US3204802A

US3204802A - Collapsible case or container

Info

Publication number: US3204802A
Application number: US287036A
Authority: US
Inventors: Miocque Robert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-06-11
Filing date: 1963-06-11
Publication date: 1965-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-07

Description

Sept. 7, 1965 R. MIOCQUE COLLAPSIBLE CASE 0R CONTAINER Filed June 11, 1965 INVENTOR Roam'r MIOCQLIE' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,204,802 COLLAPIBLE CASE OR CONTAINER Robert Miocque, 14 Rue Rnlfet, Paris, France Filed June '11, 1963, 'Ser. No. 287,036 2 Claims. (Cl. 217-12) This invention is concerned with a collapsible case or container of which the different side-forming panels are adapted-to interlock upon completion of the assembly operation, the case thus obtained being rigid by construction and assembly, without using any nails, screws or other fastening members, and its lid is fitted or removed by the outward pivotal movement, normally prevented, of at least the upper portion of one of a pair of registering vertical panels disposed face to face which are adapted to lock said lid in its closed position.

To this end, the case according to this invention is characterized in that each panel is provided along two opposite edges with reinforcing bars or strips, the dimensions of said panels and the position of said bars being such that in the assembled condition these bars lie on the inner face of each panel, beyond the aforesaid two registering panels on which said panel bears; thus, any inward movement of each panel is prevented by the edges of said registering panels on which said panel is caused to bear, any outward movement being also prevented by the bars of the other pair of registering panels co-acting therewith, whilst any sliding movement is prevented in the longitudinal direction by its reinforcing bars which are locked in position by the pair of registering panels on which it bears, and in the transverse direction by the other pair of registering panels of which the bars prevent its inward movement.

Therefore, the transverse dimensions of each rectangular panel (in the direction of said bars) is one of the inner dimensions of the case or container to be constructed, and the longitudinal dimension of this rectangular panel (in a direction at right angles to said bars) between the inner faces of said bars, is that of another internal dimension of the case or container to be constructed, plus twice the thickness of said panels.

To permit the disassembling and re-assembling of a case thus constructed, means are provided whereby at least one of the two panels disposed at right angles to the bars of the lid-forming panel can pivot slightly outwards, at least at its end adjacent to said lid-forming panel, whereby the relevant edge of said lid may be inserted, or removed from, beneath the reinforcing bar of said pivoting end of said panel and may subsequently resume its initial position after the lid has been fitted in position, thereby locking the lid in its closed position, when the lid is inserted with a view to close the case.

To this end, the inner faces of the reinforcing bars holding the panel concerned in position may be formed on their portions adjacent to said lid with bevelled faces permitting, if this panel has a certain elasticity, the temporary bending of this panel to an extent sufficient for the bent panel to engage, or permit the removal from, the underside of the reinforcing bar, the corresponding side of the lid-forming panel, and therefore to fit or remove the lid, this panel subsequently resuming its initial position automatically.

It is a further object of this invention to provide different arrangements having the purpose of maintaining the different panels in the desired position for filling the case before they are definitely and positively locked in position by fitting the lid thereon.

Various forms of embodiment of this invention are described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a first form of embodiment of a collapsible case or container constructed according to the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the same case;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the locking and unlocking operation;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing a different form of embodiment of this invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a detail on a larger scale.

The case illustrated in FIG. 1 is of cubic configuration and consists of six similar panels, i.e. a first panel 1 constituting the bottom,

side panels

2 and 4,

end panels

3 and 5 and a lid-forming panel 6. Each panel 1 to 6 carries on one face, adjacent to a pair of opposite edges, reinforcing bars or

strips

7, 8 which, when the case is assembled, are in face to face relationship. All the reinforcing bars have a bevelled or tapered end face or portion 9 on their inner side.

Each panel, for instance panel 6, bears on a pair of

panels

2, 4 and its

reinforcing bars

7, 8 prevent any outward displacement of said

panels

2 and 4. On the other hand, any inward displacement of panel 6 is prevented by the bars 8 of the other two

panels

3, 5 co-acting therewith; furthermore, any sliding movement is prevented in one direction by its reinforcing bars abutting against the

panels

2 and 4, and in the other direction by the

panels

3 and 5.

To engage or release the panel 6 assumed to act as a lid the upper portion of

panels

3 and 5 is pivoted outwardly so as to move the reinforcing bars 8 of these panels away from panel 6 to an extent sufficient to permit the removal of this panel, as shown in FIG. 3; this pivotal movement is permitted by the bevelled or tapered portions 9 provided at the upper portion of the

reinforcing bars

7, 8 of

panels

2 and 4.

To produce this pivotal movement slots or like indentations 10 may be formed in the longitudinal edges of each panel to permit the insertion, into the slot o like indentation 10 of lid 6, of the operative end of a screwdriver or other suitable tool 11 acting as a lever bearing on one side against the inner edge of said slot 10 and on the other side on the reinforcing bar 8 of panel 3 so as to deflect this panel.

The end of each reinforcing

ba

7, 8 opposite to the end formed with a bevelled portion 9 may also comprise another tapered or bevelled portion 12, but considerably less accentuated, with a view to impart more elasticity to the case.

The

bars

7, 8 of the various panels comprise on their side opposite to said bevelled portions 9 extensions 13 projecting downwardly beyond the panel 1 and serving the purpose of assisting in holding the

panels

3 and 5 in vertical position before fitting the lid 6 and permitting the filling of the case.

The case illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings comprises complementary means for holding the vertical panels 2 to 5 in position before fitting the lid; they consist of studs 14 carried externally of

panels

3 and 5; these studs 14 register with the outer faces of

bars

7, 8 of

panels

2, 4 and engage recesses 15 formed in these outer faces of the reinforcing bars. Preferably, these studs are secured in external reinforcing strips 16, 17 of

panels

3, 5.

Of course, all the panels constituting this case may have the same design so that any one may be used as a lid, and if desired all the panels may have exactly the same dimensions so that a cubic case is obtained.

Whatever the form of embodiment contemplated, the accidental opening of the case may be prevented by any suitable device counteracting the pivotal movement of any or all panels by inhibiting the possibilities afforded Patented Sept. 7, 1965' 3 by the presence of the bevelled portions 9. In this respect, many solutions may be contemplated by any body skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible container comprising a bottom panel,

a lid-forming panel; two side panels and two end panels, each panel being of flexible material and provided on its inner face with reinforcing bars adjacent to two opposite edges of the panel, the reinforcing bars of the said bottom panel and lid panel overlying and engaging the outer surfaces of the side panels adjacent its nonreinforced edges, the reinforcing bars of said side panels overlying and engaging the outer surfaces of the end panels adjacent its non-reinforced edges and the reinforcing bars of the end panels overlying and engaging the outer surfaces of the bottom and lid panels adjacent its non-reinforced edges, said reinforcing bars on said side panels having the inner faces of the overlying portions thereof inclined upwardly and outwardly whereby the upper portions of the end walls may be flexed outwardly to permit the reinforcing bars overlying the lid panel to clea the non-reinforced edges of the lid panel to remove said lid panel.

2. A collapsible container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reinforcing bars of the panels are provided with extensions at their lower portions opposite the inclined portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 786,858 4/05 Thomas 21712 1,309,341 7/19 Ritter 217-43 2,515,084 7/50 Harris 217-43 2,710,703 6/55 Kephart 217-12 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner-

Claims

1. A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER COMPRISING A BOTTOM PANEL, A LID-FORMING PANEL, TWO SIDE PANELS AND TWO END PANELS EACH PANEL BEING OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND PROVIDED ON ITS INNER FACE WITH REINFORCING BARS ADJACENT TO TWO OPPOSITE EDGES OF THE PANEL, THE REINFORCING BARS OF THE SAID BOTTOM PANEL AND LID PANEL OVERLYING AND ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACES OF THE SIDE PANELS ADJACENT ITS NONREINFORCED EDGES, THE REINFORCING BARS OF SAID SIDE PANELS OVERLYING AND ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACES OF THE END PANELS ADJACENT ITS NON-REINFORCED EDGES AND THE REINFORCING BARS OF THE END PANELS OVERLYING AND ENGAGING