Collapsible freight container

• US 9,440,786 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cargoshell Holding B.V.
• Original Assignee: Cargoshell Holding B.V.
• Inventors: Giesbers, Rene, Bruinsma, Bram Jeroen
• Primary Examiner(s): Reynolds, Steven A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pagan, Javier A
• Application Number:
  US13/822,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20140144907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 220/1.5, 220/4.33, 220/6, 220/7, 220/666
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/12 specially adapted for transport associated with vehicles, see the relevant subclasses of B60 - B64
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/524 and one or more side walls being foldable along an additional median line
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/0086 rotating or wound around a horizontal axis

Abstract

The invention relates to a collapsible freight container and related methods thereof.

Claims

1. A collapsible freight container comprising a bottom, a roof, two end walls extending between the bottom and the roof, as well as two longitudinal side walls connected to said bottom and said roof, each longitudinal side wall comprising an upper part, a central part and a lower part, which parts are hinged together and to the bottom by means of hinge mechanisms for folding the container from an unfolded position to a collapsed position and for, conversely, unfolding the container from a collapsed position, said roof and said upper part being immovably fixed relative to each other, defining a space in which the end walls are present in the collapsed position, characterised in that at least one end wall is provided with a casing that supports the roof, in which casing at least one door which can hinge relative to the casing is mounted, which door can hinge from a closed position to an open position, in which open position access to the container is possible for loading or unloading, whilst the casing, with the door in the closed position, is pivotable about a pivot axis from a first position, in which it supports the roof, to a second position within said space, for collapsing the freight container

characterised in that the casing is connected, via at least one cable, to an arm positioned on the roof, which arm can be connected to a fork-lift truck.

2. A freight container according to claim 1, characterised in that the casing can be locked and unlocked by means of a locking mechanism to be operated externally of the container by an operator, in which locked position the casing is fixed to the bottom, whilst in the unlocked position the casing can pivot about the pivot axis.

3. A freight container according to claim 1, characterised in that a winding mechanism (57) is disposed in said space, by means of which winding mechanism the cable can be wound up after it has been pulled out by means of the arm.

4. A freight container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the freight container is provided with a synchronization mechanism located in said bottom and/or in said space, by means of which the angle between the horizontal and the right-hand lower part and/or the right-hand central part of the longitudinal side wall is maintained substantially equal to the angle between the horizontal and the left-hand lower part and/or the left-hand central part of the longitudinal side wall at any moment during the folding or unfolding of the freight container.

5. A freight container according to claim 4, characterised in that the synchronization mechanism comprises at least a first rod, which is connected to a hinge mechanism of the lower part and/or the central part of the first longitudinal side wall with one end and which is connected with its other end to a plate which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, which plate is also connected to at least one end of a second rod, the axis of rotation being located centrally between the point of attachment of the first rod to the plate and the point of attachment of the second rod to the plate, which second rod is connected to a hinge mechanism of the lower part and/or the central part of the second longitudinal side wall with the other end thereof.

6. A freight container according to claim 4, characterised in that the synchronization mechanism can be locked and unlocked by means of a locking mechanism to be operated externally of the freight container by an operator, in which locked position the container is locked against collapsing from an unfolded position to a collapsed position, and in which unlocked position collapsing of the container from an unfolded position to a collapsed position is possible.

7. A freight container according to claim 1, characterised in that the freight container is provided with a trigger mechanism (79) by means of which the collapsing of the freight container can be initiated.

8. A freight container according to claim 7, characterised in that the trigger mechanism (79) is provided with a spring mechanism, which, upon being activated, will push against or pull at a part of a longitudinal side wall, causing the freight container to collapse.

9. A freight container according to claim 8, characterised in that the trigger mechanism (79) is activated by the casing reaching the second position within the space.

10. A freight container according to claim 8, characterised in that the spring mechanism is integrated in a synchronization mechanism, wherein a Bowden cable is operated when the casing reaches the second position within the space, by means of which cable the spring mechanism is operated.

11. A freight container according to claim 1, characterised in that the parts of the longitudinal side walls along which the casing pivots is thinner than the thicker central section.