US20110240724A1

US20110240724A1 - Collapsible storage seat box

Info

Publication number: US20110240724A1
Application number: US12/750,725
Authority: US
Inventors: Wen-Tsan Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-31
Filing date: 2010-03-31
Publication date: 2011-10-06

Abstract

A collapsible storage seat box includes a folding collapsible box body formed of a soft box body cloth and multiple hard boards wrapped in the soft box body cloth, folding partition boards set in the box body to divide the holding space of the box body into multiple storage chambers, reinforcing bars vertically insertable into the folding box body and securable to each corner in the box body by, for example, hook and loop materials, and a cover member hinged to the box body and attached with a pad for sitting when closed on the box body and supported on the reinforcing bars.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage boxes and more particularly, to a collapsible storage seat box that is folding collapsible and can also be used as a seat.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to reduce the dimension convenient for storage when not in use, many different types of folding collapsible storage boxes have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market. For example, there is a folding collapsible storage box design that uses a soft fabric to make a rectangular box body that has crossed folding lines on each of the four upright panels thereof, and attaches horizontal top and bottom rods to the four sides of the box body at the top and bottom sides and four vertical rods to the four corners in the box body. Thus, these storage box designs can be collapsed into a flat condition by means of a twisting action.
Because the rectangular box body of the aforesaid prior art design is made of a soft fabric, the soft upright panels of the box body cannot support a heavy load. Therefore, this design of folding collapsible storage box design cannot be used as a seat for sitting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a collapsible storage seat box, which is folding collapsible when not in use and can also be used as a seat.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a collapsible storage seat box comprises a folding collapsible box body, folding partition members inserted into the folding collapsible box body to divide the holding space of the folding collapsible box body into multiple storage chambers, a plurality of reinforcing bars vertically inserted into the folding collapsible box body and respectively attached to the corners in the folding collapsible box body, a plurality of first fastening members fixedly mounted in the folding collapsible box body around the corners, a plurality of second fastening members fixedly provided at the reinforcing bars for fastening to the first fastening members to secure the reinforcing bars to the inside of the folding collapsible box body in the corners, and a cover member hinged to the folding collapsible box body. When the cover member is closed on the folding collapsible box body, the reinforcing bars support the cover member, and therefore the collapsible storage seat box can be used as a seat for sitting.
Further, loops are mounted inside the folding collapsible box body to hold rod members in horizontal for hanging things.
Further, the folding collapsible box body is formed of a soft box body cloth and multiple hard boards wrapped in the soft box body cloth such that a vertical folding line is defined on the middle of each of two opposing upright side panels and in each corner between each two adjacent upright side panels so that the folding collapsible box body can be folded into a collapsed flat condition. Further, the bottom panel of the folding collapsible box body is formed of a part of the soft box body cloth. Further, a hard bottom board is attached to the top side of the bottom panel of the folding collapsible box body. After removal of the hard bottom board, the folding collapsible box body can be folded into a collapsed flat condition.
Further, each reinforcing bar consists of a plurality of elongated hard members arranged in parallel and wrapped in a soft cloth. Thus, each reinforcing bar can be folded in two reversed directions between a collapsed flat condition and an elongated operative condition, for example, the shape of a prism.
Further, the first fastening members and the second fastening members can be hook and loop materials. Further, snap fasteners, buckles or any other fastening means may be used to substitute for the hook and loop materials. Further, the folding partition boards can be respectively formed of a soft cloth and a plurality of hard boards wrapped in the soft cloth. Further, the soft cloth of each folding partition board can be stitched to the soft box body cloth of the folding collapsible box body. When it is not necessary to divide the holding space of the folding collapsible box body into multiple storage chambers, the folding partition boards can be closely attached to the upright peripheral panels of the folding collapsible box body.
Further, the cover member is formed of a soft cover member cloth and a plurality of hard boards and wrapped in the soft cover member cloth and hinged to the folding collapsible box body and adapted for covering the folding collapsible box body. The cover member comprises two opposing first side blocks wrapped in the soft cover member cloth and arranged in parallel at two opposite lateral sides, two opposing second side blocks wrapped in the soft cover member cloth and respectively kept in line with the first side blocks in such a manner that a folding line is defined in the soft cover member cloth between each first side block and the associating second side block, and a third side block wrapped in the soft cover member cloth and set between the second side blocks remote from the folding collapsible box body in such a manner that a folding line is defined in the soft cover member cloth between the third side block and each second side block. Further, each first side block has a beveled end edge. Each second side block has a triangular shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a collapsible storage seat box in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational assembly view of the collapsible storage seat box in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the cover member opened from the box body.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3, showing the cover member collapsed.

FIG. 5 is an elevational assembly view of the collapsible storage seat box in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the cover member closed on the box body.

FIG. 6 illustrates the collapsed status of the collapsible storage seat box in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of a collapsible storage seat box in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective assembly view of the collapsible storage seat box in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG. 8, showing the first partition board and the second partition board closely attached to the inside walls of the first and second upright panels of the box body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a collapsible storage seat box 1 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a box body 11, a cover member 12, a bottom board 13 and a plurality of reinforcing bars 14. The box body 11 is formed of multiple hard boards wrapped in a soft cloth. According to this first embodiment, the box body 11 is a rectangular open container having two opposing first upright panels, two opposing second upright panels, a horizontal bottom panel and a top open side. The horizontal bottom panel is formed of a part of the soft cloth. The two opposing first upright panels are respectively formed of one respective hard board and wrapped in the soft cloth. The two opposing second upright panels are respectively formed of two hard boards and wrapped in the soft cloth. The hard boards and the soft cloth are so arranged that a vertical folding line 111 is defined on the middle of each of the two opposing second upright panels between the associating two hard boards and in the corner between each first upright panel and each second upright panel. The vertical folding lines 111 extend vertically through the height of the box body 11. Thus, the box body 11 can be folded into a collapsed flat manner through the folding lines 111. After the box body 11 has been extended out, the hard bottom board 13 is put in the box body 11 and closely attached to the horizontal bottom panel of the box body 11. The box body 11 further has a plurality of first fastening members 112 fixedly located on the inside walls of the first and second upright panels at different elevations around each corner, and a plurality of loops 113 located on the inside walls of each of the first and second upright panels near the top open side.
Further, each reinforcing bar 14 consists of a plurality of elongated hard members arranged in parallel and wrapped in a soft cloth. Thus, each reinforcing bar 14 can be folded in two reversed directions between a collapsed flat condition and an elongated operative condition (for example, the shape of a prism). Further, a plurality of second fastening members 141 are fixedly located on each reinforcing bar 14.
According to this first embodiment, the first fastening members 112 and the second fastening members 141 are hook and loop materials. After the box body 11 has been extended out and the hard bottom board 13 has been put in the box body 11 and closely attached to the horizontal bottom panel of the box body 11, the reinforcing bars 14 are folded into the elongated operative condition and then respectively vertically inserted into the box body 11 in the corners to force the respective second fastening members 141 into engagement with the respective first fastening members 112 (see also FIG. 2). Snap fasteners, buckles or any other fastening means may be used to substitute for the hook and loop materials. Further, hanging rods 2 can be inserted through the loops 113 for hanging things inside the box body 11 (see FIG. 2).
The cover member 12 is a flat rectangular plate member formed of a plurality of hard boards and wrapped in a soft cloth and stitched with one side edge thereof to the soft cloth of the box body 11 along the topmost edge of one first upright panel of the box body 11, having a sponge pad 124 located on the top side inside the soft cloth, two opposing first side blocks 121, two opposing second side blocks 122 and a third side block 123 arranged along three of the four sides beyond the box body 11 and wrapped in the soft cloth of the cover member 2. The first side blocks 121 are narrow, elongated flat blocks, each having a beveled end edge. The second side blocks 122 are flat triangular blocks respectively disposed adjacent to the beveled end edges of the first side blocks 121. The third side blocks 123 are narrow, elongated flat blocks set between the two second side blocks 122. Thus, the first side blocks 121, the second side blocks 122 and the third side blocks 123 can be set between a vertical operative condition, as shown in FIG. 3, and a collapsed flat condition, as shown in FIG. 4. When the cover member 12 is closed on the box body 11, the cover member 12 is supported by the reinforcing bars 14, and therefore the collapsible storage seat box 1 can be used as a seat (see FIG. 5). When not in use, the collapsible storage seat box 1 can be collapsed into a flat condition (see FIG. 6), convenient for storage or carrying.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show a collapsible storage seat box 1 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that this second embodiment further comprises a first partition board 15A and a second partition board 15B. The first partition board 15A and the second partition board 15B are foldable. When set in the box body 11, the first partition board 15A and the second partition board 15B divide the inside space of the boxy body 11 into multiple storage chambers. Further, thee first partition board 15A and the second partition board 15B can also be closely attached to the inside walls of the first and second upright panels of the box body 11 (see FIG. 9), and then folded with the box body 11 into a collapsed flat condition.
Although particular embodiment of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A collapsible storage seat box, comprising:

a folding collapsible box body formed of a soft box body cloth and multiple hard boards wrapped in said soft box body cloth;

a plurality of folding partition boards set in said folding collapsible box body to divide the holding space of said folding collapsible box body into multiple storage chambers;

a plurality of reinforcing bars vertically insertable into said folding collapsible box body and attachable to each corner in said folding collapsible box body;

a plurality of first fastening members fixedly provided inside said folding collapsible box body around corners in said folding collapsible box body;

a plurality of second fastening members fixedly arranged at said reinforcing bars and fastenable to said first fastening members to hold said reinforcing bars inside said folding collapsible box body in vertical; and

a cover member formed of a soft cover member cloth and a plurality of hard boards and wrapped in said soft cover member cloth and hinged to said folding collapsible box body and adapted for covering said folding collapsible box body, said cover member comprising two opposing first side blocks wrapped in said soft cover member cloth and arranged in parallel at two opposite lateral sides, two opposing second side blocks wrapped in said soft cover member cloth and respectively kept in line with said first side blocks in such a manner that a folding line is defined in said soft cover member cloth between each said first side block and the associating second side block and a third side block wrapped in said soft cover member cloth and set between said second side blocks remote from said folding collapsible box body in such a manner that a folding line is defined in said soft cover member cloth between said third side block and each said second side block.

2. The collapsible storage seat box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first fastening members and said second fastening members are hook and loop materials.

3. The collapsible storage seat box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reinforcing bars have a triangular cross section.

4. The collapsible storage seat box as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said first side block has a beveled end edge; said second side blocks are triangular blocks.

5. The collapsible storage seat box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said folding collapsible box body further comprises a plurality of loops located on the inside, and a plurality of rod members supported in said loops for hanging things.