Automatically-operating bottom structure in a collapsible container

• US 5,816,483 A
• Filed: 05/13/1997
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Creative Tech Marketing
• Original Assignee: Creative Tech Marketing
• Inventors: Gasper, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US08/855,184
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 229/108, 229/108.1, 229/109, 229/117, 229/117.01, 229/184, 229/185, 229/117.05, 229/117.06, 220/418, 220/462, 493/163, 493/181, 53/564
• US Class Current: 229/109
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/3614 to form a tubular body, at least one of the ends of the body remaining connected
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/3628 collapsed along median lines of two opposite sides of the rectangular tubular body

Abstract

An automatically-operating bottom structure for use in a collapsible container includes a band (80, 84) pivotally connected to a first pair of panels (16, 20), a first pair of bottom flaps (120, 122 and 160, 162) connected to a second pair of panels (18, 22), a second pair of bottom flaps (124, 126) connected to a third pair of panels (17, 19), a third pair of bottom flaps (164, 166) connected to a fourth pair of panels (21, 23) a first pair of web panels (128, 130) and a second pair of web panels (168, 170). The band and bottom flaps are folded within the container when the container is in a folded-flat condition, but automatically form an operative bottom structure when the folded-flat container is moved to a fully-expanded condition.

Claims

1. A container adapted to be selectively moved between a folded condition and an expanded condition, comprising:

a plurality of panels being pivotally connected along adjacent longitudinal edges so as to be arranged in series with one another, the panels being arranged in generally opposing pairs when the container is in an expanded condition;

a band pivotally connected to each of a first pair of said panels, the band having at least first and second sections disposed about an intermediate pivotal axis therebetween, said intermediate pivotal axis generally parallel to pivotal axes between the band and each of the first pair of panels, the first and second sections being disposed with one another and with their respective panels so as to be generally parallel to one another when the container is in a folded condition and generally co-planar to one another when the container is in the expanded condition;

a first pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a second pair of said panels, each of the first pair of bottom flaps adapted to partially overlap a first surface of the band so as to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel and generally parallel with the band when the container is in the expanded condition;

a second pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a third pair of said panels, each of the second pair of bottom flaps adapted to partially overlap a selected surface of the band so as to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel and generally parallel with the band when the container is in the expanded condition;

a third pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a fourth pair of said panels, each of the third pair of bottom flaps adapted to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel when the container is in the expanded condition;

at least one pair of web panels, each said web panel being pivotally connected to at least one bottom flap of a pair of said bottom flaps, wherein each of said at least one pair of web panels is generally parallel with said at least one bottom flap of a pair of said bottom flaps when the container is fully expanded, and each of said at least one pair of web panels is generally co-planar with said at least one bottom flap of a pair of said bottom flaps when the container is fully flat.

2. A collapsible container according to claim 1, wherein each of said second pair of said panels and its associated one of said first pair of bottom flaps are folded about a longitudinal axis substantially midway between the longitudinal edges of said panels, the respective halves of said second pair of panels being generally parallel when the container is in said folded-flat condition and being generally co-planar when the container is fully expanded.

3. A collapsible container according to claim 2, wherein each of said at least one pair of web panels partially overlaps said first surface of said band when the container is fully expanded.

4. A collapsible container according to claim 1, wherein said band includes a connecting member bonded to said first and second sections of said band, said connecting member defining said intermediate pivotal axis.

5. A collapsible container adapted to be selectively moved between a folded-flat condition and a fully-expanded condition, said container having a plurality of panels being pivotally connected along adjacent longitudinal edges so as to be arranged in series with one another, said panels being arranged in opposing pairs when the container is in said fully-expanded condition, and an automatically-operating bottom structure comprising:

a band pivotally connected to each of a first pair of said panels, the band having at least first and second sections, and connecting means bonded to said at least first and second sections for connecting said first and second sections about an intermediate pivotal axis substantially parallel to pivotal axes between said band and the first pair of panels, said first and second sections being disposed with respect to one another so as to be generally parallel to one another when said container is in said folded-flat condition and being disposed with respect to one another so as to be generally co-planar when said container is in said fully-expanded condition;

a first pair of bottom flaps each connected respectively to one of a second pair of said panels, each of said first pair of bottom flaps adapted to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel when the container is in said fully-expanded condition;

a second pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a third pair of said panels, each of said second pair of bottom flaps adapted to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel when the container is in the fully-expanded condition; and

a third pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a fourth pair of said panels, each of said third pair of bottom flaps adapted to be substantially perpendicular to its associated panel when the container is the fully-expanded condition.

6. A collapsible container according to claim 5, wherein said container further comprises at least one pair of web panels, each panel of a pair thereof being pivotally connected to at least one bottom flap of a pair of said bottom flaps.

7. A collapsible container according to claim 5, wherein each of said second pair of said panels and its associated one of said first pair of bottom flaps are folded about a longitudinal axis substantially midway between the longitudinal edges of said panels, the respective halves of said second pair of panels being generally parallel when the container is in said folded-flat condition and being generally co-planar when the container is fully expanded.

8. A method of forming a container from a folded condition to an expanded condition comprising the steps of:

applying pressure to generally opposed exterior surfaces of a plurality of panels pivotally connected along adjacent longitudinal edges so as to be arranged in series with one another to form a contiguous exterior and a contiguous interior therefrom, the panels being arranged in generally opposing pairs when the container is in the expanded condition wherein orientation of each of the plurality of panels is altered relative to each panel connected thereto by transfer of force along the pivotal connection therebetween;

expanding, as a result of the step of applying pressure, first and second sections of a band bonded to a connecting member defining an intermediate pivotal axis, wherein the first second sections are pivotally disposed to one another about the intermediate pivotal band axis, and pivotally connected to each of a first pair of said panels, said intermediate pivotal band axis generally parallel to pivotal axes between the band and each of the first pair of panels, wherein during such expanding the first and second sections are urged from a position wherein their respective panels are generally parallel to one another when the container is in a folded condition to a position wherein the panels are generally co-planar to one another when the container is in the expanded condition;

expanding, as a result of the step of applying pressure, a first pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one of a second pair of said panels, each of the first pair of bottom flaps adapted to partially overlap a first surface of the band so as to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel and generally parallel with the band when the container is in the expanded condition;

expanding, as a result of the step of applying pressure, a second pair of said bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a third pair of said panels, each of the second pair of bottom flaps adapted to partially overlap a selected surface of the band so as to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel and generally parallel with the band when the container is in the expanded condition;

expanding, as a result of the step of applying pressure, a third pair of said bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a fourth pair of the panels, each of the third pair of bottom flaps adapted to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel when the container is in the expanded condition;

expanding, as a result of the step of applying pressure, at least one pair of web panels, wherein each said web panel is pivotally connected to at least one bottom flap of a pair of said bottom flaps.

9. A container adapted to be selectively moved between a folded condition and an expanded condition, comprising:

a plurality of panels being pivotally connected along adjacent longitudinal edges so as to be arranged in series with another, the panels being arranged in generally opposing pairs when the container is in an expanded condition;

a band pivotally connected to each of a first pair of said panels, the band including first and second sections, and a connecting means bonded to the first and second sections for pivotally connecting the first and second sections about an intermediate pivotal axis therebetween, said intermediate pivotal axis generally parallel to pivotal axes between the band and each of the first pair of panels, the first and second sections being disposed with one another and with their respective panels so as to be generally parallel to one another when the container is in a folded condition and generally co-planar to one another when the container is in the expanded condition;

a first pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a second pair of said panels, each of the first pair of bottom flaps adapted to partially overlap a first surface of the band so as to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel and generally parallel with the band when the container is in the expanded condition;

a second pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a third pair of said panels, each of the second pair of bottom flaps adapted to partially overlap a selected surface of the band so as to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel and generally parallel with the band when the container is in the expanded condition;

a third pair of bottom flaps, each connected respectively to one panel of a fourth pair of said panels, each of the third pair of bottom flaps adapted to be generally perpendicular to its associated panel when the container is in the expanded condition;

at least one pair of web panels, each said web panel being pivotally connected to at least one bottom flap of a pair of said bottom flaps.