Abstract:
A container ( 10 ) to be movable from an erect configuration to a folded configuration enabling stacking of a plurality of the containers ( 10 ). The containers has a pair of side walls ( 16 ) that fold down on to the base ( 14 ), and a pair of end walls ( 18 ) including an upper panel that is pivotally attached to the rim ( 12 ), and a lower panel ( 32 ) pivotally attached to the base ( 14 ). The panels ( 30, 32 ) pivot to provide for movement of the rim ( 12 ) to the base ( 14 ) so the container ( 10 ) assumes a folded configuration.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a collapsible container and method of shopping suitable for supermarket shopping.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Supermarkets are currently making efforts to reduce the number of plastic bags dispensed to shoppers. Plastic shopping bags are not easily biodegradable and contribute to pollution of the environment. Presently, supermarkets sell inexpensive reusable shopping bags for shoppers to carry their groceries. While such shopping bags are useful for small shopping trips, families on big grocery shopping trips which generally fill one or two trolleys cannot efficiently use such reusable shopping bags as they would require a substantial number of such bags to contain all their groceries.  
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention aims to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate the prior art disadvantages or at least provide a useful alternative.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     In one aspect, the present invention proves a collapsible container including:  
         [0005]     a base of a quadrilateral configuration so as to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel end edges and a pair of spaced generally parallel side edges;  
         [0006]     an upper rim of a quadrilateral configuration so as to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel end edges and a pair of spaced generally parallel side edges;  
         [0007]     a pair of side walls, each side wall extending generally between respective corresponding side edges of the base and upper rim when in an assembled position of said side wall, each side wall pivotally attached to one of said corresponding side edges so as to be angularly movable between said assembled position and a collapsed position where said side wall is positioned over and substantially parallel to the base;  
         [0008]     a pair of end walls, each end wall extending generally between respective corresponding end edges of the base and upper rim when in an assembled position of said end wall, each end wall including a lower panel pivotally attached to one base end edge and an upper panel pivotally attached to one upper rim end edge, the lower and upper panels of each end wall pivotally attached to each other for movement between said assembled position and a collapsed position where the lower and upper panels are stacked over and substantially parallel to said base; and  
         [0009]     wherein in the collapsed positions of the side and end walls, the upper rim is moved to a position substantially adjacent the base.  
         [0010]     The side walls are preferably pivotally attached to respective side edges of the upper rim. Preferably, the side walls fully extend between the base and the upper rim.  
         [0011]     One of the side walls is preferably perpendicular to the base in its assembled position. The other side wall is preferably at an obtuse angle relative to the base in its assembled position. The end walls are preferably at an obtuse angle relative to the base in their assembled position. The upper rim and base are preferably substantially in the shape of a trapezoid.  
         [0012]     Preferably, the upper rim includes handles. The handles are preferably portions of the upper rim which are disposed inwardly of the upper rim periphery to form indents in the upper rim. The handles are preferably portions of the end edges. Preferably, the base and handles are dimensioned such that a first assembled container can be placed on top of a second assembled container with the first container base resting on the second container handles. The base, side walls and end walls are all preferably disposed inwardly of the indents in the collapsed position of the side walls and end walls.  
         [0013]     The container preferably further includes releasable locking means for locking the side walls in their assembled position. The container preferably further includes releasable locking means for locking the end walls in their assembled position.  
         [0014]     In another aspect, the present invention provides a stack of a plurality of containers according to the above, wherein the side and end walls of the containers are in their collapsed positions. Preferably, the collapsed containers are stacked with their indents aligned.  
         [0015]     In another aspect, the present invention provides a bag carrying the plurality of collapsed containers. The bag preferably includes a securement strap extending along a set of the aligned indents for securing the collapsed containers to the bag. The bag preferably includes an attachment means for attachment to a shopping trolley.  
         [0016]     In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of shopping comprising:  
         [0017]     (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls;  
         [0018]     (b) selecting goods to be purchased;  
         [0019]     (c) paying for the selected goods;  
         [0020]     (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and  
         [0021]     (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s).  
         [0022]     The containers are preferably stackable when assembled.  
         [0023]     The method preferably includes carrying at least one container or a bag carrying a plurality of collapsed containers according to the above. Preferably, the method includes the step of attaching the bag to a shopping trolley via the above described attachment means.  
         [0024]     Preferably, the container includes a handle pivotally attached to said rim and movable angularly between a position extending away from the rim to facilitate a user grasping the handle, and a folded configuration in which the handle is adjacent the rim, with said rim having a recess to receive the handle when in the folded configuration. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a schematic top isometric view of a collapsible container;  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a schematic side elevation of the container of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a schematic front elevation of the container of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a schematic top plan view of the container of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a schematic top isometric view of the container of  FIG. 1  in a partly collapsed configuration;  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a schematic top isometric view of the container of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed configuration;  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a schematic top isometric view of a stack of collapsed containers secured in a bag;  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is two isometric views of a shopping trolley with a stack of containers and bags secured thereto;  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a schematic isometric view of a shopping trolley with the container of  FIG. 1  located therein;  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  is a schematic isometric view of a modification of the container of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 11  is a schematic top plan view of the container of  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0037]      FIG. 12  is a schematic side elevation of a container of  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0038]      FIG. 13  is a schematic end elevation of a container of  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0039]      FIG. 14  is a schematic top isometric view of a further modification of the container of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0040]      FIG. 15  is a schematic top isometric view of the container of  FIG. 14  with the handle thereof in a folded configuration. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0041]     FIGS.  1  to  3  show a collapsible container  10 . The collapsible container includes an open upper rim  12 , a closed base  14 , opposing side walls  16   a  and  16   b  and opposing end walls  18   a  and  18   b  extending between the side walls  16   a,    16   b.    
         [0042]     The upper rim  12  is in the shape of a trapezoid, having first and second parallel side edges  20  and  21 , and generally parallel first and second end edges  22  and  23  both disposed at an obtuse angle relative to the first side edge  20 . The upper rim  12  includes first and second handles  25  and  26  formed in the first and second edges  22  and  23 . The handles  25  and  26  are spaced inwardly relative to the periphery of the upper rim  12  to form indents  27  and  28  in the upper rim  12 .  
         [0043]     The second side wall  16   b  is substantially perpendicular to the base  14  whilst the first side wall  16   a  is at obtuse angle relative to the base  14  and rim  12 . The first and second end walls  18   a  and  18   b  are at an obtuse angle relative to the base  12 , such that they converge from the upper rim  12  to the base  14 .  
         [0044]     The base  14  is trapezoidal in shape similar to the upper rim  12 , but having dimensions smaller than the upper rim  12 . The base  14  includes generally parallel side edges  13  and generally parallel end edges  15 .  
         [0045]     The first side  20  in the embodiment is 374 mm in length and the second side  21  is 408 mm in length. The side edges  20  and  21  are 354 mm apart, the container  10  is 311 mm high and the base side edges  13  are 291 mm in length.  
         [0046]     The side walls  16   a  and  16   b  are not connected to the end walls  18   a  and  18   b.  The first and second side walls  16   a  and  16   b  are respectively hingedly connected to the upper rim side edges  20  and  21 . This hinged connection allows each side wall  16   a  and  16   b  to be angularly movable, about an axis  40  that is generally parallel to the rim  12  and base  14 , between an assembled position as shown in  FIG. 1  at which they respectively extend between the upper rim side edges  20  and  21  and the base side edges  13 , and a collapsed position as shown in  FIG. 6  at which each side wall  16   a  and  16   b  is positioned over and substantially parallel to the base  14 . In the collapsed position, the side wall  16   a  or  16   b  is substantially superimposed over the other side wall  16   a  or  16   b  and substantially co-planar with the upper rim  12 . Releasable locking means (not shown) are provided between the bottom portions of the side walls  16   a  and  16   b  and the base  14  to releasably lock the side walls  16   a  and  16   b  to the base  14  at the assembled positions thereof. To unlock the locking means, a pushing force can be applied to the side walls  16   a  and  16   b  by a user for moving the side walls  16   a  and  16   b  to their collapsed position.  
         [0047]     The first and second end walls  18   a  and  18   b  each comprise an upper panel  30  which are respectively hingedly connected to the upper rim end edges  22  and  23  and a lower panel  32  which are respectively hingedly connected to the base end edges  14 . The upper panel  30  has an external face  31  and the lower panel  32  has an external face  33 . The upper and lower panels  30  and  32  of each end wall  18   a  and  18   b  are connected to each other by hinges  34 . The hinges  34  provide a pivot axis  41  that is generally perpendicular to the axis  40  but generally parallel to the base  14  and rim  12 . The hinged connections allow the first and second panels  30  and  32  to be movable between an assembled position as shown in  FIG. 1  and a collapsed position as shown in  FIG. 6 . In the assembled position, the end walls  18   a  and  18   b  generally extend between respective corresponding end edges  22 ,  23  and  14  of the base and upper rim and the external faces  31  and  32  are laterally adjacent each other. In the collapsed position, the lower and upper panels  30  and  32  are stacked over and substantially parallel to the base  14 , and the first panel external face  31  is substantially superimposed over the second panel external face  33 , effectively “folding” the end walls  18   a  and  18   b  inwardly. Releasable locking means (not shown) can be provided between the panels  30  and  32  to releasably lock the panels  30  and  32  at the assembled positions thereof. To unlock the locking means, a pushing force can be applied between the panels  30  and  32  by a user for moving the panels  30  and  32  to their collapsed position. The panels  31  and  30  are pivotally attached to the rim  12  and base  14  for angular movement about axis  42 , that are parallel to the axis  41 .  
         [0048]     In the collapsed positions of the first and second side walls  16   a  and  16   b  and the first and second end walls  18   a  and  18 b, the upper rim  12  is moved to a position substantially adjacent the base  14 , effectively “collapsing” the container into a compact storage position as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0049]     To assemble a collapsed container  10 , the upper rim  12  is lifted relative to the base  14  which effectively moves the side walls  16   a  and  16   b  and end walls  18   a  and  18   b  toward their assembled positions. The end walls  18   a  and  18   b  are first locked into their assembled position via the above described end wall locking means and the side walls  16 a and  16   b  are then locked into their assembled positions via the above described side wall locking means. This completes assembly of the container  10  to that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0050]     In the collapsed position of the container, the indents  27  and  28  in the upper rim  12  are exposed, in that the side walls  16   a  and  16   b  and end walls  18   a  and  18   b  and the base  14  are all disposed inwardly of the indents  27  and  28 , as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0051]      FIG. 7  shows a stack  40  of four collapsed containers  10  with the indents  27  and  28  aligned. The stack  40  of folded containers  10  can then be carried in a bag  50 . The bag  50  includes a holding portion  52 , a shoulder strap/handle  54  and a securement strap  56 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the holding portion  52  includes a base  60 , side walls  62 , front wall  63  and rear wall  64 . The handle  54  extends from one side wall  62  to the other side wall  62 . The securement strap  56  extends from the rear wall  64  to the front wall  63 . The strap  56  includes hooks  65  adjacent the rear wall  64 .  
         [0052]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the folded containers stack  40  can be inserted into the holding portion  52  and the securement strap  56  can be placed around the stack  40 , with the strap  56  being received by the container indents  27 . The strap  56  is then secured to the front wall  63  of the holding portion  52  to secure the stack  40  to the bag  50 .  
         [0053]     A method of shopping in a supermarket using the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 . In use, a shopper will carry the bag  50  with the four collapsed containers stack  40  using the handle  54  to a supermarket. The bag  50  can then be attached to a shopping trolley  80  via the hooks  65  as shown in  FIG. 8 . A shopper can then proceed with their normal shopping and place groceries to be purchased into the shopping trolley. After selecting their groceries, the shopper can then proceed to the checkout register as per normal and place the selected groceries onto the checkout register conveyor belt for scanning by a checkout attendant. The shopper or the checkout attendant will then remove a collapsed container  10  from the bag  50  and assemble the container  10  as described above. The shopper or checkout attendant will then place the scanned groceries in an assembled container  10 . Once filled, each container  10  can be placed in the trolley.  
         [0054]     As shown in  FIG. 9 , two containers  10  can be placed on the bottom portion of the trolley  80  with the other two containers  10  stacked on top of the first two containers  10 . The base  12  of each upper container  10  sits on top of the handles  25 ,  26  of the container  10  below which allows the containers  10  to be stacked without damaging the groceries in the containers  10 . The perpendicular side walls  16   b  allow the containers  10  to be stacked in a compact manner within the trolley  80 , whilst the angled side wall  16 a and end walls  18   a  and  18   b  maximise the volume of the containers  10  within the trolley  80 , utilising the known angled sides of a trolley  80 . The shopper can then move the containers  10  filled with groceries into his/her car.  
         [0055]     FIGS.  10  to  13  show a second collapsible container  100 , having features similar to the container  100 . The parts of the container  100  will thus be referred to with similar reference numerals as the container  10 . The container  100  includes an upper rim  12 , a base  14 , opposing side walls  16   a  and  16   b  and opposing end walls  18   a  and  18   b.    
         [0056]     The collapsible container  100  is substantially similar to the container  10 , but includes side and end walls  16   a,    16   b,    18   a  and  18   b  which are substantially perpendicular to the base  14 . The side and end walls  16   a,    16   b,    18   a  and  18 b, upper rim  12  and base  14  are shaped substantially as rectangles. The handles  25  and  26  are formed as elongated apertures in the side walls  16   a  and  16   b.    
         [0057]     The side walls  16   a  and  16   b  in this embodiment are 300 mm wide and 308 mm high. The end walls  18   a  and  18   b  are 345 mm wide and 308 mm high.  
         [0058]     Similar to the container  10 , the side walls  16   a  and  16   b  are hingedly connected to the upper rim, allowing the side walls  16   a  and  16   b  to be movable between an assembled position and a collapsed position. The first and second end walls  18   a  and  18   b  each comprise an upper panel  30  which is hingedly connected to the upper rim and a lower panel  32  which is hingedly connected to the base  14 . The panels  30  and  32  are connected to each other by hinges  34 . The hinged connections allow the first and second panels  30  and  32  to be movable between an assembled position as shown in  FIG. 1  and a collapsed position as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0059]     The end edges of the upper rim  12  include downwardly extending projections  12   a.  The end edges of the base  14  include upwardly extending projections  14   a.  The projections  12   a  and  14   a  abut each other in the collapsed configuration of the container  100  to provide a rounded neat appearance to the end edges of the collapsed container  100 .  
         [0060]     The present invention thus provides a method of shopping which significantly reduces the amount of plastic bags required. Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be apparent to skilled persons that modifications to the above embodiment can be made. For example, the bag  50  can be dimensioned to carry more than four collapsible containers  10 . The bag  50  can also be replaced by an extendible strap for extending around both set of aligned indents of a stack of collapsed containers  10 . Such a strap can include a hook for attachment to a trolley, as well as a shoulder strap.  
         [0061]     In  FIGS. 14 and 15  there is schematically depicted a modification of the container  10 . In these figures the container  110  is very similar to the container of  FIG. 1 , with the reference numerals of  FIG. 1  being applied to  FIGS. 14 and 15 . However in this embodiment the walls  16  and  18  in the erect configuration are generally perpendicular to the base  14  and rim  12 . However the rim  12  is provided with a recess  111  that receives the handle  112  so that when the handle  112  is in the folded configuration as shown in  FIG. 15 , the handle  112  completes the configuration of the rim  12  so as to fill in the recess  111 . More particularly the handle  112  is pivotally attached to the rim  12  for pivoting movement about an axis  112  that is generally parallel to the rim  12  and base  14  while perpendicular to the walls  18 . In this regard it should also be appreciated the walls  16  are provided with handle apertures  113 .  
         [0062]     The panels  30  and  32  by means of the hinges  34  pivot about an axis  114  that is generally parallel to the rim  12  and base  14  but generally perpendicular to the axis  112  but spaced therefrom.  
         [0063]     By having a handle  112  received within the recess  111 , when the container  110  is to be stacked, the rim  12  with its handle  112  do not interfere with stacking.