WO2013138870A1

WO2013138870A1 - Collapsible container improvements

Info

Publication number: WO2013138870A1
Application number: PCT/AU2013/000302
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matthew Reimers; Ian MILLHOUSE; David NEED; Ian Sharkey
Original assignee: Rees Operations Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Rees Operations Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2012-03-22
Filing date: 2013-03-22
Publication date: 2013-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-22

Description

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER IMPROVEMENTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to improvements to collapsible or folding storage containers which will facilitate interstacking thereof.

PRIORITY

[0002] This patent application claims priority from:

[0003] Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2012901164, titled "COLLAPSIBLE

CONTAINER IMPROVEMENTS", and filed on 22 March 2012.

[0004] The entire content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

[0005] Generally, containers of the above mentioned type comprise a pallet base, front and rear gates which can either be hinged with respect to the base for folding inwardly thereon or removably mounted with respect to the base in such a way that the gates (or panels) can be lifted vertically upwards to disengage from their mountings and in turn laid flat on top of the pallet base, and a pair of opposed side panels hinged with respect to the base for folding inwardly thereon, arranged and constructed so that the front and rear gates and the side panels, in their collapsed condition, lie in a flat condition on top of the pallet base.

[0006] Objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In one aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a collapsible container comprising a rectilinear base and two pairs of opposite side and end panels each movably mounted with respect to the base for movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, wherein upper corner portions of the erect container, along with upper mid portions of at least one pair of opposing panels thereof further comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of a further container stacked thereupon.

[0008] In one form, the upper mid portions of said pair of opposing panels comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two further and adjacent containers stacked thereupon. [0009] In one form, at least one of the side or end panels comprises two of the upper corner support means of the erect container.

[00010] In one form, the collapsible container further comprises a movable corner post movably mounted with respect to a corner of the base, for movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, the movable corner post comprising one of the upper corner support means of the erect container.

[00011] In one form, the collapsible container further comprises a pair of movable corner posts movably mounted with respect to adjacent corners of the base, each corner post comprising one of the upper corner support means of the erect container.

[00012] In one form, one pair of opposing panels comprises one panel mounted between a pair of the movable corners posts, and a further panel comprising two of the upper corner support means.

[00013] In one form, one of the side panels is mounted between a pair of movable corners posts, and the other side panel comprises two of the upper corner support means of the erect container.

[00014] In one form, each of the end panels is mounted between a movable post and the side panel comprising the upper corner support means.

[00015] In one form, it is the upper mid portions of the side panels which comprise the support means.

[00016] In one form, the side panels are approximately twice as long as the end panels.

[00017] In one form, the collapsible container further comprises a stub corner post fixed vertically at each of four corners of the base, so that each movable corner post is movable between an erect in-use position in which it extends above its respective stub post, and a collapsed position on top of the base in which it is lower than its respective stub post, and wherein each of the stub corner posts comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of an adjacent container stacked thereupon.

[00018] In one form, the side panel comprising the upper corner support means is movable between an erect in-use position where it extends above a pair of stub posts, and a collapsed position on top of the base in which it is lower than this pair of stub posts.

[00019] In one form, the side panel mounted between the movable corner posts is removable when the container is erected and one or more further containers are stacked atop of the container.

[00020] In one form, the end panels are removable when the container is erected and one or more further containers are stacked atop of the container. [00021] In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a collapsible container comprising a rectilinear base, a movable corner post movably mounted with respect to an adjacent pair of corners of the base for movement between an erect in-use position, and a collapsed position on top of the base, and a panel movable between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, and wherein each of the movable corner posts and the uppermost corners of the panel comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of an adjacent container when stacked thereupon.

[000221 In one form, the collapsible container further comprises a further panel mountable between the pair of movable corner posts, wherein upper mid portions of each of the panels further comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of a further container stacked thereupon.

[00023] In one form, the upper mid portions of each of the panels comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two further and adjacent containers stacked thereupon.

[00024] In one form, the support means comprises a projection fixedly secured and projecting upwardly, each projection being arranged to engage and locate a corresponding bottom portion of the support base of an adjacent container when stacked thereupon.

[00025] In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a panel for a collapsible container, the panel having an upper mid portion comprising support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of a further container stacked thereupon when erect.

[00026] In one form, the upper mid portion of the panel comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two further and adjacent containers stacked thereupon.

[00027] In one form, upper corner portions of the panel comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of a further container stacked thereupon.

[00028] In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a collapsible container comprising a rectilinear base with a stub corner post fixed vertically at each of four corners thereof, a movable corner post movably mounted with respect to each of the four corners of the base for movement between an erect in-use position where it extends higher than its respective stub post, and a collapsed position on top of the base and below its respective stub post, and wherein each of the stub corner and movable corner posts comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of an adjacent container when stacked thereupon. [00029] In one form, the collapsible container further comprises two pairs of opposite side and end gates (or panels) each movabiy mounted with respect to the base for movement between an erect in- use position and a collapsed position on top of the base.

[00030] In one form, at least one of the pairs of opposing gates comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of an adjacent container when stacked thereupon.

[00031] In one form, where a gate comprises support means, the support means are positioned at or near a midpoint of a span of the gate.

[00032] In one form, where a gate comprises support means, it comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two further and adjacent containers stacked thereupon.

[00033] In one form, the support means comprises a projection fixedly secured and projecting upwardly, each projection being arranged to engage and locate a corresponding bottom corner portion of the support base of an adjacent container when stacked there-on-top.

[00034] In one form, the collapsible container further comprises locking means arranged to releasably secure adjacently erected panels and movable corner posts together.

[00035] In one form, the locking means is a manually releasable locking or latching mechanism.

[00036] In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a collapsible container comprising a rectilinear base and two pairs of opposite side and end gates each movabiy mounted with respect to the base for movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, wherein upper corner portions of the erect container, along with upper mid portions of one pair of opposing gates thereof, further comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two further and adjacent containers stacked thereupon.

[00037] In yet a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a system of collapsible containers comprising a first container and a second container, each container comprising a rectilinear base and two pairs of opposite side and end gates each movabiy mounted with respect to the base for movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, wherein upper corner portions of the erect first container, along with mid portions of one pair of opposing gates thereof, further comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two adjacent second containers stacked thereupon. [00038] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. While the invention is described in connection with such embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any embodiment. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. For the purpose of example, numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00039] For a better understanding of this disclosure it will now be described with respect to one or more exemplary embodiments which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein:

[00040] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fully erected collapsible storage container;

[00041] Figure 2 is a side elevation of the collapsible storage container of Figure 1 ;

[00042] Figure 3 is a side elevation of the opposing side of the collapsible storage container to that illustrated in Figure 2;

[00043] Figure 4 is an end elevation of the collapsible storage container of Figure 1 ;

[00044] Figure 5 a perspective view of the collapsible storage container of Figure 1. wherein one side gate and a skirt therefor have been separated from the remainder of the container assembly;

[00045] Figure 6 is a detail view taken at point A of Figure 1 ;

[00046] Figure 7 is a perspective view taken from the opposing side of the collapsible storage container to that illustrated in Figure 1 ; and

[00047] Figure 8 is a perspective view of a three adjacent stacks, A, B and C, of containers, each stack including a container of the type illustrated in Figure 1.

[00048] In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[00049] Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, where there is illustrated a collapsible storage container 1 comprising a base 10 in the form of a rectangular pallet provided at each of its four corners with stub corner posts 42, the base 10 having a sheet metal floor 14 supported by an upper deck, which is in turn supported above a lower deck by vertical uprights 16 and the stub corner posts 42.

[00050] The collapsible storage container 1 comprises two pairs of opposite side panels 20a, 20b, and end panels 30a, 30b.

[00051]The side panels 20a, 20b, end panels 30a, 30b, and the base 10 are sized so that each of the side panels 20a, 20b is considerably longer than the end panels 30a, 30b.

[00052] In this embodiment each of the side or long panels 20a, 20b is a one-piece panel comprising a peripheral tubular metal frame 22 to which there is secured a metal mesh infill panel 24. It will be apparent however that infill panels of practically any material may be employed, depending on the intended application for the collapsible storage container 1.

[00053] Each of these side or long panels 20a, 20b is removably mounted on the pallet base 10 by means of mountings (not shown) which enable each gate to be physically lifted upwardly by a small vertical distance whereupon it can then be laid inwardly on top of the base 10.

[00054] Uppermost corners of side panel 20b comprise support means 50 for supporting a

corresponding bottom corner portion of a base 10 of an adjacent container 1 or 100 (refer below) when stacked thereupon. Support means 50 will be described in greater detail below.

[00055] Side panel 20a is located and securable between a pair of movable corner posts 44 depending from the base 10 for movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base 10.

[00056] Each of the end panels 30a, 30b is mounted between a movable post 44 and the side panel 20b.

[00057] Each of the movable corner posts 44 is movably (pivotably) mounted with respect to its respective comer of the base 10 for movement between an erect in-use position where it extends above and higher than its respective stub post 42, and a collapsed position on top of the base 10 and lower than its respective stub post 42.

[00058] Similarly, when side panel 20b is erect, it extends above and higher than that the remaining two stub posts 42, and when it is collapsed on top of the base 10 it resides lower than these stub posts 42.

[00059] Each of the stub comer posts 42, movable comer posts 44 and uppermost comers of side panel 20a comprise support means 50 for supporting a corresponding bottom co er portion of a base 10 of an adjacent container 1 or 100 (refer below) when stacked thereupon. [00060] This support means 50 comprises a metal base plate 46 (where required) bridging intersecting flanges of the stub corner 42 or movable corner posts 44 respectively and secured thereto (eg by means of welding), and a spigot 48 extending upwardly from the base plate 46, the spigot 48 in this embodiment comprising a V-shaped member of metal plate having a pointed or spear shaped tip. By locating the spigots 48 of the stub corner 42 or movable corner posts 44 respectively in this way, there is no interference between the spigots 48 and the container load when the container 1 is in use. That is, the spigots 48 do not intrude into the loading space of the container 1.

[00061] So that movable posts 44 can be freely swung upwardly to their erect condition, voids are provided, the voids being shaped and dimensioned to allow the movable posts 44 to reach their fully erect positions without obstruction from the spigots 48 on the stub posts 42.

[00062] Similarly, side panel 20b comprises voids being shaped and dimensioned to allow this to reach its fully erect position without obstruction from the spigots 48 on the stub posts 42.

[00063] Each of the spigots 48 are configured so as to engage and locate apertures (not illustrated) in corresponding bottom corner portions of the support base 10 of an adjacent container 1 or 100 (refer below) when stacked thereon.

[00064] In this way the containers 1 can be interstacked when in either of their collapsed or erected condition, as is illustrated in Figure 8, stack A

[00065] Moreover, generally rectangular container 1 may form part of a system of containers comprising container 1 and a second container 100 (see Figure 8), which is proportioned so as to more closely resemble a cube.

[00066] In order to facilitate interstacking of containers 1 and 100, each of the side or long panels 20a, 20b of container 100 is provided with a pair of spigots 48, which are positioned next to each other and near to the midpoint of the span of these side or long panels 20a, 20b on an upper edge thereof.

Moreover, corresponding bottom corner portions of the support base 10 of container 1 , along with lower long-side midpoints thereof, comprise apertures for receiving spiggots 48.

[00067] As a result, an erected container 1 can support two adjacent containers 100, as illustrated in Figure 8, stack B. Conversely, two adjacent containers 100 can support a container 1, irrespective of whether the two adjacent containers 100 are collapsed or erected, as illustrated in Figure 8, stack C.

[00068] Referring once more to the side or long panels 20a, 20b of container 100, side panel 20a is not as high (or upwardly extending when erect) as is panel 20b. With reference to Figure 5, it can be seen how a removable spacer element (or skirt) 70 is used to pack erected panel 20a up to the same height as erected panel 20b. Removal of spacer element 70 permits removal of panel 20b even if the container 1 is supporting a further container 1 atop of it.

[00069] Similarly, end panels 30a, 30b are removable even if the container 1 is supporting a further container 1 atop of it. This is facilitated by providing sufficient gap above these end panels 30a, 30b that they can be lifted clear of their mountings 60 when container 1 is supporting a further container 1 or 100 atop of it. In this way, even an interstacked container 100 can be accessed from up to three sides at once by removal of one or all of end panels 30a, 30b, and side panel 20a.

[00070] Latch mechanisms 80 are mounted in each of the upper corner regions of each of the panels 20a, 30a and 30b to re!easably latch adjacently erected panels and corner posts 40 together.

[00071] Each of the end panels 30a, 30b are divided horizontally into two halves 32 and 34 which are hinged together. Each of the halves 32 and 34 comprises a peripheral tubular metal frame 36 to which there is secured a metal mesh infill panel 38.

[00072] Each of these end panels 30a, 30b is removably mounted on the pallet base 10 by means of mountings 60 which enable the panels 30a, 30b to be physically lifted upwardly by a small vertical distance whereupon the two halves 32 and 34 hinge relative to one another so as to lie approximately flat one 32 on top of the other 34 (ie. bi-fold), and be laid inwardly on top of the base 10.

[00073] A top or lid panel (not illustrated) can be provided and which, when in place, rests on the top edges of the side panels 20a, 20b and end panels 30a, 30b.

[00074] Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words "comprise" and "include" and variations such as "comprising" and "including" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

[00075] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[00076] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all such modifications in its scope.

Claims

THE CLAIMS: ,

1. A collapsible container comprising a rectilinear base and two pairs of opposite side and end panels each movably mounted with respect to the base for movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, wherein upper corner portions of the erect container, along with upper mid portions of at least one pair of opposing panels thereof further comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of a further container stacked thereupon.

2. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein the upper mid portions of said pair of opposing panels comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two further and adjacent containers stacked thereupon.

3. The collapsible container as in either of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the side or end panels comprises two of the upper corner support means of the erect container.

4. The collapsible container as in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a movable corner post movably mounted with respect to a corner of the base, for movement between an erect in- use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, the movable corner post comprising one of the upper corner support means of the erect container.

5. The collapsible container of claim 4, further comprising a pair of movable corner posts movably mounted with respect to adjacent corners of the base, each corner post comprising one of the upper corner support means of the erect container.

6. The collapsible container of claim 5, wherein one pair of opposing panels comprises one panel mounted between a pair of the movable corners posts, and a further panel comprising two of the upper corner support means.

7. The collapsible container as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the side panels is mounted between a pair of movable corners posts, and the other side panel comprises two of the upper corner support means of the erect container.

8. The collapsible container of claim 7, wherein each of the end panels is mounted between a movable post and the side panel comprising the upper corner support means.

9. The collapsible container as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein it is the upper mid portions of the side panels which comprise the support means.

10. The collapsible container as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the side panels are approximately twice as long as the end panels.

1 1. The collapsible container as in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a stub corner post fixed vertically at each of four corners of the base, so that each movable corner post is movable between an erect in-use position in which it extends above its respective stub post, and a collapsed position on top of the base in which it is lower than its respective stub post, and wherein each of the stub corner posts comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of an adjacent container stacked thereupon.

12. The collapsible container of claim 11 , wherein the side panel comprising the upper corner support means is movable between an erect in-use position where it extends above a pair of stub posts, and a collapsed position on top of the base in which it is lower than this pair of stub posts.

13. The collapsible container as in any one of claim 7 through 12, wherein the side panel mounted between the movable corner posts is removable when the container is erected and one or more further containers are stacked atop of the container.

14. The collapsible container as in any one of claim 7 through 13, wherein the end panels are removable when the container is erected and one or more further containers are stacked atop of the container.

15. A collapsible container comprising a rectilinear base, a movable corner post movably mounted with respect to an adjacent pair of corners of the base for movement between an erect in-use position, and a collapsed position on top of the base, and a panel movable between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, and wherein each of the movable corner posts and the uppermost corners of the panel comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of an adjacent container when stacked thereupon.

16. The collapsible container of claim 15, further comprising a further panel mountable between the pair of movable corner posts, wherein upper mid portions of each of the panels further comprise support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of a further container stacked thereupon.

17. The collapsible container of claim 16, wherein the upper mid portions of each of the panels comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two further and adjacent containers stacked thereupon.

18. The collapsible container as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support means comprises a projection fixedly secured and projecting upwardly, each projection being arranged to engage and locate a corresponding bottom portion of the support base of an adjacent container when stacked thereupon.

19. A panel for a collapsible container, the panel having an upper mid portion comprising support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of a further container stacked thereupon when erect.

20. The panel of claim 19, wherein the upper mid portion of the panel comprises support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of at least two further and adjacent containers stacked thereupon.

21. The panel as in either of claims 19 or 20, having upper corner portions comprising support means for supporting a corresponding bottom corner portion of a base of a further container stacked thereupon.