REUSABLE BIN
A collapsible bulk bin has floating hinges with no moving parts that allow the walls of the bin to lay flat on top of each other. The collapsible bulk bin can include removable support feet that may be easily replaced thereby extending the usable life of the collapsible bulk bin.
This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/644,247 filed on May 8, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to the field of bulk bins. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bulk bin that can accommodate removable feet and collapsible sidewalls.
BACKGROUNDA bulk bin, also known as a bulk box, skid box, tote box, or gaylord, is a pallet-sized box used to store and ship bulk quantities of material. Bulk bins are often made of corrugated fiberboard, molded plastic, sheet metal, or metal wire. Many bulk bins have covers. Bulk bins are preferably at least semi-reusable, with molded plastic and metal wire being the most durable. Corrugated fiberboard bins may be used only a handful of times, but molded plastic, sheet metal, and metal wire bulk bins may be used hundreds of times before needing to be replaced.
Bulk bins are widely used in the food industry, where they are used to transport bulk meat or produce. In food applications, it is necessary to be able to thoroughly and completely clean the bulk bins between uses. The equipment and manpower necessary to clean the bulk bins cause many food producers to use services that provide a steady supply of clean bulk bins to the producer, and accept used bulk bins in return, which are then washed and reused. It is thus advantageous for the service providers to use a bulk bin that may be collapsed thereby reducing the space requirements of the bulk bin during transport.
Existing bulk bins present a number of limitations that reduce the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of returnable container services. Typical collapsible bulk bins connect each side wall to a bottom surface via a hinge or plurality of hinges. When not in use, the side walls may be folded down onto the bottom surface.
Depending on the overall size of the bulk bin, it is common for two side walls to have a height greater than half the width of the bottom surface so that only one of the side walls will lie flat on the bottom surface, while the opposing side wall will overlap and lie on top thereof. This causes the overlying side wall to be in a final nonparallel folded position relative to the bottom surface, i.e., at an angle of incidence greater than zero. Thus, the overall height of the folded bulk bin is significantly increased by the angled, overlapping side wall when in the folded position.
Existing bulk bins utilize a wide variety of folding hinges and configurations to minimize the profile of the collapsed bulk bin. Existing designs suffer from the use of metal hinge pins that present nooks and spaces for bacteria to grow and that make cleaning particularly difficult. Additionally, existing collapsible bulk bins often require that the walls be collapsed in a specific order to achieve the smallest overall height of the collapsed bulk bin.
Bulk bins are typically moved around a production facility or warehouse by forklifts or pallet jacks. The rough nature of such movement causes the bottom of the bulk bin, specifically the legs or sidewalls that raise the bulk bin base from the floor, to be particularly susceptible to damage. Damage to the legs or sidewalls of the bulk bin is a common failure point, and often causes otherwise usable bulk bins to need replacement.
As such, there is a need for a bulk bin that may be easily collapsed, does not use metal hinges, and has feet that may be removed and replaced to extend the usable life of the bulk bin.
SUMMARYOne version of the present invention is a collapsible bulk bin that includes a base having a plurality of horizontal retention tabs and vertical retention tabs arranged to form hinge channels. A plurality of first side walls having at least one hinge pin body and at least one wall retention tab are rotatably attached to the base by inserting the at least one hinge pin body into the hinge channels, thereby allowing the first side walls to rotate between a vertical and collapsed position. Adjacent to the plurality of first side walls, a plurality of second side walls having at least one hinge pin body and at least one resilient latch are rotatably attached to the base by inserting the at least one hinge pin body into the hinge channels allowing the second side walls to rotate between a vertical and collapsed position. The first and second side walls are removably attached to each other when in the vertical position by engaging the at least one resilient latch with the at least one wall retention tab. The first and second side walls lay parallel to each other and to the base when in the collapsed position.
In one embodiment, the collapsible bulk bin includes removable support feet inserted into the base. The support feet include threaded portions that engage corresponding threads included in the base. Instead of feet, the bin could use standard openings to accommodate the forks of a moving device. Permanently attached feet could also be used.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in this summary and descriptions of the disclosed embodiment, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom.
The first floating hinge 200 allows the first side walls 104 to be collapsed in either order, yet still lay flat on top of the base 102.
Turning now to
In addition to the hinge pins 306, the second side walls 105 also include locking tabs 308 that engage the vertical retention body 304 when the second side walls are in the vertical position. The locking tabs 308 prevent the second side walls 105 from displacing vertically when the second side walls are in the vertical position. When the second side walls 105 are folded, the locking tabs 308 disengage from the vertical retention body 304, which allows the hinge pin bodies 306 to float vertically in the second floating hinge 300, which allows the second side walls to lay flat on top of each other when folded.
In the embodiment shown, the floating hinges 200, 300 do not include any moving parts, which combined with the ability to move the hinge pin bodies 206, 306 in the vertical as well as rotational directions allows easy cleaning and sterilization of the floating hinges. Of course, alternative floating hinge designs may be used without departing from the invention.
Turning now to
The base 102 also includes a plurality of securing tabs 110 (see
At least one side support tab 113 extends from the vertical side cavities 112. The side support tab 113 includes a notch 115 that interlocks a rib 116 (see
In the alternative embodiment shown in
Turning now to
The threaded section 456 removably attaches each support foot 450 to a corresponding receiving threaded section 402 in the base 102. The threaded section 456 preferably transfers any side load generated if the support foot 450 is impacted by the forks of a fork lift or pallet jack into vertical ribs 404 integrated into the base rather than into the floor of the base, which could buckle or crack. The threaded section 456 further allows an operator to relatively easily replace a support foot 450 in the event it becomes damaged or worn out.
At the base of the threaded section 456 is an o-ring 458 that seals the threaded section from the outside environment. Additionally, an anti-microbial sealant may be used to further enhance the seal and prevent contamination of the interior void 462 of the support foot. Of course, other seal designs may be used in place of the o-ring 158 without departing from the invention.
A wear-indicator 460 may be integrated into the support foot 450. As shown, the wear-indicator 460 is a chamfer formed between the bottom 452 and the cylindrical portion 454 of the support foot. As the bottom 452 wears, which may occur for a variety of reasons, material is scraped off of the bottom 452 and the support leg 450 is shortened. A visual inspection for the presence of the wear-indicator 460 lets an operator know when the support foot 450 is worn to a point where a pallet jack or forklift may be unable to fit underneath the base 400. Rather than a chamfer, other profiles may be used for the wear indicator without departing from the invention.
Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein.
Claims
1. A collapsible bulk bin comprising:
- a base having a plurality of horizontal retention tabs and vertical retention tabs arranged to form hinge channels;
- a plurality of first side walls having at least one hinge pin body and at least one wall retention tab;
- the plurality of first side walls rotatably attached to the base by inserting the at least one hinge pin body into the hinge channels allowing the first side walls to rotate between a vertical and collapsed position;
- a plurality of second side walls having at least one hinge pin body and at least one resilient latch;
- the plurality of second side walls rotatably attached to the base by inserting the at least one hinge pin body into the hinge channels allowing the second side walls to rotate between a vertical and collapsed position;
- the plurality of first side walls and second side walls being adjacent to each other when in the vertical position and removably attached to each other by engaging the at least one resilient latch with the at least one wall retention tab; and
- the first and second side walls laying parallel to each other and to the base when in the collapsed position.
2. The collapsible bulk bin claim 1 wherein the hinge pin bodies float vertically within the hinge channels.
3. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the hinge pin bodies are integrally formed into the first and second side walls.
4. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 1 wherein the first side wall further includes vertical side tabs on at least one side of the first side wall.
5. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 4 wherein the second side wall further includes vertical side cavities that engage the vertical side tabs when the first and second side walls are in the vertical position.
6. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 1 wherein a plurality of support feet are removably attached to the base.
7. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 6 wherein the plurality of support feet include a male treaded portion engaged with a female threaded portion included in the base.
8. A collapsible bulk bin comprising:
- a base having a plurality of female threaded portions, retention tabs, and vertical retention tabs arranged to form hinge channels;
- a plurality of first side walls having at least one hinge pin body and at least one retention tab;
- the plurality of first side walls rotatably attached to the base by inserting the at least one hinge pin body into the hinge channels allowing the first side walls to rotate between a vertical and collapsed position;
- a plurality of second side walls having at least one hinge pin body and at least one resilient latch;
- the plurality of second side walls rotatably attached to the base by inserting the at least one hinge pin body into the hinge channels allowing the second side walls to rotate between a vertical and collapsed position;
- the plurality of first side walls and second side walls being adjacent to each other when in the vertical position and removably attached to each other by engaging the at least one resilient latch with the at least one retention tab;
- the first and second side walls laying parallel to each other and to the base when in the collapsed position; and
- a plurality of support feet having a male threaded portion and removably inserted into the plurality of female threaded portions.
9. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 6 wherein an o-ring is included between the plurality of support feet and the plurality of female threaded portions.
10. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 6 wherein the plurality of support feet further include chamfer proximate the bottom of the support feet to indicate the level of wear on the support feet.
11. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 6 wherein a gasket is included between the plurality of support feet and the plurality of female threaded portions.
12. The collapsible bulk bin of claim 6 wherein the plurality of support feet include a hollow portion.
13. A bulk bin comprising:
- a base having a plurality of first threaded portions;
- a plurality of side walls attached to the base; and
- a plurality of support feet having a second threaded portion and removably engaged with the plurality of first threaded portions.
14. The bulk bin of claim 13 wherein the plurality of support feet further include chamfer proximate the bottom of the support feet to indicate the level of wear on the support feet.
15. The bulk bin of claim 13 wherein an o-ring is included between the plurality of support feet and the plurality of female threaded portions.
16. The bulk bin of claim 13 wherein a gasket is included between the plurality of support feet and the plurality of female threaded portions.
17. The bulk bin of claim 13 wherein the plurality of support feet include a hollow portion.
Type: Application
Filed: May 8, 2013
Publication Date: Nov 14, 2013
Applicant: Tosca Services, LLC (Green Bay, WI)
Inventors: Wayne M. Hansen (Poynette, WI), Roy E. McDaniels, JR. (Watertown, WI), John W. Grosz (Waupun, WI), Matt T. Woerpel (Lodi, WI), Richard O. Tejeda (Madison, WI)
Application Number: 13/889,953