Collapsible Container

Abstract

A collapsible container which is adapted to move between a collapsed position and a deployed position, the container including: a housing in the form of a plurality of walls which in the deployed position are spaced-apart from one another to form a chamber; and a hinge assembly which is connected to a first wall and a second wall so as to provide rotation of the second wall about two or more discrete or continuous spaced-apart axes so as to provide an articulating second wall.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in devices for storing equipment. One application of the invention relates to storing equipment in or on utility vehicles. Although it will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to this application, it is to be understood that this is not to be taken as a limitation of the scope of the invention. For example, preferred embodiments of the invention may find application in air freight or general freight, where it is desired to provide a secure freight container which may be stored empty with a reduced volume.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Owners of utility vehicles and or open backed cars often have the problem of being unable to store hand tools or equipment safely while still leaving the cab space free for passengers. To alleviate this problem, many people permanently bolt large, lockable tool boxes onto the open tray of their vehicles. However, this becomes unsatisfactory when maximum space is required for moving large loads. The bulky tool box consumes a substantial amount of the available space, defeating the purpose of having a tray top vehicle.

A similar problem is also encountered in the freight industry, particularly the air freight industry, where secure containers are required to be carried, but which, when empty, must be carried and stored while occupying a reduced volume.

The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a collapsible container which is adapted to move between a collapsed position and a deployed position, the container including: a housing in the form of a plurality of walls which in the deployed position are spaced-apart from one another to form a chamber; and a hinge assembly which is connected to a first wall and a second wall so as to provide rotation of the second wall about two or more discrete or continuous spaced-apart axes so as to provide an articulating second wall.

Preferably each wall is connected to at least one adjacent wall by a hinge.

Preferably the hinge assembly includes one or more hinge elements, the or each hinge element including a follower suitable for following in an aperture.

Preferably the cam follower is an elongated aperture which is disposed within a respective return edge of the articulated wall to form a telescoping articulated hinge to allow the articulating second wall to extend and retract relative to the first wall.

Preferably the articulated wall is in the form of a closure for the chamber when in the deployed position and includes a retention means for retaining the walls when in the deployed or collapsed positions.

Preferably there are provided six panels, arranged when deployed into respective opposed spaced apart pairs, to form a rectangular prism when deployed.

Preferably the retaining means is in the form of a lock to lock the second articulated wall to adjacent walls in the deployed position or collapsed position.

Preferably the articulation allows the articulated wall to provided a flat package when collapsed, by folding the walls flat against each other.

Preferably the lock logics the second articulated wall to the base panel when the housing is in the collapsed position.

Preferably clamps may be provided in order to secure adjacent walls together. In one form, these clamps are pivoting or overcentre devices which pivot in order to hold one wall against a return of an adjacent wall. In one form the clamp includes a threaded bolt mounted in a mount on one wall which rotates and extends from the mount to hold the adjacent wall and the one wall together.

In one embodiment of the invention, the clamps may be spring loaded with threshold press clips. Such clamps involve a mechanism that, when pressed down with the thumb, clamps the sides into place as the threshold is passed, maintaining pressure as the sides exert an inverted force on the clamps.

The housing may be made of any suitable material such as formed metal sheet or moulded plastic.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In order to enable a clearer understanding of the invention, drawings illustrating an example embodiment are attached, and in those drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from in front of a collapsible container in a collapsed position according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from a rear position of a collapsible container in a collapsed position according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view from in front of a collapsible container in a 1^st phase of deployment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from in front of a collapsible container in a 2^nd phase of deployment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view from in front of a collapsible container in a 3^rd phase of deployment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view from in front of a collapsible container in a 4^th and final phase of deployment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view from in front of a collapsible container in its fully deployed and locked state according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view from a rear position of a collapsible container in its fully deployed and locked state according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a detail view of a hinge in the form of an articulated telescoping hinge mechanism shown circled in FIG. 3

FIG. 10 shows a detail view of a clamp shown circled in FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a collapsible container according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, generally indicated at 99, which includes a housing 98 having a top panel 1 in the form of a metal plate 97 pressed to form a closure containing locks 7 and 8. The top panel 1 is attached to a back wall panel 2 via a hinge assembly 96 in the form of a telescoping articulated hinge 95. The telescoping articulated hinge 95 includes two follower plates 9 and 10, the top plate 1 being attached thereto by hinge points 94 in the form of nylon encased bolts, 24 and 25 that pass through respective elongated slots 11 and 12. The back wall plate 2 is attached to the cam plates 9 and 10 with nylon encased bolts 26 and 29, that pass through respective holes in the cam plates 9 and 10, and perpendicular returns associated with of the back wall plate 2.

The back wall plate 2 is pivotally connected to a base wall 93 in the form of a base plate 3 with a hinge 92 in the form of an internal piano hinge 17. A front wall plate 4 is also attached to base wall plate 3 with hinge 87 in the form of a piano hinge 19, as well as being connected to two side panels 5 and 6 with hinges 18 and 20 in the form of piano hinges 91 and 90. The base plate 3 is made of pressed metal and formed to make a tray such that the side panels 5 and 6 respectively, and the front and back panels 2 and 4, may fold one upon the other in a type of concertina arrangement. The base plate 3 also contains catches 89 in the form of apertures 33 and 34 that receive or catch lock mechanism latches 88 so as to allow the top panel 1 to be locked to the base plate 3, when in the collapsed position shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The side panels, 5 and 6 are essentially flat plate with three folded edges and have carry handles located at 21 and 22 respectively for ease of transport by handlers.

The front panel 4 and back panel 2, are both essentially flat plate with folded edges to form returns (eg 81, 82, 83, 84). Both have clamps 88 (shown in FIG. 10) in the form of releasable pivoting clamps located on the front panel 4, at 15 and 16, and on the back panel 2, at 13 and 14. The clamps 15, 16, 13 and 14 are secured to the returns 81-84 of the respective panels, with fasteners in the form of cup head bolts that pass through the same hinge points located on the back panel 2, at 26 and 29 respectively, and on the front panel 4 at 27 and 28 respectively.

To deploy, the description will now index through the drawings from FIGS. 1-10. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show the container in its collapsed state. FIG. 3 shows the container in a first phase of deployment, after locks 7 and 8 are released from catches 89 and the top wall 1 opened. The top wall pivots about pivots 24 and 25, and then the pivots 24 and 25 follow apertures 11 and 12 to their other end, collapsing the top wall 1 into a deployed standby state. FIG. 9 shows a previous intermediate step, the top wall 1 before compressing the wall 1 into the deployed position. The wall 1, initially and in the collapsed position, adopts the FIG. 9 position, so that the first wall 1 may “wrap” around the other collapsed walls and retain them in that position. The other walls 3-6 are shown in FIG. 3 in the locking position with a retention clip 36 and retention loop 35 fastened.

Retention clip 36 and retention loop 35 are devices to assist with ease of use and safe handling of the collapsible container by inhibiting the wall 3 from falling aoutwards when the top wall 1 is unlocked. FIG. 4 shows the collapsible container in a second phase of deployment, with the retention clip 36 released and base 3 lowered.

FIG. 5 shows the collapsible container in a third phase of expansion with the front panel 4 pivoted upwards about hinge 87 and into deployed position.

FIG. 6 shows a fourth and final phase of deployment, the side panels 5 and 6 respectively have been pivoted upwards into place and the pivoting releasable clamps, 13, 14, 15 and 16 respectively, in a secure and deployed position. To assemble, the pivoting clamps are swung out of the way of the pivoting side panels 5 and 6, then are swung into a locking position and then the eye bolt is rotated into a clamping position.

The collapsible container is now ready for use as a container and can be bolted to a vehicle by means of holes drilled in virtually any suitable location on the back panel 2. The top panel 1 can now be opened and closed, locked and unlocked at will by locks 7 and 8. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show the collapsible container in a locked and deployed state.

In FIG. 8, the back of the locked collapsible container shows a weather seal 32. In section A, as well as section B, a weather seal 30 can be seen. These become effective as the base 3 is lowered into position and the sides 4, 5 and 6 are lifted and clamped into place. The returns and seal mate, keeping low-pressure moisture and the like out of the container.

The chamber is secure and inhibits access, especially through hingeline 26-29.

Using preferred embodiments of a collapsible container of the abovedescribed kind, one may have a lockable, deployed tool box bolted to a vehicle. When required, the unit may be collapsed and locked again to allow more space for large loads or simply easy transportation of the device by one person.

Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims

1. A collapsible container which is adapted to move between a collapsed position and a deployed position, the container comprising: a housing in the form of a plurality of walls which in the deployed position are spaced-apart from one another to form a chamber; and a hinge assembly which is connected to a first wall and a second wall so as to provide rotation of the second wall about two or more discrete or continuous spaced-apart axes so as to provide an articulating second wall.

2. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 1 wherein each wall is connected to at least one adjacent wall by a hinge.

3. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hinge assembly comprises one or more spaced-apart pivot elements, the or each pivot element being in the form of a follower suitable for following in an aperture.

4. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 1 wherein an elongated aperture is provided which is disposed within a respective return edge of the articulated wall the arrangement being such that a telescoping articulated hinge is provided to allow the articulating second wall to extend and retract relative to the first wall.

5. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 1 wherein the articulated wall is in the form of a closure for the chamber when in the deployed position and includes a retention means for retaining the walls when in the deployed or collapsed positions.

6. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 5 wherein the retaining means is in the form of a lock to lock the second articulated wall to adjacent walls in the deployed position or collapsed position.

7. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 6 wherein the lock locks the second articulated wall to the base panel when the housing is in the collapsed position.

8. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 1 wherein clamps are provided in order to secure adjacent walls together.

9. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 8 wherein the clamps are pivoting devices which are mounted on one wall and adapted to pivot during assembly to swing out of the path of a pivoting adjacent wall and then back into the path so as to engage a threaded bolt which holds the adjacent wall and the one wall together.

10. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 8 wherein the clamps are spring loaded with threshold press clips.

11. A collapsible container in accordance with claim 1 wherein the housing may be made of any suitable material such as formed metal sheet or moulded plastic.

12. (canceled)