Patent Application
20180339801
The present invention relates to a collapsible container and a method of making a collapsible container.
It is known to provide containers that may be collapsible so as to save space when the container is empty and being stored. The walls of such a container may be provided with fold lines (e.g. ‘living hinges’) so that the container can move from an unfolded configuration when the container is in use, to a folded configuration suitable for storing the container. When such a container is moved to the folded position, stress points may be created within the folds or hinges at points where the panels or walls of the container meet (e.g. in the corners of the container). These stress points may lead to failure of the material which may lead to cracking of the container. The stress points may also prevent the container from folding to a fully folded configuration and so the container cannot be efficiently stored.
Although the invention is discussed with respect to relatively small containers, for example to be used as lunch boxes, storage crates, or the like, the skilled person will appreciate that the same design features could be used for larger, stowable containers which may serve the purpose of providing an enclosure, for example as a pen, playhouse or emergency shelter.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a collapsible container, comprising: a framework comprising a plurality of pivotally connected panels; and one or more flexible seals interposed between the plurality of panels to form a seal therebetween, wherein the plurality of panels are movable between an unfolded configuration for use of the container and a folded configuration for storage of the container.
The container of the present invention comprises a framework of pivotally interconnected panels along with one or more seals to seal the container. By forming the container from a framework of panels combined with flexible seals, the material properties can be varied according to their position within the container. This may allow flexing and deformation of the container material in some areas (e.g. in the corners of the container), but may allow rigidity of the container in other areas. This may allow the container to collapse into a small and compact size without the container cracking. The container can thus move from an unfolded configuration, in which the panels are extended to form a container to a smaller, folded configuration, in which the panels are arranged in a space saving configuration such that the space required to store the container may be reduced.
Optionally, the plurality of panels may be pivotally connected by a plurality of couplings extending between the panels, the one or more flexible seals, or both. This allows the strength of the coupling to be varied at different positions within the container.
Optionally, a first one of the plurality of couplings may be arranged to extend a different length between the panels compared to a second one of the plurality of couplings such that in the folded configuration the plurality of panels are stacked in a desired configuration. This allows the panels to stack efficiently in a desired space saving arrangement when in the folded configuration.
Optionally, one or more of the plurality of couplings may be arranged to extend along a part circular path between at least a first and a second of the plurality of panels. This may allow the stress forces within the couplings to be evenly distributed.
Optionally, the collapsible container may further comprise a guide means arranged to guide the plurality of panels into the desired configuration. This allows the plurality of panels to be guided into a desired compact and space saving arrangement,
Optionally, the plurality of panels and the plurality of couplings may form an integral framework. This may allow the framework to be efficiently manufactured from a single moulding.
Optionally, at least one of the plurality of couplings may comprise a region of the integral framework having a reduced thickness. This may allow the coupling to be efficiently manufactured from the same material as the panels.
Optionally, one or more of the plurality of couplings may be arranged to bias the plurality of panels towards the unfolded configuration. This allows the container to spring back to the unfolded configuration.
Optionally, the one or more seals may comprise a deformable membrane extending between at least a first and a second of the plurality of panels. The deformable membrane may therefore deform when the plurality of panels move from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration. This allows the plurality of panels to adopt a small and compact arrangement when in the folded configuration and reduces the effect of stress points within the container which may otherwise lead to cracking.
Optionally, the deformable membrane may further comprise a covering portion arranged to extend over a surface of at least one of the plurality of couplings. This may allow the pivotal coupling to be provided by both the deformable membrane and the coupling and may allow the deformable membrane to protect the coupling.
Optionally, the deformable membrane, or a combination of the at least one of the couplings and the covering portion of the deformable membrane, may be approximately equal in thickness to an adjacent one of the plurality of panels. This forms a smooth joint between the flexible membrane and the panels. This may allow the container to be more easily cleaned.
Optionally, the one or more seals may be further arranged to bias the plurality of panels towards the unfolded configuration. This allows the container to ‘spring back’ to the unfolded position.
Optionally, the container may comprise a plurality of seals forming an integral web. This allows the seals to be efficiently manufactured from a single moulding.
Optionally, the framework is arranged to be contained within a body of a lid of the container when the plurality of panels are in the folded configuration. This allows the container to adopt a small and compact arrangement and so be more efficiently stored.
Optionally, the collapsible container may further comprise a securing means arranged to secure the plurality of panels in the folded configuration. This allows the container to be secured in the folded configuration for storage.
Optionally, the securing means may comprise a coupling between a first and a second of the plurality of panels. This allows the securing means to be engaged by movement of the panels to the folded configuration.
Optionally, the securing means may comprise a coupling between the framework and a lid of the container. This allows the lid to hold the framework in the folded position and at the same time means that the lid does not become separated from the container.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of making a collapsible container, comprising the steps of: moulding a framework comprising a plurality of pivotally connected panels; and moulding one or more flexible seals interposed between the plurality of panels to form a seal therebetween, wherein the plurality panels are movable between an unfolded configuration for use of the container and a folded configuration for storage of the container.
Optionally, the moulding may be by injection moulding. This may allow efficient manufacture of the container.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
A collapsible container 100 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in
The container 100 further comprises one or more flexible seals 106 interposed between the plurality of panels 104a-i. The one or more seals 106 provide a seal between the panels 104a-i in order to seal the container 100 such that it may be suitable for storing food or the like. In some embodiments, an air tight seal may be provided which may help to aid preservation of items being stored (e.g. where the container is a food container). In other embodiments, the degree of sealing may vary in a range between being substantially air tight to being a close fit sufficient to prevent leakage from the container 100 or to prevent small items being stored from falling out of the container 100. This range may include, for example, a water tight seal. The framework and the seals may be composed of different materials to each other e.g. the panels may be formed from a rigid material whereas the seals may be formed from deformable material which is suitable to allow movement of the panels.
By providing a container 100 comprised of a combined framework 102 of panels 104a-i interspersed with flexible seals 106 the container 100 can be made to collapse to a small and compact size while reducing the effects of stress points within the container material which may otherwise cause the container material to crack or fail or otherwise compromise the structural integrity of the container. For example, if the container were produced from a single continuous rigid material rather than the framework and seal combination of the present invention, the material may crack or fail along points at which it is folded (e.g. at the corners of the container or along other fold lines). Alternatively, if a container were produced from a single continuous flexible material, rather than the framework and seal combination of the present invention, the material would not provide adequate structural integrity to maintain the shape of the container. The present invention solves this problem by removing material at stress points within the walls of the container. The gaps left by the removal of such material are sealed by the one or more seals so that a sealed container is provided. By providing a container comprised of a framework of rigid panels combined with flexible seals, the material properties can be varied according to their position within the container This may allow flexing and deformation of the container material in some areas (e.g. in the corners of the container 100), but rigidity in others. This may allow the container to collapse into a small and compact size without the container cracking. The positioning of the one or more seals may be intelligently chosen so as to achieve these advantages. For example, the one or more seals may be located at a junction between three of more of the plurality of panels (e.g. at a point where three or more of the panels meet, which may, for example, be in the corners of the container). At the junction of three or more of the panels, the stress forces created when the container is moved to the folded configuration may be particularly significant. By replacing material at such a position with a flexible seal material the chance of cracking or failure of the container wall may be reduced.
Each of the plurality of panels 104a-i may be formed from a rigid material so as to provide structural integrity to the container 100. This is in contrast to the one or more seals, which may be formed from a different, more flexible material. In alternative embodiments, some of the panels (e.g. panels 104d to 104h) may be made of a more flexible material than the other panels, and may for example be made of the same materials as the seals. The panels 104d to 104h in such embodiments may be thicker than the seals so as to give them increased rigidity as compared to the seals.
The panels 104a-i may be formed from a plastics material such as polypropylene or polyethylene, but in other embodiments may be formed from any other suitable materials such as wood, composite material (e.g. carbon fibre) or metal etc. As can be seen in
The embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown, the surface of each further panel 104d-g is around one third of the size of the central panel 104h,i. The further panels 104d-g are small enough that they can both fit within the footprint of the central panel in the folded configuration without overlapping each other. In alternative embodiments, assuming symmetrical further panels, each further panel can be up to one half of the size of the central panel. In some embodiments, the further panels 104d-g may be around one quarter of the size of the central panel 104h,i. In such cases, the further panels may have the same size and shape as the triangular edge portions of a trapezoidal central panel 104h,I such that the further panels align with the triangular edge portions in the folded configuration.
As shown in
In the embodiment being described, the flexible hinge members comprise a plurality of couplings (only one of which is labelled as 108 in the figures) extending between the panels 104a-i. The couplings 108 may comprise a flexible connecting material extending between each of the plurality of panels 104a-i to allow the panels to pivot with respect to one another (e.g. the coupling may form a strap hinge extending between the panels). In the described embodiment, the couplings 108 and the panels 104a-i may be formed from the same material so as to form an integral framework. This allows the framework to be efficiently manufactured and may provide an improved bond between the couplings 108 and the panels 104a-I compared to bonding together individual components. In such an embodiment, each of the couplings may comprise a region of the integral framework having a reduced thickness compared to the thickness of the material forming the panels 104a-i. This allows the plurality of panels 104a-i and the plurality of couplings 108 to be formed from the same material, while also allowing the panels 104a-i to be suitably rigid and the couplings 108 to be flexible in order to provide the pivotal connection. The material forming the coupling may be reduced in thickness (e.g. without altering the alignment of molecules in the material forming the hinge) to an amount sufficient to allow bending or flexing of the coupling. In some embodiments, the thickness may be tailored according to the material properties of the coupling and according to the location of the coupling within the framework to allow sufficient bending of the coupling. For example, the thickness chosen may depending on the type of material and the degree of bend required. By forming the couplings from an area of reduced thickness, the framework may be efficiently manufactured from a single material and using a single moulding process.
In some embodiments, any one or more of the couplings may be formed from a living hinge in which molecules forming the hinge material are aligned so as to increase the flexibility of the material. In yet other embodiments, the couplings may be formed from a lattice hinge. In yet other embodiments, any suitable form of hinge may be used as would be apparent to the skilled person. In some embodiments, some or all of the couplings 108 may be formed from a different material to the panels 104a-i. In the described embodiment, all of the plurality of couplings 108 are shown to take the same form. In other embodiments however, the plurality of couplings 108 may not be all of the same form and may take different forms (e.g. may be made from different materials) depending on their position within the framework 102.
In the described embodiment, the plurality of panels 104a-i are also pivotally coupled by the one or more seals arranged to extend between the panels. In some embodiments, the couplings 108 may be absent and the pivotal connection between each of the plurality of panels 104a-i may be provided only by the seals. In other embodiments, the connections between panels may be provided by a mixture of only the couplings 108, only the one or more seals, or both one of the couplings and one of the seals. For example, in the embodiment of the framework shown in the figures, the couplings 108 are only provided at links between the base panel 104a and the wall panels 104b, 104c, 104h, 104i which are pivotally connected directly to the base panel 104a. The pivotal connection between the remaining panels is provided only by the one or more seals 106. This may allow the framework to be moulded as a flat sheet (or net) as shown in
In some embodiments, the length of the link (e.g. the flexible hinge member which provides the pivotal connection) between a first pair of the plurality of panels (e.g. the length of the coupling or seal linking them) may be a greater than the length of the link (e.g. flexible hinge member which provides the pivotal connection) between a second pair of the plurality of panels so as to allow the panels to stack in the desired configuration when the container is in the folded configuration. In some embodiments, the longer link between the first pair of panels may be formed from both one or more of the couplings 108 and the one or more seals, whereas the shorter link between second pair of panels may be formed from the seal material only. This allows the material forming the link between the panels to be intelligently chosen according to the position within the folding container. Where a short link is required to allow the panels to stack when in the folded configuration greater stress will be created and so a more flexible material is required. This may allow the folded configuration to be more compact without leading to stress in the pivotal connections that would lead the container to fail. This also may make the container easier to manufacture because very thin couplings 108 are not required to allow enough flexibility for the container to collapse.
In some embodiments, the flexible hinge members may each have different lengths, such that opposing pairs of side walls have unmatching flexible hinge members.
In some embodiments, where a panel is pivotally connect by only the one or more seals, that panel may also be made from the same material as the one or more seals. In such an embodiment, the panel may be integrally formed with the one or more seals, which may allow the container to be more easily manufactured.
In some embodiments, one or more of the opposing walls of the container may be formed entirely from the same material as the one or more seals (e.g. the panels of those walls of the container may be formed from the same material as the one or more seals), whereas the base and other opposing walls may be made from a rigid material. In one particular embodiment, the generally rectangular or square panels 104b, 104c forming the first pair of opposing walls may be made from a rigid material. The first pair of opposing walls may be linked via both couplings 108 and the one or more seals to the base 104a. The triangular and/or trapezoid panels 104d, 104e, 104f, 104g, 104h, 104i forming the second pair of opposing walls may be formed from the same deformable elastomer material as the one or more seals. In this embodiment, these panels are also linked only by the one or more seals. The panels and seals forming the second pair of opposing side walls may be integrally formed from a single piece of the elastomer seal material. As the material linking the triangular and trapezoid panels is under greater stress when the container is moved to the folded configuration, these parts of the container may advantageously be made from the elastomer seal material. This allows the container to fold easily without failing, and may also make the container easy to manufacture by reducing the need to make very thin couplings 108 between panels.
In the described embodiment, each of the couplings 108 is arranged to extend part way along a respective one of the edges of each of the plurality of panels 104a-i. This allows gaps to be formed within the framework 102 to allow it to move more easily from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration. If the couplings were to extend along all of the length of each of the panels 104a-i, stress points may occur when the panels are moved to the folded configuration. In the described embodiment, the number of couplings 108 linking the adjacent edges of each of the plurality of panels varies throughout the framework 102. For example, a link between adjacent edges of two of the plurality of panels 104a-i may be provided by a single coupling 108 (e.g. between panels 104d and 104h in the figures), whereas other links between edges of adjacent panels may be provided by two, three, four or more couplings (e.g. the link between panels 104a and 104h may be provided by three couplings).
In some embodiments, the couplings 108 may be arranged to bias the plurality of panels 104a-i towards the unfolded configuration. This allows the container 100 to spring back automatically to the unfolded configuration when released from the folded configuration. Embodiments where the couplings are formed from reduced thickness portions of material as described above may, for example, act to bias the plurality of panels to the unfolded configuration without the need of additional biasing means.
An example of a portion of the framework 102 moving from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration is shown schematically in the sequence of
The length and position of couplings may be chosen such that when the plurality of panels are in the unfolded or folded configuration, one of more of the couplings 108 may be arranged to extend along a part circular path (e.g. may be part of the circumference of a circle, such as a semi-circular or quarter circular path) between respective panels. One or more of the couplings may, for example, be bent into a semi-circular or quarter-circular shape such that it follows part of the circumference of a circle. This may allow a smooth or uniform bend of the coupling material. This may allow the stress within the couplings to be distributed more evenly and reduce the risk of the material cracking or failing. In some embodiments, the path followed by each of the couplings may be tailored to the specific location with the framework and may depend on the stress experienced by each of the couplings.
The length of each flexible hinge member is the distance it extends between the two panels it connects. As the flexible hinge members are curved in use, the inside length is longer than the outside length. The outside length, marked C in
As is shown most clearly in
The flexible hinge members 106, 108 are arranged to have part-circular cross-sections in use. In the folded configuration, the cross-sections are semi-circular as shown in
In the folded configuration, the base panel 104a and the trapezoid wall panels 104h, 104i are arranged to be adjacent to each other. Ideally, each trapezoid wall panel 104h, 104i abuts the base panel 104a. In some cases, the trapezoid wall panels 104h, 104i may not quite lie flat on the base panel 104a. The length C of the flexible hinge member 108 between the base panel 104a and each trapezoid wall panel 104h, 104i is at least π times the panel thickness (TP) to allow the panels to stack in this way, i.e. so that the flexible hinge member can provide a semi-circular section of the circumference of a circle with a diameter equal to the thickness of two panels. Close stacking reduces the space taken by the container in the folded configuration. In the embodiment being described, the hinge length C is greater than πTP to allow some leeway in the folded configuration. In this way, the panels can still be stacked substantially flat even when, for example, the inside of the container has not been cleaned after use and remnants of container contents prevent the panels from moving into contact.
In some embodiments, the flexible hinge member 108 has a length of between πTP and (5/2)πTP, and optionally between (3/2)πTP and (5/2)πTP. The skilled person will appreciate that a balance is sought between making the container 100 compact in the folded configuration (for which reduced hinge sizes may be preferable) and lowering stress in the pivotal connections (for which wider hinge sizes may be preferable).
In the folded configuration, the trapezoid wall panels 104h, 104i are arranged to be between the base panel 108a and the panels 104b, 104c of the other side walls.
In the embodiment shown, the foldable side walls are shorter than the other pair of side walls—in alternative embodiments, all four side walls may be of the same length, or the foldable side walls may be longer than the other pair of side walls. The length C of the flexible hinge member 108 between the base panel 104a and each wall panel 104b, 104c of the other side walls is at least 2π times the panel thickness (TP) to allow the panels to stack in this way. The increased length of the flexible hinge member allows more panels to be accommodated between the hinged panels.
In the embodiment being described, the hinge length C is greater than 2πTP to allow some leeway in the folded configuration, and may be, for example between 2πTP and, and 5πTP, optionally between 3πTP and 5πTP. In this way, the panels can still be stacked substantially flat even when, for example, the inside of the container 100 has not been cleaned after use and remnants of container contents prevent the panels from moving into contact.
The longer flexible hinge member is arranged between the base 104a and a side wall (in the embodiment shown, the single panel side walls 104b, 104c), and is arranged to be on the outside of the plurality of panels in the folded configuration. In the folded configuration, the base 104a and the side wall which are pivotally connected via the longer flexible hinge member have one or more other panels sandwiched between them. The longer hinge length is long enough to ‘wrap around’ the one or more panels between the panels hinged by that longer hinge member, and also around the shorter hinge between the sandwiched panels.
In some embodiments, the longer hinge may not be twice the length of the shorter hinge, and/or the flexible hinge members around the base 104a may each have a different length. In some cases, panel width, TP, may not be equal for all panels; minimum hinge member length may therefore vary around the edges of a given container 100.
For neatness and compactness in the folded configuration of the container 100, the length of the longer flexible hinge member is sufficient to allow the side wall to which it is connected to be substantially parallel to the base in the folded configuration such that the side wall, the base and the longer flexible hinge member form a U-shape in cross-section. The adjacent side wall and the shorter flexible hinge member between that adjacent side wall and the base are accommodated within the U-shape, insofar as they overlap (i.e. the adjacent side wall is longer than the height of the first side wall, so extends out from underneath the first side wall in the folded configuration).
In this way, the container 100 retains a cuboid shape in the folded configuration as the panels are stacked horizontally. The hinge members provide enough flexibility to allow the panels to lie substantially flat with respect to each other in the folded configuration.
The skilled person would recognise that each pivotal connection can only continue until it intersects with another one or more pivotal connections. Using an elastomeric material around the intersections facilitates accommodation of stresses around the intersections between the pivotal connections without failure. The degree to which the container's corners are provided by the intersection of flexible hinge members is chosen to allow the pivotal connections to work independently from one another i.e. so that their movement is not impeded by another pivotal connection.
The skilled person will appreciate that, in other embodiments, the foldable side walls may have the longer flexible hinge members and that the other side walls may have the shorter flexible hinge members and lie between the foldable side walls and the base in the folded configuration.
At the lower corner regions of the container, the longer and shorter flexible hinge members 106, 108 meet. The corner regions are curved such that bending stresses are distributed over an area instead of being focused to a point. Advantageously, the rounded corner regions may improve longevity of the container 100 as the flexible hinge members are less likely to fail or develop holes at stress points through repeated use. The term “vertex” is used herein to denote the precise point, V, at which the base and sides would meet were the corner of the container not rounded; i.e. where straight lines along the surface of each panel (e.g. dotted lines E and F in
In the embodiment being described the two further panels 104d, 104e, 104f, 104g are offset from the lower edge of the container; i.e. there is a vertical gap between the lower extreme of each further panel and the base 104a of the container. In this way, a bend line between each further panel and the trapezoidal panel 104h, 104i (which may be thought of as an axis of the pivotal connection between the panels—e.g. that marked by the dashed line D in
Each bend line D between a central panel and a further panel is at 45° to the base 104a and the side walls. Advantageously, this facilitates symmetrical folding of the container 100. In alternative embodiments, more further panels, and therefore multiple bend lines D, and may be provided. In such embodiments, the angle of each bend line with respect to the base 104a may not be 45°.
In the embodiment being described, the lower extreme of each further panel is offset from the base 104a of the container by around one third of the height of the container 100. In this embodiment, the bend line D passes through the rounded corner region of the container 100, but not through the vertex, V. In alternative embodiments, the offset may be between one tenth and nine tenths of the height of the container, and more preferably between one fifth and three fifths of the height of the container.
Further, the trapezoid shape of the central panels 104h, 104i means that the bend lines, D, between each further panel and the trapezoidal panel 104h, 104i do not intersect each other, as they are separated by the width of the trapezoid panel. In alternative embodiments in which the central panel is triangular, the bend lines D may intersect. The point of intersection of bend lines D may have increased stress and therefore be more prone to failure.
In some embodiments, a guide means may be provided to guide the plurality of panels 104a-i into the desired stacking configuration. In some embodiments, the guide means may comprise a recessed portion 110 in one or more of the panels 104a-i arranged to at least partly receive another of the panels 104a-i when they are in the folded configuration. The recess portion 110 may therefore guide the panels into the desired configuration and may further reduce the size of the framework when in the stacked configuration by allowing the panels to at least partly interlock. In other embodiments, the guide means may comprise one or more locating members arranged on one or more of the panels 104a-i. Each of the locating members may be arranged to engage with a respective indent on another of the panels 104a-i to guide them into the desired stacking configuration.
In the described embodiment, the one or more seals 108 are formed from a deformable membrane extending between each of the plurality of panels 104a-i. The one or more seals may comprise a material (e.g. an elastomeric material) arranged to deform under stress and still return to its previous size and shape without permanent deformation (i.e. the one or more seals may undergo elastic deformation). The deformable membrane may be bonded to a respective one of the panels by any one or more of: chemical bonding, adhesive bonding, welding (e.g. melt-welding) or mechanical bonding. The bonding method may vary between different panels of the framework 102 or may be the same for each panel. The deformable membrane may be formed from a material such as any artificial or natural elastomer. The deformable membrane may be formed from any suitable material which is able to deform to a sufficient level to allow the plurality of panels to move to the folded configuration, without experiencing permanent deformation. This allows a seal to be maintained between the panels 104a-i, while at the same time allowing movement of the panels 104a-i between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration. In the described embodiment, the one or more seals comprise an integral web formed from a single material as can be seen in
In some embodiments, the one or more seals may be arranged to bias the plurality of panels 104a-i towards the unfolded configuration. This allows the container to spring back to the unfolded configuration when it is released from the folded configuration. In some embodiments, the one or more seals may be formed from an elastomeric material such that they are arranged to return to a shape corresponding to the unfolded configuration after being deformed by movement to the folded configuration. This means that the one or more seals 106 may act to both bias the panels and to seal the container without the need for additional components. In other embodiments, a separate biasing means may be provided to return the plurality of panels 104a-i to the unfolded configuration. Such a biasing means may, for example, comprise a spring member or the like to bias the plurality of panels 104a-i towards the unfolded configuration. In some embodiments, the plurality of panels 104a-i may be biased towards the unfolded configuration by the one or more seals 106, one or more of the couplings 108, or both.
In the embodiment shown in
In some embodiments, a lip portion 512 may be provided on both sides of the panels 502, 504 as shown in
As shown in
In other embodiments, the thickness of the material linking the edges of a first and second of the panels may be less that the thickness of those panels (as shown in
The lip portion 512 may vary in width from the edge of the panel between different portions of a panel edge, between different edges of a panel, or between edges of different panels within the framework (i.e. it may vary throughout the framework). As shown in
The container 100 may further comprise a lid 112 as shown in
In some embodiments, the container 100 may further comprise a securing means arranged to secure the plurality of panels 104a-i in the folded configuration. This allows the plurality of panels 104a-i to be secured in the folded configuration such that the container is compact and can be efficiently stored. In some embodiments, the securing means may comprise a coupling between a first and a second of the plurality of panels 104a-i. In such an embodiment, an additional coupling means may be provided to secure the lid 112 to the framework such that they do not become separated from one another.
In other embodiments, the securing means may alternatively or additionally comprise a coupling between the framework 102 (e.g. between one or more of the plurality of panels 104a-i) and the lid 112 of the container 100. In such an embodiment, the lid 112 is therefore arranged to both secure to the framework to prevent it from being lost, and also at the same time to secure the plurality of panels 104a-i in the folded configuration. For example, the lid 112 may comprise an outer rim 114 extending from the surface of the lid around the outer edge of the lid, and an inner rim (not shown) concentric with the outer rim and spaced from the outer rim. The spacing between the rims is arranged to engagingly receive the side walls of the container 100 so as to seal the container in its unfolded configuration.
The inner rim is arranged to engagingly receive the plurality of panels in the folded configuration, such that they are held in the folded configuration and attached to the lid 112.
Due to the shape of the flexible hinge members 106, 108, the total width of the base 104 plus flexible hinge members 106, 108 around the edges of the base decreases when the container 100 is folded. This is because the hinge members have a curved shape, and preferably an approximately quarter-circular shape in the unfolded configuration as compared to a semi-circular shape in the folded configuration. In the embodiment being described, the hinge member length, C, is substantially constant in use. When the same length, C, is used for a smaller circular section, the radius of that circle is necessarily larger, and vice versa. The radius of curvature of the hinge members is therefore larger in the unfolded configuration, meaning that the hinge members extend further from the base 104a, so making the container footprint larger. In the folded configuration, each hinge member is forced inwards, so reducing the footprint of the plurality of panels sufficiently for the plurality of panels to be received within the inner rim of the lid 112.
In some embodiments, one or both of the outer rim 14 and the inner rim may be replaced with a series of projections.
In each of these embodiments, the securing means may comprise a friction fit coupling (i.e. a snap-fit coupling) arranged to engaged when the plurality of panels 104a-i are moved to the folded configuration. An example securing means is shown in
The present invention may also provide a method of manufacturing the container 100 described above. The method may comprise a step of moulding the framework 102 by moulding the plurality of panels 104a-i and the couplings 108 (if and where they are present) to connect the panels 104a-i. A separate step of moulding the one or more flexible seals 106 interposed between the plurality of panels 104a-i is then also provided.
The moulding steps may be achieved by injection moulding of the framework 102 and the one or more seals 106. In some embodiments, the framework may be moulded using a first injection moulding process followed by a second injection moulding process to mould the one or more seals 106 (e.g. the one or more seals may be over-moulded). In some embodiments, separate moulds may be used to mould the framework and the one or more seals. In other embodiments, a single mould may be used (e.g. a twin-shot injection moulding process may be used) which may allow an improved bond to be created between the panels and the deformable membrane.
Various aspects of the invention may be understood with reference to the following clauses:
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1516615.0 | Sep 2015 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2016/052903 | 9/16/2016 | WO | 00 |
