Patent Application
20150144625
N/A
The present invention is generally directed toward a bulk bin container with improved performance features, and in particular, a bulk bin including a horizontal top plate in the wrap-around sidewall portions combined with ramp surfaces for lifting and locking the sidewall in an upright position and/or post and pocket interlocks to provide additional support for the sidewalls.
Plastic bulk bin containers typically consist of a base and four hingeably connected sidewalls. The sidewalls are in an approximately horizontal position when the bulk container is in a collapsed state, and in a vertical position when the container is erected to receive shipping goods. The sidewalls can have features along each side that interlock with adjacent sidewalls when containers are erected. Most bulk bin containers are designed to stack on each other in the erected state, with and without the use of top caps.
The sidewalls of certain bulk bins are pivotably connected to a base portion by fixed hinge axes. Some of these bulk bins include wrap-around portions on two opposing sidewalls with a top plate. The other two sidewalls are typically slammed upright into the wrap-around portions. Such top plates have not been previously used with sidewalls that do not have a fixed axis, such as those with a lift and lock or post and pocket design.
Compressive forces caused by stacking bulk bin containers (especially when filled) can cause buckling and other structural damage to the container. The present invention provides a bulk bin container with improved strength to counter compressive forces.
The present invention is described below and shown in the Figures.
The present invention is directed to a collapsible bulk bin container with improved sidewall features. The bulk bin combines a wrap-around feature with a top plate (and in some cases a rib positioned proximate the top plate) with an adjacent sidewall having a lift and lock design and/or a post and pocket design.
In accordance with a first embodiment, a collapsible bulk bin container with improved corner support structure on a sidewall is provided to interact with an adjacent sidewall having a lift and lock design. The bulk bin container comprises a base having a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side. A first sidewall is pivotably connected to the first side of the base, a second sidewall is pivotably connected to the second side of the base adjacent the first sidewall, a third sidewall is pivotably connected to the third side of the base opposing the first sidewall, and a fourth sidewall is pivotably connected to the fourth side of the base adjacent the third sidewall on one side of the fourth sidewall and adjacent the first sidewall on an opposing side of the fourth sidewall. The first sidewall includes a first wrap-around portion at a first side of the first sidewall that contacts a first side portion of the second sidewall when the first and second sidewalls are pivoted upright. The first wrap-around portion includes a first horizontal plate at a top portion of the first wrap-around portion extending outward over the first wrap-around portion.
The second (and typically the fourth—i.e., opposing sides) sidewall does not include a fixed hinge axis. Instead, the second sidewall has a floating hinge that allows for a lift and lock design where the sidewall is lifted upward as it is pivoted into a vertical (i.e., erect) position and, near or at the vertical position, is moved downward to lock the sidewall into place. As described herein, ramps on the bottom of the sidewall and the base can be coordinated to achieve the lift and lock features.
Alternatively, or in addition to the lift and lock feature, the sidewalls can have a post and pocket structure. The post and pocket features interact along the edges of the sidewalls to provide a strong connection.
The first sidewall can also include a second wrap-around portion at a second side of the first sidewall that contacts a first side portion of the fourth sidewall when the first and fourth sidewalls are pivoted upright. The second wrap-around portion also includes a second horizontal plate at a top portion extending outward over the second wrap-around portion.
The collapsible bulk bin container can also comprise a horizontal rib in the first wrap-around portion positioned below the first horizontal plate. The rib is positioned proximate the top portion of the first wrap-around portion. Similarly, a horizontal rib is provided in the second wrap-around portion positioned below the second horizontal plate proximate the top portion of the second wrap-around portion.
The wrap-around portions extend at approximately right angles (90°) to the sidewall and include structures (such as projections, or “post and pocket” structures) that interact with structures on the edge of the adjacent sidewall to interlock the sidewalls.
The bulk bin container can include the third sidewall having a first wrap-around portion at a first side of the third sidewall that contacts a second side portion of the second sidewall when the third and second sidewalls are pivoted upright. The first wrap-around portion of the third sidewall having a third horizontal plate extending outward over the first wrap-around portion at a top portion of the first wrap-around portion. Similar to the first sidewall, the third sidewall also includes a second wrap-around portion at a second side of the third sidewall that contacts a second side portion of the fourth sidewall when the third and fourth sidewalls are pivoted upright. The second wrap-around portion of the third sidewall having a fourth horizontal plate extending outward over the second wrap-around portion at a top portion of the second wrap-around portion.
Again, similar to the first sidewall, the first wrap-around and second wrap-around portions of the third sidewall each include a horizontal rib positioned below the horizontal plate proximate the top portion of the wrap-around portions.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a collapsible bulk bin container having sidewalls with ramp surfaces for lifting and locking one or more sidewalls is provided. The bulk bin container comprises a base having an upward projection along a first side, and a first long side sidewall pivotably connected to the first side of the base by a floating hinge. The first long side sidewall having a first lower edge portion with a first ramp surface and the upward projection having a first upper edge portion with a second ramp surface positioned to contact the first ramp surface of the first long sidewall. The first ramp surface and second ramp surface configured to initially lift the first long sidewall as the first long sidewall is pivoted into an upright position. A similar configuration can be used for the short sidewalls or any sidewalls for bins having four equal sidewalls.
The first ramp surface of the first lower edge portion of the first long sidewall can be curved. Similarly, the second ramp surface of the first upper edge portion of the upward projection of the first side of the base can be curved.
Additionally, the first upper edge portion of the upward projection along the first side of the base can have an outwardly vertical surface connected to the second ramp surface. The first lower edge portion of the first long sidewall has an inwardly vertical surface connected to the first ramp surface.
The first long side sidewall can also include a second lower edge portion spaced from the first lower edge portion with a first ramp surface. The upward projection can have a corresponding second upper edge portion spaced from the first upper edge portion with a second ramp surface positioned to contact the first ramp surface of the second lower edge portion of the first long sidewall.
The first lower edge portion of the first long sidewall and the first upper edge portion of the upward projection along the first side of the base can be positioned proximate a first corner of the base. Similarly, the second lower edge portion of the first long sidewall and the second upper edge portion of the upward projection along the first side of the base can be positioned proximate a second corner of the base. Additional corresponding lower and upper edge portions (with ramp surfaces) can be positioned between the first and second edge portions.
The base can include a second upward projection and second long side sidewall with ramp structures described.
Further aspects of the invention are disclosed below and shown in the Figures.
To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a collapsible bulk bin container is provided with an improvement to features utilized for interlocking the sidewalls. Specifically, the bulk bin container is provided with an upper, horizontal plate to the wrap-around sections of the short sidewalls. This increases the strength of the container, and in particular, the corner portions of the container when the sidewalls are in an upright and locked position.
Referring to
The bulk bin container 10 is configured so that two of the sidewalls 14 include projections or wrap-around portions 18 on both sides of the sidewall that allow the sidewall 14 to interlock with adjacent sidewalls. Referring to the enlarged corner view of
The bulk bin container 10 includes two larger opposing sidewalls and two shorter opposing sidewalls. The wrap-around portions 18 are typically located on the shorter sidewalls (however, the present invention can be utilized if the longer sidewalls include the wrap around portions, or for containers having equal sidewalls).
The wrap-around portions 18 (one of which is shown in
As illustrated in
Referring to
The first ramp surface 34 and second ramp surface 36 are designed to engage during pivoting of the sidewall 15 and cause the sidewall to lift upward. The sidewall 15 is provided with a floating hinge (not shown) to accommodate the upward movement of the sidewall 15.
As the sidewall 15 is moved more upright, the first ramp surface 34 passes the second ramp surface 36 and then moves downward. This allows a vertical surface 38 (connected to the second ramp surface 36) in the first upper edge portion 31 to engage a vertical surface 40 in the first lower edge portion 32 of the long side sidewall 15 as illustrated in
The first lower edge portion 32 and first upper edge portion 30 can be positioned proximate a corner of the base. Additional upper/lower edge portions with the described ramp surfaces can be formed along the sidewall 15. Moreover, the opposing long sidewall can include such features.
As discussed above, the ramp 42 is preferably located above the hinge rotation centerline of the sidewall 15. Additionally, it is positioned inward from the outer edge or exterior of the base 12 (i.e., toward the interior or center of the base 12). The ramp 42, and in particular the vertical surface 38, provides an additional benefit of reacting to buckling of the sidewall when subjected to compressive loads from stacking (of other bins or objects).
Again, as discussed above, the ramp 42 is designed to lift the sidewall 15 approximately 0.75 inches as the sidewall 15 is moved to its upright position. Once over the ramp 42 (i.e., nearly upright), the sidewall 12 is forced downward to engage the interlock structure in the wrap-around portions discussed above.
Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be protected otherwise than as specifically described.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/908,938 filed Nov. 26, 2013, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61908938 | Nov 2013 | US |
