WO1995009110A1

WO1995009110A1 - Collapsible container

Info

Publication number: WO1995009110A1
Application number: PCT/AU1994/000593
Authority: WO
Inventors: Josef Keller; Keith Andrew Pearson
Original assignee: Tnt Materials Handling Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1993-09-30
Filing date: 1994-09-30
Publication date: 1995-04-06

Abstract

A demountable container (10) comprises two pivotally captured side walls (13, 15) and two separable side walls (14, 16). The adjacent side walls being interlinked in the assembled state of the container (10) and providing a compact easily storable or transportable arrangement when disassembled.

Description

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER

Technical Field The present invention relates to a collapsible or demountable container for storing and/or transporting bull- materials. The bulk materials may be either dry or liquid.

Background Art It is well known to store and transport pre-packaged bulk materials using pallets. It is also known to combine the pallets with demountable sides and a lid to provide a convenient container which, in its constructed state, is useful for storing and/or transporting bulk materials and, in its deconstructed state, is compact for easy transport. An advantage of demountable containers is that they enable higher stacking than normal pallet storage, and that they utilise space more efficiently. Typically, demountable containers are used for small to moderately large volumes of bulk materials for which the other known large bulk storage facilities and large bulk transport vehicles can be impractical or inefficient. The durability, reusability and stackability of demountable pallet type containers make them particularly commercially attractive when compared to other alternatives which include drums, specialised tanks, one trip disposable containers and even bulk tankers.

If the demountable container is to be useful for food grade bulk materials, it is necessary for the container to be demountable in a manner in which it can be effectively cleaned (e.g. by a steam jet cleaner). That is, the container should be demountable whereby, at some stage, all areas of the container and particularly any tight corners or crevices can be easily accessed for cleaning purposes .

It is known for demountable containers to have each of the four sides and the lid separably removable so that each component can be cleaned individually. This is advantageous for cleaning purposes since there are virtually no inaccessible corners or crevices which could harbour food products. Therefore, there is little risk that rotting food products in such corners or crevices could remain to contaminate any subsequently transported food materials . The disadvantage of having all of the sides and the lid totally removable from the base is that, in order for the sides to be fitted and latched to one another and to the pallet type base, it is generally necessary for there to be two different types of sides. That is, two opposite sides of the container would have one type of sidewall and the other two opposite sides which extend between the first two sides would have another type of sidewall. As such, unless the person wishing to reconstruct the container has two of the one type of sidewall and two of the other type of sidewall, it is. not possible to reconstruct the container. Since, in the deconstructed state, the sidewalls are separate from one another, it is possible that one of the different types of sidewalls can be lost or misplaced resulting in an inability to reconstruct the container. Further, the steps of reconstructing the container are not immediately obvious and it is necessary to have a degree of experience in re-constructing such container.

It is also known to construct a collapsible container which has all four sides pivotally attached to the pallet type base so as to be pivotal about horizontal axes . Whilst this design removes the risk that there will not be the correct types and numbers of sidewalls to be able to reconstruct the container, such containers are difficult to clean properly resulting in the risk of food contamination, and they need to be folded in a particular sequence which may not be immediately obvious to the lay person. Whilst it is known to have demountable containers, it would be desirable to provide a demountable container which is more easily constructed and deconstructed, and which is nevertheless able to be effectively and easily cleaned.

Disclosure of the Invention The present invention provides a demountable pallet type container comprising: a rectangular base and four sidewall members, at least one of the sidewall members being pivotally mounted to the base about substantially horizontal pivot means so as to be movable into a position generally overlaying the base, and wherein the other sidewall members are selectively detachable from the base; the base and the sidewall members being adapted to cooperate with one another to be constructed into a box-like configuration and deconstructed into a compact configuration; the pivot means being adapted to allow the generally horizontally extending pivot axis of the or each pivotal side member to be vertically movable relative to the base to allow for deconstruction of the container into the compact configuration; the base and/or the sidewall members each have comprising interconnection means for maintaining the constructed box configuration. Preferably, the pivot means comprises a slot in each opposite side edge of the or each pivotal sidewall member, or in the base means immediately adjacent the respective opposite side edges of the or each pivotal sidewall member. Each slot preferably being L-shaped so as to receive a pivot pin of the pivotal sidewall member or of the base means, the pivot pin being selectively positionable in the distal end of the horizontal portion of the L-shaped slot in the constructed configuration of the container, and at any position along the vertical portion of the L-shaped slot in the deconstructed compact configuration.

Preferably, two opposite sidewall members are pivotally mounted to the base means and the other two sidewall members are either selective removable from the base means or are hingedly mounted to respective pivotal sidewall members about a vertical axes. Further, these other sidewall members preferably have an identical construction so as to be interchangeable.

The interconnection means may be in the form of a plurality of hook members around the periphery of the base means which are adapted to engage with bottom edge portions of each of the sidewall members to locate same relative to the base means. Further, in the case where the other side wall members are removable from the base, the pivotal sidewall members preferably have hook members on their respective opposite side edges, and wherein the removable sidewall members are adapted to engage with the hook members of both the base means and the pivotal sidewall members so as to be positively located and to extend between the pivotal sidewall members in the constructed configuration. In the alternative embodiment wherein the other sidewall members are hingedly mounted to the respective pivotal sidewall members, the pivotal sidewall members have hook members on one side edge with one of the other sidewall members hingedly attached along the other side edge. In this embodiment, the other sidewall members can be swung from a position adjacent and parallel the inside of the pivotal sidewall member, and a position extending between the respective pivotal sidewall members and engaged with the hook members of the base and of the other pivotal side wall member.

The interconnection means may further comprise a latch means on the removable and/or the pivotal sidewall members to selective securely latch the removable sidewall members to the pivotal sidewall members. Brief Description of Drawings Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a container apparatus of a first embodiment in its constructed ready-for-use configuration;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detailed side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the base frame; Fig. 5 is a front and end elevational views of the pivotal wall member; Fig. 6 is a a detailed view of the hook members of the pivotal wall member; the hook members of the base frame being of generally identical form;

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in a partially deconstructed state; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Figs. 1-6 in its compact out-of-use configuration;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a pallet base of a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is one side view of a constructed container of the second embodiment;

Fig. 11 is an adjacent side view relative to that of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is the opposite side view to that of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a magnified view of the area "A" of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is an elevation view of a particularly preferred form of hinge plate for use in a container of the invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention There is shown in the drawings a demountable container 10 having a pallet type base frame 11, a base plate 12, four sidewall members, 13, 14, 15 and 16, and a lid 17.

The base frame 11 is generally of standard construction being fabricated from metal and/or timber, and having two spaced apart recesses opening to each side for receiving the tynes of a forklift to allow the container 10 to be moved by, for example, a forklift truck or any other type of forklift apparatus . The base frame 11 has a plurality of longitudinal and/or cross members forming a deck. In use, the base plate 12 overlies the frame 11 and is securely supported by the longitudinal and/or cross members of the deck. The base plate 12 is a sheet of generally rigid plastics material and provides a flat inside bottom surface to the constructed container 10.

Along each upper outside edge of the base frame 11 there are provided three spaced hook members 20, each hook member 20 having a first portion 21 extending upwardly a predetermined distance above the level of the inside bottom surface of the constructed container, and a second portion 22 projecting inwardly from the upper distal end of the first portion 21. The base plate 12 extends between and is retained by the hook members 20. As such, each hook member 20 and the base plate 12 define a recess 23 which is adapted to receive and engage a part of the respective sidewall members 13-16.

The base frame 11 also has upwardly extending corner members 24 at each corner. In horizontal section, the corner members 24 have a first web 25 lying against and parallel to one side edge of the frame 11 and a second web 26 lying against and parallel an adjacent side edge of the frame 11, with the first and second webs 25, 26 meeting at the corner 27 of the frame 11. Conveniently, the corner members 24 can be fabricated from standard angle iron. One of the webs 25 of each corner member 24 has an L-shaped slot 29. The slots 29 of preselected pairs of the corner members or hinge plates 24 face one another from opposite sides of the frame 11. The vertical portion 31 of each of the slots 29 of each pair of corner members 24 meet their horizontal portion 30 at its "inside end", the end furthest away from the side edge 19 of the frame 11 which extends between that pair of corner members 24. The reason for this will become evident below. The sidewall members 13, 14, 15 and 16 are constructed from square section tubular steel into a rectangular planar shape and are lined on the inside with a sheet of plastics material similar to that of the base plate 12. It will be appreciated that the bottom edge of each sidewall member is defined by a length of the tubular steel which is of a size receivable in the recess 23 of the hook members 20.

Two of the sidewall members 13 and 15 are caused to be pivotally mounted to the frame 11 (hereinafter pivotal wall members). More particularly, each of pivotal wall members 13, 15 has a pair of pivot pins 33 which project from opposite side edges of each wall 13, 15 at positions immediately adjacent the bottom edge of each wall 13, 15. The pairs of pins 33 are aligned to define a pivot axis 36 of respective pivotal wall members 13, 15.

The pivotal wall members 13, 15 extend between the corner members 24 of each pair generally along an upper side edge of the frame 11, and the pivot pins 33 are received in the slots 29 of the respective corner members 24.

In the constructed ready-to-use configuration of the container 10, the pivot pins 33 of the pivotal wall members 13, 15 are within the horizontal portion 30 of the slot 29 adjacent the end which is distal from the vertical portion 31 and closest to the outside of the container 10. In this position, the bottom edges of the pivotal wall members 13, 15 extend along and are immediately adjacent respective and opposite side edges of the frame 11. Further, it will be appreciated that when the pivotal wall members 13, 15 are in this position, the tubular member forming the bottom edge of each pivotal wall member 13, 15 will be received in the recesses 23 of the respective hook members 20 of the frame 11 so as to be generally securely located relative to the frame 11.

In order to fold the pivotal wall members 13, 15 so that they overlie the frame 11, the bottom edge of the pivotal wall members 13, 15 are pushed inwardly causing the pivot pins to move a distance B along the horizontal portion 30 of the slot 29 to a position aligned with the vertical portion 31 of the slot 29. The distance B is slightly larger than the inwardly projecting length C of the portion 22 of the hook members 20. As such, in this disengaged position, the bottom tubular member of the pivotal wall member 13, 15 is clear of the hook members 20. In this disengaged position, the pivotal wall members 13, 15 can be pivoted so as to overly the base frame 11. It is to be specifically noted that the vertical portion 31 of the slot 29 allows the pivot pins 33 to be positioned at any position therealong such that the pivotal wall members 13, 15 can be at a range of heights above the base frame 11. The purpose of this will be explained below.

The pivotal wall members 13, 15 are also provided with three hook members 20 along each side edge, each hook member 20 having a similar form to the hook members on the base frame 11. The hook members 20 which are provided on those edges of the base frame 11 which extend between the respective pivotal sidewall members 13, 15, and the hook members 20 on the side edges of the respective pivotal wall members 13, 15, are adapted to receive the tubular members forming the side and bottom edges of the other sidewall members 14, 16. In this way, the other sidewall members 14, 16 can be positioned between the pivotal members 13, 15, and can be securely located by the hook members 20. Conveniently, the other sidewall members 14, 16 have a generally identical construction and can be interchanged. In an alternative embodiment not shown in the drawings, the other sidewall members 14, 16 can be hingedly attached to respective pivotal wall members 13, 15 so as to be hinged about a vertical axis immediately adjacent one side edge of the pivotal wall member 13, 15. In this way, the other sidewall members 14, 16 can be swung about the vertical axis between a closed position adjacent and parallel to the inside surface of the pivotal wall member 13, 15 and an open position extending between the respective pivotal wall members 13, 15. In the open position, the other sidewall member 14, 16 is in engagement with the hook members 20 in the base frame 11 and hook members 20 provided on the other side edge of the other pivotal wall member 13, 15.

It will be appreciated that the pivotal wall members 13, 15, in their engaged positions, are spaced apart a predetermined distance which allows the other wall members 14, 16 to be closely received therebetween. As such, the other sidewall members 14, 16 cannot be put into position until the pivotal wall members 13, 15 are secured by being engaged with the hook members 20 of the base frame 11. Further, the pivotal wall members 13, 15 cannot be disengaged from their engaged positions with the hook members 20 of the base frame 11 until the other wall members 14, 16 are removed or swung away. This arrangement provides an advantageous and secure cooperation between each of the sidewall members 13-16, the base frame 11 and base plate 12. Furthermore, the other sidewall members 14, 16 are provided with latch mechanisms 37 which have a retractable bolt 38 to be received in a corresponding recess (not shown) in the side edges of the pivotal wall members 13, 15.

The lid 17 is also formed by a frame constructed from tubular members and lined on one side with a sheet of plastics material similar to that of the sidewall members and the base plate 12. The lid 17 is provided with hook members 20 on one side edge, with the two adjacent side edges having flat projections 39. The lid 17 can be placed on top of the constructed container 10 and slid into an engaged position wherein the recess 23 of the hook members 20 on the one side edge receive the tubular member forming the top edge of one of the sidewall members 13-16, and the projections 39 help locate the lid 17 relative to two more of the side wall members 13-16. The lid may further have a retractable latch mechanism (not shown) to positively secure the lid in the position closing the container 10. The process of deconstructing the container 10 after use will be immediately apparent to the user. That is, it is fairly obvious that, after the lid 17 has been removed, the two other side wall members 14, 16 need to be moved from their position extending between the pivotal wall members 13, 15 before the pivotal wall members 13, 15 can be disengaged and pivoted into a position overlying the base frame 11.

As noted above, the width of the other sidewall members 14, 16 is selected so as to be closely received and to extend between the pivotal wall members 13, 15 in their engaged positions. The height of the other wall members 14, 16 is selected such that they can be placed overlying the base frame 11 whilst still allowing the pivotal wall members 13, 15 to be disengaged from the respective hook members (i.e. by being slid inwards with the pivot pins 38 moving along the bottom portion 30 of the slot 29 until they are aligned with the vertical portion 31 of the slot 29). In this way, the container 10 can easily be deconstructed into a compact configuration for transport with all of the container's components safely kept together.

More particularly, once the other sidewall members 14, 16 are disengaged from the hook members 20 of the base frame 11 and pivotal side members 13, 15, and after the pivotal wall members 13, 15 have been disengaged from the hook members 20 of the base frame 11, the various side wall members 13-16, the base sheet 12 and the lid 17 can be stored away in the compact configuration. It is preferred that the base plate 12 is removed after removing the other wall members 14, 16, and that the various sidewall members 13-16 are positioned so as to overlay one another in the following sequence:- placing a first one of the other sidewall members 14 over the base frame 11 whilst the pivotal wall members 13, 15 are still standing; disengage and pivot a first one of the pivotal wall members 13 so that it overlays the first other sidewall member 14; place the second of the other sidewall members 16 over the first pivotal wall member 13; disengage and pivot the second pivotal wall member 15 over the second other sidewall member 16; place the base sheet 12 over the second pivotal wall member 15; and place the lid 17 on top using its hook members 20 and the projections 39 so that it is generally retained in this position.

It will be appreciated that the corner members 24 of the base frame 11 help to retain the sidewall members 13-16, the base plate 12 and the lid 17 in the compact configuration. Further, as described above, the pivotal wall members 13, 15 are able to be pivoted over one or more of the other sidewall members 14, 16 by means of the L-shaped slots 29 which allow the pivot pins 33 to move upwards along the vertical portion 31 of the slot 29 to suit the required height of the pivotal wall member 13, 15 over the base frame 11.

The apparatus 10 may be quickly and effectively cleaned after the lid 17, the other sidewall members 14, 16 and the base plate 12 have been removed and before it is deconstructed into the compact configuration as shown in Figure 8. In the intermediate configuration as shown in Figure 7, the fact that the other sidewall members 14, 16 have been removed provides an open corridor to allow for easy access to all parts of the container 10 for cleaning purposes. Further, since the base plate 12 has been removed, the bottom edges of the pivotal wall members 13, 15 are spaced above the deck of the frame 11 which further minimises the risk that food products will be trapped in inaccessible crevices.

Since all of the sidewall members 13-16, the base plate 12 and the lid 17 are neatly retained together in the compact configuration of the apparatus 10, there is little risk that any of these parts will be misplaced.

Further, since the other sidewall members 14, 16 have an identical construction, these can be interchanged without affecting the ability of the apparatus 10 to be re-constructed. The above described embodiment is constructed using materials which are particularly suitable for its application. It will be appreciated, however, that other materials could be used. For example, the base frame 11, sidewall members 13-16 and lid 17 could be constructed from angle iron rather than rectangular hollow section, and the inside surface of the sidewall members 13-16 and the lid 17, and the base plate 12, may be sheet metal rather than a plastics material without departing from the scope of the invention. The second embodiment of Figures 9-12 has a general arrangement similar to that of Figures 1-8 with the significant difference being the form of the hooking together means of this version in place of the hooks 20 of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment the container 50 comprises a pallet style base 51 having forklift openings 52 in all sides. Loop or strap fittings 53 around the perimeter of base 51 replace the corresponding hooks 20 of the first embodiment with the bottom edges of the upright side panels 54-57 having complementary hooks 58 which fit the openings in loops or straps 52.

Opposite sides 55 and 57, which are hingedly connected to base 50 in the manner of the first embodiment, are of slightly differing form while opposed sides 54 and 56 are identical. Sides 55 and 57 differ in that side 55 is of a fixed planar form while side 57 is hinged along axis 59 and connected to adjacent sides 54 and 56 so as to enable panel 60 of side 56 to be folded about hinge 59 outwardly of the container when the container 50 is erected. The folding panel 60 allows access to the interior of container 50 when erected. In this way a flexible plastics liner for the container can be readily inserted into or removed from container 50. In the collapsed state, the base plate of the second embodiment is left overlaying the base frame 51.

Side 57 also includes an opening 61 through which an outlet of a contained plastics liner can be passed for discharge of the contents of the liner.

It will be understood that the precise shape of slots 29 is not of critical importance to the functioning of the embodiments and it is only necessary that those slots or cut-outs be such as to permit the necessary pivoting and folding motion to the respective sides of the container. In one alternative form slots 29 may be provided as triangular cut-outs. In yet another form the slots may be as shown in Fig. 14.

The slot in the hinge plate of Fig. 14 enables its associated pivoting foldable side (not shown) to be conveniently retained in an outward lean from the container while removable sides are being placed in a layered manner upon the base and for ease of cleaning.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A demountable pallet type container comprising: a rectangular base and four sidewall members, at least one of the sidewall members being pivotally mounted to the base about substantially horizontal pivot means so as to be movable into a position generally overlaying the base, and wherein the other sidewall members are selectively detachable from the base; the base and the sidewall members being adapted to cooperate with one another to be constructed into a box-like configuration and deconstructed into a compact configuration; the pivot means being adapted to allow the generally horizontally extending pivot axis of the or each pivotal side member to be vertically movable relative to the base to allow for deconstruction of the container into the compact configuration; the base and/or the sidewall members each have comprising interconnection means for maintaining the constructed box configuration.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein each pivot means comprises a slot in each opposite side edge of the or each side wall member.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein each pivot means comprises a slot in the base means adjacent the respective opposite side edges of the or each pivotal side wall member.

4. A container as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein each slot is L-shaped such that the associated pivot pin is selectively positionable in the distal end of the horizontal position of the slot in the constructed configuration of the container.

5. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein there are two opposed side wall members pivotally mounted to the base.

6. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the interconnection means comprise a plurality of hook members .

7. A container as claimed in claim 6 wherein the hook members are or the base or side wall members and are adapted to engage with complementary means on adjacent side walls.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein the complementary means comprise strap fittings .

9. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one sidewall is formed from the hingedly connected panels such that in the assembled state of the container one of said panels is releasable to hinge outwardly of the container to enable access to the interior of the container.

10. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1-8 or 9-13 of the accompanying drawings or Figs. 1-13 as modified by Fig. 14.