AU689513B2 - Modular container - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE S PEC I FI CATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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C C C. C Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: HSIAO-LIANG HO Hsiao-Liang HO SHELSTON WATERS Margaret Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 "MODULAR CONTAINER"

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C. C The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:la MODULAR CONTAINER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to a container, and more particularly to a modular container which can be disassembled and folded to minimize its size for storage and transportation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Laundry containers or baskets are commonly used in many ee..

families and laundry shops for keeping clothes. In order to 10 facilitate the air ventilation inside a laundry container so eoeee: as to avoid moisture or bad odor accumulation, most laundry containers are weaved by long strips, such as bamboo, cane, o:eo oeee PVC (Polyvinyl chloride), or paper strips, in order to create a plurality of small air ventilation openings. The frames of such weaved containers, however, are rigid and thus difficult to fold. Besides, most of the strip surfaces are covered with a hard enamel coating for polishing and protection purposes and this further hardens the weaved part. Such rigid structure make it difficult to fold a laundry container in order to shrink its size for storage when it is not in use and L~ I LI 11111 1 I r -2thus cause inconveniences to a user because of its bulky size. Besides, such a problem also causes many commercial and departmental stores to be unwilling to demonstrate and sell such container products because it occupies too much valuable shelf space.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or substantially ameliorate, at least one of these disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the present invention there is provided a collapsible laundry basket comprising: a generally planar base portion including an outer periphery and an upper surface having a plurality of retaining formations; a sleeve circumscribing the outer periphery of the base portion; :i:i an upper frame including a lower surface having a plurality of retaining formations corresponding to the retaining formations on the base portion; a retaining groove formed adjacent a periphery of the upper frame; retaining means associated with the base portion; elongate interconnecting members which, in use, extend between corresponding retaining .Rc..

Sformations on the base portion and upper frame to hold the base portion and upper portion a predetermined distance apart, the interconnecting members being removable to allow the upper frame to be lowered into contact with the planar base portion in a collapsed configuration; and a flexible sidewall having an upper edge and a lower edge and extending between the upper frame and base potion to define an enclosed basket in an operative configuration, wherein the upper edge of the sidewall is retained within the retaining groove and the lower edge of the sidewall is retained against the base portion by the retaining means.

I II lower frames associated with the flexible side panel can then be folded to minimize the container's size for storage.

It is another advantage of the present invention at least in its preferred embodiment, that the supporting rods can quickly be installed between the upper and lower frames to extend the container to its normal size when it is needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a modular container according to the present .1 10 invention; *.0 9 9 •Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the modular container; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the modular container shown in Fig. 1 which shows the upper and lower frames, and the supporting rods of the modular container; and Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the rod mounting structures of the lower frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 and 2, wherein Fig.

1 is a perspective view of a modular container according to the present invention and Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the modular container shown in Fig. 1, the modular container of the present invention comprises a rigid upper frame 11, a -4rigid lower frame 12, a flexible side panel 1 for connecting the upper and lower frames 11 and 12 to define an inner space inside the container, and four supporting rods 2 extending between and supporting the upper and lower frames 11 and 12. Panel 1 is made of a flexible material, such as cloth, plastic sheet or a composition made, 9 9* 9 9 c- a, I I L.1 of the cloth and the plastic sheet, which can be folded associated with the upper and lower frames 11 and 12 when the container is not in use so as to minimize its size for storage. The folded container can also be easily put on the shelf of a commercial or department store for sale and occupies a very little space.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, wherein Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the modular container shown in Fig. 1 which shows the upper and lower frames 11 and 12 and the supporting rods 2 of the container and Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the lower frame 12 and the rod mounting structures 13 thereof. The lower frame 12 comprises four up-protruding rod e oe mounting structures 13 on its upper side for mounting the four supporting rods 2. When a user intends to install the rods ee •egg 15 between the upper and lower frames 11 and 12, the upper frame 11 is pulled up vertically first in order to take the arrange ee the four rods 2 between the upper and lower frames 11 and 12.

The lower end of each of the rods 2 is removably mounted to one of the rod mounting structures 13 of the lower frame 12 and the upper end of each of the rods 2 is removably stuck to a matching position on the lower side of the upper frame 11 wherein the upper and lower frames 11 and 12 connected with r*I*7lL 'I I I 6 the flexible side panel 1 are extended and supported by the four supporting rods 2.

The above disclosure is not intended as limitative.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claim.

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Claims (2)

1. A collapsible laundry basket comprising: a generally planar base portion including an outer periphery and an upper surface having a plurality of retaining formations; a sleeve circumscribing the outer periphery of the base portion; an upper frame including a lower surface having a plurality of retaining formations corresponding to the retaining formations on the base portion; a retaining groove formed adjacent a periphery of the upper frame; retaining means associated with the base portion; elongate interconnecting members which, in use, extend between corresponding :retaining formations on the base portion and upper frame to hold the base portion and 1 upper portion a predetermined distance apart, the interconnecting members being removable to allow the upper frame to be lowered into contact with the planar base portion in a collapsed configuration; and 15 a flexible sidewall having an upper edge and a lower edge and extending between e •o the upper frame and base portion to define an enclosed basket in an operative configuration, wherein the upper edge of the sidewall is retained within the retaining groove and the lower edge of the sidewall is retained against the base portion by the :retaining means.

2. A collapsible laundry basket substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. C C-II~C_-I~- ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A modular container which can be disassembled and folded to minimize its size for storage or transportation and assembled and extended to its normal size for use includes an upper frame a lower frame a flexible side panel connecting between the upper and lower frames (11, 12) to define an inner space of the container, and a plurality of supporting rods (2) extendinc between and supporting the upper and lower frames (11, 12) of the container. *e* 0 0 o 0 0 0W 0PP* 0 9 III