US20100154491A1

US20100154491A1 - Locking Device for a Shipping Container and System for Releasably Locking Container Components Together

Info

Publication number: US20100154491A1
Application number: US12/341,035
Authority: US
Inventors: Howard Clay Farris; Thomas Robert Goliniski; Gregory Kirk Kolles; Charles Edward Robbert
Original assignee: Lexmark International Inc
Current assignee: Lexmark International Inc
Priority date: 2008-12-22
Filing date: 2008-12-22
Publication date: 2010-06-24

Abstract

A locking device for a shipping container and system for redundantly locking container components together include a socket, upper and lower arms, upper and lower braces, and a clasp. The socket has upper and lower parts connected together to form a hinge at a rear of the socket with a socket cavity having an opening at a front of the socket. Also, the upper and lower arms of the device are fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts at the front of the socket. Further, the upper and lower braces of the device are fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts at the rear of the socket. The clasp is adapted to engage the socket to retain the socket and the components locked together in the assembled container.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a locking device and, more particularly, to a locking device for a shipping container and a system for releasably locking container components together.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printer is a peripheral device which produces a hard copy of images and documents on print media that have been stored in electronic form. Printers are manufactured products that must be shipped to wholesalers and retailers to sell to commercial and private entities. A common practice for shipping large printers is the use of an upper corrugated enclosure carton that is attached to a corresponding mated bottom corrugated tray on which the printer is set.
One approach to locking the carton and tray together for the shipment of printers is the use of multiple identical locking devices installed in matching holes spaced around the carton and tray. This prior art locking device has a rigid socket with front and rear openings and a pair of door-like flaps hinged to the socket along opposite sides of the rear opening for undergoing pivotal movement between lateral extending locking positions and rearward extending non-locking positions. The locking device also has a clasp that is flexibly attached to the socket and can be snugly fitted into the socket through its front opening to engage the rear flaps, forcing them to swing outwardly in opposite directions to the lateral extending locking positions. When they are in their locking positions they extend beyond the opposite sides of the socket where they prevent the socket's removal and thus lockably secure the container components together, protecting the printer from potential damage during shipment.
The problem that has arisen with the use of this prior art locking device is the tendency of its clasp to work free of and release from the socket. This allows the rear flaps to pivot to their rearward extending non-locking positions which then enables the socket to work free from the container components and fall out of their matched openings. The upper enclosure carton can then become detached from the corresponding bottom tray such that the protection of the printer may be compromised.
Consequently, there is a need for an innovation that will overcome the problem associated with the prior art locking device and more securely lock the components of the printer shipping container together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an innovation in the form of a locking device with built-in double locking redundancy designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The locking device of the present invention thus avoids the problem of the prior art device and more securely locks together the carton and tray of the shipping container, enabling the container to be able to withstand the normal abuse encountered during shipment.
Accordingly, in an aspect of the present invention, a locking device for a shipping container includes a socket, upper and lower arms, and upper and lower braces. The socket has upper and lower parts connected together to form a hinge at a rear of the socket with a socket cavity having an opening at a front of the socket. The hinge between the upper and lower parts is flexible such that the application of a squeezing action on the upper and lower parts toward each other converts the socket from an erected condition to a collapsed condition and the front opening from an opened condition to a substantially closed condition. The hinge also is biased to return the socket to the erected condition upon release of the application of the squeezing action thereon.
Also, the upper and lower arms of the device are fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts of the socket such that the upper and lower arms are spaced apart from one another but extend in a substantially common forward plane at the front of the socket and in opposite directions from the opening of the socket cavity when the socket is in the erected condition. The upper and lower arms are adapted for gripping by a user to apply the squeezing action on the upper and lower parts such that a folding action of the upper and lower arms toward one another occurs that concurrently causes the socket to convert from the erected condition to the collapsed condition.
Further, the upper and lower braces of the device are fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts of the socket such that the upper and lower braces are spaced apart from one another but extend in a substantially common rearward plane at and in opposite directions from the rear of the socket when the socket is in the erected condition. The folding action of the upper and lower arms toward one another also causes a folding action of the upper and lower braces therewith toward one another concurrently as the socket is deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition to allow insertion and withdrawal of the socket and the upper and lower braces through a passage in the walls of mating parts of a shipping container. Then, with return of the socket and the upper and lower braces therewith from the collapsed condition back to the erected condition, with the socket and upper and lower braces inserted through the opening, the space between the forward plane of the upper and lower arms and the rearward plane of the upper and lower braces is sufficient to confine the walls of mating parts of the shipping container therebetween so as to retain the parts in a mated relationship.
In another aspect of the present invention, a system for releasably locking container components together includes a pair of components fittable together to provide an assembled container, the components each having a plurality of openings which align with the plurality of openings of the other to define passages through the assembled container, and a plurality of locking devices each insertable into a respective one of the passages through the assembled container. Each locking device includes a socket with spaced front and rear restraint structures. The socket and front and rear restraint structures are convertible between a collapsed condition in which the socket and rear restraint structure are installable through the one passage and an erected condition after installing the socket through the one passage in which the rear restraint structure extends along an inner side of the assembled container adjacent to the one passage and the front restraint structure extends along an outer side of the assembled container adjacent to the one passage. Each locking device also includes a clasp adapted to engage the socket to retain the socket with the spaced front and rear restraint structures in the erected condition, and the components locked together in the assembled container, with the socket filling the one passage and the front and rear restraint structures respectively positioned along the inner and outer sides of assembled container adjacent to the one passage retaining the components together in the assembled container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a locking device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the locking device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is another rear perspective view of the locking device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the locking device taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the carton, tray, and locking devices according to the present invention prior to being assembled.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a user holding the upper and lower finger grips of the locking device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the user compressing the finger grips of the locking device together.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the locking device in a collapsed condition about to be inserted into the shipping container openings.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the locking device as inserted and internally locked inside the shipping container.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a clasp being moved for snap fitting into the inserted portion of the locking device.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the locking device redundantly double locked to the assembled shipping container.

FIG. 12 is perspective view of two locking devices installed and one locking device in the process of being installed in the assembled shipping container.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout the views.
Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is illustrated one of a plurality of locking devices, generally designated 10, used for locking shipping container components, such as carton 12 and tray 14 shown in FIGS. 5, 12 and 13, to one another. The locking device 10 of the present invention basically includes a socket 16, a front restraint structure 18 on the socket 16 in the form of upper and lower arms 20, 22, and a rear restraint structure 24 on the socket 16 in the form of upper and lower braces 26, 28. The socket 16 has upper and lower parts 30, 32 connected together to form a hinge 34 at a rear 16 a of the socket 16 with a socket cavity 36 having an opening 38 at a front 16 b of the socket 16.
The locking device 10 is manufactured by using conventional techniques, such as injection molding, from a suitable resiliently deformable plastic material, for instance polypropylene. This material allows deformation of the device 10 and folding at the hinge 34 when a squeezing force is applied to the upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16. The hinge 34 at the rear 16 a of the socket 16 between the upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16 is thus deformable upon squeezing the upper and lower parts 30, 32 toward each other to convert the socket 16 from an erected condition to a collapsed condition, as seen respectively in FIGS. 6 and 8, and concurrently the front opening 38 of its socket cavity 36 from an opened condition to a substantially closed condition, also as seen respectively in FIGS. 6 and 8. The resiliency of the material biases the socket 16 to return to the erected condition when the squeezing force is released from the upper and lower parts 30, 32.
The upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16 each have opposite lateral sides 30 a, 32 a, front and rear ends 30 b, 32 b and 30 c, 32 c. The upper and lower parts 30, 32 each also have forward and rearward sections 40, 42 and 44, 46. The rearward sections 44, 46 of the upper and lower parts 30, 32 are substantially identical to one another and integrally connected to one another to form the hinge 34 at the rear 16 a of the socket 16. The rearward sections 44, 46 are disposed in a substantially perpendicular relationship when the socket 16 is in the erected condition, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, and a substantially parallel relationship when the socket 16 is in the collapsed condition, as seen in FIG. 8.
The forward sections 40, 42 of the upper and lower parts 30, 32 are spaced apart respectively at a top 16 c and a bottom 16 d of the socket cavity 36 in a substantially parallel relationship when the socket 16 is in the erected condition. Additionally, the forward section 40 of the upper part 30 of the socket 16 is bifurcated so as to have an opening 48. The forward section 42 of the lower part 32 of the socket 16 is attached centrally to the rearward section 46 of the lower part 32 so as to align with the opening 48 of the bifurcated forward section 40 of the upper part 30. The forward section 42 of the lower part 32 inserts through the opening 48 of the forward section 40 of the upper part 30, as seen in FIG. 8, when the upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16 are squeezed toward each other and the socket 16 is deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition.
The upper and lower arms 20, 22 are fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16 such that the upper and lower arms 20, 22 are spaced apart from one another but extend in a substantially common forward plane at the front 16 b of the socket 16 and in opposite directions from the opening 38 of the socket cavity 36 when the socket 16 is in the erected condition, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6. The upper and lower arms 20, 22 also have opposite top and bottom ends 20 a, 22 a and 20 b, 22 b and opposite lateral sides 20 c, 22 c.
The upper arm 20 is bifurcated so as to have an opening 50 aligned with the opening 48 of the forward section 40 of the upper part 30 of the socket 16. Furthermore, the lower arm 22 at its top end 22 a is integrally connected to the forward section 42 of the lower part 32 of the socket 16 and disposed in a substantially perpendicular relationship therewith when the socket 16 is in the erected condition, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6. The lower arm 22 inserts through the opening 50 in the bifurcated upper arm 20 when the upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16 are squeezed toward each other and the socket 16 is deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition, as seen respectively in FIGS. 6 and 8. The upper arm 20 at its top end 20 a and the lower arm 22 at its bottom end 22 b provide curved shaped edges adapting them for gripping by a user, as seen in FIG. 6, for applying a squeezing action on the upper and lower arms 20, 22 that causes a folding and scissoring action of lower part 32 and the lower arm 22 with and into the upper part 30 and the upper arm 20 at the opening 50 within the upper part 30 and upper arm 20 as the socket 16 is deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition, as seen respectively in FIGS. 6 and 8.
The upper and lower braces 26, 28 are fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16. The upper and lower braces 26, 28 are spaced apart from one another, but extend in a substantially common rearward plane at and in opposite directions from the rear 16 a of the socket 16 when the socket 16 is in the erected condition, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6. When the socket 16 is deformed to the collapsed condition, the upper and lower arms 22, 22 are folded toward one another also concurrently causing a folding action of the upper and lower braces 26, 28 therewith toward one another,r as seen in FIGS. 6 and 8.
The deformation of the socket 16 from the erected condition to the collapsed condition allows for the insertion and withdrawal of the socket 16 and the upper and lower braces 26, 28 through a passage 52 a through components of an assembled container 52, as seen in FIGS. 8, 11, 12 and 13. The socket 16 and the upper and lower braces 26, 28 therewith return from the collapsed condition back to the erected condition, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, when the squeezing force on the upper and lower arms 20, 22 is released. When the upper and lower braces 26, 28 are inserted through the passage 52 a and extend in the common plane, the space between the forward plane of the upper and lower arms 20, 22, and the rearward plane of the upper and lower braces 26, 28 is sufficient to confine the components of the assembled container 52 together, as seen in FIGS. 4, 12 and 13.
To prevent the socket 16 from being deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition, a clasp 54 is connected on one of the lateral sides 20 c of the upper arm 20, as seen in FIG. 9. The clasp 54 is swingable in an arcuate path toward and away from the front opening 48 of the socket 16 and is adapted to be fitted into and released from the socket 16 in a close fitting relationship therewith. Additionally, the clasp 54 includes a lip portion 56 located on the front of the clasp 54. The clasp 54 also has a hollow cavity 58 behind the lip portion 56 to allow for insertion of a finger tip from a user to pry outward to release the clasp 54 from the socket 16, as seen in FIG. 11.
Attached to both the socket 16 and clasp 54 are a plurality of engageable elements 60. The plurality of engageable elements 60 on both the socket 16 and clasp 54 snap fit together when the clasp 54 is fitted into the socket cavity 36 so as to releasably retain the clasp 54 in the socket cavity 36. Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, the plurality of engageable elements 60 on the socket 16 and clasp 54 may be in the form of engaging pins on upper and lower portions 54 a, 54 b of the clasp 54 and edges 62 of slots 64 formed in the upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16. The engaging pins 60 of the clasp 54 snap fit with the edges 62 of the slots 64 in the upper and lower parts 30, 32 of the socket 16.
Referring now to FIGS. 4-13, a pair of components in the form of the carton 12 and tray 14 are fittable together to provide the assembled container 52. The components each have a plurality of openings 12 a, 14 a which match and align to define the plurality of passages 52 a through the assembled container 52. Each locking device 10 is insertable into a respective one of the passages 52 a through the shipping container 52. The socket 16 and the front and rear restraint structures 18, 24 are convertible between the collapsed condition in which the socket 16 and rear restraint structure 24 are installable through the one passage 52 a and the erected condition after installing them through the passages 52 a, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 8. The rear restraint structure 24 is located along an inner side 52 b of the shipping container 52 adjacent to the passage 52 a and the front restraint structure 18 is located along an outer side 52 c of the shipping container 52 adjacent to the passage 52 a.
As mentioned previously, the hinge 34 of the socket 16, is flexible such that the application of a squeezing action on the upper and lower parts 30, 32 toward each other converts the socket 16 from the erected condition to the collapsed condition permitting the locking device 10 to be installed through the passage 52 a and redundantly locked, as seen in FIGS. 12 and 13. When the application of the squeezing action on the upper and lower parts 30, 32 occurs, the upper and lower arms 20, 22 fold toward one another also causing the upper and lower braces 26, 28 to fold therewith toward one another concurrently as the socket 16 is deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition. This deformation from the erected condition to the collapsed condition allows for the insertion and withdrawal of the socket 16 and the upper and lower braces 30, 32 through the passage 52 a formed through the assembled carton and tray 12, 14 of the shipping container 52, as seen in FIG. 6.
With the return of the socket 16 and the upper and lower braces 26, 28 therewith from the collapsed condition back to the erected condition, with the socket 16 and upper and lower braces 26, 28 inserted through the passage 52 a, the space between the forward plane of the upper and lower arms 20, 22 and the rearward plane of the upper and lower braces 26, 28 is sufficient to confine the components of the now assembled container 52 together, as seen in FIG. 4. These components are thus activating what can be termed a secondary or redundant locking mechanism.
Additionally, the clasp 54 is adapted to engage the socket 16 to retain the socket 16 with the spaced front and rear restraint structures 18, 24 in the erected condition, and the carton 12 and tray 14 thus locked together in the assembled container 52. With the socket 16 filling the passage 52 a and the front and rear restraint structures 18, 24 respectively positioned along the inner and outer sides 52 b, 52 c of assembled container 52 adjacent to the passage 52 a, the components are retained together in the assembled container 52 by activating what can be termed a primary locking mechanism.
Furthermore, the primary locking mechanism is unlocked upon release of the clasp 54 from the socket 16. The fingertip of a user may be placed in the hollow cavity 58 of the clasp 54 and manually unsnap and release the clasp 54 from the snap-fitted connection with the socket 16. Then the user can squeeze the upper and lower parts 30, 32 together to release and remove the locking device 10 from the assembled container 52. Once all of the locking devices 10 are removed from the assembled container 52, the carton 12 and tray 14 can be taken apart to disassemble the container 52.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 through 11, the locking device 10 is shown in a step by step procedure for installing the locking device 10 in the passage 52 a of the assembled container 52. First, the user grasps the locking device 10 by upper and lower finger grips formed on the upper end 20 a and lower end 22 b of the upper and lower arms 20, 22 of the locking device 10, as seen in FIG. 6. Next the user compresses or squeezes the upper and lower ends 20 a, 22 b of the locking device 10 together, as seen in FIG. 7. Then, the locking device 10, now in a collapsed condition, is ready to be inserted into the passage 52 a of the assembled container 52, as seen in FIG. 8. The locking device 10 is now inserted and internally locked inside the assembled shipping container 52, as seen in FIG. 9. Then the clasp 54 (not shown in FIGS. 6-8) is moved for snap fitting into the inserted socket 16 of the locking device 10, as seen in FIG. 10. Thusly, the locking device 10 is redundantly double locked to the assembled shipping container 52. By reversing the steps of this procedure, the unlocking of the assembled container 52 is accomplished.
The foregoing description of several embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A locking device for a shipping container, comprising:

a socket having upper and lower parts connected together to form a hinge at a rear of the socket with a socket cavity having an opening at a front of the socket, the hinge between the upper and lower parts being flexible such that the application of a squeezing action on the upper and lower parts toward each other converts the socket from an erected condition to a collapsed condition and the front opening from an opened condition to a substantially closed condition, the hinge also being biased to return the socket to the erected condition upon release of the application of the squeezing action thereon;

a front restraint structure including upper and lower arms fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts of the socket such that said upper and lower arms are spaced apart from one another but extend in a substantially common forward plane at the front of the socket and in opposite directions from the opening of the socket cavity when the socket is in the erected condition, the upper and lower arms being adapted for gripping by a user to apply the squeezing action on the upper and lower parts such that a folding action of the upper and lower arms toward one another occurs that concurrently causes the socket to convert from the erected condition to the collapsed condition; and

a rear restraint structure including upper and lower braces fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts of the socket such that said upper and lower braces are spaced apart from one another but extend in a substantially common rearward plane at and in opposite directions form the rear of the socket when the socket is in the erected condition such that the folding action of the upper and lower arms toward one another also causes a folding action of the upper and lower braces therewith toward one another concurrently as the socket is deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition to allow insertion and withdrawal of the socket and the upper and lower braces through a passage through components of an assembled container and with return of the socket and the upper and lower braces therewith from the collapsed condition back to the erected condition, with the socket and upper and lower braces inserted through the passage, the space between the forward plane of the upper and lower arms and the rearward plane of the upper and lower braces is sufficient to confine the components of the assembled container together.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower arms are respectively disposed in substantially perpendicular relationships with said upper and lower parts of the socket.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower braces are respectively disposed in substantially perpendicular relationship with the upper and lower parts of the socket.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the socket is made of a deformable material such that the hinge at the rear of the socket is deformable upon the application of the squeezing action to the upper and lower parts of the socket.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the upper arm is bifurcated such that said upper arm has a central opening formed therein.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the lower arm is aligned with the central opening in the upper arm and inserts therethrough when the upper and lower parts of the socket housing are squeezed toward each other and the socket is converted from the erected condition to the collapsed condition.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower parts of the socket each have forward and rearward sections, the upper and lower parts have rearward sections substantially identical to one another and integrally connected to one another to form the hinge at the rear of the socket such that the rearward sections are disposed in a substantially perpendicular relationship when the socket is in the erected condition and a substantially parallel relationship when the socket is in the collapsed condition.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the forward section of the upper part is bifurcated so as to have an opening, the forward section of the lower part being attached centrally to the rearward section of the lower part so as to align with the opening of the bifurcated forward section of the upper part such that the forward section of the lower part inserts through the opening of the forward section of the upper part when the upper and lower parts of the socket are squeezed toward each other and the socket is converted from the erected condition to the collapsed condition.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the upper arm is also bifurcated so as to have an opening aligned with the opening of the forward section of the upper part of the socket.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a clasp adapted to be fitted into and released from the cavity of the socket through the front opening thereof, the clasp fitting into the socket cavity in a close fitting relationship therewith preventing the socket from being deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the clasp is connected on a side of the upper arm and is swingable toward and away from the front opening of the socket.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the clasp includes a lip portion located on the front of the clasp and the clasp has a hollow cavity behind the lip portion to allow for insertion of a finger tip to pry outward to release the clasp from the socket.

13. The device of claim 10 further comprising:

a plurality of engageable elements on the socket and clasp that fit together when the clasp is fitted into the cavity of the socket so as to releasably retain the clasp in the socket cavity.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the plurality of engageable elements releasably snap fit together.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the plurality of engageable elements on the socket and clasp are in the form of engaging pins on upper and lower portions of one of the clasp and the upper and lower parts of the socket.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the engaging pins of the socket and clasp snap fit with edges of slots formed in upper and lower portions of the other of the clasp and the upper and lower parts of the socket.

17. A system for releasably locking container components together, comprising:

a pair of components fittable together to provide an assembled container, the components each having a plurality of openings which align with the plurality of openings of the other to define passages through the assembled container; and

a plurality of locking devices each insertable into a respective one of the passages through the assembled container, each locking device including

a socket with spaced front and rear restraint structures, the socket and front and rear restraint structures being convertible between a collapsed condition in which the socket and rear restraint structure are installable through the one passage and an erected condition after installing the socket through the one passage, the rear restraint structure along an inner side of the assembled container adjacent to the one passage, and the front restraint structure along an outer side of the assembled container adjacent to the one passage; and

a clasp adapted to engage the socket to retain the socket with the spaced front and rear restraint structures in the erected condition, and the components locked together in the assembled container, with the socket filling the one passage and the front and rear restraint structures respectively positioned along the inner and outer sides of assembled container adjacent to the one passage retaining the components together in the assembled container.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said socket of each locking device includes upper and lower parts connected together to form a hinge at a rear of the socket with a socket cavity having an opening at a front of the socket, the hinge between the upper and lower parts being flexible such that the application of a squeezing action on the upper and lower parts toward each other converts the socket from an erected condition to a collapsed condition and the front opening from an opened condition to a substantially closed condition, the hinge also being biased to return the socket to the erected condition upon release of the application of the squeezing action thereon.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said front restraint structure includes upper and lower arms fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts of the socket such that said upper and lower arms are spaced apart from one another but extend in a substantially common forward plane at the front of the socket and in opposite directions from the opening of the socket cavity when the socket is in the erected condition, the upper and lower arms being adapted for gripping by a user to apply the squeezing action on the upper and lower parts such that a folding action of the upper and lower arms toward one another occurs that concurrently causes the socket to convert from the erected condition to the collapsed condition.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said rear restraint structure includes upper and lower braces fixedly connected to the upper and lower parts of the socket such that said upper and lower braces are spaced apart from one another but extend in a substantially common rearward plane at and in opposite directions form the rear of the socket when the socket is in the erected condition such that the folding action of the upper and lower arms toward one another also causes a folding action of the upper and lower braces therewith toward one another concurrently as the socket is deformed from the erected condition to the collapsed condition to allow insertion and withdrawal of the socket and the upper and lower braces through the passage in the assembled container and with return of the socket and the upper and lower braces therewith from the collapsed condition back to the erected condition, with the socket and upper and lower braces inserted through the opening, the space between the forward plane of the upper and lower arms and the rearward plane of the upper and lower braces is sufficient to confine the components of the assembled container together.