Container, and related methods
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorMark Anthony Heinrichs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container is provided including a support base, side panels having guide tracks, front and rear panels, and a top cover. The front panel includes track followers releasably received in the front guide tracks. The front panel is pivotal outwardly away from the container compartment about the track followers, while the top cover is closed, from a substantially vertical orientation to an angled orientation in which the front panel upper edge is exposed from under the closed top cover. From this angled orientation, and while the cover remains closed, the track followers are slidable along and out of engagement with the respective front guide tracks to detach the front panel from the side panel, thereby providing front access to the container compartment.
Claims21
A container including a container compartment, comprising:
- a support base;
- first and second side structures each respectively comprising a respective side structure upper edge, the first and second side structures further respectively comprising first and second front guide tracks facing one another;
- a rear panel comprising a rear panel upper edge and engaged with the first and second side structures;
- a front panel comprising a front panel upper edge and first and second front track followers received in the first and second front guide tracks, respectively;
- and
- a top cover engageable with at least one of the front panel, the rear panel, and the first and second side structures, and movable between a closed state and an open state, in which the container compartment is accessible from above,
- wherein the front panel pivots outwardly away from the container compartment about the front track followers, while the first and second front track followers are engaged in the respective first and second front guide tracks and the top cover is in the closed state, and
- wherein the first and second front track followers are slidable along the respective first and second front guide tracks to permit front access to the container compartment.
A collapsible container, including a container compartment, movable between an erect position and a collapsed position, comprising:
- a support base;
- first and second side structures each respectively comprising a respective side structure upper edge and each being movable between the erect position, in which the first and second side structures are spaced apart and substantially parallel to one another, and the collapsed position, in which the first and second side structures are stowed on the support base,
- wherein the first and second side structures respectively comprise first and second front guide tracks facing one another;
- a rear panel comprising a rear panel upper edge and movable between the erect position and the collapsed position, in which the rear panel is stowable on the support base;
- a front panel comprising a front panel upper edge and first and second front track followers releasably received in the first and second front guide tracks, respectively, the front panel being movable between the erect position, and the collapsed position, in which the front panel is stowable on the support base;
- and
- a top cover engageable with at least one of the front panel, rear panel, and the first and second side structures, and movable between a closed state and an open state, in which the container compartment is accessible from above,
- wherein the front panel pivots outwardly away from the container compartment about the first and second front track followers, while the top cover is in the closed state, and
- wherein the first and second front track followers are slidable along and out of engagement with the respective first and second front guide tracks, while the cover is in the closed state to permit detachment of the front panel for providing front access to the container compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.