# US 2004/0069780 A1 · Portable storage device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2004/0069780 A1 - Document ID: US20040069780A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 10/269,546 - Filed: 2002-10-11 - Published: 2004-04-15 - Earliest claimed: 2002-10-11 - Assignees: Rehrig Pacific Company - Inventors: William P. Apps; Cynthia R. Aiken - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20040069780A1 ## CPC - B65D 11/1833: {whereby all side walls are hingedly connected to the base panel (B65D11/186 takes precedence)} - 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 ## Abstract A portable storage device includes the plurality of collapsible walls, each pair of adjacent walls connected by a latch. Each latch can be selectively actuated from both the inside and the outside of the container. Preferably, the latch includes a recess into which the adjacent wall is disposed when the latch is in the latched position. Preferably, the latch is unlatched by flexing the latch away from the adjacent wall by application of force on an inner release surface, inward of the recess or by application of force on an outer release surface, outward of the recess. ## Claims ### Claim 1 1) A container comprising: a base wall; a first wall generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall generally perpendicular to the base wall and the first wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall for selectively connecting the first wall to the second wall, the latch including an outer release surface outward of the second wall and an inner release surface inward of the second wall, the latch configured to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the outer release surface and the latch configured to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the inner release surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 2) The crate of claim 1 wherein the latch includes a recess into which a portion of the second wall is received when the latch is connected to the second wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) 3) The crate of claim 2 wherein the latch is tapered away from the recess. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) 4) The crate of claim 2 wherein the latch is flexible away from the second wall in order to disconnect the second wall from the latch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) 5) The crate of claim 4 wherein the outer release surface is positioned outward of the recess and the inner release surface is positioned inward of the recess. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) 6) The crate of claim 5 wherein the second wall includes a portion of reduced thickness received within the recess. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) 7) The crate of claim 6 wherein the second wall includes a recess on an outer surface of the second wall at the portion of reduced thickness, the outer release surface accessible within the recess on the outer surface of the second wall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) 8) The crate of claim 7 wherein the first and second walls are connected by hinges to the base wall and selectively movable between a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall and a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) 9) The crate of claim 8 wherein the first and second walls include interlocking tabs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) 10) The crate of claim 1 wherein one of the first wall and second wall includes a post positioned outwardly of latch for preventing excessive outward deflection of the latch. ### Claim 11 11) A collapsible crate comprising: a base wall; a first wall movable about a first hinge between a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall and a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall; a second wall movable about a second hinge between a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall and a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall; and a latch integrally molded with the first wall for selectively connecting the first wall to the second wall while the first and second walls are in the use position, the latch configured to be selectively disconnected upon the application of force from the inside of the container and configured to be selectively disconnected upon the application of force from the outside of the container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) 12) The collapsible crate of claim 11 wherein the latch includes a outer release surface outward of the second wall and an inner release surface inward of the second wall, the latch configured to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the outer release surface and the latch configured to selectively disconnect the latch from the second wall upon an application of force to the inner release surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) 13) The collapsible crate of claim 12 wherein the latch includes a recess into which a portion of the second wall fits when the latch is connected to the second wall. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) 14) The collapsible crate of claim 13 wherein the outer release surface is positioned outward of the recess and the inner release surface is positioned inward of the recess. ### Claim 15 15) A collapsible crate comprising: a base wall; four walls movable about hinges between a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall and a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall; and four latches, each latch connecting a different pair of the four walls in the use position, each latch configured to be selectively disconnected from the inside of the container and configured to be selectively disconnected from the outside of the container. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) 16) The collapsible crate of claim 15 wherein each latch includes an outer release surface outward of the crate and an inner release surface inward of the crate, the latch configured to selectively disconnect the latch upon an application of force to the outer release surface and the latch configured to selectively disconnect the latch upon an application of force to the inner release surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) 17) The collapsible crate of claim 16 wherein the latch is configured to selectively disconnect upon flexing away from an adjacent one of the four walls to which the latch is selectively connected. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) 18) The collapsible crate of claim 17 wherein the outer release surface is positioned outward of the recess and the inner release surface is positioned inward of the recess. ### Claim 19 19) A method for assembling and disassembling a crate including the steps of: a. pivoting a first wall about a first hinged connection to a base wall from a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall to a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall; b. pivoting a second wall about a second hinged connection to the base wall from a collapsed position generally parallel to the base wall to a use position generally perpendicular to the base wall; c. connecting the first wall to the second wall with a latch while the first and second walls are in the use position; and d. applying a force to an outer release surface of the latch outward of the second wall to release the latch; and e. applying a force to an inner release surface of the latch inward of the second wall to release the latch. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) 20) The method of claim 19 wherein said steps a.-c. are performed prior to said step d and repeated prior to said step e. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) 21) The method of claim 20 further including the step of flexing the latch away from the second wall in said steps d. and e. ### Claim 22 22) A collapsible crate orientable between a collapsed position and an assembled position comprising: a base; a first pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to the base and each having a latch member with an inner release surface and an outer release surface; a second pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to the base, wherein when in the assembled position, the first and second pairs of opposed side walls are attached by the latch members receiving a portion of the second side walls therein, wherein to return the crate from the assembled position to the collapsed position the latch members are configured to be selectively actuated by the inner release surface disposed inward of the second wall and the outer release surface disposed outward of the second wall. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) 23) The collapsible crate of claim 22 wherein each of the first side walls includes at least two of the latch members. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) 24) The collapsible crate of claim 22 wherein the latch members are configured to be selectively actuated upon an application of force to the inner release surface and upon an application of force to the outer release surface. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) 25) The collapsible crate of claim 22 further including a post positioned outwardly of each latch for preventing excessive outward deflection of the latch. ### Claim 26 26) A collapsible crate comprising: A base member having an upstanding base wall having an outer surface, a first hinge portion and an opening extending from the upstanding base wall outer surface to the first hinge portion; and A side wall pivotably attached to the base member, the side wall having a second hinge portion cooperating with the first hinge portion for providing the pivotable attachment therebetween.