Collapsible container and method of shopping

Abstract

A container (10) to be movable from an erect configuration to a folded configuration enabling stacking of a plurality of the containers (10). The containers has a pair of side walls (16) that fold down on to the base (14), and a pair of end walls (18) including an upper panel that is pivotally attached to the rim (12), and a lower panel (32) pivotally attached to the base (14). The panels (30, 32) pivot to provide for movement of the rim (12) to the base (14) so the container (10) assumes a folded configuration.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a collapsible container and method of shopping suitable for supermarket shopping.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Supermarkets are currently making efforts to reduce the number of plastic bags dispensed to shoppers. Plastic shopping bags are not easily biodegradable and contribute to pollution of the environment. Presently, supermarkets sell inexpensive reusable shopping bags for shoppers to carry their groceries. While such shopping bags are useful for small shopping trips, families on big grocery shopping trips which generally fill one or two trolleys cannot efficiently use such reusable shopping bags as they would require a substantial number of such bags to contain all their groceries.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate the prior art disadvantages or at least provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention proves a collapsible container including:

a base of a quadrilateral configuration so as to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel end edges and a pair of spaced generally parallel side edges;

an upper rim of a quadrilateral configuration so as to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel end edges and a pair of spaced generally parallel side edges;

a pair of side walls, each side wall extending generally between respective corresponding side edges of the base and upper rim when in an assembled position of said side wall, each side wall pivotally attached to one of said corresponding side edges so as to be angularly movable between said assembled position and a collapsed position where said side wall is positioned over and substantially parallel to the base;

a pair of end walls, each end wall extending generally between respective corresponding end edges of the base and upper rim when in an assembled position of said end wall, each end wall including a lower panel pivotally attached to one base end edge and an upper panel pivotally attached to one upper rim end edge, the lower and upper panels of each end wall pivotally attached to each other for movement between said assembled position and a collapsed position where the lower and upper panels are stacked over and substantially parallel to said base; and

wherein in the collapsed positions of the side and end walls, the upper rim is moved to a position substantially adjacent the base.

The side walls are preferably pivotally attached to respective side edges of the upper rim. Preferably, the side walls fully extend between the base and the upper rim.

One of the side walls is preferably perpendicular to the base in its assembled position. The other side wall is preferably at an obtuse angle relative to the base in its assembled position. The end walls are preferably at an obtuse angle relative to the base in their assembled position. The upper rim and base are preferably substantially in the shape of a trapezoid.

Preferably, the upper rim includes handles. The handles are preferably portions of the upper rim which are disposed inwardly of the upper rim periphery to form indents in the upper rim. The handles are preferably portions of the end edges. Preferably, the base and handles are dimensioned such that a first assembled container can be placed on top of a second assembled container with the first container base resting on the second container handles. The base, side walls and end walls are all preferably disposed inwardly of the indents in the collapsed position of the side walls and end walls.

The container preferably further includes releasable locking means for locking the side walls in their assembled position. The container preferably further includes releasable locking means for locking the end walls in their assembled position.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a stack of a plurality of containers according to the above, wherein the side and end walls of the containers are in their collapsed positions. Preferably, the collapsed containers are stacked with their indents aligned.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a bag carrying the plurality of collapsed containers. The bag preferably includes a securement strap extending along a set of the aligned indents for securing the collapsed containers to the bag. The bag preferably includes an attachment means for attachment to a shopping trolley.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of shopping comprising:

(a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls;

(b) selecting goods to be purchased;

(c) paying for the selected goods;

(d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and

(d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s).

The containers are preferably stackable when assembled.

The method preferably includes carrying at least one container or a bag carrying a plurality of collapsed containers according to the above. Preferably, the method includes the step of attaching the bag to a shopping trolley via the above described attachment means.

Preferably, the container includes a handle pivotally attached to said rim and movable angularly between a position extending away from the rim to facilitate a user grasping the handle, and a folded configuration in which the handle is adjacent the rim, with said rim having a recess to receive the handle when in the folded configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top isometric view of a collapsible container;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic front elevation of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic top isometric view of the container of FIG. 1 in a partly collapsed configuration;

FIG. 6 is a schematic top isometric view of the container of FIG. 1 in a collapsed configuration;

FIG. 7 is a schematic top isometric view of a stack of collapsed containers secured in a bag;

FIG. 8 is two isometric views of a shopping trolley with a stack of containers and bags secured thereto;

FIG. 9 is a schematic isometric view of a shopping trolley with the container of FIG. 1 located therein;

FIG. 10 is a schematic isometric view of a modification of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a schematic top plan view of the container of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a schematic side elevation of a container of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a schematic end elevation of a container of FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a schematic top isometric view of a further modification of the container of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 15 is a schematic top isometric view of the container of FIG. 14 with the handle thereof in a folded configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a collapsible container 10. The collapsible container includes an open upper rim 12, a closed base 14, opposing side walls 16a and 16b and opposing end walls 18a and 18b extending between the side walls 16a, 16b.

The upper rim 12 is in the shape of a trapezoid, having first and second parallel side edges 20 and 21, and generally parallel first and second end edges 22 and 23 both disposed at an obtuse angle relative to the first side edge 20. The upper rim 12 includes first and second handles 25 and 26 formed in the first and second edges 22 and 23. The handles 25 and 26 are spaced inwardly relative to the periphery of the upper rim 12 to form indents 27 and 28 in the upper rim 12.

The second side wall 16b is substantially perpendicular to the base 14 whilst the first side wall 16a is at obtuse angle relative to the base 14 and rim 12. The first and second end walls 18a and 18b are at an obtuse angle relative to the base 12, such that they converge from the upper rim 12 to the base 14.

The base 14 is trapezoidal in shape similar to the upper rim 12, but having dimensions smaller than the upper rim 12. The base 14 includes generally parallel side edges 13 and generally parallel end edges 15.

The first side 20 in the embodiment is 374 mm in length and the second side 21 is 408 mm in length. The side edges 20 and 21 are 354 mm apart, the container 10 is 311 mm high and the base side edges 13 are 291 mm in length.

The side walls 16a and 16b are not connected to the end walls 18a and 18b. The first and second side walls 16a and 16b are respectively hingedly connected to the upper rim side edges 20 and 21. This hinged connection allows each side wall 16a and 16b to be angularly movable, about an axis 40 that is generally parallel to the rim 12 and base 14, between an assembled position as shown in FIG. 1 at which they respectively extend between the upper rim side edges 20 and 21 and the base side edges 13, and a collapsed position as shown in FIG. 6 at which each side wall 16a and 16b is positioned over and substantially parallel to the base 14. In the collapsed position, the side wall 16a or 16b is substantially superimposed over the other side wall 16a or 16b and substantially co-planar with the upper rim 12. Releasable locking means (not shown) are provided between the bottom portions of the side walls 16a and 16b and the base 14 to releasably lock the side walls 16a and 16b to the base 14 at the assembled positions thereof. To unlock the locking means, a pushing force can be applied to the side walls 16a and 16b by a user for moving the side walls 16a and 16b to their collapsed position.

The first and second end walls 18a and 18b each comprise an upper panel 30 which are respectively hingedly connected to the upper rim end edges 22 and 23 and a lower panel 32 which are respectively hingedly connected to the base end edges 14. The upper panel 30 has an external face 31 and the lower panel 32 has an external face 33. The upper and lower panels 30 and 32 of each end wall 18a and 18b are connected to each other by hinges 34. The hinges 34 provide a pivot axis 41 that is generally perpendicular to the axis 40 but generally parallel to the base 14 and rim 12. The hinged connections allow the first and second panels 30 and 32 to be movable between an assembled position as shown in FIG. 1 and a collapsed position as shown in FIG. 6. In the assembled position, the end walls 18a and 18b generally extend between respective corresponding end edges 22, 23 and 14 of the base and upper rim and the external faces 31 and 32 are laterally adjacent each other. In the collapsed position, the lower and upper panels 30 and 32 are stacked over and substantially parallel to the base 14, and the first panel external face 31 is substantially superimposed over the second panel external face 33, effectively “folding” the end walls 18a and 18b inwardly. Releasable locking means (not shown) can be provided between the panels 30 and 32 to releasably lock the panels 30 and 32 at the assembled positions thereof. To unlock the locking means, a pushing force can be applied between the panels 30 and 32 by a user for moving the panels 30 and 32 to their collapsed position. The panels 31 and 30 are pivotally attached to the rim 12 and base 14 for angular movement about axis 42, that are parallel to the axis 41.

In the collapsed positions of the first and second side walls 16a and 16b and the first and second end walls 18a and 18b, the upper rim 12 is moved to a position substantially adjacent the base 14, effectively “collapsing” the container into a compact storage position as shown in FIG. 6.

To assemble a collapsed container 10, the upper rim 12 is lifted relative to the base 14 which effectively moves the side walls 16a and 16b and end walls 18a and 18b toward their assembled positions. The end walls 18a and 18b are first locked into their assembled position via the above described end wall locking means and the side walls 16a and 16b are then locked into their assembled positions via the above described side wall locking means. This completes assembly of the container 10 to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the collapsed position of the container, the indents 27 and 28 in the upper rim 12 are exposed, in that the side walls 16a and 16b and end walls 18a and 18b and the base 14 are all disposed inwardly of the indents 27 and 28, as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 shows a stack 40 of four collapsed containers 10 with the indents 27 and 28 aligned. The stack 40 of folded containers 10 can then be carried in a bag 50. The bag 50 includes a holding portion 52, a shoulder strap/handle 54 and a securement strap 56. As shown in FIG. 7, the holding portion 52 includes a base 60, side walls 62, front wall 63 and rear wall 64. The handle 54 extends from one side wall 62 to the other side wall 62. The securement strap 56 extends from the rear wall 64 to the front wall 63. The strap 56 includes hooks 65 adjacent the rear wall 64.

As shown in FIG. 7, the folded containers stack 40 can be inserted into the holding portion 52 and the securement strap 56 can be placed around the stack 40, with the strap 56 being received by the container indents 27. The strap 56 is then secured to the front wall 63 of the holding portion 52 to secure the stack 40 to the bag 50.

A method of shopping in a supermarket using the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. In use, a shopper will carry the bag 50 with the four collapsed containers stack 40 using the handle 54 to a supermarket. The bag 50 can then be attached to a shopping trolley 80 via the hooks 65 as shown in FIG. 8. A shopper can then proceed with their normal shopping and place groceries to be purchased into the shopping trolley. After selecting their groceries, the shopper can then proceed to the checkout register as per normal and place the selected groceries onto the checkout register conveyor belt for scanning by a checkout attendant. The shopper or the checkout attendant will then remove a collapsed container 10 from the bag 50 and assemble the container 10 as described above. The shopper or checkout attendant will then place the scanned groceries in an assembled container 10. Once filled, each container 10 can be placed in the trolley.

As shown in FIG. 9, two containers 10 can be placed on the bottom portion of the trolley 80 with the other two containers 10 stacked on top of the first two containers 10. The base 12 of each upper container 10 sits on top of the handles 25, 26 of the container 10 below which allows the containers 10 to be stacked without damaging the groceries in the containers 10. The perpendicular side walls 16b allow the containers 10 to be stacked in a compact manner within the trolley 80, whilst the angled side wall 16a and end walls 18a and 18b maximise the volume of the containers 10 within the trolley 80, utilising the known angled sides of a trolley 80. The shopper can then move the containers 10 filled with groceries into his/her car.

FIGS. 10 to 13 show a second collapsible container 100, having features similar to the container 100. The parts of the container 100 will thus be referred to with similar reference numerals as the container 10. The container 100 includes an upper rim 12, a base 14, opposing side walls 16a and 16b and opposing end walls 18a and 18b.

The collapsible container 100 is substantially similar to the container 10, but includes side and end walls 16a, 16b, 18a and 18b which are substantially perpendicular to the base 14. The side and end walls 16a, 16b, 18a and 18b, upper rim 12 and base 14 are shaped substantially as rectangles. The handles 25 and 26 are formed as elongated apertures in the side walls 16a and 16b.

The side walls 16a and 16b in this embodiment are 300 mm wide and 308 mm high. The end walls 18a and 18b are 345 mm wide and 308 mm high.

Similar to the container 10, the side walls 16a and 16b are hingedly connected to the upper rim, allowing the side walls 16a and 16b to be movable between an assembled position and a collapsed position. The first and second end walls 18a and 18b each comprise an upper panel 30 which is hingedly connected to the upper rim and a lower panel 32 which is hingedly connected to the base 14. The panels 30 and 32 are connected to each other by hinges 34. The hinged connections allow the first and second panels 30 and 32 to be movable between an assembled position as shown in FIG. 1 and a collapsed position as shown in FIG. 6.

The end edges of the upper rim 12 include downwardly extending projections 12a. The end edges of the base 14 include upwardly extending projections 14a. The projections 12a and 14a abut each other in the collapsed configuration of the container 100 to provide a rounded neat appearance to the end edges of the collapsed container 100.

The present invention thus provides a method of shopping which significantly reduces the amount of plastic bags required. Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be apparent to skilled persons that modifications to the above embodiment can be made. For example, the bag 50 can be dimensioned to carry more than four collapsible containers 10. The bag 50 can also be replaced by an extendible strap for extending around both set of aligned indents of a stack of collapsed containers 10. Such a strap can include a hook for attachment to a trolley, as well as a shoulder strap.

In FIGS. 14 and 15 there is schematically depicted a modification of the container 10. In these figures the container 110 is very similar to the container of FIG. 1, with the reference numerals of FIG. 1 being applied to FIGS. 14 and 15. However in this embodiment the walls 16 and 18 in the erect configuration are generally perpendicular to the base 14 and rim 12. However the rim 12 is provided with a recess 111 that receives the handle 112 so that when the handle 112 is in the folded configuration as shown in FIG. 15, the handle 112 completes the configuration of the rim 12 so as to fill in the recess 111. More particularly the handle 112 is pivotally attached to the rim 12 for pivoting movement about an axis 112 that is generally parallel to the rim 12 and base 14 while perpendicular to the walls 18. In this regard it should also be appreciated the walls 16 are provided with handle apertures 113.

The panels 30 and 32 by means of the hinges 34 pivot about an axis 114 that is generally parallel to the rim 12 and base 14 but generally perpendicular to the axis 112 but spaced therefrom.

By having a handle 112 received within the recess 111, when the container 110 is to be stacked, the rim 12 with its handle 112 do not interfere with stacking.

Claims

1. A collapsible container including: a base of a quadrilateral configuration so as to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel end edges and a pair of spaced generally parallel side edges; an upper rim of a quadrilateral configuration so as to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel end edges and a pair of spaced generally parallel side edges; a pair of side walls, each side wall extending generally between respective corresponding side edges of the base and upper rim when in an assembled position of said side wall, each side wall pivotally attached to one of said corresponding side edges so as to be angularly movable between said assembled position and a collapsed position where said side wall is positioned over and substantially parallel to the base; a pair of end walls, each end wall extending generally between respective corresponding end edges of the base and upper rim when in an assembled position of said end wall, each end wall including a lower panel pivotally attached to one base end edge and an upper panel pivotally attached to one upper rim end edge, the lower and upper panels of each end wall pivotally attached to each other for movement between said assembled position and a collapsed position where the lower and upper panels are stacked over and substantially parallel to said base; and wherein in the collapsed positions of the side and end walls, the upper rim is moved to a position substantially adjacent the base.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the side walls are pivotally attached to respective side edges of the upper rim.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the side walls fully extend between the base and the upper rim.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein one of the side walls is perpendicular to the base in its assembled position.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the other side wall is at an obtuse angle relative to the base in its assembled position.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the end walls are at an obtuse angle relative to the base in their assembled position.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the upper rim is substantially in the shape of a trapezoid.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the base is substantially in the shape of a trapezoid.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the upper rim includes handles.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein the handles are portions of the upper rim which are disposed inwardly of the upper rim periphery to form indents in the upper rim.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the handles are portions of said end edges.

12. The container of claim 10, wherein the base and handles are dimensioned such that a first assembled container can be placed on top of a second assembled container with the first container base resting on the second container handles.

13. The container of claim 10, wherein the base, side walls and end walls are all disposed inwardly of the indents in the collapsed position of the side walls and end walls.

14. The container of claim 1, further including releasable locking means for locking the side walls in their assembled position.

15. The container of claim 1, further including releasable locking means for locking the end walls in their assembled position.

16. The container of claim 1, further including a handle pivotally attached to said rim and movable angularly between a position extending away from the rim to facilitate a user grasping the handle, and a folded configuration in which the handle is adjacent the rim, with said rim having a recess to receive the handle when in the folded configuration.

17. A stack of a plurality of containers according to claim 1 wherein the side and end walls of the containers are in their collapsed positions.

18. A bag carrying the plurality of collapsed containers of claim 17.

19. A plurality of containers according to claim 13, wherein the side and end walls of the containers are in their collapsed positions, the collapsed containers being stacked with their indents aligned.

20. A bag carrying the plurality of collapsed containers of claim 18, the bag having a securement strap extending along a set of the aligned indents for securing the collapsed containers to the bag.

21. A bag carrying a plurality of collapsed containers according to claim 18, wherein the bag includes an attachment means for attachment to a shopping trolley.

22. A method of shopping comprising: (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls; (b) selecting goods to be purchased; (c) paying for the selected goods; (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s).

23. The method of shopping comprising: (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls; (b) selecting goods to be purchased; (c) paying for the selected goods; (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s) wherein step (a) includes carrying at least one container according to claim 1.

24. The method of shopping comprising: (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls; (b) selecting goods to be purchased; (c) paying for the selected goods; (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s) wherein step (a) includes carrying a bag carrying a plurality of collapsed containers according to claim 18.

25. The method of shopping comprising: (a) carrying at least one collapsible container, the container(s) having substantially rigid side and end walls; (b) selecting goods to be purchased; (c) paying for the selected goods; (d) assembling said collapsible container(s); and (d) packing the purchased goods into said assembled container(s) wherein step (a) includes carrying a bag carrying a plurality of collapsed containers according to claim 21, the method including the step of attaching the bag to a shopping trolley via said attachment means.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the containers are stackable when assembled.