Patent ID: 7870970

Claim:
A collapsible container comprising a base structure, a top structure, opposed side covers arranged between the base structure and the top structure, each of said side covers having a lower section frame pivotally connected to said base structure and a top section frame pivotally connected to said top structure, and a central hinge arrangement fixed to the top and lower section frames of each of said side covers so that the top section frame is pivotally movable relative to the lower section frame, whereby the side covers are selectively positionable between an erected position in which the top structure is remote from the base structure and a collapsed position in which the top structure is at or adjacent to the base structure, in the erected position the container presenting an interior space between the base and top structures and between opposed open ends of the container, and end covers arranged to be pivotally movable between an upright position for covering respective open ends and a down position for allowing the side covers to be movable to the collapsed position, the central hinge arrangement being associated with central load distribution means arranged so that in the erected position load is distributed between the upper and lower section frames of each side cover, the central load distribution means including a central load transfer member having opposed ends, one end thereof being fixed to or integrally formed with one of said top and lower section frames, and the other end thereof being arranged to engage and be locked to the other of said top and lower section frames when the container is in the erected position, and a tensioning arrangement for tensioning the side covers in the erected position; the tensioning arrangement including first tensioning means having one or more paired tensioning elements configured to move into a position where they engage each other when the side covers are being moved into the erected position to thereby tension each side cover in a substantially vertical direction traversing each side cover.