Storage Box that is Foldable When Not in Use

Abstract

A storage box includes a flexible box body, a hard support board removably mounted in the box body to support the box body, and a cover removably mounted on the box body. The support board is receivable into the cover, and the box body is foldable when being compressed and receivable into the cover. Thus, the support board and the box body are received in the hollow inside of the cover to reduce the volume of the storage box to the minimum size so that the storage box has a smaller volume when not in use, thereby greatly saving the space of storage, and thereby facilitating packaging, storage and transportation of the storage box.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a box and, more particularly, to a storage box to receive and store articles.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional storage box comprises a box body having a hollow inside to receive articles, and a cover removably mounted on the box body to close the box body. However, the box body has a fixed volume and cannot be folded so that the box body will occupy a determined space when not in use, thereby greatly causing in convenience to a user in packaging, storage and transportation of the storage box.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a storage box, comprising a flexible box body, a hard support board removably mounted in the box body to support the box body, and a cover removably mounted on the box body. Thus, the support board is receivable into the cover, and the box body is foldable when being compressed and receivable into the cover.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a storage box that is foldable when not in use.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage box, wherein the support board and the box body are received in the hollow inside of the cover to reduce the volume of the storage box to the minimum size so that the storage box has a smaller volume when not in use, thereby greatly saving the space of storage, and thereby facilitating packaging, storage and transportation of the storage box.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage box, wherein the storage box contains a decorative piece or a plurality of patterns mounted on a surface of the box body to enhance the aesthetic quality of the storage box.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage box in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the storage box as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front cross-sectional view of the storage box as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a flexible box body of the storage box as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing a compressed state of the flexible box body of the storage box as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view showing a folded state of the storage box as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a storage box in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a storage box in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a flexible box body 31, two bendable strips 32 mounted on two opposite first sides 312 of the box body 31, a soft piece 33 mounted in the box body 31, a hard support board 2 removably mounted in the box body 31 to support the box body 31, and a cover 1 removably mounted on the box body 31. Thus, the support board 2 is receivable into the cover 1, and the box body 31 is foldable when being compressed and receivable into the cover 1.

The cover 1 has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross-sectional profile and has a hollow inside 12 which is defined by a peripheral wall 11 which is removably mounted a top of the box body 31.

The box body 31 has a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional profile and has a hollow inside 34 to receive the support board 2 and the soft piece 33. Each of the bendable strips 32 is disposed at an upright state and is located at a middle position of each of the first sides 312 of the box body 31. The soft piece 33 is mounted on a bottom of the box body 31.

The support board 2 has a bottom rested on a top of the soft piece 33 and has a size flush with that of the hollow inside 34 of the box body 31 and that of the hollow inside 12 of the cover 1 so that the support board 2 is receivable into the hollow inside 34 of the box body 31 and the hollow inside 12 of the cover 1.

The box body 31 has two opposite second sides 310 located between the first sides 312. The second sides 310 of the box body 31 are compressible and movable toward each other to bend the bendable strips 32 toward each other and to compress the soft piece 33 so as to compress the box body 31 so that the box body 31 is foldable to have a flat shape. Each of the second sides 310 of the box body 31 has a size flush with that of the hollow inside 12 of the cover 1 so that the box body 31 is receivable into the hollow inside 12 of the cover 1 when the box body 31 is foldable to have a flat shape.

In assembly, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the support board 2 is placed into the hollow inside 34 of the box body 31 and rested on the soft piece 33 to expand and support the box body 31. Then, the cover 1 is mounted the top of the box body 31 to close the box body 31 so that the box body 31 can be used to receive and store articles 5 as shown in FIG. 3.

When not in use, the cover 1 is removed from the box body 31, and the support board 2 is removed from the box body 31 and received in the hollow inside 12 of the cover 1 as shown in FIG. 6. Then, the second sides 310 of the box body 31 are compressible and movable toward each other to bend the bendable strips 32 toward each other and to compress the soft piece 33 as shown in FIG. 5 so as to compress the box body 31 so that the box body 31 is foldable to have a flat shape. Then, the box body 31 is received in the hollow inside 12 of the cover 1 as shown in FIG. 6.

In such a manner, the support board 2 and the box body 31 are received in the hollow inside 12 of the cover 1 to reduce the volume of the storage box to the minimum size so that the storage box has a smaller volume when not in use, thereby greatly saving the space of storage, and thereby facilitating packaging, storage and transportation of the storage box.

As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of storage boxes are folded, and the folded storage boxes laminate each other.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the storage box further comprises a decorative piece 4 mounted on a surface of the box body 31 to enhance the aesthetic quality of the storage box.

As shown in FIG. 7, the storage box further comprises a plurality of patterns 40 mounted on a surface of the box body 31 to enhance the aesthetic quality of the storage box.

Accordingly, the support board 2 and the box body 31 are received in the hollow inside 12 of the cover 1 to reduce the volume of the storage box to the minimum size so that the storage box has a smaller volume when not in use, thereby greatly saving the space of storage, and thereby facilitating packaging, storage and transportation of the storage box. In addition, the storage box contains a decorative piece 4 or a plurality of patterns 40 mounted on a surface of the box body 31 to enhance the aesthetic quality of the storage box.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A storage box, comprising:

a flexible box body;

a hard support board removably mounted in the box body to support the box body;

a cover removably mounted on the box body;

wherein the support board is receivable into the cover, and the box body is foldable when being compressed and receivable into the cover.

2. The storage box in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

two bendable strips mounted on two opposite first sides of the box body;

a soft piece mounted in the box body.

3. The storage box in accordance with claim 2, wherein the box body has a hollow inside to receive the support board and the soft piece.

4. The storage box in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the bendable strips is disposed at an upright state.

5. The storage box in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the bendable strips is located at a middle position of each of the first sides of the box body.

6. The storage box in accordance with claim 2, wherein the soft piece is mounted on a bottom of the box body.

7. The storage box in accordance with claim 2, wherein the support board has a bottom rested on a top of the soft piece.

8. The storage box in accordance with claim 3, wherein the cover has a hollow inside which is defined by a peripheral wall which is removably mounted a top of the box body.

9. The storage box in accordance with claim 8, wherein the support board has a size flush with that of the hollow inside of the box body and that of the hollow inside of the cover so that the support board is receivable into the hollow inside of the box body and the hollow inside of the cover.

10. The storage box in accordance with claim 8, wherein the box body has two opposite second sides located between the first sides.

11. The storage box in accordance with claim 10, wherein the second sides of the box body are compressible and movable toward each other to bend the bendable strips toward each other and to compress the soft piece so as to compress the box body so that the box body is foldable to have a flat shape.

12. The storage box in accordance with claim 11, wherein each of the second sides of the box body has a size flush with that of the hollow inside of the cover so that the box body is receivable into the hollow inside of the cover when the box body is foldable to have a flat shape.

13. The storage box in accordance with claim 9, wherein the support board is receivable into the hollow inside of the cover after the support board is removable from the box body.

14. The storage box in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a decorative piece mounted on a surface of the box body.

15. The storage box in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of patterns mounted on a surface of the box body.

16. The storage box in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cover has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross-sectional profile.

17. The storage box in accordance with claim 1, wherein the box body has a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional profile.