EP1637462A1

EP1637462A1 - Folding container

Info

Publication number: EP1637462A1
Application number: EP05015309A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Germano Maina
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-17
Filing date: 2005-07-14
Publication date: 2006-03-22
Also published as: ITMI20040427U1

Abstract

This invention proposes a folding container made in such a way as to move from a closing position, in which it assumes a flat shape having minimum overall dimensions, to a working position, in which it has a case- or box-shaped structure, in particular a stiff box-shaped container having improved load-carrying capacity.

More particularly, the container according to this invention consists of a base (1), which the two opposite walls (3) are hinged to, and a frame (4), which forms the upper edge of the container, which the other two walls (5) are hinged to, in addition to the elements of the cover (6).

By holding the frame and lifting it, the walls move to a vertically position and engage inside the housings fitted in the base, to form a stiff case with upper cover.

By releasing the walls and overturning them, the frame can be lowered and rest on the base, with the walls overlapped one on the other, in a horizontal position, in its inside.

Description

This invention proposes a folding container made in such a way as to move from a closing position, in which it assumes a flat shape having minimum overall dimensions, to a working position, in which it has a case- or box-shaped structure, in particular a stiff box-shaped container having improved load-carrying capacity.
More particularly, the container according to this invention consists of a base, which the two opposite walls are hinged to, and a frame, which forms the upper edge of the container, which the other two walls are hinged to, in addition to the elements of the cover.
By holding the frame and lifting it, the walls move to a vertically position and engage inside the housings fitted in the base, to form a stiff case with upper cover.
By releasing the walls and overturning them, the frame can be lowered and rest on the base, with the walls overlapped one on the other, in a horizontal position, in its inside.
The invention concerns the transport sector, where the operators have to deal every day with problems relating to containers and packaging material used to pack the goods, which containers and packaging material, once the delivery has been made, have to be disposed or, if reusable, shall be returned to sender or, however, recycled for a further use. In any case the handling costs of the said containers are considerable and connected also to their dimensions.
In case of containers to be disposed, beside losing the value of the material, disposal costs have to be borne, with consequent waste of time, recruiting of staff dealing with the collection and transport to the dumping grounds.
On the other hand, in case of reusable containers, the operators have to bear the storage and reshipment costs, which costs increase proportionally to the dimensions of the containers to handle.
In order to control the said costs, several typologies of containers, whether collapsible or foldable, have been developed and made in such a way as to have minimum overall dimension suitable for their storage and reshipment.
Thus, cardboard boxes which can be refolded to get from a flat shape to a working position, as well as containers having 'accordion' folding walls or other shapes are known, always for the purpose of minimising the overall dimensions of the container when it is not used.
This invention falls into this scope, which invention proposes an improved container, which can be folded and which, thanks to its particular embodiment and to the arrangement of its elements, offers, once it has fitted in its working position, an appreciable level of strength and load-carrying capacity, thus allowing several containers to be stacked one on the other and which can be rapidly closed to the minimum overall dimensions position, and making its use very handy and suitable during the reuse, transport and storage operation of the said containers.
This invention will be now described in details, by way of example and without any limitation thereto, with reference to the figures annexed thereto, in which:

the figure 1 shows the container according to the invention, in its working position, closed;
the figure 2 shows the container according to the invention in its minimum overall dimensions folded position;
the figures 3 through 8 show the different phases required to get the container from the closing position to the working position.

With reference to the figures annexed hereto, in particular to the figures 5 and 6, the container according to the invention consists of a base 1 provided, just close to the two opposite sides, with turned-up borders 2 which a couple of opposite walls 3 of the container is hinged to. A frame 4 forms the upper edge of the container, once it has been assembled, and the other two walls 5 of the container are hinged to the said frame, in addition to cover elements 6.
The walls 5 are hinged to the lower edge of the frame, while the cover elements 6 are hinged to the upper edge.
The height of the borders 2 of the base is such as to allow the overlapped walls 3 and 5 to remain included within the height of the borders 2, when the container is closed.
The height of the frame 4, when the frame rests on the base, is such as to allow the upper edge of the said frame to reach the height of the upper edge of the borders 2.
By this embodiment, the container, in the closing position shown by the figure 2, has a height which is approximately equal to the thickness of the four overlapped walls, in addition to the thickness of the base 1.
The walls 3 hinged to the base are provided, just close the upper edge 7, with a series of openings 8 intended for fitting into corresponding teeth, not visible by the figures, placed on the inner side of the frame 4, when the said frame is lifted to move the container to the working position.
Accordingly, the walls 3 get a vertical and perfectly lined up position.
The walls 5 hinged to the wall 4 are provided, on the edge opposite to the edge hinged to the frame, with a series of teeth 9 which fit into corresponding openings 10 placed in the base, just close the two opposite edges, always to correctly position and keep perfectly vertical also these walls, when the container is in the working position.
The walls 3 and 5 are shaped in such a way as to show, in section, a corrugated shape 11 designed in such a way as to increase the moment of inertia of the section and, accordingly, the load resistance, as well as to allow several containers to be stacked without any problem. In fact, the loading tests showed that the container has a load resistance not less than 350 kilograms.
In like manner, the cover elements 6 have reinforcing seams 12, also intended for increasing the structure resistance and, on the free edges the said cover elements are staggered or, however, have a series of projecting teeth 13, which fit one into the other when the cover closes, as shown by the figure 1, always in order to increase the container stiffness.
The cover elements 6 are provided also with the minor sides shaped in such a way as to create a kind of channel 14 which, when the cover is closed, fits onto the corresponding edges of the frame 4 and on the upper edges 7 of the walls 3, in order to keep them united and guarantee the mutual engagement among the teeth placed on the inner surface of the frame and the corresponding openings 8 on the edge of the walls 3, thus increasing the overall stiffness of the container and avoiding any twisting movement.
In addition to the foregoing, as shown by the figure 1, the cover in the closing position shows all around it a frame 15 on which the base of a similar container can be fitted into, in order to have them piled up and duly placed one on the other.
The figures 3 through 8 show the sequence to get the box in the working position.
The two half-covers 6 are opened, the walls 3 are made revolved round their hinging point, getting them in the vertical position shown by the figures 4 and 5.
At this time, the frame 4 is held and lifted pulling it upwards; during the sliding, the side walls 5, in a substantially horizontal closed position, prevent the walls 3 from closing inwards thus creating, together with the frame 4, a sliding line around the vertical walls 3.
When the frame 4 reaches the upper end of the walls, the teeth provided on its inner surface fit into the housings 8 of the upper edge 11 of the walls 3 (figure 6).
The other two walls 5 are now overturned, making them revolve downwards, with the teeth 9 which fit into the corresponding housings placed in the base (figure 7).
The side walls 3 and 5 are now duly positioned, perfectly vertical, along the perimeter of the case.
The container has now the embodiment shown by the figure 8 and it is now possible to close the cover, with the channels 14 which fit around the frame and the walls 3, avoiding the disengagement thereof.
This way, the container results to be stiff enough to contain also heavy material, and it is possible to pile up more containers one stacked on the other.
At the end of the use, the container can be refolded.
Staring from the embodiment shown by the figure 1, the two half-covers 6 are opened outwards (figure 8) and the walls 5 are overturned inwards after having disengaged the teeth 9 of the openings 10 of the bottom.
The frame is now made slide downwards until it fully rests on the base 1 (figure 5); during the sliding, and before the frame rests on the base 1, the walls 5 in a horizontal position, prevent the wall 3 from closing inwards.
Once the frame 4 has rested on the base, the walls 3 are folded inwards (figures 4, 3); this operation is allowed only when the walls 5 in the horizontal position get, sliding with the frame 4, in contact with the base and within the overall dimensions of the edges 2, or under the hinges which constrain the walls 3 to the base.
Finally, the upper wings 6 are closed (figure 2).
As it can be clearly understood by the description above, the container according to this invention is appreciably handy, forasmuch as it can be easily and rapidly opened and closed, making all the reuse and transport operations of the container easier, the whole without impairing the product sturdiness.
Of course, the size, as well as the material used, may be changed according to the user's requirements.

Claims

Folding container characterised in that it comprises a base to which, just close the opposite sides, a couple of first walls of the container is hinged, made in such a way as to move from a closing position, in which the said walls get a substantially horizontal position, to a working position, in which the said walls open upwards, getting a substantially vertical position, and a frame which forms the upper edge of the container, to which, just close the opposite sides, the other two walls of the container are hinged, where the said second walls can move from a closing position, where they get a substantially horizontal position, to a working position, where they revolve by opening upwards to get a substantially vertical position.
Container according to the claim 1, characterised in that the length of the said second walls is substantially equal to the distance existing between the said first walls, so that the said second walls, together with the frame, create a kind of sliding line to allow the said frame to be lifted by making it slide around the said first walls, where the said first and second walls are equipped with means made in such a way as to engage respectively the frame and the base when the walls are in the vertical position and the frame is completely lifted, in order to block the container in the working position.
Container according to the claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the said second walls are provided, just close the free edge, with a plurality of teeth made in such a way as to fit into corresponding housings placed in the base of the container when the frame is lifted and the walls are in the vertical position.
Container according to the claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the said first walls are provided, just close the upper edge, with a series of openings in which the corresponding teeth placed on the internal surface of the frame can fit, when the said frame is lifted in the working position of the container.
Container according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the said first walls are hinged to a couple of borders placed just close the opposite sides of the base, where the said borders have a height substantially equal to the thickness of the four side walls when the said walls, when the container is closed, get overlapped.
Container according to the claim 5, characterised in that the said frame has a height substantially equal to the height of the said borders, in such a way as to contain in its overall dimensions, the said borders and the said side walls of the container folded in the closing position.
Container according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises, hinged just close the two upper opposite edges of the said frame, a couple of half-covers the free edge of which is shaped in such a way as to have a series of teeth which fit one into the other when the two half-covers are closed.
Container according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that the said half-covers are provided, on their sides, with slots made in such a way as to fit into the said frame and the upper edge of the said first walls, in order to avoid the disengagement thereof when the container is in the working position.
Container according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises, on the walls, a plurality of reinforcing seams and/ or ribbings made in such a way as to increase the stiffness thereof.