EP3590862A1

EP3590862A1 - Folding container

Info

Publication number: EP3590862A1
Application number: EP19182829.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mikko JÄRVI; Thomas Oriander
Original assignee: K Hartwall Oy AB
Current assignee: K Hartwall Oy AB
Priority date: 2018-07-03
Filing date: 2019-06-27
Publication date: 2020-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2039-06-27
Also published as: EP3590862B1; FI128389B; FI20185616A1

Abstract

A folding container having a quadrilateral base (150) and a plurality of cover elements (110, 120, 130, 140) is proposed. Each cover element has a first panel (121, 131, 141) that is pivotably connected from a bottom end to a respective edge of the base (150) so as to be turned between an erected state and a collapsed state. Each cover element also has a second panel (122, 132, 142) which is pivotably connected to the top end of the respective first panel (121, 131, 141). The second panel (122, 132, 142) may be turned between an erected state and a collapsed state. The first panel and the second panel are mutually articulated through at least one hinge which connects the panels, the hinge comprising first and second counterparts (124, 127) articulated through an axle (125). A biasing member (126) is configured to urge the counterparts (124, 127) into a predetermined mutual axial position along the axle for aligning the first and second panels in the horizontal dimension.

Description

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to cargo handling equipment. In particular, the disclosure relates to containers used for bundling up items during transport and for temporary storage. More precisely, the disclosure relates to a container according to the preamble portion of claim 1.

BACKGROUND

Parceled goods have been traditionally transported by stacking the goods on pallets, wrapping the unit with shrink wrap and loading the wrapped pallets onto trailers or trucks. The traditional way of handling parceled freight has been deemed uneconomical due to the labor intensity of packing pallets, extensive use of packing material, such as shrink wrap and cardboard. Traditional pallets have also provided little protection against brisk handling, which has resulted in damages and increased the cost of transport. To tackle these problems, collecting cages have been introduced.
Collecting containers, such as cages, are typically stackable and foldable cages made of high tensile steel that provides an attractive alternative to distribution and storage of high volume goods. The collecting cages, cages in short, are usually handled with a fork lift similarly to traditional pallets. Because the cages are stackable, they can be stacked on top each other, which enables high volumetric efficiency when transporting full cages. On the other hand, because the cages are foldable, high volumetric efficiency is also achieved when transporting empty cages. One such gage, or crate, is disclosed in US 1164502 A . Furthermore, the robust structure of the cage protects the cargo during handling.
While the folding option provides for outstanding volumetric efficiency, it also introduces limits to the height of the container, if the container is constructed such to be collapsed on its own footprint. There are known several constructions that offer relatively tall folding containers but such constructions are typically quite laborious to use. For example, some tall containers must be disassembled by removing the side walls.
There is therefore a need for an improved container that is not only volumetrically efficient but also easy to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Herein is proposed a novel folding container that has a quadrilateral base and a plurality of cover elements. Each cover element has a first panel that is pivotably connected from a bottom end to a respective edge of the base so as to be turned between an erected state, in which the plurality of first panels extends orthogonally in respect to the base, and a collapsed state, in which the plurality of first panel extends in parallel in respect to the base. Each first panel may be turned in towards the base during conversion from erected to collapsed state. Each of cover element also has a second panel which is pivotably connected to the top end of the respective first panel. The second panel may be turned between an erected state and a collapsed state. In both state the second panel extends parallel in respect to the respective first panel. Each second panel may be turned out towards the outer side of the respective first panel during conversion from erected to collapsed state. One of the cover elements is a first side wall, which is pivotably connected to a second edge of the base, whereas another one of the cover elements is a second side wall which is pivotably connected to a third edge of the base. The first panels of the first side wall and second side wall are hinged to the base so as to maintain upright position until manipulated into rotation towards the collapsed state. The first panel and the second panel are mutually articulated through at least one hinge, which connects the panels. The hinge includes a first counterpart, which is connected to the first panel, and a second counterpart, which is connected to the second panel and articulated in respect to the first counterpart through the axle. The hinge also includes a biasing element, which is configured to urge the counterparts into a predetermined mutual axial position along the axle for aligning the panels in the horizontal dimension.
The invention is defined by the features of the independent claim. Some specific embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.
Considerable benefits are gained with aid of the novel proposition. By constructing the folding cover elements, such as the door and walls, from two articulated panels, the height of the container may be increased. This is because the cover element may be constructed taller than the dimensions of the base would imply. In essence, the height of the cover element may be larger than the width of the container in a dimension orthogonal to the horizontal extension of the cover element.
According to one embodiment the container also includes a mechanism for maintaining the side walls upright despite there between being collapsed. Such a mechanism greatly improves user-friendliness by enabling collapse and deployment of the container without assistance from others and in a sequential, controlled manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following certain embodiments of the present invention are described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1a: illustrates a perspective view of a container in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention in a fully deployed state;
FIGURE 1b: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 1a in a modified configuration, in which the door is partially open;
FIGURE 2a: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 1b in a modified configuration, in which the door is fully open;
FIGURE 2b: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 1b in a modified configuration, in which the door is folded in for storage;
FIGURE 3a: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 2b in a modified configuration, in which the second panel of the back wall is folded out in preparation for storage;
FIGURE 3b: illustrates a detail view of the catch of the second panel of the side wall of FIGURE 3a;
FIGURE 3c: illustrates a detail view of locking mechanism of the back wall of FIGURE 3a;
FIGURE 4a: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 3a in a modified configuration, in which the back wall is folded in for storage;
FIGURE 4b: illustrates a detail view of the rear hinge of the first side wall of FIGURE 4a;
FIGURE 4c: illustrates a detail view of the front hinge of the first side wall of FIGURE 4a;
FIGURE 4d: illustrates a detail view of the stoppers of the second side wall of FIGURE 4a;
FIGURE 5a: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 4a in a modified configuration, in which the second panel of the first side wall is partially folded out in preparation for storage;
FIGURE 5b: illustrates a detail view of the hinge of the second side wall and the bracket of the base of FIGURE 5a;
FIGURE 5c: illustrates a detail view of the front brace of the first side wall of FIGURE 5a;
FIGURE 6a: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 4a in a modified configuration, in which the second panel of the first side wall is fully folded out in preparation for storage;
FIGURE 6b: illustrates a detail view of the front brace of the first side wall of FIGURE 6a;
FIGURE 7a: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 6b in a modified configuration, in which the first side wall is folded in for storage;
FIGURE 7b: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 7a in a modified configuration, in which the second panel of the second side wall is folded out in preparation for storage;
FIGURE 7c: illustrates a perspective view of the container of FIGURE 7b in a modified configuration, in which the second side wall is folded in for storage, and
FIGURE 7d: illustrates a detail view of the hinge of the second side wall and the bracket of the base of FIGURE 7c.

EMBODIMENTS

In this context the term longitudinal refers to the loading and unloading dimension of the container, which is the horizontal dimension in which the parceled goods are put in and taken out of the container by opening that side. Accordingly, the term transversal refers to the horizontal dimension orthogonal to the longitudinal dimension. The terms rear and front refer to opposing ends of the container in the longitudinal dimension.
In general terms, the embodiments herein described make use of articulated twin-panel walls, wherein the top panel folds out and the bottom panel folds in to collapse the container. The folding action is achieved with mechanisms allowing for two of the walls to stay upright despite the other two walls being folded down.
FIGURE 1a illustrates a container 100 in accordance with at least some embodiments in a fully deployed state. As may be seen, the general appearance of the container 100 resembles that of a conventional cage. The container 100 includes a base 150 with a quadrilateral floor 151 that is supported above ground by stands 152 provided at each corner of the floor 151. The stands 152 are designed to generate enough clearance to enable lifting with a forklift from below. On the other hand, the stands 152 extend above the floor 151 so as to delimit a storage space for the collapsed state of the container 100. The container 100 also includes four cover elements 110, 120, 130, 140, one extending from each side of and orthogonally in respect to the base 150. The cover elements 110, 120, 130, 140 are preferably permanently attached to the base 150 as opposed to being detachable for storage. In the shown embodiments, one of the cover elements is a door 110, one is a first side wall 120, one is a second side wall 130, and one is a back wall 140. The door 110 is attached to the first edge of the base 150, opposite to the back wall 140 which is attached to the fourth edge of the base 150. The first side wall 120 is attached to the second edge of the base 150 connecting the first and fourth edge. The second side wall 130 is attached to the third edge opposing the second edge. Each of the cover elements 110, 120, 130, 140 have a first panel 111, 121, 131, 141, the bottom end of which is articulated in respect to the respective edge of the base 150. The cover elements 110, 120, 130, 140 are designed to be erected and collapsed sequentially, i.e. one at a time. More particularly, each cover element 110, 120, 130, 140 includes two panels, which also are designed to be erected and collapsed sequentially
Let us first turn to the door 110 shown in fully erected state in FIGURE 1a. The door 100 has two articulated panels 111, 112 which each has a frame and a cover extending within the frame. In the illustrated embodiment, the frame is a hollow steel, aluminium, or metal alloy frame and the cover is a solid plate. The cover may be manufactured from plastics, plywood, steel, composite, honeycomb, or similar suitable sheet. Naturally, the cover could be a metal mesh or made from a different material. The first panel 110 extends orthogonally in respect to the base 150 between the first side wall 120 and the second side wall 130. The first panel 110 has a locking mechanism 114, preferably at least one on both lateral sides, to lock the first panel 110 to the adjacent side walls 120, 130 so as to maintain the erected state. The locking mechanism 114 may take the form of a spring loaded latch which is urged transversally towards and past the outer lateral edge of the first panel 110 to engage with a respective opening on the adjacent side wall 120, 130. To release the locking mechanism 114, the latch is retracted from the side wall 120, 130 against the spring. A second panel 112 is pivotably connected to the first panel 111 through hinges 113 which connect the bottom end of the second panel 112 to the top end of the first panel 111. The hinges 113 are in the shown embodiment simple mechanisms attached to the outer side of the door 100 and adapted to allow opening of the second panel 112. A locking mechanism 114 similar to that of the first panel 111 has also been provided to the lateral edges of the second panel 112. The second panel 112 is designed to be turned out to open. When opened (FIGURE 1a), i.e. when the second panel 112 is turned out from the erected state (FIGURE 1a) to the collapsed state (FIGURE 1b), the second panel 112 lies parallel in respect to and on the outside of the first panel 111. The design shown in the FIGURES has the top ends of the stands 152 featuring bevelled inner edges. The top corners of the second panel 112 have also been bevelled similarly so that the collapsed second panel 112 is between the stands 152. With the second panel 112 open, or collapsed, the contents of the container 100 may be taken out gradually as opposed to opening the entire door 100 at once. This is particularly useful in the transport of small items, such as letters.
After the second panel 112 of the door 100 has been opened, the door 100 may be fully opened. To open the first panel 111, the locking mechanisms 114 are released for allowing the first panel 111 to rotate. The first panel 111 is turned about the bottom hinge out so as to provide a ramp for accessing the bottom of the container 100 (FIGURE 2a). The hinge of the first panel 111 connects the bottom end of the first panel 111 to the stand 152 (shown in the FIGURES) or frame of the floor (not shown in the FIGURES). Similarly to the second panel 112, the bottom corners of the first panel 111 are bevelled to conform to the bevelled shape of the stands 152. The conforming shape of the first panel 111 allows it to be turned past the stands 152. Accordingly, the stands 152 do not prevent the door from opening. Rather it is the function of the stands 152 to provide a mounting point for hinges and to support the side walls 120, 130 from turning out.
Once the container 100 has been emptied, it may be collapsed entirely. The next step is to rotate the first panel 111 about the hinge axis in towards the inner space of the container 100 so as to fold the collapsed door 100 on the base 150 (FIGURE 2b). The door 100 has been collapsed when it lays parallel to and on top of the floor 151.
Next, the cover element 140 opposing the door 110 may be collapsed. According to one embodiment (not shown in the FIGURES), the opposing cover element 140 may be a similar or equivalent outwardly opening element as the door 100. In the illustrated embodiment, however, the opposing cover element 140 is a back wall. The back wall 140 has two articulated panels 141, 142 which each has a frame and a mesh within the frame. The frame is a hollow steel, aluminium, or metal alloy frame that has a quadrilateral cross-section. The frame of the back wall 140 is preferably shaped to engage the adjacent wall 130 (FIGURE 4d). As the back wall 140 has two panels 141, 142, each panel may have a separate counterpart on the adjacent wall 130 for locking the panel 141, 142 to the upright position. Let us first consider the second panel 142, i.e. the top panel of the back wall 140. FIGURES 3a and 3b show that a catch 133 has been provided to the top part of the adjacent walls 120, 130 for releasing a cooperating element on the second panel 142 of the back wall 140. The catch 133 may take the form of a bracket which protrudes from the inner surface of the frame of the second panel 121, 131 of the side wall 120, 130. The catch 133 comprises an opening for receiving a corresponding protuberance (not shown in FIGURE 3b) of the locking mechanism of the second panel. The locking mechanism of the second panel 142 may be similar to that of the first panel 141 which is discussed here after. The catch 133 and the frame of the second panel 142 are preferably shaped to mate in an embedded manner so as to limit the movement of the second panel 142 for preventing the second panel 142 from turning in to the cargo volume of the container 100. For example, the lower end of the catch 133 may be recessed from the rear to serve this purpose.
FIGURE 3c shows the details of the locking mechanism 144, 145 used to lock the panels 141, 142 of the back wall 140 in the upright position. A movable latch 145, such as a pin, has been integrated into the hollow frame of the panel 141. The latch 145 preferably comprises a flange positioned inside the frame of the panel 141 together with a spring to urge the latch 145 towards the engaged state in which the latch 145 pushes out against the adjacent side wall 120, 130. The latch 145 is connected to a handle 144 through an opening, such as a slit, on the frame of the panel 141. The handle 144 is configured to transmit force to the latch 145 for sliding the latch 145 axially to a retracted state, in which the latch 145 is flush with inside of the side surface of the panel 141. To retract the latch 145, the handle 144 is slid towards the center of the panel 141 against the force of the spring. When released, the spring will urge the latch 145 towards the engaged position, in which the latch 145 enters the opening on the catch 133 or other receiving member on the adjacent side wall 120, 130.
For the first panel 141, which is intended to be folded in, the side wall 120, 130 has two counterparts for ensuring that the first panel 141 may not fold out and for assisting the use of the locking mechanism 144, 145. Firstly, the side wall 130 has a stopper 134 for limiting the movement of the first panel 141. The stopper 134 may take the form of a hook or equivalent protuberance designed to engage an opening on or wrap around the frame of the first panel 141 of the back wall 140 to prevent the back wall 140 from turning out past the rear edges of the side walls 120, 130. The hook embodiment is best shown in FIGURES 3c and 4d. Also, the side walls 120, 130 may comprise a guide135 for guiding the latch 145 to the engaged position and for preventing the first panel 141 from turning in. The guide 145 may be shaped as a slanted surface, the rear end of which protrudes more from the inner surface of the side wall 120, 130 than the front end. The established slope will not only prevent the engaged latch 145 from sliding towards the front of the container, thus keeping the first panel 141 upright, but also guide the latch 145 in, when the first panel 141 is turned from a folded state (FIGURE 4A) towards the erected state (FIGURE 3a). Therefore upon turning the first panel 141 from the folded state towards the erected state, the guide 145 eases the latch 145 into the frame of the first panel 141 until the latch 145 is free to return to the extended position and snap behind the guide 135. In this state (FIGURE 3c) the hook 134 or other stopper has also engaged the frame of the first panel 141 to keep the first panel 141 upright from the rear.
The first panel 141, or the "bottom panel", is hinged to the base 150 from the bottom end so as to be turned in for folding. The second panel 142, or the "top panel", is hinged to the top end of the first panel 141 so as to be turned out for folding. The panels 141, 142 feature a locking mechanism 144, 145 provided to both lateral ends for releasable engagement with the adjacent side walls 120, 130. The locking mechanism 144, 145 may take the form of a spring loaded latch which is urged transversally towards and past the outer lateral edge of the panel 141, 142 to engage with a respective opening on a catch 133 on the adjacent side wall 120, 130 (FIGURE 3b). Similar catches 133 may be used in connection with the locking mechanisms 114 of the door. The latch 145 is preferably integrated to the frame of the panel 141, 142 with the mesh omitted from the vicinity of the latch for access by hand. To release the locking mechanism 144, the latch 145 is retracted from the catch 133 or other holding mechanism 135 of the side wall 120, 130 against the spring. With both locking mechanisms 144, 145 released, the second panel 142 is free to rotate about the horizontal hinge axis to lie parallel in respect to and on the outer side of the first panel 141 (FIGURE 3a).
After the second panel 142 of the back wall 140 has been opened, the back wall 140 may be fully collapsed. To collapse the first panel 141, the locking mechanisms 144 are released for allowing the first panel 141 to rotate. The hinge of the first panel 141 connects the bottom end of the first panel 141 to the stand 152 (shown in the FIGURES) or frame of the floor (not shown in the FIGURES). The first panel 141 is rotated about the hinge axis in towards the inner space of the container 100 so as to fold on the collapsed door 100 on the base 150 (FIGURE 4a). The back wall 140 has been collapsed when it lays parallel to and on top of the door 100. Now the container 100 is in a partially collapsed state, in which the side walls 120, 130 remain erected and the door 110 and back wall 140 collapsed.
The side walls have a somewhat similar construction to the back wall 140 in that they feature a frame 128 delimiting a mesh or another sort of cover. Also, the first (bottom) panel 121, 131 is hinged to the base 150 and the second (top) panel 122, 132 is hinged to the first panel 121, 131. The side walls 120, 130 also feature a mechanism 123, 129 for maintaining the side walls 120, 130 upright despite the door 110 and back wall 140 being collapsed. As the first and second side walls 120, 130 similar in respect to each other, they are now discussed in greater detail with reference to either one interchangeably.
FIGURES 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a, and 5b show the details of the mechanism 123, 129 connecting the first panel 121, 131 and the second panel 122, 132. A component of the mechanism is a hinge 123 connecting the first panel 121, 131 to the second panel 122, 132 is constructed to allow for not only rotation of the first panel 121, 131 in respect to the second panel 122, 132 but also translation along the axis of the hinge 123. The hinge 123 features a bracket 124 mounted to the frame 128 of the first panel 121 so as to act as to the first counterpart of the hinge 123. The hinge 123 also features a second bracket 127 mounted to the frame 128 of the second panel 122 so as to act as to the second counterpart of the hinge 123. Both brackets 124, 127 include an opening or sleeve for holding an axle 125, which connects the brackets 124, 127 to each other in a rotational and translational manner. For example, the axle 125 may be fixed to the bracket 124 of the first panel 121 by means of a nut, whereby the sleeve on the bracket 127 of the second panel 122 is adapted to allow movement in respect to the axle 125 or vice versa. The hinge 123 also includes a biasing element 126 for urging the moving counterpart (127) towards a given axial position on the axle 125. In the embodiment shown in the FIGURES, the biasing element 126 takes the form of a spring which pushes the second panel 122 towards the rear of the container 100. Naturally, the spring could alternatively push the second panel towards the front of the container, if the rest of the mechanism was reversed. In the illustrated embodiment, the mechanism includes two such hinges 123, one provided to the rear of the container 100 (FIGURE 4b) and another provided to the front of the container 100 (FIGURE 4c).
In addition to the hinge 123, the mechanism also includes a brace 129 for limiting the longitudinal movement of the second panel 122 in respect to the first panel 122, i.e. for limiting the axial displacement of the counterparts 124, 127 of the hinge 123 along the axle 125 or, in other terms, hinge pin. In the illustrated embodiment, the mechanism includes two such braces 129, one provided to the rear of the container 100 (FIGURE 4b) and another provided to the front of the container 100 (FIGURE 4c). The brace 129 is constructed to releasably maintain the second panel 122 on top of and parallel in respect to the first panel 121, 131 in the erected state. To serve this purpose, the brace 129 is fixed to the first or second panel 121, 122 and extends there from to side the other panel. In the example of the rear brace 129 shown in FIGURE 4b, the brace 129 is fixed to the frame 128 of the first panel 121 and extends vertically to side with the second panel 122. In the example of the front brace 129 shown in FIGURE 4c, the brace 129 is fixed to the frame 128 of the second panel 121 and extends vertically to side with the first panel 122. Alternatively to the embodiment shown in the FIGURES, the brace could be fixed on the inside of the frame of the panel while fulfilling the same function. Such an embodiment would preferably require that the mesh or other cover delimited by the frame to be omitted in the vicinity of the bracket for clearance. The brace 129 is shaped to engage with the panel to which it is not fixed upon releasing the second panel 122 to the resting position propelled by the biasing element 126 of the hinge 123. FIGURES 4a, 4b, and 4c show the second panel 122 slightly retracted from the resting position so as to be rotated about the hinge 123. FIGURES 4a, 4b, and 4c also show that the brace 129 has an open profile, such as a C or U or L shaped profile, to allow for the translation of the second panel 122 and to maintain the upright position thereof. It is particularly useful to shape the brace 129 such that there is a section of the brace 129 preventing the second panel 122 from turning out, i.e. a section on the outside of the container 100.
To collapse the second panel 122, the second panel 122 is first translated along the axle 125, i.e. longitudinally, to release the panel from the brace 129 (FIGURES 4b and 4c). This requires overcoming the spring-back factor of the biasing element 126 of the hinge 123. With the second panel 122 cleared from the brace 129, the second panel 122 is free to rotate about the hinge 123 (FIGURE 5c) so as to turn the second panel 122 to the collapsed state, in which the second panel 122 lies parallel in respect to and on the outside of the first panel 121 (FIGURES 6a and 6b).
The first panel 121,131 of the side wall 120, 130 is bottom hinged to the base 150, particularly to the stand 152. The hinge 136 may be simply an extension of the first panel penetrating a corresponding hole in the stand 152 (not shown in the FIGURES) or engaging a bracket (FIGURE 5b) in the stand 152. The bracket 137 is preferably designed to enclose the lower frame profile of the first panel 121, 131 so as to allow for rotation and translation of the lower frame profile in respect to the bracket 137. The bracket 137 has a vertical portion 137a which is connected to the base 150 from the lower end and to the stand 152 at the top end through a horizontal portion 137b. The bracket 137c also includes a vertical extension 137c extending from the horizontal portion 137b. The mesh or other cover of the first panel 121, 131 preferably includes an opening large enough to accommodate a bracket 137 on the stand 152 for supporting another such container stacked on top of bracket 137. The bracket 137 is therefore designed to engage and support the lower end of a similar stand 152 above the present container 100. The bracket 137 and the first panel 121, 131 are also preferably shaped to engage each other such to lock the first panel 121, 131 into the upright position. The resulting upright locking mechanism 138 is best shown in FIGURES 5b (engaged) and 7d (released). Firstly, the upright locking mechanism 138 includes a vertical recess 138a which is gap formed between the bracket 137, particularly the vertical extension 137c, and the stand 152. Secondly, the upright locking mechanism 138 includes a tab 138b provided to the first panel 121, 131, preferably integrated into the mesh. The tab 138b is configured to be inserted into the vertical recess 138a, when the first panel 121, 131 is turned from the folding state to the erected state. To facilitate the movement of the tab 138b to and from the recess 138a, the hinge 136 is configured to allow for vertical translation of the hinge axle. The first panel 121, 131 is released from the upright position by first lifting the panel 121, 131 so as to release the tab 138b from the recess 138a and then then turning the panel 121, 131 in about the hinge 136. The first panel 121, 131 is erected in the opposite order by first turning the panel 121, 131 about the hinge 136 and, when the panel 121, 131 has assumed approximately an upright orientation, then lifting the panel 121, 131 enough to fit the tab 138b of the panel 121, 131 into the recess 138a.
According to a modified embodiment (not shown in the FIGURES), the upright locking mechanism may be reversed by providing a slit or other female form to the first panel and by providing a corresponding male form to the stand or bracket.
Alternatively (not shown in the FIGURES), the hinge itself may be constructed so as to maintain the first panel 121, 131 in the upright orientation until it is collapsed through a motion. For maintaining the orientation, the hinge 136 may comprise a vertical female section provided to the stand 152 for allowing a vertical translation of the corresponding pin of the hinge on the first panel 121, 131 to undergo translation before rotation. Similarly, the pin of the first panel 121, 131 may include flattened sides for preventing rotation of the pin before it is lifted from the vertical slot in the stand 152. Above the vertical slot there may be a section allowing for rotation of the pin thus enabling collapse of the first panel 121, 131. The female part of the hinge 136 may therefore resemble a traditional keyhole. To collapse the first panel 121, the side wall 120 is first lifted and then turned in to fold the side wall flat above the element below, such as the back wall 140.
Collapsing the container is very simple. First, the door 110 is collapsed by turning the second panel 112 out to lie flat against the outside of the first panel 111 (FIGURE 1b). Then, the first panel 111 is turned in to lie flat on top of the floor 151 (FIGURE 2b). Second, the back wall 140 is collapsed by turning the second panel 142 out to lie flat against the outside of the first panel 141 (FIGURE 3a). Then, the first panel 141 is turned in to lie flat on top of the door 110 (FIGURE 4a). Third, the first side wall 120 is collapsed by moving the second panel 122 forward to release the frame 128 from the brace 129 (FIGURES 4b and 4c) and by turning the second panel 122 about the hinge 123 (FIGURE 5a) to lie flat against the outside of the first panel 121 (FIGURE 6a). Then, the first panel 121 is lifted and turned in to lie flat on top of the back wall 140 (FIGURE 7a). Fourth, the collapse process of the first side wall 120 is repeated on the second side wall 130, the second panel 132 of which is folded to lie flat against the outside of the first panel 131 (FIGURE 7b) and the first panel 131 of which is folded lie flat on top of the first side wall 120 (FIGURE 7c). The collapsed container 100 may then be stacked on top of another such container in erected or collapsed state by fitting the stand of a superposed container 100 on the corresponding brackets 137 on the stands 152 of the underlying container 100. To erect the collapsed container 100, the collapsing process is performed in reverse order.
A skilled person may foresee several modified versions from those described above. A skilled person may, for example, consider replacing the rear wall with a door which may fold in for storage and out for creating a ramp. An embodiment is also foreseen, in which the container includes a lid, which may be removable or hinged to the back wall, for example. In such an arrangement, the lid would lie between the door and back wall in collapsed configuration. Also, the mesh shown in the FIGURES could be replaced with a solid panel, made of a polymer, composite, or cardboard, for example. Further, the quadrilateral profile making up the frames of the walls and door could be replaced with another shape, such as a circular profile. It would further be possible to replace the stand with a castor thus rendering the container a roll container. In such an embodiment it could be possible and preferable to arrange the wheel of the castor to roll in a relatively tall fork to provide enough ground clearance for the roll container.
It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but are extended to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.
Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary. In addition, various embodiments and example of the present invention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for the various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as de facto equivalents of one another, but are to be considered as separate and autonomous representations of the present invention.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the principles of the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the claims set forth below.

The verbs "to comprise" and "to include" are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of also un-recited features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of "a" or "an", i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

No.	Feature	No.	Feature
100	container	134	stopper
110	door	135	guide
111	first panel	136	hinge
112	second panel	137	bracket
113	hinge	137a	vertical portion
114	locking mechanism	137b	horizontal portion
120	first side wall	137c	vertical extension
121	first panel	138	upright locking mechanism
122	second panel	138a	recess
123	hinge	138b	tab
124	first counterpart; bracket	139	brace
125	axle	140	back wall
126	biasing element	141	first panel
127	second counterpart; bracket	142	second panel
128	frame	144	handle
129	brace	145	latch
130	second side wall	150	base
131	first panel	151	floor
132	second panel	152	stand
133	catch

CITATION LIST

US 1164502 A

Claims

A folding container (100) comprising a quadrilateral base (150) and a plurality of cover elements (110, 120, 130, 140), each of which cover elements (110, 120, 130, 140) comprising:
- a respective first panel (121, 131, 141) pivotably connected from a bottom end to a respective edge of the base (150) so as to be turned between an erected state, in which the plurality of first panels (121, 131, 141) extends orthogonally in respect to the base (150), and a collapsed state, in which the plurality of first panel (121, 131, 141) extends parallel in respect to the base (150), wherein each first panel (121, 131, 141) is configured to be turned in towards the base (150) during conversion from erected to collapsed state,

- a respective second panel (122, 132, 142) pivotably connected to the top end of the respective first panel (121, 131, 141) so as to be turned between an erected state and a collapsed state, in both of which states the second panel (122, 132, 142) extends in parallel in respect to the respective first panel (121, 131, 141), wherein each second panel (122, 132, 142) is configured to be turned out towards the outer side of the respective first panel (121, 131, 141) during conversion from erected to collapsed state,
wherein:
- one of the cover elements is a first side wall (120) which is pivotably connected to a second edge of the base (150),

- one of the cover elements is a second side wall (130) which is pivotably connected to a third edge of the base (150),

- the first panels (121, 131) of the first side wall (120) and second side wall (130) are hinged to the base (150) so as to maintain upright position until manipulated into rotation towards the collapsed state,

- the first panel (121, 131) and the second panel (122, 132) are mutually articulated through at least one hinge (123), which connects the panels (121, 131; 122, 132),
characterized in that the hinge (123) comprises:
- a first counterpart (124) connected to the first panel (121),

- a second counterpart (127) connected to the second panel (122), which second counterpart (127) is articulated in respect to the first counterpart (124) through the axle (125), and

- a biasing element (126), which is configured to urge the counterparts (124, 127) into a predetermined mutual axial position along the axle (125) for aligning the panels (121, 131; 122, 132) in the horizontal dimension.
The container (100) according to claim 1, wherein the cover elements (110, 120, 130, 140) are configured to be erected and collapsed sequentially.
The container (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first panels (111, 121, 131, 141) and the second panels (112, 122, 132, 142) are configured to be erected and collapsed sequentially.
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the cover elements is a door (110) which is pivotably connected to a first edge of the base (150).
The container (100) according to claim 4, wherein first panel (111) of the door (110) is hinged to the base (150) such to be turned from the erected state:
- out to act as a ramp, wherein the second panel (112) lies between the first panel (111) and the ground, and

- in to a folded state, wherein the second panel (112) lies on top of the first panel (111).
The container (100) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the first and second panel (111, 112) of the door (110) both comprise a locking mechanism (114) which is configured to releasably secure the respective panel (111, 112) to the adjacent cover element (120, 130) for selectively releasing the door (110) from and locking the door (110) to the erected state.
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge (136) connecting the first panel (121, 131) of the side wall (120, 130) to the base (150) is configured to allow rotation of the first panel (121, 131) in respect to the base (150) only after translation away from the base (150).
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first or second side wall (120, 130) or both comprise(s) a brace (129), which is configured to releasably maintain the second panel (122, 132) on top of and parallel in respect to the first panel (121, 131) in the erected state
The container (100) according to claim 8, wherein the brace (129) is:
- fixed to and extends from either of the first panel (121, 131) and second panel (122, 132) and

- configured to engage with and support the other cooperating panel of the first panel (121, 131) and second panel (122, 132) in the erected state so as to maintain the erected state of the second panel (122, 132).
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge (123):
- comprises a horizontally extending axle (125) and

- is configured to provide rotation about the axle (125) and translation along the axle (125).
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 8 to 10, wherein the brace (129) is configured to engage and support the cooperating panel in the aligned position of the panels (121, 131; 122, 132).
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the cover elements is a back wall (140) which is pivotably connected to a fourth edge of the base (150).
The container (100) according to claim 12, wherein the first and second panel (141, 142) of the back wall (140) both comprise a locking mechanism (144) which is configured to releasably secure the respective panel (141, 142) to the adjacent cover element (120, 130) for selectively releasing the back wall (140) from and locking the back wall (140) into the erected state.
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the door (110) is a first of two doors comprised by the container (100), wherein one of the cover elements is a second door which is pivotably connected to a fourth edge of the base opposing the first door (110).
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base (150) comprises:
- a floor (151) and

- stands (152) attached to the floor (151) for maintaining the floor (151) elevated above ground, which stands (152) extend vertically above the floor (151) for delimiting a folding space for the cover elements (110, 120, 130, 140) in the collapsed state.
The container (100) according to claim 15, wherein the cover elements (110, 120, 130, 140) are hinged to the stands (152).
The container (100) according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the top and bottom ends of the stands (152) being configured as mutually connecting so as to enable stacking of such containers (100).
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 14, wherein the base (150) comprises:
- a floor (151) and

- castors attached to the floor (151) for maintaining the floor (151) elevated above ground and for the container (100) to be propelled manually.
The container (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container (100) is a logistics container for the transport of parcelled goods.