Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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rhe present invent:ion relates to co]lapsible shipping containers of the
type that are t3sual1y car-ried in trucks or freight cars. More particularly there
is provided a primarily plastics container which may be easily and quickly
erected to receive a load or collapsed into a smal:L space for storage and/or
transportati.on, and which may be stably stacked in either its erect and loaded
or collapsed condition.
It is desirable to construct shipping containers of plastics material
in order to avoid the product contamination that can occur and the maintenance
costs involved when wood or metal are used.
: lO It is also desirable to construct a shipping container which is strong
enough to be stacked when loaded.
It is further desirable to construct a shipping container which may be
easily and quickly collapsed into a small space and stably stacked in this form
as wel].
According to the invention there is provided a collapsible container
comprising: a base providing a flat rectangular bottom wall; four side walls on
said base, each comprising an upper portion pi-votable about a horizontal pivot
axis between an erect condition, wherein it extends substantially normal to
said bottom wall, and a collapsed condition; said pi-vot axes being all at
different heights, the difEerence in he:ight between successively h:Lgher axes
being approximately equal to the thickness of a side wall so that in their
collapsed condition said side walls lie substantially parallel to said bottom
wall; support means projecting vertically :Erom the bottom wall adjacent to the
eclge oppos:Lte the s:Lde wal:L having the highest pi.-vot axis so as to :Eorm hori-
xontnl f3-lpports oE even he:Lgt1t 011 nt least the fo~1r corners oE said base when
fln:Lcl cont~:Lner :I.s :Ln :Lts collapsed cond:Lt:Lon whereby anot}1er conta:Lner may be
stnb:Ly f; tacked on tol3, Easten:Lng me~ms :Eor secur:Lng said s:Lcle wallf~ when :Ln sclic
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erect condition to form a continuous enclosure around and above the edges of
said bottom wall; each said wall being Eormed of plastics material~ each said
side wall being of a planar construction and being constructed of two spaced
confronting panels interconnected around their edges; and means bracîng central
areas of the two panels of each wall in fixed relation to each other.
The base may be provided with a plurality of legs which preferably are
disposed so as to permit the tines of a forklift to be inserted under the bottomwall from any of its four edges. The legs may be provided with recesses
arranged to cooperate with the upper edges of support means of a container in
Lts collapsed condition and with the upper edges of side walls of a container inits erect condition whereby said containers may be stably stacked in either
their erect or collapsed condition.
The container is preferably constructed so that there are no loose
parts whether the container is in its erect condition or its collapsed condition.
This is advantageous in that loose parts are more likely to be lost or damaged.
The container may be constructed with one side wall hinged horizontally
above its pivot axis so that it may be folded outwardly thus facilitating
access to the interior of the container when it is in its erect condition.
In drawings which are illustrative of the invention:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodlment of a
contalner according to the invention, in its collapsed condition;
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FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the container in its erect
condition;
FIGVRE 3 is a perspective view showing the container in its erect
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condition and showing the underside;
FIGURE ~ is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrat-
ing the manner in which the containers stack when they are in
their collapsed condition;
FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views showing the
container in different partially collapsed conditions;
FIGURE 8 is a perspective view showing the container
with part of one of its side walls opened outwardly;
FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on
line 9-9 of Figure 2;
FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view of a lower corner of the
container;
- FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIGURE 10;
FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on
line 12-12 of FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 13 is a similar view to that shown in FIGURE 12.
Referring to Figures 1 to 8, there is shown a container
having a base 10 and four side walls 12, 14, 16 and 18.
The base 10 is formed of plastic material, preferably
rotationally moulded polyethylene, and consists of two panels
interconnected around their edgesO The upper panel 20 is flat
and forms the inside bottom su:rface of the container. The lower
panel 22 is deformed outwardly to :Eorm nine legs 24. One leg
,~ ls provided :in the centre o.f the bottom panel and the other legs
are providecl at the edges o:f the bott.om panel, the legs being
arranged :in three spaced rows, each row having three spacecl apart
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legs. As best showrl in Figure 3, the outer legs are provided
with recesses 26. As shown in Figure ll, in order to add strength
the space between the upper panel 20 and the lower panel 22 may
be filled with foam 23. As shown in Figure 9 in relation to the
walls in order to further strengthen the base 10, the lower panel
22 may be deformed towards and joined to the upper panel 20 at
discrete locations throughout their area.
Each side wall 12, 1~, 16 and 18 consists of an upper
portion 12a, 14a, 16a and 18a, respectively and a lower portion
12b, 14b, 16b and 18b, respectively. The lower edge of the
upper portion and the upper edge of the lower portion of each
side wall are castellated and interfitting and are pivotally
joined together by means of hinge pins 12c, 14c, 16c and 18c.
Each upper portion is therefore pivotable about a horizontal
axis between an erect condition in which it extends substantially
normal to the base and a collapsed condition in which it lies
substantially parallel to the bottom wall.
The hinge pins consist of metal or plastic rods.
The rods are capped on one end with a press fit cap or a washer
and nut, are placed through moulded tubes in the base and
respective side waLl and are then similarly capped on the other
end thereby becoming pivotally secured in place. The ends of
the hinge pins are preferabl~ recessed.
As is eviclent ~rom the drawings, the hinge pins are al]
Oe dieferent heigh-t. The difference in height be~ween the lowes-t
hinge pin L2c an(l-the next highest pin l~c, betweerl pin L4c ancl
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the next highest pin 16c and between pin 16c and the next highest
pin 18c is, in each case, approximately equal to the thickness of
a side wall. This permits the side walls to lie substantially flat
when they are in their collapsed condition. The upper and lower
portions of each side wall are formed of plastics material,
preferably rotationally moulded polyethylene, and are formed of
two spaced panels joined at their edges. As shown in Figure 9, the
outer panel is deformed towards and joined to the inner panel at
discrete locations throughout their area. These deformations 27
considerably strengthen the walls; however, as shown in Figure 4,
if further strength is desired, the space between the walls may
be filled with foam 25.
Opposing walls 16 and 18 are provided on their vertical
edges with inwardly projecting flanges 16d and 18d (Figure 7).
Opposing walls 12 and 14 are provided along their vertical edges
with grooves 12d and 14d (Figure 8~ which are arranged to cooperate
with the flanges 16d and 18d when the con-tainer is in its erect
condition.
As best shown in Figure 1 the upper edges 16i and 18i
of the lower portions of wal:Ls 16 and 18 are oE equal height.
As shown in Figure 8, the top part 18g of the upper
portion of wall 18 is hinged about the lower part 18h of the
upper portion of wall 18. This permits the top part 18g to be
folded outwardly thereby Eacilita-ting Loading and emptying of the
con~ai~er.
~ s best shown in Figllres 2, 12 and 13 recesses 16e llTld
18e ancl qua-rter turn Easte~ers 16f ancl 18E are provicled a~ -the
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edges of walls 16 and 18. Each quarter turn fastener is
formed of a wing head 28, a shaft 30~ a transverse pin 32 and
spring washers 34. Receptacles are mounted in corresponding
walls 12 and 14.
Quarter turn fastener 18f is shown in Figure 13
in its open position. Spring washers 34 hold pin 32 in a retracted
position in recess 18L so that it does not interfere with the
movement of wall 12.
To close quarter turn fastener 18f as shown in Figure
12 wing head 28 is axially pushed thereby compressing spring
washers 34 and pushing pin 32 through the opening in receptacle
18K. Wing head 28 is then turned thereby causing pin 32 to
ride up on the ramp portions of receptacle 18K to engage in
retaining notches. The quarter turn fastener 18f is held in
this closed position by the compression of spring washers 34
and wall 18 is therefore securely connected to wall 12. The
construction of the quarter fasteners is well known and need
not be described in any further detail.
The container is shown in its erect position in Figure
2. To collapse the container from this condition quarter turn
fasteners 16f and 18f are opened, side wall 12 is folcled inwardly
as shown in Figure 7, side wall 14 is then folded on top as shown
i in Figure 6, side wall 16 is then folded on top as shown in
Figure 5, and finally side wall 18 is folded on top as shown in
Pigure 1. To erect ~he container this process is si~nply reversed.
I~ wilL there~ore be secn that ~he container may be collapsetl
or erec-tt-~d w-ith very li-ttle time or e~-Eort and -that -there are no
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loose parts when the container is in its collapsed condition or
its erect condition. Because the hinge pins 12c, 14c, 16c and
18c are all arranged at different heights and the difference
in height between successively higher hinge pins is equal to
the thickness of a side wall, the side walls 12, 14, 16 and 18,
when they are in their collapsed condition, lie substantially
flat in relation to each other thus permitting the container to
be collapsed to a relatively low height.
The containers may be stacked when they are either in
their erect condition or their collapsed condition. When one
container is stacked on another which is in its erect condition
the recesses 26 formed in the outer legs cooperate with the upper
edges 12j, 14j, 16j and 18j of the side walls so tha-t the containers
are stable when stacked. When a container is stacked upon another
container which is in its collapsed condition the recesses 26 in
the outer legs of the upper container cooperate with the upper
edges 16i, 18i of lower portions 16b and 18b. Since upper edges
16i and 18i are of equal height this permits the containers to
be stably stacked.
When in its erect condition the container is quite strong
and secure. The quarter turn fasteners 16f and 18f are strong
and hold walls 16 and 18 securely in place. The flanges 16d and
18d and the corresponding grooves 12d and 14d interlock to limit
the outward swing oE walls 1~ and 14 thcreby aiding in maintining
the container in erect condition.
