Abstract:
A container includes a plurality of walls extending upward from a base. At least one support is movable between a retracted position and a support position. At least one magnet urges the support into one of the retracted position and the support position.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/029,393, filed Feb. 18, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to collapsible crates and more particularly to a collapsible crate with support members for supporting another container thereon. 
         [0003]    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. 
         [0004]    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. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    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 by a hinge 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. At least one magnet is provided in either one of the walls or the support (or both) to urge the support toward the support position. For example, like poles of magnets in the wall and in the support will permit the support to be forced into the retracted position, such as when the wall is collapsed onto the base or when moved by automated handling equipment, and will return the support to the support position when the wall is upright and the support is released by automated handling equipment. 
         [0006]    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). 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of one end of one of the side walls of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of one end of one of the supports of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the end of the support of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an interior perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1  with the support in the support position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is an interior perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1  with the support in the retracted position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is an interior view, with a sidewall broken away, showing another container supported on the support of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an interior view of an alternate container. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  illustrates the container of  FIG. 9  with the support in the retracted position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container  10 . The container  10  includes a base  12 , upstanding side walls  14  (or long walls) and upstanding end walls  18  (or short walls). The side walls  14  and end walls  18  are pivotably connected along long and short edges of the base  12 , respectively. 
         [0018]    Each end wall  18  has a support  20 . The support  20  is pivotably mounted at its lower edge to a position spaced below an upper edge of the end wall  18 . One of the supports  20  in  FIG. 1  is shown pivoted to a support position, where it projects into the interior of the container  10  and where it can support another container stacked thereon. The supports  20  each include a tab  21  projecting from each side into the adjacent side wall  14 . The end walls  18  each include a lip  25  protruding inwardly from the uppermost edge above the support  20 . 
         [0019]    The end walls  18  each include magnets  27  that are polarized like adjacent magnets  29  in the supports  20 . The magnets  27 ,  29  are aligned such that they urge the supports  20  away from the end walls  18  into the support position. The magnets  27 ,  29  could be separate magnets attached to, or insert molded with the end walls  18  and supports  20 . Alternatively, the magnets  27 ,  29  could be electromagnets, or magnetized portions of the end walls  18  and supports  20 , if magnetic additives such as metal flakes, powder or fibers were added to the plastic of which the end walls  18  and supports  20  are molded. Although the supports  20  are urged toward the support position, they can still be forced into the retracted position by automated handling equipment or when the end walls  18  are moved the collapsed position on the base  12 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0020]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the interiors of the side walls  14  each include an upper frame portion  22  protruding into the container  10 . A curved channel  24  is formed through each upper frame portion  22  adjacent the end wall  18 . The interior of each side wall  14  further includes a lower frame portion  26  having a channel  28  formed therethrough below each curved channel  24 . A recess  30  is defined between the upper frame portion  22  and the lower frame portion  26 . The base  12  includes a pair of side upstanding portions  32  to which the side walls  14  are pivotably attached. Each side upstanding portion  32  includes a channel  34  formed on an interior thereof, below each channel  28 . The channels  24 ,  28  and  34  are aligned with one another and with the tabs  21  on the supports  20 , so that the end walls  18  can be pivoted to the collapsed position prior to the side walls  14  being collapsed, such that the side walls  14  are collapsed onto the end walls  18 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates one end of one of the side walls  14 . The other end would be similar, as would the other side wall  14 . Each end of the side wall  14  includes a latch  36 . At the top of the curved channel  24  is a rail  38  spaced inwardly into the container  10 . The rail  38  includes a step  40  having a substantially vertical leading face  42 . The leading face  42  forms a stop that prevents the support  20  ( FIG. 1 ) from being knocked back into the retracted position when another container is stacked thereon. The step  40  requires the support  20  to be lifted prior to being retracted, although this can happen easily when there is no weight on the support  20 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  also shows three alternate magnets  27   a - c  that could be used instead of, or in addition to, the magnets  27  in  FIG. 1  in the end wall  18 . The side wall  14  includes an inwardly projecting member  48  to which a magnet  27   a  could be secured. Magnet  27   b  illustrates another alternate location on the side wall  14  which could be used to urge the support  20  ( FIG. 1 ) into the support position. Magnet  27   c  illustrates an alternate location where the magnet  27   c  would be opposite in polarity to an appropriately placed magnet in the support  20 , such that the magnet  27   c  would attract the support  20  into the support position. Again, any of the magnets  27   a - c  could be attached, integrally molded or formed from magnetized portions of the side wall  14 . Placing the magnets  27   a - c  in the side wall  14  would mean that they are not adjacent the support  20  when the walls  14 ,  18  are in the collapsed position ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0023]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of one of the supports  20 . The support  20  includes a flange  46  projecting downwardly from the tab  21 . Hinge pins  60  are integrally molded with the support  20  in this example. Multiple alternate locations for the magnets  29 ,  29   a - b , are shown. The magnets  29 ,  29   a - b  would be used with corresponding magnets  27 ,  27   a - b  respectively on the end wall  18  or side wall  14 . Magnet  29   b  on the support would also be used with the magnet  27   c  on the side wall  14 . The magnets  29 ,  29   a - b  could be attached, insert-molded or magnetized portions of magnetic filler. The magnets  27 ,  27   a - c ,  29 ,  29   a - b  would be symmetrically placed on the other end of the end wall  18  and on the other end wall  18 . More than one set of paired magnets could also be used at several of the disclosed (or other) locations. 
         [0024]    In any arrangement, the magnets urge the support  20  toward the support position as shown in  FIG. 6 , but permit the support  20  to be forced into the retracted position as shown in  FIG. 7 , such as when the wall  18  is collapsed onto the base  12  or when moved by automated handling equipment, and will return the support  20  to the support position when the wall  18  is upright and the support  20  is not restrained by automated handling equipment. Alternatively, the magnets could be used to retain the support  20  in the retracted position. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , when the support  20  is in the support position, another container  100  can be supported on the support  20 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show another container  110  with a different support  120  configuration.  FIG. 9  shows a bottom perspective view of the interior corner of the container  110 . The end wall  118  includes a plurality of openings  124  formed in a plurality of brackets  126 . The support  120  includes a plurality of arms  128  (one shown in this view), each having a hinge pin  130  formed at a lower end thereof. The hinge pins  130  are received in the brackets  126  and are captured in the openings  124  of the brackets  126 . The hinge pins  130  are pivotable and slidable within the openings  124  in the brackets  126 . The hinge pins  130  slide to the upper end of the openings  124  when the support  120  is in the support position  120 . The arms  128  extend at an angle inwardly and upwardly from the hinge pins  130 , such that the support  120  extends further into the interior of the container  110 . The end of the support  120  includes a tab  132  projected downwardly behind a rail  134  adjacent the channel  122 . The tab  132  interlocks with the rail  134  to prevent the side wall  114  from deflecting outward such that the support  120  would slip off the side wall  114  when a load is placed on the support  120 . A magnet  129  in the support  120  repels a corresponding magnet  127  in the end wall  118 . The other locations and configurations of magnets described above could also be used. 
         [0027]      FIG. 10  illustrates the support  120  moved to the retracted position within the end wall  118 . The side wall  114  includes an upper rib  50  providing an upper contact surface that contacts the support  120  as the support  120  is moved toward the retracted position. As the support  120  is moved toward the retracted position, the arm  128  is pivoted outwardly and the support  120  contacts the upper rib  150 , which causes the hinge pin  130  to slide downward within the vertically elongated openings  124 . As the support is moved into the retracted position, the magnets  127 ,  129  repel one another, so the support  20  will return to the support position automatically upon release. Any of the magnet locations disclosed above, or other locations, could be used in this embodiment as well. 
         [0028]    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. 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.