Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02309234 2000-OS-23
This invention relates to a container which is intended
to hold produce such as fruit and vegetables. The container is
relatively flat for storage and unfolds to an open position
for use. More particularly the invention relates to a latch
for such a container.
Containers of the type which fold for storage and which
unfold or open for use in holding produce are well known.
Usually the containers are composed of moulded plastic for
lightness and ease in cleaning and are provided with a number
of slots for aeration of their contents. The containers have
a number of panels which are interconnected by hinges which
allow the panels to lie relatively flat when the container is
folded for storage. Latches interlock the panels when the
container is open or unfolded for use.
A shortcoming of many such containers is that, the latches
are difficult or inconvenient to operate. Many such latches
stick and will not open unless the latch is pushed while the
panels are rocked from side to side. Frequently, considerable
force is required to move the panels sufficiently for the
latch to open. In applying such force, the panels or hinges
may break or be severely damaged.
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CA 02309234 2000-OS-23
Another shortcoming of other containers is that the
latches are located where they are inconvenient to reach.
Still other container have latches which are complicated of
construction and expensive to manufacture.
An object of this invention is to provide a latch which
is conveniently located. The latch may be located near the
handle of the container so that a person carrying the con-
tamer may reached the latch conveniently after he has put the
container down.
Another object of the invention is to provide a latch
which is easy to operate. Pressure on the latch causes it to
operate and such pressure is easy to apply. Movement of the
panels from side and side is not required to make the latch
open.
Broadly described, the latch of the invention is for use
in a collapsible container having a base and a number of
panels pivotal between a closed position lying in apposition
to the base and an open position in which the panels are
upright and define an enclosure. The container is upstanding
when open and when the panels extend vertically upward from
the base. The latch is provided for interlocking adjacent
panels. The latch has a slider which is slidable vertically
when the
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CA 02309234 2000-OS-23
container is upstanding and which slides between latch-locking
and latch-unlocking positions. The latch further has a catch
which is movable horizontally when the container is upstanding
and which moves from a locking position for locking adjacent
panels to an unlocking position in which the panels are free
to pivot to the closed position. The latch has means for con-
verting vertical movement of the slider to horizontal movement
of the catch.
The latch of the invention is described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container open for
use and showing the outside and inside walls of the latch of
the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of container showing the
manner in which its panels are unfolded for use;
Figures 3 and 5 are perspective views of portions of the
inside wall of an end panel of the container;
Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3 showing the
latch closed;
Figure 7 is a section on the same line as in Figure 6
except that the latch is shown open;
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CA 02309234 2000-OS-23
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the inside walls of
portions of the side and end panels of the container.
Figure 9 is a partial perspective view of a second embod-
invent of the container;
Figure 10 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the
second embodiment showing an end panel separated from a side
panel;
Figure 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Figure 9;
Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a component
of the latch in the second embodiment;
Figures 13 and 14 are elevations of the end panel of the
second embodiment, in Figure 13 the latch is closed and in
Figure 14 the latch is open.
Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout
the description of the drawings.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the illustrated con-
tamer, indicated generally 10, has a bottom panel or base 12,
side panels 14, 16 and end panels 18, 20. The side panels are
joined to the base by means of elongated hinges 24, 26 and
like hinges 28, 30 join the end panels to the base.
Elongated openings 36, 38 are formed on the end panels.
When the container is standing up as illustrated in Figure 1,
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the panels extend vertically upward from the base and the
opening are defined at the bottom by a lower edge 38a and at
the top by an upper edge 38b. The elongated openings serve as
a handles for the container and accordingly are of size
sufficient to admit the fingers of a human hand.
With reference to Figures 1, 3 and 4, a latch, generally
40, is positioned beneath each opening and serves to inter-
connect the end panels to the side panels. The latch includes
a slider 42 which is located beneath opening 36. The slider is
mounted for sliding to the inner wall of the end panel by
means of a barb 44 which is formed on the inside wall of the
end panel. A slot 46 is formed on the wall of the slider which
faces the end panel. The slider is free to slide up and down
in the slot and is held therein by cooperation of the pro-
jecting edge 44a of the barb with the facing inside surface
46a of the slot. A like slot 48 and a barb are formed on the
opposite side of the slider
Preferably the latch assembly is covered by a panel (not
illustrated) to protect it when the container is in use.
The direction of movement of the slider is indicated by
arrow 60 and that direction is preferably vertical when the
container is resting on a horizontal surface. To that end,
CA 02309234 2000-OS-23
the longitudinal axes of slots 46, 48 are oriented vertically.
Vertically extending ridges or guides 62, 64 are provided on
the end panel for contacting the side edges 66, 68 of the
slider. The slots and ridges cooperate to ensure that the
movement of the slider is in the desired direction.
Lateral extensions 70, 72 are provided at opposite sides
of the slider and a pin 74 extends outwardly from each ex-
tension. The pin is received in a slot 76 formed in an end of
a latch bar 78. Preferably the angle between the longitudinal
axis of the slot and the direction of movement of the slider
is about 60 degrees.
As the pin moves downward in the groove, the latch bar
moves horizontally inward toward the slider. Movement of the
pin upwardly causes the latch bar to move horizontally in the
opposite direction. The pin thus cooperates with the groove to
convert vertical movement of the slider to horizontal move-
ment of the latch bar.
With reference to Figures 6 and 7, the end of the latch
bar opposite the slot ends at a flange 80 which extends norm-
ally from the longitudinal axis of the latch bar. The flange
serves to release a detent or catch 82 which is formed on side
panel 16.
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With reference to Figure 6 the catch is shown within a
recess 84 formed on an outer extension 85 of the end of end
panel 20. The lower edge 84a of the recess is bevelled at an
angle within the range of approximately 2 to 5 degrees to the
horizontal when the container is upstanding. Similarly the
lower edge 82a of the catch which faces edge 84a is bevelled
at approximately the same angle and the two edges are parallel
to one another. Such bevelling results in a more reliable
interconnection of the side panel and the end panel.
With reference to Figure 7, when the slider is moved
downward, flange 80 moves inward and applies an inward force
on the catch. The catch is composed of resiliently deformable
material and bends inward under such force . As it bends it
moves out of recess 84 and unlatches the side panel from the
end panel. The side panel can then be separated manually from
the end panel.
The catch only bends when a significant downward force is
applied to the slider. Otherwise the catch is in the un-
deformed position illustrated in Figure 6. Thus when the end
panel is to be reconnected or re-latched to the side panel,
the two panels are returned to the position illustrated in
Figure 6. The two panels are then pushed together. When so
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CA 02309234 2000-OS-23
pushed, edge 88 of the end panel contacts the outer wall of
the catch and causes the catch to bend inward to clear the
edge.
When the catch reaches the recess, the catch will snap
outward thereby re-latching the end panel to the side panel.
As the catch snaps back it will contact the flange and cause
it to move likewise such that it returns to the position il-
lustrated in Figure 6.
With reference to Figure 8 an elongated groove 90 is
formed along the edge of the end panel 20 beneath the latch
bar and an elongated tongue 92 is formed along the edge of the
side panel beneath catch 82. when the two panels are inter-
connected the tongue is accommodated in the groove. A smaller
groove 94 and tongue 96 are formed above the catch and latch
bar. The grooves and tongues cooperate to strengthen the cor-
ner of the container at which the two panels meet.
In operation, the container is folded for storage from
the position illustrated in Figure 1 by placing a hand in
opening 36 and pushing downward on slider 42. Such pushing
causes the slider to slide downward from a latch-locking
position illustrated in Figure 1 to a latch-unlocking position
illustrated in Figure 3. As the latch slides downward latch
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bars 78 on opposite sides of the slider are pulled simul-
taneously inward toward the slider. At the same time the
flanges 80 open catches 82. The end panel may then be sep-
arated from the side panels. The operation is repeated at the
other end of the container.
After the end panels are separated, the container is
folded flat by first folding side panels outward. Next, the
end panels are folded outward beside the side panels. The
container will then be ready for storage. In some cases it may
be desirable for the side and end panels to fold inward so
that they are beside each other, one on top of the other. YJhen
folded in this way the container is more compact in storage.
Unfolding involves opening the panels as illustrated in
Figure 2 and rotating the side and end panels upward until
their edges are adjacent to each other. One end panel is then
positioned such that its grooves 90, 94 are adjacent to the
tongues 92, 96 at both sides. The end panel is then pushed
into contact with the two side panels. As the flanges of the
latch contact the catches, they are forced outward by the
catches and the latch bars force the slider upward. No springs
are necessary for this purpose since the catch, being re-
saliently deformable serves to bias the slider into the latch-
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locking position.
Since the latch i.s adjacent to the lower edge of the
opening, fingers within the opening, if raised serve to lift
the container and if lowered, contact the latch and cause it
to unlock the panels.
With reference to Figure 9, the container has side and
end panels 100, 102 and a base or bottom panel 104. Like the
container illustrated in the previous drawings, the container
closes for storage and opens for use. An elongated opening 106
is formed in the end panel and the opening serves as a handle
for the container in the conventional manner.
Beneath the opening a slider 110 is mounted. With refer-
ence to Figure 12, the slider includes an arc-shaped spring
112 mounted on a basal support 114. The slider has a lower
wall 116 which extends downward from the basal support and a
pair of pins 118, 120 extend outwardly from the wall. The pins
are received in slots 122, 124 in latch bars 126, 128. The
pins and slots cooperate to convert vertical movement of the
slider to horizontal movement of the latch bars.
The angle between the longitudinal axis of each slot 122,
124 and the direction of movement of the slider is approx-
imately 60 degrees. The slider and latch bars form a latch as
CA 02309234 2000-OS-23
explained below.
The slider is preferably composed of a single piece of
moulded plastic which is sufficiently resilient that downward
pressure on the spring will cause the spring to resiliently
deform. The spring will however return to its undeformed state
when the pressure is withdrawn.
With reference to Figures 10 and 11, the slider is mount-
ed in a niche 130 in the wall of the end panel beneath the
handle. The slider is mounted such that its spring contacts
the upper wall 132 of the niche. The latch bars extend through
openings in the side walls of the niche and connect to the
pins which are adjacent to the side walls.
With reference to Figures 10 and 13 the outer ends 140 of
the latch bars remote from the pins extend outwardly of the
end panel and into recesses 142, 144 formed in the side panels
100. The outer ends act as catches when the latch bars are in
that position and serve to lock the end panel to the side pan-
els. The latch in this position is in a locking position.
In Figure 14, upward pressure in the direction of arrow
150 is applied to the lower surface of the basal support 114
of the spring. Such pressure opposes the bias of the spring
and causes it to deform resiliently with resulting upward
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CA 02309234 2000-OS-23
movement of the basal support. As the Support moves upward,
pins 118, 120 draw the latch bars inward toward the slider in
the direction of arrows 152 with resulting withdrawal of the
catches of the latch bars from recesses 142, 144. The latch in
this position is in an unlocking position. The end panel is
then unlocked from the side panels and the panels may be
folded for storage.
Opening 106 is spaced apart from the upper edge 160 of
the end panel a distance sufficient so that when the fingers
of a hand are within the opening, the thumb of the hand can
rest on the upper edge 160.
The latch is spaced apart and vertically below the open-
ing when the container is standing up as illustrated in Figure
9. The distance separating the opening from the latch is such
that when the thumb is resting on the upper edge, the fingers
can contact the latch and when the hand is squeezed, the bias
of the spring is overcome with resulting upward movement of
the slider from the latch~locking position to the latch-un-
locking position.
It will be understood of course that modifications can be
made in the preferred embodiment illustrated and described
herein without departing from the scope and purview of the
invention as described and claimed herein.
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