# US 10,118,725 B2 · Rapidly erected and collapsible container and method of using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,725 B2 - Document ID: US10118725B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/358,840 - Filed: 2016-11-22 - Published: 2018-05-24 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-22 - Applicants: Talal T. Al-Housseiny - Inventors: Talal T. Al-Housseiny - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118725B2 ## CPC - B65D 5/3621: {collapsed along two fold lines of the tubular body} - B31B 50/76: Opening and distending flattened articles - B65D 5/02: by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body (specially constructed to allow collapsing and re-erecting without disengagement of side or bottom connections B65D5/36) - B65D 5/322: {at least one container body part formed by folding a single blank to essentially U-shape with or without extensions which form openable lid elements} - B65D 5/36: specially constructed to allow collapsing and re-erecting without disengagement of side or bottom connections - B65D 5/4266: {Folding lines, score lines, crease lines} - B65D 5/4279: {Joints, seams, leakproof joints or corners, special connections between panels (B65D5/209 takes precedence)} - B31B 2100/00: Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs - B31B 2120/302: {collapsible into a flat condition} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B31B: MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B) ## Abstract A rapidly erected and collapsible container and method of using same are disclosed. The container is movable between a flat and a box configuration. The container includes two primary panels, two secondary panels, and a main link part. The two primary panels, which are movably coupled to the main link part, are configured to move away and sideways from each other, whereby the two primary panels face each other across a gap when the container is in the box configuration. The main link part provides, at least partly, a base panel for the container and may enable maintaining the container in the box configuration. Embodiments foster a container that rapidly, easily, and conveniently transitions from a flat configuration to being ready for use in a box configuration. Moreover, the container may be produced using significantly less material than conventional containers without compromising effectiveness and structural integrity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A container movable between a flat configuration and a box configuration different from the flat configuration, the container comprising: two primary panels; two secondary panels; and a main link part movably coupled to the two primary panels via primary-link hinges, wherein the main link part comprises at least three link portions movably coupled to each other via link-link hinges; wherein the two primary panels are configured to simultaneously move away and move laterally, with respect to each other, when the container is moved from the flat configuration to the box configuration, wherein the two primary panels face each other across a gap when the container is in the box configuration, and wherein the two secondary panels face each other across the gap when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein each of the two primary panels is movably coupled to the two secondary panels via panel hinges. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the two primary panels are substantially parallel to each other when the container is in the flat configuration and in the box configuration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The container of claim 3, wherein the two primary panels are substantially parallel to each other when the container is moved between the flat configuration and the box configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein each of the primary-link hinges and the link-link hinges comprises an item selected from the group consisting of a perforation, a crease, a score, a bend, a section with less thickness than surrounding material, a section with less density than surrounding material, and a combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the container lies substantially in a single plane when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the container is assembled from a single sheet of material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the container is biased towards the box configuration, towards the flat configuration, or towards both the flat configuration and the box configuration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the main link part is folded onto the two primary panels via the primary-link hinges when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the at least three link portions are folded onto each other via at least one of the link-link hinges when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least three link portions forms, at least partly, a base panel of the container when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein a terminal portion of the at least three link portions and an adjacent primary panel lie substantially in a single plane when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The container of claim 12, wherein the terminal portion of the at least three link portions overlaps the adjacent primary panel when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the main link part is movably coupled to one of the two secondary panels via a secondary-link hinge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The container of claim 14, wherein the main link part is folded onto one of the two secondary panels via the secondary-link hinge when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the main link part is movably coupled to the two secondary panels via secondary-link hinges. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the main link part lies above a lowest edge of the two primary panels when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a primary bottom flap movably coupled to a first of the two primary panels via a primary-bottom hinge. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The container of claim 18, wherein the primary bottom flap is placed against the main link part when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The container of claim 18, wherein the primary bottom flap is adjacent to a terminal portion of the at least three link portions when the container is in the box configuration, and thereby capable of at least partly maintaining the container in the box configuration. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The container of claim 18, wherein the primary bottom flap is adjacent to one of the two secondary panels when the container is in the box configuration, and thereby capable of at least partly maintaining the container in the box configuration. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The container of claim 18, wherein the primary bottom flap is adjacent to a second of the two primary panels when the container is in the box configuration, and thereby capable of at least partly maintaining the container in the box configuration. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The container of claim 18, wherein the primary bottom flap interlocks with the main link part when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises at least one secondary bottom flap movably coupled to at least one of the two secondary panels via at least one secondary-bottom hinge. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The container of claim 24, wherein the at least one secondary bottom flap is placed against the main link part when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The container of claim 24, wherein the at least one secondary bottom flap is adjacent to the two primary panels when the container is in the box configuration, and thereby capable of at least partly maintaining the container in the box configuration. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The container of claim 24, wherein the at least one secondary bottom flap interlocks with the main link part when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The container of claim 1, wherein the container further comprises an additional link part movably coupled to the two primary panels via additional primary-link hinges, and wherein the additional link part comprises at least three additional link portions movably coupled to each other via additional link-link hinges. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The container of claim 28, wherein a first link portion of the at least three link portions is movably coupled to a first of the two secondary panels via a secondary-link hinge, wherein a second link portion of the at least three link portions is movably coupled to a first of the two primary panels via one of the primary-link hinges, wherein a first additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions is movably coupled to a second of the two secondary panels via an additional secondary-link hinge, wherein a second additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions is movably coupled to a second of the two primary panels via one of the additional primary-link hinges, and wherein the first link portion of the at least three link portions is placed against the second additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The container of claim 28, wherein a first link portion of the at least three link portions is movably coupled to a first of the two secondary panels via a secondary-link hinge, wherein a second link portion of the at least three link portions is movably coupled to a first of the two primary panels via one of the primary-link hinges, wherein a first additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions is movably coupled to a second of the two secondary panels via an additional secondary-link hinge, wherein a second additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions is movably coupled to a second of the two primary panels via one of the additional primary-link hinges, and wherein the second link portion of the at least three link portions is placed against at least one of the first additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions or the second additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions, when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The container of claim 28, wherein the main link part interlocks with the additional link part via an interlock mechanism when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 32 A method of using a container that is movable between a flat configuration and a box configuration different from the flat configuration, the method comprising: providing a container comprising: two primary panels; two secondary panels; and a main link part movably coupled to the two primary panels via primary-link hinges, wherein the main link part comprises at least three link portions movably coupled to each other via link-link hinges; and moving the container from the flat configuration to the box configuration, wherein the two primary panels simultaneously move away and move laterally, with respect to each other; wherein the two primary panels face each other across a gap when the container is in the box configuration, and wherein the two secondary panels face each other across the gap when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein each of the two primary panels is movably coupled to the two secondary panels via panel hinges. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, wherein the step of moving comprises applying pressure to at least one of the panel hinges. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the step of providing further comprises assembling the container from a single sheet of material. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the main link part is folded onto the two primary panels via the primary-link hinges when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the at least three link portions are folded onto each other via at least one of the link-link hinges when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein a base panel of the container is formed, at least partly, using at least one of the at least three link portions when the container is in the box configuration. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the main link part is movably coupled to one of the two secondary panels via a secondary-link hinge, and wherein the main link part is folded onto one of the two secondary panels via the secondary-link hinge when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the main link part is movably coupled to the two secondary panels via secondary-link hinges, and wherein the main link part is folded onto the two secondary panels via the secondary-link hinges when the container is in the flat configuration. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the container further comprises a primary bottom flap movably coupled to one of the two primary panels via a primary-bottom hinge. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, further comprising placing the primary bottom flap against the main link part. ### Claim 43 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, further comprising interlocking the primary bottom flap with the main link part. ### Claim 44 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the container further comprises at least one secondary bottom flap movably coupled to at least one of the two secondary panels via at least one secondary-bottom hinge. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, further comprising placing the at least one secondary bottom flap against the main link part. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, further comprising interlocking the at least one secondary bottom flap with the main link part. ### Claim 47 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein the container further comprises an additional link part movably coupled to the two primary panels via additional primary-link hinges, and wherein the additional link part comprises at least three additional link portions movably coupled to each other via additional link-link hinges. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein a first link portion of the at least three link portions is movably coupled to a first of the two secondary panels via a secondary-link hinge, wherein a second link portion of the at least three link portions is movably coupled to a first of the two primary panels via one of the primary-link hinges, wherein a first additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions is movably coupled to a second of the two secondary panels via an additional secondary-link hinge, wherein a second additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions is movably coupled to a second of the two primary panels via one of the additional primary-link hinges, and wherein the step of moving further comprises placing the first link portion of the at least three link portions against the second additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions. ### Claim 49 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein a first link portion of the at least three link portions is movably coupled to a first of the two secondary panels via a secondary-link hinge, wherein a second link portion of the at least three link portions is movably coupled to a first of the two primary panels via one of the primary-link hinges, wherein a first additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions is movably coupled to a second of the two secondary panels via an additional secondary-link hinge, wherein a second additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions is movably coupled to a second of the two primary panels via one of the additional primary-link hinges, and wherein the step of moving further comprises placing the second link portion of the at least three link portions against at least one of the first additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions or the second additional link portion of the at least three additional link portions. ### Claim 50 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, wherein the step of moving further comprises interlocking the main link part with the additional link part via an interlock mechanism. ### Claim 51 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, further comprising moving the container from the box configuration to the flat configuration, wherein the two primary panels are moved towards each other.