Patent Application
20120273485
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a collapsible, lightweight, durable shipping container for transporting and storing bulk materials and more specifically to a reusable collapsible container with an integrated closure system for secure containment of materials.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Plastic and steel drum-style shipping containers commonly retain bulk materials for transportation. These rigid drum containers often transport hazardous liquid and powder materials over long distances without any loss or seepage. Securely retaining hazardous materials in a transport drum is a highly desirable goal, but standard drums present a number of drawbacks that result in inefficiencies, lost profits, injuries and negative environmental impact.
First, standard drums are cumbersome to maneuver. Operators managing these drums typically employ specialized handling equipment designed for engaging these heavy drums and evacuating contents. Once emptied, these standard drums, such as the commonplace 55 gallon steel drum, remain heavy and cumbersome to handle and load onto and off of pallets and shipment trucks. An operator manually moving empty drums and loading them onto a flatbed for shipping to a reconditioning center for example, must move one drum at a time onto a pallet and/or into a truck bed.
Second, standard shipping drums made of steel, plastic, and aluminum, for example, occupy a significant amount of space during transport, even when the drums are empty. A standard 53 foot flatbed trailer truck can transport only 208 of the standard 55 gallon steel drums. This increases the number of trucks required to ship a large number of drums and thereby increases fuel consumption and harmful emissions associated with the carbon footprint of the shipping vessels.
In addition to causing increased carbon emissions, increased risk of injury during handling and decreased efficiency related to maneuverability, metal containers are expensive to purchase, rent and store. They are fairly large and therefore require a considerable amount of space to maintain on site. That required space could be considerable, depending upon the amount of material that must be stored and/or transported. While the storage volume of metal containers is considerable, the volume of material that is storable within multiple containers is diminished by the fact that the metal containers are generally cylindrical in nature. Cylinders generally cannot be oriented in a space-efficient manner. As such, there is a need in the art for containers that will contain a high volume of material securely and be storable in a low volume storage facility.
Some shipping container designs address issues with regard to reuse and compaction during empty transport. For example, bag containers take up much less space when not in use. Bag container, however, are of insufficient physical characteristics for transport purposes. That is, they are generally not tough enough to stand up to the rigors of movement by mechanical devices such as forklifts, accidental drops into cargo holds, stacking, etc. Moreover, bag containers are easily deformed by their contents. Bag containers, therefore, are not reliably stackable and fail to enable efficient transport or storing of voluminous materials. Similarly, collapsible boxes typically are only semi-rigid at best, tend to bow outward when filled, and are difficult to lift and stack when filled. Most collapsible boxes for industrial shipping uses are heavy assemblies of several layers of components and typically weigh at least 34 pounds when empty, which weight can cause fatigue and more serious conditions related to repetitive lifting by shipping personnel. Furthermore, these boxes incorporate cumbersome bottom flaps that require folding and securing prior to using the container. This processing step wastes valuable time in the field of operation and accordingly causes monetary losses associated with delay.
Some collapsible boxes and bags employ truss elements woven through their sidewalls to prevent the containers from bulging when filled. Puncturing the sidewall of a box or bag inherently creates a weak point at which the container could catastrophically fail under load forces. Furthermore, these trusses only prevent bulging at particular points along the height of the container and fail to address bulging at the top rim of the container that could prevent a properly fitted engagement with selectively engaged lid element. Furthermore, such lids require closure elements, such as corner ties or duct tape wrapped around the container and lid, to secure the lid to the container. Using tape to secure a lid to a corrugated box causes rapid degradation of the box during repeated application and removal of tape, which can peel off layers of the box. Furthermore tape can tear easily or loose adhesion under certain temperature and humidity conditions.
A need therefore exists for a reliable, lightweight, environmentally friendly, highly reusable, highly durable, fully collapsible container for use in transporting solid and liquid materials, including those materials governed by the dangerous goods code of the UN regulations. A need exists for such a container that employs a selectively sealed lid and an integrated closure system for securing transported contents.
The present invention solves the problems associated with efficiently and securely transporting reusable shipping containers designed for retaining bulk materials, including hazardous substances, and insuring reliable structural integrity with every use. The collapsible container has a permanently secured, collapsible wrap tray bottom, an integrated, non-destructive secure closure system, and scored sidewalls that enable an operator to collapse the container flat for compact transport and storage during periods of non-use.
One embodiment of the collapsible container of the present invention comprises a continuous rigid structure having four planar sides defining four inner surfaces and four outer surfaces. Two opposed planar sides each have a scoring line therein rendering the continuous rigid structure collapsible. The embodiment further comprises a five-walled inelastic wrap tray made of a flexible, inelastic fabric affixed to a lower portion of each the four outer surfaces and defining a bottom surface of the collapsible industrial shipping container.
In one embodiment the collapsible container comprises at least three side closure strips fixedly disposed on the outer surfaces of three consecutive planar sides, one end of each of the at least three side closure strips securely connecting to the inelastic wrap tray, the other end of each of the at least three side closure strips terminating in an inwardly facing closed retention loop positioned adjacent the top rim of the continuous rigid structure. In one embodiment, each of the at least three side closure strips comprises a closure means fixedly positioned along its length at a point below the top rim of the continuous rigid structure and above the five-walled inelastic wrap tray.
In one embodiment, the collapsible container further comprises a lid defining at least one hingedly attached flap affixed to the fourth outer surface such that a fourth inwardly facing retention loop is securely affixed between the flap and the fourth outer surface and positioned adjacent the top rim of the continuous rigid structure. In this embodiment, a system of one or more top closure straps affixed to the top surface of the lid are adapted for engaging with the attachment means.
In one embodiment of the present invention, an inelastic member passes through each of the inwardly facing closed retention loops of the at least three side closure strips and the fourth inwardly facing retention loop, thus preventing the top rim of the continuous rigid structure from bulging under load conditions.
One will better understand these and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention following a review of the description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings:
The present invention solves the problems associated with standard drum-style and box-style shipping containers. The present invention provides a collapsible container that is rigid enough for stacking, storing and transporting a variety of materials. Unlike ubiquitous metal containers and standard corrugated box containers, however, the container of the present invention can be collapsed from a substantially cubic volume into a substantially flat square for easy stacking and storage. Additionally, the present invention can be securely closed without requiring the application of destructive tapes or flimsy ties. Furthermore, the present invention addresses preventing bulge at the top rim so that a lid properly engages for securing container contents, and the bulge prevention mechanism is applied without puncturing the container and creating a mode around which the container could catastrophically fail during use. The present invention thus provides numerous benefits to the user, as described more fully below with reference to the drawings.
The depicted square embodiment of the continuous rigid structure 200 therefore comprises four sides 205, 210, 215, and 220. The four sides 205, 210, 215, and 220 are not structurally independent, and thereby provide a fully rigid structure without a plurality of riveted, stapled or adhesively-sealed seams that would decrease structural integrity by providing zones of weakness inviting potential failure and separation of structural components under load and handling forces. Each of the four sides 205, 210, 215, and 220 is flat, or substantially planar, and each side has an inner surface parallel to an outer surface. Two opposed sides 210, 220 of the four sides 205, 210, 215, and 220 each have a scoring line 225 down the middle thereof for rendering the continuous rigid structure 200 collapsible into a flattened, substantially planar structure as further described herein. The scoring lines 225 need not be down the middle of their respective planar surfaces as long as they are parallel to one another, or otherwise properly aligned, for enabling compact collapse of the collapsible container 100 into a planar structure that is easily and compactly stacked, handled and stored. Certain tubular cross-sectional shapes, such as triangular, for example, may require offsetting the scoring lines 225 to achieve a flattened, substantially planar collapsed container.
The scoring lines 225 allow a user to collapse and store the present invention in the minimum amount of space while maintaining the structural rigidity of the collapsible container 100. For example, in one embodiment of a thirty-six (36) inch cubic volume collapsible container, a standard fifty-three (53) foot shipping truck transports eight hundred and forty (840) collapsed units as opposed to five hundred and sixty (560) empty units of a comparably sized, standard triple-walled shipping box. The outstanding compacting capabilities of the collapsible container 100, and the reduced weight per double-walled collapsible container 100, as compared to standard triple-walled shipping containers, therefore reduces shipping fuel costs because fewer required shipping trucks are required for transporting empty, reusable containers. In the described embodiment of the present invention, a single collapsible container 100 weighs approximately only twenty (20) pounds as opposed to a similarly dimensioned, standard triple walled shipping box weighing thirty-four (34) pounds. This lightweight design facilitates efficient and safe transport and handling, particularly by personnel porting empty collapsible containers 100 onto and off of shipping pallets.
In all embodiments, successful repeated collapse and compaction and of the present invention relies on proper placement and design of the scoring lines 225. The scoring lines 225 are not sufficiently deep so as to damage or diminish the structural integrity of the continuous rigid structure 200. In other words, the scoring lines 225 do not pass all the way through the double-walled thickness of the continuous rigid structure 200, but merely provide a point of flexure at which to collapse the collapsible container 100 when empty. In fact, the scoring lines need not be cuts at all and may be compression lines running down the length of the inner and/or outer surfaces of at least two opposed planar sides 210, 220 of the continuous rigid structure 200. In one embodiment, the scoring lines 225 are applied on the outer surface of two opposed sides 210, 220 of the four sides 205, 210, 215, and 220 and in another embodiment the scoring lines are applied to the inner and outer surfaces of two opposed sides 210, 220 of the four sides 205, 210, 215, and 220 without connecting to form a full cut or full compression. In one embodiment, for example, a cut forming scoring line 225 may penetrate one third of the way or less into the thickness of a side 210, 220 and preferably penetrates a quarter of the way or less into the thickness of a side 210, 220. In another embodiment, the scoring lines 225 may be areas of compression where the continuous rigid structure 200 is indented and completely flattened from one or both sides. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scoring lines 225 are linear areas of compression at which the continuous rigid structure 200 is indented from only one side (e.g. the outside surface of two opposing sides 210, 220) by a platen press, for example. Preferably, the continuous rigid structure 200 is indented and completely flattened by the one-sided pressing process.
Turning back now to the formation of the collapsible container 100, the continuous rigid structure 200 requires the addition of a bottom surface for retaining contents. Requiring no fiberboard bottom further assists in reducing the weight of the collapsible container 100 by at least thirty percent (30%) as compared to triple-walled fiberboard containers of comparable size, which typically comprise overlapping bottom flaps that require tedious folding, assembly and securing to form a bottom. Furthermore, as already indicated, the reduction in weight adds to ease of use in the field and a reduction in freighting cost per container. The bottom of the collapsible container 100 is established by assembling the continuous rigid structure 200 with the inelastic wrap tray 300 which has four walls 305, 310, 315, 320 and a flexible, collapsible bottom member 325 extending between and connecting the four walls 305, 310, 315, 320. The flexible, collapsible bottom member 325 eliminates the need for the continuous rigid structure 200 to comprise a solid, weighty bottom surface requiring time-consuming, inefficient assembly.
Unlike shipping containers having flaps for folding in place to form a bottom surface, the present invention requires no complex or time consuming assembly to establish a bottom surface. The bottom member 325 of the wrap tray expands automatically during expansion of the collapsed continuous rigid structure 200 and entirely eliminates the hassles associated with bottom flaps, which frequently pop open during use and stick out during use and compaction. Such extraneous members typically incur damage during processing for reuse. For example, processing a typical folding container for reuse often tears away or otherwise dings, cuts or bends the bottom flaps, thereby rending the container structurally deficient and incapable of reuse.
By design, the inelastic wrap tray 300 of the present invention eliminates the risks and hassles involved in folding, unfolding and handling bottom flap members. Furthermore, the inelastic wrap tray protects the continuous rigid structure 200 from handling damage and environmental wear, thereby extending the life of the collapsible container 100. The inelastic wrap tray 300 is a five walled tray made from a collapsible, water resistant, tear resistant, inelastic material such as, but not limited to woven polypropylene, woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass, and other polymeric materials. The four walls 305, 310, 315, 320 of the inelastic wrap tray 300 coincide with the four sides 205, 210, 215, 220 of the continuous rigid structure 220 and are fixedly adhered thereto with adhesive or some other attachment means for securing the inelastic wrap tray 300 to the continuous rigid structure 200. The inelastic wrap tray 300 may be, for example, shrink wrapped, adhesively affixed, riveted, stapled or press fitted to the outer surfaces of the four sides 205, 210, 215, 220 of the continuous rigid structure 200.
In one embodiment, assembly requires placing the continuous rigid structure 200 is placed into the inelastic wrap tray 300 in a compressed state with the continuous rigid structure 200 abutting the inner surface of the bottom member 325 of the wrap tray 300, and then expanding the continuous rigid structure 200 so that the outer surfaces of the four sides 205, 210, 215, 220 abut the inner surfaces of the walls 305, 310, 315, 320 of the inelastic wrap tray 300. An adhesive may be applied across one or both of the outer surfaces of the four sides 205, 210, 215, and 220 and/or inner surfaces of the walls 305, 310, 315, 320 of the inelastic wrap tray 300 prior to insertion or expansion. In one embodiment, adhesive is applied uniformly across the entire outer surface of each of the four sides 205, 210, 215, 220 of the continuous rigid structure 220. In another embodiment, adhesive is applied to each outer surface of each of the four sides 205, 210, 215, 220 along the perimeter of the area covered by the walls 305, 310, 315, 320 of the inelastic wrap tray 300. In yet another embodiment, the outer surfaces of the four sides 205, 210, 215, 220 and inner surfaces of the walls 305, 310, 315, 320 are spot tacked together. In one embodiment, less adhesive or no adhesive may be applied when the inelastic wrap tray 300 is tightly fitted to the continuous rigid structure 200 such that compressive forces and/or frictional forces securely bind the two components to prevent separation or slippage during use. However, in all embodiments, applying adhesive uniformly across all of each outer surface of the four sides 205, 210, 215, 220 and/or inner surfaces of the walls 305, 310, 315, 320 prevents the inelastic wrap tray 300 from warping and wrinkling during use and prevents slippage between the inelastic wrap tray 300 and continuous rigid structure, especially following regular collapse and reuse.
The inelastic wrap tray 300 therefore is sized and shaped to accommodate the continuous rigid structure therein, while providing a flexible, collapsible bottom member 325 to the collapsible container 100. Preferably, the lower rim 223 of the continuous rigid structure 200 rests on the flexible, collapsible bottom member 325 of the inelastic wrap tray 300 so that the continuous rigid structure 200 is tightly confined therein and adds compression strength along the entire height of the walls 305, 310, 315, 320 of the inelastic wrap tray 300. In one embodiment, the walls 305, 310, 315, 320 extend the full height of the four sides 205, 210, 215, 220 of the continuous rigid structure 200, and in another embodiment depicted in
In one embodiment, the inelastic wrap tray 300 further comprises at least one attachment tab 330 secured at the outer junction of one of one of the walls 305, 310, 315, 320 and the bottom member 325 and enabling handling personnel to securing the collapsible container 100 to a standard shipping pallet by attachment means such as, but not limited to, a nail, staple or non-permanent adhesive. The one or more attachment tabs may be manufactured of the same type of material from which the inelastic wrap tray 300 is manufactured and may be stitched, welded, riveted, stapled or otherwise permanently and securely fastened to the inelastic wrap tray 300.
The inelastic wrap tray 300 protects the continuous rigid structure 200 from damage from the elements and damage associated with shipping and handling. Additionally, the inelastic wrap tray 300 assists the continuous rigid structure 200 with resisting radial or expansion forces and preventing bulging during use, shipping and handling. As indicated above, the inelastic wrap tray 300 may be a material such as, but not limited to, woven polypropylene, woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass, and other polymeric materials. Preferably the material comprising the inelastic wrap tray 300 has a low modulus of elasticity and therefore contributes to the high bulk modulus of the collapsible container 100 of the present invention. The fibers of the inelastic wrap tray 300 preferably exhibit high shear strength so as to withstand radial (i.e. expansion) forces and axial compression forces both under load and under compression while the inelastic wrap tray 300 remains supple enough to avoid fiber degradation and shear strength degradation after repeated use, compaction, and collapse of the collapsible container 100.
For example, an inelastic wrap tray 300 extending half the height of the collapsible container 100 and comprising woven polypropylene, assists in counteracting radial expansion forces in a standard UN drop test of a loaded, cubic thirty-six (36) inch double walled fiberboard embodiment of the collapsible container 100. Subjecting the described embodiment of the collapsible container 100 of the present invention to a standard UN drop test qualifies the collapsible container 100 for a PG 1 rating for transport of solids at 2500 pounds and a PG II/III rating for transport of solids at 2500 pounds, and this embodiment of the collapsible container 100 therefore qualifies for bearing an 11 G UN marking. The fabric of the inelastic wrap tray 300 therefore reinforces the corners 201, 202, 203, 204 of the continuous rigid structure 200 and keeps the collapsible container 100 from splitting open during a standard, required UN drop test for industrial shipping containers.
In addition to the support provided by the inelastic wrap tray 300, a lid 400 protects the contents of the collapsible container 100. In one embodiment, the lid 400 is made of coated, singled walled fiberboard that is both water resistant and lightweight. Preferably, in all embodiments, the lid 400 is formed of a solid, single piece of fiberboard, and therefore enables sealing the collapsible container 100 a single closure step and providing optimum coverage of content retained within the collapsible container 100. In the embodiments depicted clearly in
In one embodiment, depicted in
Turing now to securing the lid 400 in a closed position, in one embodiment, the lid 400 is reinforced with a system of one or more top closure straps 435, 440 affixed to the top surface 425 of the lid 400. The one or more top closure straps 435, 440 are positioned to engage with one or more side closure strips 250, 255, 260 disposed on the outer surfaces of the continuous rigid structure 200. In one embodiment, the system of top closure straps comprises a first top closure strap 435 affixed to the top surface 425 of the lid 400 such that both free ends hang beneath the closed lid 400, and a second top closure strap 440 crisscrossing the first closure strap and having a first end affixed to the inelastic wrap tray 300 and a second end hanging freely beneath the closed lid 400. The second top closure strap 440 may be affixed to the inelastic wrap tray by any means such as, but not limited to stitching, gluing, riveting, or stapling. In a preferred embodiment, the second top closure strap 440 is securely stitched onto the inelastic wrap tray 300 to prevent any give, or movement, under tension. The first top closure strap 435 and second top closure strap 440 may be affixed to the top surface 425 of the lid 400, and outer surface of the planar side of the continuous rigid structure 200, by any means such as, but not limited to gluing, riveting or stapling. Preferably the first top closure strap 435 and second top closure strap 440, are adhesively attached to the top surface 425 of the lid 400 and the second top closure strap 440 is also adhesively affixed to the outer surface of the planar side 205 on which it is disposed.
Permanently adhesively affixing the one or more top closure straps 435, 440 prevents the formation of any attachment induced holes through or divots into the single-walled lid 400 and double-walled continuous rigid structure 200 such that no zones of structural weakness are formed in those members. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more top closure straps 435, 440 are permanently adhesively affixed to the lid 400 and are wear resistant and reusable precluding the need for closing the lid with destructive tape that delaminates and degrades fiberboard upon removal. Preferably, the one or more top closure straps 435, 440 are inelastic, collapsible, durable and weather resistant, like the inelastic wrap tray 300. The one or more top closure straps 435, 400 therefore may be manufactured from one or more flexible, strong, inelastic materials such as, but not limited to, woven polypropylene, woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass, and other polymeric materials. Preferably the one or more top closure straps 435, 400 are flat, wide strips of material having a low modulus of elasticity, a high yield strength and little thickness so as to maintain the low profile of the collapsible container 100 and so as to prevent any snagging or tearing during handling, transport and use.
In the described embodiment having at least two top closure straps 435, 440 disposed on the lid 400, the free end of the second top closure strap 440 and the free ends of the first top closure strap 435 are adapted for engaging with at least three respectively aligned side closure strips 250, 255, 260 affixed respectively to the outer surfaces of three consecutive planar sides 210, 215, 220. The at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 each have a first end affixed to the inelastic wrap tray 300 and a second end terminating in an inwardly facing closed retention loop 265, 270, 275 disposed at the top rim 222 of the container. In one embodiment, depicted in
Permanently adhesively affixing the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 prevents the formation of any attachment induced holes through the double-walled continuous rigid structure 200 such that no zones of structural weakness are created during manufacture and assembly of the collapsible container 100. The at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 are permanently affixed to the continuous rigid structure 200 wear resistant and reusable. Preferably, the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 are inelastic, collapsible, durable and weather resistant, like the inelastic wrap tray 300. The at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 therefore may be manufactured from one or more flexible, strong, inelastic materials such as, but not limited to, woven polypropylene, woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass, and other polymeric materials. Additionally, in one embodiment, the fourth, independent inwardly facing closed retention loop 280 is manufactured from the same material as the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 and their inwardly facing closed retention loops 265, 270, 275 formed at the ends thereof. Preferably the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 are flat, wide strips of material having a low modulus of elasticity, a high yield strength and little thickness so as to maintain the low profile of the collapsible container 100 and so as to prevent any snagging or tearing during handling, transport and use.
Securing the lid 400 in a closed position over the continuous rigid structure 200 requires connecting the free ends of the one or more top closure strips 435, 400 to the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260. Each of the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 comprises an attachment means located along the length of each of the side closure strips 250, 255, 260 at a point above the inelastic wrap tray 300 and below the top rim 222 of the continuous rigid structure so that a gap exists between the free end of each of the top closure straps 435, 440 and the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260. This enables tensioning the top closure straps 435, 440 and the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 prior to connecting those aligned elements to secure the lid 400 tightly in a closed position. In the embodiment of
Although the depicted embodiments show an eyelet and tie closure system, other means of secured closure are possible. For example, the outwardly extending loop 299 might retain therein a metal ring to which an aligned top closure strap may tie. In other embodiments, the top closure straps 435, 440 and/or side closure strips 250, 255, 260 may comprise a buckle closure system or snap-lock closure system with one component of each mating system disposed on each top closure strap 435, 440 and the other component of each mating system disposed on or integrated with each of the at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260. In these alternate embodiments, the top closure strap 435, 440 and at least three side closure strips 250, 255, 260 may be longer or shorter than depicted in the embodiments of
In addition to contemplating multiple attachment means for securing the lid 400 in a closed position, the present invention contemplates alternate embodiments of the strap and strip closure system. For example, the number and placement of top closure straps and side closure strips may vary in alternate embodiments. For example, in one embodiment (not shown), the collapsible container 100 may comprise only one top closure strap attached at one end to the inelastic wrap tray 300 and hanging free at the other end for attachment to a single side closure strip for maintaining the lid 400 in a closed position. In another embodiment (not shown), the lid 400 of the collapsible container 100 may comprise only one top closure strap disposed on the top surface 425 thereof and hanging free at both ends for attachment to two side closure strips disposed on opposed outer planar surfaces of the continuous rigid structure in alignment with the free ends of the top closure straps.
Turning now to an embodiment of the present invention further comprising additional means for secure closure of the lid 400 and containment of contents within the collapsible container 100,
The truss element 600 therefore prevents the top rim 222 of the continuous rigid structure 200 from bulging under load conditions. Additionally, because the at least three inwardly facing closed retention loops 265, 270, 275 and the fourth, independent inwardly facing closed retention loop 280 are short, unobtrusive, and disposed directly adjacent the top rim 222, the truss element 600 disposed therethrough is tensioned about the periphery of the collapsible container, thereby providing sufficient clearance for loading and unloading contents into and out of the collapsible container 100. If the top rim 222 were to bulge, that would affect proper secure closure of the lid 400. Holding the top rim 222 within the footprint of the lid 200 prevents loss of contents or creation of bulged openings at which moisture or debris could fall into the collapsible container 100, contaminating and/or damaging contents.
Furthermore, threading the truss element through each of the three inwardly facing closed retention loops 265, 270, 275 and the fourth, independent inwardly facing closed retention loop 280 precludes any necessity for puncturing the continuous rigid structure 200 to accommodate the tensioned truss element 600. Prior art containers and bags require puncturing the sidewalls of those assemblies, thereby creating zones of weakness at which the structures could stretch, tear and/or allow loss of content. In some prior art devices having trusses threaded therethrough, additional hole reinforcements and encapsulating structures are required to shield against stretching, tear, seepage and loss of contents. Those additional structures add complexity to the manufacturing process of those devices, add weight to the completed container assemblies, and prevent collapse of those structures to a low profile, planar state as compared to the collapsible container 100 of the present invention which requires fewer bulky components which achieving robust load bearing capabilities.
Turning now to an embodiment of the present invention comprising a liner,
In one embodiment, the liner 700 may be a disposable type liner easily removed and replaced with a clean, new liner 700. Additionally, a sturdy but impermanent retaining feature (not shown) may be disposed on the inner surface of the planar surfaces 205, 210, 215, 220 and/or the bottom member 325 for retaining a disposable liner 700 within the drum 100. For example, in one embodiment, the retaining feature may be a Velcro® system, with a sizeable Velcro® panel secured to the inside surface of the bottom member 325 and a mating Velcro® portion secured to the liner. Securing at least one Velcro® panel on at least a third of the inner surface of the bottom member 325 enables retention of the disposable liner 700 during contents evacuation. As one of skill in the art will recognize, other retention systems are capable of producing the same result such as but not limited to snaps, zippers, hook and latch, tie downs, and static charge. Such liners enable transport of hazardous and/or liquid materials without degrading the components of the collapsible container 100 and thereby increase the potential number of reuses of a collapsible container 100.
Turning now to
The collapsible container 100 of the present invention as described herein provides a number of tangible benefits over the existing rigid and semi-rigid containers known in the art. The collapsible container 100 of the present invention is rigid enough for stacking, storing and transporting a variety of materials that other semi-rigid containers cannot handle. Moreover, unlike the rigid metal containers, the collapsible container 100 of the present invention can be collapsed from a substantially cubic volume into a substantially flat square for easy stacking and storage.
It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.
