assembly is attached to the container top. The third pivot assembly may be attached to the lug between the second pivot assembly and the bracket. Further, the length between the third and fourth pivot assemblies may be such that the fourth pivot assembly must contact the lug when placing the top over the body of the container. The first hinge assembly end may be attached to the bracket in proximity to the bend.  
         [0008]     Alternately, the container comprises a body, a top and a bracket, the bracket comprising an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being angled relative to the lower end to define a bend in the bracket, the upper end being capable of attachment to a mounting surface, wherein the bracket is pivotally connected to the container.  
         [0009]     Alternately, the container comprises a front, a back, a bottom, a first side and a second side, wherein each of said top, front, back, first side and second side are pivotally connected together to define an open box, the box being selectively movable between a first position in which the box is formed and a second position in which said box is collapsed, the body further comprising a lip, the lip being formed along an edge of and extending angularly away from one of said front, back or bottom, the lip thereby elevating the pivot point of the one of said front, back or bottom, such that the container is substantially flat when the box is in the collapsed position. The container may further comprise a top, the top being pivotally connected to the body and capable of laying substantially flat against the box. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The objects of the invention are achieved as set forth in the illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings which form a part of the specification.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top view of an embodiment of the collapsible container of the present invention in its fully open configuration;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bracket for securing the collapsible container to a fixture;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the hinge for securing the collapsible container to its bracket;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a partial cutaway perspective view of the brackets and braces securing the collapsible container to a vehicle rack;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of two braces and associated screws for securing the collapsible container to a fixture;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the collapsible container of the present invention in a partially opened configuration while being attached to a rack on an all terrain vehicle;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the collapsible container of the present invention in its collapsed configuration while being attached to a rack on an all terrain vehicle;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the collapsible container of the present invention in its fully open configuration with its lid open while being attached to a rack on an all terrain vehicle;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the collapsible container of the present invention in its fully open configuration with its lid closed while being attached to a rack on an all terrain vehicle;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the collapsible container of the present invention in its backrest configuration while being attached to a rack on an all terrain vehicle;  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the collapsible container of the present invention in its tabletop configuration while being attached to a rack on an all terrain vehicle; 
     
    
       [0022]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0023]     An illustrative embodiment of the novel collapsible container  10  of the present invention is shown generally in  FIG. 1  in an unfolded position. Alternate configurations of the container  10  can be seen in  FIGS. 6 through 11 . The container  10  ( FIG. 1 ) includes a body  11 , a hinge assembly (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) and bracket (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The body  11  is preferably, but not necessarily, formed from six sheets of generally flat steel, or any number of other suitable materials, and includes a rectangular back  12 , a rectangular top  14 , a rectangular bottom  16 , a rectangular front  18 , and two trapezoidal sides  20  and  22 . The shortest edges of the trapezoidal sides  20  and  22  each have a set of tabs  21  and  23 , respectively.  
         [0024]     The upper and lower edges of the back  12  are bent upwards at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to form lips  24  and  26  respectively. A hinge assembly (not shown) connects the top  14  to the back  12 . A first piano hinge  30  is attached to and runs along the full length of the lip  26 . The bottom  16  is attached to the first piano hinge  30 . In this way, the back  12  and the bottom  16  are pivotally attached to one another, and the bottom  16  is spaced away from the back  12  by the width of the lip  26  at the first piano hinge  30 .  
         [0025]     A second piano hinge  32  is attached to the edge of the bottom  16  opposite the first piano hinge  30 , and to a long edge of the front  18 , such that the bottom  16  and the front  18  are pivotally attached to one another. A third piano hinge  34  is attached along the length of a short edge of the back  12  and along the edge of the first side  20  opposite the tabs  21 , such that the back  12  and the first side  20  are pivotally attached to one another. In similar fashion, a fourth piano hinge  36  is attached along the length of the short edge of the back  12  opposite the side having the third piano hinge  34 , and along the edge of the second side  22  opposite the tabs  23 , such that the back  12  and the second side  22  are pivotally attached to one another. Although piano hinges are used to pivotally or hingedly connect the surfaces of the body  11  together, other types of hinges could be used as well.  
         [0026]     As can be further seen in  FIG. 1 , the back  12  has two sets of holes  38  and  40 , positioned near opposite sides of the back  12  near the lip  24 . The holes  38  and  39  are used for attachment of the body  10  to a fixture as will be described in detail herein. Additionally, the front  18  has two sets of slots  40  and  41 , that correspond to the slots  21  and  23 , when the body is configured to be a container, as will be described in detail herein. The top  14  also has two sets of holes  42  and  44 , that are used to attach the top  14  to the hinge assembly (not shown) as will be in detail herein.  
         [0027]     A bracket  50  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The bracket  50  is preferably formed of plate steel, but may be comprised on any other suitable material. The bracket  50  has an upper end  52  and a lower end  54 . The lower end  54  is approximately 50% longer than the upper end  52 . The upper and lower ends  52  and  54  meet at a bend  56  in the bracket  50 , such that the bracket  50  is generally L-shaped.  
         [0028]     A lug  58  is attached to the bracket  50  at the bend  56  such that the lug  58  is generally perpendicular to the upper end  52  and extends away from the bend  56  generally in the opposite direction from the lower end  54 . The lug  58  is generally rectangular in horizontal cross-section, and from a side elevational view, has a curved upper surface. A first bore  60  and a second bore  62  pass through the lug  58 . The bores  60  and  62  are generally parallel with one another and with the bend  56 . A hole  64  is located generally in the center of the upper end  52  of the bracket  50 .  
         [0029]     The lug  58  is the foundation for a hinge assembly  70  ( FIG. 3 ) that is attached to the bracket  50 . The hinge assembly  70  includes four parallel pivot pins  72 ,  74 ,  76  and  78 . The pivot pins  72  and  76  are formed from a single U-shaped metal rod and such that the pivot pins  72  and  76  are joined together at the U-shaped end and connected together at the other end by a link  80 . The pivot pins  74  and  78  are pivotally joined at both ends by links  92  and  94 . The pivot pin  72  is positioned within the first bore  60  of the lug  58 . Cotter pins  84  secure the link  80  to the ends of the pivot pins  72  and  76 . Sleeves  86  are positioned on the pivot pin  72  on either side of the lug  58 . A plate  88  is pivotally joined about pivot pin  76 . The plate  88  has holes  90  to enable the attachment of the plate  88  to the top  14  of the container  10 . The pivot pin  74  is positioned within the second bore  62  of the lug  58 , and pivot pin  78  is positioned in proximity to the lug  58 . Links  92  and  94  are placed on the ends of pivot pins  74  and  78  to hold the pivot pin  78  in parallel alignment with the pivot pin  74 . A sleeve  96  is positioned on the pivot pin  78  between the links  92  and  94  to maintain the desired separation of the links. The links  92  and  94  are secured to the pivot pins  74  and  78 , for example, by expanding the ends of the pivot pins.  
         [0030]     A plate  98  is pivotally attached to the pivot pin  78 . The plate  98  has holes  100  to enable the attachment of the plate  98  to the back  12  of the container  10 . The distance between the pivot pins  72  and  76  is such that when the top  14  is attached to the plate  88 , the plate  88  will contact the forward edge of the links  92  and  94 , as the top  14  is rotated over the links. This creates a friction latching mechanism to assist in retaining the top  14  in its forward position. The container  10  has two brackets  50 , each bracket  50  having its own hinge assembly  70 .  
         [0031]     The upper end  52  of the bracket  50  may be attached to a vehicle rack  102  comprising two or more inverted U-channel members  104 . ( FIG. 4 ). The brackets  50  are fixedly attached to the rack  102  by placing each bracket  50  on the top of the rack  102  along the top of a member  104 . Machine screws  106  are placed through the holes  64  in the upper ends  52  of the brackets  50  and corresponding holes in the rack  102  (not shown). The machine screws  106  are screwed into braces  108  (see  FIG. 5 ) positioned in the underside of the members  104  ( FIG. 4 ). As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the brackets  50  are mounted to the rack  102 , the bracket bend  52  is positioned atop the rack and the bracket legs  54  extend downwardly.  
         [0032]     As can be seen from  FIGS. 6 through 11 , the container  10  is shown mounted to a rack  102  on an all-terrain-vehicle (“ATV”)  110 . Because of the novel design of the container  10 , the back  12 , top  14 , bottom  16 , front  18 , and sides  20  and  22 , may be positioned in a number of configurations. In  FIG. 6 , the components of the container  10  are shown in a generally open configuration. In  FIG. 7 , the container  10  is shown in its collapsed configuration atop the rack  102 .  FIG. 8  shows the container  10  in the configuration of an open box with the top  14  laying substantially flat against the rack  102 . In this configuration, the tabs  21  (not shown) and the tabs  23  are positioned through the slots  40  and  41  in the front  18 . The tabs  21  and  23  each have holes  25 . As can be readily understood by one of skill in the art, pins (not shown) or other devices may be placed in the holes  25  to secure the front  18  to the sides  20  and  22 , in the configuration depicted in  FIG. 8 . When the container  10  is formed, as seen in  FIG. 8 , the container back rests against the bracket legs  54 . Hence, the bracket legs  54  prevent pivoting of the container  10  when it is in its formed position.  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  shows the same configuration as  FIG. 8 , but with the lid  14  rotated to a closed position atop the box. Flexible straps  112  attached to the top  14  are stretched across the top portion of the front  18 , and secured to hooks  114  attached to the front  18 . In addition, a universal mount  115  can be attached to the rack  102 . The universal mount  115  comprises a cross-member having series of holes and slots that are configured for ready attachment to a variety of vehicle racks. When the universal mount  115  is attached to the rack  102 , the brackets  52  are attached to the universal mount  115  instead of directly attaching to the rack  102 .  
         [0034]     In  FIG. 10 , the container  10  is configured to form a backrest for the rider of the ATV  110 . Latches, clips, or other such securing devices, which are readily known to one of ordinary skill in the art, may be used to retain the container  10  in the configuration shown in  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 11  shows that the container  10  may be laid substantially flat against the seat of the ATV to form a stable horizontal platform for eating, working, or other such activities.  
         [0035]     Additional variations on the basic construction are also available. For example, the exact shape and size of the container  10  can be varied to form larger or smaller box configurations. The height, depth and length of the container  10 , and thereby all of its components, may be longer or shorter. The container may be formed of material having holes, slits or other openings, or may be formed of materials such as mesh or fencing, so long as the components of the container  10  have sufficient structural integrity to perform the functions outlined in this disclosure. Of course, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that structural members may be added to strategic positions on or in the container  10  to allow the use of a variety of materials.  
         [0036]     Lips or ledges may be added to the top edges of the back  12 , front  18  and/or sides  20  and  22 , to provide for a more stable platform for the top  14  when positioned atop the container  10  when in the open box configuration. Other mechanisms well known in the art may be substituted for the combination of tabs  21  and  23  and slots  40  and  41 , including but not limited to, all variety of latches, hooks, knobs, braces and pins. The hinge assembly  70  may be formed with any variety of pins, sleeves, bushings and bores, so long as the pivot pins  72 ,  74 ,  76  and  78  are all parallel and enable the proper functioning of the container  10  as described and claimed herein.  
         [0037]     The brackets  50  and braces  108  may be of a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate attachment to a number of mounting surfaces. The container  10  may only need one bracket  50  or more than two. The lug  58  does not need to be integral with the bracket  50 , but may be attachable in a number of manners known in the art, including but not limited to, a slot and pin assembly, a slot and dovetail arrangement, or the lug could be screwed onto the bracket  50 .  
         [0038]     The detailed description above illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what I presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the invention. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.