Collapsible storage device

• US 8,066,136 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson Home Storage Inc.
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson Home Storage Inc.
• Inventors: Gosen, Craig R., Dais, Brian C., Turvey, Robert R., Dhall, Sanjay
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun; Jacob K
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, KAREEN KAY
• Application Number:
  US11/811,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 220/4.08, 220/4.28, 220/4.29, 220/6, 220/666, 220/754, 220/766, 220/768, 220/769, 220/324, 217/12.R, 217/43.R, 217/38
• US Class Current: 220/4.29
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 11/186 whereby all side walls are hingedly connected to the base panel and to each other to allow automatic collapsing and reerecting, e.g. by means of folds provided in the side walls and or in the base panel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2543/00194 square or rectangular
• 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

Abstract

A container includes a plurality of resilient 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 and defining an upper lip. At least one of the hinged connections between adjacent side walls is an arched hinge. The container also includes a downwardly projecting bracket disposed proximate the upper lip on an exterior side of a side wall.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a plurality of resilient 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 comprising a bottom wall and four side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall and defining an upper lip, and wherein at least one of the hinged connections between adjacent side walls is an arched hinge; and

a downwardly projecting bracket disposed proximate the upper lip on an exterior side of a first side wall;

wherein at least one of the side walls comprises at least two wall panels defining a diagonal hinge extending substantially to diagonally opposite corners of the side wall.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the bracket includes a detent disposed on a side of the bracket, and wherein the detent extends below a lower portion of the bracket.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the bracket is spaced from the side wall a distance substantially coextensive with a horizontal protrusion of the upper lip.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the bracket extends downwardly from the upper lip at an acute angle with respect to the side wall.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the bracket is secured to the container by stabilizing flanges on opposite side edges of the bracket, and wherein the bracket includes a flexible central portion between the stabilizing flanges that is adapted to compress inwardly toward the side wall.

6. The container of claim 1, further comprising a stabilizing flange that is connected to the side wall and to a generally centered upper portion of the bracket.

7. The container of claim 1, further comprising a second downwardly projecting bracket disposed proximate the upper lip on an exterior side of a second side wall opposite the first side wall.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein each of the brackets includes detents disposed on opposite sides of the bracket and the detents extend below a lower portion of the bracket.

9. The container of claim 7, wherein each of opposing third and fourth side walls connecting the first and second side walls, respectively, comprises at least two wall panels defining a diagonal hinge extending substantially between diagonally opposite corners of the first and second adjacent side walls.

10. A container comprising:

a bottom wall and four side walls, each wall comprising one or more resilient wall panels, and each wall panel connected to each adjacent wall panel by a living hinge, wherein the wall panels and the living hinges are a unitary piece of material, and a first one of the living hinges connecting adjacent side walls has a non-linear axis of articulation;

wherein the container has an expanded position in which the side walls extend upwardly from the bottom wall and define an upper lip, the container has a substantially flat collapsed position, and the wall panels are arranged so as to articulate at each living hinge between the expanded position and the collapsed position; and

a bracket carried by a first one of the side walls, wherein the bracket is spaced away from the first side wall and projects downwardly from the upper lip;

wherein the first side wall comprises at most one wall panel, and each of the bottom wall and second and third ones of the side walls attached to the first side wall comprises at most two wall panels with an axis of articulation of the living hinge therebetween oriented diagonally to extend substantially to opposite diagonal corners of the wall.

11. The container of claim 10, further comprising a horizontal flange protruding outwardly along the upper lip of the first side wall and extending from one end of the upper lip to an opposite end of the upper lip.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the bracket is flush with an outer edge of the horizontal flange.

13. The container of claim 12, wherein the horizontal flange tapers from a first width at a center of the upper lip to a second, narrower width near an end of the upper lip.