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US 9,926,105 B2Granted
Collapsible household containers
OwnerSam Tung Tsuiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Collapsible household containers having a foldable wall section with shape-retaining characteristics are disclosed. In particular, collapsible laundry baskets, buckets, colanders, dish drainers, and cups are provided. The folding region may include foldable tiers of a flexible material, each tier having at least one stable, relatively expanded position and at least one stable, relatively collapsed position; and an intervening, non-folding tier composed of a different, relatively rigid material.
Claims25
A collapsible container comprising
- a generally annular top tier;
- a bottom tier including a generally horizontal support surface;
- and
- a collapsible wall section connecting the top tier to the bottom tier, the collapsible wall section including at least three stacked, generally annular tiers;
- the collapsible wall section, top tier, and bottom tier collectively defining a container body having a top opening, a generally closed bottom comprising the generally horizontal support surface of the bottom tier, a generally closed periphery comprising at least a part of the top tier and at least a part of the collapsible wall section, and a container volume disposed within the container body and below the top opening;
- at least one of collapsible wall section tiers being a rigid middle tier;
- and
- at least two of the collapsible wall section tiers being flexible and configured to fold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions, including at least one flexible tier disposed above the middle tier and at least one flexible tier disposed below the middle tier, the flexible tiers being composed of a flexible material and the middle tier being composed of a rigid material different from the flexible material, the middle tier including an exposed exterior surface of the rigid material facing away from the container volume;
- wherein a size of a container volume of the container can be increased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively collapsed to a relatively expanded position and can be decreased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively expanded to a relatively collapsed position.
6 more elements
A method of making a collapsible container, comprising
- forming a rigid, generally annular top tier;
- forming a rigid bottom tier comprising a generally horizontal support surface;
- and
- forming a collapsible wall section connected to the top tier and the bottom tier, the collapsible wall section comprising at least a first rigid middle tier, a first flexible tier disposed between the middle tier and the top tier, and a second flexible tier disposed between the middle tier and the bottom tier, the flexible tiers being composed of a flexible material and the top, bottom, and middle tiers being composed of a rigid material different from the flexible material;
- the collapsible wall section, top tier, and bottom tier collectively defining a container body having a top opening, a generally closed bottom comprising the generally horizontal support surface of the bottom tier, a generally closed periphery comprising at least a part of the top tier and at least a part of the collapsible wall section, and a container volume disposed within the container body and below the top opening;
- the middle tier comprising an exposed exterior surface of the rigid material facing away from the container volume, each flexible tier being adapted to fold between at least one relatively expanded position and at least one relatively collapsed position.
3 more elements
A collapsible dish drainer comprising
- a generally annular top tier;
- a bottom tier including a generally horizontal support surface, the support surface including a drain and a plurality of parallel, upstanding partitions arranged to support dishware standing on edge between adjacent partitions;
- and
- a collapsible wall section connecting the top tier to the bottom tier, the collapsible wall section including at least three stacked, generally annular tiers;
- the collapsible wall section, top tier, and bottom tier collectively defining a drainer body having a top opening, a generally closed bottom comprising the generally horizontal support surface of the bottom tier, a generally closed periphery comprising at least a part of the top tier and at least a part of the collapsible wall section, and a drainer volume disposed within the drainer body and below the top opening;
- at least one of collapsible wall section tiers being a rigid middle tier composed of a rigid material;
- and
- at least two of the collapsible wall section tiers being flexible, composed of a flexible material different from the rigid material, and configured to fold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions, including at least one flexible tier disposed above the middle tier and at least one flexible tier disposed below the middle tier, the middle tier including an exposed exterior surface of the rigid material facing away from the container volume;
- wherein the size of the drainer volume can be increased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively collapsed to a relatively expanded position and can be decreased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively expanded to a relatively collapsed position.
6 more elements
A collapsible cup comprising
- a generally annular top tier;
- a bottom tier;
- a collapsible wall section connecting the top tier to the bottom tier, the collapsible wall section including at least three stacked, generally annular tiers;
- the collapsible wall section, top tier, and bottom tier collectively defining a watertight cup body having a top opening, a closed bottom generally across which the bottom tier extends, and a closed periphery comprising at least a part of the top tier and at least a part of the collapsible wall section, and a cup volume disposed within the cup body and below the top opening;
- and
- a handle pivotally connected to the top tier;
- at least one of collapsible wall section tiers being a rigid middle tier composed of a rigid material and including an exposed exterior surface of the rigid material facing away from the cup volume;
- and
- at least two of the collapsible wall section tiers being flexible, composed of a flexible material different from the rigid material, and configured to fold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions, including at least one flexible tier disposed above the middle tier and at least one flexible tier disposed below the middle tier;
- wherein the size of the cup volume can be increased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively collapsed to a relatively expanded position and can be decreased by folding at least one of the flexible tiers from a relatively expanded to a relatively collapsed position;
- and
- wherein when the cup is in a fully collapsed state, said handle is pivotable so that at least a portion of said handle extends beneath and generally parallel to said bottom tier.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.