AU8714498A

AU8714498A - Folding collapsible bin

Info

Publication number: AU8714498A
Application number: AU87144/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Francis William Lee
Original assignee: Pelco P L
Current assignee: PELCO P/L
Priority date: 1997-09-30
Filing date: 1998-09-30
Publication date: 1999-04-22

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT FOLDING COLLAPSIBLE

CONTAINER

The following statement is a full description of the principal of this invention.

Provisional application no. P09534 2 FOLDING COLLAPSIBLE

CONTAINER

This invention relates to containers (being bins, crates or any other type of container) that are collapsible for the purpose of reducing the space required during transportation or storage while empty.

Where rigid containers are used for the transportation of farm produce (or any other Mproduct of a similar nature) inefficiencies in respect to loading occur on the return route. Because standard containers in use today are rigid they occupy the same space weather empty or full and the same number of containers are usually carried by each truck or rail car on the return journey as was on the delivery journey.

I The inefficiency is due to the fact that on the return journey the transporting vehicle is only loaded to a fraction of its capacity by weight.

This invention also drastically reduces the space required for the storage of containers not in use (ie. between seasons) These problems are overcome by the present invention which is a container with hinged Ssides. This allows the container to be reduced to a fraction of its size when full for the Spurpose of transportation and storage while empty. This reduces the number of transport loads for the return journey when the crates are empty.

The container has a device on the top of each corner for locking the sides in the vertical position while it is in use. These locking devices are easily removed when the container needs to be collapsed and have a flexible permanent connection to the container to prevent them being separated from the container.

The container may be any size and made of metal, timber or plastic or any combination of these. To assist with understanding this invention, reference is made to the attached drawings (project) 980804 (drawing nos:) WD/O01 02 which show the schematic principal of the invention.

jg l: DRAWING NO. WDi01 shows the basic orthographic views and 2 cross sectional .l views with the container sides at various stages of collapse.

The "top view" shows the basic layout of the base and 4 sides. The long sides being referred to as side panels and the short sides being referred to as end panels. 4 locking devices are also shown which hold the panels in the vertical position while the container is in use and also acts as a "locater" for the container above for when 2 or more containers are stacked vertically above each other.

The "side view" shows the side rails of the container being integral with and rising above the base of the container. The bottom edge of the side panels being higher than the bottom edge of tle end panels which is central to the principal of the invention. This view also shows the recesses in the 4 corners of the underside of the j base, which are used for "locating" the crates when stacked vertically above each other.

SThe "end view" shows similar detail to the side view.

SSection L-L shows the end panels hinging down and laying flat onthe base of the container with the locking devices removed. q 3 "Section M-M" shows the side panels hinging down and laying fiat against the previously collapsed end panels. This is the shape and form of the invention in its collapsed state.

DRAWING NO. WDi02 shows large scale detail of the side and end panel hinge arrangement and the locking device used to lock the panels in the vertical position.

"External corner detail" shows the relationship between the hinge centre lines for the side panels and end panels. The side panel hinge centre line is a minium distance above the hinge centre line of the end panels by an amount equal to the thickness of the container wall panels, plus an acceptable clearance. This view also shows the recessed comer of the base used for the purpose described in "side view".

"Internal corner detail" shows the same details as "External comer detail" but viewed from inside the container.

"Top locking device" shows the device for locking the side and end panels in the vertical position. This device consists of a cap piece and 2 bottom projections. The Slocking device is installed by inserting the bottom projections into matching cavities on "the side and end panels and then inserting the locating pin through both a wall panel i and the locking piece projection. The locating pin prevents the accidental dislodgment of the locking device and the 4 locking devices lock all 4 wall panels in the vertical position. The locating pin is connected by a chain or similar flexible connection to the "locking device to prevent it being separated from the locking device.

When the containers are stacked vertically, the cap of the locking device fits into the recesses on the 4 comers on the under side of the base of the crate above, preventing dislodgment of the crates while stacked.

The locking device has a chain attached to it to prevent it being lost while the containers are in the collapsed position.

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Claims

1. A collapsible container comprising a base and 4 hinged wall panels which can be Slocked in the vertical position by locking devices while the container is in use and then easily unlocked from that position and then folded down by means of strategically placed hinges so the wall panels lay flat on the base of the container.

2. The collapsib!e container of claim 1 wherein the end panels are folded down first due to their hinging axis being closer to the base than the side panels, which are then folded down last to rest on top of the folded down end panels.

3. The collapsible container of claims 1 and 2 wherein the 4 locking devices have a locating pin to secure them to the side wall panels to prevent dislodgment of the locking device during handling and stacking.

4. The collapsible container of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the locking devices are permanently connected to the wall panels by flexible means such as chain or wire I so they are not misplaced during the time the container is collapsed. The collapsible container of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the relationship between the hinged axis of the side and end panels is reversed and the raised base rail is located under the end panel and the side panels fold down first, followed by the end panels. a°s signed t. date.. Pjco applicant .v^