Foldable Case

A foldable case includes a rear board, two side boards pivotally mounted on the rear board respectively, a front board removably mounted between the two side boards, a top cover removably mounted on the rear board and abutting the front board, and a bottom board placed on the rear board and removably mounted between the rear board, the two side boards and the front board. Thus, when the foldable case is folded, the front board, the two side boards, the bottom board, the rear board and the top cover laminate each other so that the foldable case is folded completely to have the minimum volume to facilitate packaging, transportation and storage of the foldable case.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a case and, more particularly, to a case to receive and store personal articles, such as clothes, pants and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional case usually has a rectangular shape to receive and store personal articles, such as clothes, pants and the like. The conventional case comprises a front board, a rear board disposed opposite to the front board, two side boards mounted between the front board and the rear board, a bottom board mounted between the front board, the rear board and the two side boards, and a top cover removably mounted on the rear board and detachably locked onto the front board. The front board, the rear board and the two side boards are connected by nails and screws. However, the conventional case cannot be folded easily so that it occupies a larger volume when not in use, thereby causing inconvenience and increasing the cost in packaging, transportation and storage of the case.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a foldable case, comprising a rear board, two side boards pivotally mounted on the rear board respectively, a front board removably mounted between the two side boards, a top cover removably mounted on the rear board and abutting the front board, and a bottom board placed on the rear board and removably mounted between the rear board, the two side boards and the front board.

The rear board has two opposite ends each provided with two pivot seats. Each of the two side boards has a rear end provided with two recessed pivot portions pivotally mounted on the pivot seats of the rear board. The foldable case further comprises four fastening pins extending through the pivot portions of each of the two side boards and the pivot seats of the rear board to attach each of the two side boards to the rear board.

The rear board has a top provided with two mounting sleeves. The top cover has a rear end provided with two pivot pins pivotally mounted on the two mounting sleeves of the rear board respectively.

Each of the two pivot pins of the top cover has a distal end provided with a reduced plug extending through and protruding outward from a respective one of the two mounting sleeves of the rear board. The foldable case further comprises two substantially C-shaped retaining clips each snapped onto the reduced plug of a respective one of the two pivot pins and each abutting a respective one of the two mounting sleeves of the rear board to attach the respective pivot pin of the top cover to the respective mounting sleeve of the rear board.

Each of the two side boards has a front end formed with two stepped locking slots. The front board has two opposite ends each provided with two stepped locking flanges releasably locked in the locking slots of a respective one of the two side boards respectively so that the front board is detachable between the two side boards.

The front end of each of the two side boards has a side formed with a screw bore. Each of the two opposite ends of the front board has a side provided with a fixing ear. The foldable case further comprises two threaded rotation knobs each extended through the respective fixing ear of the front board and each screwed into the screw bore of a respective one of the two side boards to lock the front board between the two side boards.

The front board has a bottom provided with a plurality of support pieces to support the bottom board. The bottom board has a first portion pivotally mounted on a bottom of the rear board and a second portion that is movable to abut the top of the rear board or to abut the support pieces of the front board.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a foldable case that is folded to have a smaller volume.

According to the primary objective of the present invention, when the foldable case is folded, the front board, the two side boards, the bottom board, the rear board and the top cover laminate each other so that the foldable case is folded completely to have the minimum volume to facilitate packaging, transportation and storage of the foldable case.

According to another objective of the present invention, the foldable case is assembled and disassembled easily and quickly, thereby facilitating a user assembling and disassembling the foldable case.

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 foldable case in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially perspective view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a locally enlarged view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a locally enlarged view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a locally enlarged view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a locally enlarged view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a partially perspective folded view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a partially perspective folded view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective folded view of the foldable case as shown in FIG. 1.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-7, a foldable case 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a rear board 13, two side boards 12 pivotally mounted on the rear board 13 respectively, a front board 11 removably mounted between the two side boards 12, a top cover 14 removably mounted on the rear board 13 and abutting the front board 11, and a bottom board 133 placed on the rear board 13 and removably mounted between the rear board 13, the two side boards 12 and the front board 11.

The rear board 13 has two opposite ends each provided with two pivot seats 131. The rear board 13 has a top provided with two mounting sleeves 132.

The top cover 14 has a rear end provided with two pivot pins 141 pivotally mounted on the two mounting sleeves 132 of the rear board 13 respectively. Each of the two pivot pins 141 of the top cover 14 has a distal end provided with a reduced plug 140 extending through and protruding outward from a respective one of the two mounting sleeves 132 of the rear board 13, and the foldable case 1 further comprises two substantially C-shaped retaining clips 142 each snapped onto the reduced plug 140 of a respective one of the two pivot pins 141 and each abutting a respective one of the two mounting sleeves 132 of the rear board 13 to attach the respective pivot pin 141 of the top cover 14 to the respective mounting sleeve 132 of the rear board 13.

Each of the two side boards 12 has a rear end provided with two recessed pivot portions 123 pivotally mounted on the pivot seats 131 of the rear board 13, and the foldable case 1 further comprises four fastening pins 124 extending through the pivot portions 123 of each of the two side boards 12 and the pivot seats 131 of the rear board 13 to attach each of the two side boards 12 to the rear board 13. Each of the two side boards 12 has a front end formed with two stepped locking slots 121. Each of the locking slots 121 of each of the two side boards 12 has an elongate shape and is disposed at a vertical state. The front end of each of the two side boards 12 has a side formed with a screw bore 125.

The front board 11 has two opposite ends each provided with two stepped locking flanges 111 releasably locked in the locking slots 121 of a respective one of the two side boards 12 respectively so that the front board 11 is detachable between the two side boards 12. Each of the two opposite ends of the front board 11 has a side provided with a fixing ear 112, and the foldable case 1 further comprises two threaded rotation knobs 122 each extended through the respective fixing ear 112 of the front board 11 and each screwed into the screw bore 125 of a respective one of the two side boards 12 to lock the front board 11 between the two side boards 12. The front board 11 has a bottom provided with a plurality of support pieces 117 (see FIG. 10) to support the bottom board 133.

The bottom board 133 has a first portion 134 pivotally mounted on a bottom of the rear board 13 and a second portion 135 that is movable to abut the top of the rear board 13 or to abut the support pieces 117 of the front board 11. Thus, the bottom board 133 is movable between a first position where the bottom board 133 abuts the rear board 13 and a second position where the bottom board 133 is located between the rear board 13, the two side boards 12 and the front board 11 and is supported by the support pieces 117 of the front board 11.

In assembly of the foldable case 1, referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 with reference to FIGS. 1-7, the pivot portions 123 of each of the two side boards 12 is mounted on the pivot seats 131 of the rear board 13, and the fastening pins 124 in turn extend through the pivot portions 123 of each of the two side boards 12 and the pivot seats 131 of the rear board 13 to attach each of the two side boards 12 to the rear board 13 so that each of the two side boards 12 is pivotally mounted on the rear board 13 as shown in FIG. 9. Then, the front board 11 is pushed toward the two side boards 12 so that the locking flanges 111 of the front board 11 are inserted into the locking slots 121 of each of the two side boards 12. Then, the front board 11 is pressed downward relative to the two side boards 12 so that the locking flanges 111 of the front board 11 are locked in the locking slots 121 of each of the two side boards 12 to lock the front board 11 onto the two side boards 12. Then, each of the rotation knobs 122 is rotated to extend through the respective fixing ear 112 of the front board 11 and is screwed into the screw bore 125 of the respective side board 12 to fasten the front board 11 between the two side boards 12 as shown in FIG. 8. Then, the pivot pins 141 of the top cover 14 are mounted on the mounting sleeves 132 of the rear board 13 respectively, and each of the retaining clips 142 is snapped onto the reduced plug 140 of the respective pivot pin 141 to attach the respective pivot pin 141 of the top cover 14 to the respective mounting sleeve 132 of the rear board 13 so that the top cover 14 is pivotally mounted on the rear board 13 as shown in FIG. 2. Then, the bottom board 133 is pivoted downward relative to the rear board 13 and is moved to abut the bottom of the front board 11 so that the bottom board 133 is located between the rear board 13, the two side boards 12 and the front board 11 and is supported by the support pieces 117 of the front board 11. Finally, the top cover 14 is pivoted downward relative to the rear board 13 and is moved to abut the top of the front board 11 to construct the foldable case 1 as shown in FIG. 1.

In folding of the foldable case 1, referring to FIGS. 8-10 with reference to FIGS. 1-7, the top cover 14 is pivoted upward relative to the rear board 13 to detach from the front board 11 as shown in FIG. 2. Then, the bottom board 133 is pivoted upward relative to the rear board 13 and is moved to abut the rear board 13 as shown in FIG. 2. Then, each of the retaining clips 142 are removed from the reduced plug 140 of the respective pivot pin 141 to release the respective pivot pin 141 of the top cover 14 from the respective mounting sleeve 132 of the rear board 13, and the pivot pins 141 of the top cover 14 are detached from the mounting sleeves 132 of the rear board 13 respectively, so that the top cover 14 is removed from the rear board 13 as shown in FIG. 8. Then, each of the rotation knobs 122 is rotated in the opposite direction to detach from the screw bore 125 of the respective side board 12 and the respective fixing ear 112 of the front board 11 to release the front board 11 from the two side boards 12. Then, the front board 11 is pulled upward relative to the two side boards 12 so that the locking flanges 111 of the front board 11 are unlocked from the locking slots 121 of each of the two side boards 12 to unlock the front board 11 from the two side boards 12. Then, the front board 11 is moved outward relative to the two side boards 12 so that the locking flanges 111 of the front board 11 are detached from the locking slots 121 of each of the two side boards 12 to remove the front board 11 from the two side boards 12. After the front board 11 is removed from the two side boards 12, the two side boards 12 can be pivoted relative to the rear board 13 as shown in FIG. 9. Finally, the two side boards 12 are pivoted to abut the bottom board 133, the front board 11 is moved to abut the two side boards 12, and the top cover 14 is moved to abut the rear board 13 so that the foldable case 1 is folded as shown in FIG. 10.

Accordingly, when the foldable case 1 is folded, the front board 11, the two side boards 12, the bottom board 133, the rear board 13 and the top cover 14 laminate each other so that the foldable case 1 is folded completely to have the minimum volume to facilitate packaging, transportation and storage of the foldable case 1. In addition, the foldable case 1 is assembled and disassembled easily and quickly, thereby facilitating a user assembling and disassembling the foldable case 1.

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 foldable case, comprising:

a rear board;
two side boards pivotally mounted on the rear board respectively;
a front board removably mounted between the two side boards;
a top cover removably mounted on the rear board and abutting the front board;
a bottom board placed on the rear board and removably mounted between the rear board, the two side boards and the front board.

2. The foldable case of claim 1, wherein

the rear board has two opposite ends each provided with two pivot seats;
each of the two side boards has a rear end provided with two recessed pivot portions pivotally mounted on the pivot seats of the rear board;
the foldable case further comprises four fastening pins extending through the pivot portions of each of the two side boards and the pivot seats of the rear board to attach each of the two side boards to the rear board.

3. The foldable case of claim 1, wherein

the rear board has a top provided with two mounting sleeves;
the top cover has a rear end provided with two pivot pins pivotally mounted on the two mounting sleeves of the rear board respectively.

4. The foldable case of claim 3, wherein

each of the two pivot pins of the top cover has a distal end provided with a reduced plug extending through and protruding outward from a respective one of the two mounting sleeves of the rear board;
the foldable case further comprises two substantially C-shaped retaining clips each snapped onto the reduced plug of a respective one of the two pivot pins and each abutting a respective one of the two mounting sleeves of the rear board to attach the respective pivot pin of the top cover to the respective mounting sleeve of the rear board.

5. The foldable case of claim 1, wherein

each of the two side boards has a front end formed with two stepped locking slots;
the front board has two opposite ends each provided with two stepped locking flanges releasably locked in the locking slots of a respective one of the two side boards respectively so that the front board is detachable between the two side boards.

6. The foldable case of claim 5, wherein

the front end of each of the two side boards has a side formed with a screw bore;
each of the two opposite ends of the front board has a side provided with a fixing ear;
the foldable case further comprises two threaded rotation knobs each extended through the respective fixing ear of the front board and each screwed into the screw bore of a respective one of the two side boards to lock the front board between the two side boards.

7. The foldable case of claim 5, wherein each of the locking slots of each of the two side boards has an elongate shape.

8. The foldable case of claim 5, wherein each of the locking slots of each of the two side boards is disposed at a vertical state.

9. The foldable case of claim 1, wherein

the front board has a bottom provided with a plurality of support pieces to support the bottom board;
the bottom board has a first portion pivotally mounted on a bottom of the rear board and a second portion that is movable to abut the top of the rear board or to abut the support pieces of the front board.

10. The foldable case of claim 9, wherein the bottom board is movable between a first position where the bottom board abuts the rear board and a second position where the bottom board is located between the rear board, the two side boards and the front board and is supported by the support pieces of the front board.

Patent History
Publication number: 20110278287
Type: Application
Filed: May 13, 2010
Publication Date: Nov 17, 2011
Inventor: Shih-Ming Lin (Dongguan City)
Application Number: 12/779,159
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Sidewalls Vertically Hinged To Each Other (220/4.29); Retaining Pin Extends Through Aligned Openings In Knuckle-like Elements (220/4.34)
International Classification: B65D 6/22 (20060101); B65D 6/26 (20060101);