Abstract:
A reusable, washable, plastic, collapsible bin includes a plastic base. Four walls extend upwardly from the base and interlock with one another near the corners. Straps around the walls hold the walls together temporarily during use and keep the walls interlocked with one another. After use, the straps are removed and the walls can easily be removed from the base. The walls and base are then washed for subsequent reuse.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial Nos. 61/099,883, filed Sep. 24, 2008 and 61/186,979, filed Jun. 15, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to collapsible bins, and in particular a collapsible bin that is particularly useful for bulk meat processing. 
         [0003]    In meat processing plants, product is sometimes temporarily stored in large cardboard boxes with plastic liners. Sometimes, the cardboard bows or fails under the weight of the meat. After use, the boxes and liners are discarded. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a reusable, washable, plastic, collapsible bin. The bin includes a plastic base. Four walls extend upwardly from the base and interlock with one another near the corners. Straps around the walls hold the walls together temporarily during use and keep the walls interlocked with one another. After use, the straps are removed and the walls can easily be removed from the base. The walls and base are then washed for subsequent reuse. 
         [0005]    These and other features of the application can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a bin according to the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the bin of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the bin of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the bin of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an end wall of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a side wall of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the base of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the bin of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of one of the corners of the bin of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a section view taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of an upper end of an end wall of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of the lower end of an end wall of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  is a section view taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  is an enlarged view of the lower end of the side wall of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the bin of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed position. 
           [0021]      FIG. 16  is a schematic, partial, top view of a bin according to a second embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a bin according to a third embodiment. 
           [0023]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a side wall of the bin of  FIG. 17 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 19  is a side view of the side wall of  FIG. 18 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 20  is a top view of the side wall of  FIG. 18 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 21  is an end view of an end wall of the bin of  FIG. 17 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view of the end wall of  FIG. 21 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 23  is a top view of the end wall of  FIG. 21 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 24  is a perspective view of the base of the bin of  FIG. 17 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0030]    A bin  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The bin  10  includes a plastic base  12  having supports  14  extending downwardly therefrom. A pair of side walls  16  extend upwardly from the base  12  along side edges of the base  12 . End walls  18  extend upwardly from end edges of the base  12  and include flanges  20  protruding from side edges of the end walls  18 . The side walls  16  interlock with the flanges  20  of the end walls  18 . The side walls  16  and end walls  18  are held together by flexible circumferential retainers, such as filaments, bands or straps  22  extending about the circumference of the bin  10 . The straps  22  can be of any known type, such as the plastic straps often used in shipping. 
         [0031]    The side walls  16  and end walls  18  are each separately roto-molded of a plastic material. Each of the side walls  16  and end walls  18  includes a plurality of horizontal hollow ribs  30  alternating with channels  31  along an exterior thereof and a plurality of alternating vertical hollow ribs  32  alternating with vertical channels  33  along an interior thereof. Each of the exterior channels  31  includes a plurality of concave bosses or detents  34  molded into the bottom wall of each channel  31 . Each of the side walls  16  and end walls  18  further includes a plurality of handles  26  molded therethrough. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the bin  10 . As shown, each of the flanges  20  of the end walls  18  includes a recess forming an opening behind the strap  22 . Each recess  40  is aligned with a recessed channel  42  in which the strap is received. The recess  40  creates an opening that facilitates cutting the strap  22  when it is time to disassemble the bin  10 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the bin  10 . The side walls  16  also include recessed channels  42  for receiving the straps  22 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the bin  10 .  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of one of the end walls  18 . Each of the flanges  20  includes an interlocking feature, such as the illustrated V-shaped recess  54 .  FIG. 5  also better illustrates the recesses  40  on the outer ends of the flanges  20 , which are aligned with the recessed channels  42  for receiving the straps  22  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of one end of one of the side walls  16 . Each end of the side walls  16  includes an interlocking feature complementary to that of the end wall  18  ( FIG. 5 ), such as the illustrated V-shaped ridge  56 . The ridge  56  includes interruptions  58 , which align with the recesses  40  ( FIG. 5 ) to create the opening for facilitating cutting of the straps  22 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the base  12 . The base  12  includes a plurality of fork-receiving channels  46  defined between the supports  14 . The base  12  includes end protrusions, such as end flanges  48  (one shown) protruding inwardly from an outer wall of the base  12  and side flanges  50  protruding inwardly from side edges of an outer wall of the base  12 . In the embodiment shown, upstanding side protrusions, such as side flanges  52  protrude upwardly from an inner edge of each side flange  50 . The base  12  is preferably roto-molded. After roto-molding, an upper panel (not shown) extending horizontally between the flanges  48  and the flanges  52  is cut away and removed from the base. This leaves a base  12  with an interior compartment defined by an exterior wall  53  about the perimeter of the base  12  and a base wall  55  that is shaped to define the channels  46 . The base  12  could be water-tight, as would be formed by roto-molding, or could have drainage holes drilled or otherwise formed after molding. 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the bin  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 9  is an enlarged top view of one corner of the bin of  FIG. 8 . As shown, the ridge  56  of the side wall  16  is received in and interlocked with the recess  54  of the flange  20  of the end wall  18 . The other corners of the bin  10  would be similar. 
         [0038]      FIG. 10  is a section view through the bin  10  along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of an upper end of the end wall  18  of  FIG. 10 . As indicated, each end wall  18  and side wall  16  is roto-molded and includes a plurality of horizontal hollow ribs  30  alternating with horizontal channels  31  on an exterior surface thereof. Further, a plurality of concave bosses or detents  34  are formed in the bottom wall of the channel  31 . Each detent  34  contacts and connects with the bottom wall of each channel  33  formed between alternating hollow ribs  32  on the interior surface of the wall. This provides greatly increased strength to the end walls  18  and side walls  16 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of the lower end of the end wall  18 . The lower end of each end wall  18  includes a horizontal channel  64  defined by a lower outwardly-directed ridge  62 . The end flange  48  of the base  12  is received in the channels  64  and the remainder of the end wall  18  rests on the end flange  48  and the outer wall of the base  12 . During assembly, the end walls  18  are assembled onto the base  12  first. The end wall  18  is assembled onto the flange  48  by placing the end wall  18  such that the end flange  48  is adjacent the channel  64 . The end wall  18  is then moved toward the exterior, such that the end flange  48  is inserted into the channel  64  to the position shown in  FIG. 12 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 13  is a section view taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 14  is an enlarged view of the lower end of the side wall  16 . As shown, the lower end of the side wall  16  includes a lower protrusion or ridge  66  that is inserted into a side channel  68  defined outward of the side flange  52 , such that the side wall  16  rests on the flange  50  and the outer wall of the base  12 . During assembly, after the end walls  18  are installed, the side walls  16  are slid downward between the end walls  18 . The ridges  56  ( FIG. 6 ) are slid into the recesses  54  ( FIG. 5 ) of the flanges  20  ( FIG. 5 ) of the end walls  18  until the lower protrusion  66  of the side wall  16  is received in the side channel  68  of the base  12 . The straps  22  ( FIG. 1 ) are then wrapped around the side walls  16  and end walls  18 , which maintains the walls in an upright position, and maintains the side walls  16  in an interlocking position with the end walls  18 . After use, the straps  22  are cut, and the side walls  16  can be lifted up and removed from the base  12 . The end walls  18  can similarly be removed from the base  12  by first sliding them toward the interior of the base  12 . Both side walls  16  and both end walls  18  can then be placed in the interior of the base  12  as shown in  FIG. 15  for shipping. For example, the disassembled bin  10  can be shipped as shown in  FIG. 15  to a facility for cleaning and then shipped back to a warehouse or plant for reassembly and reuse. 
         [0041]      FIG. 16  is a top view of an alternate bin  110  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the base  112 , side walls  116  and end walls  118  are the same as shown in  FIGS. 1-15  except as specifically shown or described. In the bin  110 , the lower ends of the side walls  116  are similar to the lower ends of the end walls  18  of  FIG. 12  in that they also require placement of the side wall  116  toward the interior of the base  112  and then sliding the side wall  116  outwardly into engagement. Therefore, the engagement of the side walls  116  with the flanges  120  of the side walls  118  is modified in the bin  110 . The side walls  116  include angled outer ends  156  that are angled to match angled outer ends  154  of the flanges  120 . The ends  156  of the side walls  116  taper inwardly toward the exterior of the side walls  116  such that they can be slid toward the exterior of the bin  110  for assembly. The engagement of the end walls  118  with the base  112  is the same as in  FIGS. 1-15 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a bin  210  according to a third embodiment. The bin  210  is identical to the bin  10  of the first embodiment except as specifically described below or shown in the Figures. The bin  210  includes a base  212 , side walls  216  and end walls  218 . The side walls  216  and end walls  218  include more recessed channels  242  for accommodating straps (not shown), so that the user can choose how many straps to use and where to locate them. Additionally, the side walls  216  and end walls  218  also both include lower handle openings  226   a  to assist in the assembly process. The base  212  includes vertical rotomolded ribs  213  to increase the strength and rigidity of the base  212 . The ribs  213  significantly decrease the deflection of the base  212  under load. 
         [0043]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a side wall  216  of the bin  210  of  FIG. 17  and  FIG. 19  is a side view. The lower end of each side wall  216  includes a horizontal channel  267  defined by a lower outwardly-directed ridge  269 . Each end of the side walls  216  includes an interlocking feature complementary to that of the end wall  218 , such as the illustrated V-shaped ridge  256 . The ridge  256  includes interruptions  258 , which align with the recesses  240  to create the opening for facilitating cutting of the straps. In this embodiment, some of the interruptions  258  are chamfered. Also, in this embodiment, there are projections or tabs  272  which interact with detents in the base  212  to help retain the side walls  216  in the upright position during assembly. As shown in  FIG. 20 , the lower outwardly-directed ridge  269  is a forwardly projecting portion of a hook  270  that extends inward and then downward from the interior of the side wall  216 . 
         [0044]      FIGS. 21-23  show one of the end walls  218 . As shown in  FIG. 21 , the end wall  218  includes the inwardly-directed ridge  262  and horizontal channel  264 , as before. The end wall  218  also includes projections or tabs  274  for interacting with the base  212  to help retain the end walls  218  in the upright position during assembly. Referring to  FIG. 22 , the end wall  218  includes the flanges  220  and recesses  240 , as before, although some of the recesses  240  are chamfered. Referring to  FIG. 23 , the flanges  220  include interlocking features, such as the v-shaped groove or recess  254 , as before. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 24 , flanges  248  of the base  212  are received in the channels  267  of the side walls  216  (and the channels of the end walls, as in the first embodiment). In this embodiment, all of the side walls  216  and end walls  218  are positively locked to the base  212  to prevent separation from the base  212 . 
         [0046]    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.