Patent ID: 8167387

Claim:
A collapsible storage container comprising: a horizontally oriented, rigid rectangular base wall panel having a width (w 1 ) and height (h 1 ); a pair of opposed, vertically oriented and spaced apart, rigid end wall panels each having a width (w 2 ), height (h 2 ) and thickness (t 2 ), said width (w 2 ) of each said end wall panels being less than the width (w 1 ) of said base wall panel and said height (h 2 ) of each said end wall panels being less than one half the height (h 1 ) of said base wall panel; a pair of opposed, vertically oriented and spaced apart, rigid side wall panels each having a width (w 3 ), height (h 3 ) and maximum thickness (t 3 ), said width (w 3 ) of each said side wall panels being substantially equal to the distance between said end wall panels and said height (h 3 ) of each said side wall panels being less than the width (w 1 ) of said base wall panel; a pair of opposed spacers attached to said base wall panel at opposite ends thereof at a distance substantially equal to the width (w 3 ) of said side wall panels, each said spacer extending from said base wall panel a distance at least equal to twice the maximum thickness (t 3 ) of said side wall panels; first hinge members interconnecting said end wall panels to said opposed peripheral spacers to permit said end wall panels to fold inwardly toward said base wall panel; an open, horizontally oriented, rectangular upper frame which spans a open width (w 4 ) and open height (h 4 ), said open width (w 4 ) of said frame being substantially equal to the width (w 2 ) of said end wall panels and said open height (h 4 ) being substantially equal to the width (w 3 ) of said side wall panels plus twice the thickness (t 2 ) of said end wall panels; second hinge members interconnecting said side wall panels to opposed sides of said upper frame at a distance beneath the uppermost perimeter of said upper frame to permit said side wall panels to fold inwardly toward said upper frame, said side wall panels being centrally positioned and aligned on said frame such that when said side wall panels fold inwardly opposite ends of said side wall panels are spaced apart from opposed sides of said frame a distance substantially equal to the thickness (t 2 ) of said end wall panels; and a horizontally oriented, rigid closure lid hingedly mounted on said upper frame to span the open width (w 4 ) and open height (h 4 ) of said frame; whereby in a collapsed condition, said side wall panels fold inwardly toward said upper frame and said end wall panels fold inwardly to overlie said side wall panels when said upper frame and said folded side wall panels are positioned in close proximity to said base wall panel.