FOLDING CONTAINER

Abstract

A folding container includes: a bottom frame panel having a bottom panel, a left support, a right support, a front support, and a rear support; a left side frame panel and a right side frame panel each having a first side panel, a first upper outer frame, a first lower outer frame, and first side outer frames; and a front frame panel and a rear frame panel each having a second side panel, a second upper outer frame, a second lower outer frame, and second side outer frames.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0161429, filed Nov. 17, 2015, and No. 10-2016-0057423, filed May 11, 2016, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a folding container and, more particularly, to a folding container that accommodates articles or objects with the top open and can be folded to be stowed or carried when it is not used to accommodate articles or objects.

Description of the Related Art

Recently, packaging boxes for keeping and carrying articles have been extensively used with an increase in delivery commerce, and accordingly, a demand for packaging boxes that can be recycled at a low cost has increased. A folding container has the advantage that it is possible to reduce costs for storing and keeping the container by reducing the volume thereof when storing the container after it is used for keeping and carrying articles.

As an example of such folding container in the related art, there are Korean Utility Model No. KR 20-0148319, titled “Collapsible transport box” and Korean Patent No. KR 10-1265724, titled “Folding type packing box”.

The prior art documents propose folding boxes composed of a bottom plate, and front and rear plates and side plates connected to the edges of the bottom plate. However, it is required to completely separate or unfold the bottom plate, front and rear plate, and side plates in order to store the boxes, so a problem may be caused with the durability of the boxes or the boxes may break when carrying heavy objects, such as liquids. Further, there is another problem that it takes many steps and much time to assemble and dissemble the boxes.

In order to allow for easy assembly and disassembly and ensure strength of front and rear plates and side plates by solving these problems, there have been proposed a “Foldable packaging box for transporting cargo” in Korean Patent No. 10-1427699 and a “Reusable packaging box” in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2013-0119344.

However, there is still a problem that it is required to separate bottom plates and side plates in order to restore those boxes and it is also required to fasten covers and members using bands.

The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.

DOCUMENTS OF RELATED ART

(Patent Document 1) KR 20-0148319 (Y1), “Collapsible transport box”

(Patent Document 2) KR 10-1265724 (B1), “Folding type packing box”

(Patent Document 3) KR 10-1427699 (B1), “Foldable packaging box for transporting cargo”

(Patent Document 4) KR 10-2013-0119344 (A), “Reusable packaging box”

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems and an object of the present invention is to provide a folding container that can be easily folded without separating a bottom plate and side plates to minimize the volume thereof for storage, and that can be easily and firmly reassembled in a container shape in order to keep and carry articles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a folding container that is strong enough for resisting various loads by having strong couplers coupling a bottom plate and side plates.

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a folding container that includes: a bottom frame panel having a bottom panel, a left support and a right support erected at left and right edges of the bottom panel, respectively, and each having a plurality of side frame panel-coupling portions at upper edges, and a front support and a rear support erected at front and rear edges, respectively, and each having a plurality of front/rear frame panel-coupling portions; a left side frame panel and a right side frame panel each having a first side panel, a first upper outer frame, a first lower outer frame having a plurality of first support-coupling portions protruding downward and rotatably fitted in the side frame panel-coupling portions, and first side outer frames each having a plurality of frame panel-coupling projections, the frames being disposed at four edges of the first side panel; and a front frame panel and a rear frame panel each having a second side panel, a second upper outer frame, a second lower outer frame having a plurality of support-coupling portions protruding downward and rotatably fitted in the front/rear frame panel-coupling portions, and second side outer frames each having a plurality of frame panel-coupling holes for fitting the frame panel-coupling projections, the frames being disposed at four edges of the second side panel.

The side frame panel-coupling portion may have a pair of first horizontal coupling projection-holding steps, a pair of first vertical coupling projection-holding steps, and a pair of coupling projection-holding grooves, the front/rear frame panel-coupling portion may have a pair of second horizontal coupling projection-holding steps, a pair of second vertical coupling projection-holding steps, and a pair of second coupling portion-holding grooves, the first support-coupling portion may have a pair of first support-coupling projections, and the second support-coupling portion may have a pair of second support-coupling projections.

The front/rear frame panel-coupling portion may further have a support-fixing projection hole and a coupling portion-supporting projection, and the second support-coupling portion may have a support-fixing projection fitted in the support-fixing projection hole and a coupling portion-supporting projection hole for fitting the coupling portion-supporting projection.

The front support and the rear support each may further have a plurality of front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions on an upper edge, and the front frame panel and the rear frame panel each may have guiding/supporting projections that are erected in the front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions by rotating.

The front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions each may have a guiding/supporting projection groove, a pair of side extensions, and a guide slope, and the guiding-supporting projection may have a pair of side extensions extending outward.

The first upper outer frame may have two frame panel-fixing member seats formed in the horizontal direction therein to correspond to each other, and frame panel-fixing members for fixing the left side and right side frame panels to the front and rear frame panels.

The frame panel-fixing member may have a fixing bar, a handle formed at a first end of the fixing bar, elastic portions formed ahead of the handle, a guide formed ahead of the elastic portions, a stopper formed ahead of the guide, and a fixing end at a second end of the fixing bar, the first side outer frames each may have a fixing-end hole, the frame panel-fixing member seat may have frame panel-fixing member grooves, two ribs having a fixing-bar hole, a handle holder, and a stopper hole, and the second side outer frame may have fixing-end holes for fitting the fixing ends.

According to the folding container of the present invention, the bottom frame panel and the side frame panel are coupled in a structure in which they can be rotated for restoring the container and are difficult to separate, so there is no concern about loss due to separation and the folding container can be carried and kept with the minimum volume.

Further, according to the folding container of the present invention, it is possible to easily fold or unfold and fix the front and rear frame panels and the side frame panels with respect to the bottom frame panel, using the support-coupling portions and the frame panel-coupling projections that can be rotated.

Further, according to the folding container of the present invention, the guiding/supporting projections and the frame panel-fixing members are additionally provided other than the support-coupling portions, so they interactively couple and fix the bottom frame panel, the side frame panels, and the front and rear frame panels. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the folding container from breaking or separating even by various external shocks that are applied when articles are kept of carried.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are exploded and assembled perspective views of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective and front views of a side frame panel that is a main part of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a frame panel-fixing member that is a main part of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective and front views of front and rear frame panels that are main parts of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a side frame panel-coupling portion indicated by ‘A’ in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views showing a side frame panel coupled to the side frame panel-coupling portion shown in FIG. 8 in an unfolded state and a folded state, respectively;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a front/rear frame panel-coupling portion indicated by ‘B’ in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a front/rear frame panel coupled to the front/rear coupling portion shown in FIG. 11 in an unfolded state;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D′ of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a front/rear frame panel coupled to the front/rear coupling portion shown in FIG. 11 in a folded state;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portion indicated by ‘C’ in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 16 and 17 are respectively a perspective view and a front view of a guiding/supporting projection guided and supported in the front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portion shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E′ of FIG. 17;

FIGS. 19 and 20 are respectively a perspective view and a front view showing main parts of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when elasticity is applied to elastic portions of a frame panel-fixing member;

FIGS. 21 and 22 are respectively a perspective view and a front view showing main parts of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when elasticity applied to elastic portions of a frame panel-fixing member is removed and a front/rear frame panel and a side frame panel are coupled;

FIG. 23 is view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when a right frame panel is folded over a bottom frame panel so that volume is reduced to restore the container;

FIG. 24 is a view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when a left frame panel is folded over the right frame panel shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when a front frame panel is folded over the left frame panel shown in FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when a rear frame panel is folded over the left frame panel shown in FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a view showing folding containers according to an embodiment of the present invention that are unfolded and stacked; and

FIG. 28 is a view showing folding containers according to an embodiment of the present invention that are folded and stacked.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The details for implementing the present invention are included in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

The advantages and features of the present invention, and methods of achieving them will be clear by referring to the exemplary embodiments that will be describe hereafter in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to exemplary embodiments disclosed herein but may be implemented in various different forms. The exemplary embodiments are provided for making the disclosure of the present invention thorough and for fully conveying the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. It is to be noted that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims.

Like reference numerals denote like elements throughout the descriptions. Following embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to perspective views, front views, enlarge views, state views, and cross-sectional views.

Hereinafter, the configuration and the use of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention are described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 28.

First, the configuration of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 18.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are exploded and assembled perspective views of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively; FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective and front views of a side frame panel that is a main part of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a frame panel-fixing member that is a main part of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective and front views of front and rear frame panels that are main parts of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively; FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a side frame panel-coupling portion indicated by ‘A’ in FIG. 1; FIGS. 9 and 10 are views showing a side frame panel coupled to the side frame panel-coupling portion shown in FIG. 8 in an unfolded state and a folded state, respectively; FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a front/rear frame panel-coupling portion indicated by ‘B’ in FIG. 1; FIG. 12 is a front/rear frame panel coupled to the front/rear coupling portion shown in FIG. 11 in an unfolded state; FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D′ of FIG. 12; FIG. 14 is a front/rear frame panel coupled to the front/rear coupling portion shown in FIG. in a folded state; FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portion indicated by ‘C’ in FIG. 1; FIGS. 16 and 17 are respectively a perspective view and a front view of a guiding/supporting projection guided and supported in the front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portion shown in FIG. 15; and FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E′ of FIG. 17.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 18, a folding container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is a box with the top open, includes a bottom frame panel 10, a left side frame panel 200, a right side frame panel 201, a front frame panel 300, a rear frame panel 301, and frame panel fixing-members 500.

The bottom frame panel 100 includes a bottom panel 110 and supports 120 vertically protruding form four edges of the bottom panel 110.

The bottom panel 110 is a flat plate made of strong synthetic resin and has holes 112 formed in a specific pattern in consideration of the design and weight reduction requirements. The bottom 110 may have frame panel edges that are the same as outer frames 210, 230, 310, and 330 of left and right side frame panels 200 and 201 and front and rear frame panels 300 and 301, main support frames 250 and 350, and assistant support frames 255 and 355 in order to enhance strength.

The supports 120 may be integrally made of synthetic resin having the same strength as the bottom panel 100 by injection molding to ensure strength and the ability to support the entire container. The supports 120 includes a left support 122 and a right support 124 vertically erected at the left and right edges of the bottom panel 110 and a front panel 125 and a rear panel 126 erected at the front and rear edges higher than the left and right supports 122 and 124. The supports 120 make a space that can accommodate the left and right frame panels 200 and 201 and the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 when they are folded on the bottom frame panel 100. That is, the front and rear supports 125 and 126 are higher than the left and right supports 122 and 124, and the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 can be stably folded over the left and right frame panels 200 and 201 that are folded first without interfering with each other.

Unlike the embodiment of the present invention, it may be possible to fold the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 first over the bottom frame panel 100 and then fold the left and right frame panels 200 and 201 over the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 by making the left and right supports 122 and 124 higher than the front and rear supports 125 and 126.

The left support 122 and the right support 124, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, have a plurality of side frame panel-coupling portions 123 arranged with predetermined intervals at the upper edges.

The side frame panel-coupling portions 123 each have a pair of left and right horizontal coupling projection-holding steps 123a, vertical coupling projection-holding steps 123b, and coupling projection-holding grooves 123c.

The coupling projection-holding grooves 123c are orthogonally formed such that predetermined acute angles θ1 and θ2 are made from the vertical and horizontal directions of the side frame panel-coupling portion 123.

A plurality of front/rear frame panel-coupling portions 127 and front/rear frame pane-guiding/supporting portions 128 are formed with predetermined intervals at the upper edges of the front support 122 and the rear support 124.

The front/rear frame panel-coupling portions 127 has, as shown in FIG. 11, a pair of left and right horizontal coupling projection-holding steps 127a, vertical coupling projection-holding steps 127b, and coupling projection-holding grooves 127c, in which a support-fixing projection hole 127d is formed at the center portion and a coupling portion-supporting projection 127e is formed at the upper center portion.

The coupling projection-holding grooves 127c are also orthogonally formed such that predetermined acute angles are made from the vertical and horizontal directions of the front/rear frame panel-coupling portion 127.

The front/rear frame pane-guiding/supporting portion 128 has, as shown in FIG. 15, a guiding/supporting projection groove 128a, a pair of left and right side extensions 128b, and a guide slope 128c.

As shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, the guiding/supporting projection grooves 128a are portions where guiding/supporting projections 380, which are formed with predetermined intervals at the lower edges of the front frame panel 300 and the rear frame panel 301, are fitted after sliding on the guide slopes 128c when the front frame 300 and the rear frame 301 that have been folded are unfolded. The side extension 128a protruding inward inside the guiding/supporting projection groove 128a elastically hold side extensions 382 at both sides of the guiding/supporting projection 380 when the guiding/supporting projection 380 is fitted in the guiding/supporting projection groove 128a.

The left side frame panel 200 and the right side frame panel 201, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each include a side panel 260, and an upper outer frame 210, a lower outer frame 230, and side outer frames 240 at four edges of the side panel 260. Further, the left side frame panel 200 and the right side frame panel 201 each further have a main support frame 250, which has a longitudinal support frame 252 and a transverse support frame 254 for enhancing strength and supporting force, and assistant frames 255 orthogonally connected to the longitudinal support frame 252 and the transverse support frame 254 inside the outer frames, thereby more strongly supporting the side panel 260.

The side panel 260 may be made of strong synthetic resin and may have holes 262 formed in a specific pattern in consideration of the design and weight reduction. The frames 210, 230, 240, 250, and 255 may also be integrally made of the same synthetic resin as the side panel 260 in consideration of easy manufacturing and the strength.

The upper outer frame 210 has two frame panel-fixing member seats 220 that are longitudinally formed.

The frame panel-fixing member seats 220 each have frame panel-fixing member grooves 222, two ribs 224 having a fixing-bar hole 225, a handle holder 226, and a stopper hole 228.

A plurality of support-coupling portions 270 that protrudes downward with predetermined intervals is formed on the bottom of the lower outer frame 230.

The support-coupling portions 270 each have a pair of support-coupling projections 272 protruding to both sides in the longitudinal direction of the lower outer frame 230.

The support-coupling projection 272 is fitted in the side frame panel-coupling portion 123 along the coupling projection-holding grooves 123c orthogonally formed to make the acute angles θ1 and θ2 from the vertical and horizontal directions of the side frame panel-coupling portion 123 such that it can rotate at a predetermined angle. Accordingly, the support-coupling projections 272, the left support 122, and the right support 124 are coupled. Therefore, the side frame panels 200 and 201 can rotate at a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom panel frame 100, so they can be folded and unfolded, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Accordingly, when the left side frame panel 200 and the right side frame panel 201 are folded or unfolded with respect to the bottom frame panel 100, they are locked by the vertical coupling projection-holding steps 123b and the left and right horizontal coupling projection-holding steps 123a, so the support-coupling projections 272 can be prevented from separating out of the side frame panel-coupling portions 123.

The side outer frames 240 have a fixing-end hole 246 formed at an upper portion in parallel with the side panel 260 and a plurality of frame panel-coupling projections 242 protruding inward perpendicular to the side panel 260.

The front frame panel 300 and the rear frame panel 301, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each include a front/rear panel 360, and an upper outer frame 310, a lower outer frame 330, and side outer frames 340 at four edges of the front/rear panel 360. Further, the front frame panel 300 and the rear frame panel 301 each further have a main support frame 352, which has a longitudinal support frame 354 and a transverse support frame 352 for enhancing strength and supporting force, and assistant frames 354 orthogonally connected to the longitudinal support frame 350 and the transverse support frame 355 inside the outer frames, thereby more strongly supporting the front/rear panel 360.

The front/rear panel 360 is made of strong synthetic resin and has holes 362 formed in a specific pattern in consideration of the design and weight reduction. The frames 310, 330, 340, 350, and 355 may also be integrally made of the same synthetic resin as the front/rear panel 360.

The upper outer frame 310 has a handle hole 390 for easily carrying the folding container.

A plurality of support-coupling portions 370 and the guiding/supporting projections 380 that protrude downward with predetermined intervals, respectively, are formed on the bottom of the lower outer frame 330.

The support-coupling portions 370 each have a pair of support-coupling projections 372 protruding to both sides in the longitudinal direction of the lower outer frame 330, a support-fixing projection 374 protruding rearward, and a coupling portion-supporting projection hole 376 formed in the rear side.

The support-coupling projection 372 is fitted in the front/rear frame panel-coupling portion 127 along the coupling projection-holding grooves 127c orthogonally formed to make the acute angles from the vertical and horizontal directions of the front/rear frame panel-coupling portion 127 such that it can rotate at a predetermined angle. Accordingly, the support-coupling portions 370, the front support 125, and the rear support 126 are coupled. Therefore, the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 can rotate at a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom panel frame 100, so they can be folded and unfolded, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14. Accordingly, when the front frame panel 300 and the rear frame panel 301 is folded or unfolded with respect to the bottom frame panel 100, they are locked by the vertical coupling projection-holding steps 123b and the left and right horizontal coupling projection-holding steps 127a, so the support-coupling projections 372 can be prevented from separating out of the front/rear frame panel-coupling portions 127.

The support-fixing projections 374 are fitted in the support-fixing projection holes 127d when the front frame panel 300 and the rear frame panel 301 are unfolded perpendicularly to the bottom frame panel 100. The coupling portion-supporting projection holes 376 retain the coupling portion-supporting projections 127e. By these two additional fitting mechanisms, the front frame panel 300 and the rear frame panel 301 are more strongly fixed and supported when they are erected on the front support 125 and the rear support 126, respectively.

The side outer frames 340 have a plurality of frame panel-coupling holes 342 formed with predetermined intervals in parallel with the front/rear panel 360 to receive the frame panel-coupling projections 342, and fixing-end holes 345 formed inward perpendicular to the front/rear panel 360.

On the other hand, unlike this embodiment, the frame panel-coupling projections 242 and the frame panel-coupling projections 342 may be switched, that is, may be formed at the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 and the left and right side frame panels 200 and 201, respectively, which is included in the scope of the present invention.

The guiding/supporting protrusions 380 each have side extensions 382 at both sides. The guiding/supporting protrusions 380 slide on the guide slopes 128c and are fitted into the front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions 128 when the front frame panel 300 and the rear frame panel 301 that have been folded are unfolded, as shown in FIGS. 16 to 18. The side extensions 128a are elastically fitted between the left and right extensions 128b extending inward inside the guiding/supporting projection grooves 128a when the guiding/supporting projection 380 is fitted in the guiding/supporting projection groove 128a Accordingly, the front frame panel 300 and the rear frame panel 301 can be more strongly fixed and supported vertically on the front support 125 and the rear support 126 when they are unfolded by the front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions 128.

The frame panel-fixing member 500 has a fixing bars 505 having a predetermined length, a handle 510 at a first end of the fixing bar 505, a pair of elastic portions 520 formed ahead of the handle 510, a guide 550 formed ahead of the elastic portions 520, a stopper 530 formed ahead of the guide 550, and a fixing end 540 at a second end of the fixing bar 505.

The frame panel-fixing member 500 is inserted in the frame panel-fixing member seat 220. As for a way of fitting the frame panel-fixing member 500, the frame panel-fixing member 550 is put into the frame panel-fixing member groove 222. Next, the fixing end 540 is sequentially put through the fixing-bar holes 225 formed through the two ribs 240 and then keeps pushed forward until the stopper 530 is locked to the stopper hole 228. When the front end of the stopper 530 is locked to the stopper hole 228, the fixing end 540 protrudes outward through the fixing-end hole 246 and the guide 550 and the elastic portions are partially inserted in the fixing-bar holes 225 of the ribs. In this state, the handle 510 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the handle holder 226.

The elastic portions 520 protrude up and down on the fixing bar 505 in an elliptical shape elongated toward the fixing end 540. When the fixing bar 505 is moved rearward and the handle 510 is blocked by the handle holder 226 by pulling the handle 510, the elastic portions 520 are locked to the upper and rear ribs 224 having the fixing-bar hole 225 and, compressed and vertically expanded, so the elastic portions 520 have elasticity for returning to the original shape. Accordingly, when the handle 510 is released, the fixing bar 505 is returned until the stopper 530 is moved toward and blocked by the stopper hole 228 by the elasticity. On the other hand, unlike this embodiment, the elastic portions 520 may be straight bars extending at an acute angle with respect to the fixing end 540 on the upper and lower surfaces of the fixing bar 505 or may protrude in a circular shape instead of an elliptical shape.

The guide 550 guides the fixing bar 505 that is moved forward and rearward by moving through the fixing-bar holes 225.

The fixing end 540 is contracted in the fixing-end hole 246 when the fixing bar 505 is moved rearward, and when the fixing bar 505 is moved forward, the fixing end 540 comes out of the fixing-end hole 246 and is fitted into the fixing-end hole 345. Accordingly, the side frame panels 200 and 201 and the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 are more strongly supported by each other when they are unfolded.

The fixing end 540 may be formed not perpendicularly, but orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the fixing bar 505 to be easily fitted into the fixing-end hole 345.

Hereinafter, the use of the folding container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to FIGS. 19 to 28.

FIGS. 19 and 20 are respectively a perspective view and a front view showing main parts of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when elasticity is applied to elastic portions of a frame panel-fixing member; FIGS. 21 and 22 are respectively a perspective view and a front view showing main parts of a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when elasticity applied to elastic portions of a frame panel-fixing member is removed and a front/rear frame panel and a side frame panel are coupled; FIG. is view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when a right frame panel is folded over a bottom frame panel so that volume is reduced to restore the container; FIG. 24 is a view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when a left frame panel is folded over the right frame panel shown in FIG. 23; FIG. 25 is a view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when a front frame panel is folded over the left frame panel shown in FIG. 24; FIG. 26 is a view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention when a rear frame panel is folded over the left frame panel shown in FIG. 25; FIG. 27 is a view showing folding containers according to an embodiment of the present invention that are unfolded and stacked; and FIG. 28 is a view showing folding containers according to an embodiment of the present invention that are folded and stacked.

In order to open the folding container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is folded as shown in FIG. 26, to keep or carry articles, first, as shown in FIG. 12, a user erects the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 on the front and rear supports 125 and 126 by rotating the support-coupling portion 370. Next, the user slowly erects the side frame panels 200 and 201, which are folded as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, on the left support 122 and the right support 124, as shown in FIG. 9, by rotating the support-coupling portions 270. In this process, the user pulls the handles 510 toward each other in the direction of a dotted arrow using thumbs and index fingers, whereby the fixing ends 540 are contracted into the fixing-end holes 246. Thereafter, when the side frame panels 200 and 201 are completely erected, the frame panel-coupling projections 242 are fitted in the frame panel-coupling holes 342, so the side frame panels 200 and 201 and the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 are primarily fixed in the unfolded state. Next, when the handles 510 are released, the frame panel-fixing members 500 are moved forward in the direction of a straight arrow by the elasticity of the elastic portions 520 and the fixing ends 540 are fitted into the fixing end-coupling holes 345, so the side frame panels 200 and 201 and the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 are secondarily fixed by additional force in the unfolded state.

In order to fold the unfolded folding container and reduce the volume, as the user pulls the handles 510 toward each other, the fixing ends 540 are contracted into the fixing end holes 246, so the user sequentially turns and folds the side frame panels 200 and 201 over the bottom frame panel 100, as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, and then turns and folds the front and rear frame panels 300 and 301 over the folded side frame panels 200 and 201, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26.

On the other hand, folding containers according to an embodiment of the present invention can be stacked to be stowed in the unfolded state and the folded state, as shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, so it is possible to conveniently carry and stow the folding container in a narrow space.

Although the folding container 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has the front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions 128 and the frame panel-fixing members 500, they may be selectively removed when the frame panel-coupling projections 242 and the frame panel-coupling holes 342 are fitted to each other under a predetermined force.

Although embodiments of the present invention were described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and various changes and modifications from the spirit of the present invention defined in the following claims by those skilled in the art are also included in the scope of the present invention.

According to the folding container of the present invention, it is possible to easily and safely carry and keep various articles and objects to be carried or kept, and when carrying or keeping is finished, the folding container can be carried or stowed with the volume reduced. Therefore, the folding container can be extensively used for keeping various articles and objects.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A folding container, comprising:

a bottom frame panel having: a bottom panel; a left support and a right support erected at left and right edges of the bottom panel, respectively, and each having a plurality of side frame panel-coupling portions at upper edges; and a front support and a rear support erected at front and rear edges, respectively, and each having a plurality of front/rear frame panel-coupling portions;

a left side frame panel and a right side frame panel each having: a first side panel; a first upper outer frame; a first lower outer frame having a plurality of first support-coupling portions protruding downward and rotatably fitted in the side frame panel-coupling portions; and first side outer frames each having a plurality of frame panel-coupling projections, the frames being disposed at four edges of the first side panel; and

a front frame panel and a rear frame panel each having: a second side panel; a second upper outer frame; a second lower outer frame having a plurality of support-coupling portions protruding downward and rotatably fitted in the front/rear frame panel-coupling portions; and second side outer frames each having a plurality of frame panel-coupling holes for fitting the frame panel-coupling projections, the frames being disposed at four edges of the second side panel.

2. The folding container of claim 1, wherein the side frame panel-coupling portion has a pair of first horizontal coupling projection-holding steps, a pair of first vertical coupling projection-holding steps, and a pair of coupling projection-holding grooves,

the front/rear frame panel-coupling portion has a pair of second horizontal coupling projection-holding steps, a pair of second vertical coupling projection-holding steps, and a pair of second coupling portion-holding grooves,

the first support-coupling portion has a pair of first support-coupling projections, and

the second support-coupling portion has a pair of second support-coupling projections.

3. The folding container of claim 2, wherein the front/rear frame panel-coupling portion further has a support-fixing projection hole and a coupling portion-supporting projection, and

the second support-coupling portion has a support-fixing projection fitted in the support-fixing projection hole and a coupling portion-supporting projection hole for fitting the coupling portion-supporting projection.

4. The folding container of claim 1, wherein the front support and the rear support each further have a plurality of front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions on an upper edge, and

the front frame panel and the rear frame panel each have guiding/supporting projections that are erected in the front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions by rotating.

5. The folding container of claim 4, wherein the front/rear frame panel-guiding/supporting portions each have a guiding/supporting projection groove, a pair of side extensions, and a guide slope, and

the guiding-supporting projection has a pair of side extensions extending outward.

6. The folding container of claim 1, wherein the first upper outer frame has two frame panel-fixing member seats formed in the horizontal direction therein to correspond to each other, and

frame panel-fixing members for fixing the left side and right side frame panels to the front and rear frame panels.

7. The folding container of claim 6, wherein the frame panel-fixing member has a fixing bar, a handle formed at a first end of the fixing bar, elastic portions formed ahead of the handle, a guide formed ahead of the elastic portions, a stopper formed ahead of the guide, and a fixing end at a second end of the fixing bar,

the first side outer frames each have a fixing-end hole,

the frame panel-fixing member seat has frame panel-fixing member grooves, two ribs having a fixing-bar hole, a handle holder, and a stopper hole, and

the second side outer frame has fixing-end holes for fitting the fixing ends.