AU3687699A - A collapsible bin - Google Patents

Description

a.

*a .a

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): SIXTY FIFTH CALEJERO PTY LTD A.C.N. 007 325 016 Invention Title: A COLLAPSIBLE BIN The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: r r r r r 2

TITLE

A Collapsible Bin

INTRODUCTION

This invention relates to a collapsible bin particularly for use with an aseptic bag to contain products ranging from honey, fruit juice and concentrates through to bulk transportation of rice flour, etc.

Steel has become a popular material for use in 15 the fabrication of pallets and bins for use in the transportation of foodstuffs especially foodstuffs that are in granular, powder or liquid forms. Foodstuffs of the kind described above are comparatively dense and thus bins for use in the transportation of such material tend to be fairly robust. Empty bins take up a considerable amount of space and there is thus a need for bins of this kind that can be collapsed and then stacked in the collapsed state when not in use.

It is these needs that have brought about the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a collapsible bin fabricated from steel, the bin comprising a base structure and side panels detachably secured to the base structure by location means, the side panels being adapted to fold down onto and within the confines of the base structure, the side panels being vertically displaceable relative to the base structure to H:\akhoo\Keep\PeIm\P34815 SIXTYFIFTH.doc 30/06/99 3 facilitate folding of the sides without impeding the adjacent sides, and means to prevent vertical displacement of the sides relative to the base structure when erect.

Preferably the bin includes means to lock adjacent sides together when erect. In a preferred embodiment, the bin includes a removable lid structure and means to facilitate stacking of the bin both when erected or collapsed. The bin is designed in a preferred embodiment to be lined with an aseptic liner so that it can be used for the transportation of liquid or particulate material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible bin when erect and supporting a lid, r:)T Figure 2 is a perspective view of the base of the bin with the sides removed, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bin when folded down into the base, Figure 4 is a perspective view showing two collapsed bins stacked one on top of the other, Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective corner section of the base of the bin shown in Figure 2, Figure 6 is a plan view of the corner section shown in Figure Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the corner section shown in Figures 5 and 6, Figures 8 and 9 show in cross-section how the adjacent side is located on the base section of Figures to 7, H:\akhoo\Keep\Per=\p34815 SIXTYFTFTH.doc 30/06/99 4 Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken through the lines 10 of Figure 1, DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The bin 10 illustrated in the accompanying drawings is fabricated from high tensile galvanised steel on a modular basis. The bins are of rectangular crosssection with a pair of parallel shorter sides 11, 12 and a pair of parallel longer sides 13, 14 and a base structure A removable lid 40 can be positioned on the top of the bin. The bin is designed to have a capacity to carry 1500kg of produce and is designed to be suitable for multi- 15 stacking four high.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the base structure comprises a planar base panel 21 with upstanding vertical flanges 29 having an outwardly stepped upper ledge 27. The base panel 21 is positioned in an outer rectangular frame 22. Longitudinal and cross reinforcing members reinforce the base structure 20 and the base panel that defines the floor of the container is raised above the ground by spacers 28 that provides four way access to tynes of a forklift or similar lifting device. Each corner of the base structure is provided with an angle corner bracket 26 that stands above the base to a height of 330mm. Each side 11, 12, 13 or 14 comprises a planar sheet 30 bounded by top and bottom edge ribs 32, 31 and vertical edge members 33, 34 with central reinforcing members 35, 36. The edge and reinforcing members 33, 34, 35, 36 are provided on the exterior of the sheet and provide the inherent rigidity of the sides. The sides of the bin 10 are displaceably secured to the base structure 20 as described later and extend upwardly to form an open rectangular enclosure as shown in Figure 1.

H:\akhoo\Keep\Per=\P34815 SIXTYFIFTH.doc 30/06/99 5 The open enclosure supports a lid 40 which comprises a slightly dished planar upper structure 41 bounded by reinforcing edge members 42 with location lugs 43, 44 welded adjacent corner as shown in Figure 1. The edge members 42 serve to locate the lid 40 on the periphery of the top of the bin. The slight dishing of the lid is formed by a pair of diagonal crease lines 45, 46 extending across opposite corners so that the centre of the lid 40 is slightly higher than the peripheral edges. The location lugs 43, 44 locate against the exterior of the periphery to locate the lid 40 on the bin The sides are secured to the base structure in a manner that the short sides 11, 12 can be folded down onto 15 the base followed by the long sides 13, 14. There is no preferences to which short side or long side is folded down first. When all the sides have been folded down it should be noted from Figure 3 that the sides lie in substantial parallel abutting contact within the confines of the base structure and within the vertical extremities of the corner posts 26. The lid 40 can then be positioned within the corner posts 26. The collapsed units can then be stacked for storage (Figure 4).

As shown in Figure 2 and in an enlarged detail in Figure 5, the base structure 20 includes in each corner a pair of location posts 50 and 51. Location post 50 is welded into the corner of the base structure 20 to extend upwardly and is of square cross-section with a tapered end 52. A smaller square location post 51 is positioned a short distance to one side of the location post 50 and this too has a curved tapered upper surface 53 but is considerably smaller in height than the post The opposed posts 50 are arranged to be a sliding fit within the rectangular sections that form the frame of the longer side panel 13 or 14. In this manner, the longer H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\P34815 SIXTYFIFTH.doc 30/06/99 6 sides are located in the base structure by location on the location posts 50. The short sides 11, 12 are similarly located between opposed pairs of the shorter location posts 51. The location of the shorter sides is illustrated in greater detail with reference to Figures 8 and 9. A small cylindrical stop 60 is welded to the interior wall of the corner post 26 at a position slightly above and laterally displaced from the upper extremity of the location post 51.

The squared base of the shorter side 11, 12 is inserted at an angle as shown in Figure 8 to the post 51 and is then pivoted upwardly to the vertical configuration shown in Figure 9 with the underside of the squared lower member of the side resting against the underside of the cylindrical stop 60. In this position, the shorter side 11, 12 cannot 15 be displaced vertically relative to its location posts 51 due to the contact with the stop 60. Thus, to remove and fold down the shorter sides 11, 12 the reverse operation is conducted whereby the sides are pivoted inwardly as shown in Figure 8 releasing the lower frame member from contact 20 with the stops 60 and then the side 11, 12 can be lifted clear of the location posts 51.

As shown in Figure 10, each long side adjacent each edge is provided with a spring loaded locking bolt that is held captive within a cavity 91 in the longer side 14 but can project outwardly to screw into a threaded *e*aperture 92 in the adjacent edge of the short side 12. In this manner, adjacent long and short sides are secured together so that the location of the short sides against the base structure, in effect, prevents all the sides from being lifted clear of the base structure 20. This feature is of particular advantage when the bin is used with a watertight liner. It has been discovered that when the bin has been filled there is tendency for the liner to push the sides upwardly relative to the base. The assembly does however have the advantage that the sides can be simply disassembled from the base structure for servicing or H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\P34815 SIXTYFIFTH.doc 30/06/99 7 cleaning.

In a variation not shown in Figure 1 the lugs on the lid 40 are replaced by corner brackets that locate the lid onto the bin.

Preferably the components of the bin are secured together by welding. However it is understood that other techniques such as adhesives and other suitable fasteners may be incorporated to define the finished structure.

a *a H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\P34815 SIXTYFTPTH.doc 30/06/99

Claims (7)

1. A collapsible bin fabricated from steel, the bin comprising a base structure and side panels detachably secured to the base structure by location means, the side panels being adapted to fold down onto and within the confines of the base structure, the side panels being vertically displaceable relative to the base structure to facilitate folding of the sides without impeding the adjacent sides, and means to prevent vertical displacement of the sides relative to the base structure when erect. 15 2. The collapsible bin according to Claim 1 wherein a releaseable latch secures adjacent sides to one another.

3. The collapsible bin according to Claim 2 wherein the releaseable latch comprises a spring loaded mode housed 20 in one side and adapted to project outwardly to locate in a *..suitably positioned aperture in the adjacent side. The collapsible bin according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a lid fabricated in steel is adapted to be positioned on top of the bin structure, the .lid having means to locate on the open bin. The collapsible bin according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the base structure includes means to facilitate a four way tyne entry.

6. The collapsible bin according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bin is of rectangular configuration having opposed longer and shorter sides.

7. The collapsible bin according to Claim 6 wherein the side panels locate on posts upstanding from the base H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\34815 SIXTYFIFTH.doc 30/06/99 9 structure.

8. The collapsible bin according to Claim 7 wherein each corner of the base structure is provided with a pair of upstanding posts whereby opposite corners define a first pair of posts to support the longer sides and the second pair of lugs defining means to support the shorter sides, the longer sides being vertically displaceable relative to the posts and abutment means being provided on the base structure to prevent vertical displacement of the shorter sides.

9. The collapsible bin structure according to Claim 8 wherein the shorter sides are located on their respective 15 posts by being inserted at an angle to the vertical under the abutment means and pivoted to the vertical whereby they cannot be vertically displaced. The collapsible bin according to Claim 9 wherein 20 the abutment means to prevent vertical displacement comprises a lug secured to the base structure at a position above the post.

11. A collapsible bin fabricated from steel substantially as described herein with reference to and as *.o0 illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 30th day of June 1999. SIXTY FIFTH CALEJERO PTY LTD By Its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\akhoo\Keep\Pem\P34815 STXTYFIFTH.doc 30/06/99