CONTAINER
This invention relates to a container.
It also refers to a space for a container. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a container formed of a synthetic plastic material that includes a base having a plurality of sides; a wall iateral connected to each side of the base through a hinge assembly for movement between a collapsed condition, and a vertical condition in which the side walls extend upwardly from the base so that at least part of each wall the side is butted against the base in a separate inward position from one edge of the base so that the loads are transmitted between the side walls and the base in separate inward positions from the edges of the base; and closing means for closing the side walls in their vertical condition. The closing means can be released to allow the container to collapse. The base can have four sides with adjacent sides being perpendicular to each other, the container including four side walls. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base is rectangular having two long sides and two short sides. The container may include a reinforcing element connected to an operatively superior edge of each of at least some of the side walls. Preferably, a reinforcing element is connected to each side wall connected to a long side of the base. Each reinforcing element may include an elongate intermediate member having inner and outer edges, extending longitudinally, spaced apart, the intermediate member connecting by means of hinges along the outer edge to the operatively upper edge of the associated side wall and extending inwardly. thereof, an inner member which is connected to the outer edge of the intermediate member and extends downward thereof adjacent an operatively inner surface of the associated side wall, and complementary retaining formations in the inner member and in the side wall that is clutch to keep the reinforcer element in position. Therefore, the intermediate member, the inner member and an upper portion of the associated side wall essentially form a box section. The container may include, hingedly connected to an operatively upper edge of each side wall connected to a short side of the base, a transverse panel that is provided with clutch formations that engage with complementary clutch formations in the intermediate members. to connect the reinforcement elements together and thus improve the structural integrity of the container. Each side wall connected to a short side of the base may have opposite lateral edges extending between corresponding ends of the edges operatively, upper and lower, and to each of which is hingedly connected a supporting member extending adjacent to and provides support to a final portion of the adjacent side wall connected to a long side of the base. At least one of the base and the side walls may be provided with separate locating projections that are received in complementary recesses in the other of the base and the side walls. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the locating projections protrude upwardly from a peripheral ridge in the base, the ridge separating inward from the edges of the base, the side walls having downwardly pitted, complementary pit formations within the rims. which location protrusions are received in a fixed manner, the pit formations having lower edges which buttress against the peripheral flange and through which the vertical loads are transmitted between the side walls and the base. The invention extends to a container space to form a container of the type described above. According to another aspect of the invention a container space is provided which includes: a base panel having a plurality of sides; a side wall panel connected to each side of the base panel through a hinge assembly for travel between a collapsed condition, and a vertical condition, the hinge clutches being configured so that when in a vertical condition, the wall panels lateral extend upwardly from the base panel and the lower edges of the side wall panels are spliced against the base panel at positions spaced inward from the edges of the base panel; and closing means for closing the side wall panels in their vertical conditions. The container space can be formed as a unitary molding of a synthetic plastic material. According to still another aspect of the invention there is provided a container formed of a synthetic plastic material that includes a base having a plurality of sides; a connected side wall, through a hinge assembly, on each side of the base for displacement between a collapsed condition and a vertical condition in which it extends upwardly from the base, each side wall having an operatively superior edge and a operatively lower edge; closing means for closing the side walls in their vertical condition; and a reinforcing element connected to the operatively upper edge of each of at least some of the side walls. The closing means can be released to allow the container to collapse. The base can have four sides with adjacent sides being perpendicular to each other, the container including four side walls. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base is rectangular having two long sides and two short sides. Each side wall connected to a long side of the base may have a reinforcing element connected to the upper edge thereof. Each reinforcing element may include an elongated intermediate member which is hingedly connected along an edge thereof to the operatively upper edge of the associated side wall and extends inward thereof, an inner member which is connected to an edge longitudinal opposite of the intermediate member and extends downward thereof adjacent an operatively inner surface of the associated side wall, and complementary retaining formations in the inner member and in the side wall which are engaged to keep the reinforcing element in position. The container may include, hingedly connected to an operatively upper edge of each side wall connected to a short side of the base, a transverse panel that is provided with clutch formations that engage with complementary clutch formations in the intermediate members. to connect the reinforcement elements together and also improve the structural integrity of the container. Each side wall connected to a short side of the base may have opposite lateral edges extending between corresponding ends of the edges operatively, upper and lower, and to each of which is hingedly connected a supporting member extending adjacent to and provides support to a final portion of the adjacent side wall. The invention extends to a container space to form a container of the type described above. According to yet another aspect of the invention a container space is provided which includes a base panel having a plurality of sides; a side wall panel connected to each side of the base panel, each side wall having an operatively upper edge and an operatively lower edge, by means of which it connects to the associated side of the base panel for displacement between a collapsed condition and a vertical condition in the which extends upwards from the base panel; closing means for closing the side wall panels in their vertical conditions; and a reinforcing element connected to the operatively upper edge of each of at least some of the sidewall panels. The container space can be formed as a unitary mold of a synthetic plastic material. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a container according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view of a container space according to the invention; Figure 3 shows an elevation in sections taken in III-III in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows an elevation in sections taken in IV-IV in Figure 2; Figure 5 shows an elevation in sections taken in V-V in Figure 2; Figure 6 shows an elevation in sections taken in VI-VI in Figure 2; Figure 7 shows a plan view of another container space according to the invention; Figure 8 shows, on an elongated scale, part of a side wall and a reinforcing element forming part of the container space of Figure 7; and Figure 9 shows, on an elongated scale, the connection of a side wall to the base of the container space of Figure 7. In Figure 1 of the drawings, the reference number 10 generally refers to a container in accordance with the invention. The container 10 is made of a synthetic plastic material, typically polypropylene. More specifically, the container can be formed of a polypropylene blend comprising 50% high flux copolymer and 50% homopolymer. The container 10 includes a rectangular base 12 having four sides, longitudinal side walls 14 and side walls 16 extending upwardly from the base 12. The container 10 is formed of a space 18 (Figures 2 to 6) which is formed as a Unitary molding of synthetic plastic material. As best seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, the space 18 includes a rectangular base panel 20 having longitudinal sides 22 and side or transverse sides 24. The base panel 20 includes an outer flat portion 26 and an interior planar portion 28 that it is generally H-shaped. The inner planar portion 28 lies in a plane that is parallel with and that is operatively separated upwardly from the panel in which the outer planar portion 26 lies. The inner and outer flat portions 28, 26 are connected together by inclined flat portions 30 some of which are provided with direct holes 32. Naturally, the shape and assembly of the holes 32 may vary. A vertical peripheral rim 34 is provided adjacent to and in from the operatively outer edge of the outer flat portion 26. The rim 34 is interrupted by a centrally located space 36 on each of the longitudinal sides 22 and a pair of recesses 38 in each one of the transverse sides 24. A plurality of projections 40 protrude upwards from the peripheral flange 34 parallel to and spaced inward from the sides 22, 24. The space 18 further includes longitudinal side wall panels 42 and side wall panels 44 , 46. Each panel 42, 44, 46 is connected to the associated side 22, 24 of the base panel 20 by means of a hinge 48 that is formed by a zone of reduced stiffness, which allows displacement of the panels 42, 44, 46 of a collapsed condition (shown in Figures 2 to 6 of the drawings) in which copiaros generally extend with the base panel 20 and a vertical condition (shown in Figure 1 of the drawings) in which extend generally perpendicular to the base panel 20 and from the side walls 14, 16. Each side wall panel 42 has an operatively lower edge 50 through which it is connected through the hinge 48 to the base panel 20, an edge operatively upper 52 which is parallel with lower edge 50 and side edges 54 extending between corresponding ends of edges, lower and upper, 50, 52. An elongated intermediate member 56 has edges, inner and outer, 57, 59, extending longitudinally . The inner edge 57 is connected through a hinge 58 to an operatively upper edge 52 of each side wall panel 42 (Figure 6). An inner member 60 is connected through a hinge 62 to the outer edge 59 of the intermediate member 56, the hinges 58, 62 being parallel. Four pairs of clamping formations 64 are provided in the inner member 60 in longitudinally spaced positions and are fixedly engaged in complementary holes 66 provided in the panels 42., as described in more detail below. Parallel grooves or slits 68 extend between the operatively, lower and upper edges, 50, 52 of the side wall panels 42. A plurality of longitudinally spaced, open-ended pit formations 70 is provided adjacent the operatively lower edges 50 of the side wall panels 42, the projections 40 being received in the pit formations 70 as described in more detail here below. Similarly, each of the side wall panels 44, 46 has an operatively lower edge 72 and a parallel upper edge 74, the lower edge 72 connecting to a transverse side 24 of the base panel 20 through a hinge 76. A transverse panel 78 is connected through a hinge 80 to operatively upper edge 74 of each side wall panel 44, 46. Each sidewall panel 44, 46 has side edges 81 extending between adjacent edges of the operatively, lower and upper edges. , 72, 74 and a generally rectangular support member 82 is connected to each lateral edge 81 by a hinge 84. Each of the side wall panels 42, 44, 46 and transverse panels 78 is provided with a plurality of direct holes 86. . The difference between the side wall panels 44 and 46 being that the side wall panel 46 includes a central region 88 in which no holes are provided to allow a label or the like to be attached thereto, in use. As with the side wall panels 42, the panels 44, 46 are provided with downward open pit formations 70 in which the projections 40 are received. Similarly, support members 82 are provided with downward open pit formations 70 that engage with projections 40 as described in more detail below. A pair of reinforcing corners 90 of the channel section is provided in each of the panels 44, 46, the corners being parallel with the side edges of the panels in register with the holes 38. An operatively upper end of each of the corners 90 is in the form of a head 92 projecting beyond the operatively superior edges 74 of the panels 44, 46. In use, to form a space 18 in the container 10, the support members 82 move around the hinges 84 relative to the panels 44, 46 in the direction of the arrow 85 (Figure 3) so that they extend perpendicularly to the same. The panels 44, 46 then move relative to the base panel 20 around the hinges 76 in the direction of the arrow 87 (Figure 4) until they extend generally perpendicular to the base panel 20. In this position, the projections 40 parallel sides 24 are received in a fixed manner in the pit formations 70 of the panels 44, 46. In addition, the four most outwardly parallel projections 40 with the sides 22 are received in the pit formations 70 of the support members 82. lower edges of the pit formations are spliced against the flange 3. The side wall panels 42 are then moved in their vertical condition by moving them around the hinges 48 in the direction of the arrow 89 (Figure 6) until they are perpendicular to the base panel 20. In this position, the projections placed inwards of the four outer projections are received in the pit formations 70 of the panels 42 thus serving to maintain the panels 42 in their vertical condition. The intermediate member 56 is then placed around the hinge 58 in the direction of the arrow 91 until it is perpendicular to the associated panel 42. The inner member 60 then moves in the direction of the arrow 94 until it is perpendicular to the intermediate member 56. The clamping formations 64 are inserted in the holes 66 with which they are clutched in a fixed manner. In this aspect, a hole 96 is provided in each of the support members 82 that, in the vertical condition of the panels, are in register with the most outward holes 66 in the panels 42 and through which the most outward pairs of the clamping formations 64 extend. Subsequently, the transverse panels 78 are bent inward in the direction of the arrows 98 around the hinges 80. Each transverse panel 78 is provided with two pairs of clamping formations 100 that are fixedly engaged with complementary holes 102 in the members. intermediate 56. It will be appreciated, that when the container 10 is formed, the side walls 14, 16 extend upwardly from the base 12 in the separated positions inwardly of the edges of the base. Further, as mentioned above, the lower edges of the pit formations 70 are spliced against the flange 34. This results in any vertical load resulting, for example, from stacking a plurality of the containers 10 one on top of the other, being transmitted to through the side walls and the base in a separate inward position from the edge of the base and therefore not through the hinges 48 thereby improving the structural integrity and reducing the risk of failure of the hinges 48. In addition, the intermediate members 56, inner members 60 and upper portion of side walls 44 together form generally box-shaped reinforcing elements 104 that extend for substantially the full length of the upper edge of each side wall 14 thereby improving the stiffness thereof. The rigidity of the container 10 is further enhanced by the provision of the support members 82 and the transverse panels 78. The heads 92 of the corners 90 projecting above the upper edges of the side walls 16 serve as location formations that are received in the holes 38 to locate one container on top of another.
If desired, the fastening formations can be released to allow the container 10 to collapse. Reference is now made to Figures 7 to 9 of the drawings, in which the reference numeral 110 generally refers to another container space according to the invention and, unless otherwise indicated, the same reference numbers. reference used above are used to designate similar parts. A container similar to container 10 can be formed from space 110 in the same manner as described above. The main structural difference between the container space 110 and the container space 18 is in the form of the clamping formation 64 and the complementary holes 66. As can best be seen in Figure 8 of the drawings, each of the holes 66 it has a wide portion 112 and a narrow portion 114. The holding formations 64 are configured so that they are received in the hole 66 through the wide portion 112 and then move in the narrow portion 114 where they are held captive. As best seen in Figure 7 of the drawings, of the four holes 66 provided in each of the panels 42, two are installed with the arrow portion 114 positioned outwardly of the wide portion 112 and the other two are positioned with the narrow portion 114 positioned inwardly of the outer portion 112. This installation reduces the risk that the gripping formations 64 will be disengaged from the holes due to loads to which a container formed from the space 110 will be held in use. The Inventor believes that the container will be particularly suitable for use in the transport of agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables. Currently, such products are transported in corrugated cardboard containers which have the disadvantage that when they are exposed to humidity the resistance of them is considerably reduced, resulting in the breaking of the containers and damage to the contents thereof. In addition, when the containers reach a required destination, for example, a store, the contents must be unpacked from them and transferred to a display grid. In contrast, the Inventor believes that the container according to the invention will not be adversely affected by exposure to moisture. In addition, the entire contents can be placed in a deployment grid thus avoiding the need to transfer the product from the container. By allowing the container to collapse, it can be reused several times with transportation costs reduced to a minimum when the container collapses in its space form as shown in the drawings. In addition, the container space is designated to be capable of nesting to maximize the number of spaces that can be transported in a given volume, thus reducing the cost associated with them.