# US 10,988,896 B2 · Collapsible household containers

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- Number: US 10,988,896 B2
- Document ID: US10988896B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/196,855
- Filed: 2018-11-20
- Published: 2019-03-21
- Granted: 2021-04-27
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-10
- Applicants: Sam Tung Tsui
- Inventors: Sam Tung Tsui
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10988896B2

## CPC

- D06F 95/002: {Baskets or bags specially adapted for holding or transporting laundry; Supports therefor}
- A45C 7/0031: {telescopic}
- A45F 3/20: of flexible material; Collapsible or stackable cups
- A47L 17/02: Basins (dish-washing tables A47B33/00; sanitary basins A47K1/04; basins connected to waste pipe E03C1/12)
- A47L 19/00: Drying devices for crockery or table-ware, e.g. tea-cloths
- A47L 19/02: Draining-boards
- A47L 19/04: Crockery baskets; Draining-racks
- B23P 19/00: Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformation {(connecting metal parts or objects by metal-working procedures B21J, B23K)}; Tools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes (hand tools in general B25)
- B29C 45/0017: {moulding interconnected elements which are movable with respect to one another, e.g. chains or hinges}
- B29C 65/48: using adhesives {, i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding}
- B65D 1/225: {Collapsible boxes}
- B65D 1/34: Trays or like shallow containers {(B65D81/3813 takes precedence)}
- B65D 21/086: {Collapsible or telescopic containers (B65D1/0292 and B65D21/068 take precedence)}
- B65D 25/2832: {provided vertically and fixed to the upper or lower rim and to the side wall}
- B65D 25/2852: {provided on a local area near to or at the upper edge or rim}
- B65D 25/2888: {provided near to or at the upper edge or rim}
- B65D 41/04: Threaded or like caps or cap-like covers secured by rotation
- B65D 55/16: Devices preventing loss of removable closure members
- A45F 2003/205: {Collapsible or foldable cups}
- B07B 1/02: Hand screens
- B29L 2031/713: {Baskets}
- B29L 2031/7132: {Bowls, Cups, Glasses}
- D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- A45C: PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
- A45F: TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY
- A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08)
- B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- 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
- B07B: SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL (wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid B03; combinations of dry separating apparatus with wet separating apparatus B03B; using liquids B03B, B03D; sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes B04; hand sorting, postal sorting, sorting by switching or other devices actuated in response to detection or measurement of some feature of articles or samples of material B07C)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

Collapsible household containers having a foldable wall section with shape-retaining characteristics are disclosed. In particular, collapsible laundry baskets, buckets, colanders, dish drainers, and cups are provided. The folding region may include foldable tiers of a flexible material, each tier having at least one stable, relatively expanded position and at least one stable, relatively collapsed position; and an intervening, non-folding tier composed of a different, relatively rigid material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A collapsible dish drainer comprising
a generally annular top tier;
a bottom tier including a plurality of upstanding partitions arranged to support dishware standing on edge between adjacent partitions and a generally horizontal support surface, the support surface including a drain; and
a collapsible wall section connecting the top tier to the bottom tier, the collapsible wall section including at least three stacked, adjacent, generally annular tiers;
the collapsible wall section, top tier, and bottom tier collectively defining a drainer body having a top opening, a generally closed bottom comprising the generally horizontal support surface of the bottom tier, and a generally closed periphery comprising at least a part of the top tier and at least a part of the collapsible wall section;
at least one of the collapsible wall section tiers being a stiff middle tier; and
at least two of the collapsible wall section tiers being flexible and configured to fold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions, including at least one flexible tier disposed above the middle tier and at least one flexible tier disposed below the middle tier;
wherein the size of a drainer volume disposed within the drainer body and below the top opening can be increased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively collapsed to a relatively expanded position and can be decreased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively expanded to a relatively collapsed position, each flexible tier having an upper end, a lower end, a living hinge at the upper end and a living hinge at the lower end.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1, wherein said drain is configured to be plugged by an insertable drain plug to render the support surface at least substantially watertight.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1, wherein said drain comprises a plurality of drainage holes in the support surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1 further comprising a separate, collapsible domed lid, said domed lid comprising:
a generally annular bottom lid tier;
a top lid tier including a generally horizontal lid panel; and
a collapsible lid wall section connecting the top lid tier to the bottom lid tier, the collapsible lid wall section including at least three stacked, generally annular lid tiers;
the collapsible lid wall section, top lid tier, and bottom lid tier collectively defining a lid body having a bottom opening, a generally closed top comprising the generally horizontal lid panel of the top tier, and a generally closed periphery comprising at least a part of the bottom lid tier and at least a part of the collapsible lid wall section;
at least one of the collapsible lid wall section tiers being a stiff middle lid tier; and
at least two of the collapsible lid wall section tiers being flexible and configured to fold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions, including at least one flexible lid tier disposed above the middle lid tier and at least one flexible lid tier disposed below the middle lid tier;
wherein the size of a lid volume disposed within the lid body and above the bottom opening can be increased by folding at least one of the flexible lid tiers from a relatively collapsed to a relatively expanded position and can be decreased by folding at least one of the flexible lid tiers from a relatively expanded to a relatively collapsed position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The drainer of claim 4, said bottom lid tier being configured to be supported on said top drainer tier in a mating configuration with said top drainer tier whether said collapsible lid is oriented right-side-up or upside-down.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The drainer of claim 4, wherein said collapsible lid in an upside-down orientation is configured to nest inside said drainer body, at or below the level of the highest portion of said top drainer tier and at least substantially within said drainer volume, when said drainer and said lid are both in fully expanded states, and to collapse together with said drainer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The drainer of claim 6, said collapsible lid remaining below the highest portion of said top drainer tier when said drainer and said lid are both in fully collapsed states.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1, the middle tier being composed of a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylenes, metals, and nylons, and the flexible tiers being composed of a material selected from the group consisting of silicones and thermoplastic elastomers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1, at least one of the flexible tiers being adapted so that, when the bottom tier rests on a support surface in a substantially horizontal orientation, the at least one of the flexible tiers is stable in a relatively extended position and in a relatively collapsed position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The drainer of claim 9, the at least one of the flexible tiers being stable in a fully extended position, a fully collapsed position, and at least one partially extended position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1, the top and bottom tiers being substantially rigid and composed of a rigid material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1, at least a portion of at least one of the tiers being air permeable to permit some airflow into and out of the drainer without passing through the top opening.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1 wherein the bottom tier further comprises a removable tray insertable into the bottom tier below the drain for collecting water draining through the drain.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The drainer of claim 1 further comprising one or more cutlery holders having one or more openings for holding cutlery in an upstanding position.

### Claim 15

A method of drying washed housewares in a dish drainer comprising (1) a generally annular top tier; (2) a bottom tier including a plurality of parallel, upstanding partitions arranged to support dishware standing on edge between adjacent partitions and a generally horizontal support surface, the support surface including a drain and a plurality of parallel, upstanding partitions arranged to support dishware standing on edge between adjacent partitions; and (3) a collapsible wall section connecting the top tier to the bottom tier, the collapsible wall section including at least three stacked, adjacent, generally annular tiers; the collapsible wall section, top tier, and bottom tier collectively defining a drainer body having a top opening, a generally closed bottom comprising the generally horizontal support surface of the bottom tier, and a generally closed periphery comprising at least a part of the top tier and at least a part of the collapsible wall section; at least one of the collapsible wall section tiers being a stiff middle tier; and at least two of the collapsible wall section tiers being flexible and configured to fold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions, including at least one flexible tier disposed above the middle tier and at least one flexible tier disposed below the middle tier; wherein the size of a drainer volume disposed within the drainer body and below the top opening can be increased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively collapsed to a relatively expanded position and can be decreased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively expanded to a relatively collapsed position, each flexible tier having an upper end, a lower end, a living hinge at the upper end and a living hinge at the lower end, the method comprising:
placing a wet dish in an upstanding position against one or more of the partitions; and
allowing the wet dish to dry in the dish drainer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 further comprising placing a second wet dish between an adjacent pair of partitions.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 further comprising covering the placed dish with a lid.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, the drainer further comprising a removable tray below the drain for collecting water draining through the drainer, the method further comprising allowing the water on the placed dish to drain off the dish and through the drain; and
emptying the tray of water that has drained through the drain.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 further comprising collapsing the dish drainer after the placed dish has dried.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 further comprising placing wet cutlery in a cutlery holder attached to the dish drainer body.

### Claim 21

A collapsible dish drainer comprising
a generally annular top tier;
a bottom tier including a plurality of upstanding partitions arranged to support dishware standing on edge between adjacent partitions and a generally horizontal support surface, the support surface including a drain; and
a collapsible wall section connecting the top tier to the bottom tier, the collapsible wall section including at least three stacked, generally annular tiers;
the collapsible wall section, top tier, and bottom tier collectively defining a drainer body having a top opening, a generally closed bottom comprising the generally horizontal support surface of the bottom tier, and a generally closed periphery comprising at least a part of the top tier and at least a part of the collapsible wall section;
at least one of the collapsible wall section tiers being a stiff middle tier; and
at least two of the collapsible wall section tiers being flexible and configured to fold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions, including at least one flexible tier disposed above the middle tier and at least one flexible tier disposed below the middle tier;
wherein the size of a drainer volume disposed within the drainer body and below the top opening can be increased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively collapsed to a relatively expanded position and can be decreased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively expanded to a relatively collapsed position;
wherein the bottom tier further comprises a removable tray insertable into the bottom tier below the drain for collecting water draining through the drain.