AU753494B2

AU753494B2 - Improvements in containers

Info

Publication number: AU753494B2
Application number: AU43519/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ladislav Stephan Karpisek
Original assignee: Technosearch Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Technosearch Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-11
Filing date: 1999-08-11
Publication date: 2002-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-11
Also published as: AU4351999A

Description

2 IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTAINERS.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to containers of the type comprising a four sided base and four side panels adapted for mounting in an upright condition on the base and for coupling together in the upright condition to form an enclosure. The container, comprising the base and side panel enclosure, is usually provided with a lid with means to couple the lid to one or more of the side panels.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Containers of the above type as made by the present applicant are commonly of two forms. One form has demountable side panels which, with the lid, are stacked one on the other on the base to provide a transportable pack of elements which can be assembled to form a container. The second form of container has the side panels connected 15 the base in a manner permitting the side panels to be pivotally folded down one over the other over the base, and with a lid overlying the folded down side panels a transportable pack of container forming elements is achieved. The container of latter form is created by pivoting the side panels to the upstanding condition on the base (with engagement of cooperating coupling means on the base and the panels) and then coupling the side panels together to form an enclosure. A lid would then be -3mounted on the assembled base and side panel enclosure to complete the container.

The present invention is primarily concerned with the second form of container. In that form, as now commonly in use, the means for pivotally connecting the side panels to the base is either permanent, which makes cleaning and repair or replacement of the side panels very difficult, or of a type which allows a side panel to be removed. Commercial users of containers are always seeking arrangements which are simpler and easier to use than know arrangements. It is the object of this invention to provide a simple, effective and user friendly alternative to the means now in use allowing a pivotally mounted container side panel to be removed S• from the container base.

BROAD STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION oO•• A container comprising a four sided base and four side panels each with four sides, the side panels are respectively releasably coupled to the base adjacent the sides of the base by first coupling means which allows the side panels to be pivotally folded down one over the other over the base and to be erected to upstand from the base and also allows the side panels 4 to be moved towards and away from a support surface of the base, the side panels when upstanding are coupled by second coupling means to the base and adjacent upstanding side panels are coupled together by third coupling means, said first coupling means comprises a pair of retainers on each side panel resiliently biassed to an extended condition in which portions of the retainers extend beyond end edges of the side panels and elongated retainer receiving apertures on the base extending away from the support surface of the base, said first coupling means being releasable by forced engagement of the extensions of said retainers with a defining surface of said apertures to cause said retainers to retract from said apertures against the resilient bias acting on the retainers.

*GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig.1 is a perspective view of a container of the type for which the present invention has been devised o° ~15 Fig.2 is a fragmentary view of a corner portion of the container base of Fig.1 showing a slot for engagement by a container side panel retainer, Fig.3 is a fragmentary front view of a corner portion of a the container side panel showing a retainer for engagement in the slot shown in Fig.2, Fig.4 is a view from above of the portion of the container side panel shown in Fig.3, is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the engagement of the container side panel of Fig.3 with the container base of Fig.2, 5 Fig.6 is a view similar to Fig.3 showing an alternative form of retainer, Fig.7 is a view similar to fig.4 showing the retainer of Fig.6, Fig.8 is a view similar to Fig.2 showing an alternative form of slot for engagement by a container side panel retainer, Fig.9 is a view similar to Fig 2 showing a further alternative form of slot for a side panel retainer, Fig.1 0 is a view from above of the elements illustrated in Fig.9, Fig.1 1 is a perspective view of the elements of a further alternative form of side panel retainer, Fig.12 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of the retainer of Fig.1 1 mounted in a side panel of a first type of construction, and Fig.13 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of the retainer of Fig.11 mounted in a side panel of a second type of construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A container of the general form with which the invention is concerned is illustrated in Fig.l,the container 1 includes a rectangular base 2 and four rectangular side panels 3,4,5,6. The base 2 has four corner posts 7 each with two legs 8 and 9 at 90 degrees and two oppositely disposed plinths extending between corner posts 7. The side panels 3 and 5 are respectively pivotally coupled to the legs 8 of the posts at the ends of the plinths 10 and the side panels 4 and 6 are respectively pivotally coupled 6 each to both plinths 10 adjacent the posts 7.

The side panels 3 and 5 are shorter in height than the side panels 4 and 6 by the height of a plinth 10 so as to have the tops of the side panels all the same height above the base support surface. The side panels 3 and 5 are releasably coupled to the base 2 by engagement of bottom flanges 3a and 5a on the panels 3 and 5 with hooked members 11 of the plinths and the bottom edges 4a and 6a of the panels 4 and 6 are likewise releasably coupled with hooked members 12 on the base support surface between the plinths 10 The side panels 3 and 5 are supported when upstanding from the base 2 o *by the legs 9 of the posts 7 and the side panels 4 and 6 are supported :when upstanding from the base by the legs 8 of the posts 7. The coupling 99** 9.e* of the side panels to the base through the members 11 and 12 prevents •upward separation of the side panels from the base. Further coupling means, in the form of hooks 13 on the side panels 3 and 5 engaging with the uprights of the side panels 4 and 6 and shot bolts 14, respectively prevent the side panels 3 and 5 spreading apart and the side panels 4 and °o.i 6 falling inwardly. The side panels 3 and 5 are prevented from falling inwardly by engagement with the ends of the side panels 4 and 6. It can be seen that the side panels and base provide a secure integrated enclosure ready for the fitting of a lid.

7 In the Australian patent application number 694001 by the same applicant the side panels 3,4,5,6 are connected to the post legs and the plinths by links allowing the side panels to move laterally relative to the base and in a planar manner as part of a folding down operation where the side panels are stacked one over the other over the base. The links, intended to provide a permanent coupling between the side panels and the base, can be made demountable to allow a side panel to be removed for maintenance or cleaning, however, demountability is not an inherent feature of the link form of connection.

The present invention provides a simple and effective alternative to the link arrangement as described above. The proposed arrangement allows the side panels to be folded down and erected relative to the base and also :provides means to retain the side panels in a desired relationship with the base when folded down to provide a transportable pack of container 15 elements.

Referring to Fig.2, which shows schematically a fragment of a corner post 7 and a plinth 10, a slot 15 is illustrated in the plinth 10. The slot is engaged by a retainer pin 16 (see Figs.3 and 4) on the angle iron upright o17 of theside panel 6. The spacing of the slot 15 from the post flange 8 is such that the bottom 6a of the side panel 6 is spaced laterally from the hooked members 12 thereby allowing the side panel 6 to pivotally fold 8 down. The slot 15 also allows the pin 16 to move vertically so the side panel 6 can overlie the previously folded down side panel 4. In the case where side panel 4 is the second side panel to be folded down (over the previously folded down side panel 6) then the pins 16 of the side panel 4 would move upwardly in the slots 15 in the other ends of the plinths The outer ends of the pins 16 are chamfered or domed (see Figs.3 and 4) so that as the side panel 6 is moved laterally to the operational position (see the arrow A Fig.5) where it abuts the leg 8 of the post 7 with the bottom 6a of the side panel 6 engaged with the hooked members 12, the pin 16 by being forced against a margin of the slot 15 will retract against a spring housed in the pin support 18. This forced engagement/retraction sequence is facilitated by the chamfered or domed ends of the pins 16 •ogle• 0:0: engages the edge margin of the slot 15. The final position is as shown in Fig.5 with the ends of the pins 16 at each end of the side member 6 bearing on the faces of the plinths In a side panel folding down operation, the panel 6 is first moved in the "direction opposite to that of arrow A (Fig.5) to disengage the bottom 6a of the side panel 6 from the hooked members 12, the spring loaded pin 16 will enter the slot 15 as soon as the pin 16 and the slot 15 are aligned and the side panel 6 is then positioned for pivotal and movement as part of the folding down sequence. It also follows that when the side panel 6 is folded 9 down the pins 16 at the opposite ends of the side panel 6 hold the side panel in a specific captive relationship with the base 2.

If the side panel 6 is to be removed from the base 2 one or other of two alternative movement sequences can be used. In a first sequence the side panel 6 would be moved vertically to cause the end of the pin 16 (when in the slot 15) to contact the upper end of the slot 15, the pins 16 of the side panel 6 would be forced to retract and further upward movement would result in the side panel 6 being removed from its captive relationship with the base. In the second sequence the side panel pins 16 would be moved along the slot 15 until the bottom 6a of the side panel 6 is above the hooked members 12, the side panel bottom would then be moved in the direction of the arrow A (Fig.5), the pins 16 of the side panel 6 would be retracted with the pin ends abutting the sides of the plinths 10. With the pins 16 of the side panel 6 still retracted the side panel would then be moved vertically in the direction of arrow B in Fig.5 to release the side panel 6.

Having described the sequences for the side panel 6 (and the opposed i side panel 4) it is clear without further description how similar arrangement ooooo Scould be used for the coupling of the side panels 3 and 5 to the legs 8 of the posts 7.

10 In an alternative arrangement, as shown in Figs.6 and 7, the pin 16 is replaced by an extension 20 of a flat leaf type spring 19 with the extension extending through a hole in the upright 17 of the side panel 6. The extension 20 would have a chamfered or other suitably shaped nose.

In another arrangement, see Fig.8, the slot 15 has an enlarged lower end, indicated 21, allowing the pin 16 in an unretracted state to move so the bottom of the side panel 6 can engage and disengage the hooked members 12. In this arrangement the chamfered ends of the pins 6 would only come into play where the side panel 16 is to be separated from the base 2 in a manners described above.

In a further and different but similarly functioning arrangement, the slot would have a ramped side edge indicated 22 in Figs.9 and 10. In this arrangement, depending upon the form of the side edge 22, the pin 16 could have a 'square' (that is non-rounded or chamfered) end or a lightly or heavily chamfered or rounded end. This arrangement is also usable with the sprung member 19 previously described. The manner of removing the side panel 6 from the base 2 would be generally as previously described. It will be understood that ramped side edge treatment can be extended to slot ends and slot sides other than that illustrated, as may be considered desirable depending upon chosen side panel demounting techniques.

11 In a still further variation of pin elements for coupling the side panels to the base, the arrangement of Figs 11 to 13 could be used. As illustrated there is a leaf support spring 19 formed as a yoke 23 at its free end with the legs of the yoke 23 engaged in slots 24 on opposed sides of a cylindrical plunger 25. The plunger 25 has a chamfered end 26 with a specific orientation relative to the slots 24. The plunger 25, if mounted in a side panels of angle iron construction (see Fig.12) would extend through a holes in the flange 27 of the member 17, when made of angle iron, and a guide lug 28. Where the plunger 25 is slidably mounted in a side panel of tubular steel construction the plunger 25 would be supported by aligned holes in opposite sides of the member 17, or in a sleeve 29 mounted in the member 17, as illustrated in Fig.13.

As will be understood the slots 24 could be replaced by a circumferential groove in which case the end 26 of the plunger 25 would probably be domed.

o* o*

Claims

1. A container comprising a four sided base and four side panels each with four sides, the side panels are respectively releasably coupled to the base adjacent the sides of the base by first coupling means which allows the side panels to be pivotally folded down one over the other over the base and to be erected to upstand from the base and also allows the side panels to be moved towards and away from a support surface of the base, the side panels when upstanding are coupled by second coupling means to the base and adjacent upstanding side panels are coupled together by third coupling means, said first coupling means comprises a pair of retainers on each side panel resiliently biassed to an extended condition in which portions of the retainers extend beyond end edges of the side ••i panels and elongated retainer receiving apertures on the base extending .*oOO away from the support surface of the base, said first coupling means being releasable by forced engagement of the extensions of said retainers with a defining surface of said apertures to cause said retainers to retract from said apertures against the resilient bias acting on the retainers.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second coupling means comprises hooking elements on the side panels and on the base o 20 necessitating lateral outwardly directed movement of upstanding side panels relative to the base for the engagement of said second coupling means and opposite inwardly directed movement to disengage the second 13 coupling means, and wherein the retainer apertures are slots disposed laterally with respect to the sides of the base such that when the side panels are coupled to the base by the second coupling means the retainers will be in their retracted condition and when the side panels are not coupled the base by the second coupling means the retainers can move along said slots without engagement of the base and side panel hooking elements.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second coupling means comprises hooking elements on the side panels and on the base necessitating lateral outwardly directed movement of upstanding side panels relative to the base for the engagement of said second coupling means and opposite inwardly directed movement to disengage the second coupling means, and wherein the retainer apertures are slots of L form with a first leg disposed laterally with respect to the sides of the base 15 sufficiently to allow the retainers to move along said slot first legs without engagement of the base and side panel hooking elements and second legs of said slots extend in the direction of hooking engagement movement of said hooking elements to allow the engagement of the second coupling coco "means with said retainers disposed in said slot second legs. 20

4. A container as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said slots have angled edge zones to facilitate the retraction of said retainers as said retainers are forcibly engaged with the edges of said slot.

A container as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4 wherein the 14 retainers are pins slidably housed in housing fixed to said side panels and a spring in the housing to bias the retainer to an extended condition.

6. A container as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4 wherein the retainers are leaf springs connected at first ends to the side panels and each provided with an out turned part at the other end extending beyond an end edge of the side panels.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6 where in said out turned part is a elongated plunger engaged by a yoke of the leaf spring.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein the yoke has two legs respectively engaged on two oppositely disposed transverse grooves across said plunger.

9. A container as claimed in claim 8 wherein said plunger is slidably housed in a pair of supports fixed to the side panel.

A container as claimed in claim 9 wherein said yoke is disposed between said supports.

11. A container as claimed in claim 8 wherein said plunger is housed in :a sleeve mounted on said side panel.

12. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the retainers have contoured ends on the portions extending beyond the end edges of the side panels to facilitate the retraction of said retainers as 15 said retainers are forcibly engaged with the edges of said slot.

13. A container substantially as herein before described with reference to any one of the drawings. Dated this 4th day of August, 1998 Technosearch Pty. Limited By its Patent Attorney Robert Halliday *ooo