CONTAINERS FOR OIL BOTTLES OR THE LIKE
A collapsible container having a base, an upper frame, and a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to side edges of the upper frame. Each of the side walls including an upper panel hingeably connected to a lower panel. The lower panel is hingeably connected to the base. A pair of opposed end walls are pivotably connected to end edges of the upper frame. The end walls are pivotable between an upright position extending from the upper frame to the base between the side walls and a retracted position within the upper frame. A lid is pivotably secured to the upper frame. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
Some containers of liquid, such as bottles of oil, are delivered to stores in cardboard boxes. The bottles are then removed from the boxes and sold individually. The cardboard boxes are discarded. Also, the cardboard boxes can become damaged during shipping, especially if any of the bottles leak.
SUMMARYA number of different reusable containers are disclosed that are particularly suited, although not exclusively, for delivering to stores containers of liquid, such as bottles of oil.
One embodiment provides a collapsible container having a base, an upper frame, and a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to side edges of the upper frame. Each of the side walls including an upper panel hingeably connected to a lower panel. The lower panel is hingeably connected to the base. A pair of opposed end walls are pivotably connected to end edges of the upper frame. The end walls are pivotable between an upright position extending from the upper frame to the base between the side walls and a retracted position within the upper frame. A lid is pivotably secured to the upper frame.
In another embodiment, a nestable container includes a base and a plurality of walls extending upward from the base. Each of the plurality of walls including an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion projects outwardly relative to the lower portion. At least one bail arm is pivotably mounted to the upper portion. The bail arm is pivotable between a deployed position configured to abut a shoulder of a bottle and a retracted position adjacent an interior surface of the upper portion.
A collapsible container includes a base. A pair of opposed walls are movable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base. A bail arm is slidably and pivotably secured to at least one of the pair of opposed walls. The bail arm is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position. The bail arm extends across an interior of the container in the deployed position.
Several embodiments are disclosed of containers for holding smaller containers, such as plastic bottles, such as for holding oil.
Each of the side walls 214 and the end walls 216 includes a lower portion 222 and an upper portion 220. The lower 222 portion includes a plurality of spaced apart vertical slats 224. The upper portion 220 is disposed outward of the lower portion 222.
The container 210 has a pair of bail arms 236 that are pivotably mounted to the interior of the upper portion 220. The bail arms 236 are generally U-shaped, each having a pair of parallel arms pivotably connected at lower ends to the end wall 216 and a cross-beam connecting outer ends of the parallel arms.
After the bottles 50 are placed in the container 210, the bail arms 236 may be pivoted downward.
The bail arms 236 can be pivoted down to a deployed position such that they extend into the interior of the container 210, as shown in
There are preferably detents 240 or manual locks that hold the bail arms 236 in the deployed position. If the container 210 is knocked over, the bail arms 236 retain the bottles 50 in the container 210. To remove the bottles 50, the bail arms 236 can be pivoted up back to the retracted position in the recess on the interior surface of the upper portion 220, as previously shown in
As shown in
When empty, the containers 210 can be nested as shown in
The container 310 includes a base 312, a pair of opposed side walls 314 and a pair of opposed end walls 316. Handle openings 318 are formed through an upper portion of each end wall 316.
Each of the side walls 314 and the end walls 316 includes a lower portion 322 and an upper portion 320. The lower 322 portion includes a plurality of spaced apart vertical slats 324. The upper portion 320 is disposed outward of the lower portion 322.
The container 310 has one bail arm 336 that is slidably and pivotably mounted to the interior of the upper portion 320 of one of the side walls 314. The bail arm 336 is generally U-shaped, having a pair of parallel arms pivotably connected at lower ends to the side wall 314 and a cross-beam connecting outer ends of the parallel arms.
In
When empty, the containers 310 can be nested as shown in
Each of the side walls 1314 includes upper and lower panels 1332 connected to one another by horizontal hinges 1330. The horizontal hinges 1330 only permit the panels 1332 to pivot inward, not outward. When the end walls 1316 are in the deployed position between the side walls 1314, the side walls 1314 cannot pivot inward and are locked in an upright position.
Each end wall 1316 includes a frame 1334 defining an outer perimeter of the end wall 1316 and a large opening 1336 within. A handle opening 1340 is formed at an upper end of each end wall 1316.
The lid 1320 has a pair of latch members 1342 projecting laterally from the lid 1320. The latch members 1342 are resiliently biased outward and can be selectively retracted by a user sliding handle loops 1344 toward one another.
Interlocking projections 1346 project upward from the side edge of the frame 1318 opposite the hinges 1322. The projections 1346 and hinges 1322 are aligned with and complementary to recesses 1348 at the outer perimeter of the base 1312.
As shown in
Referring to
The side walls 614 each include an upper cavity 618 along an upper edge thereof. A bail arm 636 is retractable into each upper cavity 618. In
The end walls 616 each include an elongated recess 642 adjacent each side wall 614. A notch 644 spaced away from each side wall 614 leads from each recess 642 to the container interior.
In
In use, in this position, bottles (or other items) within the container 610 would be retained in the container 610 interior by the bail arms 636. Therefore, if the container 610 were tipped or dropped, the bottles or other items would be retained in the container 610. Upon releasing the latches or overcoming the detents, the bail arms 636 could be pivoted outwardly and then slid back into the cavities 618 in the side walls 614 as shown n
As shown in
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.
Claims
1. A collapsible container comprising:
- a base;
- a plurality of walls extending upward from the base, wherein each of the plurality of walls pivotably connected to the base; and
- a bail pivotably and slidably mounted to a first wall of the plurality of walls, the bail pivotable and slidable between a deployed position extending into an interior of the container and a retracted position within the one of the plurality of walls.
2. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein the bail is a first bail, the collapsible container further including a second bail pivotably and slidably mounted to a second wall of the plurality of walls, wherein the second wall is opposite the first wall.
3. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein the bail is lockable in the deployed position.
4. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein the base includes upstanding side flanges and wherein the one of the plurality of walls is pivotably connected to one of the upstanding side flanges.
5. The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of walls includes a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls and wherein the one of the plurality of walls is one of the pair of opposed side walls, and wherein the one of the pair of opposed side walls includes an upper cavity along an upper edge thereof, and wherein the bail is configured to be at least partially received in the upper cavity when the bail is in the retracted
6. The collapsible container of claim 5 wherein the bail includes a cross-beam and a pair of arms projecting from the cross-beam, the bail including a pin extending outward from each of the pair arms, wherein each pin is pivotable and slidable in a channel in each end of the one of the pair of opposed side walls.
7. The collapsible container of claim 6 wherein the base further includes a drag rail on a lower surface thereof, wherein the drag rail includes a notch for receiving the bail of an identical collapsible container stackable therebelow.
8. A collapsible container comprising:
- a base having upstanding side flanges;
- a pair of opposed side walls pivotably connected to the side flanges, the pair of side walls pivotable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base, wherein the pair of side walls in the upright position define a container interior;
- an upper frame pivotably connected to upper ends of the pair of side walls, the upper frame defining an upper opening into the container interior; and
- a lid pivotably connected to the upper frame, the lid selectively closing the upper opening into the container interior.
9. The collapsible container of claim 8 wherein each of the pair of side walls includes an upper panel and a lower panel connected by at least one hinge.
10. The collapsible container of claim 9 wherein the at least one hinge only permits the upper panels and lower panels to pivot inward, not outward, of the collapsible container.
11. The collapsible container of claim 10 further including a pair of opposed end walls pivotably connected to the upper frame.
12. The collapsible container of claim 11 wherein each of the pair of opposed end walls includes a handle opening at an upper end thereof.
13. The collapsible container of claim 12 wherein interlocking projections project upward from the upper frame and wherein the base includes complementary recesses aligned to receive the interlocking projections of an identical container stacked therebelow.
14. The collapsible container of claim 8 wherein the lid includes a pair of latch members projecting away from one another toward ends of the upper frame.
15. A collapsible container comprising:
- a base;
- a pair of opposed walls movable between an upright position and a collapsed position on the base; and
- a bail arm slidably and pivotably secured to at least one of the pair of opposed walls, the bail arm movable between a retracted position and a deployed position, wherein the bail arm extends across an interior of the container in the deployed position.
16. The collapsible container of claim 15 wherein the pair of opposed walls is a pair of opposed first walls, the container further including a pair of opposed second walls, wherein the bail arm extends from one of the second walls to the other of the second walls in the deployed position.
17. The collapsible container of claim 16 wherein the second walls each include an elongated recess on an upper edge thereof, wherein the bail arm is received in the elongated recesses in the deployed position.
18. The collapsible container of claim 17 further including a pair of notches in a drag rail on an underside of the base, the pair of notches aligned to receive a bail arm of an identical container stacked therebelow.
19. The collapsible container of claim 15 further including a latch or detent securing the bail arm in the deployed position.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 17, 2023
Publication Date: Feb 8, 2024
Inventors: Brian Robert Guerry (Huntington Beach, CA), Daniel Vincent Sekowski (Loganville, GA), Way Joe Lee (Marietta, GA), John Matthew Thomson (Dahlonega, GA), Sydney Marie Ogawa-Garcia (Riverside, CA), Derek Gravitt (Buford, GA), Jon P. Hassell (Atlanta, GA), Derick Foster (Cumming, GA), Jorien D. Hopkins (McDonough, GA)
Application Number: 18/381,148