Collapsible, reusable container
First Claim
1. A collapsible, reusable container, comprising:
- a rectangular base having an upwardly extending peripheral skirt defining a pair of opposite end portions and a pair of opposite side portions, with each of said skirt portions having a respective upper and inner surface;
said pair of opposite side portions both having one or more integral pins extending inwardly from their respective inner surfaces;
said pair of opposite end portions both having one or more integral pins extending inwardly from their respective inner surfaces;
a pair of end panels both having respective sides and respective lower ends, with one or more holes in said end panels in proximity with said lower ends, the holes corresponding in number and location to the pins extending inwardly from the end skirt portions, whereby each of the pins extending from the side skirt portions is receivable in a respective hole in the end panels to detachably engage the end panels to respective end portions of the skirt,a pair of side panels both having respective sides and respective lower ends, with one or more holes in said side panels in proximity with said lower ends, the holes corresponding in number and location to the pins extending inwardly from the side skirt portions, whereby each of the pins extending from the side skirt portions is receivable in a respective hole in the side panels to detachably engage the side panels to respective side portions of the skirt, with the side panels being positioned between the pair of end panels; and
said end panels having integral side panel engaging means adjacent the sides of the end panels for detachably engaging the sides of the side panels when each of said side and end panels are engaged to said respective skirt portions with the side panel engaging means having means for preventing said side panels from moving inwardly of their respective side skirt portions, and with the positioning of the side panels between the end panels preventing inward movement of the end panels from their respective end skirt portions, whereby each of the side and end panels are manually detachably engageable with one another and to said base to form a container, with the side and end panels being manually detachable from the base to allow collapsing of said container.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A collapsible, reusable container is provided which may be easily and rapidly assembled and disassembled. In its assembled state, side panels are engaged with a base pallet by a pin-and-hole arrangement, with the side panels extending perpendicularly from the base pallet. Securing members prevent the side panels from tilting significantly with respect to the base pallet. Upon disengagement of the securing members, the side panels are tiltable with respect to the base pallet. When tilted sufficiently with respect to the base pallet, the respective side panels are each easily disengageable from the base pallet. The side panels are nestable following their disengagement from the base pallet and may be accommodated within the enclosure formed upon bringing together the lid and base pallet to provide a compact shipping unit.
62 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A collapsible, reusable container, comprising:
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a rectangular base having an upwardly extending peripheral skirt defining a pair of opposite end portions and a pair of opposite side portions, with each of said skirt portions having a respective upper and inner surface; said pair of opposite side portions both having one or more integral pins extending inwardly from their respective inner surfaces; said pair of opposite end portions both having one or more integral pins extending inwardly from their respective inner surfaces; a pair of end panels both having respective sides and respective lower ends, with one or more holes in said end panels in proximity with said lower ends, the holes corresponding in number and location to the pins extending inwardly from the end skirt portions, whereby each of the pins extending from the side skirt portions is receivable in a respective hole in the end panels to detachably engage the end panels to respective end portions of the skirt, a pair of side panels both having respective sides and respective lower ends, with one or more holes in said side panels in proximity with said lower ends, the holes corresponding in number and location to the pins extending inwardly from the side skirt portions, whereby each of the pins extending from the side skirt portions is receivable in a respective hole in the side panels to detachably engage the side panels to respective side portions of the skirt, with the side panels being positioned between the pair of end panels; and said end panels having integral side panel engaging means adjacent the sides of the end panels for detachably engaging the sides of the side panels when each of said side and end panels are engaged to said respective skirt portions with the side panel engaging means having means for preventing said side panels from moving inwardly of their respective side skirt portions, and with the positioning of the side panels between the end panels preventing inward movement of the end panels from their respective end skirt portions, whereby each of the side and end panels are manually detachably engageable with one another and to said base to form a container, with the side and end panels being manually detachable from the base to allow collapsing of said container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A collapsible, reusable container, comprising:
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a rectangular base having an upwardly extending peripheral skirt defining a pair of opposite end portions and a pair of opposite side portions, with each of said skirt portions having a respective upper and inner surface; said pair of opposite side portions both having one or more pins extending inwardly from their respective inner surfaces; said pair of opposite end portions both having one or more pins extending inwardly from their respective inner surfaces; a pair of side panels both having respective sides and respective lower ends, with one or more holes in said side panels in proximity with said lower ends, the holes corresponding in number and location to the pins extending inwardly from the side skirt portions, whereby each of the pins extending from the side skirt portions is receivable in a respective hole in the side panels to detachably engage the side panels to respective side segments of the skirt, with the lower ends of the side panels being disposed between the opposite pair of end skirt segments; a pair of end panels both having respective sides and respective lower ends, with one or more holes in said end panels in proximity with said lower ends, the holes corresponding in number and location to the pins extending inwardly from the end skirt portions, whereby each of the pins extending from the side skirt portions is receivable in a respective hole in the end panels to detachably engage the end panels to respective end segments of the skirt, with the lower ends of the end panels being disposed between the opposite pair of side skirt segments; said end panels having side panel engaging means adjacent the sides of the end panels for detachably engaging the sides of the side panels when each of said side and end panels are engaged to said respective skirt portions to prevent said side panels from moving inwardly of, and becoming disengaged from, their respective side skirt portions, with the end panels bearing against the sides of the side panels to prevent inward movement of the end panels from, and disengagement from, their respective end skirt portions, whereby each of the side and end panels are detachably engageable with one another and to said base to form a container, with the side and end panels being detachable from the base to allow collapsing of said container; and said pair of opposite side portions of the base skirt both also having one or more pins extending upwardly from their respective upper surfaces, and said side panels having one or more holes therein in proximity with their lower ends corresponding to the pins of the base skirt for receiving said upwardly extending pins, whereby the combination of upwardly and inwardly extending pins from the base skirt are detachably engageable with respective holes in the side panels upon movement of the side panels from an angled position to a vertical position to detachably engage the side panels to the base. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25)
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20. A collapsible, reusable container, comprising:
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a rectangular base defining a first pair of opposite sides and a second pair of opposite sides; said first pair of opposite sides having a pin arrangement in proximity therewith comprising a plurality of pins extending outwardly from the base, at least one of which extends perpendicularly to another pin of the pin arrangement; said second pair of opposite sides having a pin-and-hole arrangement in proximity therewith comprising at least one pin extending outwardly from the base and at least one hole extending into the base perpendicular to said at least one pin; a first pair of panels each having opposite sides and a lower end with a hole arrangement in proximity therewith comprising a plurality of holes in the panels having a location and orientation corresponding to the location and orientation of the pins in the first pair of sides of the base, whereby the holes of the first pair of panels engagingly receive respective pins of the first sides of the base upon movement of said first pair of panels from a disengaged position away from vertical with respect to the first sides of the base, to an engaged position substantially vertical with respect to the base; a second pair of panels each having opposite sides and a lower end with a pin-and-hole arrangement in proximity therewith which is complementary to the pin-and-hole arrangement of the second sides of the base, whereby the pins of the second sides of the base are engagingly received in respective holes of the second pair of panels and the pins of the second pair of panels are engagingly received in respective holes in the second side of the base when said second pair of panels are moved from a disengaged position away from vertical with respect to the second side of the base to an engaged position substantially vertical with respect to the second side of the base. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification