GB2362635A

GB2362635A - Collapsible boxes

Info

Publication number: GB2362635A
Application number: GB0012829A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terry Ronald Hunt
Original assignee: METAL OFFICE EQUIPMENT Ltd
Current assignee: METAL OFFICE EQUIPMENT Ltd
Priority date: 2000-05-26
Filing date: 2000-05-26
Publication date: 2001-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2020-05-26
Also published as: GB0012829D0; GB2362635B

Abstract

A collapsible storage box, comprises a rectangular base 7 with upstanding lips 9 on opposed edges and a similarly sized top 6 with two corresponding down-turned lips 8. Respective up-standing or down-turned flanges 12 are formed on the other two edges of either the base or the top. Two part opposed folding side walls are hinged to the lips of the base and the top, each folding side wall comprising two similar sized panels hinged together. A pair of rigid side walls 30 are hinged either to the other two edges of the 7 base or to the down-turned flanges 12 of the top 6. When the box is collapsed the side walls are configured such that they hinge inwardly, and the free long edges 10, 11 of the upturned and down-turned lips 9, 8 engage each other, and the flanges 12 fit between the lips to engage the base. This provides a strong collapsible construction that protects the side walls when folded to prevent damage, for example during stacking. A hinged door 15 with a key locking mechanism 17 may be provided and the box may be held erect by releasable locking means accessible only when the door 15 is open or connected to the door 15.

Description

p 2362635 COLLAPSIBLE BOXES The present invention relates to a collapsible

box and more particularly to a collapsible locking storage box (hereinafter also referred to as a locker).

In a number of applications, a conventional storage box or locker does not exhibit all ideal characteristics. For example whilst a solid locker can show great strength and durability, by its very nature must define a storage area, that when the box is empty is dead space. This is a particular problem when a plurality of boxes need to be transported, for example between different areas of use or from the manufacturer.

Various designs of collapsible box have been proposed, but these all suffer from one major flaw, which is that they are not sturdy and so break or are deformed easily. This is even more of a problem when the locker is to be used in a highly demanding environment, for example in military use. The Military frequently provide lockers for the use of soldiers in temporary camps.

These lockers are generally made available for each soldier's equipment and personal possessions, and they need to provide a degree of security to prevent theft.

With military use the lockers must be easily and efficiently transportable and deployable. Therefore a folding box that transports in a small volume, is swiftly erectable at the destination, and is then collapsible and re-transportable is highly advantageous. A further important consideration is that the lockers must be strong enough to resist damage during transport or storage, particularly the crushing associated with high stacking.

12064sp.doc 1.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible box that exhibits sufficient strength both in an erected a collapsed position to prevent damage for example due to crushing. It is a further object to provide a box that in its erected configuration provides a secure locker for the storage of various objects, in particular soldiers' possessions.

Therefore according to the present invention there is provided a collapsible box, comprising:

- a rectangular base having two opposed edges each of which has a respective upstanding lip extending therealong; - a rectangular top of substantially the size as the base, the two opposed edges of the top corresponding to the edges of the base having upstanding lips each having a respective down-turned lip extending therealong and each of the other two edges of the top having a respective down-tumed flange; - a pair of opposed folding side wails having lower and upper edges hinged respectively to the lips of the base and the top, each folding side wall having lower and upper panels hinged together about a line parallel to and midway between said lower and upper edges; - a pair of rigid side walls hinged respectively either to the other two edges of the base or to the down-turned flanges of the top; - the configuration of the side walls, lips and flanges being such that the box may be collapsed by hinging inwardly the pair of rigid side walls, and then folding inwardly the folding side walls so moving the top towards the base, the folding being completed when the respective free long edges of the upturned and down-turned lips engage each other, the down-turned flanges fitting 12"sp.ck)c between the upturned lips with the free long edges of the down-turned flanges engaging the base along the respective other edges thereof.

According to a second embodiment of the invention there is also provided a collapsible box, comprising:

- a rectangular top having two opposed edges each of which has a respective down-turned lip extending therealong; - a rectangular base of substantially the same size as the top, the two opposed edges of the base corresponding to the edges of the top having down-turned lips each having a respective upstanding lip extending therealong and each of the other two edges of the base having a respective upstanding flange; - a pair of opposed folding side walls having lower and upper edges hinged respectively to the lips of the base and the top, each folding side wall having lower and upper panels hinged together about a line parallel to and midway between said lower and upper edges; a pair of rigid side walls hinged respectively either to the other two edges of the top or to the down-tumed flanges of the base; - the configuration of the side walls, lips and flanges being such that the box may be collapsed by hinging inwardly the pair of rigid side walls, and then folding inwardly the folding side walls so moving the top towards the base, the folding being completed when the respective free long edges of the upturned and down-tumed lips engage each other, the upstanding flanges fitting between the down-turned lips with the free long edges of the upstanding flanges engaging the top along the respective other edges thereof.

120r>4sp.doc ,:, 7..

.: 1.

Whilst the term rectangular as used above includes a square, it is preferred that the base and top have two opposed edges longer than the other two opposed edges thereby defining an irregular rectangular shape.

In order that the box folds as flat as possible, the two long edges of the base may be greater in length than twice the height of the box whereby the two rigid side walls when folded inwardly do not overlap. In addition the two short edges of the base may be of greater length than the height of the box, so that the two folding side walls when folded inwardly do not overlap.

Boxes according to the present invention may be provided with an opening to give access to the interior of the box. This opening may be fitted with an openable cover, such as a door which may be locked in the closed position. To aid erection of the box or opening of the door, the door may be provided with a recessed handle.

To enhance the rigidity and security of the box, the rigid end walls may be an interference fit between the opposed side walls when in the vertical position. In addition, or alternatively, retention means may be provided to retain the rigid side walls in their respective unfolded positions to resist collapsing of the box. These retention means may comprises releasable locking catches fitted to the top or base which hold the free end of each rigid side wall in the erected configuration. Alternatively the locking means may comprise downward projecting tabs that is vertically movable by the door. These tabs, when the door is closed, extend past the top edges of the rigid side walls to prevent their movement from the vertical position. When the door is opened the tabs move out of the hinging paths of the rigid side walls so allowing the box to be folded.

120r>4sp.doc Boxes according to the present invention may be constructed from an suitable material, but preferably each of the base, top and side walls and openable cover are formed from substantially rigid sheet metal. This allows a sufficient degree of strength from a small volume of material.

To make transport and storage of boxes according to the present invention efficient, the box may be vertically stackable in the collapsed form, and may also be provided with parts than inter-engage between adjacent stacked items to stabilise such stacking. In addition the box might also be transported or stored with items therein and as such the box may be vertically stackable in the erected form. This erected staking may also me stabilised by the same or similar inter-engaging parts on adjacent boxes.

By way of example only, and in order that it may be better understood, a specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is perspective view of a box in a folded configuration; Figure 2 is a similar view of the same box in the process of being erected; and., Figure 3 is a similar view of the same box in an erected configuration.

In Figure 1 a box generally indicated 5 is shown in a folded configuration. The box comprises a top 6 and a base 7 that are both rectangular. The top 6 has down-turned lips 8 extending along its two long sides. Corresponding upstanding lips 9 are formed along the long edges of the base 7. In the folded configuration, as shown in Figure 1, the bottom edge 10 of the down-turned lip 8 abuts the top edge 11 of the upstanding lip 9. The two short sides of the top 6 are provided with down-tumed flanges 12.

12064sp.dcc 1_ The lower edge 13 of each flange rests, in the folded configuration, on the upper face of the base 7 between the corresponding ends of the opposed upstanding lips 9.

An aperture is provided in the top 6 and a door 15 is hingedly mounted within this aperture. The door 15 is mounted using hinges 16 and is provided with a key locking mechanism 17 of conventional design. When shut the door is flush with the upper surface of the top 6.

Referring now to Figure 2, a similar box that is partially transformed from the folded configuration to the erected configuration is shown. The top 6 is raised upwardly away from the base 7, and as this happens, opposite side walls 20, which are connected between opposed long edges of the top 6 and base 7, move towards their erected position. Each side wall 20 comprises an upper panel 21 and a lower panel 22 interconnected by hinge 23. The bottom edges of the lower panels 22 are each respectively connected by further hinges 24 to the inner faces of the upstanding lips 9. The top edges (not shown) of the upper panels 21 are similarly connected to the inside faces of the down-turned lip 8. The connections may employ piano hinges.

Once the top 6 has reached the top of its range of movement above the base 7, both parts 21 and 22 of each side wall 20 are in axial alignment and are vertically disposed between the long edges of the top and base.

Figure 3 shows a box 5 in a fully erected configuration. To achieve this configuration following on from the partially erected state shown in Figure 2, the rigid side walls 30 need to pivoted into their correct vertical position. These rigid side walls 30 are hingedly connected to the base 7 adjacent the short edges thereof, and in the folded configuration they lie parallel to the 120r>4sp.doc 17. -7- base beneath the inwardly folded side walls 20 and the top 6. Once side walls 20 have been straightened, the rigid side walls 30 may be pivoted about their connecting hinge from their folded position, to their erected position perpendicular to the base. The vertical outer edges 31 of the rigid side walls 30 are provided with tongues 32 facing outwardly with respect to the interior of the box. In the erected configuration, these tongues 32 engage into complimentary channels 33 formed on the inner face of the vertical edges of the side walls 22. This inter-engagement holds the two parts 21 and 22 of the side walls 20 in their vertical erected position, and also limits the outward hinging of the rigid side wall 30. The channels 33 may conveniently be formed by turning or folding the material of the side walls around through 1800.

When the rigid side walls 30 have been hinged to their erected vertical positions, releasable locking means catches (not shown) attached to the inside of the top 6 are used to retain the rigid side wall 30, and thereby keep the box in the erected configuration. If the door is locked shut, access may not be gained to the inside so the locking catches may not be released.

Therefore the box may only be collapsed by a person have access to the interior.

The locking means may instead comprise tabs (not shown) connected to the door 15. When the box is in the erected configuration, and the door is in the closed position, the tabs extend slightly beyond the top edge of the rigid side walls 30 thereby preventing them from hinging inwards unless the door is opened.

120r>4sp.doc 1 is It is not shown in the drawings, but the box may also be provided with a small removable container (not shown),and this must be located within the box. This container must not inhibit the folding of the box, so it preferably spans the width of the box and extends only part way along the length thereof, furthermore it is shallow enough to fit within the space defined by the top and base when they are in the folded configuration. This small container may be supported near at the top of the erected box by ledges (not shown) provided in the top 6 beneath the door 15.

The embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 is constructed from sheet metal of appropriate gauge. For the reasons discussed below the downturned and upstanding parts of the top and base carry most of the weight when multiple boxes are stacked. As such they may be formed from slightly more rigid sheet. The hinges are formed using conventional piano- type hinges, with perhaps the exception of the hinging of the door 15 to the top-6.

In the folded configuration, the inwardly folded side walls may be susceptible to damage if excessive weight is stacked upon the box. In the present invention this is prevented by providing the respective up- and downturned lips and the down-turned flange around the periphery of the box. In the folded configuration, these elements all simultaneously interengage to form a strong rigid edge structure between the top and base. As all of these side portions come into engagement at the same time, any load placed on the top will be carried evenly around the entire edge structure. When folded the top base and edge structure (which comprise. the downturned lips, the upstanding lips and the down-turned flange) form a shell that protects the weaker components within. When multiply-stacked, the weight is taken by 120r>4sp.doc I- 11.

f; - -g- sl- that strong shell and this prevents crushing forces being transmitted to the more delicate folded parts within.

In consequence, boxes may be stacked one on top of each other, even though each box may weigh approximately 14 kilograms. The strength of the interlocking edge portions of the box means that even when in a large stack, the individual boxes will not be damaged.

120r>4sp.doc b'.

Claims

1. A collapsible box, comprising:

- a rectangular base having two opposed edges each of which has a respective upstanding lip extending therealong; - a rectangular top of substantially the size as the base, the two opposed edges of the top corresponding to the edges of the base having upstanding lips each having a respective down-turned lip extending therealong and each of the other two edges of the top having a respective down-turned flange; - a pair of opposed folding side walls having lower and upper edges hinged respectively to the lips of the base and the top, each folding side wall having lower and upper panels hinged together about a line parallel to and midway between said lower and upper edges; - a pair of rigid side walls hinged respectively either, to the other two edges of the base or to the down-turned flanges of the top; - the configuration of the side walls, lips and flanges being such that the box may be collapsed by hinging inwardly the pair of rigid side walls, and then folding inwardly the folding side walls so moving the top towards the base, the folding being completed when the respective free long edges of the upturned and down-turned lips engage each other, the down-turned flanges fitting between the upturned lips with the free long edges of the down- turned flanges engaging the base along the respective other edges thereof.

2. A collapsible box, comprising:

- a rectangular top having two opposed edges each of which has a respective down-turned lip extending therealong; 120r>4sp.doc - a rectangular base of substantially the same size as the top, the two opposed edges of the base corresponding to the edges of the top having down-turned lips each having a respective upstanding lip extending therealong and each of the other two edges of the base having a respective 5 upstanding flange; - a pair of opposed folding side walls having lower and upper edges hinged respectively to the lips of the base and the top, each folding side wall having lower and upper panels hinged together about a fine parallel to and midway between said lower and upper edges; - a pair of rigid side walls hinged respectively either to the other two edges of the top or to the down-turned flanges of the base; - the configuration of the side walls, lips and flanges being such that the box may be collapsed by hinging inwardly the pair of rigid side walls, and then folding inwardly the folding side walls so moving the top towards the base, the folding being completed when the respective free long edges of the upturned and down-turned lips engage each other, the upstanding flanges fitting between the down-turned lips with the free long edges of the upstanding flanges engaging the top along the respective other edges thereof.

3. A collapsible box as claim in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the base has two opposed edges longer than the other two opposed edges

4. - A collapsible box as claim in claim 3 wherein the two long edges of the base are of greater length than twice the height of the box whereby the two rigid side walls when folded inwardly do not overlap.

12064sp.doc -1z-

5. A collapsible box as claim in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the two short edges of the base are of greater length than the height of the box, whereby the two folding side walls when folded inwardly do not overlap.

6. A collapsible box as claim in any of the preceding claims wherein 5 retention means are provided to retain the rigid side walls in their respective unfolded positions to resist collapsing of the box.

7. A collapsible box as claim in claim 6 wherein said retention means comprises releasable locking catches fitted to the top or base which hold the free ends of each rigid side wall in the erected position.

8. A collapsible box as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the top defines an opening to give access to the interior of the box.

9. A collapsible box as claim in claim 8, wherein the opening is fitted with a openable cover.

10. A collapsible box as claim in claim 9, wherein the cover is in the form of 15 a door which may be locked in the closed position.

11. A collapsible box as claim in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the cover is provided with a recessed handle.

12. A collapsible box as claim in any of claims 9 to 11 when appendant on claim 6 wherein said retention means comprises tabs associated with the openable cover, which tabs extend beyond the upper edges of the rigid side, walls to prevent the inner hinging thereof when the cover is closed.

13. A collapsible box as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the base, top and side walls and openable cover are of substantially rigid sheet metal.

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14. A collapsible box as claim in any of the preceding claims, wherein the box is vertically stackable in the collapsed form.

15. A collapsible box as claim in any of the preceding claims, wherein the box is vertically stackable in the erected form.

16. A collapsible box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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