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US 2016/0236818 A1Published application
Foldable crate and locking mechanisms therefor
AssigneePlasgad Plastic Products Acs Ltd
InventorsIFTAH PORAN, YEHUDA PORAN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A foldable crate includes a base platform, a pair of longitudinal sidewalls forming a hinged connection with the base platform and a pair of flanking sidewalls forming a hinged connection with the base platform. The flanking sidewalls accommodate a pair of rotary locking elements, as well as unlocking element.
Claims20
A foldable crate comprises:
- (a) a base platform, said base platform comprising:
- (1) a pair of longitudinal portions;
- (2) a pair of flanking portions;
- (3) at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portions of said base platform;
- (4) at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said flanking portions of said base platform;
- (b) a pair of longitudinal sidewalk, each one of said longitudinal sidewalls comprising:
- (1) at least one structural element, configured to form a hinged connection with said at least one structural element disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portion of said base platform;
- (2) a tab, configured to serve as a gripping handle;
- (3) a pair of structured protrusions, extending inwardly from an inner surface of said longitudinal sidewall;
- (4) a U-shaped cut essentially surrounding said structured protrusions, thereby rendering said structured protrusions laterally displaceable, wherein upon exerting a force onto said structured protrusions, a biasing force is formed by a material at the basis of said U-shaped cut;
- (c) a pair of flanking sidewalls, each one of said flanking sidewalk comprising:
- (1) at least one structural element, configured to form a hinged connection with said at least one structural element disposed adjacently to said flanking portion of said base platform;
- (2) a tab, configured to serve as a gripping handle;
- (3) a structured centric recess, essentially surrounding said tab;
- (4) a pair of flanking struts, forming a pair of channels in side portions of said flanking sidewall;
- (5) a pair of side recesses, forming openings on interior side of said flanking sidewall, configured to sustain a passage of said structured protrusions on said longitudinal sidewall through said openings;
- (d) a pairs of rotary locking elements disposed on an exterior side of each one of said flanking sidewalls, each one of said locking elements comprising:
- (1) a pivot connectable to said flanking sidewall, upon which said locking element is rotatable;
- (2) a leaf-spring extending from a top face of said locking element upwardly, biasing said rotary locking element into a lower position;
- (3) a chamfered terminal front face, being inwardly slanted;
- (e) an unlocking element disposed in said structured centric recess in said flanking sidewall, essentially underneath said tab, said unlocking element comprising:
- (1) at least one structural element for operatively connecting to said flanking sidewall, configured to sustain vertical translation of said unlocking element;
- (2) a pair of terminal portions, wherein each one of said terminal portions is configured to confer a rotational torque to said rotary locking element upon forceful elevation of said unlocking element in an upward direction.
20 more elements
A foldable crate comprises:
- (a) a base platform comprising:
- (1) a longitudinal portion, comprising at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portion;
- (2) a flanking portion, comprising at least one structural element, disposed adjacently to said flanking portion;
- (b) at least one longitudinal sidewall comprising:
- (1) at least one structural element, configured to form a hinged connection with said at least one structural element disposed adjacently to said longitudinal portion of said base platform;
- (2) at least one structured protrusion, extending inwardly from an inner side of said longitudinal sidewall;
- (c) at least one flanking sidewalk comprising at least one structural element, configured to form a hinged connection with said at least one structural element disposed adjacently to said flanking portion of said base platform;
- (d) at least one rotary locking element disposed on an exterior side of said flanking sidewall, said rotary locking element comprising:
- (1) a pivot connectable to said flanking sidewalk upon which said locking element is rotatable;
- (2) a biasing means configured to spontaneously drive said rotary locking element into a lower position;
- at least one unlocking element comprising:
- (1) at least one structural element operatively attachable to said flanking sidewall, configured to sustain vertical translation of said unlocking element;
- (2) a pair of terminal portions, wherein each one of said terminal portions is configured to confer a rotational torque to said rotary locking element upon forceful elevation of said unlocking element;
- wherein geometrical proportions of said unlocking element relative to said rotary locking element define a translational lever, wherein said terminal portion of said unlocking element exerts a force onto a centric portion of locking elements, whereby said terminal portion of said rotary locking element is translatable a greater distance than said terminal portion of unlocking element.
11 more elements
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.