US 5,555,980 AGranted

Collapsible palletized container

AssigneeJohnson's Trading Post, Inc.

InventorsJames B. Johnston, James S. Tyler, Guy C. Blanchard

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Abstract

A collapsible palletized container is provided including a base with individual sidewalls extending upward therefrom and a lid. The base includes grooves thereon which receive tongues attached to lower edges of the sidewalls. The tongues are angled so that the sidewalls are pivoted into position adjacent the base. The tongues and grooves are configured to prevent vertical translation of the sidewalls away from the base. Each sidewall includes two side edges including joints thereon to hold adjacent sidewalls together thereby obviating the need for girding straps to resist forces exerted horizontally by loads within the container. The sidewalls include ribs to reinforce the sidewalls. The lid connects to the sidewalls with clips connected therebetween.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A container having an interior for supporting items within said interior thereof during transport, storage and handling, comprising in combination:

a base including a floor,
a plurality of first sidewalls supported by said base and extending substantially perpendicular to said floor, each first sidewall including at least two side edges,
a plurality of second sidewalls separate from said first sidewalls and supported by said base, said second sidewalls extending substantially perpendicular to said floor, each said second sidewall including at least two lateral edges,
said base and said sidewalls defining an open-top interior,
at least one of said side edges including means integrally formed with said first sidewalls to prevent movement of said first sidewalls away from said interior, and
at least one of said lateral edges including means integral with said second sidewalls to prevent movement of said second sidewalls away from said interior, such that forces exerted upon said sidewalls by items stored within said interior are resisted by said first sidewall movement prevention means and said second sidewall movement prevention means,
wherein said means to prevent movement of said sidewalls away from said interior includes a means to connect said side edges to said lateral edges, said connection means integrally formed in said side edges and said lateral edges, said connection means including a "J" shaped joint on one said edge and an "F" shaped joint on a connecting said edge.

4 more elements

A method for erecting a collapsible palletized container from parts including a base, two first sidewalls and two second sidewalls, including the steps of:

providing the base with four edges, the base having a means to removably connect the sidewalls to the base at a location adjacent to the edges,
providing the sidewalls with side edges, the side edges including means to couple to side edges of adjacent sidewalls,
connecting two similar sidewalls to opposite sides of the base and extending up from the base,
connecting a remaining two similar sidewalls to remaining opposite sides of the base and extending up from the base, and
coupling the two first sidewalls to the two second sidewalls through the coupling means by means of preventing movement of said sidewalls including connecting one said side edge to an adjacent said side edge, and integrally forming in one said edge a "J" shaped joint and on another said edge an "F" shaped joint and locking the "J" shaped joint to the "F" shaped joint;
lid means contacting top edges of the sidewalls with a lid including locking a post contoured to nest within a complemental recess between the lid and the top edge, and
clipping a removable lock clip between an exterior surface of both said lid and said sidewall to hold together said lid and said sidewall.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.