Patent Publication Number: US-6908004-B2

Title: Collapsible storage bin

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/368,097, filed Mar. 26, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to storage systems, and more particularly to a modular and collapsible storage bin that is capable of being assembled for storing items or disassembled for packing and shipping of the storage bin. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Storage containers are made in many shapes and sizes to store an incredible number of different items. Some storage containers are used to store food, while others protect dry goods and textiles. Still other containers may store collectibles. No matter what the item, storage containers are typically used to provide organization and protection. 
   A critical problem encountered by some storage containers is related to what is typically also considered a desirable container trait: volume. It is often desirable to have a storage container of great volume so that a large number of items, or simply large items, can be housed within the container. The drawback, however, is imposed by shipping, packaging, and storage requirements for the storage container. When manufacturers package and ship storage containers, it is much less expensive if the storage container can be housed in a small box. A large portion of the volume inside a package housing a storage container is empty space. When the size of the package is minimized, less packaging material is required, and the volume occupied by the package on a shipping vehicle is less. This dramatically reduces the costs involved in shipping and packaging, especially when a large number of individual packages are being shipped. 
   It is also desirable to minimize the occupied volume of a container when storing the container itself. Storage containers are not always in use, so it is beneficial if the container can be easily and efficiently stored. Since it is one goal of storage containers to reduce clutter, it becomes counter-productive if the storage container itself cannot be efficiently stored when not in use. 
   Although collapsible storage containers currently exist, the structural integrity of the containers, especially in the area that connects the various portions of the container, is typically lacking. Often these containers are flimsy to the point of being unable to properly store the number or size of items that were intended to be stored. Typically, the collapsible containers that do provide the necessary support for storing items are very difficult to assemble and disassemble, effectively defeating the purpose of having a collapsible storage container. 
   A need exists, therefore, for a collapsible storage container that occupies a relatively small amount of space when collapsed, yet provides exceptional strength and rigidity when assembled. A need further exists for a storage container that can be easily collapsed and nested prior to packaging and shipping container. A nested container occupies less volume, thus reducing the costs of packaging and shipping. A storage container is also needed that is easily collapsed by a user for storage during periods of non-use. Finally, a collapsible storage container is needed that is easily and inexpensively manufactured. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The problems presented by existing storage containers are solved by the present invention. A collapsible storage bin having a base member and an upper containment member is provided. The base member includes a plurality of base walls joined at a first end by a floor. A first lip member is formed on a second end of the base walls. The upper containment member includes a plurality of containment walls, and a second lip member is formed on one end of the containment walls. The first lip member is configured to mate with the second lip member when the base member and the containment member are placed in an assembled position. A tab on either the base member or the containment member is configured to lockingly engage a recess on the other of the base member and the containment member. The tab and recess lock the base member and the containment member in the assembled position so that the first lip member and the second lip member do not become disengaged. 
   The storage bin is capable of disassembly by disengaging the tab and the recess and disengaging the first lip member and the second lip member. The base walls and the containment walls are tapered, and the base member is configured to nest within the containment walls of the containment member when the storage bin is placed in a disassembled, or nested position. In the nested position, the storage bin occupies a much smaller volume of space than when the storage bin is in the assembled position. The smaller volume significantly reduces packaging and shipping costs for the storage bin. 
   Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the drawings and detailed description that follow. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded perspective view of a collapsible storage bin having a base member and an upper containment member according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of the base member and the upper containment member of  FIG. 1  in an assembled position, the upper containment having an upwardly facing lip and a locking tab that engage a downwardly facing lip and a recess on the base member; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the base member and the upper containment member of  FIG. 1  in a nested position; 
       FIG. 4  depicts a cross-sectional side view of the downwardly facing lip and the upwardly facing lip of  FIG. 2  taken at IV—IV; and 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the locking tab and the recess of  FIG. 2  taken at V—V. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical mechanical, structural, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  in the drawings, a collapsible storage bin  11  having a base member  13  and an upper containment member  15  is illustrated. Base member  13  includes a plurality of base walls  21  integrally joined at a closed end to a floor  23 . An open end of each base wall terminates in a downwardly facing lip  25 , or first lip member protruding outward from an exterior surface  26  of base wall  21 . Each downwardly facing lip includes an outer surface  27 . Preferably, four base walls  21  form the base member  13 , and the downwardly facing lip  25  extends around the entire perimeter of the base member  13  at the open end of the base walls  21 . A recess  31  is disposed at various locations on the outer surface  27  of the downwardly facing lip member  25 . 
   Upper containment member  15  includes a plurality of containment walls  41  having an engagement end  43  and a non-engagement end  45 . In a preferred embodiment, four containment walls  41  are provided. The engagement end  43  includes an upwardly facing lip  51 , or second lip member extending inward from an inner surface  53  of containment wall  41 . The upwardly facing lip  51  preferably extends around the perimeter of the engagement end  43 , with the exception of several areas on the engagement end  43  that include locking tabs  57 . 
   Downwardly facing lip  25 , upwardly facing lip  51 , recesses  31 , and locking tabs  57  are configured to lock the base member  13  and the containment member  15  in an assembled position as shown in FIG.  2 . Referring to  FIG. 4  in the drawings, downwardly facing lip  25  has a generally hook-shaped cross section that forms a first receiving groove  61  between downwardly facing lip  25  and base wall  21 . Upwardly facing lip  51  has a generally hook-shaped cross section that forms a second receiving groove  63  between upwardly facing lip  51  and containment wall  41 . In the assembled position, upwardly facing lip  51  is configured to engage downwardly facing lip  25  such that first receiving groove  61  receives upwardly facing lip  51 , and second receiving groove  63  receives downwardly facing lip  25 . The engagement of upwardly facing lip  51  and downwardly facing lip  25  prevent movement of containment member  15  relative to base member  13  in every direction except the downward direction. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5  in the drawings, tab  57  includes a downwardly facing shoulder  71 , or first shoulder, and recess  31  includes an upwardly facing shoulder  73 , or second shoulder. In the assembled position, tab  57  is received by recess  31 , and the downwardly facing shoulder  71  lockingly engages the upwardly facing shoulder  73 . The locking engagement between shoulders  71 ,  73  prevents movement of containment member  15  relative to base member  13  in the downward direction. 
   The base walls  21  of base member  13  are tapered outward as the walls rise from floor  23  to the open end of the base walls  21 . Similarly, the upper containment walls  41  taper outward as the walls rise from engagement end  43  to the non-engagement end  45 . The perimeter of the upper containment walls  41  at engagement end  43  is slightly larger than the perimeter of base walls  21  at the open end, but the downwardly facing lip is configured to engage the upwardly facing lip when the engagement end  43  of the containment member  15  and the open end of the base walls  21  are placed in close proximity (in the assembled position). 
   Referring to  FIG. 3  in the drawings, the tapered aspect of base walls  21  and containment walls  41  allows the upper containment member  15  and the base member  13  to be placed in a nested position as shown. When the collapsible storage bin  11  is not assembled, base member  13  is configured to “nest” within upper containment member  15  such that the base walls  21  are located within the containment walls  41 . Preferably, in the nested position, the open end of the base walls  21  is flush with the non-engagement end  45  of the upper containment walls  41 . This arrangement allows the nested, or collapsed storage bin to be packaged or stored in a space no larger than the space required to store only the upper containment member  15 . 
   In operation, the collapsible storage bin is packaged in the nested position for shipment from the manufacturer to the distributor or retailer. The nesting of the base member  13  within the upper containment member  15  allows the collapsible storage bin  11  to occupy less volume, which in turn decreases the amount of packaging material needed and decreases shipping costs. After arriving at the distributor or retailer, the collapsible storage bin occupies less space in inventory than a comparably-sized storage bin that does not break down. Finally, when an end consumer purchases the collapsible storage bin  11 , the storage bin can be compactly stored when not in use by placing the base member  13  and the containment member  15  in the nested position. 
   When the consumer is ready to use storage bin  11 , the storage bin  11  is easily converted from the nested position into the assembled position. Upper containment member  15  is pulled upward until the upwardly facing lip  51  begins to engage the downwardly facing lip  25  on the open end of the base walls  21 . The consumer continues to pull the upper containment member until the upwardly facing lip  51  fully engages first receiving groove  61  and downwardly facing lip  25  fully engages second receiving groove  63 . As previously mentioned, the base wall  21  tapers outward as it nears the open end, and this tapering causes contact between the tab  57  and the base wall  21  as the tab  57  approaches engagement with the recess  31 . The contact between tab  57  and base wall  21  typically causes a local, elastic distortion of the base wall  21  and the containment wall  41  in the area around recess  31  and tab  57 , respectively. This distortion has little effect on the position of the upper containment member  15  relative to the base member  13  since the upwardly facing lip  51  and the downwardly facing lip  25  are engaged. Additional upward force is applied to the upper containment member  15  in the area of each tab  57  until each tab  57  is received by one of the recesses  31 . As the upwardly facing shoulder  73  and the downwardly facing shoulder  71  engage, the local distortion of the base wall  21  and the containment wall  41  disappears, and the base member  13  and the containment member  15  are locked in the assembled position. 
   Base member  13  and containment member  15  are preferably molded by injection molding, blow molding or vacuum molding processes. However, many different manufacturing processes could be used to produce the collapsible storage bin  11 . The material used to construct base member  13  and containment member  15  is preferably polypropylene. Although many different materials could be used to construct base member  13  and containment member  15 , it is preferred that the material be flexible to facilitate attachment of the base member  13  and containment member  15 . The collapsible storage bin  11  has been described as having a generally rectangular shape, however, the shape could be round, triangular, polygonal, or any other shape that allows the base member and the upper containment member to lock as shown and described. 
   It is preferred that the base member  13  nest within the containment member  15  when the collapsible storage bin  11  is in the nested position, but the configuration of the base member  13  and the containment member  15  could be altered to allow the containment member  15  to nest within base member  13 . In that configuration, the upper containment member  15  would include an upwardly facing lip that faced outward and engaged a downwardly facing lip on the base member  13  that faced inward. The perimeter of the upper containment member  15  at the engagement end of the containment walls would be slightly less than the perimeter of the base member  13  at the open end of the base walls. The containment member and base member would taper outward similar to those in  FIGS. 1-3 , but the smaller perimeter of the containment member would allow the containment member to nest within the base member. 
   Even though many of the examples discussed herein are applications of the collapsible storage bin comprised of a base member and a single upper containment member, a plurality of intermediate containment members could be used to expand the storage capacity of the collapsible storage bin. In the assembled position, the intermediate containment members would be connected between the base member and the upper containment members using lips, recesses, and tabs that are complimentary to those present on the base member and the upper containment member. Preferably, in a nested position, the base member and all of the intermediate containment members would nest within the containment walls of the upper containment member. 
   The intermediate containment member includes a plurality of intermediate containment walls which generally match the shape of base member  13  and upper containment member  15 . An intermediate upper lip is disposed on an upper end of each intermediate containment wall and is similar to the downwardly facing lip  25  of the base member  13 . An intermediate lower lip is disposed on a lower end of the intermediate containment wall, the intermediate lower lip being similar to the upwardly facing lip  51  of the upper containment member  15 . 
   When one intermediate containment member is used, the intermediate upper lip is configured to engage the upwardly facing lip  51  of the upper containment member  15 , and the intermediate lower lip is configured to engage the downwardly facing lip  25  of the base member. Intermediate tabs and intermediate recesses are provided on the intermediate containment member to lockingly engage the recesses  31  on the base member and the tabs  57  on the upper containment member. 
   From the foregoing description, it will be recognized that the collapsible storage bin of the present invention provides a superior system for providing storage for children&#39;s toys and other items. By providing an upwardly facing lip, a downwardly facing lip, recesses, and tabs, the storage bin can be assembled to provide a secure container for storing lightweight or heavy items. One advantage provided by the storage bin of the present invention is that the storage bin can be selectively assembled or disassembled. By disengaging the tabs from the recesses, the upper containment member and the base member can be separated. Another advantage provided by the storage bin is the ability of the base member to nest within the containment member when disassembled. This results in the storage bin occupying less volume in the disassembled position, thereby decreasing the costs of packaging and shipping the storage bin. 
   It should be apparent from the foregoing specification that an invention having significant advantages has been provided. While the invention is shown in only a few of its forms, it is not just limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.