TWIST COLLAPSIBLE BAG
A twist collapsible bag includes a collapsible bag body and a collapsible frame structure, which supports the collapsible bag body in shape, having a plurality of annular frame members horizontally arranged at different elevations and a plurality of vertical support rods vertically and equiangularly arranged between each two adjacent annular frame members and kept apart from the respective annular frame members at a predetermined gap such that when twisting the annular frame members relative to one another, the vertical support rods are biased from vertical to horizontal, thereby collapsing the twist collapsible bag into a flat condition.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collapsible bags and more particularly, to a twist collapsible bag, which can be collapsed into a flat condition by means of a twisting operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
A collapsible storage box is known comprising a collapsible rectangular box body made of a flexible sheet material and a collapsible frame structure supporting the collapsible rectangular box body in shape. The collapsible frame structure comprises a plurality of first horizontal rod members and a plurality of second horizontal rod members arranged at four sides at two different elevations and a plurality of vertical rod members set in between the first horizontal rod members and the second horizontal rod members in four corners. When not in use, the collapsible storage box can be twisted into a flat condition. This design of collapsible storage box has a complicated structure because it is formed of a big number of component parts. Further, the limited storage space of this design of collapsible storage box may be unable to satisfy the user's needs.
Further, U.S. Ser. No. 11/221,689 discloses a collapsible multi-stack storage container, which comprises a plurality of rectangular shell members made of a flexible sheet material and vertically connected in a string, a flexible bottom panel made of the same flexible sheet material and stitched to the bottom side of the bottom rectangular shell member, a plurality of horizontal flexible rod members respectively horizontally fastened to the four sides of each of the rectangular shell members around the top opening thereof, a plurality of vertical rods respectively vertically affixed to the four corners of each rectangular shell member and a hard bottom board supported on the flexible bottom panel. By means of twisting the horizontal flexible rod members at each rectangular shell member, the collapsible multi-stack storage container is collapsed into a flat condition. This design of collapsible multi-stack storage container utilizes a big number of horizontal rod members, complicating the structure and increasing the manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a twist collapsible, which has a simple structure and can easily be collapsed into a flat condition by means of a twisting operation.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a twist collapsible bag comprises collapsible bag body made of a strong and tough sheet member and a collapsible frame structure supporting the collapsible bag body in shape. The collapsible frame structure comprises a plurality of annular frame members horizontally arranged at different elevations and a plurality of vertical support rods vertically and equiangularly arranged between each two adjacent annular frame members and kept apart from the respective annular frame members at a predetermined gap. By means of twisting the annular frame members relative to one another, the vertical support rods are biased from vertical to horizontal, thereby collapsing the twist collapsible bag into a flat condition.
Further, each annular frame member of the collapsible frame structure can be made by bending a metal wire rod into a circular shape and then welding the two ends of the metal wire rod together.
Alternatively, each annular frame member of the collapsible frame structure can be made by bending a metal wire rod into a circular shape and then fixedly fastening the two ends of the metal wire rod together with an adhesive.
Alternatively, the annular frame members of the collapsible frame structure can be directly made from plastics by injection molding.
Further, the collapsible bag body has double-layer wall structure, and the frame structure is embedded in the double-layer wall structure of the collapsible bag body and affixed thereto with stitches.
A twist collapsible bag in accordance with the present invention can be a single stack design, double-stack design, triple-stack design or any design having more than four stacks wherein the frame structure in each stack is collapsible, including one annular frame member horizontally disposed at each of the top and bottom sides and a plurality of vertical support rods vertically and equiangularly arranged between the two annular frame members.
The number of the annular frame members and the number of vertical support rods are determined subject to the pressure the twist collapsible bag to be received, however at least two vertical support rods must be set between each two adjacent annular frame members to provide sufficient support strength.
In the aforesaid various embodiments of the present invention, each annular frame members can be made by bending a metal wire rod into a circular shape and then fixedly fastening the two ends of the metal wire rod together by means of welding or with an adhesive. Alternatively the annular frame members can be injection-molded from plastics.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A twist collapsible bag, comprising a collapsible bag body and a collapsible frame structure supporting said collapsible bag body in shape, said collapsible bag body comprising a plurality of annular frame members horizontally arranged at different elevations and a plurality of vertical support rods vertically and equiangularly arranged between each two adjacent annular frame members and kept apart from the respective annular frame members at a predetermined gap, wherein twisting one said annular frame member relative to another said annular frame member causes the vertical support rods therebetween to be biased from vertical to horizontal.
2. The twist collapsible bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said annular frame member is made by bending a metal wire rod into a circular shape and then welding the two ends of the metal wire rod together.
3. The twist collapsible bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said annular frame member is made by bending a metal wire rod into a circular shape and then fixedly fastening the two ends of the metal wire rod together with an adhesive.
4. The twist collapsible bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said annular frame member is injection-molded from plastics.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 3, 2009
Publication Date: May 5, 2011
Inventor: WEN-TSAN WANG (Taipei city)
Application Number: 12/611,897