AU676087B2

AU676087B2 - Collapsible container

Info

Publication number: AU676087B2
Application number: AU75987/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ladislav Stephan Karpisek
Original assignee: Technosearch Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Technosearch Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1993-10-13
Filing date: 1994-10-24
Publication date: 1997-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2014-10-24
Also published as: AU7598794A

Description

P/00/01 AUSTRALIA gulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

NOTICE

1. The specification should describe the invention in full and the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

2. The specification should be typed on as many sheets of good quality A4 International size paper as are necessary and inserted inside this form.

3. The claims defining the invention must start on a new page. If there is insufficient space on this form for the claims, use separate sheets of paper.

The words "The claims defining the invention are as follows" should appear before claim 1. After the claims the date and the name of the applicant should appear in block letters.

4. This form must be accompanied by a true and exact copy of the description, claims and drawings (if any) and an additional copy of the claims.

0* (see Pamphlets explaining formal requirements of specifications and drawings) TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: TECHNOSEARCH PTY. LIMITED N am e of A pplicant T C. A H L.I Ladislav S ephan KARPISEK A ttu a l Inve nto h -'HA L L IDAY S .:odress for Service: 44 ASHLEY STREET, HORNSBY N.S.W. 2077, AUSTRALIA So Ti COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER In v e ntio n T itle PM1788 filed 13510.93 Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Nos: The following statement Is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:-

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1 COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER This invention relates to collapsible containers and in particular to a container with side panels which can folded down onto a base to provide a consolidated unit.

Broadly stated the invention can be said to provide a collapsible container including a four sided base and an upper surface, mounting rails on opposite sides of said base, mounting edges on the mounting rails 1. spaced above the upper surface of said base, a pair of fold down rectangular primary side panels coupled one to each of said mounting rails, a pair of fold down rectangular secondary side panels respectively disposed adjacent the other sides of said base and each coupled to both of said mounting rails, the couplings between .the side panels to the mounting rails enabling each S•side panel to move laterally relative to the base, pivotally and in a linear manner towards and away from the base upper surface, co-operating first mounting means on said mounting rails and bottom edges of said primary side panels the engagement of which by lateral movement of the primary side panels relative to the base positions said primary side panels in an erect condition on the mounting edges of the mounting rails, co-operating second mounting means on said base adjacent said other sides of said base and on bottom b- 2 edges of said secondary side panels the engagement of which by lateral movement of the secondary side panels relative to said base positions said secondary side panels in an erect condition on said base, and releasable connecting means to connect adjacent end edges of said side panels when erected, the spacing of the said mounting edges above the upper surface of said base is substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of said secondary side panels so that by lateral movements of said secondary side panels the second mounting means is released and then by a combination of pivotal and linear movements of said secondary side panels they can be folded down one over the other from *o an erect condition with the said other secondary side panel overlying the upper surface of said base and oooo underlying said one secondary side panel, and by lateral movements of said primary side panels the first mounting means is released and then by a combination of pivotal and linear movements of said primary side S 20 panels they can be folded down one over the other from an erect condition with the said other primary side panel overlying said one secondary side panel and underlying said one primary side panel.

A presently preferred embodiment of the invention is hereinaftei disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig.l is a perspective view of the base of the container according to the invention, 1 III le I 3 Fig.2 is a perspective view of one of the panels from each of two pairs of side panels used in the container, Fig.3 is a perspective view with the base of Fig.l on which the two pairs of side panels are mounted and positioned in the erected condition, Fig.4 is a detail fragmentary view showing a side panel mounting to the base when engaged to provide the erected condition for the side panel, is a view similar to Fig.4 showing the side panel to base mounting disengaged, Fig.6 is a view similar to Fig.3 but with a secondary side panel folded down, SFig.7 is a fragmentary view showing the relationship of the side panel mounting means when the secondary side panel is in the Fig.6 folded down condition, Fig.8 is a fragmentary view showing the folded down relationship of two opposed secondary side panels, S"Fig.9 is a fragmentary view showing the relationship of the two secondary side panels when in the Fig.8 folded 20 down condition, is a view showing the secondary side panels foled down and a primary side panel folded down and Fig.ll shows all four side panels folded down onto the base.

Referring to the drawings, Fig.l illustrate a rectangular container base 1 which has two parallel sides 2,3 and a bearer 5 interposed therebetween. The

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-4bottom edges of the sides 2,3 and the bearer 4 are connected by several transverse battens 5. There is a panel 6 to provide an upper surface for the base.

There is a box section mounting rail 29 on each of two opposed sides of the base 1. The mounting rails 29 each have an outer skin 7 and an inner skin 8 joined by a mounting face 9. The mounting rails 29 each have end legs Tracks of form indicated 11 and 12 extend through the support legs 10 and through the inner skins S8 of the mounting rails 29. As shown the long "L" legs vertical and the short legs are directed in directions at right angles to each other and are all horizontal.

Extending the length of each mounting rail face 9 there is an inwardly directed leg 13 spaced above the mounting face 9 and there are like inwardly directed ••co legs 14 fixed to the base 1 at the other sides of the base adjacent the ends of the mounting rails 29. The 20 spacing of the legs 13 and 14 above the mounting rails face 9 and the base surface 6 provide mounting channels.

Two pairs of side panels are permanently coupled to the base 1 by coupling means. The primary side panel pair 15 and 16 are coupled to the tracks 11 and the secondary side panel pair 17,18 are coupled to the tracks 12 by pins 19 and 20 respectively. Each side panel is preferably formed from a frame of angle iron -1 I 5 members with out-turned flanges and an inner cladding sheet 21. It is to be noted that the panels 15,16 are not as tall as the panels 17,18 for reasons that will become clear from the following detailed description.

As will be seen from Fig.l the panels 17,18 are provided with bolts 21 for engagement in holes 22 in the frames of the panels 15,16.

The container in a folded configuration is shown in Fig.ll and in an erected condition is shown in Fig.3.

Working in reverse from the folded condition of Fig.ll to the.erected condition of Fig.3 the steps are as shown in Figs.10,9,6 and 3.

Specifically, to achieve the conversion from the folded down configuration to the erected configuration the coupling means between the side panels and the base requires the coupling means to allow lateral movement of the side panels, pivotal movement of the side panels and linear movements (in the plane of the panels) relative to the upper surface 6 of the base 1.

20 From Fig.10 it will be seen that in order to erect the side panel 15 the pin 19 of the panel 15 will rotate in the upright leg of the slot 11 as the panel is pivotally raised to the vertical condition and will move in the linear manner vertically so the bottom rail of the panel 15 rests on the mounting rail surface 9. The panel 15 is then moved laterally to engau". the mounting means as the pins 19 move along the horizontal L I IWI I Ild_ I ii 6 legs of the tracks 11. This movement engages the leg of the bottom rail of the panel 15 under the leg 13 on the mounting rail 29. When the mounting means is engaged the panel 15 is supported in a substantially vertical erected condition, The panel 16 is then likewise raised to the nea 'vertical erected condition shown in Fig.9.

The side panels 17 and 18 are then similarly sequentially raised and the legs 30 of the bottom rails of the side panels are engaged under the legs 14 on the base upper surface 6.

Fig.6 illustrates the configuration when the side o. S panel 18 is raised. As part of the erection of the panels 17, 18 the 31 legs of the angle material forming the ends of the side panels engage in hooking means :i.

comprised of the inturned legs 23 of brackets fixed to the panels 15 and 16.

It follows that with panels sized so that the end

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to end dimension of the secondary panels 17-18 is 20 substantially equal to the spacing of the panels 15-16 when erected and the end to end sizing of the primary panels 15-16 such that they overlie the ends of the side panels 17-18 a neat fitting four sided enclosure can be erected on the base 1. The relationsh' p also prevents the side panels 15-16 moving laterally to disengage their mounting means whereby they are mounted on the mounting rails. They are also prevented from outwardly movement by the engagement of tht flanges of I Ir -7the uprights of the panels with the bracket legs 23 and the engagement of the bottom rail flange with the base flanges 13. The panels 17 and 18 are prevented from outward movement by the engagement between the legs 31 of the ends of the side frames 17-18 and the hooks 23.

The side panel connecting means including the hooks 23 and the legs 31 of the ends of the side panels 17-18 further includes latches in the form of bolts 21 engaged in holes 22 in the ends of the side panels 15-16. The latches 21-22 prevent the panels 17,18 moving inwardly to release the engagement of the legs 31 with the hooks 23.

From the foregoing the complete security of the container can be readily understood.

Where a lid is required a suitable lid can be designed to co-operate with the side panels of the container. Locking means can be provided and to that end the bracket 25 with a hole therein is shown on the top rail of the panel 17 in Fig.3.

20 The sequential folding down of the side panels 15,16,17,18 in pairs is predetermined as will be seen from Figs.8 and 11 with the long legs of the tracks 11,12 of sufficient length to allow the tiered stacking of the side panels in pairs as illustrated in Fig.ll.

The security of the connection of the side panels to the base and the simplicity of the erection and collapsing sequences can be readily seen from the ~s -r I I I T 8 foregoing description and the drawings.

The foregoing is a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and it is to be understood that changes can be made to the manner of constructing the panels and the base without departing from the inventive concept hereinafter claimed.

By way of example only, the tracks 11 and 12 herein described are slots through the support legs 10 and the mounting rail skins 8. Tracks in the form of depressions of shape pressed into or otherwise formed in the legs 10 and the skins 8 can be used in place of through slots.

t*oo* Ir d' M

Claims

2. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 Swherein the coupling means each comprises IILI" shaped Sotracks in the mounting rails engaged by track followers on said side panels.
3. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each co-operating mounting means comprises tongues means on said side panels and channel means on said mounting I ~B CI*II~_I 11 rails and said base.
4. A collapsible container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the connecting means comprises hook elements on the end edges of the primary side panels engagable by co-operating portions of the end edges of the secondary side panels to retain the primary side panels in a fixed spaced relationship and latch means to prevent the disengagement of the secondary side panels from said hook elements. 00 A collapsible container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the spacing apart of the end edges of each secondary side panel is substantially equal to the spacing apart of the primary side panels when erected and the spacing apart of the end edges of the primary side panels is such that when the side panels are all erected inner faces of the primary side panels overlie S the end edges of the secondary side panels.
6. A collapsible container as claimed in claim wherein the latch mans comprises sliding bolts on the secondary side panels which are slidably engagable with apertures in the primary side panels.
7. A collapsible container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the side panels are frames including a top frame member and a bottom frame member c- 1_ 12 and two end frame members, where the frame members are all made of shaped cross-section material and first legs of the frame members lie in the plane of the side member and are covered by a liner sheet fixed to said first legs and the second leg of the bottom frame member of each side panel comprises the tongues of the mounting means whereby the respective side panels are mounted to the base and the mounting channels.
8. A collapsible container as claimed in claim 7 when dependent on claim 4 wherein the hook elements of the connecting means engage around the second legs of the shaped material forming the end frame members of the secondary side panels. *9 9 So9. A collapsible container including a rectangular base with an upper surface and a pair of rectangular primary side panels and a pair of rectangular secondary side panels each with a top edge, a bottom edge and two end edges, the height of the primary panels between the top and bottom edges being less than the height of the secondary panels by an amount equal to the height of mounting rails on opposed sides of said base which height is substantially equal to the combined thickness of the pair of secondary side panels, said primary side panels being coupled to said mounting rails by coupling means enabling each primary side panel to move I 1 '7 11-- 'IIC- II mr~ll- l 13 laterally, pivotally and in a linear manner towards and away from said base upper surface and when erected to have the bottom edges thereof respectively resting on said mounting rails, said secondary side panels being coupled to said mounting rails by coupling means enabling each secondary side panel to move laterally, pivotally and in linear manner towards and away from said base upper surface and when erected to have the bottom edges thereof respectively resting on said base upper surface, first mounting means on the mounting rails and the upper surface of said base, second mounting means on the bottom edges of said side panels respectively engagable with the first mounting means by lateral movement of said side panels relative to said V. base upper surface thereby to mount said side panels in an erected condition where said side panels are upstanding with respect to the base upper surface, releasable connecting means to connect adjacent end edges of said side panels when erected, the panels being foldable into overlying relationship over said base upper surface by initially laterally moving said side panels to disengage said first and second mounting means and then by a combination of pivotal and linear movements of the respective panels. A collapsible container including a rectangular base with an upper surface and two rectangular primary Sside panels and two rectangular secondary side panels i i I CI r~ ~I~-~n~3CCllll~ l~llIp 14 each with a top edge, a bottom edge and two end edges, said side panels are respectively associated with the four sides of the base and permanently coupled to the base by coupling means enabling all of the side panels to fold down into a stack of side panels overlying a top surface of the base and enabling the side panels to be erected and interconnected to provide a four sided enclosure upstanding from the base, the base includes a mounting rail on each of two opposed sides of the base, said mounting rails each include an upper face at an elevation above the base top surface substantially i equal to the sum of the thicknesses of secondary side e: panels, first mounting means at the upper face of each *mounting rail for respective engagement by co-operating mounting means on bottom edges of the two primary side panels, second mounting means at the sides of said base adjacent said opposed sides for respective 0 engagement by co-operating mounting means on bottom "edges of the secondary side panels, said coupling means including four tracks on each mounting rail with corresponding tracks on the respective mounting rails forming track pairs each track pair being engaged by track followers on one of said side panels, each said track pair permitting lateral movement relative to said base of the coupled side panel to provide engagement or ALVidisengagement of the first mounting means on the base "mk- w CX- 0 1 ITO' II I -I b4 I"mrrr~ 15 and the co-operating mounting means on the side panel, (ii) linear movement of the coupled side panel in a direction towards and away from said upper surface of said base, and (iii) pivotal movement of the coupled side panel relative to said base, a combination of said linear and pivotal movements followed by said lateral movement enables said side panels to be erected from the folded down condition to the erected condition with the co-operating mounting means of the panels respectively engaged in the said first and second mounting means of the base and said side panels to be folded down into an overlying o•...relationship with each other and said base by a reverse sequence of movements, and wherein the width of the secondary side panels between the end edges thereof is the same and is less than the width between end edges of the primary side panels which are the same so that the primary side panels overlie the end edges of the secondary side panels when the side panels are all erected and connecting means to hold adjacent end edges of erected side panel together. Dated this 12th day of December, 1996 TECHNOSEARCH PTY. LIMITED By its Patent Attorney, Robert Halliday. lr 1 ABSTRACT A collapsible container including a base a pair of fold down primary side panels (15,16) each coupled to a mounting rail a pair of fold down secondary side panels (17,18) each coupled to both mounting rails the couplings between the side panels to the mounting rails enabling each side panel to move 0o 0 laterally and pivotally relative to the base and linearly towards and away from the base Mounting means (13,30) on the mounting rails (29) and the side panels (15,16) and mounting means (14,30) on the base and the side panels (17,18) enable the side panels s can be mounted erect on the base The height of the mounting rails and the form of the coupling means allows the side panels to be stacked in a tier one over the other in overlying relationship with the base (1) whilst still permanently coupled to the base(l). I- I I