FOLDING SEED BOX

Abstract

A collapsible bulk container for dry, flowable particulate material is provided with a frame to support a bottom wall having a discharge opening and a gate moveable between opened and closed positions relative to the discharge opening. Four side walls are pivotally connected to the frame, with the pivot axes being at different elevations, such that the side walls can be folded between an upright use position and a substantially flat storage position. Lid panels are pivotally connected to opposite side walls for moving between an open position adjacent the connected side wall and a closed position over the bottom wall. Multiple containers can be stacked one upon another in both the use and storage positions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Collapsible and folding containers are known in the art for storing bulk, dry, flowable particulate material, such as agricultural seeds. For example, the Buckhorn SeedBox container has telescoping side walls formed by a lower box portion and an upper ring portion, wherein the upper ring portion is inverted for nesting around the lower box walls. The Buckhorn container requires two people for setup and breakdown. The nested, collapsed height of the Buckhorn container is approximately 40% of the full height used for storing seed. The Buckhorn container also has a lid which must be completely removed before the container is collapsed and re-mounted after the container is erected.

Other types of bulk containers are also known in the art which have walls that can be disassembled for storage and erected for use. However, these containers do not have bottom discharge openings for dispensing material and do not have permanently attached lids or covers.

Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved folding bulk container for particulate material.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved seed box having folding side walls.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a bulk container which can be quickly and easily folded between a compact storage condition and an upright use position.

Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a folding seed box having a hinged lid permanently mounted to the box.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a folding bulk container having a bottom opening for discharge of particulate material from the container.

A further objective of the present invention is the provision of collapsible bulk seed container having a sloped bottom wall.

Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a folding seed box which can be converted between use and storage positions by one person.

Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved bulk container which is economical to manufacture, and durable and safe in use.

These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The improved foldable bulk container of the present invention includes a frame which supports a bottom wall having a discharge opening. A gate is provided in the bottom wall for opening and closing the discharge outlet. Four side walls are pivotally connected to the frame, for movement between an upright use position and a folded storage position. Removable pins lock the side walls together when the walls are folded upward to the use position. Each side wall pivots at a different elevation above the bottom wall such that the side walls fold down substantially flat, one upon another, in the storage position. A lid is formed in two sections which are pivotally connected to opposite side walls for folding between an open position adjacent the side wall and a closed position over the bottom wall. Multiple folding containers can be stacked on top of each other in both the use and storage positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the folding bulk container of the present invention with the walls in the upright, use position and the lid sections closed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container and the first fold down step with one lid panel opened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container and the second fold down step, with the second lid panel opened.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container and the third fold down step, with one side wall folded inward.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the container and the fourth fold down step, with the second side wall folded inwardly.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the container and the fifth fold down step, with the third side wall folded inwardly.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the container and the sixth fold down step, with the fourth side wall folded inwardly, such that the container is in a storage condition.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the container with the side walls folded up in the use position.

FIG. 9 is an end elevation view of the container with the side walls folded up in the used position.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the container with the gate in the closed position.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the container with the walls folded down in the storage position.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view showing a corner joint of the erected side walls with a locking pin in place.

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 showing the locking pin retracted so that the walls can be folded down.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The improved folding bulk container or seed box of the present invention is generally designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 10. The container includes a base or frame 12 with four corner legs 14. The frame 12 supports a bottom wall 16 which has a discharge outlet or opening 18 with a gate 20 moveable between open and closed positions relative to the discharge opening 18. Preferably, the gate is manually moveable between the open and closed positions, though a powered gate may also be provided. The bottom wall 16 includes sloped segments, as seen in FIGS. 8-11, so that particulate material in the container can flow to the discharge opening 18.

Four side walls 22, 24, 26 and 28 are pivotally connected to the frame adjacent their lower ends so as to be moveable between a raised, upright use position and a collapsed storage position. The pivot axes of the walls are at different elevations, so that the walls can be sequentially folded downwardly from the use position to the storage position and lay substantially flat, one upon another, as seen in FIG. 7.

The container 10 also includes a lid or cover, which preferably is formed in two halves by panels 30, 32. Each panel 30, 32 is pivotally connected to the opposing third and fourth side walls 26, 28, respectively, so that the panels 30, 32 can be folded between a use position over the bottom wall 16 to cover the contents of the container, and a storage position adjacent the respective side walls, 30, 32.

The process for folding the container 10 from the use position shown in FIG. 1 to the storage position shown in FIG. 7 involves the following steps. First, the first lid panel 30 is folded open from the horizontal use position above the bottom wall 16 to a vertical position adjacent the third side wall 26, as shown in FIG. 2. Then, the second lid panel 32 is folded open from the horizontal use position over the bottom wall 16 to a vertical position adjacent the side wall 28, as shown in FIG. 3. Then, the first side or end wall 22 is folded downwardly from a vertical use position to a substantially horizontal storage position, as seen in FIG. 4. Next, the second side or end wall 24 is folded down from a vertical use position to a substantially horizontal storage position on top of the first side wall 22, as shown in FIG. 5. Then, the third side wall 26 is folded down from a vertical use position to a substantially horizontal storage position on top of the second side wall 24, as shown in FIG. 6. Last, the fourth side wall 28 is folded down from a vertical use position to a substantially horizontal storage position on top of the third side wall 26, as shown in FIG. 7. The side walls 22, 24, 26, and 28 and the lid panels 30, 32 stacks within the frame 12 in the storage position, without detaching the walls from the frame or the lid panels from the walls 26, 28. The steps are reversed to convert the container from the storage position to the use position.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show one of the corners of the container 10 when the walls 22-28 are erected in the used position. All four corners are identical. More particularly, each of the first and second side or end walls 22, 24 has a tube or post 34 at the opposite lateral edges. The third and fourth side walls 26, 28 each have L-shaped channels or flanges 36 at the opposite side edges. The corner posts 34 are received in the corner channels 36 when the walls 22-28 are upright. Aligned holes 38 in the post 34 and channel 36 allow a locking pin 40 to be inserted therethrough so as to maintain the walls in their upright position. The pins 40 are pulled from the holes 38 before the walls are folded down. Preferably, the first and second side or end walls 22, 24 have a horizontally disposed tubular sleeve 42 for guiding the pin 40, and a pin retention tab 44 which prevents the pin 40 from being completely removed from the sleeve 42 when withdrawn from the holes 38. Therefore, the pin 40 cannot be accidently disconnected from the walls 22, 24, or otherwise lost.

Multiple containers 10 can be stacked one upon another in both the use and storage positions. The corner posts 34 and channels 36 provide structural support for stacked containers in the use position. The upper corners 46 of the frame 12 supports stacked containers in the storage position.

The height of the walls 22-28 is slightly less than the width of the container 10. When the walls 22-28 are folded down into the storage position, the height of the container 10 is less than half of the height of the container when the walls are folded up to the use position. Thus, the container 10 can be collapsed to substantially shorter height for shipping and storage. The ability to stack the containers minimizes space requirements during transport and storage. The frame 12 allows the containers to be moved, stacked and unstacked using a fork lift.

Preferably, the walls 22-28 and the lid panels 30-32 are made of steel, or other lightweight, yet thin material which has strength and durability. The container 10 can replace or eliminate use of large bulk seed bags and the known problems associated with handling of such bags.

The hinged design of the container, walls, and lid panels permit one person to assemble and breakdown the container by simply pivoting one panel or side wall of the container at a time. Also, the permanent pivotal connection of the lid panels 30, 32 to the side walls 26, 28 eliminates the danger of the lid blowing off of the container in transit. The sloped bottom wall design eliminates particulate material from becoming stuck in the corners of the container 10 and creates a steady discharge flow of material while unloading.

A farmer can take the loaded container 10 directly to the field on a trailer, cart, or in a bed of a pickup truck for loading into a seed tender dispenser or directly into a seed planter.

The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. For example, alternative corner structure and locking means may be utilized, as opposed to the posts 34, channels 36 and pins 40, shown in the drawings. Also, the dimensions of the container 10 may be varied, as desired.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Claims

1. A collapsible bulk container for dry, flowable particulate material, comprising: a lower frame;a bottom wall within the frame and having a discharge opening;a first side wall pivotally connected to the frame for movement between an upright use position and a substantially horizontal storage position;a second side wall pivotally connected to the frame for movement between an upright use position and a substantially horizontal storage position;a third side wall pivotally connected to the frame for movement between an upright use position and a substantially horizontal storage position;a fourth side wall pivotally connected to the frame for movement between an upright use position and a substantially horizontal storage position;each side wall pivoting at a different elevation such that the side walls fold down substantially flat, one upon another in the storage position;a first lid panel pivotally connected to the third side wall for movement between an open position adjacent the third side wall and a closed position over the bottom wall; anda second lid panel pivotally connected to the fourth side wall for pivotal movement between an open position adjacent the fourth side wall and a closed position over the bottom wall.

2. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 wherein the walls fold down sequentially from the first wall to the fourth wall.

3. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 wherein the first and second walls are opposite one another, and the third and fourth walls are opposite one another.

4. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 wherein the first and second lid panels fold toward and away from one another between the closed and open positions.

5. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 wherein the walls define container corners when in the use position, and further comprising pins removably extending through adjacent edges of the side walls at each corner to lock the side walls in the use position.

6. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 wherein the lid panels each extend substantially one-half way over the bottom wall when in the closed position.

7. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall is sloped toward the discharge opening.

8. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall is funnel-shaped.

9. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 further comprising a gate on the bottom wall moveable between open and closed positions relative to the discharge opening.

10. The collapsible bulk container of claim 1 further comprising a second folded down collapsible hulk container stacked upon the frame.

11. A foldable container for particulate material, comprising: a bottom wall;a top wall;four side walls extending between the top and bottom walls and having upper and lower edges and opposite lateral edges;the top wall being pivotally connected adjacent the upper edge of one of the side walls for movement between a use position over the bottom wall and a storage position adjacent the one side wall; andthe side walls each being pivotal about the lower edges for movement between a substantially vertical use position and a substantially horizontal storage position.

12. The foldable container of claim 11 wherein the side walls fold down to stack flat one above another in the storage position.

13. The foldable container of claim 11 wherein each side wall has a pivot axis, and the pivot axes are vertically offset with respect to one another.

14. The foldable container of claim 11 further comprising a base to which the bottom wall and side walls are mounted.

15. The foldable container of claim 14 wherein the side walls are locked together in the use position and unlocked from one another in the storage position.

16. The foldable container of claim 11 wherein the bottom wall includes a discharge opening.

17. The foldable container of claim 16 further comprising a gate on the bottom wall to open and close the discharge opening.

18. The foldable container of claim 16 wherein the bottom wall is sloped downwardly toward the discharge opening.

19. The foldable container of claim 11 further comprising legs to support the bottom wall above the ground.

20. The foldable container of claim 11 wherein adjacent side walls have overlapping edges when folded up to the use position, and a lock pin removably extends through aligned holes in the overlapping edge to secure the adjacent side walls together in the use position.