NZ526930A - Collapsible bin including a base member and four walls wherein adjacent pair of walls engage using tongue and stop engagement method - Google Patents

Abstract

A collapsible container includes a base member defining a first plane and at least four walls engageable with their adjacent walls when the container is in an erect state to retain the container in the erect state. The walls are rotatably engaged with the base member. Every alternate wall is slidably engaged with the base member to enable movement transverse to the first plane, and each adjacent pair of walls includes a tongue provided on a first wall engageable and disengageable with a stop provided on a second wall by moving the slidably engaged wall transversly to the first plane.

Description

52 Patents Form No. 5 OurRef: RC504405 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 Complete After Provisional No. 526930 Filed: 8 July 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION COLLAPSIBLE BIN We, ROTAFORM PLASTICS LIMITED, a New Zealand company of 54 Ascot Road, Mangere, Auckland, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention, for which We pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: PT054166389 300311635 1 MXLLkOuk Pi~ OF f.<7 - 8 OCT 2004 RECEIVED 300270798 1:RC504405 COLLAPSIBLE BIN TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to collapsible containers or bins, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a collapsible bulk material storage bin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Collapsible containers are the preferred means of storing bulk items, for example fruit, during transportation, as the volume of the containers can be greatly reduced when the container is collapsed, thereby reducing the cost of transporting the container back to the source of the items. Typically the side walls of such containers are hinged along their bottom edge to allow them to be rotated between a substantially vertical position when in use and a substantially horizontal position when collapsed. When the containers are in use the walls are maintained in their vertical positions by connecting adjacent pairs of walls by one of a variety of latching means.

A problem with many plastic collapsible containers of the prior art is that the latching means between adjacent walls of the container rely on the inherent resilience of the plastic material to function. Such latches may often be fragile and easily damaged during use. Alternative designs of latches may be relatively more complex and/or expensive to manufacture and may include small parts and movable parts that may be prone to damage or loss.

It is therefore an object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a collapsible container which will overcome or ameliorate problems with such containers at present, or at least one which will provide the public with a useful choice.

Other objects of the invention may become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a collapsible container including: intellectual property office n.z. - 8 OCT 2004 RECEIVED 300270798 1:RC504405 3 a base member substantially defining a first plane; at least four walls engageable with their adjacent walls when the container is in an erect state to retain the container in the erect state, the at least four walls rotatably engaged with the base member, wherein every alternate wall is slidably engaged with the base member to enable movement transverse to said first plane and wherein each adjacent pair of walls includes a tongue provided on a first wall engageable and disengageable with a respective stop provided on a second wall by moving the slidably engaged wall transverse to said first plane.

Preferably, the second wall may include a further stop located and dimensioned to resist disengagement of the tongue from the stop.

Preferably, the stops or the tongues may be provided on flanges extending from their respective wall, the flanges each extending around an edge of the container when it is in its erect state.

Preferably, the base and/or the walls may include recesses or apertures located to receive the flanges when the walls are in a collapsed state.

Preferably, the tongue and stop may be dimensioned so as to frictionally engage with each other.

Preferably, the stop may be located in a recess or aperture and the tongue may be substantially the same width and/or height as the recess.

Preferably, the tongue may frictionally engage the recess or aperture when it is located through said recess or aperture to engage with the stop.

Preferably, the walls may be engaged with the base by one or more hinges.

Preferably, when the container is in its erect state, each wall rests on the base so that when a load is applied to the edge of the walls opposing said base, the load is transferred through the walls to the base substantially without loading the one or more hinges.

OF N.Z. J .'i 9 C T *!>» 9. ;0 Uo i ZUU4 a ;300270798_1 :RC504405 ;4 ;Preferably, at least selected walls may be reinforced to carry a load applied to the edge of said walls opposing the base. ;Preferably, the container may have four walls, with two opposing walls being slidably and rotatably engaged with the base and two opposing walls being rotatably engaged with the base. ;Preferably, at least one of said walls is provided with an opening and a flap movable between an open position, wherein an interior of said bin can be accessed through said opening, and a closed position, wherein said opening is substantially covered. ;According to a second aspect of the invention a collapsible container is substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 8, Figures 9 and 10 or Figures 11 and 12. ;Further aspects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description, given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings. ;BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ;Figure 1: shows a perspective view of a container in its erect state according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. ;Figure 2: shows a front view of a side wall of the container shown in Figure 1. ;Figure 3: shows an end view of the side wall shown in Figure 2. ;Figure 4: shows an enlarged view of the tongue portion of the side wall shown in Figure 2. ;Figure 5: shows a front view of an end wall of the container shown in Figure 1. ;Figure 6: shows an end view of the end wall shown in Figure 5. ;300270798_1 :RC504405 ;10 ;Figure 7: shows an enlarged view of the stop portion of the end wall shown in Figure 5. ;Figure 8: shows a top view of the end wall shown in Figure 5. ;Figure 9: shows a perspective view of a container in its erect state according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. ;Figure 10: shows a side elevation of the container of Figure 9. ;Figure 11: shows a perspective view of a container provided with a moveable flap on each of the side walls. ;15 ;Figure 12: shows a perspective view of the container of Figure 11 with the flap in a closed position. ;BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF POSSIBLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION ;20 ;Referring first to Figure 1, a collapsible container according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured as a bulk storage bin and is generally referenced 100. ;25 ;30 ;35 ;The bin 100 includes a base 1, opposed side walls 2, and opposed end walls 3. Each side wall 2 has a pair of opposed side edges 4, and each end wall 3 has a pair of opposed side edges 5. The relative dimensions of the side walls 2 and end walls 3 may be varied, with the bin 100 preferably being symmetrical across two axes. The bin 100 need not have a substantially square base and in some embodiments may be elongate. The side walls 2 need not be wider than the end walls 3. The side walls 2 and end walls 3 preferably are substantially planar, although variations from planar walls may be used, possibly with a penalty of increased volume when the bin 100 is collapsed. ;Referring next particularly to Figures 2, 3 and 4, each side wall 2 includes at least one tongue 6 proximate each side edge 4. The tongue 6 is located on a support 6A that extends out from the face 2A of the side wall 2 and includes a downwardly extending shelf 6B. The tongue has a width W1 and height H1. ;pNt'ellhc i i al p;\;:r:r]y Oifict" OF ;- fi n^t 'wh ;^ vv i £.UwT ;F'-CBIVI-D I ;300270798 1:RC504405 ;6 ;Each alternate wall, in this embodiment the side walls 2, is slidably and rotatably connected to the base 1. In a preferred embodiment the connection may be via one or more hinges, in this case two hinges 7, having an elongate slot 8. Provision of the elongate slot 8 allows the side wall 2 to be moved relative to the base 1. In particular, when the side wall 2 is in a substantially transverse orientation to the base 1, the hinges 7 allow the side wall 2 to be moved vertically relative to the base 1, that is, the side wall 2 can be moved in a plane normal to the plane of the base 1. ;Referring next particularly to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, each end wall 3 includes at least one aperture 9. The end walls 3 are rotatably engaged to the base 1, suitably by one or more hinges. In the embodiment illustrated two hinges 13 are provided, at or adjacent the sides of the end wall 3. ;The width W2 and height H2 (see Figure 7) of the aperture 9 is substantially the same or greater than the width W1 and height H1 of the tongue 6 (see Figure 2). ;Referring back to Figure 1, in one embodiment the tongue 6 may frictionally engage the aperture 9 when it is located in, or extends through the aperture 9. The location of the aperture 9 is such that when the side walls 2 and end walls 3 are in their erected positions, which is typically a vertical orientation, the tongue 6 of a side wall 2 can be engaged with its adjacent end wall 3 by sliding the side wall 2 upward, positioning the tongue 6 through the aperture 9, then sliding the sidewall 2 downwards in order to engage the tongue 6 with a stop 10 (see Figures 6 and 7) in the end wall 3. For ease of use, the position of the side wall 2 that allows the tongue 6 to be positioned through the aperture 9 may be substantially the end of the upwards vertical travel of the side wall 2 that is allowed by the hinges 7. ;Referring next to Figures 3, 6 and 7, the stop 10 may be substantially the same depth or thickness as the distance between the shelf 6B and the face 2A of the side wall 2. In one embodiment, the stop 10 may be slightly thicker, in order to result in an interference fit when the side wall 2 is moved downwards, which may result in increased stability when the bin 100 is in its erected state. However, the thickness of the stop 10 may alternatively be slightly less than the distance between the shelf 6B and face 2A, in order to allow the tongue 6 to be more easily engaged. The dimensions used for a particular bin may be selected depending on the requirements of the bin, such as the load that the bin is expected to handle and the environment in which the bin is to be ;INicLLfcutU/1-!. Pl.UrDify Oi'riCil j ;- 8 OCT 2004 [ ;received I ;300270798_1 :RC504405 ;7 ;transported in its erected state. The aperture 9 may be replaced by a recess in the end wall 3 that contains the stop 10. ;In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, when the container is erect, the stop 10 lies in substantially the same plane as the tongue 6, and is substantially transverse to the plane of the end wall 3. This configuration may be particularly resistant to decoupling of the tongue 6 and stop 10 under high loads and represents a preferred embodiment of the invention. The stop 10 is therefore provided on a flange 12 extending from the edge 5 of the end wall 3, transverse to the plane of the end wall 3. In an alternative embodiment the stop 10 may lie in substantially the same plane as the end wall 3 and the tongue 6 may extend transversely to the plane of the side wall 2. ;Referring again to Figure 2, the side walls 2 may include a recess 11 at their edges 4 into which the flange 12 may fit when the container is erect. This may prevent the flange 12 from protruding out from the plane of the side wall 2 and may also provide some measure of protection for the tongue 6 against being caught and potentially damaged on external fixtures. ;The flange 12 may be provided with a resilient locking step 15 (see Figures 1 and 8) or any other suitable type of further stop that resists disengagement of the side walls 2 from the end walls 3. The locking step 15 may be adapted to contact a top edge of the adjacent side wall 2 prior to the side wall 2 reaching its fully extended position, in order to prevent unintended disengagement of the tongue 6 and stop 10, for example if the bin 100 is being agitated. In order to engage or disengage the tongue 6 from the stop 10, the resistance provided by the locking step 15 must be overcome so that the side wall 2 can reach its fully extended position and the tongue 6 can be lifted clear of the upper edge 10A (see Figure 6) of the stop 10. A locking step 15 may be necessary, or at least preferred, for bins used to transport product, in order to provide a required level of stability. The locking step 15 may optionally be omitted for example on bins to be used in a static display. ;To collapse the bin 100, the side walls 2 and end walls 3 are folded into the centre of the bin 100. The two hinges 7 may be located vertically offset from each other so that the side walls 2 may be consecutively laid flat on top of each other on the base 1. In the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, the height of the end walls 3 enables the hinges 13 to be located in the same horizontal plane, as the end walls 3 do not ;IKlinici UAL ; ;. 0" N.Z . \ ;- 8 OCT 200^ I ;300270798_1 :RC504405 ;overlap when the bin 100 is in the collapsed state. A recess 14, best seen in Figure 1, is provided in the base 1 to receive the flanges 11 of the end walls 3. ;In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the end walls may have a height that causes them to overlap to some extent when the bin is in its collapsed state. In this embodiment, the hinges 13 will need to be vertically offset to provide a flat collapsed bin and a suitably shaped recess or recesses provided to receive the flanges 10. ;When in their collapsed position, each wall 2, 3, may lie flat and may be supported underneath by another wall or the base 1, in order to minimise the area occupied by the bin 100 and to allow a load, for example other bins 100, to be placed on top of the collapsed bin 100 without stressing one or more of the side walls 2 and/or end walls 3 about a hinge or pivot point. The face of the wall 2, 3 that is exposed when the bin 100 is collapsed may also be adapted to engage a base of a further bin, thereby facilitating the stable stacking of collapsed bins 100. ;The end walls 3 may be adapted to contact the base 1 when in the vertical or erected position, thereby transferring any vertical loads from the end wall 3 directly to the base 1, with substantially none, or only a small portion of the load transferred through the hinges 13. The end walls 3 may further include reinforced portions or columns that extend from the upper edge of each end wall 3 to the base 1. The majority of any vertical load may therefore be transferred via the reinforced portions to the base 1. The side walls 2 may also rest on the base 1 before reaching the end of the range of movement allowable by their hinges 7, and may also include reinforced portions. One or both of the side walls 2 and end walls 3 may be load bearing when a load such as a second bin 100 is stacked on top of a first bin 100. The reinforced portions may, for example and without limitation, be columns of increased material thickness, portions that include reinforcing bars or portions that have a strengthening external cladding applied. An entire wall may be reinforced if necessary. ;Referring next to Figures 9 and 10, in an another preferred embodiment of the bin, generally referenced by arrow 200, an upper edge of the side walls 2 and/or end walls 3 may be provided with tabs 16 adapted to engage a base 1 of a second bin (not shown) when the bins are stacked, to thereby stabilise the stack of bins and prevent the upper bin from sliding off the lower bin. _ ;ifoitlltctual pf;cf£riy oi-'hcej ;!. . ;8 OCT ;300270798_1 :RC504405 ;9 ;In one possible alternative embodiment (not shown) the orientation of the stop 10 and the tongue 6 may be reversed and the end walls 3 provided with a hinge of the type of hinges 7 so that the end walls 3 may be lifted to disengage the stop 10 and tongue 6. ;Also, the tongue 6 may be provided on the flange 12 and the stop 10 and aperture 9 5 formed in the side wall 2. Also, each wall may have a tongue 6 at one end and an inverted stop 10 at the other end. ;In further possible alternative embodiments, all not shown, the number of walls forming the bin 100 may be varied by multiples of two. For example a hexagonal or 10 octagonal bin may be produced with alternating walls generally of the type end and side walls defining the periphery of the bin. The recess to receive any flanges 11 will need to be repositioned inward from the periphery of the base 1, and apertures or recesses will be required in walls that are below a wall with a flange 11 to receive the flange 11 when the bin is collapsed so that the bin can be collapsed to a flat profile. ;15 ;If a bin having five or more odd number of walls is required, an alternative method of engaging one pair (or other odd number of pairs) of adjacent walls, may be used and the tongue and stop engagement method described herein used for the remainder of the adjacent walls. ;20 ;The bin 100 may be constructed from any suitable robust material. In the preferred embodiment as presently contemplated the bin 100 may be plastic, ;manufactured by rotationally moulding the base 1 and each side wall 2 and end wall 3. ;25 Referring next to Figures 11 and 12, in a further embodiment 300 a flap 20 may be hingedly connectable one or more of the side and/or end walls 2, 3 by a hinge 21 of substantially the same design as the hinges 13 connecting the end walls 3 and base 1. The flap 20 may be held in a closed position by means of tabs 22 which may be engaged with stops 23 by lifting the flap 20 upward so that the tabs 22 can move over the stops 23, 30 and then moving the flap 20 downward so that the tabs 22 engage the stops 23. ;With the flap 20 in an open position, as illustrated'in Figure 12, a user may reach through a opening or recess 24 in the side wall 2 in order to unload items. This may be particularly convenient when the container 100 is mostly empty. Those skilled in the art 35 will appreciate that such an opening may avoid the need for the user to reach or bend over the entire height of the wall when retrieving or placing^items on or near the bottom of ;IfoVtLLhCTl'AL Pr.CPOTYT/iu:'j ;- 8 OCT 2CQ ;B C /M- 11 / « ~ I ;300270798_1:RC504405 ;10 ;the container 100. With the flap 20 in the closed position, the opening is substantially covered and closed. ;Although the invention has been described with reference to its use as a collapsible bulk storage bin, those skilled in the art will appreciate that collapsible containers of the present invention may be configured for a number of alternative uses. ;Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to specific integers having known equivalents, then those equivalents are hereby incorporated herein as if individually set forth. ;Those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that modifications and/or improvements may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims. ;intellectual p. vr-sty office n > M 7 ;8 0^"*T 1 I i-Vo'l 300270798_1 :RC504405 11

Claims (7)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS

1. A collapsible container including: a base member substantially defining a first plane; at least four walls engageable with their adjacent walls when the container is in an erect state to retain the container in the erect state, the at least four walls rotatably engaged with the base member, wherein every alternate wall is slidably engaged with the base member to enable movement transverse to said first plane and wherein each adjacent pair of walls includes a tongue provided on a first wall engageable and disengageable with a respective stop provided on a second wall by moving the slidably engaged wall transverse to said first plane.

2. The collapsible container of Claim 1 wherein the second wall includes a further stop located and dimensioned to resist disengagement of the tongue from the stop.

3. The collapsible container of Claim 1 or 2 wherein the stops or the tongues are provided on flanges extending from their respective wall, the flanges each extending around an edge of the container when it is in its erect state.

4. The collapsible container of Claim 1, 2 of 3 wherein the base and/or the walls include recesses or apertures located to receive the flanges when the walls are in a collapsed state.

5. The collapsible container of any one of the previous claims wherein the tongue and stop are dimensioned so as to frictionally engage with each other.

6. The collapsible container of any one of the previous claims wherein the stop is located in a recess or aperture and the tongue is substantially the same width and/or height as the recess.

7. The collapsible container of claim 6 wherein the tongue frictionally engages the recess or aperture when it is located through said recess or aperture to engage with the stop. 300270798_1:RC504405 12 9. 5 10. 10 11. 15 12. 20 13. The collapsible container of any one of the previous claims wherein the walls are engaged with the base by one or more hinges. The collapsible container of claim 9 wherein, when the container is in its erect state, eiach wall rests on the base so that when a load is applied to the edge of the walls opposing said base, the load is transferred through the walls to the base substantially without loading the one or more hinges. The collapsible container of any one of the previous claims wherein at least selected walls may be reinforced to carry a load applied to the edge of said walls opposing the base. The collapsible container of any one of the previous claims wherein the container has four walls, with two opposing walls being slidably and rotatably engaged with the base and two opposing walls being rotatably engaged with the base. The collapsible container of any one of the previous claims wherein at least one of said walls is provided with an opening and a flap movable between an open position, wherein an interior of said bin can be accessed through said opening, and a closed position, wherein said opening is substantially covered. A collapsible container substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 8, Figures 9 and 10 or Figures 11 and 12.