Patent Publication Number: US-7717283-B2

Title: Collapsible container

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to collapsible crates and more particularly to a collapsible crate with support members for supporting another container thereon. 
   Collapsible crates are well known. Four walls each connected via a hinge to a base are selectively movable about the hinge between a use position, in which the wall is generally perpendicular to the base, and a collapsed position onto the base. Various latch mechanisms have been provided to connect adjacent walls at the corner to selectively lock the crate in the use position. 
   Some collapsible crates also include retractable supports so that another container can be supported thereon. One such crate includes end walls each having a support that is partially supported on the adjacent walls when in the support position. However, the support can be knocked from a support position back into the retracted position by the container being stacked thereon. This is inconvenient for the user, who has to reposition the support and re-stack the upper container more carefully. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a collapsible container having a plurality of walls collapsible onto the base. At least one wall has a support pivotably mounted below an upper end thereof. The support is pivotable between a support position where it can support another container thereon and a retracted position against the wall. In the support position, the lateral ends of the support are supported on the long walls. A stop is formed on the long wall to inhibit movement of the support out of the support position when another container is stacked thereon. In order to move the support out of the support position, the support must first be lifted over the stop. 
   In the particular embodiment shown, the supports are formed on short end walls of the container, such that the supports and end walls can be collapsed onto the base and the long side walls can be pivoted onto the end walls. Alternatively, the supports could be formed on the long walls (or on equally-sized walls). 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the crate according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the crate in a collapsed position. 
       FIG. 3  is an interior perspective view of one end of one of the side walls. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one end of the container of  FIG. 1 , with the support partially broken away. 
       FIG. 5  is an exterior view of one corner of the container with the support in the support position. 
       FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , with the upper portion of the side wall broken away and with the support being moved from the support position toward the retracted position. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the support in the retracted position, with a portion of the side wall broken away. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the container with the support in the support position and another container supported thereon. 
       FIG. 9  is a section view through the container and upper container of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container  10 . The container  10  includes a base  12 , upstanding side walls  14  (or long walls) and upstanding end walls  18  (or short walls). The side walls  14  and end walls  18  are pivotably connected along long and short edges of the base  12 , respectively. 
   Each end wall  18  has a support  20 . The support  20  is pivotably mounted at its lower edge to a position spaced below an upper edge of the end wall  18 . The support  20  is shown in  FIG. 1  pivoted to a support position, where it projects into the interior of the container  10  where it can support another container stacked thereon. The supports  20  each include a tab  21  projecting from each side into the adjacent side wall  14 . The end walls  18  each include a lip  25  protruding inwardly from the uppermost edge above the support  20 . 
   The interiors of the side walls  14  each include an upper frame portion  22  protruding into the container  10 . A curved channel  24  is formed through each upper frame portion  22  adjacent the end wall  18 . The interior of each side wall  14  further includes a lower frame portion  26  having a channel  28  formed therethrough below each curved channel  24 . A recess  30  is defined between the upper frame portion  22  and the lower frame portion  26 . The base  12  includes a pair of side upstanding portions  32  to which the side walls  14  are pivotably attached. Each side upstanding portion  32  includes a channel  34  formed on an interior thereof, below each channel  28 . The channels  24 ,  28  and  34  are aligned with one another and with the tabs  21  on the supports  20 , so that the end walls  18  can be pivoted to the collapsed position prior to the side walls  14  being collapsed, such that the side walls  14  are collapsed onto the end walls  18 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates one end of one of the side walls  14 . Each end of the side wall  14  includes a latch  36 . At the top of the curved channel  24  is a rail  38  spaced inwardly into the container  10 . The rail  38  includes a step  40  having a substantially vertical leading face  42 . The leading face  42  forms a stop, which will be explained below. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates the support  20  (partially broken away) in the support position, with the tab  21  resting on the rail  38  and abutting the step  40 , which prevents the support  20  from being moved into the retracted position. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the support  20  includes a flange  46  extending downwardly from the tab  21  behind (that is, toward the exterior of) the rail  38 . In the support position, the support  20  is prevented from retracting by the face  42  of the step  40  on the rail  38 . The hinge connection between the support  20  and the end wall  18  includes sufficient tolerance for the support  20  to be lifted over and onto the step  40  by the user, as shown in  FIG. 6 . In this manner, the support  20  can be intentionally moved into the retracted position when desired, as shown in  FIG. 7 . In fact, the natural movement of the support  20  being moved toward the retracted position tends to lift the support  20  over the step  40 , so no additional effort is required. 
   However, when another container  100  is stacked on the supports  20 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , the weight on the supports  20  keeps the supports  20  down on the rail  38 , such that the step  40  prevents the supports  20  from being inadvertently knocked back into the retracted position. As also shown in  FIG. 8 , the back rail  19  on the upper surface  16  of the support  20  prevents the container  100  from sliding further toward the end wall  18 , which could cause the opposite end of the container  100  to slide inwardly of that support  20 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the upper container  100  rests on the upper surface  16  of the support  20 , while the back rail  19  of the support  20  locates the upper container  100  properly between the end walls  18 . Although the upper container  100  is shown in contact with the back rail  19 , it is anticipated that some tolerance would be permitted. This may depend upon the particular upper containers  100  with which the container  10  is to be used. 
   In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. For example, in any of the occurrences above, the hinge members and hinge pins could be reversed and formed on opposite parts. Alphanumeric identifiers on method steps are for convenient reference in dependent claims and do not signify a required sequence of performance unless otherwise indicated in the claims.