Abstract:
A collapsible container that in the assembled configuration provides for a predetermined central space protected by six walls that are perpendicularly mounted with respect to each abutting wall and in the e collapsed configuration occupies minimum space. A bottom wall is provided with a predetermined umber of hinge knuckles with a central through opening through which pins are passed. Parapets of different heights are provided to raise the knuckles to predetermined heights that will clear the stacked up thickness of the folded walls. The height of the front, rear and the two side lateral walls is determined by the width of the bottom wall which in turn will also determine the width and height of the front and rear walls. A handle is removably mounted to the top wall, protruding toward the exterior.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a collapsible container that is volumetrically efficient for storage and transportation. 
         [0003]    2. Other Related Applications 
         [0004]    The present application is a continuation-in-part of the allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/113,209, filed on Apr. 25, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0005]    3. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    Several designs for collapsible containers have been designed in the past. None of them, however, includes collapsible parts that can be readily reassembled, as claimed in the present application. 
         [0007]    Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/113,209 filed by the applicant, now allowed, for a collapsible container. However, it differs from the present invention because the walls collapse inwardly over each other, resembling a flattened suitcase with the consequent volumetric efficiency for storage and transportation. With less parts, the present invention can be assembled and disassembled faster than the prior invention. Only one pin needs to be removed in the present invention to cause it to collapse. 
         [0008]    Other patents and publications describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a collapsible container invention subject of the present application. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the container shown in the previous figure partially showing the interior of the container with the top panel folded out and down and the lateral front panel being folded in and down. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows an isometric view of the container shown in the previous figures with the rear panel being folded inwardly. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an isometric representation of the container shown in the previous figures with the right lateral side folded down. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the container shown in the previous figure in collapsed position with a removable handle. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5A  is an enlarged elevational view of the handle shown in the previous figure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an exploded isometric view of the container shown in the previous figures, as seen from the rear. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the hinged longitudinal ends of the top and side panels seen from the rear. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the container shown in the previous figures in the collapsed position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged isometric view of tubular connector member  65  and a portion of pin  180  inserted through hole  67 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a partial representation of front wall  30  with clip  90  mounted thereon and with cooperative dimensions to engage top wall  70  (not shown). 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a partial cross-section of a corner of container  10  showing headed locking pin  99  protruding through cooperating through opening  39  and engaging the interior surface of wall  30 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0022]    Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to with numeral  10 , it can be observed that it basically includes bottom wall  20 , lateral panels or walls  30  (front),  40  (right),  50  (rear), and  60  (left), and top wall  70  perpendicularly and hingedly mounted to each other in the assembled configuration, as best seen in  FIG. 1 . Each of these walls or panels has an external surface and an internal surface. Collapsible container  10  can be disassembled, as shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4 , arriving at the collapsed configuration shown in  FIG. 5 . Therefore, in the assembled configuration a space is defined within bottom wall  20 , front and rear walls  30 ;  50 , right and left side lateral walls  40 ;  60 , and top wall  70  when these walls are perpendicular to contiguous walls. And, in the collapsed configuration, these walls  20 ;  30 ;  40 ;  50 ;  60 ; and  70  are stacked over each other, as seen in  FIGS. 5 and 8 . The walls have the same thickness T in this embodiment to simplify the explanation of how the present invention works. 
         [0023]    The designs of these walls may vary to accommodate conventional features such as reinforcement ribs R or other molding and/or production considerations. 
         [0024]    Walls  20 ;  30 ;  40 ;  50 ;  60 ; and  70  are rectangular with peripheral edges  21 ;  31 ;  41 ;  51 ;  61 ; and  71 , respectively, with four longitudinal sides each. In this application, the longitudinal dimensions of the container  10  and its walls will be referred to as width, length, and height, as shown in  FIG. 1 . These dimensions will include the dimensions of the walls&#39; respective integrally built hinge members, except for hinge members  22 ′ and  22 ′″ that extend from parapets  26  and  27 , respectively. The width of similar front and rear walls  30  and  50  correspond to the width of bottom wall  20  at its front and rear. The height of front and rear walls  30  and  50  (and lateral walls  40  and  60 ) will not exceed their width, which is dictated by the width of bottom wall  20 . Therefore, walls  30  and  50  will have a square shape at their maximum height. The overall height of lateral walls  40  and  60  corresponds to the height of walls  30  and  50 . 
         [0025]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 8 , the actual height of wall  40  is the height of walls  30  and  50  less one thickness T corresponding to the height of parapet  26 . In the embodiment represented in the figures, parapet  26  is integrally mounted on top of wall  20  and hinge members  22 ′ extend upwardly. The actual height of wall  60  is the height of walls  30  and  50  less two thicknesses T accounting for the height of parapet  27 . Other embodiments can be designed with different lengths for walls  40  and  60 . If the length of walls  40  and  60  is larger than twice the height of walls  30  and  50 , then the height of parapet  27  is only one thickness T and the height of walls  40  and  60 , since, in that case, walls  30  and  50  will be coplanarly folded and not on top of each other. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the height of walls  30  and  50  is larger than one half of the length of walls  20 ;  40 ; and  60 . Therefore, when folded, walls  30  and  50  will be stacked over each other. 
         [0026]    To facilitate the identification of the different elements in this application, it will be understood that lateral wall  40  may be referred to as the right lateral wall  40 , if needed and the longitudinal sides of peripheral edges  21 ;  31 ;  41 ;  51 ;  61 ; and  71  may also be referred to by qualifying them with the words “left”, “right”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, or “rear”, as needed. To facilitate the interpretation of the claims, where first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth walls are used, the reference numerals have been selected to coincide with the claims language. Therefore, peripheral edge  21  includes longitudinal sides  121 ;  221 ;  321 ; and  421 . These correspond to the first, second, third, and fourth sides in the claims. Peripheral edges  31  and  51  include, respectively, longitudinal sides  531 ;  631 ;  731 ;  831 ;  551 ;  651 ;  751 ; and  851 , corresponding to the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth longitudinal sides of front and rear walls  30  and  50  in the claims. Similarly, peripheral edges  41  and  61  include, respectively, longitudinal sides  941 ;  1041 ;  1141 ;  1241 ;  961 ;  1061 ;  1161 ; and  1261  corresponding to the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth longitudinal sides of right and left longitudinal walls  40  and  60 , respectively. Lastly, peripheral edge  71  of top wall  70  includes longitudinal sides  1371 ;  1471 ;  1571 ; and  1671  corresponding to the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth longitudinal sides in the claims. Also, in this embodiment panels or walls  30 ;  40 ;  50 ; and  60  will have the same predetermined thickness T. 
         [0027]    As best seen in the embodiments shown in  FIG. 1 , bottom wall  20  includes four sets of hinge members  22  coaxially mounted adjacent to the front side  121  of edge  21  of bottom wall  20 . Hinge pins  80  are receivable within hinge members  22  and  22 ″ to hingedly mount lateral walls  30  and  50  to the front and rear sides  121  and  321  of wall  20  with cooperating hinge members  32  and  52 . Hinge pins  180  are longer than hinge pins  80  in this embodiment because walls  20 ;  40 ; and  60  are longer than the width of walls  20 ;  30 ; and  50 . Hinge pins  180  are passed through members  22 ′ and  22 ′″ and are coaxially and hingedly mounted adjacent to the lower sides  941  and  961  of walls  40  and  60 , respectively. Walls  40  and  60  to wall  20  with cooperating hinge members  42  and  62 . The length of walls  40  and  60  have to be at least the width of wall  20 . Hinge pins  80  and  180  are thus positioned at a parallel and spaced apart relationship with respect to the plane of bottom wall  20 . 
         [0028]    Right side  221  of peripheral edge  21  of bottom wall  20  is characterized by having a longitudinal parapet  26  with a height slightly larger than two thicknesses T accounting for the thickness of walls  30  (and  50 ) in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 8 . Hinge members  22 ′ are coaxially mounted over parapet  26  leaving a space in between to receive hinge members  42 . As it can be seen from  FIGS. 2 and 3 , front and rear walls  30  and  50 , when folded, will lay above bottom wall  20  since their height is larger than one half of the length of bottom walls  20 ;  40 ; and  60 . Walls  30  and  50  can be brought in abutting contact with bottom wall  20 , if the height of walls  30  and  50  is less than half the length of walls  20 ;  40 ; and  60 . Walls  30  and  50  are then folded on top of bottom wall  20 . Therefore, depending on the height of walls  30  and  50  and the length of walls  40  and  60 , the collapsed configuration of the container will have five or six wall thicknesses T when collapsed. Wall  30  includes hinge members  32 , as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , that are mounted to the lower side  531  of edge  31  with their respective through holes  33  coaxially aligned with through holes  23  of hinge members  22 . Similarly, wall  50  includes hinge members  52  with their respective through holes  53 , as best seen in  FIG. 6 , coaxially aligned with through holes  23 ″ and hinge members  22 ″. Pins  80  are passed through holes  23  and  53 . 
         [0029]    To fold right side wall  40 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , hinge member  22 ′ needs to be mounted on parapet  26  along an axis that is kept at a parallel and spaced apart relationship with respect to the plane of the internal surface of bottom panel  20 . Parapet  26  is one thickness T in height. Hinge members  42  have cooperative dimensions to be received between hinge members  22 ′ with their respective through holes  23 ′ and  43  coaxially aligned. The thickness of these walls can be different; if needed for a particular purpose. In that case, the height of parapet  26  will have to be adjusted accordingly but to simplify the explanation of this invention in this application; the thickness T of all walls here is the same for this embodiment. 
         [0030]    On the left side (in  FIG. 1 ) of edge  21  of bottom wall  20 , as best seen in  FIG. 6  ( FIG. 6  shows the rear of the container), parapet  27  is shown. Parapet  27  has a height of two thicknesses T from the internal surface of bottom wall  20  with hinge members  22 ′″ are mounted thereon and with coaxially aligned through openings  23 ′″ for receiving pin  180  therethrough. The two thicknesses T are needed because walls  30  and  50  are folded over each other, partially overlapping in this embodiment. If their height is larger than one half of the length of walls  40  and  60 , then three thicknesses T would be needed for the height of parapet  27  to account for the thickness of walls  30 ;  40 ; and  50 . 
         [0031]    Lateral wall  60  is pivotally mounted to parapet  27  of wall  20  with pin  180 . As best seen in  FIG. 6 , the lower side  961  of peripheral edge  61  of wall  60  includes hinge member  62  with through holes  63  that are brought in coaxial alignment with through holes  23 ′″ to receive pin  180  therethrough. The upper side  1161  of peripheral edge  61  includes spaced apart hinge members  62 ′ with through holes  63 ′ for receiving removable pin  180  therethrough. Panel  60  is folded on top of wall  40 , which in turn is folded over walls  30  and  50 , which in turn are folded over bottom panel  20 , in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 8 . 
         [0032]    Additionally, top wall panel  70  is hingedly mounted to the upper side  1161  of edge  61  of lateral wall  60 , and it is folded out and brought against the outside surface of wall  60 , as best seen in  FIG. 1 . Tubular connector members  65  have through openings  66  and  67  that run parallel to each other longitudinally along member  65 , as best seen in  FIGS. 7 and 9 . Members  65  have cooperative dimensions to fit between hinge members  72 ′ and  62 ′. Wall  70 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , includes lock members  72  along the right (using  FIG. 1  as reference) side  1371  of peripheral edge  71 . Lock members  72  are mounted perpendicular to the plane of wall  70 . Members  72  have cooperative dimensions to fit between lock members  42 ′ with their through holes  73  coaxially aligned with through holes  43 ′. Locking members  42 ′ and  72 , along with pin  180 , function to lock wall  70  in place even though they are similar to the other hinge members. In  FIG. 2  it can be seen that, when disassembling container  10 , pin  180  can be left inside through holes  43 ′ rather than storing it separately. In the collapsed disposition, as shown in  FIG. 5 , wall  70  has been flipped so that members  72  do not interfere with the adjacent wall. Wall  70  is flipped and placed above wall  60  for the collapsed configuration. S-shaped clip  110 , or equivalent, is used to keep wall  70  in place. The resulting collapsed configuration has an overall height of six T (it could also be five thicknesses T if the height of walls  30  and  50  were smaller than the length of walls  20 ;  40 ; and  60 ), which can be readily stacked up in a volumetric fashion. 
         [0033]    Latch or clip members  90  are mounted adjacent to the upper edge  31  and the front of edge  71  as well as upper edge  51  and the rear of edge  71 . A representation of clip  90  is shown in  FIG. 10 . This will keep container  10  in the assembled and closed disposition in the event that lock members  72  and  42 ′ are not used or in addition thereto. Other equivalent mechanisms can be utilized to secure walls  30  and  40  in place. Another mechanism is shown in  FIG. 11  wherein headed locking pin  99  is mounted to inner surface of wall  60  and a cooperating through opening  39 . Opening  39  cammingly allows pin  99  therethrough to engage wall  30 . 
         [0034]    Handle member  100 , in one of the embodiments, is an arched elongated resilient piece, as best seen in  FIG. 5A . Member  100  has two headed ends  101  and  102  that are passed through the wider ends  105  and  106 , respectively, upon slight stretching, and then allowed to recover bringing the ends  105  and  106  within the narrower portion of slots  108  and  109  in receiving protuberances  103  and  104 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . In  FIG. 5 , slots  108 ′ and  109 ′ are mounted on the interior surface of wall  70  since the latter is flipped over for the collapsed disposition. 
         [0035]    As best seen in  FIG. 11 , wall  60  includes headed locking pin  99  that is cammingly introduced through cooperating through opening  39 . The headed termination of pin  99  coacts with the internal surface of wall  30  to keep the latter perpendicularly disposed with respect to the abutting walls. 
         [0036]    The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.