Collapsible container

• US 4,848,618 A
• Filed: 02/16/1988
• Issued: 07/18/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Wen-Kuang Chen
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Wen-Huang Chen
• Inventors: Yuan, Chii-Yah, Lin, Ching-Hwa, Wei, Wu-Yaw, Chen, Wen-Kuang, Tswei, Tsz-Gang, Lee, Chang-Franw
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US07/156,016
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 220/1.5, 220/6, 220/7, 220/260, 220/331, 220/350
• US Class Current: 220/1.5
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/524 and one or more side walls being foldable along an additional median line

Abstract

A foldable container, of which each of the two side walls has two sections to be foldable inwards so as to have the side walls folded on the floor of the container; the roof of the container is then fallen upon the side walls. Between the roof and the folded side walls, there is a space to accommodate the two end walls; consequently, the container can closely be folded up to facilitate an empty container to be handled in freight. The present invention discloses the fastenable hinges of the side walls and the connecting device of the end walls.

Claims

1. A foldable container comprising:

a floor having two sides, two ends, and four corner fittings;

two side walls, each having an upper section, a mid-section, and a lower section hinged together;

the lower section being hinged to said floor with a fastenable hinge, each of said fastenable hinges including;

a first member and a second member hinged together by a first pivot, which is located at one side of said first and second members so as to let said first and second members turn each other freely;

a third member having one pivotal end pivotally attached to said first member by means of a second pivot opposite said first pivot, and having a hook-shaped end for mating or separating from a hook groove on said second member upon being turned;

therefore, said first and said second members can be fixedly fastened together by said third member;

the mating surface between said hook shaped end and said hook groove is included in a first plane passing through said first pivot, and a second plane which is perpendicular to said first plane and will pass through said second pivot;

a spring member being mounted between said fist member and a said third member for providing said third member with a biasing force either to the mating or disengaging position;

a roof having two sides and two ends and four corner fittings corresponding to those of said floor, said two sides depending down to fixedly connect with said upper sections of said two side walls respectively defining the top portion of the container;

two ends walls, each having four sides, i.e., top, bottom, left and right sides, for closing the two ends of the container body that is made with said floor, said side walls, and said roof; and

connecting devices to have said end walls connected with said container body so as to let said end walls move freely to close said container and to tuck away into the upper portion of said container body; and

when the hinge portions of said side walls being put in moveable state and said two ends walls being in tucked position, said container can be picked up by means of a conventional container crane by hooking said four corner fittings so as to fold said mid-section and said lower section in to said container, and finally said roof, said end walls, said side walls, and said floor being folded closely together.

2. A foldable container structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting device between said end wall and said container body includes:

pivot means being furnished at the upper left and right sides of said end wall and the outer end of said upper portion of said container body for allowing said end wall to be turned to the closed position or lifted up in a horizontal position outside said container;

guiding means being furnished on the upper portion of said container body for guiding the said end wall from said outside horizontal position, to slide inside said container body for tucking away;

a springing means for providing a resilient force to support the weight of said end wall so as to assist said end wall to be turned to said horizontal position;

said springing means include;

sliding grooves being furnished on each of said side walls, each groove extending vertically up from a starting point then turning to be horizontal until an end point, and

spring members each having an upper end and a lower end that can generate a resilient force upon being compressed;

said lower end being slidably mounted in said sliding groove, while said upper end being pivotally connected with said end wall at a suitable position; and

when said end wall being turned towards said outside horizontal position, said lower ends being position at said starting point, while said upper ends supporting said end wall; and

when said end wall being tucked inside said container, said spring member being in a released condition, and said lower end thereof sliding to said end point.

3. A foldable container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connecting device between said end wall and said container body includes:

pivot means being furnished at the upper left end upper right sides of said end wall and the outer end of said upper portion of said container body for allowing said end wall be able to be turned to the closed position or lifted up at a horizontal position outside said container;

guiding means being furnished on the upper portion of said container body for guiding said end wall from said outside horizontal position, to slide inside said container body for tucking away; and

spring means being pivotally connected with the top side of said end wall and with the upper portion of said container body for facilitating the pivotal movement of said end wall between the tucking-away position and the closed position;

said spring means having springs to generate a counter force upon being compressed so as to oppose the weight of said end wall, and to provide a lifting force for assisting said end wall to be turned upwards from the closed position.