AU761146B2

AU761146B2 - A foldable crate

Info

Publication number: AU761146B2
Application number: AU61295/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Leslie Selby
Original assignee: ADVANCED PLASTIC SOLUTIONS Pty
Current assignee: ADVANCED PLASTIC SOLUTIONS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1999-09-24
Filing date: 2000-09-25
Publication date: 2003-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-25
Also published as: AU6129500A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT S. I. Applicant(s): AdVWCedAc' WoLM1,oi CRAT BELOIGIS PTY LTD A.C.N. 084 952 170 Invention Title: A FOLDABLE CRATE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 A FOLDABLE CONTAINER 15 The present invention relates to a foldable container. In particular, the present invention relates to a foldable container suitable for the storage and transport S. of fresh produce and other goods.

Containers for transporting fresh produce were traditionally made from wood or cardboard. However, more recently, plastic containers have been developed for transporting and storing fresh produce. These plastic containers can be cleaned, washed and reused multiple 25 times.

Many reusable plastic containers for storing and transporting fresh produce are provided with foldable walls, so that when the produce has been removed from the containers, the walls can be folded down and the containers returned to the suppliers in a more compact condition.

Some containers are also provided with walls which can be folded outwardly to facilitate cleaning.

When the containers are assembled in the first instance from individual pieces, it is necessary for the side walls to be mounted to the base. In some containers \\melb_fies\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLD CRATE.PIVOT GM24567.final.doc 22/09/00 3 the mounting arrangements are disadvantageous because a great deal of force is required to be applied to locate the side walls in the mountings. Alternatively, other mountings are disadvantageous since the operation to place the side walls in the mountings is time consuming and therefore results in higher container production costs.

In one particular known container, the side walls are mounted to the base by the provision of a series of tubular pin receiving channels provided along the sides of the base, into which a series of diametrically opposed pins provided on the lower edge of the side walls are inserted.

Each end of the tubular channels is chamfered so as to provide a narrowed region around which the pins on the side wall can be manipulated so as to locate the pins in the channels. The narrowed regions of the tubes face inwardly of the base. Accordingly, a major disadvantage of this crate is that, when pressure is applied to a lower portion of the side wall of the assembled and erected container, the pins are forced out of the channel region. If fresh produce is being transported in the crate when the external force pushes the side wall inwardly, the fresh produce is damaged.

25 Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable container in which the pivot mounting or pivoting arrangement between the side walls and the base is such as to provide a relatively simple means for connecting the side walls to the base, but reduces the risk of the side walls becoming disengaged at the pivot mountings from the base when in an assembled condition.

According to the present invention there is provided a foldable container comprising a base and a plurality of side walls, each of the side walls being pivotally connected to the base along a lower side thereof \\meib-f ies\home\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLD CRATE.PIVo'r GM2456 7 .Einal.doc 22/09/00 4 so as to enable the side walls to be moved between a folded-in position in which the side walls fold inwardly to overlie the base, a folded-out position in which the side walls fold outwardly from the base, and an upright position, the side walls also being provided with latches for latching adjacent side walls to one another to enable assembly of the container, wherein: the base is provided with pivot mountings for receiving pivots of the side walls, the pivot mountings including an opening through which the pivot on the side wall can be moved into the pivot mounting to mount the side wall to the base, the pivot mounting also being shaped to enable location of the pivot in a first pivot position 15 which the pivot takes when the side wall is first mounted to the base, with the side wall in either a folded-in or folded-out position, the first pivot position being such that the pivot is located adjacent the opening, and a second pivot position which the pivot adopts when the side wall is in an upright position, the second pivot position being such that the pivot is located away from the opening, and the lower edges of the side walls are provided 25 with pivots for location within the pivot mountings, and locator means which force the pivots to move from the first pivot position to the second pivot position as the side wall is moved from the folded-in or folded-out position adopted when the side wall is first mounted to the base to the upright position.

As is set out above, the pivots in the side walls can move within the pivot mountings from a first position in which the pivot is adjacent the opening and a second position in which the pivot is comparatively removed from or away from the opening. The second position is adopted when the side wall is moved into an upright position.

\\melb_files\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLD CRATE.PIVOT GM24567.Einal.doc 22/09/00 5 Accordingly, the pivot mounting arrangement of the container of the present invention is such that it is much more difficult for the side wall to be accidentally disengaged from the base when the container is assembled and erected with the side wall in the upright position as a result of any external force being applied on the walls of the container.

Preferably, the locator means comprises a shaped region which contacts a wall of the base in such a way that rotation of the side wall from the folded-in or folded-out position adopted when the side wall is mounted to the base, to an upright position forces the pivot to move from the first pivot position to the second pivot position. More preferably, the locator means comprises an elliptical shaped, semi-elliptical shaped or cam shaped surface.

Preferably the locator means is located adjacent the pivot.

As will be explained in further detail below with reference to the drawings of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the shaped surface of the locator means includes a region having a minimum radius with respect to 25 the pivot axis, and a region having a maximum radius with respect to the pivot axis of the side wall.

Preferably, the shaped surface of the locator means contacts an upper face of the base, and contact between the shaped surface and upper face of the base results in the pivot being moved from the first pivot position to the second pivot position as the side wall is moved from the folded-in or folded-out position adopted when the side wall is first mounted to the base to the upright position.

Preferably, the pivot mounting includes a slot \\melbfiles\home$\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FoLD CRATE.PIVOT GM24567.Einal.doc 22/09/00 6 which forms a socket in which the pivot is located when in the second pivot position. More preferably, this socket region is opposite the upper face of the base of the container.

Preferably, the cross-section of the pivot mounting is such that the first pivot position is in a lower region of the pivot mounting, and the second pivot position is in an upper region of the pivot mounting.

Preferably, the pivot mounting opening faces laterally outwardly of the base, such that the pivot is positioned into the pivot mounting by placing the pivot adjacent the opening and forcing the pivot laterally 15 inwardly of the base. More preferably the position that the side wall adopts when it is first mounted to the base is the folded-out position.

Preferably, the pivot mounting includes a rear face which is opposite the opening and which prevents the pivot from being able to be moved laterally inwardly of the pivot mounting when located in the pivot mounting.

Preferably, the upper face of the base includes a catch over which a lower edge of the side wall must be forced past to enable the pivot to be inserted into the pivot mounting. The catch also must be overcome to enable the second side wall to be demounted from the base.

Preferably the catch is aligned with the pivot mounting along the edge of the base.

Preferably, the catch is shaped so that the force required to insert the pivot into the pivot mounting is less than the force required to remove the pivot from the pivot mounting.

Preferably, the pivot mounting is formed at least \\melbfi les\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\peci \FOLD CRATE.PIVOT GM24567.final .doc 22/09/00 7 partly by a projection having a hook-shaped cross-section.

Preferably the pivot mounting and pivot arrangement is such that the pivot moves between the first pivot position and the second pivot position as the side wall is moved between either a folded-out or folded-in position and an upright position.

The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the following drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the container of the invention with the walls folded outwardly;

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Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container illustrated in Figure 1 with the walls folded inwardly; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container illustrated in Figure 1 with the walls in an upright position; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the base of the 25 container illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one corner of the base illustrated in Figure 4; Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one portion of a side wall of the container of the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one end of another of the side walls of the container of the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 1; \\melb f iIes\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLD CRATE-PEVOT CM24567.final.doc 22/09/00 8 Figure 8 is a cut-away view of the base and two side walls of the container in a position ready for mounting of the side walls to the base; Figure 9 is a cut-away perspective view of the corner of the container illustrated in Figure 1 with the side walls mounted to the base and folded outwardly; Figure 10 is a cut-away view of one corner of the container illustrated in Figure 1, the cut-away portions corresponding to lines B-B in Figure 1; Figure 11 is a perspective cut-away view of the container with the walls in the upright position corresponding to the configuration illustrated in Figure 3; Figure 12 is a cut-away perspective view corresponding to Figure 11 illustrating different section of the side walls; Figure 13 is a perspective cut-away view of the container illustrated in Figure 2 with the walls folded inwardly; and 25 Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pivot mechanism of the present invention.

The container illustrated in Figures 1 13 is in the form of a crate having a base 1, a pair of first side walls 2 on opposing edges of the base 1, and a pair of second side walls 3 on the remaining opposite edges of the base 1.

Each of components 1, 2 and 3 is usually formed from a plastic or polymeric material. These components may be formed by injection moulding or by any other suitable technique.

\\melb.. iles\home\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLD CRATE.PIVOT GM24567.fina .doc 22/09/00 9 The crate of the preferred embodiment illustrated is particularly suitable for the storage and transport of fresh produce. The various components of the container 1, 2, 3 include slots 27 which facilitate the circulation of air through the components 1, 2, 3 into the container and around the contents of the container. It is to be noted that although the base illustrated in the figures is shown with only a small number of slots, slots would typically be formed across substantially all of the surface of the base.

However, in order to reduce the complexity of the figures, only a small number of the slots in the base are illustrated.

0 0 o* Each of the side walls 2, 3 is pivotally mounted to the base so as to enable pivoting of the walls between the folded-out position illustrated in Figure 1, the upright position illustrated in Figure 3, and a folded-in position illustrated in Figure 2. The side walls are pivotally mounted to the base by means of the features which will be described in further detail below.

Each of the first side walls 2 includes .interlocking regions 6 to either lateral end thereof which 25 are designed to co-ordinate and interlock with corresponding interlocking regions 7 to either ends of the second side walls 3.

The second side walls each include a latch 11 formed in each of the opposite end faces 15. The latches to either end of the second side walls are biased outwardly from the second side walls so that the latches can be..

received within corresponding latch recesses 19 formed in the first side walls 2.

The container of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated is erected by raising the first side \\melb_ fi 1 es\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLD CRATE.PIVO'r GM24567.final.doc 22/09/00 10 walls 2 to an upright position, and then raising the second side walls 3 from a folded-end position until a point at which the interlocking regions 6, 7 of the adjacent walls interlock and the latches 11 are received within the latch receiving recesses 19.

As is illustrated best in Figures 4 and 5, the base is provided with a series of pivot mountings 5 for receiving pivots in the form of pivot pins 4 of the side walls 2, 3. The pivot mountings 5 are located on an upper surface of the base, and towards the edges thereof. Each pivot mounting 5 includes an opening 29 through which a pivot pin 4 on a side wall 2, 3 can be moved into the pivot mounting to mount the side walls 2, 3 to the base.

The pivot mounting is formed by a projection having a hook shaped, or an inverted J-shaped crosssection. The open portion of the hook which forms the opening 29 faces laterally outwardly of the base, such that the pivot pin 4 can be positioned into the pivot mounting by placing the pivot adjacent the opening 29 and forcing the pivot laterally inwardly of the base. As is illustrated in Figure 8, this is usually done by laying the side wall adjacent the edge of the base 1 so that the 25 position the side wall adopts when it is first mounted to the base is the folded-out position. The pivot mounting includes a rear face 31 which is opposite the opening 29 and which prevents the pivot from being able to the moved laterally inwardly of the pivot mounting when it is located in the pivot mounting. This is best illustrated in Figure Returning now to Figures 8 and 9, it can be seen that the upper face of the base 1 includes a series of catches 32 which are aligned with the series of pivot mounting along the edge of the base. The lower edge of the side wall 33 along which the pivot pins are formed includes \\melb-files\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLn CRATE.PIVOT G24567. final .doc 22/09/00 11 a transverse rib or series of ribs 34. When the side.walls 2, 3 are inserted into the pivot mountings 5, the ribs 34 must be pressed over the curved surface of the catch 32 in order to enable the pivot to be inserted into the pivot mounting 5. The reverse face of the catch 32 has a sharp shoulder which can engage against the rib 34 so that the force required to be applied to remove the pivot pin from the pivot mounting greater than that required to insert the pivot into the pivot mounting.

The catch is biased upwardly from the upper surface of the base 1. Beneath the catch is a catch recess which provides room for the catch to be forced downwardly and into this recess to thereby enable the bands 34 to pass 15 over the catch surface when the side walls are first mounted to the base.

Referring to Figures 10 and 14, it can be seen that when the side walls are first mounted to the base, with the side walls adopting a folded-out position, the pivot pin is located in a first position in which the pivot pin 4 is located adjacent the opening 29 in the pivot mounting 25 The catch 32 extends outwardly from the flat part of the base 1 from a line indicated by the number 36. This line forms a ridge which provides a detent surface which catches the ribs 34 when the side walls 2, 3 are folded completely flat in the folded-out position. The detent must be overcome to move the side walls 2, 3 towards the upright position.

Referring now to Figure 11, it can be seen that when the side walls 2, 3 are moved into the upright position, the pivot pin 4 is located in a second pivot position such that the pivot is located away from the opening when compared with the first pivot position. More \\melb..ies\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\spec\FOLD CRATE.PIVOT GM24567.fjnal.doc 22/09/00 12 specifically, as illustrated in Figure 11, the pivot pin 4 is located within a socket defined by the inner face of the rounded part of the hook 30 of the pivot mounting. This socket region is opposite the upper face of the base of the container.

Comparing Figures 10 and 11, it can be seen that the cross-section of the pivot mounting is such that the first pivot position is in a lower region of the pivot mounting, and the second pivot position is in an upper region of the pivot mounting.

Reference is now made to Figure 14, which De schematically illustrates the movement of the pivot pin 4 15 between the first and second pivot positions. As can be seen from the this figure and the other figures, the lower edges of the side walls are'provided with locater means in the form of a shaped region 35 which force the pivots to move from the first pivot position to the second pivot position as the wall is moved from the folded-in or foldedout position adopted when the side wall is first mounted to the base, to the upright position. The shaped region 35 is cam-shaped, having a region of minimum radius with respect to the pivot axis indicated by the letter D, and a region 25 of maximum radius with respect to the pivot axis indicated by the letter E. With reference to Figure 14(b), when the side wall is in the folded-out position (and likewise in the folded-in position), the shaped surface contacts an upper face of the base. Since the shaped surface at this point is in the region of minimum radius, the pivot pin 4 is located in the first pivot position adjacent the opening 29. As the side wall is moved from the folded-out position to the upright position, the cam-shaped surface of the shaped region 35 which slides on the upper surface of the base forces the pivot to rise into the second pivot position in which the pivot is located away from the opening, so that the pivot nests in the socket of the pivot \\melbfi Ies\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci \FOLD CATE.PVOT GM24567.final.doc 22/09/00 13 mounting With reference to Figures 6 and 7 it can be seen that the shaped region 35 lies adjacent the pivot pins 4.

When the side walls 2, 3 are in the upright position to form an erected container, the pivot pins 4 are each located in the second pivot position. Since the pivot pins 4 are relatively removed from the mounting openings 29 in this position, it is very difficult for the pivot pins to become accidentally disengaged from the mounting.

According to the preferred embodiment illustrated, when the side walls 2, 3 are unlatched and 15 folded either inwardly or outwardly from the upright position, the pivot pins will move out of the second pivot position and back into the first pivot position. It follows from this that in the preferred embodiment illustrated, the pivot mounting and pivot arrangement is such that the pivot moves between the first pivot position and the second pivot position as the side wall is moved between either a folded-out or a folded-in position and an upright position. However, as will be understood in the art of the invention, this need not be the case, and the 25 pivot pin may be locked into the second pivot position after the first movement of the pivot pin from the first pivot position to the second pivot position.

Many modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the arrangement of the pivot pin, pivot mounting and locater means may be such that the pivot pin is snapped into the second pivot position when it is first moved from the folded-in or folded-out position adopted when the side walls are first inserted into the mountings, to the second position. For another example, the locater means need not be perfectly \\melbfiles\home$\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOD CRATE.PIVOT CM24567.final.doc 22/09/00 14 elliptical or semi-elliptical shaped, and may includeflattened portions which provide detents to assist the walls to stay in the upright position when moved into this position. These modifications are examples only, and other modifications are also envisaged.

\\mel b..fi es\hme$\Priyanka\Keep\Speci \FOLD CRATE.PIVOT C1424561 .fina1 .doc 22/09/00

Claims

2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the \\melb-fi les\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLD CAT.PVOT GN24567.fina .doc 22/09/00 16 locator means comprises a shaped region that contacts.a wall of the base in such a way that rotation of the side wall from the folded-in or folded-out position adopted when the side wall is mounted to the base, to an upright position, forces the pivot to move from the first pivot position to the second pivot position.
3. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locator means comprises an elliptical shaped, semi- elliptical shaped or cam shaped surface.
4. The container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the locator means is located adjacent the pivot. The container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the shaped surface of the locator means includes a region having a minimum radius with respect to the pivot axis, and a region having a maximum radius with respect to the pivot axis of the side wall. 9*°
6. The container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the shaped surface of the locator means contacts an upper face of the base, and contact between the 25 shaped surface and upper face of the base results in the pivot being moved from the first pivot position to the second pivot position as the side wall is moved from the folded-in or folded-out position adopted when the side wall is first mounted to the base to the upright position.
7. The container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pivot mounting includes a slot which forms a socket in which the pivot is located when in the second pivot position.
8. The container as claimed in claim 7, wherein the socket region is opposite the upper face of the base of the \\melb f i1es\home\Priyanka\Keep\peci\FOL CRATE.PIVOT GM24567 final .doc 22/09/00 17 container.
9. The container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cross-section of the pivot mounting is such that the first pivot position is in a lower region of the pivot mounting, and the second pivot position is in an upper region of the pivot mounting. The container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pivot mounting opening faces laterally outwardly of the base, such that the pivot is positioned into the pivot mounting by placing the pivot adjacent the opening and forcing the pivot laterally inwardly of the S base.
11. The container as claimed in claim 10, wherein the position that the side wall adopts when it is first mounted to the base is the folded-out position.
12. The container as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the pivot mounting includes a rear face which is *e opposite the opening and which prevents the pivot from being able to be moved laterally inwardly of the pivot mounting when located in the pivot mounting.
13. The container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the pivot mounting is formed at least partly by a projection having a hook-shaped cross-section.
14. The container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the pivot mounting and pivot arrangement is such that the pivot moves between the first pivot position and the second pivot position as the side wall is moved between either a folded-out or folded-in position and an upright position. The container as claimed in any one of claims 1 \\melb i les\omeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOL CRATE.PIVOT GM24567.fina .doc 22109/00 18 to 14, wherein the upper face of the base includes a catch over which a lower edge of the side wall must be forced past to enable the pivot to be inserted into the pivot mounting.
16. The container as claimed in claim 15, wherein the catch is aligned with the pivot mounting along the edge of the base.
17. The container as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the catch is shaped so that the force required to insert the pivot into the pivot mounting is less than the force required to remove the pivot from the pivot mounting. 0* 0 0: 15 18. A foldable container comprising a base and a Vof: plurality of side walls, each of the side walls being pivotally connected to the base along a lower side thereof
900. so as to enable the side walls to be moved between a 0o::o folded-in position in which the side walls fold inwardly to **so overlie the base, a folded-out position in which the side walls fold outwardly from the base, and an upright position, the side walls also being provided with latches for latching adjacent side walls to one another to enable assembly of the container, wherein: the base is provided with pivot mountings for receiving pivots of the side walls, the pivot mountings including an opening through which the pivot on the side wall can be moved into the pivot mounting to mount the side wall to the base, the pivot mounting also being shaped to enable location of the pivot in a first pivot position which the pivot takes when the side wall is first mounted to the base, with the side wall in either a folded-in or folded-out position, the first pivot position being such that the pivot is located adjacent the opening, and a second pivot position which the pivot adopts when the side wall is in an upright position, the second pivot position \\melb-files\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FoW CRATE.PIVOT 0M2467.final.doc 22/09/00 19 0e S e g 0 6O @0 0 OS S 0 0 0 S *600 0e C 0* 0 being such that the pivot is located away from the opening, and the lower edges of the side walls are provided with pivots for location within the pivot mountings. 19. The container as claimed in claim 18, wherein the side walls are provided with locator means which force the pivots to move from the first pivot position to the second pivot position as the side wall is moved from the folded-in or folded-out position adopted when the side wall is first mounted to the base to the upright position. A foldable container substantially as herein 15 described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 2 2 n d day of September 2000_ Cudance P14Shfc ColuhfonS CpAT- LOZ=rTICS PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys 20 GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia \\melb_files\homeS\Priyanka\Keep\speci\FOLD CRATE.PIVOT GM24567.final.doc 22/09/00