WO2001051366A1

WO2001051366A1 - Reversibly collapsible/erectable container

Info

Publication number: WO2001051366A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/000857
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matthew Todd Hupp
Original assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
Priority date: 2000-01-11
Filing date: 2001-01-11
Publication date: 2001-07-19
Also published as: TW450923B; AU2001232770A1

Abstract

An erectable and collapsible container. The container is transformable from an erect condition to a collapsed condition, upon the application of compressive forces. Likewise, the container is transformable from a collapsed condition to an erect condition upon the application of extension forces. The container has a plurality of sidewalls, at least one of which is articulable about a hinge line. The sidewalls are interconnected by a floor pan. The floor pan lies in a plane having a vector component perpendicular to the collapse and erect direction. Preferably, each of the sidewalls is articulable about its own hinge line, the hinge lines each being disposed substantially parallel to and equidistant from the plane of the floor pan.

Description

REVERSIBLY COLLAPSIBLE/ERECTABLE CONTAINER

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention is directed to containers for storage of objects, and more particularly containers which are reversibly collapsible and erectable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Collapsible containers are known in the art. For example, commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 5,379,897, iss. Jan. 10, 1995 to Muckenfuhs et al., and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a resiliently deformable container. However, this container is not consistently deformable about a permanent line of weakness. Commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 5,996,882, issued Dec. 7, 1999 to Randall, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a container wherein the sidewalls are articulable about two spaced-apart lines of weakness. However, such articulation requires manual manipulation by the user to effect collapse and erection.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,986, iss. Sep. 22, 1987 to Chou, discloses another form of a container having fold lines. U.S. 4,678,095, iss. July 7, 1987 to Barnett et al., discloses a polygonal collapsible container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,398, iss. Nov. 19, 1996 to Robbins III, discloses a collapsible container having axially movable sidewalls. U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,789, iss. June 1 1, 1996 to Jackman, discloses a container which is collapsible upon rotation between the top and bottom of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,933, iss. Apr. 13, 1976 to Giambrone et al., discloses a collapsible container having sidewall panels which separate from adjacent sidewall panels upon collapse. U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,644, iss. June 5, 1990 to Robbins, III, teaches a collapsible thin film plastic container which does not have hinge lines in the sidewall. U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,684, iss. May 16, 1967 to Calhoun, discloses a container having ends with diagonal fold lines longer than the straight line distance between opposite ends of the fold lines. However, this arrangement is infeasible for all but square container shapes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,062, iss. July 27, 1965 to Day et al., discloses an accordion-type tissue dispensing carton having both sidewalls and end walls which are hinged inwardly. Thus, the Day et al. carton sacrifices volume in the expanded condition. Further, Day et al. does not suggest the use of gussets to provide for reliable expansion and hinging at the fold lines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises an erectable and collapsible container. The container is reversibly transformable between a collapsed condition and an erected condition. The container comprises a plurality of sidewalls interconnected by a floor pan which lies in a plane. The sidewalls project from the floor pan. At least one of the sidewalls has a hinge line therein. The hinge line is preferably disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the floor pan. The hinge line divides the sidewall into upper and lower portions, each of which is articulable about the hinge line when the container is transformed between the collapsed and erected conditions. The sidewalls further comprise gussets. The gussets comprise fold lines extending from the ends of the sidewalls towards and terminating at the hinge lines. The fold lines in the gussets provide for reliable collapse and erection of the container.

The invention also comprises a method of transforming the container between erect and collapsed conditions. The method comprises the steps of providing a container having a plurality of sidewalls interconnected by a floor pan and defining a first plane. The container is collapsible and erectable in a direction having a vector component perpendicular to the plane. The container is provided in a collapsed condition. The container has struts articulable about an axis parallel to the floor pan. Erection of the container is effected by articulating the struts about an axis, which axis is preferably coincident the proximal end of the strut, from a first position which does not reinforce its respective sidewalls. Upon articulation, the strut is transformed to a second position whereby the strut reinforces the sidewall and erection of the container occurs upon such articulation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the present invention illustrating an optional cover, the container being in an erect condition. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container of Fig. 1 being shown in a collapsed condition.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the container and one type of reinforcement suitable for use with the container, the reinforcement having a left-hand strut in the reinforcing position and right-hand strut removed from the sidewall and not in a reinforcing position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 depicts a preferred embodiment of a container 10 according to the present invention. In the embodiment depicted in Fig. 1, the container 10 includes a container 10 body preferably unitarily formed from sheet material. An optional cover 12 may be included and unitarily formed with the container 10. The container 10 may also include a closure for sealing the cover 12 and container 10. However, it is to be recognized that the cover 12 is an auxiliary feature and does not form part of the claimed invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the container 10 according to the present invention is reversibly transformable between two conditions, a collapsed condition and an erect condition. The container 10 has a first volume associated with its collapsed condition. The container 10 further has a second volume associated with its erect condition. The second volume is greater than the first. The container 10 may be collapsed in stages, as the contents are depleted. This provides the benefits of requiring less storage space and removing oxygen from the container 10 if perishable contents are stored therein. Preferably, the second volume is at least 50% less than the first volume. Volume may be ascertained by filling the container 10 with water in both the collapsed and erected conditions. The container 10 according to the present invention may be relatively small, such that when the container 10 is in an erect condition, the container 10 may be stored in one's pocket or purse. Such a container 10 may be useful for storing pills, capsules, etc. Alternatively, the container 10 may be relatively large such that the container 10 is sized to fit a flat bed semi-truck. Such a container 10 may be useful for carrying construction materials, etc. One contemplated use for the container 10 is to store perishable items such as food.

The container 10 comprises a floor pan 22 and sidewalls 20 projecting outwardly from the floor pan 22. Preferably, in use, the sidewalls 20 project upwardly and terminate at a distal end forming the mouth 26 or opening of the container 10. The illustrated embodiment has four sidewalls 20. However, it is to be recognized the invention is not so limited. The sidewalls 20 have a length, taken parallel to the floor pan 22, which is greater than the height, taken in the collapse direction.

The cover 12 may be generally flat, as illustrated, or may have a convex inward or convex outward orientation, as desired. For certain embodiments, it is preferred that the cover 12 be substantially flat so that the container 10 is stackable.

The floor pan 22 defines and lies in a first plane. For the embodiment illustrated, the floor pan 22 is defined by the vertices at the four corners of the upstanding sidewalls 20. The floor pan 22 may be domed convex inwardly to increase strength, as is known in the art. Particularly, domed floor pans 22 provide increased strength for loading by the contents of the container 10 in a direction normal to the floor pan 22. Alternatively, the floor pan 22 may be disposed convex outwardly, although this may be decrease stability when the container 10 rests on a horizontal surface. It is to be recognized and appreciated that the floor pan 22 may be domed as is known in the art yet still define a plane. The sidewalls 20 are illustrated to be generally perpendicular to and projecting outwardly from the floor pan 22. It is to be recognized that sidewalls 20 which project outwardly in a non-perpendicular orientation, e.g., such as a divergent orientation to provide a greater cross section at the top of the container 10 than at the floor pan 22, are known and may be utilized in accordance with the present invention. At least one of the upstanding sidewalls 20 has a hinge line 30 therein. It is to be recognized that, as illustrated, each of the upstanding sidewalls 20 may be provided with a hinge line 30, as illustrated, in a more preferred embodiment, as illustrated. The hinge line 30 is generally orthogonal to the direction of collapse and erection of the container 10, and thus may be generally parallel to the plane of the floor pan 22 in a preferred embodiment. Alternatively, if the hinge lines 30 are not parallel to the plane of the floor pan 22, the sidewall 20 will collapse into a somewhat triangular shape increasing the height of the container 10 when it is in the collapsed condition. It may be desired to collapse the container 10 into a triangular configuration if one expects to dispense farinaceous or pasty products from the opposite sidewall 20 of the container 10. For such an embodiment, the aperture 26 of the container 10 may be disposed in that sidewall 20. More particularly, the container 10 is erectable and collapsible in a direction having a vector component perpendicular to, and preferably identically perpendicular to the plane of the floor pan 22.

Transformation of the container 10 from an erected condition to a collapsed condition is in response to compressively applied forces having a vector component parallel to, and preferably identically parallel to the collapse direction. Likewise, erection of the container 10 from a collapsed condition may occur in response to extension forces applied in a direction having a vector component parallel to, and preferably identically parallel to the collapse direction but having an opposite sense.

As illustrated in Figs. 3-4, the hinge line 30 in the at least one sidewall 20, and preferably all sidewalls 20, or any combination therebetween, is preferably formed by providing a line of weakness in the sidewall 20 of the container 10. The line of weakness may be an area of reduced wall thickness, or an area of offset material. Preferably, if the container 10 is formed of a unitary sheet of polymeric material, as described herein, the line of weakness represents a V-shaped notch.

By providing a V-shaped notch for the line of weakness, the sidewalls 20 may be predisposed and/or biased to articulate about the hinge lines 30 so that the sidewalls 20 collapse either inwardly or outwardly relative to the center and body of the container 10. In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in Figs. 3-4, opposed sidewalls 20 collapse in the same disposition. The front and rear sidewalls 20, in the illustrated embodiment, articulate so that the walls collapse outwardly and away from the container 10. In contrast, the opposed sidewalls 20 forming the left and right ends of the container 10 articulate to collapse inwardly and towards the center of the container 10. In this arrangement, oppositely disposed sidewalls 20 symmetrically articulate about a first pair of hinge lines 30 during collapse and erection. Further, each sidewall 20 collapses in an orientation opposite that of the adjacent sidewalls 20. This arrangement provides the benefit that the sidewalls 20 having the greatest dimension, i.e., that dimension parallel to the major axis, collapse outwardly so that the sidewalls 20 do not encroach on the volume of the container 10 when it is in the erect condition.

Alternatively, adjacent sidewalls 20 may collapse in the same direction, i.e., inwardly or outwardly. This arrangement provides the benefit that when all of the sidewalls 20 collapse inwardly, the container 10 has a smaller footprint in the collapsed condition. Further, such containers 10 may be more easily stacked in such a collapsed condition.

Preferably, each hinge line 30 within the sidewalls 20 is disposed the same distance from the floor pan 22 as the other hinge lines 30. This allows for the most compact collapse of the container 10. One of ordinary skill will recognize that the hinge line 30 and/or gussets 32 should be disposed such that there are generally equal amounts of material on each side of the hinge line 30. It is not necessary that each hinge line 30 be disposed the same distance from the floor pan 22 as other hinge lines 30 disposed on other sidewalls 20 of the container 10. However, it is highly desirable that the hinge lines 30 be continuous and adjacent sidewalls 20. The position of the hinge line 30 in the sidewall 20 determines the height of the container 10 in the collapsed condition. If desired, the hinge lines 30 need not be centered in the sidewalls 20 to accommodate any deviation of the sidewall 20 from the perpendicular and any radii at the juncture between the sidewall 20 and floor pan 22.

The hinge line 30 divides its respective sidewall 20 into two portions articulable about the hinge line 30. For the illustrated embodiments having a horizontal hinge line 30, the respective sidewall 20 is divided into articulable upper and lower portions. Alternatively, the hinge lines 30 may be vertically oriented so that the respective sidewalls 20 are divided into articulable left and right lateral portions. While this arrangement does not collapse to as small of a volume as that illustrated, it provides the benefit of increased rigidity in the vertical direction. Either arrangement provides a container 10 having sidewalls 20 with sufficient rigidity to make the container 10 self- supporting. By being self-supporting, the container 10 is capable of maintaining an erect condition against its own weight and the force of gravity. This arrangement provides the benefits that the container 10 is more convenient when loading and unloading contents. Preferably, the container 10 is transformable and compliant under forces commonly applied by hand. Alternatively, in a less preferred embodiment, one or more of the walls may comprise flaccid material. Flaccid material is considered to be that material which is not self-supporting of its own weight in a vertical plane and which can articulate or collapse without having a predetermined hinge line 30. Suitable materials for use in a flaccid sidewall 20 include low density polyethylene having a thickness of 0.2 to 0.5 millimeters in thickness or polypropylene having a thickness of 0.01 to 0.05 millimeters. Benefits to a flaccid sidewall 20 include thinner and less expensive material may be used, easier to manipulate.

Further, the sidewalls 20 are provided with gussets 32 as is known in the art. The gussets 32 further assist in the smooth, consistent and controlled collapsing and erection of the container 10. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill that the hinge lines 30 occur at the vertex of the gussets 32, the gussets 32 being oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of the floor pan 22.

The sidewalls 20 of the container 10 are defined by and coterminous of two ends. Each end of the sidewall 20 has two pairs of diagonally opposed corners. The sidewalls 20 are shown to be rectangular, although triangular and quadrilaterally shaped sidewalls 20 are contemplated, as well as those of octagonal and other polygonal shapes.

The gussets 32 comprise fold lines. The fold lines extend from one end of the sidewall 20 towards and intercept the hinge line 30 at the vertex. Preferably, each end of the sidewall 20 has a gusset 32 with such fold lines therein, so that both ends of the sidewall 20 uniformly collapse. Otherwise, the container 10 will collapse into a triangular configuration and assume greater storage space in the collapsed condition. The fold lines of the gusset 32 do not intercept diagonally opposite corners of the sidewall 20, otherwise, articulation does not occur about the hinge line 30.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the container 10 is formed from a unitary sheet of material. By forming the container 10 from a unitary sheet of material, the presence of seal 14 lines within the body of the container 10 is eliminated and pathways for leakage are reduced. The container 10 may be blow molded, injection molded, or preferably thermoformed.

Various compositions suitable for constructing the storage containers 10 of the present invention include substantially impermeable materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyester, aluminum foil, coated (waxed, etc.) and uncoated paper, coated nonwovens etc., and substantially permeable materials such as scrims, meshes, wovens, nonwovens, or perforated or porous films, whether predominantly two-dimensional in nature or formed into three-dimensional structures. Such materials may comprise a single composition or layer or may be a composite structure of multiple materials, including a substrate material utilized as a carrier for a substance. Materials found suitable for use in accordance with the present invention include a low density polyethylene film, 10 mil (0.25 millimeters) thickness, commercially available from Chevron under the manufacturer's designation PE1122 and a syndiotactic polypropylene of 20 mils (0.5 millimeters) thickness, commercially available from Fina under the manufacturer's designation EOD96-28. Further suitable materials include a polyethylene/polypropylene blend, and a sydiotactic polypropylene. Wood and metal may be used for larger size containers 10.

Referring to Fig. 5, if desired, the container 10 may be provided with a reinforcement 40. Particularly, the reinforcement 40 may comprise struts 42 which support one or more erect sidewalls 20. The struts 42 may be utilized to support either self-supporting articulable sidewalls 20, flaccid sidewalls 20, or combinations thereof.

Further, the reinforcement 40 may provide a floor pan 22 support. The floor pan 22 support extends partially, and preferably completely across the length, and optionally across the width of the floor pan 22. If the floor pan 22 has an aspect ratio greater than one, preferably the floor pan 22 support extends throughout and in the direction of the major axis.

Further, the struts 42 may be articulable so that they may be applied to and removed from the sidewalls 20 as desired. Preferably, the struts 42 are articulable about a proximal end, the proximal end being juxtaposed with the floor pan 22. The distal end of the strut 42 may engage the sidewall 20, a flange circumjacent the aperture 26 of the container 10, or any other point near the top or opening of the container 10 which is convenient and provides structural support to resist collapse of the container 10 in the collapse direction. Thus, the struts 42 preferably provide reinforcement 40 in a direction generally perpendicular to the hinge line 30 in the respective sidewall 20.

If desired, the strut(s) 42 and floor pan 22 support may be comprised of a unitary and integral piece of material as illustrated. This arrangement provides a reinforcement 40 which collectively comprises one or more struts 42 and a floor pan 22 support. Collectively, opposed struts 42 and a unitary floor pan 22 support can cradle the container 10 to provide increases rigidity. This arrangement provides the benefit that the reinforcement 40 may be manufactured as a single element.

Further, attachment of the integral reinforcement 40 to the container 10 is simplified. For example, in the embodiment illustrated, the floor pan 22 support may be joined to the bottom of the floor pan 22 of the container 10. Joining of the reinforcement

40 to the container 10 may be accomplished using any suitable means such as heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, adhesive, etc.

Suitable materials for the reinforcement 40 include two-faced or single-faced corrugated, polymeric materials dissimilar, similar or identical to that used for the container 10.

A reinforcement transformable between reinforcing and nonreinforcing positions, as shown, provides the benefit that the container 10 may be transformed from a collapsed condition to an erected condition without the user inserting his or her hands into the container 10. Thus, sanitation concerns about the user's hands soiling or contaminating the inside of the container 10 when the contents of the container 10 which are desired to be kept sanitary are reduced.

Erection of such a container 10 may occur by articulating the strut 42 from the nonreinforcing position to the reinforcing position, wherein the strut 42 engages the sidewall 20 or, the flange circumjacent the aperture 26 of the container 10. By articulating the struts 42 inwardly, the rotational forces applied to the struts 42 as they are articulated toward each other become converted to extension forces which cause erection of the container 10.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An erectable and collapsible container, said container being transformable from a collapsed condition to an erected condition, said container comprising a plurality of sidewalls interconnected by a floor pan, said sidewalls being defined by two ends and having corners juxtaposed with said ends, said sidewalls projecting from said floor pan, said floor pan lying in a plane, at least one of said sidewalls having a hinge line therein, said hinge line being disposed substantially parallel to said plane, wherein said hinge line divides said sidewall into an upper portion and a lower portion, each of said upper and lower portions being articulable about said hinge line when said container is transformed between said collapsed and said erected condition, said sidewall further comprising at least one gusset therein, said gusset lying within the plane of said sidewall and comprising two fold lines, one fold line disposed on said upper portion of said sidewall and one fold line disposed on said lower portion of said sidewall, characterized in that each said fold line extends from one end of said sidewall towards and intercepts said hinge line, said fold line not intercepting the diagonally opposite corner of said sidewall.

2. A collapsible and erectable container according to Claim 1, having a plurality of upstanding sidewalls interconnected by a floor pan, said floor pan lying in a first plane, each of said sidewalls having a line of weakness therein, said line of weakness being parallel said plane.

3. A container according to Claims 1 and 2, wherein said sidewalls comprise oppositely disposed pairs, wherein a first said pair of sidewalls articulates outwardly and a second said pair of sidewalls collapses inwardly when said container is transformed from said erected state to said collapsed state, and preferably having four sidewalls comprising two pairs of oppositely disposed sidewalls, said line of weakness circumscribing one said pair of said sidewalls and inscribing the other said pair of said sidewalls.

4. A container according to Claims 2 and 3, wherein each of said sidewalls has a cross section, and said line of weakness comprises a V-shaped notch in said cross section.

5. A container according to Claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, comprising a second gusset juxtaposed with a second end of said sidewall, said second gusset being symmetrically opposite said first gusset, said fold lines in said gusset intercepting said corners of said sidewalls.

6. A container according to Claims 3, 4 and 5, wherein two oppositely disposed sidewalls and said floor pan are reinforced, said sidewalls being reinforced with an upstanding strut, said floor pan being reinforced by a floor pan support intermediate said sidewall struts, said sidewall struts and said floor pan support being contiguous.

7. A container according to Claim 6, wherein said sidewall reinforcing struts are articulable about a proximal end, said proximal end being coterminous with said floor pan reinforcing support.

8. A container having a plurality of sidewalls interconnected by a floor pan, said container being transformable between a collapsed condition having a first volume and an erected condition having a second volume, said second volume being greater than said first volume, each said sidewall of said container being substantially coplanar when said container is in said erected condition, said sidewalls being defined by and coterminous of two ends, each of said sidewalls having a hinge line extending throughout the length of said sidewall dividing said sidewalls into two portions, each said portion of said sidewall being articulable about its respective hinge line, each of said two ends having two corners, said container having a floor pan with a rectangular footprint, said floor plan having a major axis and a minor axis orthogonal thereto, said major axis being greater than said minor axis, whereby at least two said sidewalls are longer than other said sidewalls, said two longer sidewalls having gussets therein, characterized in that said gussets comprise fold lines extending from said corners to said hinge lines, each said hinge line extending throughout the length of its respective sidewall.

9. A method of transforming a container from a collapsed condition to an erect condition without the user inserting hands into the container, said method comprising the steps of providing a container having a plurality of sidewalls interconnected by a floor pan, said floor pan defining a first plane, said container being collapsed in a direction having a vector component perpendicular to said first plane, said container being provided in said collapsed condition wherein at least two said sidewalls are articulated to a collapsed position about a hinge line lying within said sidewalls and having a vector component parallel to said plane, said container further having a strut associated with each of said two sidewalls and being attached to said container at a proximal end; transforming said strut from a first position wherein said strut does not reinforce said container to a second position wherein said strut reinforces said container, whereby transformation of said strut from said first position to said second position causes erection of said container without the user inserting hands into said container; and attaching each said strut to its respective sidewall of said container, characterized in that said strut is transformed from said first position to said second position by articulation about a hinge line substantially parallel to the plane of said floor pan.

10. The method according to Claim 9, wherein said container further comprises a floor pan reinforcement, said floor pan reinforcement stiffening said floor pan whereby a user can apply pressure perpendicular to the plane of said floor pan through said floor pan reinforcement.