COLLAPSIBLE STORAGE CONTAINER
First Claim
1. A collapsible cargo container having an upper wall, a floor, first and second side walls, and first and second end walls, and where said container can assume an unfolded position and a collapsed position, comprising:
- a top frame including a ceiling having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and including releasable catches on said interior surface for retaining first and second pivoting end walls;
a bottom frame;
a first end wall releasably lockable between the top frame and bottom frame and pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said first end wall adjacent said ceiling, and a second end wall pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said second end wall adjacent said ceiling;
first and second side walls disposed between said top frame and bottom frame, each side wall having an upper section and a lower section connected at hinges and collapsible along said hinges into a folded configuration when said first and second end walls are captured by the releasable catches such that the upper section contacts the lower section; and
a locking mechanism for locking the top frame to the bottom frame when the container is in a collapsed arrangement, the locking mechanism including a spring loaded latch on a first of the top frame and the bottom frame, the spring loaded latch including a hook portion biased to engage a recess on a second of the top frame and bottom frame, whereby the spring loaded latch and recess cooperate to lock the collapsible container in a collapsed arrangement.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A collapsible cargo container is disclosed wherein end walls are pivoted into the container when empty and locked against the roof, and then side walls buckle via hinges into a folded configuration. The folded configuration is achieved easily with a modified spreader without the need to otherwise disassemble or deconstruct the container, leaving no loose parts or tools. The cargo container preferably constructed with an improved light weight panel that facilitates loading of the container while improving strength and reducing weight.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A collapsible cargo container having an upper wall, a floor, first and second side walls, and first and second end walls, and where said container can assume an unfolded position and a collapsed position, comprising:
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a top frame including a ceiling having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and including releasable catches on said interior surface for retaining first and second pivoting end walls; a bottom frame; a first end wall releasably lockable between the top frame and bottom frame and pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said first end wall adjacent said ceiling, and a second end wall pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said second end wall adjacent said ceiling; first and second side walls disposed between said top frame and bottom frame, each side wall having an upper section and a lower section connected at hinges and collapsible along said hinges into a folded configuration when said first and second end walls are captured by the releasable catches such that the upper section contacts the lower section; and a locking mechanism for locking the top frame to the bottom frame when the container is in a collapsed arrangement, the locking mechanism including a spring loaded latch on a first of the top frame and the bottom frame, the spring loaded latch including a hook portion biased to engage a recess on a second of the top frame and bottom frame, whereby the spring loaded latch and recess cooperate to lock the collapsible container in a collapsed arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A collapsible cargo container having an upper wall, a floor, first and second side walls, and first and second end walls, and where said container can assume an unfolded position and a collapsed position, comprising:
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a top frame including a ceiling having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and including releasable catches on said interior surface for retaining first and second pivoting end walls; a bottom frame including a floor; a first end wall releasably lockable between the top frame and bottom frame and pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said first end wall adjacent said ceiling, and a second end wall pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said second end wall adjacent said ceiling, the first end wall including locking mechanisms that extend from; first and second side walls disposed between said top frame and bottom frame, each side wall having an upper section and a lower section connected at hinges and collapsible along said hinges into a folded configuration when said first and second end walls are captured by the releasable catches such that the upper section contacts the lower section; and wherein the floor includes a plurality of channels arranged to allow the first end wall to rotate inwardly from the top frame, the plurality of channels each receiving a fixture mounted on a bottom edge of the first side wall such that no interference is created between the floor and the fixtures when the first end wall rotates past the floor into its captured condition. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A collapsible cargo container having an upper wall, a floor, first and second side walls, and first and second end walls, and where said container can assume an unfolded position and a collapsed position, comprising:
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a top frame including a ceiling having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and including releasable catches on said interior surface for retaining first and second pivoting end walls; a bottom frame including a floor; a first end wall releasably lockable between the top frame and bottom frame and pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said first end wall adjacent said ceiling, and a second end wall pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said second end wall adjacent said ceiling; first and second side walls disposed between said top frame and bottom frame, each side wall having an upper section and a lower section connected at hinges and collapsible along said hinges into a folded configuration when said first and second end walls are captured by the releasable catches such that the upper section contacts the lower section; and a plurality of twist locks mounted to respective corners of the top frame, each twist lock having a base and a swiveling member that extends upward from the base, the swiveling member sized to be received by an opening in the bottom frame of a second container for aligning stacked first and second containers, and wherein a rotation of the swiveling member locks a first container within the second container. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A collapsible cargo container having an upper wall, a floor, first and second side walls, and first and second end walls, and where said container can assume an unfolded position and a collapsed position, comprising:
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a top frame including a ceiling having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and including releasable catches on said interior surface for retaining first and second pivoting end walls; a bottom frame including a floor; a first end wall releasably lockable between the top frame and bottom frame and pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said first end wall adjacent said ceiling, and a second end wall pivotably arranged to rotate against said interior surface of said ceiling and capturable by one of said releasable catches to secure said second end wall adjacent said ceiling; first and second side walls disposed between said top frame and bottom frame, each side wall having an upper section and a lower section connected at hinges and collapsible along said hinges into a folded configuration when said first and second end walls are captured by the releasable catches such that the upper section contacts the lower section; and a first side wall locking mechanism for retaining the first side wall in a frame, the first wall including a pair of pins horizontally aligned below a bottom surface and extending from a block, and wherein the frame includes a retention member configured to receive the pins in a U-shaped recess when the first wall is positioned in the frame, said frame further comprising a trapezoidal reciprocating member with an inclined surface proximal to the first wall, the reciprocating member pushed downward out of the path of the block by the first wall; whereby once the block clears the trapezoidal reciprocating member, the reciprocating member moves upward to lock the first wall in the frame.
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Specification