Collapsible storage container

• US 6,006,918 A
• Filed: 10/18/1996
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael John Hart
• Original Assignee: Michael John Hart
• Inventors: Hart, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US08/731,775
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 206/600, 220/1.5, 220/4.29, 220/4.28, 220/6, 220/7
• US Class Current: 206/600
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/12 Collapsible pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00029 Wood
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00064 Wood
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00164 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00502 whereby at least one side wall is made of two or more pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00512 skeleton type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00532 Frame structures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00601 separately formed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00611 side walls maintained connected to each other by means of auxiliary locking elements, e.g. spring loaded locking pins
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00641 Structures intended to be disassembled
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00661 side walls maintained connected to pallet by means of auxiliary locking elements, e.g. spring loaded locking pins
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00805 Means for facilitating the removal of the load
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0091 whereby all side walls are hingedly connected to each other

Abstract

A collapsible storage container has four walls hingedly connected with depending L-shaped hooks. The walls are moveable between a container configuration in which the L-shaped hooks captively engage a pallet which forms the base of an enclosure defined by the walls and a collapsed configuration in which the walls overlay one another in a substantially parallel arrangement. A roof is connected by hinges to one of the walls and is moveable between a closed position in which lugs engage an opposite wall and a storage position in which the roof is substantially parallel to the wall.

Claims

1. A collapsible storage container for use with a forklift pallet, said container comprising at least four wall members extending in respective planes, adjacent wall members being connected by hinged connections for rotation about an axis which lies in no more than one plane of the respective wall members, with at least two of the wall members including associated pallet engaging means, said hinged connections allowing said wall members to be moved to a container configuration in which a pallet is captively engaged by said engaging means as a base to an enclosure formed by said wall members, and allowing said wall members to be moved to a collapsed configuration in which said wall members are adjacent each other in a substantially parallel arrangement without the disconnection of any of said hinged connections.

2. A collapsible storage container according to claim 1 further comprising a roof member adapted to engage said wall members in the container configuration to define the upper limit to the enclosure.

3. A collapsible storage container according to claim 2 wherein the roof member is connected by a hinged connection to one of said wall members and can move between a roof position in the container configuration and a storage position in the collapsed configuration in which the roof member is substantially parallel to said one wall member.

4. A collapsible storage container according to claim 3 wherein the hinged connections between adjacent wall members each include at least one L-shaped bracket which is fixed to one of the members and pivotally engaged with the other member to allow hinging of that member about the hinged axis.

5. A collapsible storage container according to claim 1 wherein two of the wall members are lockable along their adjacent edges in the container configuration.

6. A collapsible storage container for use with a forklift pallet, said container comprising a roof member and only four planar wall members, all members having four edges, the wall members being connected by hinged connections to adjacent wall members only at their respective adjacent edges and for rotation about an axis which lies in no more than one plane of the respective wall members, and the roof member being connected by hinge connections along one of its edges to one of the adjacent wall members, with at least two of the wall members including associated pallet engaging means, said hinged connections allowing said wall members to be moved to a container configuration in which a pallet is captively engaged by said engaging means as a base to an enclosure formed by said wall members, and allowing said wall members to be moved to a collapsed configuration in which said wall members are adjacent each other in a substantially parallel arrangement without the disconnection of any of the hinged connections.

7. A collapsible storage container according to claim 6 wherein two of the wall members are lockable along their adjacent edges in the container configuration.

8. A collapsible storage container for use with a forklift pallet, said container comprising only four planar wall members each having four edges, the wall members being connected by hinged connections to adjacent wall members only at their respective adjacent edges and for rotation about an axis which lies in no more than one plane of the respective wall members, with at least two of the wall members including associated pallet engaging means, said hinged connections allowing said wall members to be moved to a container configuration in which said adjacent wall members are perpendicular to each other and a pallet is captively engaged by said engaging means as a base to an enclosure formed by said wall members, and allowing said wall members to be moved to a collapsed configuration in which said wall members are adjacent each other in a substantially parallel arrangement without the disconnection of any of said hinged connections.

9. A collapsible storage container according to claim 8 further comprising a roof member adapted to engage said wall members in the container configuration to define the upper limit to the enclosure.

10. A collapsible storage container according to claim 9 wherein the roof member is connected by a hinge connection to one of said wall members and can move between a roof position in the container configuration and a storage position in the collapsed configuration in which the roof member is substantially parallel to said one wall member.

11. A collapsible storage container according to claim 8 wherein two of the wall members are lockable along their adjacent edges in the container configuration.

12. A collapsible storage container for use with a forklift pallet, said container comprising at least four planar wall members being connected by hinged connections to adjacent wall members for rotation about an axis which lies in no more than one plane of the respective wall members, with at least two of the wall members including associated pallet engaging means, said hinged connections allowing said wall members to be moved to a container configuration in which a pallet is captively engaged by said engaging means as a base to an enclosure formed by said wall members, and allowing each said wall members to be moved to a collapsed configuration in which all said wall members are adjacent each other in a substantially overlaying parallel arrangement without the disconnection of any of said hinged connections from their respective wall members, wherein at least two wall members are independently sequentially moved to the collapsed configuration.

13. A collapsible storage container according to claim 12 further comprising a roof member adapted to engage said wall members in the container configuration to define the upper limit to the enclosure.

14. A collapsible storage container according to claim 13 wherein the roof member is connected by a hinged connection to one of said wall members and can move between a roof position in the container configuration and a storage position in the collapsed configuration in which the roof member is substantially parallel to said one wall member.

15. A collapsible storage container according to claim 12 wherein two of the wall members are lockable along their adjacent edges in the container configuration.

16. A collapsible storage container for use with a forklift pallet, said container comprising only four planar wall members each having four edges, the wall members being connected by hinged connections to adjacent wall members only at their respective adjacent edges and for rotation about an axis which lies in no more than one plane of the respective wall members, with at least two of the wall members including associated pallet engaging means, said hinged connections allowing said wall members to be moved to a container configuration in which said adjacent wall members are perpendicular to each other and a pallet is captively engaged by said engaging means as a base to an enclosure formed by said wall members, and allowing said wall members to be moved to a collapsed configuration in which said wall members are adjacent each other in a substantially parallel arrangement having substantially the same width dimension as the widest wall member and a thickness substantially that of the combined wall thicknesses without the disconnection of any of said hinged connections from their respective wall members.

17. A collapsible storage container according to claim 16 further comprising a roof member adapted to engage said wall members in the container configuration to define the upper limit to the enclosure.

18. A collapsible storage container according to claim 17 wherein the roof member is connected by a hinged connection to one of said wall members and can move between a roof position in the container configuration and a storage position in the collapsed configuration in which the roof member is substantially parallel to said one wall member.

19. A collapsible storage container according to claim 16 wherein two of the wall members are lockable along their adjacent edges in the container configuration.