Abstract:
A modularized bamboo container suitable for mass production is disclosed to include a top frame and a bottom frame respectively made of bamboo frame elements processed through a hot press and defining a respective endless locating groove at the bottom or top side, a plurality of bamboo slats, which have their top and bottom ends respectively inserted into the endless top locating groove and the endless bottom locating grooves, and a reinforcing middle open frame attached to the bamboo slats at an inner side and spaced between the top frame and the bottom frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    (a) Technical Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to storage containers and more particularly, to a bamboo container that is suitable for mass production 
         [0003]    (b) Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Various materials including ceramics, glass, wood, plastics, stainless steel, and etc. may be used for making tables, chairs, cabinets, storage containers, and many other furniture. For the advantage of showing a sense of antique beauty, furniture and storage containers made of wooden and bamboo materials are widely invited. 
         [0005]    A conventional bamboo furniture is known comprising a frame structure and a plurality of wall panels formed of bamboo strips by weaving. These bamboo panels have open spaces, and are fastened to the frame structure by an adhesive or by means of binding wires. There is known another structure of bamboo furniture in which the bamboo panels are formed of transverse bamboo slats and longitudinal bamboo slats, and the transverse and longitudinal bamboo slats are listened together by rattan cords. The fabrication of this structure of bamboo furniture requires much time and labor, and therefore the cost of this structure of bamboo furniture is high. 
         [0006]    There is also known another design of bamboo storage container, which comprises a top frame, a bottom frame, and a plurality of bamboo slats connected between the top frame and the bottom frame. The bamboo slats have the respectively top and bottom ends respectively fastened to respective bottom mounting holes on the top frame and respective top mounting holes on the bottom frame. Because the bamboo slats are flexible, it requires much time and labor to fasten the bamboo slats to the top frame and the bottom frame. Further, the top frame and the bottom frame are each formed of four bamboo slats, and the four bamboo slats are connected to one another end to end to form a rectangular open frame. 
         [0007]    The fabrication of this design of bamboo storage container also requires much time and labor. Therefore, this design of bamboo storage container is not suitable for mass production. Further, the top frame and the bottom frame have sharp angles, having less sense of beauty. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a bamboo container, which shows a sense of unique beauty and, is suitable for mass production. 
         [0009]    According to one aspect of the present invention, the bamboo container comprises a bottom open frame, which defines an endless top locating groove, a bottom open frame, which defines an endless bottom locating groove, and a plurality of bamboo slats, which have their top and bottom ends respectively inserted into the endless top locating groove and the endless bottom locating grooves. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the top open frame and the bottom open frame are respectively comprised of a plurality of frame elements prepared from bamboo slats processed through a hot press. 
         [0011]    According to still another aspect of the present invention, the reinforcing middle open frame is attached to the bamboo slats at an inner side and spaced between the top open frame and the bottom open frame, and a cord member is fastened to the bamboo slats and the reinforcing middle open frame to affix the reinforcing middle open frame to the bamboo slats. 
         [0012]    According to still another aspect of the present invention, the top open frame can be made having a diameter relatively greater than the bottom open frame, and the bamboo slats can be smoothly arched and curved inwards toward the inside of the bamboo container or outwards toward the outside of the bamboo container. 
         [0013]    The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
         [0014]    Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view showing the basic structure of a bamboo container in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view showing an alternate form of the basic structure of bamboo container according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a seventh embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a bamboo container in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a top frame  1 , a bottom frame  2 , and a plurality of bamboo slats  3  connected between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 . The top frame  1  is an open frame comprised of a plurality of top frame elements  11  that connected to one another. The top frame elements  11  are respectively made of a bamboo material and treated with heat and pressure in a mold, showing a U-shaped cross section. Further, the top frame elements  11  are smoothly curved. An adhesive, plug joint, fastening members, or any of a variety of other fastening method can be used to connect the top frame elements  11 . When the top frame elements  11  are fixedly connected to one another into the loop-like top frame  1 , an endless locating groove  111  is defined in the bottom side of the top frame  1 . The bottom frame  2  is made in the same manner as the top frame  1 . The bottom frame  2  is comprised of a plurality of bottom frame elements  21 , having an endless locating groove  211  at the top side. According to this embodiment, the top frame  1  is comprised of two smoothly curved top frame elements  11 , and the bottom frame  2  is comprised of two smoothly curved bottom frame elements  21 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows the basic structure of a bamboo container in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the top frame  1  is comprised of four smoothly curved top frame elements  11 , and the bottom frame elements  2 . is comprised of four smoothly curved bottom frame elements  21 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a first embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the bamboo container is comprised of a relatively bigger top frame  1 , a relatively smaller bottom frame  2 , a plurality of bamboo slats  3  vertically connected between the top frame  1  and rite bottom frame  2 , a reinforcing middle frame  4  attached to the bamboo slats  3  and spaced between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 , and cord members  5  fastened to the bamboo slats  3  and the reinforcing middle frame  4  to affix the reinforcing middle frame  4  to the bamboo slats  3 . According to this embodiment, the bamboo slats  3  are smoothly arched slats. After installation, the bamboo slots  3  are carved outwards toward fee outside of the bamboo container. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a second embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the bamboo container is comprised of a relatively bigger top frame  1 , a relatively smaller bottom frame  2 , a plurality of bamboo slats  3  vertically connected between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 , a reinforcing middle frame  4  attached to the bamboo slats  3  and spaced between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 , and cord members  5  fastened to the bamboo slats  3  and the reinforcing middle frame  4  to affix the reinforcing middle frame  4  to the bamboo slats  3 . According to this embodiment, the bamboo slats  3  are long straight slats. After installation, the bamboo container shows a hollow conical configuration. 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a third embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the bamboo container is comprised of a relatively bigger top frame  1 , a relatively smaller bottom frame  2 , a plurality of bamboo slats  3  vertically connected between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 , a reinforcing middle frame  4  attached to the bamboo slats  3  and spaced between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 , and cord members  5  fastened to the bamboo slats  3  and the reinforcing middle frame  4  to affix the reinforcing middle frame  4  to the bamboo slats  3 . According to this embodiment, the bamboo slats  3  are short straight slats. After installation, the bamboo container shows the shape of a hollow rectangular conical container. 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid third embodiment with the exception that the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2  of this fourth embodiment have the same size. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, fee bamboo container is comprised of a top frame  1 , a bottom frame  2 , and a plurality of bamboo slats  3  vertically connected between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 . According to this embodiment, the bamboo slats  3  are straight slats; the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2  are square open frames having a same diameter. 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is an elevational view of a bamboo container of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the bamboo container is comprised of a relatively bigger top frame  1 , a relatively smaller bottom frame  2 , and a plurality of bamboo slats  3  vertically connected between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 . According to this embodiment, the bamboo slats  3  are latticed intersected, and then the latticed intersected bamboo slat structure is connected between the top frame  1  and the bottom frame  2 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 9  is art elevational view of a bamboo container of a seventh embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the bamboo container is comprised of a bottom frame  2 , a plurality of top frames  1 , and a plurality of bamboo slats  3  respectively fastened to the bottom frame  2  and the top frames  1  to hold the top frames  1  and the bottom frame  2  in parallel at different elevations. 
         [0034]    A prototype of bamboo container has been constructed with the features of  FIGS. 1˜9 . The bamboo container functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier. 
         [0035]    Although particular embodiments of the inventions have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 
         [0036]    It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
         [0037]    While certain novel features of this invention have been show and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.