Collapsible container
OwnerAaron S. Downieinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collapsible container, which can be used as a household storage container, a temperature containment vessel (i.e., “ice chest”), or other type of container. The collapsible container is shiftable between a collapsed configuration and an assembled configuration. The container base comprises opposed grooves, each comprising a pivot, wherein one pivot is farther from the interior surface of the base than the opposed pivot. A pair of side panels preferably comprise at least one arm member having an elongated guide formed therein that is rotationally and slidably engaged with respective base pivots to allow the panels to shift between an upright position a horizontal position, in a stacked configuration. The lid preferably comprises at least one passage formed horizontally in the top panel to allow air to flow therethrough.
Claims18
A container shiftable between a collapsed configuration and an assembled configuration, the container comprising:
- a base comprising an interior upper surface and a barrier wall extending vertically upward from the perimeter of the interior upper surface, the barrier wall comprising at least one first vertical groove formed on a first inward facing surface of the barrier wall and at least one second vertical groove formed on an opposed second inward facing surface of the barrier wall, the at least one first vertical groove comprising a first pivot and the at least one second vertical groove comprising a second pivot, the first pivot being located at a position farther from the interior upper surface of the base than the second pivot;
- a first side panel comprising at least one first arm member having an elongated guide formed therein that is rotationally and slidably engaged with the first pivot to allow the first side panel to shift between an upright position when the container is in the assembled configuration and a horizontal position when the container is in the collapsed configuration;
- a second side panel comprising at least one second arm member rotationally engaged with the second pivot to allow the second side panel to shift between an upright position when the container is in the assembled configuration and a horizontal position between the interior upper surface of the base and the first side panel when the container is in the collapsed configuration;
- a pair of removeable end panels adapted to be positioned upright and engage with the base, the first side panel, and the second side panel to define a container cavity when the container is in the assembled configuration and to be positioned horizontally adjacent the first side panel or the second side panel when the container is in the collapsed configuration;
- and
- a removeable lid adapted to engage with the first side panel, the second side panel, and the pair of removeable end panels when the container is in the assembled configuration and to engage with the barrier wall of the base when the container is in the collapsed configuration.
A container shiftable between a collapsed configuration and an assembled configuration, the container comprising:
- a base comprising an interior upper surface and a barrier wall extending vertically upward from the perimeter of the interior upper surface and defining a base cavity, the barrier wall comprising at least one first vertical groove formed on a first inward facing surface of the barrier wall and at least one second vertical groove formed on an opposed second inward facing surface of the barrier wall, the at least one first vertical groove comprising a first pivot and the at least one second vertical groove comprising a second pivot, the first pivot being located at a position farther from the interior upper surface of the base than the second pivot;
- a first side panel comprising at least one first arm member having an elongated guide formed therein that is rotationally and slidably engaged with the first pivot to allow the first side panel to shift between an upright position when the container is in the assembled configuration and a horizontal position when the container is in the collapsed configuration;
- a second side panel comprising at least one second arm member having an elongated guide formed therein that is rotationally and slidably engaged with the second pivot to allow the second side panel to shift between an upright position when the container is in the assembled configuration and a horizontal position between the interior upper surface of the base and the first side panel when the container is in the collapsed configuration, wherein the first side panel and the second side panel are of identical construction and adapted to reside within the base cavity when the container is in the collapsed configuration;
- a pair of removeable end panels having identical construction adapted to be positioned upright and engage with the base, the first side panel, and the second side panel to define a container cavity when the container is in the assembled configuration and to be positioned horizontally adjacent the first side panel or the second side panel when the container is in the collapsed configuration;
- and
- a removeable lid adapted to engage with the first side panel, the second side panel, and the pair of removeable end panels when the container is in the assembled configuration and to engage with the barrier wall of the base when the container is in the collapsed configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.