CN1727257A

CN1727257A - Collapsible storage bins

Info

Publication number: CN1727257A
Application number: CNA2005100762966A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·L·格伦
Original assignee: Whitney Design Inc
Current assignee: Whitney Design Inc
Priority date: 2004-04-15
Filing date: 2005-04-15
Publication date: 2006-02-01
Also published as: US20050230390A1

Abstract

Disclosed are rigid-walled collapsible bins having first, second, third and fourth rigid walls attached to form an open-ended rectangular box. The first and third rigid walls are opposite one another and the second and fourth rigid walls are opposite one another. The open ends define a top end and a bottom end of the box. A flexible material is attached over the bottom end of the open-ended rectangular box. The first and third rigid walls are inwardly bendable generally along a fold line such that, when bent, the second and fourth walls approach one another. A removable stiffness panel has outer dimensions substantially equal to the inner dimensions of the rectangular box when the stiffness panel is placed in a plane parallel to the plane of the bottom end of the rectangular box.

Description

Collapsible storage bins

Technical field

The present invention relates to splendid attire basket to be washed clothes and home storage case field.More particularly, the present invention relates to storage for convenience, shipment and sale and contractile splendid attire basket and home storage case to be washed clothes.

Background technology

Basket that splendid attire is to be washed clothes and home storage case are generally used for collection and stored article and clothes to be washed in the family.Disclosed in the prior art such basket and case comprise two kinds of fundamental types: self stand container and bracing frame/bag design.Described self stand container typically is shaped as rectangle or ellipse, and is made by material hard, non-softness, as plastics or wicker.Because their rigidity profile, these containers are the spaces of waiting to wash clothes or all occupy same amount when not waiting to wash clothes being full of, and because they are not collapsible, they are not easy to move to another place from a place.Because heretofore, the rigid sidewalls basket is not collapsible, therefore such basket shipment is expensive.Because their big sizes, they require a large amount of vend spaces.In addition, owing to require the vend space of large volume, sellers are unwilling to preserve a large amount of this products on the top of the shelf, thereby the sale of this product are become even low efficiency more, because article often are not suitable for buying on the top of the shelf.

Light and sales restriction in response to these, the various trials of doing for splendid attire basket to be washed clothes generally include already usedly to have the fabric case and connects pivotal support structure on it.The U.S. Pat 5667066 that belongs to ScymourHousewares Corporation is examples.Yet, the type of these baskets be approach and do not expect for consumers that usually the customer still is ready the basket that the splendid attire of rigidity is to be washed clothes.

In addition, already used structure has been utilized the panel that is made of the frame element that continues, and the steel wire that this element can coil is sewn into a joint close of a fabric panel along its periphery.An example of such structure is a U.S. Pat 6073643.Yet these baskets have also suffered such fact: they are thin and light.

At last, the basket of other type is presented among U.S. Pat 6588620 and the US6637938.Yet the basket of these types has still utilized thin fabric sidewall to wash clothes to hold described dirty waiting.Therefore, at the needs of present technique field existence for a kind of rigid sidewalls splendid attire basket to be washed clothes, the easy contraction of this basket is the purpose in order to transport and to sell.

Summary of the invention

In first aspect, the present invention includes a collapsible case with rigid sidewalls, this contraction box has the first, second, third and the 4th rigid sidewalls, and these four sidewalls couple together and form an open-ended rectangular box.The described first and the 3rd rigid sidewalls toward each other, and the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls is toward each other.Described open end defines a top and bottom of described chest.One flexible material covers the bottom of described open-ended rectangular box.The described first and the 3rd rigid sidewalls can curve inwardly along a broken line usually, and so consequently when being bent, the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls is closer to each other.One movably rigid panel have the outside dimension that equates substantially with the internal dimensions of described rectangular box, at this moment described rigid panel is placed in the parallel plane plane, a bottom with described rectangular box.

In second aspect, the present invention includes a collapsible case with rigid sidewalls, this contraction box has the first, second, third and the 4th rigid sidewalls, and these four sidewalls couple together and form an open-ended rectangular box.The described first and the 3rd rigid sidewalls toward each other, and the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls is toward each other.Described open end defines a top and bottom of described chest.The described first and the 3rd rigid sidewalls can be along a common vertical fold bending, and so consequently when being bent, the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls is closer to each other.One flexible material covers the bottom of described open-ended rectangular box.Described material comprises one first and one second locking mechanism.Described first locking mechanism is provided with diagonally from a common position that is close to the junction of described second sidewall and described the 3rd sidewall, position to that is close to the broken line of described the first side wall usually.And described second locking mechanism is provided with diagonally from a common position that is close to the junction of described the 4th sidewall and described the 3rd sidewall, position to that is close to the broken line of described the 3rd sidewall usually.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the top perspective view of splendid attire according to an embodiment of the invention basket to be washed clothes;

Fig. 2 is the birds-eye view of the splendid attire with detachable cover according to an embodiment of the invention basket to be washed clothes;

Fig. 3 is the top view cross sectional drawing along the sidewall with amplification of the line A-A of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is the top perspective view of the splendid attire with lid according to an embodiment of the invention basket to be washed clothes;

Fig. 5 is the top perspective view of the splendid attire of local contraction according to an embodiment of the invention basket to be washed clothes;

Fig. 6 is the bottom perspective view of the splendid attire of local contraction according to an embodiment of the invention basket to be washed clothes;

Fig. 7 is the bottom perspective view of the splendid attire that shrinks fully according to an embodiment of the invention basket to be washed clothes;

Fig. 8 is the planar view of rigid panel according to an embodiment of the invention (stiffness panel);

Fig. 9 is the top perspective view according to the splendid attire of second embodiment of the present invention basket to be washed clothes;

Figure 10 is the bottom perspective view according to the splendid attire of second embodiment of the present invention basket to be washed clothes;

Figure 11 is the bottom perspective view according to the basket of the local contraction of second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 12 is the backplan according to the basket that shrinks fully of second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 13 is the top perspective view according to the basket with lid of second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 14 is the front perspective view according to the storage box of the 3rd embodiment of the present invention (storage bin);

Figure 15 is the front perspective view according to the storage box of the local contraction of the 3rd embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 16 is the top view according to the storage box of shrinking fully of the 3rd embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 17 is the top perspective view according to the storage box of the 4th embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 18 is the top plan view according to the rigid panel of the 4th embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 19 is the top view according to the storage box of the local contraction of the 4th embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 20 is the top view according to the storage box of shrinking fully of the 4th embodiment of the present invention.

The specific embodiment mode

When the present invention can allow multi-form embodiment, the preferred embodiments of the present invention that show in the accompanying drawings and will describe in detail in this article should be understood like this: the disclosure will be seen the illustration of principle of the present invention as, and the disclosure does not plan to be used for each side of the present invention is limited to described embodiment yet.

With reference to figure 1-4, shown the contractile splendid attire basket 10 to be washed clothes of rigid walls.For purposes of the invention, term " rigidity (rigid) " or " rigid sidewalls (rigid wall ") refer to rigidity and semi-rigid walls, and also such term only is intended to be used for to get rid of shaky and soft fully sidewall, as the cloth sidewall.Splendid attire basket 10 to be washed clothes generally includes an antetheca 12, a rear wall 14, one left wall 16 and a right wall 18.Each generally includes a cardboard or extruded polymer sheet 20 described sidewall 12-18, and they cover with piece of cloth 22 at inside face, and cover with wicker braided material 24 at outside face.For present patent application, term " fabric " (fabric) " be meant the cloth of producing by the fiber of braiding, weaving or bonding any kind especially.The sheet material 20 of right and

left side wall

16,18 by preferably vertical be divided into two so that the right side and

left side wall

16,18 can both fold into two.Except vertical fragmentation, these sheet materials can fold or can cut apart on the contrary to allow these rigid disks 20 folding on fold line or cut-off rule.No matter be to separate, fold or cut apart on the contrary, the line of this imagination should be looked at as " broken line " 17,19 of every

sidewall

16,18, and the right side and

left side wall

16,18 will be folded on the line of this imagination.

Wicker braided material 24 can be made by muntin grid or polymer strip net.By the hole being set on front and

back sidewall

12 and 14 and at arbitrary end rope being tied a knot after rope passes described hole, the handle of being made by rope 30 just can be arranged on front side wall 12 and the rear wall 14.Metal reinforced material 32 can be attached on the

sidewall

12 and 14 of front and back around described hole, thereby

sidewall

12 and 14 is torn before and after preventing.In addition, the lid 34 with an overlap joint fixed part 36 can optionally be provided with on the basket 10.Described lid 34 preferably constitutes in the mode identical with the sidewall with tissue layer, cardboard or polymer sheet and wicker layer with overlap joint fixed part 36, and can have cardboard or polymer sheet for described lid 34 and overlap joint fixed part 36.As mentioned above, described lid 34 can use monolithic folding or that cut apart to make described lid 34 and overlap joint fixed part 36, perhaps also can be made by two cardboards or polymer sheet.Described basket 10 if be provided with lid, also comprises fastener 38,38 ', as hook (hook) and looped pile (loop) material, is in closed condition to keep described lid 34.Though above-mentioned structure is absorbed in the lid that is permanently connected on the basket, this lid can use another overlap joint fixed part, and this lid uses hook and loop material to be detachably connected on the basket.

With reference to figure 6, described splendid attire basket 10 to be washed clothes also comprises soft fabric bottom 40, this bottom 40 is connected with all four sidewall 12-18, and described splendid attire basket to be washed clothes is shown as local contraction.With reference to figure 5 and 6, described basket 10 draws closer together front and

back sidewall

12 and 14 successively each other by with inwardly folding contraction of the right side and

left side wall

16,18 self.Described flexible base portion 40 is folding in unpredictable mode when basket 10 shrinks.When described basket 10 shrank, final described front and

back sidewall

12 and 14 became located adjacent one another routinely, and as shown in Figure 7, and described basket shrinks fully and be normally flat.When separating described front and

rear wall

12 and 14, described basket 10 opens the form shown in Figure 1 of getting back to.In order to make basket 10 keep the shape of Fig. 1, the rigid panel 42 (Fig. 8) of a rectangle is placed in the basket 10 towards described soft fabric bottom, as shown in Figure 2 so that it can be used to hold clothes to be washed (laundry) effectively.Described rigid panel 42 is preferably made by cardboard or extruded polymer sheet, and is covered by textile material in two sides.Though rigid panel 42 in basket 10 and towards described fabric bottom 40, has but prevented right and

left side wall

16,18 is folding, and does not therefore allow basket 10 shrink.Described rigid panel 42 comprises that also a looped pile 44 is used to connect rigid panel 42.When described rigid panel 42 was in described basket 10, by holding looped pile 44, the user just can easily catch described rigid panel 42, thereby rigid panel 42 is shifted out from basket 10, so that shrink basket 10 again.

Fig. 5 has shown another selectable handle setting, and wherein said handle 30 is made by fabric strip, and is riveted on described front and

back sidewall

12 and 14.

With reference to figure 9, second embodiment of the present invention comprises a basket (laundryhamper) 100 that splendid attire is to be washed clothes, and this splendid attire basket to be washed clothes comprises 102 and one in one first case (bin) second the case 104.Described basket 100 comprises a front side wall 106, rear wall 108, a right side wall 110 and a left side wall 112.Described sidewall 106-112 preferably comprises a cardboard or extruded polymer sheet respectively, and this cardboard or polymer sheet are covered by the wicker braided material on the outer surface, and is covered by textile material on inside face, as basket 10.The polymer sheet of described antetheca 106 vertically is divided into equidimension two

halves

114 and 116 along broken line 118, so that described front side wall 106 can self fold into two.Described rear wall 108 is along being divided into the two

halves

120 and 122 of equidimension with the point of crossing (intersection) of broken line 118, so that described rear wall 108 also can self be folding into two.Except vertically separating described sheet material, described sheet material can fold or cut apart on the contrary to allow other rigid sheet to fold along folding or cut-off rule.Separate panel 124 on the fold line 118 or near the inside face that is connected to described front and

back sidewall

106 and 108 fold line 118 for one.

With reference to the bottom perspective view of Figure 10,100 baskets also comprise a flexible base portion 126.Flexible base portion 126 is made and is connected on four sidewall 106-112 by a sheets of fabric.Described flexible base portion 126 also comprises two locking mechanisms 128 and 130.Though also can use other locking mechanism, as the locking mechanism of snap-fastener, button, hook (hook) and loop material, clasp or any other type, graphic locking mechanism 128 and 130 is a slide fastener.Described locking mechanism 128 is set, 130, so that bottom 126 can be separated diagonally along the length of locking mechanism 128, equally also separate diagonally along the length of locking mechanism 130, wherein, described length along locking mechanism 128 refers to the length of the position Y the junction near the position X the center of described rear wall 108 to described right side wall 110 and described front side wall 106 near, and described length along locking mechanism 130 refers to the length of the position Z the junction near the position X the center of described rear wall 108 to described left side wall 112 and described front side wall 106 near.

With reference to the bottom perspective view of Figure 11, when comprising that the slide fastener of locking mechanism 128 with 130 is not connected, basket 100 can shrink by promoting the right side and left side wall 110,112 together.During as these,

rectangular box

102 and 104 is deformed into the parallelogram at an angle of inclination, rather than as the rectangle of Figure 10, the unconnected locking mechanism 128 of result and 130 allows between the angle A of the parallelogram that formed by

case

102 and 104 and the B and the distance between angle B and the C becomes big gradually.With reference to Figure 12, when right and left side wall 110,112 fully together the time, basket 100 shrinks fully, and basket 100 requirements only are the fractions of the volume when basket 100 is in the profile of Fig. 9.

For basket 100 being turned back to the profile of Fig. 9, right and left side wall 110,112 states from Figure 12 are separated into the state of Fig. 9.Then, under the situation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 9-13, locking mechanism 128 and 130 is coupled together by zip up.At locking mechanism 128 with after 130 are connected, described flexible base portion 126 and locking mechanism 128 and 130 prevented right and left side wall 110,112 closer to each other, but also prevented that

permission case

102 and 104 from forming non-rectangular shape, and this non-rectangular shape is desired when to be the described right side and left side wall 110,112 closer to each other.

With reference to Figure 13, be provided with a lid 132 with a pair of overlap joint fixed part 134.Described lid 132 is connected on the basket 100 by the attaching parts as hook and loop material 136,136 ' that is fixed on described basket and the overlap joint fixed part 134.

Though as mentioned above, the basket of Fig. 1-8 is single case basket, and the basket of Fig. 9-13 is two case baskets, but be by what those of ordinary skills expected easily, the basket of Fig. 1-8 can be only by the size that changes it with utilize the soft fabric spacer to become two casees or more case baskets, and the basket of Fig. 9-13 can not have spacer or has than two more spacers to implement.

With reference to figure 14-16, shown a storage bin 200.Except sidewall was shorter, described storage bin was all identical with the splendid attire of Fig. 1-8 basket to be washed clothes every-way.Described storage bin 200 can be used to store different article, and can more easily assemble space closely when filling.Described storage bin 200 can have or can cover by the neither one bonded assembly, and is the same with the basket shown in Fig. 1-8.

With reference to figure 17-19, shown the storage bin that to select 300.This storage bin 300 has depth D, and its width W of this depth ratio is bigger.This storage bin 300 comprises the rigid sidewalls 304 of a fwd rigid sidewalls 302, a back, the rigid sidewalls 306 on a right side and the rigid sidewalls 308 on a left side.Described sidewall 302-308 preferably cloth covers on extruded polymer sheet or the cardboard panel.Be connected on described four sidewall 302-308 is the portion 310 of crowing at the bottom of the fabric of a softness.The described right side and left side wall 306,308 also comprise the panel 312 of four equivalent size.Selectively, described these panels 312 can be connected to each other, but are limited by three equal intervals grooves.Described these panels 312 can rely on these panels to be covered with being connected pivotally connection by the cloth cope.In each panel 312 junction are fold lines 318.Rigid panel 314 is placed to towards described fabric bottom 310, and described rigid panel 314 prevented that storage bin 300 from shrinking, when as above speaking face to face the splendid attire of Fig. 1-8 basket to be washed clothes described like that.Described rigid panel 314 comprises that also a looped pile 316 is connected on the described rigid panel 314.Described case 300 also comprises the handle 320 that is connected on

sidewall

302 and 304.

Described rigid panel 316 can be removed from described case 300, so that shrink described case 300.As shown in figure 19, in case remove described rigid panel 314, described front and

back sidewall

302 and 304 can promote towards each other, thereby causes that the right side and left side wall 306,308 along broken line 318 bendings, as shown in figure 19, shrink up to described case 300, as shown in figure 20 fully.When described case 300 shrank fully, what can see was, the panel on right and left side wall 306,308 all 312 each other with the length L crossover.

Consider above-mentionedly, what should see is that several advantages of the present invention reach, and other favourable result obtains.

Claims

1, a kind of collapsible home storage case with rigid sidewalls comprises:

The first, second, third and the 4th rigid sidewalls, these four sidewalls are arranged to each sidewall and are connected with the sidewall of vicinity, thereby form an open-ended rectangular box, wherein, the described first and the 3rd rigid sidewalls toward each other, the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls toward each other, and wherein said open end defines a top and a bottom of described chest;

One flexible material, it is connected on the bottom of described rectangular box;

Wherein, the described first and the 3rd rigid sidewalls can curve inwardly along a broken line usually, and so consequently when being bent, the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls is closer to each other; And

A rigid panel movably, this panel has the outside dimension that equates substantially with the internal dimensions of described rectangular box, and at this moment described rigid panel is placed in the parallel plane plane, a bottom with described rectangular box.

2, case according to claim 1 also comprises a lid that is connected to one of them rigid sidewalls one end, so that described lid can cover the top of described case basically.

3, case according to claim 2, wherein, described lid can be fixed on the described case by a fastener.

4, case according to claim 2, wherein, described lid pivotally is connected with described case.

5, case according to claim 2, wherein, described lid comprises an overlap joint fixed part.

6, case according to claim 1, wherein, the outside face of each sidewall is all covered by the wicker braided material.

7, case according to claim 1, wherein, each inside surface of side wall is all covered by fabric.

8, case according to claim 1 also comprises a spacer that is connected on the two opposite side walls.

9, case according to claim 1, wherein, each sidewall comprises an extruded polymer sheet.

10, case according to claim 1, wherein, handle is fixed on two sidewalls.

11, case according to claim 1, wherein, described first has many common vertical broken lines with the 3rd rigid sidewalls, so that the described first and the 3rd sidewall can curve inwardly along described many broken lines usually, so consequently when being bent, the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls is closer to each other.

12, a kind of collapsible case with rigid sidewalls comprises:

The first, second, third and the 4th rigid sidewalls, these four sidewalls couple together and form an open-ended rectangular box, the wherein said first and the 3rd rigid sidewalls toward each other, and the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls toward each other, wherein, described open end defines a top and bottom of described chest, wherein said first with the 3rd rigid sidewalls can be along a common vertical broken line bending, so consequently when being bent, the described second and the 4th rigid sidewalls is closer to each other; And

One flexible material on the bottom of described open-ended rectangular box, it comprises one first and one second locking mechanism,

Described first locking mechanism is provided with diagonally from a common position that is close to the junction of described second sidewall and described the 3rd sidewall, position to that is close to the broken line of described the first side wall usually, and

Described second locking mechanism is provided with diagonally from a common position that is close to the junction of described the 4th sidewall and described the 3rd sidewall, position to that is close to the broken line of described the 3rd sidewall usually.

13, case according to claim 12 also comprises a spacer that is connected on the described first and the 3rd inside surface of side wall.

14, case according to claim 13, wherein, described spacer is a rigid spacer.

15, case according to claim 13, wherein, described spacer is a non-rigid spacer.

16, case according to claim 12, also comprise a spacer, this spacer is on the broken line of the first side wall or be connected on the inside face of described the first side wall near its broken line, and on the broken line of the 3rd sidewall or be connected near its broken line on described the 3rd sidewall.

17, case according to claim 12 also comprises a lid.

18, case according to claim 17, wherein said lid are to be detachably connected on the described case.

19, case according to claim 12, wherein the outside face of each sidewall is all covered by the wicker braided material.

20, case according to claim 12, wherein each inside surface of side wall is all covered by fabric.