Collapsible storage device

• US 7,854,370 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson Home Storage Inc.
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson Home Storage Inc.
• Inventors: Dais, Brian C., Turvey, Robert R., Dhall, Sanjay
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins; Gary E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYRD, LATRICE CHENELL
• Application Number:
  US11/818,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20070246519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 229/117.03, 229/198.2, 220/6, 220/7, 220/666, 220/4.28, 220/4.29
• US Class Current: 229/117.03
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00027 Stackable lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00194 square or rectangular with curved sides B65D2543/00101
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00296 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00361 placed on a tray like container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00555 on both the inside and the outside
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/0218 on both the inside and the outside of the mouth of the container B65D43/0216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/3607 formed by folding or erecting a single blank

Abstract

A collapsible container includes a plurality of wall panels. Each wall panel is connected to each adjacent wall panel at a hinged connection, and the wall panels are arranged so as to articulate at the hinged connections between a collapsed position and an expanded position defining a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The collapsible container further includes a deformed portion on a side wall disposed across a hinged connection. The deformed portion projects toward an exterior of the collapsible container to releasably lock the hinged connection in a convexly bowed position when the collapsible container is in the expanded position.

Claims

1. A collapsible container, comprising:

a plurality of wall panels, each wall panel connected to each adjacent wall panel at a hinged connection, wherein the wall panels are arranged so as to articulate at the hinged connections between a collapsed position and an expanded position defining a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall; and

a deformed portion on a side wall disposed across a first one of the hinged connections, wherein the deformed portion projects toward an exterior of the collapsible container to releasably lock the hinged connection in a convexly bowed position when the collapsible container is in the expanded position, wherein the first hinged connection extends substantially between diagonally opposite corners of the side wall.

3. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein the deformed portion has a substantially circular shape.

4. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein the deformed portion has a substantially teardrop shape.

5. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein a center of the deformed portion is disposed at a mid-point of the first hinged connection.

6. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein a center of the deformed portion is offset from the first hinged connection.

7. The collapsible container of claim 1, wherein the container is made of a resilient thermoplastic material.

2. A collapsible container, comprising:

a plurality of wall panels, each wall panel connected to each adjacent wall panel at a hinged connection, wherein the wall panels are arranged so as to articulate at the hinged connections between a collapsed position and an expanded position defining a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall; and

a deformed portion on a side wall disposed across a first one of the hinged connections, wherein the deformed portion projects toward an exterior of the collapsible container to releasably lock the hinged connection in a convexly bowed position when the collapsible container is in the expanded position, wherein the deformed portion projects toward an interior of the collapsible container in a concavely bowed position when the collapsible container transitions toward the collapsed position thereby unlocking the first hinged connection.

8. A collapsible container, comprising:

a plurality of wall panels, each wall panel connected to each adjacent wall panel at a hinged connection, wherein the wall panels are arranged so as to articulate at the hinged connections between a collapsed position and an expanded position defining a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and wherein each of two opposing side walls includes at least two wall panels defining a diagonal hinge extending substantially between diagonally opposite corners of the side wall;

a deformed portion disposed across at least one of the diagonal hinges, wherein the deformed portion projects toward an exterior of the collapsible container to releasably lock the diagonal hinge in a convexly bowed position when the collapsible container is in the expanded position.

9. The collapsible container of claim 8, wherein the deformed portion provides a visual cue indicating a position to press to lock and unlock the diagonal hinge.

10. The collapsible container of claim 8, wherein the deformed portion projects toward an interior of the collapsible container in a concavely bowed position when the collapsible container transitions towards the collapsed position thereby unlocking the hinged connection.

11. The collapsible container of claim 8, further comprising a second deformed portion disposed across the other diagonal hinge, wherein the second deformed portion projects toward an exterior of the collapsible container to releasably lock the other diagonal hinge in a convexly bowed position when the collapsible container is in the expanded position.

12. The collapsible container of claim 8, wherein at least one of the hinged connections between adjacent side walls is an arched hinge.

13. The collapsible container of claim 12, wherein each of the hinged connections between adjacent side walls is an arched hinge.