Container and blank for making the same

• US 20060138203A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 06/29/2006
• 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., Zimmerman, Daniel, Dhall, Sanjay
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 229/117.20
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0222 the closure and the bottom presenting co-operating peripheral ribs and grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/3607 formed by folding or erecting a single blank

Abstract

A collapsible storage device includes a collapsible container and a lid for the container. The container includes a plurality of resilient wall panels and a hinge portion connecting each adjacent pair of wall panels. The container may be foldably converted between a substantially flat collapsed position and a substantially rectangular prismatic expanded position by articulating the wall panels about the flexible hinges. At least one of the hinge portions is arched to latch the container in the expanded position. The lid may be used to cover the container in the expanded position and receive the container in the collapsed position.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a plurality of wall panels hingedly connected so as to articulate between an expanded position and a collapsed position, the wall panels defining at least a bottom wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall;

the first side wall connected to the bottom wall at a first articulable connection;

the second side wall connected to the bottom wall at a second articulable connection; and

the second side wall connected to the first side wall at an arched elongate hinge;

wherein the first side wall comprises at least two wall panels defining a second hinge extending substantially between diagonal corners of the first side wall, and

wherein the wall panels are adapted to articulate between the expanded position and the collapsed position about the arched elongate hinge and the second hinge.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein each of the wall panels is articulably connected to each adjacent wall panel.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall is substantially square, and wherein the second side wall comprises at most one wall panel.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the wall panels has a non-linear edge.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the second hinge bulges outwardly to lock the container in the expanded position.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the wall panels define a third side wall and a fourth side wall, the bottom wall having four peripheral edges, wherein each of the first through fourth side walls is hingedly connected to a different one of the peripheral edges, and wherein the second side wall is hingedly connected to the third side wall, the third side wall is hingedly connected to the fourth side wall, and the fourth side wall is hingedly connected to the first side wall.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the second side wall is connected to the third side wall at a second arched elongate hinge, the third side wall is connected to the fourth side wall at a third arched elongate hinge, and the fourth side wall is connected to the first side wall at a fourth arched elongate hinge.

8. The container of claim 6, wherein each of the first side wall, the third side wall, and the bottom wall comprises at least two wall panels defining a hinge extending substantially between diagonal corners thereof, and wherein each of the second side wall and the fourth side wall comprises at most one wall panel.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the wall panels define a third side wall, the bottom wall having three peripheral edges, wherein each of the first through third side walls is hingedly connected to a different one of the peripheral edges, and wherein the second side wall is hingedly connected to the third side wall, and the third side wall is hingedly connected to the first side wall.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein the second side wall is connected to the third side wall at a second arched elongate hinge, and the third side wall is connected to the first side wall at a third arched elongate hinge.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein the arched elongate hinge comprises a plurality of tabs, the tabs connecting the first side wall and the second side wall, and a notch disposed between adjacent tabs.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein the wall panels comprise a resilient cellulosic material.

13. The container of claim 12 further comprising a substantially liquid impermeable coating on an interior surface of the bottom wall and the four side walls.

14. The container of claim 1, wherein each articulable connection comprises a fold.

15. The container of claim 1, wherein each of the articulable connections and the arched elongate hinge is substantially continuous between the respective side walls and bottom wall.

16. The container of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive disposed on an exterior surface of at least one of the wall panels, wherein the adhesive is in a position so as to engage another one of the wall panels when the container is in the collapsed position, a reinforcement flap disposed along a top edge of at least one of the side walls, and a ridge disposed adjacent the top edge.

17. A collapsible container, comprising:

a bottom wall having four peripheral edges;

a side wall articulably connected to each peripheral edge of the bottom wall;

each side wall articulably connected to an adjacent side wall along a corner thereof; and

a diagonal fold defined in each of two opposing side walls and the bottom wall;

wherein each of the corners is arched along a length thereof, and wherein the side walls and the bottom wall articulate at the respective folds, the peripheral edges, and the corners between a substantially flat collapsed state and an expanded state defining four side walls, a bottom wall, and an opening opposite the bottom wall.

18. A substantially flat blank adapted for assembly into a collapsible box having a bottom wall and four side walls, the blank comprising:

a substantially rectangular central wall portion;

a side wall portion articulably connected to each of four peripheral portions of the central wall portion so as to be foldable into a three-dimensional form of the collapsible box, wherein each side wall portion has two opposite side edges extending between the central wall portion and a distal end of the side wall portion; and

a fold line defined in each of the central wall portion and two opposing side wall portions, each fold line extending between opposite diagonal corners thereof, the fold lines being substantially parallel with each other;

wherein each adjacent side edge of at least one adjacent pair of the side wall portions is arched convexly along a length thereof.

19. The blank of claim 18, wherein each side edge of each side wall portion is arched convexly along a length thereof.

20. The blank of claim 19 further comprising a plurality of tabs disposed along at least one side edge of at least one adjacent pair of side wall portions, a flap disposed along a distal edge of at least one of the side walls opposite the central wall portion, and a ridge disposed adjacent the distal edge, wherein the blank comprises paper.