Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02720769 2010-11-18
1962
FOLDABLE CONTAINER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to foldable containers, particularly for use in
vehicles,
particularly pick-up trucks, having a storage space for articles, particularly
tools.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicles, such as, pick-up trucks, having a storage space, such as a hopper
for
carrying merchandise, generally, require the hopper to be covered in order to
protect the
merchandise from the weather or from being stolen. The most popular devices
used for this
purpose are cabins, covers or metal boxes.
Cabins are installed covering all the hopper, normally at the same height as
the cab;
whereas covers are installed flat with the rear door and sides, covering the
entire hopper; and
metal boxes have different sizes and are often installed close to the cab.
Unfortunately,
cabins limit the free access and capacity of pick-ups and covers are easily
broken by thieves
and, in both devices, if small objects are placed in the hopper, they can
unfortunately move
freely in the hopper when unconstrained. Metal boxes are strong and restrain
small
merchandise in place, but have the inconvenience of taking important space of
the hopper
when that space is required for other purposes. This inconvenience is
increased when pick-
up trucks have large cabs and short hoppers.
There is, therefore, a need to provide a system for carrying merchandise in
aforesaid
vehicles that overcomes the aforesaid disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a box-like, foldable, collapsible container
that
provides a secure manner to contain merchandise, and which can be collapsed
upon itself as
to provide additional storage space external of the container walls and top.
Accordingly, in one aspect the invention provides a rectangular, box-like,
closeable,
and foldable container comprising
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CA 02720769 2010-11-18
six panels, wherein each of said panels is selectively either (i) not
attached, (ii)
hingedly attached, or (iii) disengageably attached to an adjacent panel as to
allow of relative
movement of said panels from said box-like structure to effect parallel
alignment of said
panels in abutment, wherein each panel is adjacent to at least one other
panel.
In preferred embodiments, the invention provides a rectangular, box-like,
foldable
container comprising
a rear panel (12);
a front panel (14) opposing said rear panel at a distance therefrom;
a bottom panel (16);
a top panel (18) opposing said bottom panel at a distance therefrom;
and a pair of opposing side panels (20,22);
wherein said panels are selectively either (i) not attached, (ii) hingedly
attached, or (iii)
disengageably attached, to an adjacent panel as to foldably allow relative
movement of said
panels to effect parallel alignment of said panels in abutment, wherein each
panel is adjacent
to at least one other panel.
Most preferred embodiments comprise a container as hereinabove defined wherein
rear panel (12) has a rear upper edge (24), a rear lower edge (26), a first
rear side edge (28)
and a second rear side edge (30);
front panel (14) has a front upper edge (32), a front lower edge (34), a first
front side
edge (36) and a second front side edge (38);
bottom panel (16) has a bottom front edge (40), a bottom rear edge (42), a
bottom first
side edge (44) and a bottom second side edge (46);
top panel (18) has a top front edge (48), a top rear edge (50), a top first
edge (52) and
a top second edge (54);
pair of opposing side panels comprises a first side panel (20) and a second
side panel
(22);
wherein first side panel (20) has a first side top edge (56), a first side
bottom edge
(58), a first side front edge (60), and a first side rear edge (62);
second side panel (22) has a second side top edge (64); a second side bottom
edge
(66), a second side front edge (68), and a second side rear edge (70); wherein
rear upper edge (24) is hingedly mounted to top rear edge (50);
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rear lower edge (26) is hingedly mounted to bottom rear edge (42);
first side rear edge (28) is hingedly mounted to first side rear edge (62);
second rear side edge (30) is hingedly mounted to second side rear edge (70);
front panel lower edge (34) is hingedly mounted to bottom panel front edge
(40);
front panel first side edge (36) is disengageably attached to first side front
edge 60;
and
front panel second side edge (38) is disengageably attached to second side
front edge
(68).
"Rectangular, box-like" in this specification includes a cuboid shape.
The top panel is invariably the lid which is operable to allow entry of
articles and the
like.
The rear panel of the container is, optionally, preferably, attached to the
rear outer
wall of the cab of a truck by attachment means.
The empty, folded, collapsed container in other embodiments is manually
portable,
preferably provided with suitably located handles.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a vehicle, particularly a pick-up
truck,
having an attached container as hereinabove defined.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be better understood, a preferred embodiment
is now
described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings,
wherein
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a collapsible and foldable
container
according to the invention; in a partially unfolded mode;
Fig. 2 shows a plurality of steps constituting the order in which the
embodiment of
Fig. 1 is collapsed and folded; and
Figs. 3A and 3B are diagrammatic perspective views of the container in a full
constructed article-containable unfolded mode and a collapsed, folded mode,
respectively,
within and attached to a pick-up truck.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 shows a partially folded aluminum, rectangular container 10 having a
rear
planar panel 12, a front planar panel 14, a bottom planar panel 16, a top
planar panel or lid
18, and a pair of opposing side panels 20,22.
A container wherein the rear panel 12 has a rear upper edge 24, a rear lower
edge 26,
a first rear side edge 28 and a second rear side edge 30;
the front panel 14 has a front upper edge 32, a front lower edge 34, a first
front side
edge 36 and a second front side edge 38;
the bottom panel 16 has a bottom front edge 40, a bottom rear edge 42, a
bottom first
side edge 44 and a bottom second side edge 46;
the top panel 18 has a top front edge 48, a top rear edge 50, a top first edge
52 and a
top second edge 54;
the pair of opposing side panels comprises a first side panel 20 and a second
side
panel22;
wherein the first side panel 20 has a first side top edge 56, a first side
bottom edge 58,
a first side front edge 60, and a first side rear edge 62;
the second side panel 22 has a second side top edge 64; a second side bottom
edge 66,
a second side front edge 68, and a second side rear edge 70; wherein
the rear upper edge 24 is hingedly mounted to top rear edge 50;
the rear lower edge 26 is hingedly mounted to bottom rear edge 42;
the first side rear edge 28 is hingedly mounted to the first side rear edge
62;
the second rear side edge 30 is hingedly mounted to the second side rear edge
70;
the front panel lower edge 34 is hingedly mounted to the bottom panel front
edge 40;
the front panel first side edge 36 is disengageably attached to the first side
front edge
60; and
the front panel second side edge 38 is disengageably attached to the second
side front
edge 68.
A lock 72 adjacent edge 48 on lid 18 connects with its counterpart 74 adjacent
edge
32 of panel 14 when container 10 is in a non-folded mode and providing an
overlap or lip of
edge 48 over edge 32.
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Latches 76 at edges 68 of panel 22 and (not shown) 60, 36 and 38 of panel 20
and 14
provide disengageable attachments.
Suitable rearrangement of the hinges and/or latches on the panels provides
alternative
embodiments of the container according to the invention.
With reference to Fig. 2, this shows container 10 in a full assembled article-
containable mode as step 1. The subsequent steps are to be taken in the
following sequence
to collapse and fold the container to its minimum volume:-
Step 1 - Box is totally assembled;
Step 2 - Unlock lock 72 and open lid 18 by lifting and rotating panel 90';
Step 3 - Unclamp right side panel 22 and left side panel 20 from front panel
14 and
rotate each side outwards a minimum of about 15 ;
Step 4 - By maintaining front panel 14 vertically, lift bottom panel 16
upwards
(counterclockwise) about 45 ;
Step 5 - Rotate front panel 14 downwards (clockwise) about 135 ;
Step 6 - While rotating front panel 14 clockwise and bottom panel 16
counterclockwise, push each together until each of them are vertically aligned
in parallel
abutment.
Step 7 - Rotate right side panel 22 and left side panel 20 until both of them
are also in
vertical alignment with rear panel 12, and side panels 20, 22;
Step 8 - Rotate lid 18 clockwise (drop) about 180 until abutting side panels
20, 22 in
parallel vertical alignment, to constitute folded and collapsed container 30.
It can be readily seen that alternative sequences of steps of collapsing and
folding of
container 10 may be practised to effect variations of folded container 30.
Figs. 3A and 3B show container 10 in an unfolded mode in a hopper 78 of truck
80
and collapsed, folded mode, respectively.
Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred
embodiments
of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted
to those particular
embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments which are
functional or
mechanical equivalence of the specific embodiments and features that have been
described
and illustrated.
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