Patent Publication Number: US-8985365-B2

Title: Container structure

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a container structure, and more particularly to a container structure with expanded space. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventionally, most containers have a main body structure and a door is disposed at the rear end thereof to upload and unload cargos. However, the inner receiving space of conventional containers is usually fixed and cannot be expanded, so the transportation costs cannot be easily reduced. Furthermore, the containers can be used for other purposes, but the restricted inner space is still a concern under such circumstances. Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved container structure to overcome the problems discussed above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The technical problem the present invention wants to solve is that the inner receiving space of conventional containers is usually fixed and cannot be expanded, so the transportation costs cannot be easily reduced. Furthermore, the containers can be used for other purposes, but the restricted inner space is still a concern under such circumstances. 
     The present invention provides a container structure may include a container body and two movable supporting units. A plurality of horizontal and vertical supporting columns form an outer frame from front and rear sides of the container body. The horizontal supporting columns of the outer frame connect to a vertical reinforcing column at a center portion thereof, and the horizontal supporting columns is hollow and an opening is formed at end portions thereof. A protection cover covers the opening and the protection cover has a vertical first cover opening and second cover opening. In addition, four corners of the outer frame have connecting columns and a central column is parallelly disposed between two connecting columns. Outer surface of each connecting column has a through hole facing each other, and a plurality of hollow and short connecting posts are inserted into the through hole of the connecting column and pass through the central column, so that the connecting posts are secured between two connecting columns. In addition, a plurality of covering tubes are disposed on both sides of the connecting posts corresponding to the through hole, and a plurality of reinforcing rods parallel to the connecting posts are disposed between the connecting columns. 
     Two movable supporting units are disposed at both sides of the container body and have corresponding frames according to the shape of the side of the container body. A covering rod is disposed at one side of the corresponding frame corresponding to the first cover opening of the protection cover, and a extending rod is disposed at the other side corresponding to the second cover opening of the protection cover. A plurality of connecting rod are orderly disposed between the covering rod and extending rod, wherein the connecting rod of one movable supporting unit is corresponding to the connecting post, and the connecting rod of the other movable supporting unit is corresponding to the connecting post, so that the two movable supporting units can be inserted into both sides of the container body, and the corresponding frames of the movable supporting units have vertical supporting ribs which are perpendicular to the connecting rods. 
     Comparing with the prior arts, the present invention is advantageous because when the container body is used as a regular container, two movable supporting units has not been extended from the container body; and the covering rod, extending rod, connecting rods of the movable supporting units are conjugated with the horizontal supporting columns and connecting posts respectively to reinforce the structure of the container body, so that the reinforced container body can have a better status to sustain heavier weight. 
     Furthermore, the movable supporting units can extend to expand the space of the container body to receive more items to reduce the transportation costs; and when the container is not used for storage purposes, the expanded space can be used for other purposes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a three-dimensional view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the container structure in the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a partial enlarged view of  FIG. 2  in the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a sectional view of container structure in the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic view of the container structure in the present invention when it is in use. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a schematic view of the container structure with expanded space in the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a partial enlarged view of  FIG. 6  in the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the expanded usage of the container in the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described. 
     All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention. 
     In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect of the present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawings are illustrated as following: 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , a container structure may include a container body  10  and two movable supporting units  20 . A plurality of horizontal and vertical supporting columns  111 ,  112  form an outer frame  11  from front and rear sides of the container body  10 . The horizontal supporting columns  111  of the outer frame  11  connect to a vertical reinforcing column  113  at a center portion thereof, and the horizontal supporting columns  111  is hollow and an opening  1110  is formed at end portions thereof. A protection cover  12  covers the opening  1110  and the protection cover  12  has a vertical first cover opening  121  and second cover opening  122 . In addition, four corners of the outer frame  11  have connecting columns  13  and a central column  14  is parallelly disposed between two connecting columns  13 . Outer surface of each connecting column  13  has a through hole  131  facing each other, and a plurality of hollow and short connecting posts  15  and  16  are inserted into the through hole  131  of the connecting column  13  and pass through the central column  14 , so that the connecting posts  15  and  16  are secured between two connecting columns  13 . In addition, a plurality of covering tubes  17  are disposed on both sides of the connecting posts  15  and  16  corresponding to the through hole  131 , and a plurality of reinforcing rods  18  parallel to the connecting posts  15  and  16  are disposed between the connecting columns  13 . 
     Two movable supporting units  20  are disposed at both sides of the container body  10  and have corresponding frames  21  according to the shape of the side of the container body  10 . A covering rod  22  is disposed at one side of the corresponding frame  21  corresponding to the first cover opening  121  of the protection cover  12 , and a extending rod  23  is disposed at the other side corresponding to the second cover opening  122  of the protection cover  12 . A plurality of connecting rod  24  are orderly disposed between the covering rod  22  and extending rod  23 , wherein the connecting rod  24  of one movable supporting unit  20  is corresponding to the connecting post  15 , and the connecting rod  24  of the other movable supporting unit  20  is corresponding to the connecting post  16 , so that the two movable supporting units  20  can be inserted into both sides of the container body  10 , and the corresponding frames  21  of the movable supporting units  20  have vertical supporting ribs  25  which are perpendicular to the connecting rods  24 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4  for the structure, the container body  10  has the movable supporting units  20  on both sides thereof, and when the movable supporting units  20  are disposed at left and right sides thereof, the two movable supporting units  20  are inserted from both sides of the container body  10  into the opening  1110  of the horizontal supporting columns  111  through the covering rod  22  and extending rod  23 , the covering rod  22  is inserted into the first cover opening  121  of the protection cover  12 , and the extending rod  23  is inserted into the second cover opening  122  of the protection cover  12 , so that the covering rod  22  and extending rod  23  of the movable supporting units  20  can be disposed in every horizontal supporting columns and separated by the protection cover  12 . Moreover, one side of the connecting rods  24  can be inserted into the connecting post  15 , while the other side of the connecting rods  24  is inserted into the connecting post  16 , so that the connecting rods  24  of the supporting units  20  can be spaced and crossed between the connecting columns  13  of the container body  10 . Also, the covering tubes  17  are used to protect the connecting posts  15  and  16  from being damaged when the connecting rods  24  are inserted therein. According to the structure discussed above, the assembly of the container body  10  and two movable supporting units  20  is completed. 
     When the container body  10  is used as a regular container shown in  FIG. 5 , two movable supporting units  20  has not been extended from the container body  10 ; and the covering rod  22 , extending rod  23 , connecting rods  24  of the movable supporting units  20  are conjugated with the horizontal supporting columns  111  and connecting posts  15  and  16  respectively to reinforce the structure of the container body  10 , so that the reinforced container body  10  can have a better status to sustain heavier weight. 
     In another embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , the covering rod  22 , extending rod  23 , connecting rods  24  of the movable supporting units  20  are conjugated with the horizontal supporting columns  111  and connecting posts  15  and  16  respectively, so that the covering rod  22 , extending rod  23 , connecting rods  24  of the movable supporting units  20  can utilize the horizontal supporting columns  111  and connecting posts  15  and  16  as rails to extend the movable supporting units  20  from the container body  10 . Therefore, the space of the container body can be expanded through the extended supporting unit  20 ; and when the container is not used for storage purposes, the expanded space can be used as a temporary housing or hut. 
     According to the embodiments described above, the present invention is advantageous because when the container body  10  is used as a regular container, two movable supporting units  20  has not been extended from the container body  10 ; and the covering rod  22 , extending rod  23 , connecting rods  24  of the movable supporting units  20  are conjugated with the horizontal supporting columns  111  and connecting posts  15  and  16  respectively to reinforce the structure of the container body  10 , so that the reinforced container body  10  can have a better status to sustain heavier weight. 
     Furthermore, the movable supporting units  20  can extend to expand the space of the container body  10  to receive more items to reduce the transportation costs; and when the container is not used for storage purposes, the expanded space can be used for other purposes. 
     Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalents.