Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
t. ~ 93/243 78 2 1 3 6 S 5 4 pcr/ us 93/04862
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~ COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER
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v This invention relates to a collapsible container and
particularly, although not exclusively, a container for the
. shipping of perishable goods such as fish. A container according
s 5 to this invention is formed from a single moulding of a plastics
., material such as polyethylene to form a box or transport case
which comprises a bottom panel and first and second pairs of like
wall panels hingedly connected to the bottom panel. A lid or
cover may be provided preferably as a separate item to close the
i 10 open top of the box. Contalners according to the in~ention may
also be stacked one upon the other o that it is often
unnecessa~y to provide a lid for each container.
Non-collapsible cases with insulating properties for shipping
~ish and formed from expanded or foamed polystyrene are known but
these known cases are not returnable and have become regarded by
~irtue of their composition, as being environmentally
unacceptable.
Such containers do ha~e the advantage of low co~tO A
collap~ible, returnable and reusable co~t iner is desirable for
the shippi~g of fresh (chilled~ or frozen fi~h. A unitary
knockdown foamed polystyre~e shipping container is know from US-
A-3 675 808 but i~ not robust enough for repeated return (round~
trip~ journeys. Moreover, the fo~med material, at least to some
extent, absorbs fluids and would on this count alone be
- 25 unsuitabl~ as a reusable fi~h box. US-A-4 235 346 discloses a
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W093/~4378 ~ i 3 6 S ~ ~ PCT/US93/~48
lightweight collapsible shipping container having a unitary
moulded construction in which a bottom panel is integrally hinged
to fcur peripheral side panels and a top panel is hinged to one
of the side panels. However, this container is also intended to
be formed from a foamed plastics material and is unsuitable for
use as a reusable fish box for the reasons given above.
Collapsible contai~rs having ~ more robust and acceptable
compo~ition are known from e.g. US-A-4 O~S 7g5 which discloses
a container formed from a unitary blank of polypropylene in which
side panels are integrally hinged to a bottom panel. There are
provisions to lock together with side and end panels when they
are brought into an upright position comprising stud and socke~
connections. ~owever, the particular arrangement disclosed is
insufficiently se~ure in view of the anticipated static and
impact loading imposed upon a container according to the present
i~vention utilized as a shipping cont~;ner for fish. US-A-3 675
808 discloses a collap~ible ~ox in which the side and e~d panels
are ~cur~d together by me~n~ o~ a do~etail type tongue and
recess.
~he present invention ~eek~ to achieve a robust but relatively
low cost collapsible, returnable and reusable shipping container
which for return shipme~t, can be put into ne~ted superpo~ed
relationship with like eontainer8 / when collapsed 60 that the
height and space occupied by a ~tack of collapsed containexs is
mlnlmi2ed.
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The present invention provides a collapsible container for use
in the shipping of goods, including perishable goods, a~d
~ comprises a single moulding of a plastics material to form an
!~ open-topped box which comprises a bottom panel and first and
second pairs of like wall panels hingedly connected to said
bottom panel and wherein each wall panel and said bottom panel
are integrally hinged together so that the walls can be erectéd
~rom a collapsed position to an upright position and vice versa,
wherein complementary locking me ns are provided at adjacent
.'10 ed~es of ~aid ~irst and second pairs of wall panels so that said
side and end panels are mutually lockable, wh~n the corners of
the container ar~ formed by putting the wall panQls into an
upright attitude, wherein said container is adaptRd to nest in
superpo~ed relationship with respect to another liks container
when said containers are in collap~ed condition so that the
height ~f a stack of collap ed containers is m; n; ml zed.
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Accordi~g to a ~eatuxe of the invention, said panels may include
features which protrude beyo~ the me~;~l planes of ~aid pan~ls,
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said features bein~ formed and positioned so as to permit nesting
of superposed containers.
A~Gording to a~other feature of the invention, said locking means
may comprise a ret~;~ing ~ace pro~ided by the panels of one pair
f panels engagable with a ret~;n;ng ~ace provided by the panel~
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of the other pair of panel8 to prevent collaps~ of said wall
panels.
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W093/2437~ PCT~;S93/0486'
According to yet another feature of the invention, the retaininq
~; face of a panel of one pair of panels may be mutually engaged
with the retaining face of a panel of the other pair of panels
when the corners of the container are formed and locked thereby
to prevent collapse of the containers.
According to another feature of the invention the retainlng face
of said one panel may be provided by a rib adjacent an end face
of that panel. In constructlons where ~ rib is provided, the rib
may be received in a channel provided by the said other panel,
one fac~ of the ~hannel providing the retaining face of the other
' panel to prevent collapse of the one panel. Preferably, a
releasable locking face is hinged to said other panel for
engagement with the ret~ ng face of said one panel to prevent
~' collapse of the other panel. Pre~erably, the locking face is
carried by a locking flap hinged to said other panel which
locking flap is integral with other panel and f QrmS a part of
said ret~; n; ng ~hAn~el fac~ when locked.
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~According to yet another feature of the invention, said locking
face may co~prise a rib extending perpendicularly from said
locking flap.
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Accordi~g to a further feature of ~e invention, said locking rib
and said one panel may comprise rel~as~ble com~lementary
fastening means~ Preferably, said complementary fastening means
are a push-snap fit. Moreover, it is also preferred that said
fastening m~s comprise complementary notches and pegs formed
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'093/~378 PCT/US93/0~62
along the mating adjacent vertical edges of said first and second
pairs of wall panels and which are hinged into engagement when
~ the 1ocking ~1ap ls engaged after said wall panels are put into
; their fully upright positions to form said box.
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,~ S According to a still further feature of the invention, a
secondary retaining face may be provided within the channel of
said other panel to engage an end edge of said one panel within
said channel.
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According to yet another feature of the invention, ~aid wall
10 panels may be formed with integral handling recesses adjacent
their uppermost ends.
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According to a further feature of the invention the underface of
said bottom panel of one container may be formed with locating
means adapted to engage complementary locking means formed upon
~n uppermost r~m of a~other like container, said complementary
.~, locating m~ans being engagable to ~n~ce secur~ st~ki n~ of
those cont~ rsO
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According to yet a~other feature of the invention, the
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~- complementary locating ~e~ns formed upon said uppermost rLm may
0 be adapt~d to engage locating means provided on the underside of
a lid so that the lid can be ~~cured to close said co~tainer and
wherein the upwardly expo~ed face of said lid also inclndes
lo¢ating ~Q~n~ adapt~d to be engaged ~y the said locating mea~s
provided on the underface of the bottom panel of another like
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container thereby to enhance secure s~ac~ing of those containers.
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i~ According to a still further feature of the invention, s~id
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integral hinges between each wall panel and said bottom pan~l may
be continuous along the length oi the respective wall panel.
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According to yet another feature of the invention, said containér
'~ may be substantially sized to fit a standard European pallet
~! measuring 1.2 x a . 8m for return shipment when said container is
in a collapsed substantially flat condition.
According to another aspect o~ the invention, there is provided
a collapsi~le container for u~e in the shipping of goods which
compxi~es a single mounding of a plastics material to form an
open-topped box which comprises a ~ottom panel and first and
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6econd pairs of like wall panels hingedly connected to ~aid
bottom panel and wherein each wall panel and said bottom panel
,;'.
and first and ~econd pairs of like wall panels hingedly connected
~i; to said bottom panel and wher~in each wall panel and said bottom
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~;. panel are integrally hinged together so that the walls can be
~' erected from a collap~ed position to an upright position and vice
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ver~a, wherein complementaxy locking means are provided a~
~: 20 adjacent edges of said first and second pairs of wall panels so
that ~aid side and end panels are mutually lockable~ when the
~; eor~er~ of the contai~er are formed by putting the wall panels
into an upright attitude, ~aid locking means compri3es a
~; ret~;n;ng face pro~ided by the panels of one pair of panels
2S engagable with a ret~; n i ng face provided by the panels of the
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'093/2~37~i 2 1 3 6 ~ 5 4 PCT/US93/04862
~ other pair of panels to prevent collapse of said wall panels,
'' wherein the retaining face o~ said one panel is provided by a rib
. adjacent an end face of that panel and wher~in a r~leasable
': locking ~ace is hinged to said other panel ~or engagement with
the retaining faoe of said one panel, said locking face being
~arried by a locking flap hinged to said other panel and forming
a part of the ret~' ni ~g face of said other panel when locked.
A collapsible container suitable for use as a ~ish box according
. to the invention, will now be described~ by way of example, with
; 10 reference to the accom~anying drawings, in which:-
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FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a unitary blank of moulded plastic
materiai compri~ing a base panel and four integrally hinged wall
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~:. panels from which the hox can be iormed, three of the wall panels
being partly rai~ed;
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~ FI~UR~ 2 is a perspective view of an erected open-topped
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~'~ con~; n~r ~ormed from the blank shown in Figure l;
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'';? FIGURE 3 iR a per~pectiv~ view of an erected open-topped
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CO~ A i n~r ~ormed from the blank shown in Figure 1 and al~o
comprising a f itted lid;
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20 FIGUR~i 4 is a per~pective view of the co~t~i n~r showing the
urld~irside of the ba~e panel;
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FIGURE S is an end view showing the end wall panel along an edge
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-~ W093~24378 PCT/~!S93/04862
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~.~ with the locking flap in coplanar relationshlp with respect to
'~; the end wall panel;
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'~ FIGU~E 6 is an end elevational view of a par~ially-erected open-
.
topped container formed ~rom the blank shown in Figure 1, as
viewed from an end of the container that has its end wall pivoted
downward, further illustrating the elements shown in Figure 5;
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FIGURE 7 is the same end elevational view of a partially-erected
open-topped container as is illustrated in Figure 6 but wherein
~,' the bla~k of Figure 1 possesses additional elements; and
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Xyi10 FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of an open topped container formed
.~ from the blank ~hown in Figure 7
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~ Referring first to Figur~ 1, there is ~hown a unitary blank lO
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;' of moulded suitable plastic material comprising a rectangular
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bottom panel 12 to the peripheral edges of which are hing -d first
!~',, 15 and second pairs~ 14, 14a and 16, 16a re~pectively, of like wall
panels Side wall panel~ 14, 14a are hinged to the oppo~ed
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.' longitudinal peripheral edg~ of bottom panel 12 along integral
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;';! continuous hi~ges 18, 18a so that the wall pan21s can be erected
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~, from the collapsed'position, in which they are substantially co-
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2 0 planar ' with the bot~om panel ~ until they are upst;l n~ i ng
~ubstantially ~ormal ~o the bottom panel, and vice Yer~a.
~i Likewise, end wall pa~ 16 l 16a are hinged to the oppo~ed
t~ansverse peripheral edges of bottom panel 12 aloIlg inteyral
hinges 2 0, 2 Oa .
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'093/2437~ 2 1 3 6 ~ S 4 PCT/US93/04862
Hinges 18, 18a and 20, 20a, sometimes referred to as "living
hinges,'~ comprise integrally moulded continuous strips of
plastics materlal which are moulded together with the panels of
the bla~k and are slgnificantly thinner and hence more flexible
S than the wall thickness elsewhere in the blank. Although such
continuous hinge strlps will u~ually be formed from the material
injected during the moulding process to form the panels of the
hlank, other hinge constructions are envisaged.
Reference is now made to Figures 2 to 5 . In order to mairltain
'10 the wall panels upright to form the open topped eontainer the
side wall panels are loc~ed to the end wall panels. To this e~d,
the opposed vertical edges of the end wall panels are each
provided with a locking flap "f" which engages the external face
of a side wall and is locked to it in a snap-fit. Further, the
vertical internal ~ace of the end wall adjacent each end edge is
formed with a channel "C,ll the outermost wall 22 of which
provides a ret~;n;ng face to prevent collapsing movement of the
~ide walls~ e.g. side wall 14 is fur~ished, adjacent it8 end
edge, with an integral perpendicular flange or rib 24. When the
end edge o~ ~ide wall 14 is rec~ived in the channel "C", which
occ~rs only whe~ the cor~er of the contA;n~r is properly fonmed
by erecting the wall panels, rib 24 abuts the inter~al ~ace 25
of ch~n~el wall 22 (~igur~ 5)O ~his abutment retains the ide
wall panel in its upright attitude and prevent~ it from collap~e.
Likewis~ rib 24 provide~ a retA;n;~g ace to prevent ollapse of
end wall 16. However, in order to effe~tively engage rib 24 the
locking flap "f" must be engaged~ The arrangement at each end
w~ g3,24378 2 1 3 ;~ S 5 4 PCT/US93/0~62
of the box is sLmilar and therefore only one corner construction
is described, it being understood that the descriptions of the
other corner constructions follow. Locking flap "f" is
; integrally hinged to the end edge of the end wall and includes
a perpendicular locking rib 26. When the locking flap "f" is
engaged it is folded into face contacting relationship with the
external. face of side wall panel 14. In so doing, the portion
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"fl" of the flap between channel wall 22 and locking rib 26 forms
a part of the channel wall 22 and the locking rib 26 engages
,10 behind the rib 24. Thus, the mutual engagement between the ribs
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' 24 and flap l-fl- prevent collapse of the end wall panel 16 4
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In order to achieve a positive fastening between the locking flap
"f" and the side wall panel 14~ the side wall is ~ormed with a
.~ pair of spaced pegs 28 locatad behind rib 24. Pegs 28 locate as
1~ a "snap-fit" into spaced notches 3V formed in the locking ri~ 26.
A secondary locking rib 32 is formed within ch~nnel "C'l agai~st
~ which the extreme end face 33 of the side wall pan~l engages and
'~ thereby gives better locking ~ecurity and a more po~itive
engagement of ~he wall panel edges when the corner of the
container is being formed.
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~. i In order to facilitate h~n~l ing of the box, the end walls are
';' ~orm~d, adjacent their top ends with an inwardly projectlng
,; recess 34 whi~h ~ot only increases the vertica~ compre~sion
,. ~trength and the rigidity of the end wall but provides a h~n~le
feature for the end walls of the box. SImilar handle recesses
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~ -'093/~78 2 1 ~ 6 5 ~ ~ PCT/US93/04862
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~,~ 36, 38 re~pectively, are formed in each of the side walls of the
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container, ~ach recess 36 and 38 belng separated by horizontal
;, 40 and vertical 42 ribbing of the ex~ernal face of the wall which
improves the stiffness and stacking strength of the longer side
~'.; 5 wall panels.
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Each of the wall panels includes an inwardly directed ~op flange
44, 44a and 46, 46at respecti~ely, which together form a rai~ed
~'~ upper rim R of the container'when the wall panels are in their
~i~ erected positions-
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.~10 Top lid "L" ~Figure 3~ has a peripheral complementary chAnn~l
~' (not shown) which can be ~nap-fitted onto the raised rim R of the
cont~ r. Around the edges on the top faoa o~ the lid "L"
'~ is formed a series of upst~;ng lips 4~ and 48a and the
'~ underside of bottom panel 12 is formed, adjacent its periphery,
;r,'.;,'~ 15 with a peripheral ~h~nn~l 50 (Figure 4~ so that the lip 9f the
.;~; .
}id "L" of a~ upper cont~; ner can be located in the channel 50
of a lower conta~ nçr to facilitate locking and enh~n~e stac~ing
6tability. Mor~over, since the rai~ed rLm R around the top panel
walls is vertically aligned with the channel S0 of a base, boxes
2~ can be ~tacked by e~gagement of the rLm and channel o~e upon the
~ ~ex~ in the ab6e~ce of lids ~o that only the top box of a stack
t ' I need be~ e~. The lid "L" also include~ two pairs of
transverse lips 52l 52a which ar~ received in a relieved s~ction
54 o~ ~he bot~om panel of another like container. Lips 48, 52
and 48a, 52a ~o that each of those above groups engage~: and half
~~ the bottom panel of a container stacked tra~ersely thQreon.
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W093/24378 2 13 6 S 5 4 PCT/US93/0486
Referring now to ~i~ure 6, the alignment of ~ome of the
interlockable elements of the contalner shown in Figure 6 and
previou~ illustrations, is further lllustrated in this end view
, of a partially-erected container. In Figure 6, one end wall 16a
and the two side walls have been ~rected. The container is
viewed from an open end wherein the end wall 16 is pivoted
downward. The manner in which the channel ~C~' formed at each end
. of the end wall 16 is aligned to receive the elements formed at
the ends of the side walls 14, 14a is illustrated. When the end
wall 16 is pivoted upward into adjolning relationship with the
I end~ of the side walls ~4, 14a, the innermost wall of each
,ij channel "C" receives the extreme face 33 of a respective side
;'t wali 14, 14a~ At the same tLme, the internal face 25 of the
outermost wall 22 of each channel "C" receives and abuts the edge
of the perpendicular flange or rib 24 of each respective side
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wall 14/ 14a. Also upon joining of the end 16 and side walls 14,
14a, the secondary rib 32 within each channel "C" is brought into
abutting relation~hip with the outex surface of the perpendicular
flange or rib 24 of each re pective sid~ wall 14, 14a.
~! 20 Referring now to Figure 7, which i~ the same end elevational view
~'~ of a partially-erected conta1~er as i~ illustrated in Figure 6,
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and, sImultaneously, also referring to Figure 8, additional
~ j elements of the container are illustrated. Proper alignment of
? the joining eleme~ts of the ~nd wall 16 and side walls 14, 14a
'j 25 is promoted by ~e~n~ of a tab-lik~ m~her 56 protruding from each
channel "C" and a ~orre~ponding co~plementary notch 58, formed
in each respective perpendicular flange or rib 24, for receiving
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" 093/24378 PCT/US93/0~62
the tab member 56. A tab member 56 and corresponding
complementary notch 58 are ~ormed and aligned to engage one
another when the ends of end walls 14, 14a and side walls 16, 16a
are brought into contact with one another. The tab member 56 is
tapered, or bevelled, so that its narrowed leading end can easily
~ engage the correspending complementary notch 58. As the end wall
';' 16, 16a is pressed against the side walls 14, 14a, each tab 56
~;' is forc~d through a corresponding comple~entary notch 58 until
the ~lared, or wider, portlon of the tab member 56 extends into
the ~omplementary notch 58. It is the forcing of the flared tab
member 56 through the complementary notch 58 which bri~gs the
edge of an end wall 14, 14a into deslred alignment with the edge
of a side wall 16, 16a~
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.ii An additional feature which is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 i8
a modification of the perpendicular locking rib 26 of each flap
"~." Each perpendicular loc~ing rib 26 may be ~;fied to
faailitate eng~gement of each notch 30 in a locking rib 26 with
a c~rresponding peg 28 (not visible in Figure~ 7 and 8 but
3 previously discus~ed above). To alleviate any difficulty that
might occur in engaging a notch 30 and corxesponding peg 28 due
to alignment variances caused ~uring manufacture or eo~tinued use
of the container, a secondary notch 60 is placed in the locki~g
~,; rib 26 near ~a~h notch 30 to form a ~e~ondary peg 62. The
econdary peg 62 that is ~ormed is flexible due to the notches
30, 60 on either gide. The flexibllity of th~ ~e~ondary peg 62
~I help~ alleviate po~sible difficulty in s~apping the peg~ 28 i~to
,' the notches 30 which may be caused by ~light misali~m~t of the
.
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':' W093/24378 213 6 5 ~ 4 PCT/US93/0486?
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pegs 28 and re~pective notches 30. The use of the secondary peg
~ . 62 in the locking rib 26 greatly reduces or el;m;~tes the
'; rigidity and inflexibility of the locking rib 26 when optimum
alignment between the pegs 28 and respective notches 30 does not
orcur.
'. ~he panels of the blank are configured so that a stack of blanks
can be formed with the blanks disposed in superposed nested
r~lationship~ For instance~ moulded ~eatures of each panel are
all contained with a common plane on either side of a medial
~: 10 plane of that panelO Also certain features are adapted to nest
; in other like features such as the handle recesses of the wall
panels. When the box is collapsed, it is sized to be received
upon a st~n~rd European sized pallet mea~uring 1.2 x 0.8m for
return shipment and refilling. For an outward journey, a pallet
will receive thr~e containers in each stacked tier of containers~
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