BACKGROUND
I. FIELD
The disclosure of the present patent application relates to storage containers and the like, and particularly to a portable collapsible container that is selectively expandable and collapsible.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Foldable and collapsible containers are relatively old and well known. Such containers are typically in the form of luggage or baggage, allowing a suitcase, briefcase or the like to be expanded to accommodate materials of different sizes to facilitate transport. Such containers typically have accordion-like, collapsible sidewalls positioned between conventional front and rear walls. As such, they are often limited in their versatility, i.e., although expandable and collapsible, they offer only slight variability in overall thickness, and are still limited to their basic functions and what can be carried within.
Although larger scale foldable and collapsible containers are known, such as collapsible truck trailers and shipping containers, the mechanical couplings required to expand and collapse these containers are typically very heavy and complex, often requiring the use of heavy machinery to manipulate the container. It would obviously be desirable to provide the diverse functionality of a collapsible container, but with greater versatility than exists with conventional collapsible luggage, and with far greater ease of use than exists with collapsible shipping containers, truck trailers and the like. Thus, a portable collapsible container solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY
The portable collapsible container includes a collapsible frame assembly having a plurality of open frames, a plurality of scissor linkages, and a plurality of hinged vertically extending panels. The open frames include opposed first and second end frames, which are positioned on either side of a set of inner frames. Adjacent open frames are adjustably coupled to one another by a respective scissor linkage.
Each scissor linkage includes first and second linkage members pivotally secured to one another, the first linkage member of each scissor linkage having opposed first and second ends, and the second linkage member of each scissor linkage also having opposed first and second ends. The first ends of the first and second linkage members are slidably mounted to one of the open frames, and the second ends are slidably mounted to a corresponding adjacent open frame. Additionally, a plurality of jib links may be provided, each jib link having opposed first and second ends, the first end of the jib link being pivotally attached to a central portion of the base end of one of the open frames, and the second end of the jib link being pivotally attached to a central portion of the first linkage member of a corresponding one of the scissor linkages.
Each of the hinged vertically extending panels is pivotally mounted to, and extends between, a pair of adjacent open frames. A first cover member is secured to the first end frame and a second cover member is secured to the second end frame. A first end of an upper foldable panel is secured to an upper end of the first cover member, and a first end of a lower foldable panel is secured to a lower end of the first cover member.
Pulling the second cover member away from the first cover member expands the collapsible frame assembly and deploys the plurality of hinged vertically extending panels to form sidewalls of the portable collapsible container. The upper and lower foldable panels may then be deployed to form the top wall and the bottom wall, respectively, of the portable collapsible container by pulling the respective second ends thereof in the direction of the second cover member. A linear actuator may be provided to drive expansion and collapse of the collapsible frame assembly.
These and other features of the present disclosure will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable collapsible container, shown in an expanded configuration.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the portable collapsible container of FIG. 1, shown in a collapsed configuration.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a collapsible frame assembly of the portable collapsible container of FIG. 1, showing the scissors linkage assembly extended.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the collapsible frame assembly of FIG. 3, showing the scissors linkage assembly extended.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a single open frame of the collapsible frame assembly of FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the collapsible frame assembly of FIGS. 3 and 4, showing the scissors linkage assembly extended and a single hinged sidewall mounted thereon to show details thereof.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the box-shaped rear member of the portable collapsible container of FIG. 1, shown with the foldable top wall stored therein and the foldable bottom wall partially extended therefrom.
FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the portable collapsible container of FIG. 1, showing the scissors linkage assembly extended and showing both the top wall and the bottom wall partially extended from the rear member.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the portable collapsible container of FIG. 1, shown in the extended configuration with only a single sidewall mounted thereon to show details thereof, and with the front wall folded down to serve as a ramp.
FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a portable collapsible container having telescoping actuators in lieu of the scissors linkage.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The portable collapsible container 10 is an expandable and collapsible storage container. FIG. 1 shows the portable collapsible container 10 in a fully expanded condition, and FIG. 2 shows the portable collapsible container 10 in a relatively compact collapsed condition. It should be understood that the overall configuration and relative dimensions of the portable collapsible container 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are shown for exemplary purposes only.
As best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the portable collapsible container 10 includes a collapsible frame assembly 12 having a plurality of open frames 14, 16, 18, 22, a plurality of scissor linkages 20, and a plurality of hinged vertically extending panels 70. The plurality of open frames include opposed first and second end frames 14, 16, respectively, which are positioned on either side of a set of inner frames 18, 22. Adjacent open frames are adjustably coupled to one another by a respective one of the scissor linkages 20.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show four open frames 14, 16, 18, 22. However, it should be understood that any desired number of inner frames may be positioned between the first end frame 14 and the second end frame 16. In FIG. 3, each of the open frames 14, 16, 18, 22 is rectangular, and it should be understood that each open frame is identical in construction. As shown in FIG. 5 (which illustrates open frame 22), each open frame may include an upper end 38, a base end 44, and a pair of side members 40, 42.
Each scissor linkage 20 includes first and second linkage members 24, 26, respectively, which are pivotally secured to one another at their centers by a pivot pin or axle, as is conventionally known with single degree of freedom scissor linkages. The first linkage member 24 of each scissor linkage 20 has opposed first and second ends 30, 32, respectively, and the second linkage member 26 also has opposed first and second ends 34, 36, respectively. The first ends 30, 34 of the first and second linkage members 24, 26, respectively, are slidably mounted to one of the plurality of open frames (such as open frame 22 in FIG. 4, for example), and the second ends 32, 36 thereof are slidably mounted to a corresponding adjacent open frame (such as open frame 16 in FIG. 4).
As shown in FIG. 5, a bar 46 may be mounted adjacent and parallel to base end 44 of each open frame (open frame 22 in the example of FIG. 5), defining a channel for the ends of the scissor linkage members to slide in. A pair of horizontally extending slots 52, 54 may be formed through base end 44 and, as shown, a corresponding pair of horizontally extending slots 48, 50 may be formed through bar 46. As seen in FIG. 3, the first linkage member 24 of each scissor linkage 20 comprises a pair of parallel, spaced apart bars, while the second linkage member 26 of each scissor linkage 20 is a square or rectangular bar that slides between the spaced apart flat bars of the first linkage member. A pivot pin or retainer pin extends through the first end 30 of the first linkage members 24 and the second end 36 of the second linkage member of the scissors linkage 20 of the adjoining frame and is slidably mounted in slots 48, 52, and a pivot pin or retainer pin extends through the first end 34 of the second linkage member 26 and the second end 32 of the first linkage member of the scissors linkage of the adjoining frame and is slidably mounted in slots 50, 54. In this way, the scissors linkages 20 in consecutive frames are linked together so that the scissors linkages 20 expand and contract simultaneously to expand and contract the container 10.
As best seen in FIG. 4, the collapsible frame assembly 12 further includes a plurality of jib links 28. Each jib link 28 is one-quarter the length of the linkage members 24, 26 and has opposed first and second ends 60, 62, respectively, the first end 60 being pivotally attached by a pivot pin or axle to the center 32 of the base end 44 of one of the plurality of open frames (such as open frame 18, for example), and the second end 62 being pivotally attached by a pivot pin or axle to the first linkage member 24 of a corresponding one of the plurality of scissor linkages 20 about one-quarter of the length of the linkage member 24 from open frame 18, i.e., about midway between attachment of the first end 30 of linkage member 24 to the open frame 18 and the center pivot pin connecting linkage members 24 and 26. Referring again to FIG. 5, a pair of holes 56, 58 may be respectively formed through bar 46 and base end 44 for pivotal mounting of the first end 60 of jib link 28 to the open frame.
Each of the hinged vertically extending panels 70 is mounted to, and extends between, adjacent ones of the plurality of open frames 14, 16, 18, 22. In FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, only one set of hinged vertically extending panels 70 is shown, i.e., in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, one side of the portable collapsible container 10 appears open and uncovered. It should be understood that this is for purposes of clarity and illustration only. As shown in FIG. 1, a second set of hinged vertically extending panels 70 is provided, horizontally opposed from the set shown in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, such that both sides of the portable collapsible container 10 are covered by a respective sidewall formed from the expanded hinged vertically extending panels 70.
As shown in FIG. 9, a first cover member 80 is secured to the first end frame 14 and a second cover member 106 is secured to the second end frame 16. The second cover member 106, as shown in FIG. 9, may include an open cover frame 120 and a door 108 pivotally secured thereto. Further, the first cover member 80 may have a set of wheels 122 rotatably mounted thereon and, similarly, the second cover member 106 may have a set of wheels 124 rotatably mounted thereon.
As best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, a first end 94 of an upper foldable panel 82 is secured to an upper end 96 of the first cover member 80. A first end 102 of a lower foldable panel 84 is secured to a lower end 98 of the first cover member 80. The upper foldable panel 82 has a plurality of upper rollers 110 rotatably mounted thereon, and the lower foldable panel 84 also has a plurality of lower rollers 112 rotatably mounted thereon.
As shown in FIG. 8, the plurality of hinged vertically extending panels 70 each have a set of upper rails 90 and a set of lower rails 92 mounted thereon, such that the set of upper rails 90 receive the plurality of upper rollers 110, and the set of lower rails 92 receive the plurality of lower rollers 112. As shown in FIG. 7, similar upper and lower rails 86, 88 are mounted within first cover member 80, such that upper rails 86 form a continuous path of upper rails 90 and, similarly, lower rails 88 form a continuous path with lower rails 92.
As shown in FIG. 6, each of the plurality of hinged vertically extending panels 70 includes first and second sheets 72, 74, respectively. First sheet 72 has first and second vertically extending edges 76, 78, respectively, and second sheet 74 has first and second vertically extending edges 81, 83, respectively. The first vertically extending edge 76 of the first sheet 72 is pivotally secured to side member 42 of one of the plurality of open frames (such as open frame 14, for example), and the second vertically extending edge 83 of the second sheet 74 is pivotally secured to the side member 42 of a corresponding adjacent one of the plurality of open frames (such as open frame 18, for example). The second vertically extending edge 76 of the first sheet 72 is pivotally secured to the first vertically extending edge 81 of the second sheet 74.
Pulling the second cover member 106 away from the first cover member 80 expands the collapsible frame assembly 12 and deploys the plurality of hinged vertically extending panels 70 to form sidewalls of the portable collapsible container 10. The upper and lower foldable panels 82, 84 may then be deployed to form top and bottom walls of the portable collapsible container 10 by pulling their respective second ends 100, 104 in the direction of the second cover member 106. The rollers 110 of the upper foldable panel 82 travel smoothly and linearly through the upper set of rails 90, and the rollers 112 of the lower foldable panel 84 travel smoothly and linearly through the lower set of rails 92.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a linear actuator 64 may be provided to drive expansion and collapse of the collapsible frame assembly 12. Linear actuator 64 has opposed first and second ends, with the first end thereof being pivotally secured to the central portion 68 of the first linkage member 24 of one of the plurality of scissor linkages 20. The opposed second end is pivotally secured to the central portion 66 of the base end 44 of a corresponding one of the plurality of open frames (open frame 22 in the example of FIG. 4). It should be understood that linear actuator 64 may be installed between any two adjacent open frames. The linear actuator 64 may be a hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric cylinder with a piston extendable therefrom.
The alternative embodiment of FIG. 10 is similar to the previous embodiment, the portable collapsible container 200 including a collapsible frame assembly 212 having a plurality of open frames 214, 216, 218, a plurality of hinged vertically extending panels 270, a first cover member 280, a second cover member 206, a lower foldable panel 284, and an upper foldable panel 282. However, as shown, the scissor linkages 20 of the previous embodiment have been replaced by corresponding telescoping actuators 220.
It is to be understood that the portable collapsible container is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter.
Patent Grant
10308423
